BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )
So Kai has the handsome and roguish Anders along for the ride. And who is Anders without his special friend? I we get to meet a certain someone in this chapter. I hope you enjoy. : D
Sorry about the delay, I know I keep saying that; but I really do mean it. My work has been super busy and hell on earth. I get so tired, by the time I get home I have no energy. I hope I am not letting you down to terribly my dear fans. I really hate being so slow.
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Blessings!
As it turned out, Kai's timing couldn't have been better, Branan and his family had been harvesting apples to take to the outdoor marketplace of Orzammar, along with beverages and baked goods made by the family from an earlier harvest.
Kai and Zevran helped finish the gathering of the crimson orbs from amongst the whispering leaves. The sky was bright with white clouds, the orchard sported bee hives to help the trees bear fruit so the air hummed lightly, along with a soft, wafting breeze. The green grass alternated with large swaths of golden sunlight interspersed with pools of cool verdant shadows underneath the trees. All in all it was a pleasant way to wile away some hours in the day. Kai could almost forget she was trying to save the world ... again ... still.
It reminded her of the orchards of Highever and she found herself washed in a wave of homesickness so deep she thought her heart might burst with the longing of it.
She made a mental picture, figuring she was going to be underground for who knew how long. Add to that there was the possibility of going to the Deep Roads as well. Maker! How she hated the Deep Roads.
She was thrown from her musing when she felt Zev's amber gaze watching her. "A sovereign for your thoughts, mi amada?"
"Isn't that supposed to be a copper for my thoughts?" Kai grinned at him.
"I have always found that your thoughts are worth so much more than that, mi cielo." Zev stroked her cheek with nimble fingers. "Or you could think of it as the rise in the cost of living due to Anora's rule, no?" Kai couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Just thinking of home, and how nice a day this is, how much I wish that we could just enjoy it." Kai gave him a rueful smile, "Days like this I wish I was just a woman, and this was just an ordinary day. Of course, knowing me, I would just get bored if I had a 'normal' life."
"Si, in Antiva we have an saying, be careful what you wish for...or is it may you live in interesting times? I always get them mixed up." Zev winked at her and grinned, making her laugh and completely breaking her melancholy mood.
"Well I certainly have no idea how you would manage a 'normal' life considering your close association with trouble in all of its forms." Alistair's voice teased in her ear. Ha, very ha, cheeky fellow. Kai gave him a mental nose wrinkle. "Just promise me that you will be very careful in Orzammar, my love." Aren't I always? Kai grinned. "You don't really want me to answer that, do you?" Kai laughed, giving Alistair a mental kiss, and giving Zev a real one before turning back to the task at hand.
Kai moved on to another tree, one gnarled old thing, that sported burn marks at its base. It was the queen of the orchard, with a thick and pitted trunk. Scarred, singed, she reigned supreme, the flower dotted grass a velvet viridian robe spread over her feet, her crown sparkling with garnet gems in rustling leaves. Kai figured that like an old matriarch, the tree had survived the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and stood proudly reaching for the sun.
Kai smiled and started to place the wooden ladder against the tree when she was startled by light streak of motion that ran up the ladder and onto thick lower branch. Argus's booming bark sounded behind her as her mabari was very interested in what had raced past Kai's hand on the ladder.
"Argus, stad!" Kai used the ancient Alamarri language to have the big mabari stop his vocalizations as it was frightening what turned out to be a small orange marmalade kitten of the tabby persuasion. It was a little bit of a thing, with that fuzzy quality all kittens have and the blue eyes of that most infants of any species seemed to possess to a certain age. If she had to guess, Kai estimated the kitten to be about five weeks old. Its ginger colored back was arched into a tight bow while hissing at the dog below.
"What did you do?" Kai admonished the mabari, who tilted his head and whined. "I don't care if he ran, you shouldn't have chased him." Argus gave her an indignant 'woof'. "I know you were playing, but he didn't know that. You should be ashamed of yourself, big old war hound, poor little kitten." Argus hung his head, ears drooping. "Mind you, you'd best watch out for those claws, they're needle sharp." Kai had reason to know as this last statement came as she grabbed the kitten from the branch and it sank ten little points into the skin of her hand.
