BioWare owns all but what I made up! : D
So, Kai did another feat of daring do by going comatose. You might guess how thrilled everyone will be. : ) Including our Antivan, who is likely to be a little more put out than in the past? Not that he would let anyone know that, except Kai. And what about Morrigan who has someone else's heart and feelings in her care, not to mention her own feelings towards her sister. Morrigan may be frightened more than the others, after all, Morrigan missed Kai's other little journeys into unconsciousness. And we all know how Morrigan deals with fear, don't we? LOL! Oh, yeah, Kai is in for a treat. And what is a girl to do with the families of the soldiers? And what of the others, Kai may need to figure something out, to keep them from getting found out. Ah the story continues. : D
Story shout out goes to our own Night Hunter MGS, for his story "To Be a Mother." It is his short inspired by Kai and "Soulmates" for Mother's Day. I have to admit, I am smitten with the story because it is inspired by my own. But I also love it because it is well written. Please go read it and review! I am trying to encourage Night Hunter MGS aka Chainsaw, to keep on writing he is so good at it.
And a shout out to kiwibliss, who inspired me for the bathtub scene, from her own writings for ME2 fanfic's featuring Thane. And to Ladyamesindy who inspired me with the gift Zev gives who betas for me too. And she also lets me bug her with ideas in live chat, and... etc. And a shoutout to Night Hunter MGS for his inspiration on Wynne's spirit helper from his fantastic short based on Kai. And to Violet Theirin who gave me a part of Zev's pledge to Kai. You all rock! : ) I have the best fans ever! Thank you all, so very very much!
And Happy Mommy's Day( late), because lets face it ladies, we are all mommies in some form or fashion to husbands, boyfriends, fur babies, or human children. So the steamy scene here is my Mother's Day present for all you fantastic females. Yes, Night Hunter give you a sweet present, and I give you the saucy! : )
Shout out goes to Nuit Nuit, RubyPele, Zeeji, Cortie78 and Tepoztcecal for putting my story on favs! and to Zeeji for putting me on fav author! I am blushing, thanks!. And a special show of gratitude to Nuit Nuit. She has been beta editing my early chapters as she reads and I hope to re post them with fixes. Jan has already fixed Chapter 1 for me, and it is posted with grammar mistakes corrected! Please feel free to re-read. If I had medals I would pin them on you both!
Bless all of you, who read, who offer suggestions and advice, ideas and fixes! And to all of you my lurkers, my reviewers, my sainted betas thank you! Really, you make me a better writer, and this story a better story. Thank you all! And I posted the prequel to "Soulmates" on FF and the forum too (it is the noble origin story but from Kai's perspective and with more meat than you get otherwise). Hope to be able to get both written for you all to enjoy. This story comes first. But I am hoping to get both out regularly. Again I appreciate you all so very, very much! : )
I apologize that this is rough, I wanted to get it posted due to Night Hunter's story being for Mother's Day, and I wanted to get a shout out for it ASAP. So, I will post the corrected version after my beta's get it to me.
Blessings!
Kai could hear the rapid beat of Zevran's heart as he cradled her head to his chest. She felt lips brush her hair before he leaned her forward so Fergus could hold her while he piled pillows behind her. Fergus gave her a bone crushing hug, before holding her by her arms so he could look her in the face again. His expression was one she had seen through out her life as she tagged along behind her big brother and his friends trying to mimic him with her hero worship; fear, love and most of all exasperation. "We wondered, little sister, if we should start taking bets on how long you would be comatose this time."
Kai had a sense of deja vu. "More of a case of been here, done this, my love." Alistair's spoke in her ear his voice tinged with amusement, and relief. "I am just glad I can feel you and talk to you again mi' gra. I was very frightened."
Kai gave him a mental smile, "It scared me too. Lets not do that again."
"Agreed!" She could sense the grin in his voice. "Now you just have to appease everyone else. Good luck!"
"Thank you so much." Kai gave him a mental eye roll.
"Please tell me Wynne is not off getting more broth? And do I dare ask how many days on the Chantry calendar I should check off this time?" Kai grinned at him as he let her lean back on the pillows.
