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So, I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. We come the retrieving of our favorite Antivan heart breaker. Please let me know what you think, your reviews mean so much. : )
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Blessings!
Concha's information had been good after all, and Kai found herself walking into a small chapel in one of the poorest parts of Denerim. The chapel was, like so much of the city, run down and dilapidated. As Anora's mind seemed to be spiraling further into madness after her father's death, she was raiding the country's coffers now to build a university in her father's name. Instead of rebuilding the city itself, she seemed to be rebuilding her father with stone and masonry.
This little chapel to Andraste was no different, it had been allowed to fall into disrepair as the homes around it were abandoned as no one could live in them since the horde came through and they had yet to be rebuilt. The statue of Andraste holding a bowl was in residence, but no altar, no pews decorated the small space. The light filling the chapel came from the brazier in front of the statue and the torches along the walls.
When they had received word back from Vimaro about the meeting place, Kai had sent Scath to scout it out and give her the layout of their meeting place. It was simple, architecturally speaking – a rectangle with a U-shaped inner balcony running along the tops of the walls supported by columns underneath. Opposite the doors, the wall that held the statue held two doorways leading into what would have been the rectory for the priest. The rectory itself had only one exit, and access to the balconies was on the inside of the chapel. The place was so poor when it was built that there were raw beams across a ceiling that had never been closed off and plastered.
Kai had also left Scath around Vimaro's hideout in case anyone came back to look at the bodies. So far, no one had, so Naseel was still Kai's secret weapon. For the benefit of the remaining Scath and her friends, Kai debriefed Naseel on Vimaro and the remaining Crows in his cell. Kai was hoping that others would be willing to leave Master Vimaro's 'employ,' as Naseel had done. If she could do so, she figured she could kill two birds with one stone, If it were possible, and it was a gamble. If she succeeded, she would not have to fight as many in the battle she was sure was in the making, and, she would have that much more talent at her disposal in dealing with Anora. Kai chuckled mentally. It was almost like old times, trying to amass an army while dealing with and avoiding a foe. Granted, Anora was no archdemon, but she was a deadly little viper, a lot like her father, who was made more dangerous by her deeper slip into her delusions.
Master Vimaro did not know about The Scath, or the Scathach, so Naseel had pointed out that Vimaro probably figured Kai was just saving her lover as Concha had assumed, as Naseel herself had assumed. He would be expecting Kai to bring only a small group for protection, so he would feel he held the advantage.
Kai overheard Leliana talking to Naseel, telling the elf that Zevran was Kai's friend, not her lover, and that she would be doing this for any of them. She watched Naseel's surprised, even stunned, expression, and how her odd colored eyes had sparked, but with what, Kai could not say. Kai's boots made no sound on the worn rug that ran up the center of the chapel. She asked if Naseel was up for the task of being Concha's escort and thus revealing herself and her defection. Kai was hoping it would help further her goal of having others defect, thereby unnerving Vimaro. Any advantage Kai could get, she wanted to use.
Kai wore her regular rogue leathers, instead of the all black uniform of the Scath, let Vimaro continue to think she was nothing but a fellow thief and rogue who had partnered up with Zev. Naseel followed Kai, pushing a tied and gagged Concha ahead of her, giving the woman encouraging pokes with the point of her dagger whenever she started to slow. Concha would occasionally look over her shoulder and glare at Naseel, her eyes shooting hateful daggers at the elf. Three of the Scath followed behind Naseel, again dressed in regular, if not beaten up armor, looking like the kind of mercenary bodyguards anyone with enough coin could hire.
Kai stopped in the middle of the chapel and casually looked around for the Crows she knew would be hiding in the shadows, they were good, and she didn't see them.
"So, you raid my home away from home and kill my employees, yet, you bring me my Concha back. And all in exchange for one Zevran Arainai, if you ask me, it doesn't seem a fair exchange." A male voice echoed off the walls as a shadow from the doorway of the rectory detached itself and came forward into the light to stand in front of the statue. "It does seem a lot of trouble for such a trifling elven bastard, even if he is a delightful bedfellow."
