BioWare owns all but my character's, and her dog's name. And not the Ceffyls or their names, or Naseel, or …. ROFL. You get the picture, and because I haven't said it in while. Thanks to BioWare and Dragon Age! : )
So our intrepid Kai doesn't have enough on her plate? She has a kingdom to save, Anora to defeat, and Guilder to blame for it. Oh, wait, that is the Princess Bride (sorry, I couldn't resist, LOL). And now she plans on taking down one cell of Crows, along with its Antivan noble house, and letting The Crows know there is a new game in town that they will need to mind their manners with if they want to operate in Ferelden, ever again. Oh, and freeing Zev, and the other ex-Crows for good. Can't be any harder than dealing with Dwarven politics right? And let's not forget healing a certain rascal so she can have her wicked way with him, no pressure. : ) Oh and a little ME2 love in here too with a name you might recognize. Join me for the continuing zany ride. ; )
Oh and a shout out to Shanda 27 again, beer and onions, what goes in must come out no? : ) And no I am not getting into potty humor, not in detail anyways, you dirty birds. : )
And thanks to all for the reviews, and the private emails, and support. Every time I see an email alert for favorites, or reviews, or story alert, it gives me a shameless little warm glow. You all are wonderful fans, and I really appreciate you so much. Oh, and you all help me keep the story plausible and on track. Bless you! I hate to admit when I miss a mistake, but I do. Rest assured, I try and go back and reread and edit chapters, but I miss stuff. Thanks for helping! : ) hugs
And a mea culpa, for the lateness of this chapter, work was super busy, and I got out late, then I had to go shopping for my kitties for food and litter, for cats are quick to anger and will pee on your bed. And then the husband wanted to be fed. GEEZE, who needs to eat when I need to write? : ( So I got about halfway through the chapter yesterday and had to finish today. LOL, but on a good note, today is Friday and I have most of a weekend to edit old chapters, and write new ones. : )
Blessings!
Kai woke when the twins stirred and wanted to be fed once again. She had no idea how late in the day it was. She had fallen asleep at dawn. As she was trying to get everything set up, she gave Zev a quick once over, he was still breathing, but unresponsive to his name or her hand on his forehead. He felt a little feverish; she made a mental note to tell Wynne.
If anything his bruises looked worse, his swollen eye and cheek had turned a darker shade of blackish purple, obscuring the elegant lines of the tattoo there. She could see more bruises under the edges of the shirt they had put him in and under the lumps of bandages. Kai didn't look more than that, just thinking about it made her stomach queasy again. Such thinking also tugged at that cold, cold place of shadows inside her. She might go practice throwing daggers or archery or just beating the stuffing out of a dummy later.
She piled up pillows, grabbed the rolled blankets and got first one twin, and then the other settled in. It was a good thing that breastfeeding gave her a sense of calm and bliss. Wynne said it was the chemicals released by her brain. It helped her stay centered while she finalized her plan for the Crows. She had left special instructions with the Scath about Vimaro's and Concha's remains. She was developing a better idea about how she was going to use them. Kai would be able to put the finishing touches on the plan after she had a talk with Naseel. She was going to send the Crows a message they wouldn't be able to ignore and an offer they couldn't refuse.
"Oh boy, I don't even want to explain what you are planning to your mother," Alistair's worried voice sounded in her ear.
"Then don't, The Crows like to send their regards. It's time for them to feel how much regard I have for them."
"You know it is kind of scary when you talk like that, and really hot," Alistair quipped in her ear. She gave him a mental chuckle.
"They are going to find out how scary I can be," Kai told him. "Their days of playing with Zevran are done. They made a mistake by not reining Vimaro in. They are known for never giving up, but they need to learn that never is a long, long time, and perhaps they should learn that there are some things they need to let go of, or the consequences can be brutal."
Kai got the twins re-settled on the bed. Stroking their little fat bellies and listening to them make 'ahh' sounds at her and each other. Kai kissed them and played with them awhile before putting on a robe and getting a servant to take them downstairs to play. She also asked the girl to send someone up with some broth and water for Zev. Who knew when he had really eaten last? What had been in the cage could hardly be considered food.
Kai was tired, but could not shut off her brain to sleep, even though she realized she had not had as much rest as she should have. Now that she had a detailed but flexible plan, she was going over it again in her head. There was no way she would sleep now.
Kai went to a drawer in the nightstand and took out two jeweled earrings, holding them up to the light from the window so they glimmered. Kai hugged them to her chest a moment and took out a leather thong usually used to tie up armor and laced it through them. She put them around Zev's neck so they rested on his gently rising and falling chest, before placing her hand over them for a moment.