"Two days, Warden. And I would have won if they had let me take wagers. I told them there was no way you were going to stay out for long, not if you knew what was good for ya." Oghren started laughing. "Wynne is off with her mage friend, the pointy eared one, got their heads together over some book. She said she figured you had done this before so she wasn't going to sit around here and watch your hair grow." Oghren gave a barking laugh.
"So you think 'tis funny do you, her making us all worry and fret?" Morrigan's face drew into an angry scowl as she turned back to Kai. "Especially your poor brother! He has not been sleeping or eating!"
"Not been sleeping or not been "sleeping," which do you mean?" Kai laughed. "Though only one of those types of 'sleep' would give him those dark circles under his eyes." Kai received a growl as Morrigan's hand raised with blue light dancing in the palm. Kai raised her hands in mock surrender. Fergus made a grab for the witch locking their fingers together while rubbling her arm with his other hand soothingly.
Fergus looked up at Morrigan. "Now love, she didn't do it on purpose." Fergus turned to her with a big grin on his face. "You didn't do it on purpose did you?" And he laughed at her.
Morrigan tsk'd, and let go of Fergus's hand while rolling her eyes. "You are both mad and maddening! ''Tis a wonder I do not turn you both to rabbits and put you both in a stew!" Her golden eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms glaring angrily from Kai to Fergus and back again. Kai couldn't help but grin at the witch, Fergus's face mirrored her own, before Kai turned to Fergus wrinkling her nose at him as she stuck out her tongue.
"And ha, very ha dear brother! No, I didn't do it on purpose!. Believe me, If I had known before I closed my eyes, where I would wind up, had I known with whom I would have been meeting, I would have gladly stayed awake brother dear!"
Kai sobered quickly enough as she went on to explain how she had found herself in the "The Land of Regrets." She told them about losing her connection to Alistair, and her meeting Loghain. She told them of Andraste bringing her and Loghain together. "He was so...sad and broken. He told me what happened to his mother, what the Orlesians had done to her in front of him." Kai felt tear welling up in her eyes, as she repeated the conversation she and Loghain had.
"Hm, that would explain his obsessive hatred of everything Orlesian, and of anyone who even suggested, or had a thought to work with Orlais. Not that the Crows need an explanation as to why they are being hired, but clients like to give one. Arl Howe, the weasel faced man?" Zev looked at Kai who nodded, "Told me that Loghain was hiring us to stop Grey Wardens from working with the Orlesians. Again, the Crows did not care about the reason, the money had been paid. It did seem strange though, as the Orlesians had withdrawn from the borders of Ferelden by then. Looking back, this too makes sense as to why Loghain agreed to let Howe hire The Crows. This Howe creature would have made Antivans blush. He knew what strings to pull on Loghain while gathering money and power for his own ends."
"Fah, you are far more forgiving than I would be sister. Loghain allowed himself to be manipulated like some novice mage by a demon from the Fade. 'Twas his own fault, and his own failings that lead him there. Though it does fit with what Alistair and I were told."
"Hey did witchy-poo call me by my name? Maybe she is warming to me after all!" Alistair's voice quipped in her ear. Kai made mental shushing noises while stifling a laugh.
She cocked an eyebrow at Morrigan who waved her hand dismissively. "'Tis lucky for you that the Chasind Dream Net was not magicked to keep the fool templar out of my dreams for dire emergencies. Together we managed to find, 'boogity boo lady?'" Morrigan's look of confusion, a rare sight, almost made Kai burst into giggles. She had to bite her lip while she nodded. The witche's brows drew together in annoyance, "'Twas most arrogant an answer we received from her. She informed us that you were sent to a place not of either Fade realm to make a decision. Of course that fool Alistair, did not stand for that. Before I could say one word to 'Miss High-and- Mighty,' Alistair had put his face in hers and told the woman off, he threatened to follow her all over the Fade never giving her a moments rest. He informed the chit," Kai really had to stifle a laugh at, Andraste, Maker's bride being called a 'chit.' "She had best take him to you. 'Twas most impressive." Morrigan looked slightly awed. "Twould be best if the buffoon does not know I said that."
"Oh, too late for that witchy-poo! I am so going to bring that up in her dreams!" Alistair sounded like a little boy anticipating teasing a sibling.
