BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )
For those who read Chapter 55 early after it was posted, please feel free to go back and reread it. I tweaked it and tightened it up a bit. I changed some small things, like why Kai gets hurt. And I fixed all the mistakes I could find, which were many. I blame exhaustion brought on by the stupid time change of "Springing Forward" which means someone stole an hour from me! Call the cops. I was waking up at 5 AM instead of 6 AM! And I was up really late writing to post the chapter, so, I am very sorry it was not the usual gold standard, or at least silver, that I do. Hopefully, most of you were too busy purchasing and playing the new expansion and missed my errors, I was stuck at work and was not to edit, boo, and yay. : )
Again our intrepid Kai winds up down and out, she hasn't been comatose for a year at least, so that is something, right? I doubt her friends would agree, but hey, you have to count your blessings. And I hope you enjoy the newest addition, one Gnat, by name. Will we ever learn her proper name and what her story is, and what is she really up to? More will be revealed in this and following chapters, I promise. Oh, and another erotic scene with our favorite Antivan heart-throb is in the works too, of course that will have to wait until Kai has healed from her dance with the big ugly. Special shout out to mnomaha and Phoenix Fire Lady for their inspiration for my scenes with Gnat in this, PFL, the answer to your review was both. : )
SPOILER: I had to use a phrase used by a different Mage in the new expansion about Wynne, just FYI. For Gnat's voice, think actress Audrey Tatou. : )
Thanks to you all who have been my steadfast followers and for taking time out to review, you know I have to give you kudos, and tell you all how much I appreciate you. I am with the Antivans, it would be a sin to keep it to myself. I especially want to give a shout out to Lisette57, Night Hunter MGS, and mnomaha for doing so on the day of the release of the expansion, really, sweeties, I appreciate it on today of all days. And to all of you who have newly put me on story alerts, favs, and new reviews thank you! I am looking at you grouchtomato, since I couldn't send you a personal email to tell you so, thanks for reading and reviewing! : )
Blessings!
Kai saw him standing there, and she ran towards him, her heart felt so light and free. It was filled with that overwhelming sense of love she always felt upon seeing his handsome face. She felt her grin about to split her face in two. As she got closer she saw her parents, Oriana, and Oren behind him, she felt such happiness. She drew close, and she hit an invisible barrier, she put her hands on it seeking any way to penetrate the smooth surface. He just looked at her with a worried look, "No, my love, you can't come here, not yet, you have to go back."
Kai pounded her fists on the surface, tears running down her face, "NO, please, let me come home, let me come home." She crumpled, sobbing, at his feet with the clear barrier between them, "Please, please, please," her voice broke in wrenching cries. But when she looked up it wasn't Alistair and her family standing there, but the hurlocks she had just been fighting. They reached for her, hissing, and she found herself crawling away backwards as fast as she could go, until she bumped up against something. When she looked up, she could have wept with relief, Duncan's face looked down at her.
"There you are, child, it's time for your Joining." Duncan smiled down at her, and she looked around, dazed. She was in the columned area in Ostagar where she had met Alistair for the first time and later where they'd had the joining ceremony. In fact, she was there and so were Ser Jory and Daveth, even Alistair was there. She looked at her hand, and it held a snow globe with little figures of her parents and Ali in it. She started to crawl away, but Duncan caught her by the foot and pulled her on her stomach across the stone floor, "Oh no, young lady, you must Join again. We never let anyone leave the Grey, you should know that." He drug her to the table where the silver Joining cup sat.
The snow globe fell from her hand and rolled away while she scrabbled to dig her fingers into the stones trying to gain purchase. She was grabbing with such desperation she was leaving bloody trails where her skin was peeling off against the rough surface. Duncan brought her to the table and flipped her over onto her back. Daveth and Jory grabbed her under her arms and pulled her upright while Duncan reached for the Joining cup.
Kai struggled and sweat broke out all over her body, running in rivulets down her skin, "Ali, don't let them do this to me!" She looked at him, her eyes pleading. He only started repeating the Grey invocation that was part of every Joining, "Join us, brothers and sisters..."
"No, Ali, don't let them do this to me, not again, please, please, please...no, no, no, NO, " She was sobbing in earnest now as Duncan put the goblet to her lips. Kai struggled harder...
