BioWare owns all except what I made up. : )
Ah, I hope you all enjoyed the steamy hot revenge scene. Sometimes revenge is a dish best served white hot, no? : ) And this chapter is going to be Satinalia Day fluff. Well you know me, it will have realistic emotions in it, I can't stand shallow fake stuff in stories. Fluff is good if it is well done. With that said, I only hope I do it well. Please, feel free to tell me if I don't. I am counting on you all to keep me straight. I do have the best people reading my story. You give me suggestions, and I know you will tell me if I am full of it or what I write is too one dimensional. No pressure on myself to make a fun frivolity real. ROFL! : D And I hope you will enjoy yet another OC, that I came up with on the fly. I will get to the gift giving in the next chapter, I had to shorten this one. It was getting too long and I really needed to go to bed, but I wanted you to all have a chapter. I hope you don't mind. Think of it as a cliffhanger.
Also, another shout out for the movie "The Princess Bride," as one of the Fool's gifts is an homage to it, thanks to Night Hunter MGS. Tee hee. And I give a small visual shout out to Mardi Gras in this, as I see Satinalia as Ferelden's version. Laissez le bon temps rouler, everybody! : D
And a shout out to one of my favorite bands and my favorite album of theirs. They Might Be Giants and "Flood" with the song "Whistling in the Dark." You will see my reference to it in the story. Just love them.
Author shout out goes to our own Violet Theirin! Her short "Painful Mercy" is so damn good. I warn you, it will haunt you for days and bring a box of tissues when you read it. But please, read and review it. It deserves some reviewing love. It is fantastic. : )
My love to you all. My fans both heard from and not. My reviewers, my lurkers you are so wonderful. And thanks to gaelsong1234, biffandalex, Shenzi123, ceejay 18040, and Flame589 for adding this story to favorites. I am awed and humbled every day when someone adds this story to their list. Thanks so much you guys! And to Phoenix Fire Lady, thanks for the email sweetie; I know you still read it, you are a peach. And Xeriana my reviewing student, hugs back at you too sweetie! : )
Blessings!
Two days later, Highever, both the town and the castle, was like a beehive on the first warm day after a hard Winter. And finally, Maker be praised, the Spring weather didn't include cold and sometimes freezing rain that still felt like Winter. The servants were all running to and fro decorating the castle for Satinalia, a Ferelden feast day of fun, foolishness and mayhem. It helped to loosen up pent up emotions and the cabin fever that often occurred during long cold Ferelden Winters and the slow cold starts of the Ferelden Spring. It was a big day of fun and play before the ground that was now soft enough be tilled had to have crops planted. Before barns would be mucked out after a long Winter. Before homes would be swept out and bedding aired now that the days no longer threatened freezing rains and occasional sleet. Fishermen could go out on their boats once again as the sea was no longer hit with sleeting storms and tumultuous waves. The weather now allowed open air marketplaces to start up trade, and the activities of making a living could start. Satinalia was a day of frivolity before the hard work of living began again, one last huzzah, so to speak, before buckling down into the day to day commenced. It was also a holiday where the town "fool" was made monarch for a day. There would be a big wooden throne on a platform in the town's square for the "monarch." Fergus, being the Teyrn, would be crowning this year's town fool. There would be booths with food and games of chance and skill, including a game called Drench a Wench, where several of the town's ladies from the local brothel would sit on a stool over a big barrel of water. The stool would be attached to a lever that when hit with a bag filled with beans would release, dumping said strumpet into the barrel. The game was a popular one, especially amongst the townsmen who had the pleasure of seeing the ladies' clothing become satisfactorily clingy. All proceeds went to local charities in Highever. The game always made enough that every charity received a fair amount.
The town would be decorated. There would be copious amounts of drinking, eating and fun. It was also traditional to give gifts. Kai could hardly wait. To help her pass the time, she had spent the last couple of days practicing the Scath vallaslin on a side of pork she had taken from the larder. Her Scath, who had been taught by the Dalish, had told her that the skin of a pig or nug was closest to the texture of the skins of elves, humans and dwarves. Since a vallaslin, once done, could not be undone, she wanted to practice before she put it on Zev's skin. It made her nervous, truth be told. She had no desire to mar him, and Maker, what if she messed it up?