"If you want her to stay warmed to you , you may not want to do that." Kai grinned, "And you may not want to if you don't want to find that Chasind Dream Net with more pins in the doll. Or nails, or razors..."
"Point taken my love!" She felt his mental shudder and smirked.
"All right, well a couple of days with no major wounds, time I was up. I have been lazing in bed too long." Kai smiled at Fergus and Zev and held out her hands for them to help her out of bed.
"Are you sure you should little sister?" Fergus took her hand reluctantly.
"Since when has 'should she,' been of concern to your dear sister?" Zevran's voice was smooth, too smooth. And when she looked she saw he had his mask in place. He was smiling but it didn't reach his eyes. Oh my, she could feel a talk coming on. Or she would at least try and get him to talk. He wrapped his hand on hers and between him and Fergus got her up on her feet.
Kai felt as though her legs were made of lead until her body had time to adjust to being upright. Kai wanted, first and foremost, to see the twins. But she needed a bath desperately, if the scent of blood and woodsmoke were any indication. Since Oghren often smelt like a privy and beer on a good day, and both Fergus and Zevran appeared to be unsmudged, the smell must be her. She walked over to the bathtub and turned the faucets to start the hot water flowing into the tub.
"Come on my dwarven friend, time for us to tell the others she is awake." Kai watched Fergus clap Oghren on the back.
"Aw, but the Warden is about to take her clothes off." The dwarf gave a low and mischievous chuckle, "This is gettin' good."
"I thought we might open a keg to celebrate." Fergus grinned at the dwarf.
"Well why didn't you say so? The Warden is good lookin' an all, for a human, but beer well..." Oghren clapped Fergus on the back, "Say no more friend!" And they headed out of the door. She couldnt' help but laugh at them. Kai had expected Morrigan to follow them but she lingered.
"I will go and tell Wynne, Fiona, and the bubble headed bard that you are awake. Sister I..." Kai found herself wrapped tight in Morrigan's arms. The hug lasted all of a few seconds and was so fast Kai barely had time to register that it had happened at all.
"I know, I love you too, sister." Kai stroked the witch's cheek.
"'Twas going to say, sister, if you ever do that again I shall turn you into a frog and dine on your legs." Morrigan's golden eyes were narrowed, but there was an ever so slight quirk at the corner of her lips. And with that she turned and stalked from the room.
"Zev, I..." Kai started, but he just shook his head and put a finger to her lips. He then followed Morrigan. Kai huffed to herself as she poured bath salts into the swirling water. When the smell of rose, lavender, and cloves drifted with the steam , Kai turned off the faucets, undressed and stepped into the bath. She had just settled back and closed her eyes, when she heard the sound of someone stepping into the water.
She cocked one eye open to see Zev joining her. She smiled at him. She pictured a lamppost covered in snow, "I thought you were mad at me." He still did not smile back. Okay... maybe he was planning on drowning her and putting her out of his misery and a lamppost wouldn't be necessary? He only grunted and reached for the cake of sweet creamy soap, and indicated she should put her back to him. Well, if he was going to drown her, might as well let him and get it over with. She felt his nimble fingers working the soap into her hair. The moist atmosphere was soon filled with the scent of honey, rosemary, apple, and hint of cinnamon. It was her favorite, she had wanted to smell like an apple pie she had told Nan once long ago. Nan had told her that it would be funny for her to smell exactly like a pie, so they had compromised. She and Nan had created the soap on one of those long ago childhood days when Nan was attempting to teach her how to be more 'domestic.' The recipe for the soap had stuck, the Kai being 'domestic,' not so much.
His strong fingers kneaded her scalp leaving pleasant tingling in their wake. When he began to stroked the muscles of her neck and up the back of her head, a groan escaped her lips. The muscles were so tense, and she hadn't realized until Zev's ministrations had caused them to relax. She realized that despite their being lovers, she had never had him give her a massage. Oh, he had offered once, back during the Blight, when she had thought he was only interested in bedding her for fun and maybe to fulfill his contract with the Crows. Add to that she and Alistair were already lovers by then. She had turned him down. Though she had to admit, back then a part of her had wondered if he only talked a good game.
