BioWare owns all but my character's, her dog, and the Master of the Crows name. :)
Sorry about the delay in another chapter, this one required a little research into cryptography, couple that with a major headache yesterday, I wasn't on my A game. So I played what else? Dragon Age of course, since I have been writing, I haven't been playing as much. I consider it research too, LOL.
So Kai has to go and look for her frisky, Antivan troublemaker. There is no way Kai is just going to leave him to the Crows. So, on with the show!
I hope you don't get tired of reading this, because I mean it really, Thanks! Your support, your reviews, your putting me on your favorites and alerts gives me the warm fuzzies and makes the muse sing, I am so grateful. Oh and Happy Valentine's for those inclined toward the holiday. And for those that hate it, sod all those nug humping hearts and flowers, but hooray for the chocolate! : ) In the spirit of those little horrid tasting message hearts, I hope you will all continue to 'be mine.' LOL! : )
Blessings!
Kai had been spurred into action. She sent Lelyth back to Denerim after she had rested. The poor girl and her Ceffyl had ridden all night to Redcliffe as soon as Zev had left and she had read the note. Not only was she to go back to her assignment but to inform the rest of the Scath to be ready should they be called. Her mind had been going more swiftly than an arrow, planning what and who she would need for this journey. The "who" would have to be completely voluntary. So, Kai had the servant who had woken her wake all of her compatriots up and have them meet her in the great hall.
Morrigan and Leliana just watched her pace, rereading the parchment as if it would give her more information. Kai knew it wouldn't but she couldn't help it. She also preferred to stay angry at the foolish elf, because underneath she felt fear and a whole lot of it too. Sten, Oghren, Shale, Argus, and Wynne walked into the room, followed by Eamon and Teagan. Kai groaned inwardly. She was hoping to avoid a confrontation with Eamon, who no doubt would argue against her going. But, she kept her face neutral and turned to address all of them.
"Zevran has been taken by The Crows. I intend to find him," Kai swallowed and clenched her fist, "alive or dead. I am hoping alive, of course. He was taken in Denerim, and I only have this note for him to meet someone in a room in the Gnawed Noble Tavern." Kai looked them each in the face before she began again. "I am going there is no argument that will sway me." She held up a hand to Eamon whose mouth had started to open. "But I could use help. We have fought together, and you have all stayed by my side, I could not ask for better friends. I know you consider me the leader, but I am not telling you that you have to go. I am, however, asking, one friend to another. But if you feel that putting your lives on the line for Zev is too much, I understand. There will be no shame, no recriminations, and no guilt. This is for me to do." Kai fell silent and let them think on it.
"You are really going to do this?" Alistair asked in her ear.
"Hey, you are the one who wants me to sleep with him remember?" Kai tried to make her query light, even though her throat wanted to close up, her heart was banging in her chest, and her stomach felt like ice. "I can't very well sleep with him if he is dead, now can I?"
"Ha, very ha," Alistair's voice sounded scared too. "I know nothing I say will sway you anyway. You are the most pig-headed woman in all of Thedas."
"I prefer 'implacable,' remember?" She gave him a mental smile.
"Just, please be careful. I know you can handle yourself, but you are a mother," Alistair's voice admonished.
"Yes, I am quite aware I am a mother, since I am the one who went through about twenty-three hours of sweating and pushing and almost dying. That is something really hard to forget." Kai retorted back. She felt him sigh, so she relented. "I know, my beloved, but Zev would not leave me. Can I do any less for him, for any of them?"
"You being you, no, just please keep our babies in mind, no pulling any of your usual crazy death defying stunts like going comatose, okay?" Alistair's voice teased her.
It was Shale who broke into Kai's internal conversation. "Since the painted elf has never turned into a bird or shown any inclination towards the feathered fiends, then I will go."
"Oh, I suppose that means if ever I were in trouble, the great stone statue would leave me to dangle?" Morrigan asked the golem with a wry smile. "Well, 'tis no matter. I too will be going."
Sten merely watched their exchange with a slight hint of amusement on his otherwise immobile features before turning to her. "I hear there is a bakery finally running again in Denerim. I wish to sample its cookies." And then he shrugged.
"Did Sten just try and make a funny?" Alistair's voice asked with laughter. "Oh my, hanging out with you lot is totally ruining him!" Kai gave a mental snort.
"I don't care about the pointed eared, poncing git, Warden, I am just going for the beer. I hear the Gnawed Noble Tavern has some really fine stout. I've been meaning to try it out," Oghren clapped Kai on the back.
"I think we have figured out with who our giant friend has been spending too much time," Alistair quipped to her.
"With whom, dearest, with whom," Kai corrected him in her head.
"With whom, meh meh meh," Alistair's voice said sarcastically back. Kai laughed.
Kai looked at Leli and Wynne, the only two who hadn't spoken up. Leliana smiled, "I didn't think I had to say anything, you know I am going. Saving Zev and shoe shopping, what more could a girl ask for?"
"Yes, well I can't go shoe shopping with you unless I am in disguise. Anora thinks I am dead, I mean to keep it that way for a while longer." Kai smiled at the red head. "In fact a disguise will be necessary."
"You could go as a dwarf." Oghren joked.
"Thanks Oghren, but unless we cut off my legs, then I am a little tall to pass as one," Kai laughed back at him.
"An old woman," Wynne broke in. "We can dust your hair with flour, make it whiter, carefully drawn on wrinkles, even a pebble in your shoe to give you a limp. Plus a small pillow tied around your middle will make you look fatter." Wynne just smiled when they all turned to stare at her in amazement. "What, you all don't think I've picked up things here and there at my age?" Wynne chuckled. "And since I am the one to come up with the idea, I guess I had better go."
Argus gave a loud "woof!" before bouncing around in front of Kai.
Kai patted him on the head and smiled. "Thanks, boy, I didn't just want to assume you would go too."
"All right then, we need to pack, and Eamon," Kai turned to the, so far, silent Arl, "We need to use the safe house close to Denerim if we can."
It was Teagan who spoke, "I will ride ahead right now, dear lady, to let them know you are coming." Teagan bowed and left the room to going towards the stables.
"Eamon, may I ask that you and Lady Isolde bring the twins to the safe house? I know that you were due to go to Denerim in a day for your monthly meeting with the other arls, banns, teyrns and Anora." Kai kept her face neutral; she didn't want to give Eamon an opening to start a protest. "Also, we need a wet nurse, just in case."
Eamon looked furious, worried and resigned all at the same time. "Yes, dear lady, of course." He simply continued to look at her. "But..."
"But nothing Eamon, I hate to pull rank, but technically even though I am 'dead', I outrank you. I am still a Cousland. And Eamon, if I should fall, I expect you to take care of the twins. No sending them to the Chantry, is that understood?" She smiled to take some of the sting out of her words.
"You will not fall." Eamon made it sound like a command, though he tried to smile.
"I am a practical woman, Eamon, and a realist." Kai smiled again. "Well folks, let's go find us an Antivan troublemaker. Get packed and meet me down here. We ride to the safe house and then Denerim."