So Kai had been practicing on the hapless side of pork in the practice yard while the Scath around her worked at their training. She figured Leliana wasn't about to let her practice on Schmooples. Kai was squinting over her work, her tongue between her teeth as she concentrated, tapping the tool with the wolf's tooth. Kai found that having all the noise around her in the training yard made her focus more. The practicing Scath made her think of Rajed. Rajed was still honing his skills in private, but he had finally allowed his brother and Naseel to watch and give her a report. They simply smiled and assured her that she would be pleased with the results. They told her that Rajed had a plan for the unveiling.
"That is a very attractive look for you, my dear Kai." Zev's breath tickled her ear as his fingers kneaded the nape of her neck, causing her to yelp and smack the tool, making a long line of blue along one of the crescents. She huffed in frustration.
"Dammit, Zev! I am trying to get this perfect. I am not about to touch you with these tools until I do." She scowled at him. "I suggest you behave yourself when I actually get to put this on you, or I might wind up making a tattoo of a Mabari or a nug."
Zev just chuckled at her. "I once saw a man in Antiva who had a naked woman on his stomach and when he moved the muscles she would dance. You could always do something like that." He gave her a sly grin.
"If I did that, you would spend all your time in front of a mirror looking at yourself." Kai grinned at him. It was a loud shrill voice behind them that caused both of them to jump and everyone in the courtyard to stop what they were doing.
"IS THAT MY SIDE OF PORK?" Kai and Zev turned to find a brown haired, middle aged woman with wisps of hair flying out from the tight bun she had tried to pin it into. Kai couldn't help but stare. The woman was like a younger, plumper version of Nan. She even sounded like her, except she spoke like a Crimson Oar. "Andraste's ass, so this is where it got to! And just what have you done to it? How am I supposed to cook that? I should rip out your eyes and piss in your skull! That is a complete waste of food that is. And I have an inventory I maintain. Now my count will be off, so you are just going to have to buy another side of pork when you're in town. And see that you get one the same size. I have a castle to feed, not some little farm hold." The woman put hands on round hips and glowered at Kai.
"Perhaps, my dear woman, you don't realize that the pork technically belongs to Kai as lady of Highever?" Zev purred at her, using his most charming voice.
The cook turned her angry countenance on Zevran, crossing her arms in front of her very ample chest. "I don't give a knicker's twist! And if she was the Queen herself, I would say the same thing. As for you, your charm is wasted on me. So save it for the chits around here that are fool enough to fall for that smooth voice and that handsome face, including this one." The woman nodded her head at Kai, who couldn't help but giggle. "I have a tight ship to run, in fact I used to cook for a ship. Bunch of pirates they were, so know this, I can cut off what hangs down and serve it as a snack, see if I won't." The woman waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, I know you're Antivan, got the markings of one of those assassin types. Ran into one of those once. My rolling pin and my meat cleaver took care of him just fine."
Zevran just laughed and stuck out his hand. "My dear lady, you have me there. I am Zevran Arainai, Zev to my friends. And I hope you will be a friend, as I have no desire to have a run in with your rolling pin or your meat cleaver."
The woman actually laughed back as she stuck out a hand attached to muscled forearm and pumped Zev's hand before offering it to Kai. The grip was very strong and assertive. "Olwyna is the name. Your brother hired me in Denerim. I figured I was tired of salt water coating everything, and the men I worked for were just a little too rough around the edges for me. I wanted to be around people who didn't swill beer, belch and fart after every meal. I wanted to cook for those who would notice if it tasted good, rather than a lousy bunch of louts who wouldn't have noticed if I served them glue with shoe leather in it." It was at that moment that Oghren sidled up, swigged from his mug and belched loudly. Kai flinched, considering Olwyna's comments.
"Who's the dame with the nice rump roast?" Oghren had to look up as Olwyna towered over him.
Olwyna just bent over, picked up Oghren by the shoulders and planted one long kiss on him while his feet kicked as he dangled helplessly in her grasp. She then set him back on his feet and grasped the braids of his facial hair, giving them a tug. "Why, tiger, I am the woman who is going to marry you!" Oghren turned red in the face, stammered and practically ran out of the courtyard looking over his shoulder as if the Archdemon itself was on his heels. Olwyna just brushed her hands together in a manner of one rubbing dirt off of them. "There now, that should take care of that scoundrel. See that you bring me back a pig to replace that one. And I will be fixing a special set of dishes for Satinalia, so mind you all don't overeat in town, you hear?" And with that they watched Olwyna's ample hips walk out of the courtyard back in the direction of the kitchens.
