BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )
So, we have Kai trying to see if the Dalish will do her a favor, again. And we have a couple of surprise visitors. I hope you enjoy! : )
Shout outs to my fans who put this on alerts, and favs, and me on favs. I give my thanks to: Sweet Candy Rain, Pearla, Warrose, Gidgeygirl, HellenKHC, Yaini, The Lost Girl 21, Shogei, Caledvwlch, Shadowynne, chichi41, Gaspode, Arianna 27, rhiannaskye, Vixen's Shadow, loialoha, elizrj, and Leopordstar! You guys rock my socks! : )
Special shout outs to my betas. Night Hunter MGS, my content beta and a wonderful friend, fantastic writer; and to Ladyamesindy, another very dear friend, and extrordinary writer who always helps with my phrasing, and my use of the word had (ARGH); and to Violet Theirin, my cookie taster and another fantastic writer. I could not do it without them! And I have a very special shout out to a new kind of beta, my French beta, The Lost Girl 21. Yes, she has sent me corrections to my French for Gnat in my previous chapters, and I am sloooowly fixing them. I got 68 fixed because Janni (my other shout out), that saint among humanity, had been polishing my earlier chapters for all you fans who re-read. Bless everyone of them! Really, what would I do without them? I love you guys! Thanks (because really, I can't say it enough). 3 : )
Oh, and I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, real life conspired against me. So I posted the chapters of "First Cut is Always the Deepest", and "Whispering Sighs of the Blade" that I had on reserve. Now I am out of those too! I best get to writing! : )
Grithon'as~ means "Wings of the Gryphon," and is the name the Dalish use for Grey Wardens. (A shout out goes to Ladyamesindy's hubby for giving me that word. I wanted something only the Dalish would use for Wardens, like the elves in LoTR called Gandalf Storm Crow).
Blessings!
After her very pleasant visit with Nissyan and Aneiren (pleasant after Kai had gotten over her initial shock at the old mage's strange riddle), Kai and her group had come back to the camp with Swiftrunner and Tythan. They had slept the night in uneventful slumber, to rise with the dawn and the sounds of aravels as the other clans that had been farther afield trickled in. By the mid afternoon all of the Ferelden clans had arrived. A large pavilion with several long tables put end to end and surrounded by chairs.
Lanaya had explained that this was the tent they used when the clans gathered to discuss Dalish business. So, once the representatives of the various groups had settled and established their individual camps, the elders made their way to the tent to meet with Lanaya, Kai, Zevran and was in attendance as well. He lay at Kai's feet, under the table, and as a marbari, had very little he could contribute to the conversation other than the occasional 'woof'.
Kai pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed as Keeper Hessyn continued his ongoing debate with one of his fellow keepers, "What do you mean we owe the Shem? We owe them nothing! If that is your way of getting me and mine to take in a bunch of round ears you are sadly mistaken!" The Keeper of the Falling Leaf clan crossed his arms and scowled
Kai could feel a headache developing behind her left eye. Her shoulder muscles were so tense she felt as though they were lodged permanently around her earlobes. The debates had been going on for hours. Most of the clans had agreed to take in the soldiers and their families, save a few hold outs. And that had slowly changed to only one hold out.
Normally, that might not be a problem. The soldiers and their families were in such numbers that it wouldn't make a bit of difference The problem, as Kai saw it, was that the clans were all interconnected: they met, traded with one another and married between groups. If they could not all come to an agreement, it might result in a rift that would not only make things difficult now, but widen as time passed. Such a rift could weaken and destroy the Dalish, and that she was not about to do
"By Mythral's tits, Hessyn! She and we are not saying that we the Elvhen owe the shem anything! You always were one to take things and twist them to cause mischief and strife! It is a wonder, did Fen'Harel come to your mother the night you were conceived?" The Keeper of the Dancing Otter clan put her hands on the long wooden table and leaned in towards the man a sweet smile on her face. Tanarys, Kai reminded herself. She was spending the better part of the debate trying to memorize the names of the Keepers so she didn't inadvertently insult one.