Master Vimaro was as handsome as Concha was beautiful, with black curling hair and dark eyes set into a chiseled face. His lips were full, but not feminine, and drawn up into a charming smile. His Antivan accent made his voice pitch deep and, like Zev's voice, made everything sound seductive. Unlike with Zev, Kai was immediately repulsed, Vimaro's eyes, like Concha's, held nothing but the abyss staring out of them.
Kai carefully schooled her face into an indifferent mask. After time spent on the road haggling with traders of various races, Kai had learned the one thing you didn't do. You didn't let them know just how badly you wanted something. "Zevran is a valued partner, we have jobs that need to be brought to completion, and he has certain skills needed to do that," Kai shrugged. "We have been paid well, and my reputation would suffer if I left them unfinished."
"Ah, skills, yes, and they would have nothing to do with his capturing your heart or warming your bed perhaps? After all, I know how charming he can be," Vimaro smirked at her. "One does not usually go to so much trouble to get a working partner back."
"You mean like the trouble you have gone to? Perhaps we have the same issues with our delightful playfellow." Kai allowed a small smile to curve her lips.
"He belongs to me, but not in the way you think!" Vimaro's face shifted into an ugly scowl as his voice rose in a snarl, "He is my tool, my toy, he is to do what he is told to do. I own him, body and soul. I have the papers to prove it." Vimaro's face suddenly smoothed back into a pleasant smile that didn't meet his eyes as he made an open gesture with his hands, "He was sent on a job, he failed, for that alone he should be beaten and, if lucky, left to live if only to make up for his failure. But not only did he fail, he killed my other tools, and one of them a very valuable one at that. Taliesin was worth twenty of the toys I have left, add to that he, himself, is a valuable tool, or at least he was." Vimaro let out a low chuckle, "I will admit he isn't very light on his feet at the moment." Vimaro snapped his fingers, and two Crows dragged in a limp, filthy, bloody body whose hands were shackled, they dumped Zevran unceremoniously on the floor. He was covered in bruises, cuts, blood, and filth. Kai could hardly tell it was Zev at all. In fact it was hard to tell if he was even alive, but for the soft moan he let out when he hit the floor.
Vimaro continued, "But more than that, he embarrassed me, he made me a laughing stock amongst the other Crows and their noble houses, me! For that alone he should beg for death!" Vimaro's voice snarled again, his face a monstrous mask before it once again became the jovial devil-may-care smile.
It took all of her discipline to keep her face set in stone, her heart began to race, and bile was trying to edge its way up her throat from a stomach which felt as if it had shards of glass in it. She felt her own shadow of the soul trying to break its leash. She knew that Vimaro had meant to test her, to provoke her. It hurt to lock it all down, to present Vimaro with nothing.
"Watch her carefully, Naseel," Kai whispered to the elf before striding over to Zev and crouching down beside him. Her hooded cloak obscured them both partly from view. It hurt even more to see him up close. Gently as she could, she raised him up by the shoulders to cradle him a moment. His one good eye opened to look at her, and he tried to smile that cocky grin of his. Kai smoothed his filthy hair back and tried to give him a pointed look before she grasped his face and gave him a long and lingering kiss. Kai then gently laid him back down on his stomach so he could rest his head on his arms. She only hoped he had gotten the message, or the game would be up.
Kai smiled coolly at Vimaro again, "Well, it seems I was too easy on your pretty little playmate, then." Kai spun around, stalked over, and grabbed Concha by her auburn tresses, Kai made a mental note to get her own hair cut as it was getting a little long. She dragged Concha forward and put a knife to her long, lovely throat. Kai watched Vimaro's eyes widen in surprise, not because of the threat to his woman, but because he could see Naseel standing there, the elven woman, being shorter than the human, had remained unnoticed. Kai watched his already olive skin turn almost purple with rage. So, Kai knew what made him livid – toys that wouldn't do what he wanted, perceived or actual betrayal was one of his pet peeves, apparently.