She tilted the kitten up to look at it eye to eye, "Good thing for you I have calluses from using daggers!" She turned the kitten back around and bent down holding it eye height to Argus. "Now you two, let me introduce you, as friends should always be introduced don't you think? And you two are going to be friends now aren't you." Kai made that a statement rather than a question. Argus and the kitten stretched to touch noses, giving each other suspicious sniffs. The kitten reached out a gentle paw to touch Argus's face and the big mabari licked the kitten almost sweeping it from Kai's hands in one swipe of big pink tongue. The kitten didn't seem put out by it, if anything it closed its eyes and purred.
Branan and several of the others had walked up while the exchange took place. "I'm glad to see he's made a friend." Branan nodded towards the kitten, "His mam is a wild thing, dropped him off when he was about two weeks old and walked off and hasn't been seen since. She didn't drop off any other siblings, we don't know if he even had any, or if he did what happened to them." Brannan shrugged, "We have cats around the orchards and the house to keep rats out of the trees and away from the fruit of course, but none were with kittens at the time. So, we all have been feeding him with a rag dipped in milk. He is just old enough now to eat solid food. I swear he thinks he's a human."
The kitten meowed as if in agreement and jumped from Kai's hands onto Argus' broad head, down his muscled neck to sit on the mabari's broad back like a rider would a ceffyl. Branan gave a chuckle, "He seems to have taken a liking to you both. You wouldn't consider giving the little bit a home, now would you? He really isn't meant to be a barn cat, he likes human company too much. And I think mabari company as well."
"I don't know, we are going to be on the road, or in Orzammar. I don't think that is exactly a place for our little friend." Kai shrugged and Argus let out an indignant woof. "Be reasonable, Argus Rabbit, we get into dangerous situations, and are likely to again, the Deep Roads are no place for a little kitten." Argus let out another angry sounding woof. "If he comes with us, he's going to have to fight darkspawn." Argus bark sounded argumentative and Kai put her hands on her hips, "Exactly. Now take him back. Put him where he belongs. Now."
The kitten looked at her, its head drooping, giving a small plaintive meow, while Argus whined sadly. It broke Kai's heart. She felt her resolve wavering, for the "Hero of Ferelden", slayer of darkspawn, when it came to her friends, she really was an easy touch. "UGH! Fine! He can come with us." Kai threw her hands up in resignation, "I give!"
Zevran gave her a low and evil chuckle, "You really have never learned to resist have you, my dear Kaidana? Not Leli's big blue eyes, or Argus's whine. And now you have a kitten wrapping you around its paw. Though I suppose I should be grateful that your willpower in this regard is so low, or you might have slayed me on the spot when we first met, no?" Any protest she had been about to make was lost as Zev's lips found hers in kiss more suited to the dark, "And think of all the things you and I would have missed. Yes...I am very grateful to Fortuna every day for your generous heart. Along with other, shall we say, delightful parts you possess, no?"
"Zev does have a valid point, though, you are really a big softie." She could feel Alistair's grin, "Just don't let the twins find out." Ha, very ha, funny guy. Though also very true. Kai huffed into her own head.
Kai wrinkled her nose at Zev and he laughed again before turning back to place the filled baskets on the wagon. The wagon was almost filled when they stopped for the midday meal of bread, and apple butter, bacon and a creamy white cheese. There were, of course, apples for dessert. They finished their task afterwards, and with a tearful goodbye from Ciere, and a more dry farewell from those workers staying behind, they set off for Orzammar.
They just reached the edge of camp when Sten's voice came from the shadows, speaking in Qunari, giving her the first part of the prayer of the Qun. Kai completed the prayer, letting Sten know they were not under duress. If she had switched the word for 'sea' in the prayer with the word for 'ocean', Sten would have known to attack. It was a code they had developed during the Blight and Sten was on watch.
Traveling with the heavily laden wagon made the going slower, despite their proximity to the meeting place of Kai's companions. Night was falling rapidly when they wove their way to the rendezvous point. And despite her informing them via the procul globe, her friends all wore concerned looks on their faces which rapidly turned to relief when they made their way into the light of the campfire.
