BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )
So Zevran gave our Kai his pledge and some special gifts. One of which has given our intrepid Kai an idea to keep Kylon, his men , and their families safe. Provided all parties can agree. And Kai has, as usual, her work cut out for her. Thank you all for staying with me!
And a shout out to one talented writer Piceron who just completed a short, "After Rowan." It tells of Loghain after he shoves Rowan at Maric after Katriel. It did a more masterful job than I did of portraying Loghain as a person and not just a bad guy. It is so worth the read. Please review it!
And a shout out to Rowan Atkinson's Black Adder. And on for the movie "Beetlejuice." I had to sneak then in, they fit so perfectly. ; )
As always, I am tickled pink and amazed that I get more people who find my story and put it on favs, and alerts, and me on Author favs and alerts. I am humbled and I like to thank you all personally. So shout outs go to Alliezig for putting this story on favs. And to Slytherin Shadow Neko, Saida mom, and Kechicka for putting it on story alerts.
My special personal thanks to Night Hunter MGS, The Brain to my PInky. He is my content beta and is the genius that helps me keep this entertaining for you. My love and thanks to you dear friend. And you need to write more stories! : ) And to the lovely talented Ladyamesindy, who betas phrasing for me and lets me interrupt her writing, all the time , *hugs*. And to Janni, my grammar beta, who should be sainted and have monuments erected to her.
And last but not least by any stretch of the imagination... sincerest heartfelt love and thanks to all of you who read, and those who read and review. My lurkers, my reviewers, the lovely people who make my stats bar on FF go up, up, up you are just the jelly to my peanut butter (or the honey, or the chocolate... : ) ). Thank you!
Blessings!
Zev linked his hand with hers as they walked down the corridor making their way past the atrium towards the dining hall. Kai hated to admit it, she had never been much for jewelry, but she couldn't stop herself from glancing every few moments at the beautiful Ironbark ring sitting on her finger. And it wasn't just because it had given her an idea, a plan, for Kylon's men and their families. Though she would only admit it to Zev, and Fergus (maybe), and Ali (who knew everything she felt anyways) that the ring made her heart swell and shine like the moon.
And even when she wasn't looking at it, she could feel it sitting on her skin, hugging her finger like a well-known lover. Maker, you wouldn't think a simple band of carved wood, and an adornment would cause such silly emotionalism. Get a hold of yourself girl! Kai mentally chastised herself. Only one other thing had every made her giddy like this...Alistair's rose. The rose which she had safely tucked away into a special box that was made for it. She wondered if she couldn't take a petal of it to the elven jeweler her at Highever and have him make it into a pendant. That way she could have the symbols of the two loves of her life with her always.
"Hm, it is shame I never got to put a ring on your finger." Alistair's voice sounded wistful in her ear.
"My love, if you had given me a ring it would have been bent, scratched, and more than likely mangled beyond recognition with all the fighting were were doing. Not to mention I have no idea what archdemon blood would have done to a precious metal. And your rose is worth more to me than any piece of jewelry. When you gave it to me it was the first time I realized I was in love with you." Kai gave him a smile
"I know, sometimes I wish I had been able to give you a ring... and a big wedding." Alistair's voice had taken on a rascally quality. "All dressed in toile and lace, looking like a meringue. Oh you would have looked so... confection-ary!"
"The ring I would have gladly taken, but the big wedding? Ugh! I am so glad to have avoided that!" Kai heard him snicker. "Oh you! Ha, very ha! I think you made up that word confection-ary!
"Edible then?" He asked with a brazen grin.
"Oh you are a bad, bad person!" Kai laughed at him.
"Do you hate me?" He returned with a chuckle.
"Oh you have no idea how much!"
"Saucy! Promise to show me?" She could picture his lopsided grin and raised eyebrow.
"Wait until I show up in the Fade, I am sure I can come up with a suitable demonstration." She grinned. "Just remember my love, you gave me more than just a fancy ring or an elaborate ceremony."
"A floral arrangement and two buns in the old oven?" Kai couldn't help but burst out laughing which had Zevran looking at her with a raised eyebrow. He mouthed, Alistair? Kai nodded giving him a quick kiss. He grinned and squeezed her hand.
"You are a smart-aleck, good thing I love you... I think." She laughed and gave him a mental wink. "The answer cheeky monkey, is that you gave your heart for mine." She wrinkled her nose at him.
He laughed. "I love you too mi'gra. I think your idea for the refugees is a good one."
"Hm, provided I can get people to set possible prejudices aside and we can find the Dalish to ask. They have been staying away from humans more now, and I don't blame them."