"You little whore! Did you think this bitch could offer you freedom and safety?" Vimaro's lips twisted, making his handsome features into something ugly. "You only have to look at what she came for to see how foolish a notion that is," Vimaro gestured toward Zevran.
Naseel, to her credit, didn't blanch or show any signs of distress, she pitched her voice so it carried the length of the chapel. "This woman is a better leader than you will ever be, with her, I am free, even if only for a few hours. She gave me a choice; there is power and strength in choice, Vimaro. She is truly strong, and it is you who are weak, she showed me that. And if I die tonight, I will die free and go where you cannot touch me." Naseel smiled a thin little smile.
"Weak, me, you are the weak one, Naseel! I took you from nothing and made you into a Crow. You have had a taste of power, the power to hold another's life in your hands. But that is just a taste. The power to torment, to oppress, to control, to hold others powerless, that is true power, you stupid little whore," Vimaro scoffed at the elf.
"Power can only be given away, not taken." Naseel looked at Kai as she stepped to stand next to her.
"You are both pitiful fools," Vimaro spat at them.
"And yet, here we are, so, do you want your little friend or not, if not, why am I here?" Kai cocked an eyebrow at Vimaro.
"Fine, give me my Concha." Vimaro held out his hand. Kai pushed the woman forward, and Vimaro caught her and removed her gag, kissing her face.
"Kill her Vimaro, she wanted to maim me! She was going to cut off my hands and feet, and make me ugly, I want that bitch dead! And as for the elven chit, I want to take special time with her!" Concha turned a burning glare on Kai and Naseel.
"Hush, my darling, all will be taken care of," Vimaro stroked a porcelain cheek with one finger before fisting his hand in Concha's hair and covering her mouth with his. Kai nodded at Naseel to go get Zev, but before Naseel had taken a step Vimaro had forced Concha onto her knees and put a blade to her throat.
"What are you doing, Vimaro? What..." Anything else Concha was going to say was lost in a sick, wet, gurgling sound as Vimaro severed her throat. Kai felt hot red blood as it sprayed out and then spilled down the woman's front, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief before she fell forward on the floor.
"Sweet Concha, you were such fun, you shared my hobbies, but you gave this little troublemaker our codes. You gave her a way to reach me. That was your mistake, my love." The way Vimaro said "my love" made Kai's skin crawl, his actions, while not unexpected, were still shocking to a part of her brain. Again, Kai carefully schooled her face, shrugging at Vimaro and smiling a little. "And now," Vimaro continued, "We can finish our business here. You really didn't expect me to just let you walk out of here, now did you?" And with that, the Crows who had been hiding in the darkest shadows of the walls and lying on the floors of the balconies stood up.
Kai only continued to smile and let her voice carry the length and breadth of the chapel, "I would make the same offer to any here that I made to Naseel, join me. I have a group called The Scath that runs in Ferelden. I can't guarantee the same prestige, but you will never have to worry about the retirement package." Kai grinned more widely and gestured with her hands. "You may join of your free will and leave of your own volition. Your life won't always be easy, but it will be your own, to come or go. If you feel you can't join, then you may leave and go back to Antiva if you wish. Provided you just leave and don't fight for Vimaro tonight."
"And who are you, Fereldan slut, to offer anything to my people? They know how the world works, I own them. And since I count your number as five and since your lover is in no shape to help, what with the shackles and the torture and all," Vimaro gave a laugh at that, "Then it would seem you are the one dying tonight."
Kai started to laugh; it started in her belly and burst from her lips causing her to bend over and put her hands on her knees. When she rose up, she had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Brasca, what is so funny, little bitch, perhaps you would like to let me in on the joke before you die?"
"The fact that a puffed up little toad like you could scare me thatis what's so funny," Kai gasped out. She could feel Naseel looking at her, wondering if she had lost her mind.