"I must find out, my dear Kai, how your brother came to meet up with and hire such a creature. You must remind me to sic her on Oghren more often." Zev winked and grinned at her. "I was coming to fetch you and the others, my dear. We are going to go to the town and enjoy ourselves, no?"
She smiled and took his proffered hand to help her up. "Oh yes, but you heard Olwyna, no over indulging in food." Zev shared a laugh with her. Kai gathered the Scath and had them all get cleaned up and ready to go. As Fergus would be part of the opening ceremonies for Satinalia, he was already in town with the Mayor. Kai gathered her group, and they and all the servants of Highever, save the guards who were on duty, made their way to Highever town. Those guards volunteering to miss the opening ceremony would switch out with their fellows who went early so they could enjoy Satinalia in town this evening. The rule was, everyone got to enjoy the holiday no matter their station.
Highever town looked as it always had. It made Kai's eyes tear up. It was all so normal, so familiar. It felt as though her parents would walk up the street at any moment, beckoning her to go to the platform where the giant, ornately carved wooden "throne" sat awaiting the official "Fool" of Highever, the one to be crowned as "monarch" for the day. One year the leader had been the town tabby, a tom named Sprinkles. Another year it had been the son of the blacksmith. One memorable year, it had been a Ceffyl. Kai couldn't wait to see who it would be this year.
People in the crowd were in various costumes and funny hats. Many were wearing the brightly colored wooden and glass beads from Satinalias past strung around their necks. Most had mugs filled with ales, lagers, wines, ciders and meads. She could smell roasting sausages and turkey. In fact several people had sausages on sticks or large turkey legs. The crowd parted and made space at the front for Kai and her group. She watched as her brother Fergus strode up the steps of the platform decorated with Spring's first flowers and flowing banners of cloth in green, purple and gold. He looked so like their father, it made her heart clutch painfully in her chest with longing. Fergus smiled and waved his hands for the crowd to quiet. "We have voted on someone a little different for our monarch this year."
"You mean different from the Ceffyl?" a jovial voice called from the crowd, causing laughter to ripple out and making Fergus grin.
"I should say we actually voted on someone who is not originally a Ferelden. This person has just come to us from the far away city of Antiva!" Fergus looked down into Kai's crowd. "Please welcome our king for the day, our 'Fool' and the young man who has gotten to know our little town and has been helping the widow Saraid Ansleygh, Rajed!" Fergus beckoned to the shy young man, who was blushing furiously as he made his way up the stairs. Kai and the others had found out that Rajed had been visiting the town and had been helping the elderly widow who had lost a husband to illness and then her son at Ostagar. Apparently, the old woman had taken a shine to Rajed, and he had a soft spot for her as well. He had been helping her tote water and do chores around her house. The townsfolk had taken notice as well and had adopted the Scath as if he had been at Highever all his life. Kai suspected it had a lot to do with his healing faster and getting his bearings back after the loss of his arm.
Fergus put a robe striped in green, purple and gold around Rajed's shoulders, pressed a scepter made of wood painted gold in his hand and put a hideous, tri-curved, belled jester's hat on his head. The brim of the hat was a fake gold crown in metal with glass jewels in it. Rajed blushed, but he was smiling. Fergus grinned and clapped him on the back. Rajed cleared his throat, "Let Satinalia begin! Dejar que los buenos tiempos!" And with that the crowd roared in good cheer and dispersed to take in the booths and games. As the "king" Rajed would be waited on hand and foot, and he would get various prizes donated by the merchants and townsfolk. Kai hoped it help finish the healing process. She gave him a grin and a wave, which he returned. Kai turned to find that her group had wandered off to explore, save Zev who linked his arm with hers.
Zev, of course, found the Drench a Wench game almost immediately and was just as quickly banished from it, as his aim was too good and they were afraid he would drown the poor girl. Not to mention he would have won all the prizes they offered for those good enough to hit the target, had he agreed to take them. He only accepted one, two little stuffed Mabaris which he gave to Kai for the twins. "That would be more challenging if they made the target move." Kai laughed at him as she kissed him lightly on the lips.
"And you still would have won all the prizes." She grinned at him.
"Oh si, but it would have been more challenging." He chuckled at her. They spent their time wandering around, taking in the short plays and performance art. There was a puppeteer and jugglers. Even the falconer from the castle put on a demonstration of the art. She and Zev enjoyed some local wines and some cheeses, mindful of Olwyna's admonishment. Kai made a stop at the butchers and ordered another side of pork as well. The afternoon was wearing on into dusk, and it was getting close to the dinner hour when Olwyna would expect them all back to eat. They would return after dinner to partake of Satinalia at night.