His fingers were trailing along her shoulders, kneading scars of long ago battles, and more recent ones along with the muscles there. His fingers may have been making her shoulders less tense, but he was certainly making her more anxious in other ways.
She found him gently pulling her backwards rinse the soap out of her hair. She closed her eyes as she lay back in the water and let him rub her hair getting the soap and bubbles out of her black curls. She almost felt herself drifting off when she realized that his fingers had stopped moving. She opened her eyes to see his amber ones staring at her. He reached out a finger and traced the skin of her features. "Kaidana, how and when did you get these Dalish vallaslin on your face? I have always meant to ask, but the opportunity never seemed to present itself. But I find myself curious, especially since I have had to stare them for the last two days, as I have for many days before in the past, wondering if you would waken this time." Kai felt guilt stab at her with his remark about her repeat feat of daring do... going comatose, again.
She rose up to face him, water sluicing down her torso from her wet hair. She put a hand to her face, running her fingers along her the tops of her eyebrows, the spot on her forehead, and her chin, as if she might feel the tattoos imprinted on the skin there. "You know, I always forget that they're there. I'm not one for looking at myself constantly in a mirror the way so many noble women seem want to do." She grinned at him but he didn't return it, he just waited.
She plowed on. "And it was because of the nobles that I had it done. I was sixteen, and at some stupid party my parents' had to throw for their simpering and shallow peers. I overheard one of the petulant wives of a Bann talking to my mother about arranging a political marriage for me. The idea of marrying, let alone being touched, by most of their slack jawed-idiot sons had me running right to the Dalish man who lived here in Highever. He had married a city elf from here, you see. He knew how to do vallaslins. I had always wanted one, and had planned to get one, somewhere else on my body. It would have been just to drive my mum around the bend a bit, teenage rebellion of a sort. But putting it on my face went directly to dissuading the noble's brats from developing any interest in me. My mother was less than pleased. And because of that overheard conversation, I trained my rogue skills harder than ever after that. Which probably lead to Duncan's to desire to recruit me." She gave an cynical laugh. "I never realized how much of what I wanted back then, that I actually got. I didn't wind up some bored wife being forced to sit at teas and talk about the latest fashions while my noble husband went off to roger his mistress, or three. I became a Grey Warden, 'Hero of Ferelden,' mother to two beautiful children. I have a group of elite spies, warriors, rogues, and even merchants and armorers. I used to dream of being a hero. If I had known then what I know now..." Kai found herself drifting off in thought.
"And if you had Kaidana?" Zev's face still had its mask on. But he seemed to be waiting for something. For what she was to say next? He seemed to be waiting as if what she was going to say was of great importance. She wondered when this conversation had gotten so serious.
"I would choose to do the same as I did then. To train hard, to be a rogue, to be a Grey Warden. All of the best things, the worst too, but all of the best things have happened in my life because I chose the path I did. They lead me to Duncan, Alistair, Morrigan, Leli, Sten, Oghren, Shale, and Argus. I have my children. I have both old and new friends, and wonderful people that fill my life. And I still have Alistair in a way. And I have you Zevran Arainai. I am one of the most fortunate people in all of Thedas." She moved forward to let her breasts brush his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to put her lips to his.
At first he was unmoving, and just as she was about to withdraw, his arms wrapped around her in tight bands. One hand snaked up her neck, his long fingers tangling in her wet hair. The other hand crushed her torso to his. She clawed his back restlessly a purr vibrating against his lips from her own throat. He nibbled at her mouth, and then his lips left hers. She was about to open her eyes out of curiosity, when she felt his lips brushing her eyelids, one than the other. She gasped surprised by how erotic such a move was. His lips trailed over her face kissing her tattoos, making the skin tingle and other parts of her tingle too. His mouth found hers briefly to break off and trail the vallaslin on her chin, and continue down her throat. He leaned her back as his mouth kept going, his tongue torturing the hard points of one breast than the other. Her breath was coming out in gasps and cries.
Then he lifted her up again his voice was husky, "I think your back needs washing my dear Kai." She had only a moment to be mildly annoyed as he was doing such wonderful things to her front. But the way his fingers raced across her back dragging soap and silken lather on her already sensitive skin, made her grip the edge of the tub arching into hands like a cat. His fingers moved her wet hair, and the soft scrape of teeth on the back of her neck when he entered her had her crying out.