"Really, we already helped the shem in their little war with monsters, because we had to, or so we were told. All because of some mouldering piece of parchment and an agreement with misbegotten legends. I lost my brother fighting for the round ears, and what do we have to show for it? Land of our own? Of course we don't, Elgar'nan turn eyes on them! We received exactly what we always have, nothing!"
"What, are Dirthamen's ravens nesting in your hair, Hessyn?" Tanarys slapped a hand down on the wooden table causing the mugs there to jump, "The Creators turn you into a halla! It would sweeten your disposition. Our ancestors gave their word to the Grithon'as. And we do keep our word Hessyn, or we would be no better then the shem. But this woman has not broken her word, and she has come to us for help. I have no doubt if the boot were on the other foot, she would help us. It will do no harm to take in the homeless shem. And might I remind you, if it weren't for this women, the home we have would have been stripped and sent to Tevinter, and we probably would have been next, and sold as slaves!"
"No harm, no harm? What are you mad?" Hessyn turned his glare on Kai and her group, "Lanaya's own clan was attacked by a shem traitor brought in by this... woman!" Hessyn spit the word out, and the statement hitting her like a fist. I took all of her discipline to keep her face neutral, "Round ears only bring betrayal, destruction, and death!"
"Heey-y! That was unfair!" Alistair's voice registered in complaint and Kai gave him a grateful mental smile. While Zev's hand grasped hers under the table giving it a sympathetic squeeze.
Keeper Lanaya put a gentle hand on Hessyn's arm, "Keeper Hessyn, we are not sugges-"
Kai broke in with an apologetic smile at Lanaya, "Keeper Hessyn, you and yours owe us nothing. And it would actually be, I, that owe you. Despite that mouldering piece of parchment, and the agreement with... what was that term you used?" Kai smiled at him, "'Misbegotten legends', I think it was. Well, despite that, I feel that Ferelden owes the elves a great deal. To me, you are Fereldens, we all are. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to repay you. I hope to be in the future, but it is an...investment, shall we say?"
Kai stood up and waved her hands to encompass the whole, "But with that said, I will not have some clans taking these refugees against their fellow clans' objections. I will not be the cause of bad blood between you. I will just have to find another way." Kai looked around the room bowing to each of the elders in turn, "I am truly sorry to have caused an upset in your routines. And I thank all of you, for coming and holding your traditional meeting early for this." Kai nodded to her group and gave Argus the tapped signal on her thigh, "I will leave you all to discuss your private clan business." She smiled at them, though her heart was sinking and made her way to the doorway of the tent and out into the night air.
Argus pressed close to her thigh, sensing Kai's disappointment. She patted his head, trying to distract herself from her internal walls which were rapidly crumbling at Hessyn's words. He was right after all, it was probably a mad idea for her to be asking for yet another favor. Every time she approached the elves it meant death for them. Death facing the Archdemon or death from one of her own. Add to that, other than packing the soldiers and their families off to the Free Marches, Kai had no ideas what to do to keep them safe. So far she was turning out to be a failure at this 'Hero of Ferelden' thing.
"Whose idea was it that I come back here again mi' gra?" Kai asked Alistair.
"I blame boogity boo lady!" Ali's voice tried for levity.
"Ha, very ha! Yes, do extend my warmest and sincerest thanks when you see her next won't you?" Kai gave a mental grimace, "Tell her if she has any brilliant ideas to pass them along, at least she could be of some sodding help."
"Kai, mi amada?" Zev's voice broke through her little reverie. Zev's arm was wrapped around hers. His voice soft with concern.
She shook her head at him and smiled, "No, I'm fine. It does still hurt, a lot, but what he said is the truth, no matter how painful. I am a round ear who had brought them death and destruction for very little in return except to beg them for favors." Kai smiled at him and Wynne ruefully, I guess I will just have to see if the soldiers would be willing to go to the Free Marches?" Kai pinched the bridge of her nose again, "I will have to send scath there to see if any of the freeholders will accept them. That is if Kylon's men and their families are willing to go that far. Maker, why can't it just be simple for once?" Kai felt one hundred years old. "Well I can spit in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fill up faster, as old Nan used to say." Kai huffed out a sigh.