And found herself in her room in The Spoiled Princess with a familiar voice filling the room, "'Twill not work if we cannot get her to drink it. The fever is very high. 'Twill kill her or turn her into a vegetable if we do not get it to go down."
"In case you have not noticed, my beautiful and dangerous Morrigan, I cannot hold her down when she thrashes in such a state of fear. And her skin is slick, making it very difficult to hold onto her." Zev's voice sounded hot, annoyed, and afraid all at once, as if he was just keeping it under control. Morrigan's voice too had that hot glass tone which indicated she was trying to keep her emotions in check.
"I am awake, so no fighting, all right, your argument is moot." Kai's head throbbed, she felt as if someone had kicked her in the back, and every joint hurt due to the high fever she seemed to have. She was wet, her night shirt was soaked through, and the bed sheets were wet too. Her mouth felt dry, as if sand had been poured into it, "I will drink whatever it is." Kai tried to reach out, but her arm didn't stay aloft that long. It was also damn hard to do so. She found herself clutched in Zev's arms, her face buried in his chest for a moment before he cradled her torso while Morrigan put a cup to her lips. Kai drank it without even really tasting it. She felt Morrigan's cool hand on her forehead.
"She is still too hot, we must find a way to cool her off, or 'twill kill her." Morrigan's golden eyes looked into hers with love and fear. Kai found herself plucked into Zev's arms and swept from the bed. She had vague impressions of being carried down the hallway, down the stairs, through the common room and out to the lake. She heard splashing as Zev waded into the shallows of Lake Calenhad, and she felt the cold water surround her, it felt like bliss. A sigh escaped her lips, Maker, the water felt so good, she found herself slipping between dozing and waking, she came fully awake when she realized poor Zev was shaking with cold. The lake was not so pleasant for him.
"Zev, you can let go and get out. I can swim well, and any infant can float," Kai smiled at him.
"My dear Kaidana, you are too weak to hold a thimble, let alone swim. And I am not about to let you try and float out here by yourself, you might float out into the lake, and I understand there are nasty things out there due to the potions dumped into the water from the Tower."
He continued to clutch her to him, and she huffed to herself. She hated putting them all to so much trouble, and yet she kept on getting them in these positions. It was a wonder they didn't all throw their hands up and walk away, or run away screaming.
"How long was I out?" Kai asked in a small voice, not really wanting to hear the answer, as it was usually days or weeks.
His answer surprised her, "Only about three hours."
"Well, that is certainly an improvement on my usual track record" she smiled at him. He did not smile back and only grasped her more tightly. She found herself shivering like him, "Um, Zev, I think we can get out of the lake now, I'm freezing. And I think I can walk."
He narrowed his eyes at her and scooped her up once again to carry her to the inn. They got to the room to find Morrigan directing Jarren and the innkeeper in replacing the rather damp mattress with a dry one, including dry pillows, sheets and duvet. When Jarren and the innkeeper had left the room, Morrigan and Zev got her dried off, dressed in a clean shift, and tucked back into bed. Zev got himself dry and dressed and got into bed beside her to cradle her head on his chest.
Morrigan sat in a chair next to the bed, feeling her forehead, "'tis much better, I think the fever the health potion induced is gone now. The old biddy will be disappointed she came too late to do anything, I think." Morrigan got up and poured a cup of water, bringing it to Kai as she sat down again. She held it to Kai's lips for her to sip from.
"You mean Wynne is coming, why, you're here." Kai felt herself flushing at all the fuss she was causing.
"When the fool Templar wakes me from my rest yet again to come to your rescue, 'tis prudent to tell the others, so, my sister, I told Wynne and the rest what Alistair told me in the Fade, I shifted into an owl and flew here. Wynne is riding here because she is so special The Fade shines out of her bum, the old bat. The rest are waiting for my report, which I shall make shortly now that your fever is gone" Morrigan stroked her cheek. Kai wanted to giggle about the witch's comments on Wynne, but refrained. The rivalry between mage and witch had been a source of amusement ever since they all came together. The two women were like cats who tolerated each other, barely.
"You said health potion induced fever, I have never had one do that before." Kai took the cup of water from Morrigan's hand with both of hers. She was able to drink from it with trembling hands, but at least she was able to hold it. She considered that an improvement.
