Fatherhood issues

 

I feel a gust of cold wind and I move nervous in the bed, but it is the cough which makes me open my eyes. I am, as usual, on Kyle’s bed, in Kyle’s room, because I don’t give up and each night I sneak into when I have a chance. He seems resigned yet and he doesn’t make me go back to my room.
So when I open my eyes I already know he’s not by my side. I look to the window, and here I see his silhouette, against the faint light of the stars. For a moment I smile at the sight, but then I realize the cold in my own skin and get up to cover him with one of the blankets.
"Come back to bed, you stupid”, I say to him. “You're going to catch a cold. Do you think I didn't hear you coughing?"
Kyle shifts a bit, surprised: “I thought you were still asleep'', he sighs. Then he mumbles, looking again through the window: “Well, seems like I can’t lie to you”. He holds my waist, pulls me closer to him, and kisses my lips while stroking my hair.
I smile even if I feel sad: "Of course you can't lie to me!". I kiss him back, biting his lower lip, and I tremble because of the cold and the emotion. "Can't we go back to the bed? It is warmer than this cold window".
As if he had not felt it before, Kyle closes the window when he realizes I tremble. Then he takes me like a baby to carry me to the bed, where he kisses me softly and rubs his forehead with mine. I feel now warm and happy, and I kiss him back and curl as close to him as I can, before a yawn spoils all the charm. I hug him tight and close my eyes. I still feel him kissing my forehead and stroking my hair before covering ourselves and hugging me back. That’s all I need in my life, I think. I take a resolution and I purr, and Kyle seems to like it, because he hugs me tighter. I fall asleep.
The following morning the first thing I do is going downstairs and cancelling the reservation for my room. My purse sighs relieved and I climb up the stairs smiling like a teenager to take the spare things I have (my summer armour and clothes, my sewing tools, and all the bits of things I have got in our latest adventures) and move all of them to Kyle's room. He looks at me when I enter with a bunch of old Orlesian uniforms in my arms and rolls his eye, but he says nothing. I smile at him and wink. He finally gives up and takes the old clothes from my arms. “All right, you win… Let me help you”.
Together we put my things into one of the trunks of the room, and then I jump on the bed, arms wide open and a big big smile, while I whisper. “Home, sweet home!”
“Don’t jump on the bed like that, my love”, Kyle teases me while arranging everything in neat. “You’re going to break it”.
I am too happy to feel bothered, so I show him my tongue and reply: "I can imagine better ways to break the bed"
He fakes astonishment. “Better ways to break the bed?”, he asks, while turning towards me. “You’re not thinking about taking an axe to chop it, are you?”. But he knows what I’m talking about, and he seems a bit embarrassed. I can’t help it, I get up, reach his hands and pull him over the bed with me, smiling wickedly.
“Do I have to show you?”
“Show what? How to chop the bed with an axe, huh?”, he mumbles while falling by my side.
I roll over him to say: "Do I have to explain everything?”, and end the line with a short kiss.
He kisses me back, and stops only to ask: "Explain...”. I giggle, and get up to start taking off his shirt.
"I better give you a practical example...", I add. And I start kissing his chest, with short, small pecks. He gets a bit nervous.
“Hey, hey, wait, what do you mean?”, he starts. “It’s too soon in the morning. They’re waiting for us to have breakfast”. And I feel how he’s trying to avoid something he also desires.
So I smile and continue kissing and licking: “I'm having breakfast right now, thanks!”
“Mari....no.... How can you think you have breakfast now?”, he pants, holding my hands. As if I needed them.
I laugh: "Because I'm eating you!", and I struggle to release my hands while kissing his neck and his jaw line.
“I'm not food”, he protests. “Come on, you must be too hungry to imagine that. Or”, he adds, releasing my hands with a wicked smile, "maybe all the cider you drink has a bad effect on you."