"Ho, there little sister!" Kai turned to see Fergus, grinning at her while walking towards her holding a tray with bowls of what looked like roasted pheasant on a bed of some yams and various greens, with fresh bread on plates. The smell of which were making her mouth water.
"Sex apparently agrees with him." Kai whispered out of the corner of her mouth.
"You will find, mi cielo, that sex, particularly sex with someone you love, agrees with most people, no?" Zevran gave Kai a sly smirk and a sideways smile.
"Zev is quite correct, though I must say, they truly make each other happy. Who knew our prickly 'Witch of the Wilds' would have had it in her?" Wynne chuckled.
Kai just looked at Wynne and cocked an eyebrow, Wynne shrugged and smiled, "What? I do happen to know about sex, child, I did have a son you know." Kai couldn't help but laugh as Wynne winked at her. Zev gave a deep little snicker.
Fergus stopped in front of them all. The scent of the food mingled more strongly with the night air, and Kai's stomach rumbled loud enough to be heard by the others, who all laughed. She realized she had not eaten yet today. They had food at the meeting of the elders, but her nerves had been such that she had been unable to force herself to eat. Now her stomach was grumbling irritably to remind her of her negligence.
"I think little sister, you are either very hungry or you have a mabari hidden under your shirt." Argus cocked his head and whined giving Fergus a confused look, "There is a communal food station set up. Apparently when they gather they clans, the meals are all combined and everyone contributes. I have offered to go hunting tomorrow to help do our part. Though I am not as good with a bow as you sister dear. You may want to volunteer your services." Fergus grinned at her, "I had better get back with this before it is cold, or I might wish to face a pack of mabaris instead. When you get yours, Morrigan and I are at the bonfire in Lanaya's section of camp." He stooped and kissed Kai on the cheek, and grinned at the others before heading off again, the smells of his meal trailing behind him.
Kai's stomach rumbled again, and she gave her group a rueful grin. "You young lady need to eat!" Wynne chuckled at her, using her favorite jab at Kai's expense. They all started to walk towards the area of camp Fergus had come from.
Kai couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It has started when she had left the Keepers' pavilion. She had attributed it to the elves of the other clans who had never seen her before. Or probably any round eared human ever, for that matter. But this feeling had the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.
"Warden!" Kai turned to see Cammen, the sweet faced elven hunter that Fergus had tried to strangle, "I wanted to speak with you, but your brother..." She watched Cammen flinch and look toward Fergus's retreating back.
Kai grinned and gave Cammen's arm a little shake, "My brother will have already forgiven you. It is my sister, the witch whom you shot, that you should watch out for still."
The elven hunter turned to her and gave her a small sheepish grin, "I swear I didn't know the hawk was really a shem! It was just flying at our Keeper!" Cammen's face turned a brilliant pink.
Kai grinned, "Well, I am just glad you didn't kill her."
Kai watched Cammen's face get redder still, "I couldn't! We are the Sun Hawk Clan, to kill one of our clan's namesake is to invite the wrath of Andruil the Huntress!" Cammen looked down and shuffled his feet, "I know that I often seem a fool, but I am a good hunter with my bow, one of the best!"
"I know Cammen, that is why you needed to take your test and hunt while the werewolf attacks were going on, not just for Gheyna. I know what it is like to have people see you a certain way." Kai grinned at him and punched him lightly in the arm, "If it makes you feel any better Morrigan treats everyone that way, and if she was really that mad, you would be in a stew pot cooking as a rabbit."
"Oh, erm...well when you put it like that, I guess I do feel better." He gave he another happy smile, but still flashed a look the way Fergus had gone, "You're sure about your brother though?"
Kai nodded and patted Cammen's shoulder. A shiver went down her spine. That feeling of being watched was getting worse. she looked slightly over her shoulder behind her. She noticed Zev's tension as well, he too felt it.