"'Tis not something that usually happens, unless one drinks a whole potion at once in the space of a minute. 'Tis why one drinks some potion and has a healer work on the rest." When Kai felt Zev stir as if to say something, Morrigan only reached out a hand and put it on his shoulder, "'Tis not that you had any choice, Zevran. If you had not made her drink the whole thing, you would be burning her along with the darkspawn." Morrigan gave him a slight smile, "Despite the fact that the phallic symbol sitting out in the lake not half a mile from shore is filled to bursting with healers, 'twould have been too late if you had taken the ferry to get there. Again, the result would have been to burn her with those nasty creatures outside."
Kai felt her heart race, "You did tell the innkeeper and any others to cover their faces and stand upwind when burning them didn't you? I don't want anyone turning into a ghoul!" Kai started up as if to rise, and Zev's arms tightened as Morrigan's hand went from Zev's shoulder to Kai's, pushing her back.
"My dear Kaidana, we traveled with you during the Blight. We knew to tell them all. Even Jarren and Gnat have been educated on darkspawn now. You really must worry about yourself, sometimes, and not everyone else," she felt Zev put his face in her hair.
She flushed and bit her lip, "Sorry."
Morrigan only smiled wider at her and shook her head, "'Tis your way, sister, I should go and inform the others that you are well. How long before the new weapon will be ready? The others will want to see you in the flesh before they are comforted, no matter what I say," Morrigan huffed.
"The smith said maybe two more days, not only is he good, but he's fast. He was impressed with our dear friend's sketches which he said helped speed the process. He will also do the repairs on what we brought. I would say maybe four days and half of one to travel, no?" Zev smiled at Morrigan as she rose, kissed Kai on the cheek and went to the door.
"Fah, this foolish inn with its rooms dug into the hill. A window would be welcome." The witch sighed, "I shall go and placate the others, try to keep her out of trouble." Morrigan smiled and turned to walk out the door, stopping when she reached it, "And speaking of trouble, sister, I do not trust this 'Gnat.', 'twould be prudent to watch her more closely. An Orlesian who is obviously new to Ferelden in the inn you and some of your Scath frequent?" The witch shrugged, "But then, I have always been a wary soul. I love you, sister." And then she walked out the door closing it behind her.
"Our deliciously dangerous witch is correct, she is more than what she says, not that she has said much. Now sleep, my dear friend." And Zev got up to put out the mage rune lights before he slipped back under the covers to wrap her in his arms.
She was standing in the garden at Highever, and she felt him before seeing him, as always. She realized her nightmare Alistair was nothing but a wooden cut out in comparison, no matter how real her fear had made it seem at the time. She spun around and ran to him, burying her head in his broad chest as his arms came around her, "Oh Ali, I hate darkspawn so much, they frighten me so. They always did, but you there fighting with me made it tolerable." Anything else she was going to say was lost in sobs.
"I know mi' gra, my beloved, I know." He just held her, stroking her back and kissing her hair.
"I am so sorry if I scared you again. Thanks for getting Morrigan, I can be such a damn burden to everyone, hate that" Kai found herself sobbing harder.
Alistair lifted her chin, "You are not a burden, you're the one with the burdens, and we are all just trying to make them easier for you. You can't help that sometimes you get knocked around or hurt, as much as it scares the rest of us. Did you find it a burden to take care of any of us when we got hurt during the Blight, did you find it a burden to rescue and take care of Zev?"
"Well, no, of course not. I would do anything for any of you. They and you are my family, my heart," Kai looked into his gray eyes.
"Well, it is the same for us, you can't help that we worry about you, it comes with the caring about you, the loving you, part. At least I could do something this time. I could grab witchy-poo." He grinned, "I do have to admit I get a certain kick out of interrupting her dreams and waking her up, though, the dream she was involved in this time had your brother Fergus in it." Alistair laughed as he sing songed 'Fergus'.
Kai laughed, "Really, I think they were snogging in a corner of Highever's Great Hall a few nights ago. I wonder if I should bust Fergus's chops just a little." And it struck her that Alistair had done it once again, he raised her spirits and made her laugh. He was truly the amazing one, not her. She reached up to put her lips to his as the dream world melted away.
"I really hate when that happens," she told him in her head, "I love you so very much."
"Me too, my beloved, I love you too" she felt his smile.
