BioWare owns all but all the things I made up. : )
Thank you all for your kind words about my handling of a delicate subject. I am so glad you felt I handled it well. Night Hunter MGS, my dear friend, I am so sorry it was an emotional topic for you, I know it is for many, but I hope it was not too bad.
So it is off to the mage Tower for our intrepid Kai and time for a little chat with some people there.
I do have to give another shout out to Night Hunter MGS for an idea on how to deal with the Templar we all love to hate now. And it is not exactly what NH MGS suggested, but it put me to another idea which I read in a series of books by David Eddings The Belgariad. For those of you who are David Eddings fans and have read that series of books, you may recognize the similarities in scene and dialogue. So a shout out to him as well, which will pop up again next chapter, as it isn't going to happen in this one. Sorry, more teasing by me, I know, I know, I'm evil. And NH MGS, love the idea on what to name the town, I will be working that in somehow. : )
And I promise shout outs to all of your works, since you are all talented authors in your own rights. And I will, but I may get more shout outs during the weekends when I actually have time to read your works and review for you! UGH, stupid working for a living, it cuts out so much time in my day, bleh!
So tonight I shout out to Fluid Consciousness's story "Stray." If you love strong women, this is an Elissa Cousland for you. : )
Again, thank you all for reading and reviewing when you are all writing, playing, and trying to live busy lives as well, I do appreciate it more than I can say. That you all are so devoted and take the time is not lost on me. I am in your debt, dear fans. You help keep me going, especially when I may doubt myself, so to you all, my deepest appreciation. : )
Blessings!
Before going to the Circle Tower, Kai wanted to meet with Talan's daughter, Hulda, about putting compartments into boot heels like Gnat's, she was hoping Hulda might be able to accommodate her with the boots she and Zev wore today by looking at Gnat's boots as an example. She was hoping to hide some tricks on her person when walking into the Tower, they couldn't walk in in full armor and armed to the teeth, she might be recognized for one thing. Plus, without a Blight and with Anora on the throne, she wasn't sure if visitors were allowed by the Templars, let alone armed visitors. Kai wanted to have some surprises should she need them.
Kai found Hulda in her leather working shop attached to the smithy, the stocky dwarf was beautiful, with almond green eyes and russet hair, and she had the look of a short, clean milkmaid. But Hulda could cut off a man's arm before he had time to blink, she didn't just help her da' and her brothers making armor and weapons, she knew how to use them too. Hulda liked the new compartment idea for the boot heels, she went to work immediately on Kai's and Zev's boots, using Gnat's as the example. They found themselves all sitting in a row on a work bench with their bare feet dangling. Kai found it fascinating in the different sizes of their feet, with Gnat's being the size of a ten year old child's. Zev's foot reached over and stroked her own, causing her skin to tingle and her face to flush, but she looked at him and grinned.
Gnat, who had been watching, caught the look and blushed herself, "Ah, why did no one tell me?"
"Tell you what, my dear," Zevran looked at Gnat.
"That you two were bedding each other'" Gnat narrowed her eyes at Zev.
"And why would that be important information, pet?" Zev blinked his amber eyes at her in mock innocence.
"Because I was, what that term you use here? I was going to, sodding try and see if you would bed me!" Gnat laughed
Zevran laughed, "Dear Gnat, whatever made you entertain such an idea?"
Kai snickered, "Oh, please," Zev grinned at her.
"Other than being handsome and an elf, having a man lift me off my feet and pin me to a wall with such dexterity and strength, I consider that an audition, or, foreplay?" Gnat batted her eyelashes at him and laughed, "But alas, I do not poach, however, should she ever kick you out, you know where to look, yes?" Kai blushed at their open talk, but had to chuckle at Gnat.
"Oh, si, though such a lovely offer does make getting in trouble that much more enticing, does it not?" Zev shot Kai a sly grin and a sideways look as his foot stroked hers again.
"Oh indeed, it makes me want to get into trouble so I can run to Gnat," Kai wrinkled her nose at him while Gnat laughed.
"You are very beautiful, for a Shem," Gnat grinned at her, "So, I make the same offer to you as well."
"This could be remedied no one needs to get into trouble. We could all..." Kai blushed and put her finger on his lips. He just kissed her fingertip the way he always did and grinned, Gnat laughed harder.
