BioWare owns all except for what I made up. : )
So, we have Zev who is now aware just what pies our beloved Kai had her fingers in while he was napping. And he at least didn't leave the room and sleep elsewhere, despite being locked in a room for four days or so with a big stinky dog. Kai learned from Zaeed that the negotiations between The Crows houses and their nobles were underway. Hopefully Kai won't have to goose them, or will she? And while, she and her relationship with Zev are still mending, what will Kai be able to discover if anything about where Anora is getting her money? Ah, stay tuned folks, still so much to do, and so many chapters to write. : ) I still can't believe it, chapter 40! Oh my! Thanks for making that possible. And I know, I know, I am a tease! Trust me we are building up to a Kai and Zev get together, I promise! : )
And of course, thank you all for your reviews, they have just been phenomenal, so uplifting so inspiring. I have so many little quotes still, you will get your shout outs, so look for them when I do. Trust me I have several yet to go. You inspire me so much.
Those who have sent personal emails, bless you too! I really am just amazed that you all think I am doing such a good job. I promise I read all of them, even more than once (reviews too)! : ) I am so eager to write for you, and I am truly blessed, big hugs from me. Oh, and may say you guys are some of the most clever readers? Shanda27, I hope I answered your question in the last chapter, you were spot on! : ) Also, hugs for putting me on alert, fav story and author too, wow! : )
Blessings!
Kai and her friends had been spending the days in quiet moments of much needed relaxation, while waiting for word back from Ignacio before they moved to Highever next. Eamon and Teagon rejoined them all at the farm hold after their lengthy and trying two week meeting with Anora. It had not put Eamon, or Teagan in a good mood, and they were even less happy that everyone was still there. But Kai pointed out that necessity was the mother of invention, and with the new alliance being birthed between Antiva and Ferelden, it dictated that she stay close to Denerim. This was the closest safe house after all. Add to that she and Zev were still recovering from their injuries. The mention of which, and how she had received hers, almost sent Eamon into an apoplectic seizure. Kai almost felt sorry for the man, but she was trying to get a viper off the throne, that meant danger. Vipers had venom and fangs after all.
Zev still slept in the same bed with her. And his injuries, according to Wynne were almost completely healed. His bruises left the barest hint of yellow, if you knew what you were looking at on his warm honey skin. But his psyche seemed to be something else altogether. He wasn't cold, but he wasn't warm and close like he had been. He didn't touch her much, except in the most basic of ways. Nothing like the friendly intimacy they'd shared, not even sexual innuendo. He was holding back, a wall was there, similar to the one he had been before he made the decision to follow her and spurn Taliesen, and in some ways worse. It was the wall she couldn't seem to penetrate. Wynne said he was at war with himself. She figured she should just stay close, be his friend and wait to see what side would be the winner in his internal conflict. The only problem was Kai was not sure what was involved in his internal war, so she didn't know which side, or sides, to hope would win.
Kai had gotten together with Eamon, and Teagan-after Eamon had calmed down enough-and she explained to them about the ex Crows now Scaths, and their waiting for word back from Antiva. She also showed them the one of the chests they had gotten from the ship 'Wave's Promise' and the mercenaries. Much to her disappointment, Eamon and Teagan had no idea where Anora was getting the money. She was making money by forcing all the banns, arls, and teryns to overtax their people. But this was more money than that, a lot more. This had lead Kai to send out Naseel to the Scaths in Denerim with new assignments for the ones like Lelyth working in the castle. They were missing an important piece of information, and they needed it badly. In the meantime they were distributing the money from the chests found on board back to the poor and to those nobles who had been loyal to Kai and the Theirin line, all done by the 'Silver Griffon' of course.
But their days of relaxation were quickly over. It was a beautiful sunny Fereleden Spring day, when the breeze held only the barest chill left from winter, and Kai and her crew were all hiding out in the gently sloping hills around the now, mostly, evacuated village of Swallow's Point, a village on the edge of Bann Loren's lands. Bann Loren was the villain who imprisoned, tortured, and then executed King Cailan's honor guard Elric Maraigne, a move that lead Kai and Alistair back to Ostagar during the Blight. Bann Loren was also her best childhood friend's father, Dairren, the man who'd become her lover the night Highever fell, killed by Howe whom Loren helped. That Kai bore no love for Loren would be stating the case mildly to say the least. That the man could be involved in the murder of his own son and wife was monstrous, to find him siding with Anora was unsurprising.