"You dare insult me? Do you have any idea what I can do to you, what I have done to others?" Vimaro's handsome face turned purple again, "You slut, you whore, you chit, you harlot, tramp..." Vimaro was absolutely sputtering now, spittle liberally coating his chin in his rage and inability to come up with another epithet to throw at her.
"Strumpet," Kai laughed in his face again and wiped her eyes. "I would say I am sorry, but that would be a lie, I mean, it is just so hard to feel fear of some stupid popinjay like you after facing darkspawn and the archdemon. I mean, you must see how comedic this situation is, don't you?" Kai watched while the information processed in his brain.
"You are a Grey War..."
"The Grey Warden, one of the ones on the contract with Loghain? Yes, I am afraid I am guilty as charged," Kai gave Vimaro a cold hard smile, offering him a small bow, "One and the same. And if Zevran Arainai was willing to join me and stay despite knowing the Crows were looking for hi, and Naseel is willing, then, I ask you all to consider is this. Is a man who tortures others just to bring any thrill into his own empty life really a strong leader, or is he weak?" Kai let that hang in the air of the chapel.
"You lie! The Grey Wardens of Ferelden are dead!" Vimaro growled. "And even if she and these Scath are so strong, then why is she recruiting and why only show with so few?" Virmaro's accented voice tried bravado.
"Oh, did I give the impression that I only showed with four? Not counting Zevran, as you so helpfully pointed out earlier, my mistake, I apologize for the deception. Scath, to me," Kai gave a yell, and Scath who had been hiding on the open beams in the church began to descend ropes to the balconies and to the chapel floor. More poured in from the rectory as they had snuck in from the back, incapacitating any Crows hiding there. The front doors were opened by Naseel, and more Scath, followed by her friends as her Mabari, ran in.
Vimaro's olive face became a sickly pale green, "Fight you ill-bred curs, obey me, fight, you children of whores and cast outs, your master orders you!" Vimaro's voice rose like a child throwing a temper tantrum.
Kai watched as the Crows she could see dropped their weapons, even going so far as to take off weapons secreted on their persons. "Guess tonight is not your night, Master Vimaro." Kai took a moment to smirk at the man before he gasped and fell forward with an arrow in his eye.
She spun to find a Zevran tottering on his feet and holding a bow, "Not tonight, or any night, I'm afraid," Zev managed to get out before he started to fall forwards. This time it was her turn to keep him from breaking his nose on the floor.
"Wynne," Kai yelled in desperation as she lowered him gently as she could to rest in her lap. Wynne came forward, her hands already glowing. Many of his fingers looked dislocated, how he used the lock pick she had passed to him in the kiss, let alone held a bow and fired an arrow, made her heart hurt, it must have been excruciating. Even setting aside what it must have taken just for him to stand.
He looked even worse up close now that she had time to catalog the outside injuries she could see. She wanted to cry, one of his amber eyes, the one that wasn't swollen shut, opened, and he tried to smile at her again. He must have read her expression, "No, don't my dear, dear, frien..." But what he was saying got cut off by a cough as his breathing got shallow and raspy, he was also going very pale under his usually warm, honey brown skin. It was a sickly color that made Kai's heart leap in panic.
She looked to Wynne, whose face was grim as she worked feverishly, "Dammit, Zevran, I did not do all of this to let you die on me, don't you do this to me; don't you dare!" But his breath got even shallower, Kai felt tears streaming from her eyes as they had for Alistair, and they fell on his battered face. Sod it, this was not happening again! Kai bent down and whispered in his ear, "Alistair wants us to make love, Zev, you can't die now." She smiled at him through her tears.
Suddenly Zev's breathing got stronger and the horrid pallid color started leaving his skin. His one good amber eye opened and looked at her again, "Did you say 'make love'?" and he smiled at her.
Apparently, Wynne was the only one close enough to hear what she said to him and his response. "Unbelievable," The mage just shook her head and laughed while she continued healing his major injuries.