Kai was saved from further embarrassing jokes by her two miscreants, Maker they were so much alike, when Hulda came back with their boots. She looked very pleased, she showed Kai the garrote she'd put in one boot, and the small dagger and vial of poison in the other. Hulda said that the compartment had sparked other ideas, which she would begin working on to show Kai later, she would have designs for Kai's approval as soon as she could. They put on their boots, Kai gave hers a test, pleased she could feel no difference in the weight of the boot nor did the items stored there make any noise. Hulda, as always, refused any payment for her services, the whole family would not take so much as a copper if Kai tried to offer it. So when she wasn't looking, Kai slipped some coins on the work table and hurried out before Hulda could catch her and give it back.
Now that the task was over, Kai and her group could go to the inn and collect Wynne and Argus. Kai wanted to go, if not actually in disguise, at least in civilian clothes, she did not want to be recognized as "The Hero of Ferelden" by anyone other than Irving, at least, not until she got the lay of the land.
By the time they had walked back to The Spoiled Princess, Kai had worked out what she hoped was a plausible cover story for them to use. Gnat would be Kai's daughter, and Zev her elven servant, Wynne would just be Wynne and a family friend. Kai figured the fastest way to get to see Irving would be to tell them they were worried that Gnat was showing magical talents.
Kai hoped the story would allow them all to see Irving and get his impression of Knight-Commander Greagoir. When Kai had been at the Tower last, she'd had the unfortunate timing to come in when Greagoir locked down the Tower while sending to the Chantry for the Rite of Annulment, which would have given him the right to "purge"-rather murder-all the mages in the Tower. He was in a bit of a panic, and Kai had not been about to let Greagoir kill possibly innocent mages who had not turned into abominations. It was her group that braved the Tower and met up with Wynne. They saved the Tower by escaping a sloth demon's prison in the Fade, killing an abomination named Uldred and saving Head Enchanter Irving in the end. Kai found it disgusting that the man had given up so easily on saving people he had known for years.
Kai found Greagoir a little puffed up, stuck on duty and not much of an innovative thinker. He was very much a man who loved rules. However, he was an honorable man despite those shortcomings. She didn't have any idea how he was handling Anora's rule or if anything really had changed for him, but she felt it best to err on the side of caution where he was concerned. She would speak to Irving first.
They arrived at the inn to find Wynne sitting in the common room with a cup of tea and a book, Argus lay at her feet. She looked up and smiled upon seeing Kai, but the smile quickly faded when she saw their grim faces. Kai introduced Gnat to Wynne and then went on to explain what had happened with the Templar and Drysi, she told her they had his name. Nila convinced Drysi to give it to her after much persuasion. Kai explained her plan for getting into Kinloch Hold to see Irving, and Wynne agreed, since Irving was sympathetic to them and knew which mages could be trusted, as he had proved by coming to the Dalish camp after Erys' treachery. Kai asked Wynne to wait while they all got out of their armor and into their "disguises."
Kai and Zevran quickly got dressed in the "civvies," as they liked to call them in the Scath. Kai started to giggle when he turned around, she was not used to seeing him in what would be considered "peasant garb." When he was in comfortable clothing, it was always finer stuff, a fine wool shirt and breeches, for example.
He spun around and gave her an impish grin, "I would not laugh too hard, my dear Kai, you look like a farmer's wife yourself. Though, there is something entirely wholesome about that outfit, it tempts me to try to corrupt you." He grinned as he ran a finger down her neck and over the bodice of the plain dress while he leaned in close, his lips just a breath away.
"Hah, I have already been corrupted remember? I'm a mother, and I do know what causes it." She kissed him, and then grasped the finger he had been trailing down her front and gave it a quick little bite before grinning at him, "You are a complete scamp."
"Si," he laughed, "I think I might ask you to wear that outfit sometime, we can role play" his grin got sly.
"Ugh, you are incorrigible" she kissed him again and laughed while playfully pushing him away just as there was a knock on the door. Kai went and answered it while Zev secreted small, poisoned daggers in hidden sheaths in his clothes and his boots. Gnat came in, and Kai almost didn't recognize her, she braided her hair in two pigtails, but in such a way that it covered the tapered ends of her elven ears. Her outfit was that of child, and she managed to hide her womanly curves.
If Kai didn't know better, she would think Gnat really was a ten-year-old child, but the illusion was complete when she spoke in a quiet, breathy, little girl's voice. "Mommy," Gnat grinned at her.
"Oh, that is just too strange, don't do that until we get to the Tower," Kai laughed at her. Gnat only grinned more widely at her, as Kai threw on a light cloak and pulled up the hood.
"Shall we go talk to old Kester and get ourselves to the Tower?" Kai smiled at them, "We have a Templar to speak with."