“Aww, but you're my favourite dish”, I reply, a bit upset.  “Don't be a spoilsport!”, and since now I’m free to move, I go down to his abdomen to blow on his belly button to make a funny noise.
He laughs. "Stop...! You make me tickle"
“That's what I wanted!”, I giggle, happy at his reaction, and I continue blowing and making trumpet sounds over his belly.
Kyle takes my head between his hands gently to stop my blows, and reaches down to kiss my lips. "If you continue like this”, he says with an evil smile, “maybe I will change my mind about sharing a room."
I pout at first, taken by surprise, but then an evil image comes to my mind which makes me smile too and reply: "And you will leave me sleeping outside, alone, without a room to stay now that I've cancelled mine?". I accompany the line with my best puppy eyes and a kiss back. And I get the effect I expected.
"You're too cruel Mari”, he says. “How can I let you sleep outside?". He rolls over me, and starts kissing my face again. "So... now can we just go to have breakfast?"
I giggle and rub my forehead with his: “You're too hungry, my love. Okay, let's go downstairs. We'll have time to break the bed later”.
I watch him while he puts his shirt back on, and I bet he’s trying to find another way to avoid the breaking the bed issue, which I find terribly funny I don’t know why. Then we go downstairs to have breakfast. At the sight of bacon, boiled eggs, sausage, baked beans, bread, butter and honey I soon forget everything else... for now.
While devouring my own breakfast, I watch him eating his bacon, eggs in omelette and bread, while drinking a big sip of vintage wine. I note down to remind him that glass of wine in breakfast the next time he says I drink too much cider, but he sees me watching and as if he could read my mind he shrugs: “What? Just a glass for breakfast. But no more, don’t stare at me like that”.
“At least I don’t drink cider for breakfast”, I scowl.
“I just care about what is good for you, my love.”
And he continues chewing, lost in his thoughts. Finally my curiosity wins, and between two forks of sausage I ask him: "Why so thoughtful, my love? A copper for your thoughts!"
He just raises his head and looks at me, trying to work out what to say. I decide to help him.
“Worried about what we’re going to find in Orlais?”
“You don’t need to spend a copper to know my thoughts, do you?”
“We’ll find her. You know it.”
He leans over the table and kisses me softly. “I’m lucky to have you”.
I melt, but my pride wants to know more. “Do you? Why?”
He speaks softly, with a warm smile: “You’re beautiful… funny… people love you and follow you even to the Fade…”
I shake my head. “Nobody follows me, Kyle… I’m not a leader, I’ve always been a loner. My sister and me… and when she was gone… only me… And besides… I follow you. So if anyone is the leader, that’s you”
He smiles sadly. “But I am a loner too…”
I giggle. “Do you? What a couple we are! No doubt we were meant to be lonely together!”
He scratches his head, as if he were going to say something very difficult. Finally he makes his mind and shoots.
“You know… when I first met you… I never thought we would end together”…
I smile. “Me neither. I was too obsessed about Mihitu to notice anyone else”. I put my chin over my hand and I look at the window. “And even so, when I look back, and remember our conversations… I think I sort of liked you from the beginning”.
“How can it be?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Fate, maybe? Did you like anyone else?”
He smiles sadly. “The small mage. Angelina…”
I open my eyes wide. It’s true. When I came back to the inn, after my illness, he used to hang around with the two Orlesian mages, Antoine and Angelina. But I never cared. Why should I? He was just one more of the inn customers. We talked a bit, he was nice to me, but nothing else. He had his own friends.
“But now she can’t feel anything”, he adds sadly. “She’s a tranquil”.
“And she had a lover, didn’t she?. That elf…”
He nods. “Antoine always teased Angelina calling her boy”.