Kai and Zev walked into the dining hall where she had called together some of her Scaths, and her friends. Only Fiona, Wynne, Fergus, and Morrigan, Oghren, and the newest to take the Vallaslin, Keiron were there. Keiron had signed on as an official Scath, which had surprised her. But he told it would be good to have a noble in her arsenal. A noble able to mix with the higher levels of society. He had just come back from a trip to Denerim and one of Anora's meetings.
Her Scaths were at weapons practice. Or scattered about the castle. Zaeed was leading the training session. Naseel she knew, was handling some of the reports and paperwork. Especially the report on exactly whom, had been the noble lick spittle who had discovered the soldiers at West Hill. That person, or persons, was going to have a day of reckoning, on that she made a solemn vow. She expected it to take a few moments for Naseel, Zaeed the few others she had invited, to arrive.
Fiona and a servant came forward holding Fi and Duncan. Zev grabbed Fi and Kai Duncan. She couldn't help but spend a few minutes placing kisses on their fat little cheeks and talking to them. Maker she had missed them! She just drank in their sweet baby smell, soft skin, and noticed that their hair was changing color. Fi's had been darker right after she was born, but that had fallen out a few days after leaving behind a light fuzz of blond down that had made her look as though she had almost no hair at all. Now Fi's hair was darkening and showing the red in it like Alistair's had had, but she had Kai's curls. Duncan's was dark brown and the hair straight and thick like Ali's. Kai had no idea how Ali had looked as a baby. But as Fi didn't look like Oren, who had looked like Fergus, at least according to her parents after Oren had arrived; Kai figured Fi looked just like her papa. Duncan seemed to be more of a mixture of both his parents, but he leaned more towards looking like Oren had as baby.
They kept changing so much and so fast. And they were both the most beautiful babies in the whole of Thedas. Of that she was absolutely certain. "I agree whole heartedly my love" And she could hear the pride in Alistair's voice.
"Scathach?" Kai looked up from her babies and grinned at Zaeed who returned the smile. Naseel, Gnat, Jarren and Rajed came in behind him.
Kai motioned for them all to sit. And when they all had she sat herself down next to Zev with Fi, while she adjusted Duncan to sit on her lap. "I know you all are aware of what happened with those soldiers, and their families. And I know that while I was resting, that Zevran had you looking into the how, why, and whom." Resting? More like tripping the, not so light fantastic in the not so much the Fade, she thought to herself.
With this Keiron broke in. Putting the flat of his hand on the scared wooden surface of the table with such force it vibrated. "I can answer that one for you Scatchach! It was my own sodding father!" His face was red. Kai had never seen Keiron's face wearing anything other than a happy go lucky smile. The twins who had been chirping got quiet, as did everyone else.
"The bloody bastard! True to my groveling, sniveling, cowardly ancestral roots he not only sided with the little viper on the throne; but he has aided in the killing of innocents and selling our own people into slavery!"
Naseel put a calming hand on Keiron's arm. "Scathach, Bann Ceorlic found out through a servant who had traveled there to meet family. The Bann heard the servant's comments about a new influx of strangers there and-"
"And used that information to lick Anora's hind end for favors!" Keiron's eyes narrowed and the hand he had resting on the table clenched into a fist. "I always knew my lot were cowards. I always figured that was why my grandfather sided with Meghren and Orlais, and why my father is siding with the viper. Bunch of men with no balls at all in my family tree. But to do it for money and favors! Which is just what that sperm donor who calls himself my father did! I was there, I saw the bodies. I can't believe he had a part in that." Kai watched Keiron's face his face turning red with anger and embarrassment and his eyes were bright.
"Keiron, you can't take that on yourself. Please, by Andraste's flaming knickers, don't follow my example in that arena!" Kai's mind flashed to the "Land of Regrets." Maker don't let him wind up like Loghain! "Look, I know I am not always the best leader, but please know this, we will deal with that bridge when we cross it. And I promise, on the name of my own father's honor and the Cousland name, I will consult you about what you think we should do with your father when we finally unseat Anora. I won't have you feeling like she did when Loghain got justice. She had no say. You will." Kai held up a hand before he could say he wanted the bastard dead.
Kai could see the shame, and hurt in his eyes. He loved his father still. Even if he was terribly angry at the man right now. She looked him in the eyes until he nodded. Naseel patted his arm again and Zaeed put a hand on his shoulder. Kai was pleased to see her other Scaths had been flanking him and supporting him. They must have known who the traitor was before she did. They were a family, by Andraste's flaming sword, and she would not let him torture himself over this.
Kai decided to move on, the plan she had needed to be implemented as soon as possible. She didn't want to think it, but the others could be found out too. Maker, something as simple as a servant talking after visiting family. Hopefully her idea, if all parties agree, would prevent that kind of accidental discovery from ever happening again.
"I have a plan, for the refugees. All of them-" Kai began.
