BioWare owns all but my character's name and her dog's name. : )
Thank you for all your reviews. As always it is such a blessing, and I have to admit to shameless ego gratification that I get each review. You are all so supportive and wonderful.
Well, we have our Zev back, that cheeky rascal. Right at death's door and just the thought of "forging the midnight statue," as Oghren so gracefully put it once, with Kai kept him from stepping through it. And for those of you who missed Alistair's voice, never fear. There is a good reason he was quiet for the last couple of chapters. Think being stuck in the Fade with a certain someone's mother, who might be giving him hell about letting Kai do what she is doing. Like he could really stop her anyways, but still, she is technically his mother-in-law. : )
So join me as we try to keep annoying and undermining Anora, building up to her comeuppance, and putting the sexiest rouge alive back on the path to recovery. Let the games begin! : )
Blessings!
When Wynne had given the go ahead to move Zev, Kai had Sten carry him back to the stables where they could get their Ceffyls and get him to the safe house out of the city. Wynne and Morrigan followed Sten, along with Argus. Kai turned to the rest including the Crows.
"Oghren, you and Shale get back with Bodhan and Sandal, get your armor hidden away, and wear your civilian clothes. Don't forget you need to have that broken control rod out when you are on the road in case Shale is spotted before you leave the main road to go to the farm hold. I don't want word leaking out that an unchecked golem was seen roaming the roads outside of Denerim and risk letting it get back to Anora." Kai looked at Shale and smiled, "Remember if you come across anyone who is curious, play like the rod works." Shale only sighed and nodded, "And you know the backstory of why you have a golem," Kai looked back at Oghren.
"Aye, Warden!" Oghren smiled back at her.
Kai directed some of the Scath to go with Oghren and collect all the items they had raided at the hideout from the warehouse where they were hidden. Bodhan and Sandal could safely carry all the loot in his wagon making it look like nothing more than things he had for sale. Kai also gave special instructions for the disposal of Master Vimaro and Concha, she had plans involving their remains and speaking to a certain Crow master named Ignacio, Kai learned he and his brother were back in Ferelden, though they had left before the Blight came to Denerim.
Kai turned back to Naseel, "Thank you Naseel. You and your fellow Crows may stay and help me, if you wish, or you may go back to Antiva. The choice is still yours, I know you told me you would stay, but I still want you to be able to change your mind, especially after tonight." Kai pressed a bag of coins into the elven girl's hands, "Leliana will escort you to the docks, Sten will meet you back at the docks after he drops off my other friends at the stables. He will help any who wish it to book safe passage back to Antiva with a reliable captain we know. He has the coin for the passage. This coin is for the rest of you, I know your Master only pays you when a job is done, if at all, so no doubt you all have nothing to your names." Kai remembered Zev explaining this system when she first found him and he was talking her out of killing him. "I will not have any of you selling your armor or weapons." Kai looked at Naseel and then the rest, "You are free, and the choice is yours."
"I did not change my mind about serving the Grey Warden who defeated a whole band of Crows and who killed Master Vimaro. What more could I ask for in a leader, except for that leader to teach me the fighting style she used to defeat me?" Kai studied Naseel's eager face,she looked like a child asking for a sweet, she couldn't help but laugh.
"I think that could be arranged." Kai smiled at her, "Those who wish to stay, please go with Leliana to the docks to send off your fellows. And because Leli is part of the Scath, she will help you all get settled in with places to stay and food before she leaves. Now if you will forgive me, I have dear friend to tend to." Kai strode out of the chapel drawing her hood up to cover her face, Lelyth and one other Scath followed her as an escort.
Kai stopped when she heard footsteps behind her, and she and the other Scath drew their weapons. "Wait," Kai turned to see Naseel walking towards her, "I am coming with you!" Naseel's face seemed set.
Kai smiled and nodded. She had given the girl the use of her free will. She couldn't very well stop her from exercising it now. Kai chuckled quietly as they all made their way down the now deserted and dark streets.
They made it to the stables with no trouble. Kai had not really expected any. There was no real law and order under Anora's rule, decent, law-abiding citizens locked themselves inside when the sun went down. The taverns and brothels, which had rebuilt quickly, were the only real businesses open at this hour. Since they weren't traveling in those neighborhoods, Denerim gave the impression of being a dead city.
The air was soft at this time of early morning, when the sun has been set for some time and dawn is still far away. Her father had called it the 'dark hour of the soul,' the time when most old or sick people seemed to die, it made Kai hurry her footsteps. Zev had perked up after her offer of making love, but she didn't want to test how far only an offer might keep him going. Of course with Zev, that alone might keep him alive even with a dagger sticking out of his heart, the outrageous flirt.