Kai and Zev were on their way back to the front of Highever town and walking through the marketplace where shopkeepers had started to light lanterns for the coming evening. It was the elven man lighting a lantern who caught Kai's attention. She knew him; he was the jeweler who made the exquisite treasures that looked like plants that had been all the rage of the Ferelden nobility before the Blight. Kai wondered if he still had the set that looked like rowan branches with red garnets for berries. She put a hand on Zev's arm and nodded toward the shop. She followed the shop keeper into the store as he had finished lighting his lamps. The man smiled at her, not really recognizing her at first. "May I help you?"
"Um, yes. Well, it has been a while, and I don't see it in any of the display cases. Do you still have the necklace, earring and bracelet set that looked like rowan branches with berries made out of garnets?" Kai smiled at him as his face lit up in recognition.
"My lady Cousland! Or should I say Hero of Ferelden?" He leaned in, acting as if he was pointing to something in the display case and whispered. "Or 'Silver Griffon?'" He winked. "I have been keeping my ears open when I visit the nobles houses with their orders as well as listening to what's said here. I have signed up with the cause my lady. Your family has always been good to me and mine. Your grandfather gave my father a loan to start this shop." He stood back up. "I am sorry, my lady. I sold that particular set already." He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Perhaps I can interest my lady in this necklace set that looks like lavender? The blooms are made with amethysts. It would be very becoming to madame's skin." He said this all in a normal tone, but whispered once again, "I will continue to serve, my lady. Please don't hesitate to use my talents in any way you see fit." Kai smiled at him and nodded.
"Hmm, I will think on the necklace of lavender. Thank you, though." Kai stepped out into the cooler evening air and continued her way back to the castle. A big bonfire was in the process of being built to set ablaze when dusk fell into night. Kai started forward when it occurred to her that Zev was not with her, or she had thought not, but then she turned and found him right next to her. "You weren't picking pockets, were you?" She gave him a cheeky smile. He chuckled at her and shook his head. He grabbed her hand, kissed it and tucked it into the crook of his arm as the bells rang for the dinner hour.
They made their way back to the castle, meeting others in their group who had started back before the bell. They all made their way into the dining hall. Fergus had managed to get away and sat with Morrigan, both of them leaning in and talking, their heads together. They could have been flirting or planning an insurrection. It gave Kai a warm satisfied glow, especially since they were all back in their own rooms now.
Olwyna had not been exaggerating when she had said she made food just for the Satinalia feast, "feast" being the operative word. There was enough food to feed an army. It was set up buffet style again, as for Satinalia, the castle was open for the townsfolk to come and eat with the Couslands. It was one of the many ways that her parents had connected with those who looked to them for leadership. Kai and Zev made their way to sit with their usual group. There were a good number of her Scath here as well as townsfolk. The room was warm with so many bodies and filled with the loud humming of many conversations going on at once.
After about an hour and a half, the lanterns were all shuttered, candles were blown out. Olwyna along with three other servants came out carrying a huge cake with lit candles on its many tiers. It was a huge, icing covered confection with the colors of Satinalia picking out details of swirls and dots, and a jester made of marzipan decked the top. Fergus and Kai got up and blew out the candles, plunging the room into darkness, and then they all started to whistle in the dark or made animal noises or other strange sounds, anything sounding foolish to mark the ridiculousness and fun that life can be. Then, the lanterns were all unshuttered, torches and candles relit. Everyone laughed and clapped. Kai and Fergus were to do a toss to see who got the jester on top. Zevran tossed a dagger instead of a coin, having them call "blade" or "hilt." Kai suspected Zev of tossing it so she won, so did Fergus who laughed when Zev gave a cheeky grin and shrugged. Kai pulled the marzipan confection in half and gave one half to her brother. She popped a piece into Zev's mouth, giving him a quick kiss and a smile. Cake was passed out to everyone present with extra pieces put on plates for others who might wander in during the evening and smaller cakes held back in the kitchen as more people came in for some.
As they ate their cake, Sten looked at her with his intense gaze. "I had heard there would be cake. I am glad to see the cake was not a lie, kadan." Kai laughed and nodded.
"Please, everyone, meet me in the Great Hall when you are done." And Kai grabbed a servant, whispering in his ear; he nodded and smiled. She made her way to the hall before the others and saw that her plans had been completed just as she had asked. She sat on the couch in her spot and waited as the others followed her in.