Kai kissed him on the unbruised side of his face and gently on the lips before sitting down to watch him while her brain went over her plan yet again. She sat that way until she heard the door opening. "Ah, this looks familiar. Except you were where he is and he was where you are," Wynne's voice sounded from behind her, Kai turned and smiled at her.
"Well, I figured it was only fair." Kai turned back and lifted one of his long fingered hands. Other than some bruising, the fingers were all back in place. She simply cupped it in one of hers and rested her cheek on the back of it. "Wynne, he is a little feverish, at least he feels so to me."
"I will have a look, a little willow bark tea may be in order, it isn't unusual after such..." Wynne left the comment unfinished. She just shook her head. Wynne cleared her throat to get Kai's attention and nodded towards the table where a tray of food sat. "Young lady, I will not have you eating like a bird just because he is on your preferred diet of broth and water. You haven't eaten much either in these last few days."
"Ugh, don't remind me. Beer and onions don't mix well. What goes in must come out, and not always with pleasant results," Kai grimaced as she walked over to the table to see what Wynne had brought. The bowl held hot porridge stirred with cream and spices. A jar of honey glowed golden in the sun coming through the window. A plate of sticky buns sat to one side. She smiled and sat down to drizzle honey into the bowl of porridge while stirring it with a horn spoon. Holding the bowl, she turned in her chair to watch as Wynne sat and cradled Zev's head and carefully spoon fed him broth, using a napkin to catch any that didn't make it before he swallowed. "That looks like a long and tedious process," Kai observed.
"Indeed, young woman, hopefully he won't make me do this for six days as you did," Wynne bit back sarcastically.
"And two weeks," Kai teased the mage. "Don't forget the two weeks."
"I was trying to forget that part," Wynne wrinkled her nose at her.
"He will if he finds out he is resting his head on your bosom. You know how he has dreamed of doing that," Kai laughed at her. "Shall I tell him if he stirs?" Kai asked sweetly.
"Absolutely not, I will never hear the end of it," Wynne laughed back. "Kai, help me a moment." Kai set her bowl down and went to help the mage. "Hold him up by the shoulders; I want to get some water in him. He is dehydrated, and with a fever, that isn't going to help. I need leverage to tip the glass." Kai went to the other side of the bed and crawled across until she could rest him on her chest this time. She lifted his head gently by the chin and held a napkin under it. Wynne carefully tilted the glass, slowly sliding water in his mouth. Kai felt a wave of guilt and gratitude that they had done this for her.
"Twice," Alistair teased her.
Kai just huffed at him. "Hush, you."
"Okay, let's put him down for now." Wynne laid her hand on his forehead. "I am going to get a tea pot and my herbs, medicines and bandages, and be right back. You go back and eat more." And with that, Wynne left the room.
Kai wasn't hungry, really, but Wynne would skin her alive if she didn't make more food disappear. So she went back to the table and grabbed a couple of sticky buns, popping one in her mouth to chew on and licking her fingers. She wondered if Naseel had gotten enough sleep yet or if she should let the girl sleep some more. Kai was anxious to set her plan in motion today, if possible, as it might take some time to implement parts of it.
She popped the other bun in her mouth and went to grab the saddlebags someone had brought up to the room last night. Kai had stripped Vimaro's body of any seemingly valuable items while not really having the time to look at anything closely. She had simply tossed it all into a pouch. Zev had been her priority.
She turned the saddlebag upside down, dumping out its contents onto the table. A fancy dagger with a wavy blade and a twisted hilt with jewels in the pommel clanked on to the wood. A heavy gold ring with the heraldry of the noble House of Cresconio and Vimaro's House of Crows landed next to it. The symbols of both houses were intricately set with gems. Apparently, Vimaro liked showy. Kai snorted, typical of his personality. A velvet drawstring bag with a heavy, round ball about the size of an orange had also been on his person, along with an envelope. The envelope had been sealed with wax pressed with House Cresconio's seal and opened already. Kai removed it from the envelope to read:
Master Vimaro,
I want you to take care of this problem personally. You have my leave to do so, but quickly! We are the laughing stock of all the houses of Antiva. This is unacceptable!
I have always supported and enjoyed your hobbies. And I am deeply grateful you helped me rise to the head of my house. But don't make me regret helping to make you, Master. Take care of the problem. Make him suffer for both of us. Bring his head back, I demand it!
Your Lord,
Adulfo
Kai felt her face getting hot. Yes, her plan needed to be put into motion, today. There would be a head sent to Antiva, just not the one that was expected. Kai put the letter back in its envelope and reached for the velvet bag. Whatever was in it was perfectly round and heavy.
She was just putting her hand in to pull it out, her fingertips touching the smooth, cool, polished surface, when Wynne came in followed by Morrigan and Naseel. "My lady, don't!" Naseel leaped forward and stopped Kai before she could take the object out of the bag.