They got to the stable to find Sten still holding Zev while Wynne saddled one of the Ceffyls and tried to direct Morrigan on the procedure at the same time, Lelyth went to rescue Morrigan. Zev looked like a child in the giant Qunari's arms. Kai walked over to them."He is breathing, Kadan." Sten met her gaze with his lavender eyes.
Kai smiled at him in thanks and put a hand on Zev's forehead, "When we get saddled up, I will ride with him in front of me, Rhia can pretty much direct herself, so I won't have to hold the reins, I will just need you to put him up there. You know to get back to the docks, book passage for any Crows who wish to leave, help Leliana get those that stay situated, then start out. The less you stay in Denerim, the better," Sten just nodded.
Kai turned to start saddling her Ceffyl, Luna Negra. Luna was one of Rhia's fillies. It was Zev who had given the Ferelden Ceffyl an Antivan name. She was all black except for a small, crescent-shaped white spot on her forehead. The filly had refused every name that anyone tried to give her, until Zev. Both Rhia and Luna adored Zev and would follow him around a paddock or field if he went out. Kai wondered if it had anything to do with his being a Dalish elf, but Wynne's stallion didn't do the same thing. Kai teased Zev that it had to do with females and his charm. Kai fisted a hand in the mare's mane, Maker, don't let him die now.
"Naseel, how good are you at riding a horse?" Kai turned to the elven woman.
"I am a good rider, why?" Naseel was rubbing Luna's soft nose while the mare lipped at her face in affection. Well, that's a good sign. The mare liked the girl right off.
"Because Morrigan is not, and I want you to ride Luna, here. Morrigan can ride behind you, which is how we rode to Denerim. I need to hold onto Zev, and I will be riding his horse, Rhia. Also, these horses are not your regular Chevals from Orlais or the Caballo from Antiva, so this may be a little different from what you are used to," Kai smiled
"What do you mean?" Naseel looked at Kai curiously.
"Better to demonstrate, Ceffyls are smart, like Mabari." Argus barked in agreement. "Luna, pick up Naseel, gently, please," Kai directed the mare. Luna stopped snuffling Naseel's face and grasped the elven girl by the front of her leathers lifting her off her feet. Naseel's face wore a momentary look of panic before the mare put her back to earth again, Luna let out a whinny and lipped at Naseel in comfort.
"I see what you mean." Naseel stroked the crescent white spot on the Ceffyl's forehead, scratching until the mare's eyes closed with pleasure.
"We are going to be traveling off the roads, luckily, it is a full moon, or we would have to wait until dawn. The Ceffyls work best when given their head to pick out the path, so just go with Luna's lead, okay?" Kai patted the mare's neck, she directed Naseel to get into the saddle so she could adjust the stirrups. She then turned and gave Morrigan a leg up behind the elf. Wynne was already on Bran, a big dark chestnut stallion with a cream colored mane and tail with a blaze of white bisecting his big head. He and Wynne headed out of the stable into the yard first with Argus following, Luna went after carrying her two charges.
Kai turned and spoke to Rhia, "Our friend is badly hurt, my lady, we need to be speedy, but go as gently as we can. I will be holding him, so I can only ride with my legs." Kai stroked Rhia's dappled gray forehead, the mare snorted and nodded her head up and down in understanding.
Kai jumped up and swung herself into the saddle, Rhia walked over to where Sten stood and snuffled Zev gently. Kai motioned for Sten to put Zev in front of her, he did so. Kai panicked momentarily when Zev made no sound even as Sten moved him, but as Sten said, he was still breathing. Kai kept her hood pulled up, but she wrapped her cloak around them both and her arms around Zev. "Be careful, Sten, you and Leli, we won't move to Highever until everyone is together, I will see you both at the safe house."
"It is a couple of days' walk, but we will be there." Sten left through the doorway of the stable to the yard while Rhia followed. When they were outside, Sten turned to go.
"Sten, thank you," Kai smiled at him.
"Kadan," he nodded and walked off into the darkness towards the docks with Lelyth and the other Scath following him. Kai watched until they disappeared around the corner, before urging Rhia in the opposite direction towards the city gate. The gates themselves had one of her Scath in the position of night guard. He smiled, gave Kai a crossed arm salute and opened the doors to allow them all to leave. Once the gates closed again and they were clear, Kai told Ria to take them back to the farm hold where they had all been staying. Rhia and the other Ceffyls started off down the road and traveled about a mile out of the city before leaving the road to travel overland.
Kai spent her time just gripping Rhia with her knees and checking to see if Zev was still breathing. He smelled like blood and a privy, and when she sniffed again, like a Mabari. She supposed it had to do with the cage he was kept in.
"No doubt he would tell you that it reminded him of one of his amusing times in a brothel in Antiva. Well, except for the Mabari part," Alistair's voice spoke into her head.