"Is it a cunning plan Warden?" Oghren began to laugh and sway in his seat.
Kai couldn't help but grin at the dwarf. "Well that depends my drunken friend."
"On what Scathach?" Naseel rolled her eyes at Oghren.
"On whether we can get the parties who would need to be involved to agree." And Kai went on to explain that what she had in mind. Everyone sat and stared at her for such a long moment, Kai began to wonder if it was too 'cunning' a plan to borrow Oghren's quip. Kai rubbed Duncan's soft hair with her chin.
""Tis so insane it just might work sister." Morrigan gave her a lift of her lips and a cocked eyebrow. " And I shall go and seek out the Keeper Lanaya. If anyone had talked the rest of the elven clans into fighting a Blight, treaty or no, then surely she can talk them into having the elves take in the refugees as clansmen to stay with them."
"Thank you, sister. I think you had best head out in bird form today? And that means Naseel, I need you to send out word either by Procule globe, or Scath messenger, to tell the remaining refugees what has happened, and what is going on. Tell my Scaths to be discreet. I don't want to cause a panic amongst the refugees." Kai looked at Naseel, who nodded.
"It will be done Scathach." Naseel crossed her chest with her arms in salute.
"Well Warden, it seems to be a cunning plan all right. If you can get all the nug humping parties to agree to it that is." Oghren belched loudly and swigged his tankard. "Hey Warden, will this take us close to Lake Calenhad and The Spoiled Princess? The way you and the painted elf have been gettin' it on lately makes me miss Felsi. I'm feelin' kind of anxious, if you know what I mean."
Felsi! Oh Andraste's holy knickers! Kai remembered some important news, news she was supposed to deliver. News that she had lost a round of cards to deliver. Kai sighed to herself. Bloody hell! "No time like the present my love! time to suck it in and get on with it, right?" Alistair was right of course. But the fact that he was laughing was not helping.
"Wait until I get to the Fade!" Kai groused at him.
"I am sorry my love. I promise you can punish me." Again he started having a laughing fit. "But you have to admit, this would be funny if it weren't you." Kai huffed.
"Um Oghren, before you go, I have something important to tell you." Kai felt herself flushing. "Well, Felsi had a message for you. And with all that was going on, I didn't have the chance..." Kai looked at everyone else sitting in the room still. She made motions towards the door with her head, but they all pretended to be struck blind. Alistair started laughing even harder. She rolled her eyes.
"Well, you see, Felsi... well-"
"By the Stone, spit it out already Warden!"
"Bah! What my sister is trying to tell you, you drunken smelly lout, 'tis that you knocked the female dwarf up!" Morrigan stood up with hands her hands on her hips and glared down at Oghren.
"Morrigan!" Kai squealed. Alistair continued to laugh until he was wheezing. Zev was chuckling under his breath. And the rest of the room had been filled with coughs that sounded suspiciously like suppressed laughter.
"What? 'Tis the bubble headed bard who mentioned it, who had it from listening in on Wynne telling Fiona. 'Tis apparent the only one who did not know that this inebriated cretin had impregnated some poor unfortunate, was the foul mouthed buffoon himself."
Morrigan crossed her arms over her chest as the coughs became full fledged laughter no longer able to be contained. Alistair was gasping. Zevran gave a full throated laugh. Even the twins were giggling imitating those around them.
"If we had waited for you to spit it out sister, 'tis a certainty we would have been her for a decade. I had thought to speed things up since I have places to go and elves to seek. 'Tis the task you just gave me, is it not?" Kai put her face in one hand groaning, while she waved at Morrigan with her other hand.
Morrigan went to the doorway of the dining room where she gave Fergus a lingering kiss and turned into a Falcon that leapt on the arm Fergus proffered before he launched Morrigan's feathered form into the sky. Fergus' eyes followed her until she was out of sight. Kai hated to separate them. She knew what that was like. Sighing to herself, she looked to see the rest of the room were wiping there eyes and rising to go about their tasks.
When Kai dared to look at Oghren to see how he was taking the news, it was to see the bench empty. Kai cocked an eyebrow Was Oghren so upset by the news he had left in a huff? Kai was about to rise. Zev, who had been playing with Fi and Ducan, making a coin appear and disappear in his quick fingers, put a hand on her arm stopping her.
"If you are looking for our dwarven friend, he is under the table passed out. Do not worry my dear Kaidana. I do not think he is upset by the news." Zev grinned at her.
"Well, that's a relief. Morrigan's way is a little...straight forward." Kai smiled back at him.
"Oh, he may not be upset by the news, the question mi cielo, is will he even remember it later? You may wind up having to tell him after all." Zev chuckled as Kai felt her face pale, and Alistair started laughing all over again.
Sod it! Some days it didn't pay to get out of bed!