Kai pulled her hand back as if a snake were going to bite, "What in the blast it! Is it poison, a trap, what?" Kai stared at Naseel, breathing hard. Naseel just gripped the bag closed and set it back down carefully.
"No, it isn't dangerous in that way. But..." Kai nodded to the chairs and Naseel sat down, "It is a well-kept secret of the Crows. It is a procul globe, a tool we use to coordinate large group attacks or to communicate long distances quickly. When you take it out of the bag, it is activated. Without the proper set of taps, it would have shown the other Crows in Antiva that it was not Vimaro or one of us holding it. They would have then destroyed the globe that is linked to this one, and you would have nothing but a pretty gemstone to sell."
"'Tis magic, no," Morrigan asked the girl with a raised eyebrow. Wynne shook her head and started water to boil for the tea.
Naseel nodded, "Tevinter magic, made especially for the Crows and only the Crows, per a binding contract. It is a big part of our power to be in many places. There is a special way of communicating with taps and covering it with your hand. The globe has a limited range of vision. It only allows you to see who is holding it." Naseel looked at Kai and blushed. "I had hoped we might contact the other Crows in Antiva, those still guarding Lord Crescenio. I wanted to see if you might offer them the same deal, lady. Technically, all the Crows of Vimaro's house belongs to you now. Their papers of ownership are yours. That is how houses often get new masters."
"I don't own anyone, Naseel, I told you that," Kai smiled at her. "And I certainly don't intend to be the 'Master' of a cell of Crows. But this could come in handy with a little plan I have been working on." Kai told Naseel what she had in mind.
"You want to do what, young woman?" Wynne's eyes got wide. "You want to destroy the Crows?"
Morrigan just laughed a low delighted chuckle.
"Not all of the Crows. Just one cell and the noble that runs it," Kai explained to Wynne. She walked over to stroke Zev's cheek before turning back to look at them. "For what they did to him, they deserve so much more. But this will do. And it will get a message to the Crows and their Antivan lords and ladies. There is a new game in Ferelden, and they had better make nice, or I will rain down destruction on any Crow that gets caught in Ferelden. And I am very good at raining down destruction. I want them to be afraid of and respect the Scath, and I am poised in a golden moment to do just that." Kai's face hardened. "But most importantly I will free Zev and the rest once and for all. Oh yes, and get a pound of flesh back for what they did to him." Kai smiled a grim smile.
"Lady..." Naseel was cut off by Kai.
"Kai, not my lady," and she grinned at Naseel.
"Kai, what I am proposing is this. You may not feel you own my fellow Crows still in Antiva, but you should direct them as if you do or as if Vimaro were still alive. At least until your plan is put into action. Otherwise, they might be too easily influenced by Lord Crescenio. They have not tasted the sweetness of choice yet. They can have that taste when you do what you mean to do and call them here, no?" Naseel shrugged.
"I would rather not lie to them. That is not the start of a good relationship. Will they believe I am the new master if I show them Vimaro's ring?" Kai picked up the heavy square of metal.
"Yes, Vimaro was never without it, not even in the bath or, when doing other things." Naseel shuddered. "The only way to get it was off his cold, dead hand."
"Or not so cold, dead hand as the case was." Kai gave a harsh laugh. "Well then, I think we need to speak to my Crows." Kai gave a snort.
Naseel nodded and took the ring and the dagger. She picked up the velvet bag and reached in and removed the orb. It was a beautiful, pale blue gemstone, like a clear aquamarine with a slight sheen of iridescence. Naseel gently tapped the surface with her fingertips it in a pattern of some kind. The inside of the ball started to look as if it was filling with water, and the iridescence coalesced into the image of a male face. The face smiled when it saw Naseel. She smiled back and then began covering the ball with her hand in quick and slow motions. It must have made sense as the face nodded and frowned. Naseel held up the ring so the man could see it, then the dagger. She then held up the orb so he could see Kai's face. Kai just nodded.
The man's face contorted briefly as if he were bowing. "Tell him that I don't want Lord Crescenio to know that Vimaro is dead. He is to tell the others, but they are to act as though nothing has changed."
Kai watched as Naseel made long and short motions over the ball again. "Tell him I wish to see Master Ignacio. Tell him I know he and his brother are back in Ferelden. I wish to meet then in Denerim, the Gnawed Noble Tavern. Tell him to let us know when the message has been received and what the reply is."
Naseel nodded and did the code. The face in the ball nodded and made motions over the ball. "Zaeed says, 'your will be done, Master.' And he says he is your dagger to be plunged into whatever heart you choose."
"Tell him he will have a heart to stab soon enough, I will let him know whose and when." Kai smiled at Naseel. The girl smiled back and made motions over the ball again. Oh yes, Kai thought, things are about to get interesting.