I try to imagine them together. My big tall, dark-haired warrior, with the tiny, blonde, elven-like Angelina. Soon one fast thought comes to my mind. “You would have protected her. You wouldn’t have allowed her to become a tranquil”.
I feel sad for her. He was already by my side when she went away, and never came back. I heard the news through Dakiara. “I could have gone with them…", he says sadly, "but I didn’t want to…. If I only knew...”
“I didn’t know you had a chance… See? I was right. You had more friends than me at the tavern those days. I was alone when my sister left me”.
“But some people cared for you…”
I shake my head. “No. You were the only one”. Suddenly I feel more interested on the contents of my plate than in the conversation. This is getting uncomfortable. Then I feel his hand touching my cheek, lovingly.
“Maybe I felt the same towards you and your sister”, he says sweetly. I feel grateful for his touch, so I take his hand with mine and kiss his fingers. He’s got a warrior’s hand, big and rough, but I love how it feels against my skin.
“That’s why I jumped over you”, I admit.
“Jump?”
“Yes… when I made the first move”
He chuckles.
“What?”, I say, looking back at him but without releasing his hand. “You were the only one nice to me in this bloody tavern”.
“What about the others?”
“Which others?”
“Jyrd?”
I reach the rune I have hanging from my neck since Jyrd found me crying over Paws fur.
“He only gave me a rune…Not that I’m not grateful… I always thought it changed my life… but he just hangs around being nice to everybody… I don’t think he considered me anything special”. I smirk, recalling that night. “The only one nice to me was Paws… and I don’t think Mihitu would have allowed me to steal him”.
He laughs. “Seems it was destiny”.
“You bet”, I smile, kissing his hand again. “Nothing planned, but it happened. It was meant to be”.
“I just couldn’t resist your willpower”, he adds, still laughing. It makes me feel there’s something wrong. Didn’t he love me when I kissed him?
“But I made that move because I thought you loved me!”, I can’t avoid to say. “I mean… I realized I loved you when I saw how much you cared for me… and how good I felt by your side…”
He opens his eye wide.
“Was I wrong?”, I ask, feeling terribly embarrassed. He smiles warmly.
“About love, that first day? Yes, you were. Friendship became love. But it was a good move”.
I put my hand on my face, both of embarrassment and amusement. “Oh, no… Poor Kyle”
“Poor me? Why?”
“I’m such a manipulator”, I giggle. “Forcing you into falling in love with me”.
“Ah, that’s because I’m such an idiot”.
“My sweet idiot”, I say, leaning over the table to kiss his lips. It seems all right. Maybe I rushed everything, but I’m sure of his feelings now. “I still think I am lucky. You could have just said “I’m sorry, milady… you’re wrong. I can’t leave the tavern with you”. But you did”.
“Because you scared me about that job in Denerim”, he says, with a concerned look. “You know, the one in the Pearl”.
I smile. “So you cared”. Maybe I wasn’t that wrong after all. “Only as a friend?”, I add, just in case.
“Ah… a bit further than that… Though I’d been scared if any friend had said that to me too”.
“And I scared you even more with my kiss”. I’m enjoying this conversation.
“Ah. That’s the point. I’d have gone with you anyway…”
“So you agreed just to avoid the crazy redhaired elf kissing you again. Keeping the distances, while taking care of me?... Unless you liked it…”, I dare to add.
“Ah, no”, he chuckles.
“You didn’t like it?”, I ask, surprised. Well he doesn’t seem to dislike my kisses nowadays.
“Eer… not like you think… In that time … I felt more like a father figure towards you…”
I open my mouth while I feel all my blood coming to my cheeks. “What?”
“You look cute when you blush”. Oh, great. Strike back with what I used to say to you.
“But but but…”… For once, I don’t know what to say. He smirks.
“I didn’t know these could get such a deep shade or red”, he teases me, touching one of my ears. Doesn’t he feel it is embarrassing? Because I’m dying out of embarrassment right now. And anger, the more I think about it. Come on, Mihitu never paid me any attention because he thought I was too young too.