Kai nodded to Zev and gave a little eye roll towards the edge of the forest. He nodded and followed her lead. She grabbed Cammen's arm while speaking to him, and Wynne, out of the corner of her mouth and giving Argus a series of hand signals, "Don't look, but there is something or someone watching us all from the edge of the forest. I want to walk a little ways away from camp and circle back quickly. Be ready with your bow." The young man nodded to her. Kai raised her her chin at Wynne who gave a slight nod.
Kai and Zev walked closer to the edge of the woods, while Wynne and Cammen stayed back a ways as if to give them a moment to speak. Kai pitched her voice higher as if in anger, "I don't wish to discuss it anymore Zev!"
"Well I think we should talk about it!" He looked at her raising an eyebrow, "You always avoid the topic when I bring it up!"
She cocked her eyebrow and rolled her eyes towards the darkened woods stalking closer to the treeline, she let Zev grab her as if he was trying to stop her. Kai could feel whatever or whomever was skulking in the shadows had definitely been following her, not the others. She had heard the hint of movement as she had moved to the treeline. She whispered to him, "Ready?" He squeezed her arm in response before she tore it from his grasp and whistled to Argus, while drawing her daggers.
They were about to plunge into the trees when her skulker revealed itself. At first Kai wasn't sure what she was was seeing. It looked like a cross between a ghoul and a Hurlock. It's eyes were blood red and black instead of the pale lifeless color of a normal darkspawn. Its skin, rather than the dark rotting, emaciated skin of a darkspawn, was pale as bone. In fact, its face looked like a living skull, the nose nothing more than flat holes for nostrils. It smiled and showed black fangs for teeth. Well at least something on it looked familiar, Kai thougt to herself. A part of her wanted to giggle.
Its armor was very different as well. It wore a chain mail coif and haubrek under plate armor and cloth. The armor was well made and not crudely crafted. And no darkspawn had ever worn cloth before.
But it was the deep voice that spoke in complete sentences (albeit in a hissing lisp) like any human that chilled her to the bone, "Greetings, Warden. I am The Suppliant, and the Father wishes to.. speak to thee." It tilted its head, raising its hands in supplication while smiling a mouth full of ebony points.
"You know, I am afraid I am going to have to decline your very gracious offer. Tell this Father, whoever he is that my schedule is full, and I just can't fit another thing in at the moment; but that I do thank him for his kind invitation and I do hope he won't be too terribly disappointed." Kai watched the, creature for wont of a better word, tilt its bald mail covered head to the side a confused look on its bone white face.
Not to swift on the uptake. Smarter than an Alpha, but not brighter than small human child? Or maybe it just didn't get humor? Kai had a moment to wonder before it spoke again, "Your ways are...strange. The Father said this is so. You sound friendly yet, you say no. Very confusing." It tilted its head again, "The Father said that this might happen. We cannot take no for an answer, Warden."
"We? As in you and what army? And as for the Father, he is just going to have to take, no, for an answer." Kai smiled sweetly at the figure before her.
The Suppliant looked at her as if digesting what she said, "You will go to see the Father." Its hairless brows drew down in what she supposed was an annoyed look. "You will come with me."
The creature looked at her again, and smiled a broad grin. Uh oh, Kai thought, I may have spoken too soon. The Suppliant turned and made loud hissing noises into the woods. And shadows began to break off from the surrounding darkness walking into the moonlight.
"My dear Kaidana, perhaps you should be more careful when asking what army in future, yes?" Zev's voice held tense amusement.
"Wynne!" Kai yelled behind her and the mage shot up a blast of magic that shot up into the sky that exploded in a brilliant shower of sparkling light. Kai knew that Morrigan would know it meant darkspawn and warn the elves. They had devised the use of the bolt of magic to during the Blight on the battlefields. If their groups had gotten separated fighting, and one of the mages was in the group then they could be more easily located. Wynne's bolt was a brilliant blue white and it lit up the area causing the darkspawn to hiss and cringe at its radiance.
Kai did a quick look at the battlefield, assessing what they were up against. Apparently this Father had heard of Grey Wardens and their abilities. When the Suppliant said it (she refused to call it he) wanted it to go with her, it wasn't kidding.