"There could have been a dog involved, you never know with Zev," Kai teased him back, "And where have you been?" Kai asked him, "You have been awfully quiet since I told you I was recruiting Naseel, I thought you were mad at me." Kai heard him sigh.
"For the record, I am not mad. Irked maybe, but you can be the most irksome woman I have ever met. I have been trying to cover my eyes and not look at what you are doing lest I have to explain to your mother. You do remember that I am here with her and with other concerned people who want to know how you are doing, and who they ask I wonder, oh yes, ME!" Alistair grumped.
"My mother, o-oh, my mother," Kai did a mental squirm. "Yes...hm...well, I don't supposed she really needs to know..."
"To know about how her daughter has been putting herself in more danger than she is in already by bearding a bunch of assassins in their den no less? Oh, and then confronting more of said assassins and their leader, all the while leaving our children, her grandchildren, her words not mine, behind to be possibly orphaned? Oh no, we wouldn't want her to find out that, too late!" Alistair's voice dripped sarcasm. "But you do forget who it is who gets interrogated by your mother, and I am no good at telling her everything is fine and not to worry, Maker, she just stares at you and whittles you down until you beg to confess."
"Add to that the fact that every feeling you have shows on that handsome but dopey face of yours, and yes, my mother gets to know all," Kai retorted.
"It isn't just that I could lose everything I'm wearing in a game of Wicked Grace, my love," Alistair answered.
Kai paused. "I remember the night in camp Zev had you down to your small clothes and then to nothing at all!" Kai laughed at the memory.
"Yes, and I tried to explain it was cold that night!" Alistair's voice pouted, making Kai laugh harder. "Hey, no changing the subject!"
"Sorry, I just meant to say, don't feel too bad. Fergus and I could never get away with anything either, she always found out." Kai couldn't help but give him another mental laugh.
"Oh yes, laugh now, but someone has some explaining to do when she gets back to the Fade," Alistair's voice chuckled evilly into her ear.
"Ha, very ha, always a catch," then, Kai gave another mental grin. "Just think, it could be you here now, and I could be in the Fade," Kai teased him.
"Oh no, thank you, then I would have to make love to Zevran. He pinched me on the arse after that game of Wicked Grace, the pointed-eared scamp," Alistair teased back. "I am just glad you, and he, are safe. I did like him when it became apparent he wasn't going to kill you, or me for that matter, and he has been nothing but loyal. I hope he will be all right, my love. I have to say he did spring back when you told him my proposal, the opportunist. You might have to keep repeating it, though, just to be safe," Alistair laughed. "I love you, Kai, now, just try not to fall off Rhia and break your neck. Uh oh, your mother is calling me," and then his voice went silent once again.
Kai sighed, she missed him so much. She tried talking to Zev, "Zev, Zevran, please dear friend, talk to me." All she got was a low moan, she felt his breath on her hand, and his chest was moving. She had a moment to wonder if this was what it was like for Zev and the others when she was busy being comatose, well, it serves me right, she supposed.
Because they weren't forced to travel the road, the Ceffyls made good time, much better than Oghren and Shale would. The sky was just taking on a pink tinge when they finally got to the farm hold. The house was bigger than the usual farm hold, as it was a minor bann's home. It belonged to Ser Gilmore's family before the Blight, if she remembered correctly. Kai couldn't remember which bann had it, now, a distant cousin she thought. Thinking on Gilly, as she'd called him, brought on a fresh pang of pain at his death. Another friend gone, sacrificed on the altar of Kai.
They rode into the cobbled yard surrounding the house and up to the stables. Wynne dismounted and went to wake a very sleepy and surprised stable boy. He looked to be about twelve years old and had been sleeping in the hay. Kai guessed, from the stalks of it sticking out of his hair. He had apparently been told to wait for them no matter when that might be. He helped them all dismount, including helping Wynne and Morrigan handle Zev so Kai could get down. Kai went into the house to fetch a couple of more servants and a blanket to make a stretcher for him.
He still looked pale, but it was not that horrid deathly pallor of earlier, and his breathing was still steady. Wynne directed them to take him upstairs to the room Kai had used earlier and to heat water for a bath so that they could clean him up and get his outer wounds assessed and tended to.
Kai was exhausted. It had been one really long day and night, and Kai's breasts were swollen and very tender. Besides wanting to see the twins just because she had missed them terribly, her body was practically screaming at her to do so for very physical reasons.
She made her way upstairs to her room and gently opened the door to find Fiona sleeping with the twins in the bed. When Kai went and gently touched Fiona on the shoulder, the woman started and grabbed for her staff, she stopped quickly enough, for which Kai was grateful, as she didn't relish the idea of being a toad. Fiona jumped up and gave her a hug, "Did you find him?" Fiona pulled back with a smile while brushing back Kai's hair with her hand, "You look exhausted."