“Why does everybody think of me as a child? I’m a full grown adult!!”, I protest.
“Ah, you’ve already shown that to me”, he laughs. “So don’t worry about that”.
“But everybody considers me their small sister or their daughter!!! It’s so… so… frustrating!”
“Well, I don’t know the others… But for me… It is that you have almost her age…”
“Her age? Whose age? Adrienne? But… you didn’t consider her a daughter, but a sister”.
“Ah, not Adrienne. We grew up together, I couldn’t feel like a father for her. It’s Tahl”
“Who’s Tahl?”
“Never told you about her? I think I did. She’s an elven girl I rescued from slavers years ago…”
“Story time?”, I smile, feeling a bit relieved. I rest my face on my hands and I look at him. “Anything to change the subject. I’m all ears". And I shake them to emphasize my words. It makes him giggle and I love it.
“Ah, it was nine years ago… Yes, I think so”, he recalls. “I saw those slavers, with their sad cargo… One of them challenged me to stay and watch… and then I saw how they brought her there… dragging her by her hair, because she didn’t want to climb up the stage…”
“Quite a temper, uh?”, I smile. I’d surely have done the same. Slavery is something that definitely creeps me out. It’s supposed to be illegal here in Ferelden, but some countries still practice it… and they don’t hesitate to come here to fetch their… goodies.
“Yes”, he smiles. “She was very young, ten years old more or less… Blond, short hair… a bit like Lauren’s, but straight, and a bit longer. They picked up her by the hair, and I saw her eyes were big and grey. She spit and swore, proud little thing…”
“And you couldn’t resist”, I continue for him. “You released her”.
“Ah, yes. She wasn't sold that afternoon, luckily. And of course I had not the money to purchase any of them myself... I had had it hard to make some basic purchases on the marketplace that morning. So that night I decided to have a look at the slavists camp and see what could I do. But she was faster. When I was arriving, she almost ran over me, and she didn’t believe me when I said I had arrived to help her".
“She didn’t trust shems”, I guess. He nods. So different from me, I think. I have been luckier with shems than with elves. I guess that says a lot about my relationship with Kyle.
“I understood her quite well, so finally she believed me. I explained her I didn’t have a lot of money, so I gave her a small, cheap necklace I had just bought, and I had to break the chain to make it fit her. I tried to offer her to live in the Alienage, but before I finished the line, she asked to come with me… and I couldn’t say no… Specially when all the previous bravery abandoned her, and she started to cry like the child she was, calling for her mom... and finally accepting me as her new dad”.
“And what did you do? With a ten years old child, and probably with the slavists after you both… I guess you couldn’t go far… That’s why you stopped searching for Lirya?”
“Ah, yes. We settled down in Antiva for a couple of years, then we returned, but I could devote a much time as I did to search for Lirya, not while taking care and training Tahl”.
“What happened to her?”, I ask, a bit worried. Look at him, nobody would say he’s been surrounded by women all his life. “We don’t have to rush and rescue her from somewhere, do we? So she can attend our wedding and all that”.
He chuckles. “No. She just went her own way when she was seventeen. Adventuring”.
“Seventeen”, I scowl. “And now she would be…”
“Nineteen”.
“So that’s why you felt like a father towards me? I reminded you of her?”.
He ignores my last remark. “I headed to The Merry Mabari, after she departed. And we still are in touch. Sort of. By letter”.
“Oh. Then I’ll add her to the list of guests”, I mumble. “But no way as your daughter!”
He laughs, even if I was deadly serious. Suddenly a cough attack stops his laughter. He covers his mouth with a handkerchief and tries to hide it swiftly, but I already know it, because I saw it in the broken flute, and I can’t help to have a glimpse of red before he puts it again in his pocket.
He’s coughing blood again.