"You sound like Shale." Alistair's voice did a nervous chuckle in her head, "Please be careful mi' gra!"
Kai gave him a mental grin, "I will, beloved. I wish you were here."
"I wish I was too. For so many reasons." She could hear the wistfulness and the worry. She huffed and continued with her head count.
There was one Hurlock emissary, several genlock archers, and several Hurlock warriors including an Alpha in full plate with a horned helm. She gave Argus commands with hand signals, and looked to Zev, who nodded. To the young hunter he instructions were simple, "Cammen! Darkspawn with a headdress there. Five shots rapid." And then the mayhem began.
Kai had intended to go after the Suppliant, but the creature had backed off into the woods once more and she was blocked from him by the Alpha, who gave the deep chuckle that seemed to be their trademark. Kai was dancing with with Hurlock and his axe. He swinging the massive blade and Kai trying to get in close enough to get in more than the shallow slices she was getting in.
It was a bellowed war cry that had both her and the Alpha pausing in their battle to look for its source. Kai caught a brief glimpse of Fergus running full speed towards them. She took a step back but the Hurlock was not as bright, or too stunned to move, or both. Kai caught a brief glimpse of the Cousland family herald as Fergus's shield swung out and smashed into the Alpha with a screeching crunch of metal on metal. The Alpha staggered backwards bent over, arms wrapped
More arrows flew threw the air as the Dalish entered the fray. Fighting with Fergus and his shield smacked of the familiar. It was as if she was fighting with Alistair again. The old stategies came flooding back. Kai managed to paralyze the Alpha from behind and roll out of the way in a backward flip as Fergus took off its head in one strong swipe.
What was happening behind Fergus made her breath catch. Keeper Hessyn was trying to fight a genlock and two shrieks had appeared behind him. Kai took a running start, "Fergus! Duck!" put one foot on Fergus' bent back and launched herself into the air coming down stabbing her daggers into the backs of the shrieks and knocking Hessyn and his Genlock to the ground momentarily.
She kicked the Genlock in the chest as it had risen up and used its own sword against it. She was just helping Hessyn to rise when her hair was grabbed from behind and a dagger put to her throat pricking it. She felt a drop of her blood running down her neck and pooling where her collarbone met her neck.
"I told thee, thou were to come with me." Kai felt the hot breath of the Suppliant across her cheek, "The Father said it thou would not come, then to get thy blood instead."
"Kai!" Fergus ran forward and Zevran wasn't far behind him, with Wynne bringing up the rear. Kai put up her hands telling them to wait.
"And what would the Father need with my blood, seeing how it is no different than the others here." Kai felt the blade giggle at her statement.
"Thy blood is special, to be a Warden makes it so. Thy blood sings." Kai could almost picture it tilting its head in confusion.
"I am afraid your Father is going to be sorely disappointed, I don't have the taint anymore. My
blood can't carry a tune in a bucket, let alone 'sing'." Kai chuckled.
She felt the blade lift from her skin, though the hand holding her hair did not release. Instead she felt the warm carrion breath of the Suppliant on her jaw and throat as it sniffed the small wound there.
"This one does not understand! This one was told thy blood was needed, that it sings as ours does! The tune of they who must be found by my mindless bretheren. This is not possible! Someone lied to the Father! Thou are no Grey Warden! Where is the Warden? Thou will tell this one!"
Its voice raised in a high pitched whine turned into a scream of pain as Kai took the opportunity to raise her elbow and jab it into the Suppliant's groin. She did a flip forward and used her boot to catch it in the jaw as she rolled away from it. She grabbed her dagger from the shrieks and turned to face the Suppliant, only to find it had been encased in ice.
Fergus went to it and pushed it over with his shield where it shattered. Kai looked around quickly thinking Morrigan must have been the one, but the mage she saw was not the enchanter she expected to see. Nissyan stood a ways in the distance with Aneirin beside him. The old hermit was grinning from ear to ear, "I decided to come and visit you this time!" He giggled, "And we brought more biscuits!"