She sighed and rubbed her eyes, Zev wasn't there, and she had no idea what time it was. The rooms to The Spoiled Princess were dug by dwarven engineers into the hill behind the wooden front rooms of the inn. All the rooms were spacious and lit by magic rune stones like those used in carriages and at the Circle Tower. It was also a clever use of space, even the tubs in the rooms were sunk into the floor. There was no need for fireplaces as the rooms stayed the same temperature no matter the season. It also meant no sunlight to gauge time, as there were no windows. Kai walked towards the softly glowing switch on the wall to make the room light up.
This inn was so amazing, Kai hoped that when all this business with Anora was done, her plans to free the mages would draw more people to stay here visiting their relatives at the Tower and would encourage traders to visit here. It was one of many long term goals she had for Ferelden, if she survived long enough, that is. She groaned as she sat herself on the edge of the bed, she felt like one big bruise. She was tender everywhere, but she'd felt worse. So, she got herself up, gingerly tested her balance and got dressed. She was just making her way down the stone hallway headed toward the junction where the hallway leading to the doorway and stairs to the common room when she heard a woman's voice and Zev's reply.
Kai snuck a look around the corner to find Zev leaning against the wall, arms crossed, one leg bent, foot resting on the wall in a casual pose. However, Kai had known him a long time. There was a certain tension in his pose which meant his assassin training was at work. The female turned out to be Gnat who was practically plastered to Zev while she ran a hand down his arm and stood on her tip toes, curving her pretty neck back as she looked him in the eyes. Hers was a seductive pose meant to show off that skin, that graceful neck and to invite him to kiss those lips. Kai had seen Leliana use that trick before, she ducked back behind the corner and listened.
"I am new to Ferelden, and what do I find but a very handsome elven man sitting in a little inn in the middle of nowhere in a country that smells like wet dogs and rotting garbage. My luck is starting to look up, I think." Gnat's voice was pitched low and practically purred, it sounded like velvet with her Orlesian accent, "I have heard so many stories and rumors since I arrived here, I don't know which ones are true. I could use help in making my way around, knowing what not to do and what not to say to these Fereldans, they can be so touchy. You saw what problems I had last night." Kai peeked around the corner again to see the exotic girl blinking those big, dark, iolite eyes at Zev's amber ones.
"Oh, my lovely friend, I am flattered. But from my accent, you can tell I am also a stranger to this land, I hale from beautiful Antiva City. What could I possibly tell you?" Zev reached out a hand and wrapped some of Gnat's long, white-blonde curls around his nimble fingers, lifting them to his nose as Gnat leaned in even closer.
"Are we friends then, Zevran?" Gnat smiled at him, those pink lips getting closer to his.
"Oh si, my dear, but again, pet, what could I tell you that you don't already know? These Fereldans are not a complicated people, not like Antivans or Orlesians. They are simple, their tastes are simple, they value honor above all else, besides their dogs. Don't insult the Mabari, and you should be fine." Zev kissed the silvery tress he held and smiled, "As to last night, it seems you are well able to take care of yourself, no?"
"True, but I have heard rumors of the Blight and the dead Grey Wardens, which are frightening enough. But I have heard another name I do not understand. My Ferelden is, how you say, poor? I am not sure I heard it correctly, in Orlesian it would be...um...Greif Argent, but I do not know if this is correct. And what I heard is this person is a bandit, stealing from the Crown and the nobles. I do not wish to run afoul of another, more powerful thief, no?" Gnat leaned in even closer, her lips a hair's breadth away from Zev's.
Zev's hand reached out to stroke her cheek and then down the girl's throat, as if he were going to pull her in for a kiss. It happened in a blink, Zev's hand grabbed Gnat under the chin, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around to pin her to the wall while the other hand held one of his daggers to her heart, "I trust, my dear Kai, you heard everything?"
"I certainly did, my Orlesian is, how you say, poor?" Kai used Gnat's own words in a mocking fake Orlesian accent, "Our little friend here is asking after 'The Silver Griffon', now isn't that interesting?" Kai walked up, patted the girl down and removed all her weapons, including the well hidden ones, "By the by, my dear, if he really were your friend, he would have told you to call him 'Zev.'" Kai just smiled at him, "I think we all need to have a little private chat."