Kai had her Scaths keeping close eye on the banns and arls that were either too cowardly to oppose Anora, or were slobbering sycophants. Bann Loren was definitely sycophant material. He worked with Howe to kill the Couslands and his own wife and son. He'd followed Cailan until he had fallen. Then when Loghain had become regent, he followed him, now he followed the little viper. Kai wondered if he just went whichever direction the wind blew, even if it was going to blow from direction of the children of Alistair Theirin, bastard grandchildren of Maric Theirin. Kai snorted to herself, when the Black City froze over if she had her way.
They'd gotten word that Bann Loren had proposed a plan to Anora to trap the 'Silver Griffon,' the person who was giving the pretty little viper such heartburn. The plan was to leak that the town's men being taken into conscription by Anora, then the 'Silver Griffon' would ride to the town's rescue and thus find 'himself' caught and subsequently executed. End of problem. Well, it would be if the 'Silver Griffon' was a person and not a group of people all working towards Anora's downfall, Kai laughed into her own head.
They had decided to employ a similar tactic as they had in the Alienage. Those villagers, mostly the able bodied men who could and were willing to fight remained out in the open, along with a good number of Scaths, Zev, and Naseel included. They were all dressed in everyday work clothes giving the impression of an village going about its day to day. The village being a sort of rectangle, built around one village square, with the main road radiating from the middle of it, the soldiers, those not 'conscripting' the villagers would be surrounding the square once the 'Griffon' made 'his' appearance. Or so Loren's plan stated in the orders to his men that her Scaths intercepted.
Kai had Jarren her Scath, ready to play the part of the 'Griffon' and come riding in with a small band of Scaths, to 'rescue' the villagers. Loren's men would surround them and then she and the rest of the Scath would in turn surround Loren's men. She expected them to fight. Loren's men had shown great cruelty towards Cailan's man Elric. As always, her plan was to spare those she could, but not at the expense of the others. So they waited, her Scath rogues crept back to tell her that Loren's men were on their way.
Kai watched as a group of armored men walked into the village grabbing men pushing them into the square, rounding them all up, even the elves like Zev, which was just fine. She didn't think they would like the surprise when their docile and cowed elven servant showed his true abilities. Kai smiled at that. Naseel and the other female Scath were playing the alarmed females afraid for their men to perfection. Kai felt her plan ready to spring shut and cause the little viper to develop yet another ulcer.
Her feelings of confidence evaporated when a man and a band of soldiers rode into the middle of the square and they were not Jarren and his crew. Blast it, what git was crashing her party? Kai watched as the handsome young man rode and started shouting at the soldiers. Kai was too far to hear what he said, but she figured it was something along the lines of cease and desist, sod it!
Luckily Kai knew her Scaths were some of the best and most disciplined professionals, they would roll with this. That included Jarren. So it looked like this young man, whoever he was, would play the part of the 'Griffon' for them. She only hoped he was smart enough to see what the lay of the land was once the game started. She had no desire to kill him or his men, but even less desire for him or his to injure or kill hers.
Kai continued to watch as Loren's men figured they did indeed have their 'Silver Griffon,' issuing a cry so that his other soldiers outside the village began to surround it and close in. Kai watched the young man whose eyes got wide. He said something else which she could not hear though he and his men drew their own arms. There was a clash of metal on metal and the game began. That was her cue, Kai made hand signals to ready her Scath and her friends.
They all began to move forward in a circle around the village surrounding Loren's men, who found themselves fighting not only their real quarry, but the villagers themselves. They also found themselves outflanked. The hunters had become the hunted.