"We did, they are bringing up now." Kai had to look down as tears started, "It isn't pretty Fiona. I...would you mind helping Wynne? She healed his major injuries, but he has so many more. I just wanted to get him out of Denerim and somewhere safe." Kai looked at her and smiled, "How are Fi and Duncan?" Kai went over and looked at their sweet faces, looking at them helped erase some of the ugliness she had seen recently. She touched them, and they woke. When they saw her, they smiled and then started voicing their displeasure at being left without Mommy and hungry, life was not fair at all!
"Of course I will help, here, let's get you and them situated." Fiona help Kai get herself and the twins on the bed and get them feeding. She almost wanted to weep with relief as the pressure in her breasts eased.
They brought Zev up on his makeshift stretcher, and Wynne directed them to lay him on the floor next to the tub. They took pillows from the bed and put them under his head until the bath could be filled with warm water. Fiona went to bend down next to him and Wynne, Morrigan came in with Naseel.
"Wynne, could you make sure the servants get Naseel a place to sleep?" Wynne nodded at her. "Naseel, get some rest, it's been a really long day for all of us." Kai smiled at her, and Naseel gave a small grin and bowed, then left with a servant who would take her to her room.
When the twins were done feeding, she kissed them both on their round little cheeks, burped them and changed them. She put them on the bed and just watched them fall back to sleep, studiously avoiding watching Wynne and Fiona discuss Zev's visible signs of torture. She wanted to be sick all over again, and she was also feeling the effects of a day spent fighting. Her wounds were itching or, in the case of the one on her shoulder where the bandage had moved, burning. She felt sweaty, gritty and sore from fighting and riding. The adrenaline she had called on had taken its toll, leaving her drained, limp and headachey.
Morrigan, who had been crouching next to Wynne and Fiona, rose and came over to the bed just as the last bucket of water was poured into the large stone tub in the room. "I will watch the children, you will not be satisfied until you have helped clean him up and tend to his injuries." Morrigan's yellow eyes gave Kai comfort. "I know you, sister. Best get it done so you can have your wounds looked at as well. Do not think I have not seen you get hurt, 'twas not I who had to dance with that rogue today." She smiled at Kai and laid herself down on the bed next to the twins.
Kai stripped down, removed her bandages, and got into the tub. Wynne and Fiona carried Zev over and placed him gently in the water with her. Kai held his head above water while all three of them, as gently as they could, removed the caked-on blood and filth that covered him. Kai realized early that some of the marks which seemed to be dirt were actually several-day-old bruises underneath newer ones, restraint marks, cuts, scratches, marks of whips and branding irons – it took everything she had not to throw up again. Instead, her plan for taking the Crows out of his life cemented itself in her head.
She must have looked murderous because Wynne touched her gently on the shoulder and gave her a concerned look. Fiona, though she was far better at keeping her face neutral, also had a slight crimping around her eyes and a certain set to her mouth. Kai glanced down to find the water completely murky, grayish brown and tinged pink from blood. It really needed to be drained and fresh water put in, but this would have to do for now.
Kai smiled and joked as Zev would have done, "I was just thinking how disappointed he will be that he missed out on three women bathing him." Wynne and Fiona both grinned because they knew she wanted them to. They helped her get him out of the filthy water. At least he was cleaner. Kai drained the tub and stepped out to dry off, letting Morrigan put new poultices and bandages on her own wounds, she then got into a shift before helping Wynne and Fiona, who had dried Zev off and were working on bandaging him as well.
Kai held his head in her lap and handed Wynne and Fiona bandages and poultices as they asked for them. She stroked his forehead and watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. It seemed an eternity before they got every scratch, cut and wound tended to. She was just starting to nod off herself when Fiona roused her and had her lift him up so they could slip a sleep shirt and small clothes on him. Wynne and Fiona lifted him off her lap, and Kai went to pull back the bed covers so they could place him it. As she stood out of the way at the end of the bed, she discovered dark, bluish purple bruises on the bottoms of his feet where they had been beaten. Kai couldn't control her stomach this time. She went to the window and only had a second to hope no servant was walking down below at some early morning chore before she emptied her stomach of the only thing in it, the water that she had drunk.
There has been enough throwing up lately, really. She turned to find three sympathetic faces looking toward her. Morrigan walked over and led her to the other side of the bed. She put Kai in it and with the help of Fiona arranged the twins so that Kai could put her head near Zev's and her hand on his chest with the twins in between them, then, all three women left the room. Kai only had a moment to kiss Zevran on the forehead before her head hit the pillow and she plunged into that exhausted sleep where no dreams followed her.