An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Kai stood rearranging the baskets of apples, filling in the gaps made as the bushels and baked goods sold. What was not surprising was the rate at which the various alcoholic wares disappeared. Branan still kept the supplies for the palace and Tapsters (carefully hidden beneath a tarp) until he received word that he would be allowed to deliver it inside the city. Under the guise of “protecting the kegs for Tapsters, Branan “hired” Sten and the band of mercenaries. It was a pretense that actually held a modicum of truth.
The delay, according to Branan, was unusual; dwarves loved their drink. Ever since Bhelen had taken the throne, human merchants were allowed, and even encouraged to visit inside of Orzammar. The strange wait resulted in a general edginess that infected Branan and his group.
The delay, perhaps, was not the only thing causing disquiet amongst them: the dwarves themselves exuded unease, both merchants and citizens alike. The tension was even worse here than at the Horn.
It reminded her of a hunting trip her family made when some of the nobles were visiting. They traveled with falcons and the Huntsman’s dogs for flushing birds into the sky. The fields were full of calls of their quarry, quail. When the shadow of the falcon would pass over the billowing wheat the silence descended as if a heavy blanket had been cast over the grain.
The tension would be released in a burst of terrified flight when the dogs would flush them out. This felt the same; and from the normally stalwart and stoic dwarves, it was most unnerving. They reminded her of the stone they claimed to come from and return to, steady. For them to act as quail waiting for the falcon’s punch, it must be very bad indeed.
Such thoughts made Kai tense and edgy along with the vibes from the dwarves. As a result she wasn’t sleeping well, if at all. Not that the proximity to the Deep Roads was in any way the cause of her distress...oh no. She had such lovely memories from this place after all.
The dwarven politics, more tangled and hard to traverse, than a pit of poisonous snakes. Then the pressing crush of darkspawn, their stench, their corruption around every corner coupled with the macabre sing song poem repeated, over and over again. The source, a horrific discovery of just what the darkspawn did to victims drug underground, in particular the female victims. Just thinking of that female dwarf still gave Kai chills. Then the constant horrific nightmares from the taint in her blood; and the song of the archdemon so alluring and compelling that rose to a deafening and terrifying crescendo when they came upon it directing the darkspawn armies in the trenches below. Ah yes, good times! Kai gave a mental snort.
“Well at least you don’t have to worry about an archdemon this time, or a broodmother, or...” Alistair’s cheeky voice sounded in her ear.
“Oh, yes and I managed to forget about that part, thank you so much for reminding me, smart guy.” Kai rolled her eyes at him.
Sorry, mi’ gra.” She could hear his rueful grin.
“I really, really, really hate the Deep Roads. And dwarven politics gives me hives. Why do I feel as though I will be dealing with both again?.”
“Because there is no rest for the wicked?” She heard the laughter in his voice and she couldn’t help but join him. Alistair always made things better, even when things looked bleakest, then as now. He was her light in the dark.
“Tell me again why I love you?”
“My minor obsession with my hair? My devilishly handsome looks? My love of fine cheeses? Take your pick.” Kai gave him a mental snort and a smile.
Her inner dialogue was interrupted by Zev who tickled his fingers in her hair at the nape of her neck as he leaned in on the pretense of kissing her while he put his lips to her ear.
“Jarren informs me that the delectably endowed Wynne wishes to meet you down the hill out of sight from the market. She will be there ‘picking herbs for potions’ as her reason for being there.”
Kai smiled and rubbed his cheek leaning in, “I take it Wynne and Anders have found lodging inside the city then?”
“Si, and as soon as we are allowed in we may break away from Branan and avail ourselves of it.” His fingers kneaded the base of her skull making it hard to concentrate. Perhaps pretending to be lovers snatching a moment was a bad idea. His lips tickled her jawbone, “And Tam and Jarren have secured curious positions for the scath and Sten as soldiers to the palace to ‘keep the peace’ they were told. One of Bhelen’s men came looking for them specifically when he heard there were mercenaries in the market. Apparently there is a sort of behind the scenes martial law situation. Not where surfacers visiting Orzammar will notice, of course.”
“No wonder the dwarves are tense. Just what by Andraste’s flaming knickers are we getting ourselves into, I wonder. Well at least they will be in a prime position to spy at the palace.”
Kai almost gasped when Zev’s teeth gently nibbled her earlobe. “Ah, mi cielo, you and Trouble do have a very close relationship don’t you?” He pulled back his amber eyes twinkling with mirth.
Kai wrinkled her nose at him, “Yes, as proven by the Antivan assassin standing before me.” Zev gave her a throaty chuckle. “Well, at least you can’t say being with me is boring.” Kai shrugged at him.
Zev threw back his head and let out a full laugh this time, “Si, I cannot accuse you of that. Fortuna is a fickle mistress, she took so much away from me, and then she led me to you, my beautiful Kaidana.” His fingers stroked down her neck, “And for that I hold no complaints, despite Trouble knowing where you are at all times, no?” He did kiss her this time, before continuing, “Say hello to our delightfully bosomed Wynne for me, and tell her I long for a pillow as soft and firm as...” Kai put a finger to his lips stopping his comment before he could finish. He grinned and kissed its tip.
She shook her head, grinning, grabbed a book, a hunk of bread, an apple, and cheese before telling Branan she was taking a lunch break. He nodded and Kai made her way discreetly around the market stopping at booths, gazing at wares, and talking to merchants while wending her way to the outer edge of the market where the land dropped off into a sloping hill. Kai paused at the edge, taking a deep breath, stretching, giving the impression she was taking in the view and relaxing.
Kai caught sight of Wynne’s brightly colored mage robe as the enchanter wandered under the tall pines, using a small crescent shaped blade to cut herbs before placing the bunches in the specialized reed basket carried by two leather straps worn crossed ways over her torso.
Wynne’s gray head looked up and Kai waved as one would, casually to a barely met acquaintance, which is what they were supposed to be. Wynne bobbed her head, and Kai went to sit on a large rock with a flat top that jutted out over the hill offering a stunning view of the valley below.
Kai had discovered the rock back during the Blight when they first visited Orzammar. They had been waylaid by bounty hunters hired by Loghain to kill her, Alistair, and anyone with them, after Zevran’s attempt failed. The rock had served as a place to stay from view while they cleaned off the blood.
Today she used it as a clandestine meeting place. Kai took out the book opening it up on her lap and while eating her lunch, waiting as Wynne made her way around the rock eventually, gathering herbs from its base before leaning against it as if she needed a break.
Kai stuck her finger between the pages of the book, while crunching her apple and looking into the valley below. Wynne looked in the same direction as if taking in the view. Kai whispered out of the corner of her mouth, “Zev told me you have lodging for us, once we get inside that is.”
“Indeed. And I will say this young lady, that on the surface things appear to be normal. Normal, that is, if you aren’t looking for trouble. Whoever is behind this is very clever. There are strange folk around the inner market square. They dress like Fereldans and speak in Fereldan, but with a slight accent, an accent I can’t place.” Wynne’s brows furrowed, “One such stranger took to hovering around Garin, who sells lyrium and other minerals while Anders and I were there.”
“Ah, yes, ‘Garin the Giggler’, as Alistair called him. One too many hits with the lyrium, even for a dwarf.” Kai chuckled.
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