Kai looked at the familiar faces and the tents and a wave of nostalgia hit her. Today was a day for old memories and longing for old times, it seemed. She shook her head and introduced Branan and the two farm hands he had brought with him. Kai saw all of their group save one, the newest member to join them, Anders.
She was just about to inquire as to his whereabouts as Wynne was spooning stew into bowls for them, when the loud clattering of wood made her and the rest jump. The loud yelp from Argus caused a second wave of jitters as the kitten on Argus' back was startled awake with the resulting response cats do when scared.
Kai watched Anders blush, "Sorry!" He then went to Argus, "Oh, what do we have here?" Anders lifted the little tabby which fit easily into one of his long fingered hands. "Ah, did I frighten you? I am so sorry little one!" The kitten meowed and began purring, which made Anders cradle it under his chin.
It was Argus' indignant 'woof' that made Anders realize the mabari was there. "Oh, sorry my large and muscled doggy friend. Allow me." Anders' free hand glowed with a bluish white light as he healed the minor scratches on the mabari's back. "There you are, right as rain." Anders gave the hound a cheeky grin and still carrying the kitten went to a log laying next to the fire and sat down on it, cradling the kitten in his robed lap.
Wynne finished passing out bowls to everyone, including Branan who had settled his horses off the wagon on a tie line. Kai sat herself next to Anders while Zev sat to her other side and Argus plopped down at her feet with is bowl of stew between his massive paws. Kai watched as Anders pulled bits of meat from the bowl and bit off small pieces to feed the kitten until the kit was sated enough. The cat lay in the folds of the robe on Anders' lap upside down, in apparent kitty-ecstasy, his round belly rising and falling in sleep while his little paws twitched in kitten dreams.
Kai scooped up the last of the stew from her bowl before placing it down on the ground for Argus to lick. When she rose up she saw that Anders was looking at the kitten with a sad look on his face. She realized she hardly knew a thing about this man, other than he was very good at killing darkspawn, had a wicked wit, and reminded her of Zevran back in their Blight days, with his innuendos.
She caught him looking at her while looking at him and she blushed. He grinned, "So, dove, if you weren't a Warden, or saving the world from Anora, what would you be doing, hmm?"
Kai rolled her eyes at his use of the term 'dove,' when speaking to her, and shrugged. "I guess I would be doing Warden business, and maybe spending time dealing with the nobles at court." She gave a mock shudder which made Anders smile.
"I take it dealing with squabbling nobles is not your idea of a good time?" He leaned in closer, "I could show you better ways to spend your time..." He suddenly leaned back again, flashing a wicked grin at Zev, "But I like not having extra holes in my body that I don't need."
This elicited a chuckle from the assassin, "You are far wiser than I first suspected, my magical friend."
"Hm, yes well not something anyone in the Tower would accuse me of, especially not that old git Irving..." A sharp 'ehem' from the side of the fire where Wynne was seated interrupted what else Anders was going to say. "Ah, yes, sorry. As I was saying, I've never liked the idea of being trapped somewhere, to be honest. It reminds me of the Circle."
He gave Wynne a rueful smile. "After my seventh escape attempt, you'd think they'd have given me credit for trying."
Kai shook her head in amazement, "Seven escape attempts?" Zevran gave a snort, and Kai continued, "Why didn't they didn't just execute you?"
Anders shrugged. "You know the Chantry. They don't believe in executions, if you die, they can't torment you." There was yet another 'ehem' from Wynne's direction. Anders' shoulders rose and fell again as his gaze fell on the elder mage, "Oh, I know, I know. Most people enjoy being kicked in the head to be woken up each morning. Me, I'm just so picky."
He turned back to Kai, "They can't make you tranquil once you've passed your Harrowing. I'll wager they regret that rule." Anders chuckled and looked at the kitten asleep in his lap, his long fingers gently rubbed the rounded little belly. His countenance became melancholy once more. "You know, there is one thing I miss about the Tower..." Anders gave a rueful chuckle. "My cat."
Kai reached over and rubbed the kitten, "You had a cat? Why didn't you take it with you?"