BONUS:
Tahl Story:


During the long time Kyle was searching for his mother, when he was 20, he met a band of slavists who were trying to sell a young elven girl, called Tahl. Here's the story of how Kyle met them, and the first time he saw her.

1. Kyle arrives to maybe a small village Or in the middle of nowhere where a (slaves) black market is being hold.

2. Kyle realices what is being sold here. He disapproves.

3. The slavists drag one of their slaves by the hair. Do they need a reason to do that? Naaah, they're the bad guys.

4. Knight in shining armor to the rescue! (pffft, sonia :XD: ) Of course Kyle can't allow them to do that.

5. And he won't let them say dirty words either :P. Now he's determined.

I separate this sketches into 2 parts

I will upload it soon. Because this is old comics i did. The offically I send to my friend, and welll, this is re-sketches this comics, It's have 20 pages :XD: I'm tooo lazyyy to re sketches 20 page agains.



 

 1. The following night, Kyle approaches the slavists camp decided to rescue the girl. But the girl has no intention to wait and rescues herself.
Kyle tries to explain he's not going to harm her, but of course, she would never trust a shem would she?

2. Kyle offers the girl to go to live... (his mean is alienage or with his friends elves or whatever good for Tahl) "With you?" she interrumpts. Puppy elven eyes are irresistible. Kyle fails. (Kyle stupid face =P )

3. "Ok, you can come with me, but I don't have much money. Here, take this". "For me?" (the meaning of the necklace: be strong, even if fate treat you so bad, there still hope)

4. "You're the first shem who has ever been nice to me!" "Ea, ea, don't cry" "Are you going to be my papa?" "eeer... +_^U... we better go away before they discover you've ran away, ok?"

And after that he settled down in Antivan 2 years with Tahl. But the story later is unknown. But now Tahl is grown up and she make her own adventure before Kyle approach TMM 1 year.

Will have the rest but not at all, as soon as I have free time.

Kyle and Tahl (c) me :XD:

Wedding at the peak, part 4: Nasty reencounter


 
THE WEDDING AT THE PEAK PART 4

The road to Dragon’s Peak is full of unexpected drama and shenanigans... The remaining days of travel stretch. It almost feel like weeks, not days. Still, somehow, the party reaches their destination, frog suits intact.

Dragon’s Peak looms ahead of the party, a monstrous stone edifice built into the bedrock of the mountain. A narrow passage criss-crosses the rocky hillside, leading the adventurers up the steep incline. There’s a grain lift at the base, but the idea of being trapped in a small, dark shaft for an hour or more is daunting.

So they climb, Håkan panting at the back, while Mari darts ahead. George grumbles occasionally, throwing the odd annoyed glance at Lady Taverline. Lauren walks along unconcerned, sparing a sympathetic look for her fellow mage from time to time..Kyle keeps an eye on Mari, concerned about what they may find when they get there Darn walks near Zara, lost to his own thoughts. Cold and tired, they reach the gates of the Peak at dusk. The Dragon's Peak guardsman leads the group into the Keep.

"Lady Mallory wishes to view the Lady Taverline”, he announces. “The rest of you may follow the servant to quarters, unless you would like to meet the mistress as well?"
Mari looks at Kyle, waiting for his decission: "Maybe you want to meet her, love?".
This is a good chance to try to learn if these Mallories have anything to do with him, and the young warrior realizes it too.

Kyle shakes his head quietly to clear his thoughts. "Yes, if I may, ser."

Lady Taverline looks to Lauren, frightened.

George would very much like to run as far away as he can from Lady rapist but he waits to see what the others do, while Håkan is only happy to get away from the lady.

Zara looks at Darn and shrugs, but he has no desire to meet anyone: "I suppose I can go with the servants"

"This way sers," the guard motions the lady and anyone following her one direction. An elven servant gives Darn and Håkan a low bow and motions them another way.

Darn follows the servant quietly, with Zara, who looks at Mari and Kyle before heading down the hall. George decides to follow Håkan and Darn. Lauren coughs and follows them too.

Mari wonders if it would be a good idea to meet that Lady Mallory too and tell her about the note she has. Anyway she was going to go with Kyle wherever he goes, so she finally looks at him again, waiting for him to start moving.

Kyle is looking at Darn and Håkan, feeling a bit discouraged. But he knows he just have to grit his teeth and do it.
Mari sees his discomfort, so she takes his hand and smiles reassuringly: “Let's go with the guard, sweetheart. Unless you prefer to wait until tomorrow”

"Let's just go and see her”, he nods. “At least we’ll tell her about the bandits.". Mari nods too and makes sure she still has the note she got from Renard’s corpse.

The guard takes the Lady Taverline's arm and guides them up a wide stair case. The halls are cold, the decorations severe. The Lady Mallory's chambers are vast. The Ceiling disappears into shadows. The woman herself is reclining in a large chair and does not stand to greet you.

"The Lady Taverline, is it? Quite a pedigree. Let me get a look at you."

Taverline steps forward, blushing. She throws a desperate look to Kyle and Mari. They smile at the lady trying to make her feel better, pitying her. Kyle makes a disgust grimace. Mari glances at him, happy that she won't have to pass through this. Being inspected like a common cow... Having no family to be introduced to has its advantages.