Kai started cutting a swath with the help of Shale and Argus towards the young man, who now that she was closer, looked awfully familiar, but she didn't have time to really put her mind as to why. She found herself with a man in plate standing in her way, "Hello girly girl." He leered at her, Kai stuck her dagger in his face slicing across his eye before he even had a chance to raise his sword. Then she stuck him in the armpit, where his armor had an opening, right into his lung and heart, when he raised his hand to his face.
"Bye." She told him as he gasped and went down like a sack of beans.
Shale just tossed armored men about like rag dolls, or pulled back an enormous fist and knocked men across the square. Argus knocked one man down and ravaged the man's face as it was not covered by armor. The man shrieked and tried to fight the Mabari off. Argus waited until the man raised his head enough to give him an opening to his throat. The shrieking ended in a burbling choke and fell silent.
Finally, Kai made it to the young man's side. She parried a sword blow aimed for his unguarded back, letting the attacker's sword slide along her own black metal blade making little sparks where they clashed. She felt the vibration down her arm. Kai went down on one knee, as the man's weight pressed her downward. She saw him grin at her, triumph sparking in his eyes. Then those eyes got wide as Kai snaked out a quick fist and punched the man square in the place of his hopes and dreams. He was wearing armor, but Kai had dwarven steel across the knuckles of her leather gloves, punch metal to metal hard enough and it would cause damage. His sword clanged to the ground as he started to fall to his knees grasping himself taking great gulps of air like a fish on land. Kai stood up and did a double handed swipe and took off his head.
"I don't know who the hell you are, but thanks!" She heard him say before he was occupied by another soldier intent on capturing the 'Griffon.'
"I would say you're welcome, but I am just a bit irked" Kai kicked out at the man in front of her catching him square in his unguarded jaw with a sickening crunch as the bone broke and the man squealed like a piglet as blood fountained out of his broken mouth. She stuck her dagger in his chest between the ribs and pushed him off with her foot. She turned to look for her next opponent, and found that the square was covered in bodies, though she was happy to see, not her people.
Her first priority, as always were her friends and scath, she did a head count, as well as making sure she could see her friends all standing or sitting. Wynne and Fiona were already hard at work, while those who were not as injured were using potions and getting out bandages and poultices setting up an area for first aid.
Kai motioned to Naseel to check and see if they had any civilian casualties. They had this routine down now, she didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad one, their familiarity with tending the wounded and dying. Kai turned to the man who had almost ruined their whole operation.
It kept nagging at her that she knew him, "Old boyfriend?" Alistair's voice teased her.
"Very funny smart guy, you know all my lovers by name, except I can't quite remember the last bloke, hm. Albert, Alfred, no... hmm what was his name?" Kai laughed at him.
"Oh, you are so evil!" Alistair mock grumbled at her, then laughed into her ear.
She watched as the young man tended not only to his people but, helped with the villagers. His hair was similar to Alistair's in color, a little more on the brown side. He had a goatee, and green eyes, and a face that probably made the other nobles' daughters swoon. He was obviously in shape and he knew how to wield his weapons, so he wasn't just some slothful noble's brat. Though it was obvious he was a noble, since his armor and his men were equipped quite well. It was also the way he carried himself, she and Fergus had the same kind of carriage. It was drilled into them at an early age, but this noble seemed to be slumming it.
He turned to her and grinned. "You look awfully familiar, have we met, at a Landsmeet maybe, or just in my dreams?" Kai rolled her eyes at him.
"Don't bother with the charm ser, It has been tried by better men than you." She caught Zev moving forward out of the corner of her eye.
The man grinned wider. "I am Keiron Ceorlic, son to a long line of traitors it seems. I was here hoping to redeem the family name." He grinned wider, "My father loves to straddle a fence, must what he uses that split in his arse for. I overheard him talking to Bann Loren, about this little trap, I had hoped to stop 'The Silver Griffon' from being caught and to meet him, I want to sign up for the cause."
Kai just looked at Zev and Naseel who were standing nearby. Then she turned to Keiron and laughed. "Well, today is your lucky day." She waved a hand to encompass all the Scaths and her group. "You just met the 'Griffin'." She grinned at his confused look and clapped him on the shoulder, "Let's sit down and talk, shall we?"