Anders grinned. "Well, it wasn't really mine, just some mouser that hung around the Tower. A vicious little tabby. There were days when that stupid cat was the only person I saw. Heh, except for him not being a person." Kai flashed Wynne an angry look with a cocked eyebrow (her this-is-one-of-the-many-reasons-I-hate-the-Tower-and-the-Chantry look). Wynne returned Kai's glare with her usual cool and calm demeanor. Anders must have caught the exchange between her and the elder mage as he cocked an eyebrow and grinned at her before he shrugged. "Still, I liked him. Poor Mr. Wiggums."
Kai turned back to Anders, "Why poor Mr. Wiggums?"
Anders looked down at the kitten who started to stir, sitting up and using a small pink tongue to try and groom its side, only to fall over in the effort. "He became possessed by a rage demon-" Anders looked at Kai with a wide grin on his face. "But he did take out three templars. I was never more proud."
Across the fire Wynne let out a disgusted huff of air along with a muttered, "Really, young man!" Which made the rest of the camp laugh.
"Then we should drink a toast to this, Mr. Wiggums, non?" Gnat nodded to Rajed who grabbed a bottle of mead, and Gnat passed out the mugs to everyone, while he poured.
Once everyone held mug in hand (even Wynne had accepted one), Anders raised his, saying, "A toast to Mr. Wiggums then. May he forever eat mice in the Fade!" Kai watched him toss back a large swallow before wiping his hand across a slightly stubbled chin. "You know, this cute little kitty looks a lot like ." Anders tickled the kitten under the chin who meowed and squeezed his eyes shut purring.
"Then he should be yours." Kai smiled at him. Even Argus gave an affirmative 'woof.'
"I don't know about that. We get into dangerous scrapes." Anders' voice was filled with longing. Kai figured he wanted someone to convince him.
"What do you want to do with him? I mean, we could always send him back to the orchard with Branan." Argus whined, and Kai nudged him with her foot, while giving the hound a 'play along stare.' "I'm sure Branan will find a suitable companion, I mean, it won't be easy. This little fellow was hand reared, and he likes people, not everyone wants a pet cat. They'll want a barn cat. But I'm sure it will all work out. He can just go back on the wagon when they return to the orchard." Kai made the last part breathy and sad. Argus sat up, nuzzled the kitten with a pitiful whine while the kitten gave a quiet little mewl.
Kai could see Anders' beginning to waver, "Don't know, seems cruel to send him back." Anders picked up the kitten and cuddled it under his chin. "I'll keep you for a while, until I find somewhere safe for him. Is that okay with you kitty?" The kitten mewed as if in agreement and began to purr.
Anders held the kit up to face him, "I'll call you Ser Pounce-a-lot!" The kitten gave an excited 'meow' and stretched out a paw to touch the mage's face. "You can stay in my pack, just for a little while, yes?" Again the kitten meowed and began to lick Anders' chin. "Hm, heh, heh! That tickles!" Kai laughed, and started stacking the bowls and spoons from Zev, Anders, Argus, and herself.
She quickly found the dishes taken from her by Gnat, who explained that she and Zev had been picking apples. Jarren and Tam went to relieve Sten from watch, so that the Qunari could eat, and camp settled into the comfortable warmth and friendship Kai recognized from camping with close friends during the Blight. Gnat it turned out had the same skills as Leli and she brought out a small lap harp and sang songs, including some naughty ditties which she insisted they all join in on and which caused snickering and snorting to interrupt the singing on more than one occasion. Eventually Gnat wound down, she and Rajed sat with their heads together talking, Wynne and some of the others sat reading, or writing. After a while the group dispersed to their tents one by one.
Kai started awake when Zev's gentle fingers tangled in her hair before running down her throat in a way that aroused and soothed at the same time. She realized that she must have dozed off. Zev grinned and nodded towards the tent the group had set up for them and she nodded, kissing him, before rising to her feet as he pulled her hand to help her.
Argus was content before the fire, and she realized that the mabari wasn't alone. The mage Anders lay with his head on the war hound's prone body as his pillow, while the ginger colored kitten lay curled in a tight ball, tail over his nose, on Anders' chest. The mage sported a happy grin. Kai laughed to herself and grabbed a blanket, gently covering the mage and his new friend, before ducking into her tent and curling up next to Zev. She was asleep the minute her head hit Zev's shoulder.