Taverline stammers, "Yes, good to meet you, lady. Umm . . . these are my companions - Ser Kyle and… Lady Marilyn." She gestures them forward nervously.

Mari bows... or tries too “Glad to meet you, Milady”

"It is an honor, my lady." Kyle bows too.

The Lady Mallory eyes Mari dismissively, but when her eyes fall on Kyle, she stops. "Who are you again, boy?"

Kyle answers politely "Pardon me, lady, I am Ser Kyle of Highever, just a knight."

Mari bites her lips not to speak aloud what she thinks of the Lady.

The Lady Mallory snorts, "Highever. Who's family? Knights don't grow on rosebushes."

"I was a squire of the Cousland family, my lady."

"Your parents? You don't have the look of a bastard Cousland."

Mari can't stay silent anymore: "And why has he to be a bastard?"

Lady Mallory looks at Mari, "He didn't introduce himself with a proper name and he is a knight. His looks are not peasant stock. Now be a good elf and hush."

“Maybe in Highever they don't need a name to make you a knight, only a noble heart”, replies Mari trying to continue being polite. It’s harder than she thought.

"Kindly forgive my humble abode, my lady", Kyle replies, while looking straight at the lady's eyes, "but I have no family, I was merely good friends with their youngest. I own my title to the Cousland's generousity, and if I may, my own skills."

Lady Mallory looks back to Kyle. "You don't know your parents? Hm. How old are you?"

"I am, before this November, twenty eight years old, my lady"

"Twenty eight? Were you born in Highever?" she asks again.

Mari struggles to stay silent. She knows those questions are the reason they are here. Without talking, Mari hands Kyle the note from Renard, to remind him the other important subject they must bring to the Lady’s attention.

"I am sorry but I myself don't have the answer that you need", Kyle says, taking the note.

"Is it something important, my lady? Because we have some urgent matter to tell you."

"You will tell me at dinner. Guard, escort the Lady and her maid to their quarters."

“Her what?”, Mari scowls, looking at Kyle for help.

“I'm sorry, my lady, but Mari is one of ours. We need her”.

Mari loves Kyle now a thousand times more. “Indeed. I'm not a maid, milady”. Kyle admire his fiancée's courage, but facepalms at her boldness. The lady makes him feel uneasy enough.

The Lady Mallory looks at Mari, gaze piercing. "I do not allow servants at the table, but I will make an exception. Bring her and your little friends."

Mari sighs of relief.

“I am grateful for your kindness, my lady”. Kyle then bows and says to Mari "Give her the note now?"

Mari whispers: “I'd say yes. Tell her yourself. She would never take me seriously”

"Probably", he whispers back.

The Lady Mallory looks down at her book, dismissing them. Mari steps back and pushes Kyle ahead. Kyle then says aloud: "Pardon me, my lady, would you kindly wait for a moment?"

She looks up, somewhat annoyed, "We will talk at dinner. If you have some practical concern, take it to Sighard."

Kyle looks back at Mari "Who's Sighard?"

"I have no idea", she shrugs.“Tell her this is important. Or I will do”

“Okayyyy”. Kyle then turns to the Lady again. “My lady, this is of utmost importance, especially for the wedding”.

The Lady Sarah frowns, "Take it to the bann, boy. Lady Taverline will do, as far as I am concerned."

Kyle hesitates, then gives up and bows "Forgive me then, my lady." Then he puts the note back in his pocket.

Mari sighs and nods. “We'll tell him then”, then she takes Kyle's hand and they go to the quarters to fetch their friends.

When Mari and Kyle get there, the servant is walking away. Zara and Lauren are part way into the hall trying to decide what to do, and Håkan and George are eavesdropping at their door

“What happens?”, Mari wants to know.

Zara frowns, "It's just annoying to be separated like children. But that's fine. At least we get our own beds”.

"I don't understand what's the problem...", Håkan mumbles.

"Me neither...” adds George “What's going on?"

“Then what are you guys doing this for?”, asks Kyle

"Maker knows", says Håkan

“Separated?”, asks Mari, suddenly concerned.