He leaned her back again him his mouth and teeth worrying her neck and shoulder, while soap covered hands played along her front. His fingers skimmed the skin along her sides and across swollen nipples and down below her belly to tease and entice. He sent her flying, and she wrapped an arm around his neck while her body shuddered.
She knew that he had not...well. "Zev," her voice sounded breathy to her own ears.
"Hm?" He lifted her chin with one hand an bit her neck causing her to do a sharp intake of breath.
"What.. about... you?" She could hardly get a sentence out. His only response seemed to be a feral growl. So, he couldn't talk either. It only made the unbearable need, slowly building again, even more arousing; to know he was as undone as she. She grasped his hand that cupped her breast, and brought his fingers to her lips. She gently bit and sucked on first one fingertip and then the others, causing him to groan into her neck. "Go with me, Zev." And they moved together, the world spinning madly around them as she found herself chanting his name like a mantra as she toppled over the edge yet again. She felt his mouth lock onto her neck as his own body trembled and he curled against her curved back, his own breath releasing in spurts. They were both leaning forward grasping the side of the bathtub, their hands to next to each others on the stone. Kai was focusing on trying to keep her legs from just folding under her.
She felt his face nuzzle into her wet hair near her ear. His voice was gravely and low, whispering in Antivan, "Mi cielo, te quiero." And then he buried his face further in her neck and she thought she heard him make a slight sob. "Por favor no me dejes nunca asà de nuevo."
"Zev, what do you mean don't leave you like that again?" She turned to face him, grasping his face with her hands to make him look at her. "What has you so..." She didnt' want to use the word frightened, that scared her even more to think that he was. "worried? I mean I have been deeply asleep before due to exhaustion, like right after Fort Drakon."
He raised his eyes to hers, a tear rolling down his cheek, her stomach lurched. "No mi cielo, not like after Fort Drakon. I could not get any response at all. You were so pale and you barely breathed. It was as if you had been poisoned again. I had thought you were, and Wynne had gone with the others to Highever. I don't know how many hours you had been like that, I had fallen asleep as well. I put you on Rhia and had Luna follow, and I rode with you as fast as I could. I did not want to alarm the others, nor your Scaths.
I caught up wtih Wynne, and made some excuse about a wound missed and that you were exhausted to the others. Wynne tried to use her spirit helper again..." He put a finger to her lips before she could protest how foolish that had been. Wynne would run out of years on her life if she kept doing that. She had already sacrificed, who knew how many years saving Kai and the twins when Kai had been poisoned. "You need not worry for the lusciously endowed Wynne. I said she tried, not that she succeeded. Her helper was blocked, completely. She described it as a wall, and they could not get through. That you were behind that wall, that much she could feel. We grabbed Morrigan, made some excuses to the others; and then Wynne, our delightfully dangerous witch, and myself all took you back here. We would have lied to Fergus, but Morrigan insisted he know the truth. The rest, I think we managed to persuade nothing untoward was happening. Morrigan thought Alistair might know more, so she took a sleeping draught and went into the Fade. The rest was as she told you."
Kai found him crushing her to his chest again cradling her while he just whispered 'mi cielo' over and over again. While Kai loved being snuggled into his arms, the water was becoming cool and uncomfortable. Zev, Zevran... I think it is time we got out of the bath. I don't know about you, but I am turning into a raisin, and the water is getting cold." She pulled back slightly so she could look him in the face and kiss his lips lightly, before she pulled away and climbed out of the tub. She took a towel and wrapped it around herself, and handed one to Zevran.
She dried off her skin and she sat on the edge of the bed to dry her hair while Zev went to the armories she to pull out cloths for the both of them. When he came back he held not only a pile of clothing, but a small wooden box. He set the clothing down behind him as he turned to face her with the box, which he set in his towel covered lap. Kai tried to read his expression, his mask was gone, but it was a expression she was not familiar with. He looked down at his lap and his cheeks were darker. Maker, was this Zevran's embarrassed look? She wished she had a paper and charcoal stick to draw it.
"Kai...Kaidana, I had thought to wait to give this to you, until Winter Solstice. But I am an Antivan and we know how short life can be, how precarious. We are taught from an early age to take it as it comes and enjoy it as much as possible. I realized when I thought we had lost you, that I had lost you, that I had waited too long; and missed the opportunity, the same opporutnity that I had never had with Rinna. And now that you are here with me again, I intend to wait no longer."
She watched him do something she had never thought to see him do. He pulled at the fingers of one hand with the other. She covered his hands with hers. He looked her in the eyes, his amber one staring into hers. "With Rinna, I never did tell her...tell her what she meant to me, how much I...how much I loved her. I told myself at the time that I could not tell her, that Vimaro would find out and do something to her or to me. I told myself I was protecting her by not telling her my feelings. That the earrings were enough." Kai squeezed his hands. "But Vimaro had her killed, and he would have had me to do it. He had known all along how I felt about her. I was fooling myself Kaidana. I wasn't protecting Rinna, I was protecting myself, as I have always done." He put a finger to her lips yet again, stopping her. "I know you will say that it is not surprising given my childhood. But the truth is my beautiful, Kaidana, I was afraid. And now I find myself with a bigger fear than admitting my feelings. When I could not wake you, I was struck with the fear that I had not told the only woman, other than Rinna, that I loved her and that that woman was about to lie dead before me. You do realize my dear Kai, that I have never said that I love you? You have said it to me, but I have never said it to you.."
"Zev, I lo..." He put his lips to hers to stop her this time.
"No, I love you." He grasped her chin, his amber eyes bore into her blue ones. Then he held out the little wooden box to her. Kai took it. The wood was white Rowan wood, and it was ornately carved with vines, rabbits, foxes, an apple tree, and the moon and stars. The moon and stars were inlaid with silver, while the apples on the little tree were in gold.
"Zev it's beautiful!" She turned it over in her hands.
He chuckled. No my dear Kaidana, mi cielo, the real gift is inside the box. Kai smiled at him while cocking an eyebrow at him. She lifted the lid and inside was a dark green velvet bag. She un-knotted the string and tipped the bag upside down. Into her palm fell a silver earring made to look like an ivy vine, and she could see that it was meant to 'climb' along the outside curve of her ear. And there was a ring. Kai picked it up. It looked like no metal she had ever seen, and it was light, not heavy. It looked familiar but she couldn't place the material it was made from. It was intricately carved with ivy and knot work all around the band. Zev took the earring from her lap and gently removed Rinna's earring from her ear. And then it struck her, Rinna's earring. That is what she would always think of it as. Zev had had an earring made just for her. She felt his fingertips brush her ear as he settled the ornament into place.
Kai automatically put her hand up to touch the earring, feeling the way the metal leaves curved with her ear. She recognized it as the work of the jeweler here in Highever. That is where Zev had disappeared to on Satinalia. "I know that we can never be wed by the Chantry..." Kai gave a derisive and unladylike snort, causing Zev to chuckle, "But we have never been much for tradition you and I. I pledge myself to you Kaidana, to your children, for the rest of my life however long that may be. I swear to protect you and them, unto death. There is nothing I will not do for you or for them. On this I swear to you." And Zev slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her left hand. Kai felt tears falling down her cheeks. But what he said next almost did her in completely. "I know that Alistair is your soulmate. But I pledge myself as your lifemate, if you will have me." Kai felt her throat tighten up and no words would come out. She simply nodded and grabbed his face with her hands an kissed him tenderly. They held each other for a while until one of them shivered due to a lack of clothing.
It was she was dressing when the new ring caught her eye in the sunlight of the window, and she saw the fine grain running in horizontal stripes across the ring and it came to her that it was made of, Ironbark. The Dalish used it for weapons, in fact Kai had helped collect it in the Brecillian Forest. Zev had given her a Dalish work of art, which he could only have bought when they were with Lanaya's clan. He must have bought it before Erys' betrayal. He had been thinking of her, even when she thought he had hated her. It made her heart constrict painfully, but this time in a good way. And then it struck her, what to do with all of Kylon's men so they wouldnt' be discovered ever again. She the answer was sitting right there on her finger.