“Yes...”, says Lauren

“What do you mean? Separated rooms for all of us?”. The only thought makes the elf nervous. She doesn’t want to sleep alone.

“No, just...ah girls and boys...”, explains Lauren. “The girls have a room on the left and the boys to the right” Lauren points at the room "that is ours, Mari"

“Figures”, says Kyle, somehow relieved.

Mari sighs, her fears appeased, and winks at Kyle “Seems you'll get rid of me tonight”

“But I don't want to get rid of you, Mari”, Kyle replies, with a sweet smile.

Mari 's eyes glitter. “Seriously?”

"It's that important to sleep with us?" George chuckles

“...so what?”, ask Håkan, a bit confused.

“Well...ah...maybe they'd like to be together, Hoekan”, Lauren adventures, mispelling the mage's name, as usual.

Darn doesn’t understand what is the big deal with being in separated rooms, it is common. He ignores the argument and just sits down on the bed

“Well, the servant said you can sneak across the hall if you want”, suggests Zara.
Mari giggles at the idea. Maybe she’ll do it later.

“Oh, thanks Zara”, replies Kyle not very convinced. Then he makes a sad face. "I want to go back now."

“We've delivered the Lady”, scowls Zara. “What's left?”

“I guess we should spend the night here and leave tomorrow”, Mari adventures. After all it is too late to walk down the narrow path down the mountain.

"I knew that I would regret this. Why did I let my curiosity get the better of me?", Kyle mumbles. Mari feels a bit guilty, it was her idea to come here and see if those Mallories had something to do with his family.

"My curiosity was even bigger than yours", she says. Kyle smiles at Mari. She always makes him feel better.

"Do we need to stay here for something, Kyle?", asks Darn

“Ah yes, the bann must be informed of the mercenaries”, Kyle explains. “The Lady wasn’t interested on what we had to say, so I hope we can tell him during dinner”.

Several servants interrupt the conversation when they arrive with basins of hot water and cloths, "The Lady Mallory would like you to clean yourselves before being seated at her table. These are for your use."

“...is she trying to tell us we stink?”, Håkan comments with one of his usual stares.

The look the servant gives back is surprised, and a bit annoyed.

Lauren giggles "but we stink...aah...well, a bit..."

"We kind of do Håkan...", George agrees. Lauren coughs

“Yes, but it's not nice to say it”, Håkan insists. “I'll wash myself, anyway”

Zara goes to the girl's room. "Perfect. "

“Bath first or go to the bann first?”, ponders Kyle aloud. “I don't know.....”

Darn shakes his head on the water "I was in water for too long" he thinks. Then he offers the basin to Kyle. "All yours brother..."

“Thanks, Darn. Then I'll wash up first”.

“I’ll wash too, Kyle”, Mari says, from the boys’ room door. She doesn’t decide to go too far from her boyfriend. “Then we can go together”

Before Mari and Lauren go to the girls’ room, Kyle gives her girlfriend his best grin. Then he turns back to his room, where George and Håkan are already washing up, and Darn is leaning against the door, feeling exhausted for some reason.

In the girls’ room, Zara is already washing her face and arms, with a grin. "Too bad we can't have a real bath. It would almost make Taverline worth the trouble."

“Oh, I would definitely have a bath, after climbing here”, Mari says, wishing she had brought a dress with her.

Lauren stretches her arms "Aaah.! yes! Who could have a bath!". She washes too and smiles, while looking how Mari undoes her braid and combs her long copper hair. She then combs her short blonde locks with her fingers

“I'm so jealous, Mari”, she comments, “your hair is beautiful”

Mari blushes. "Said the one who has two men after her", referring to the obvious struggle between the mage and the red-haired warrior over her.

“Ah? you've been told before?”, teases Lauren while rearranging her curls.

After combing her hair in a pony tail, Mari changes her armour by her everyday clothes to look a bit cleaner, and Lauren changes her mage robes by her other clothes too. Zara decides she is going to wear her armour. Just in case.

Meanwhile, in the boys’ room, Kyle sorts through his belongings before he takes off his armour and begins to wash up. George makes sure to wash his beard properly, and Håkan washes his hair. Then he looks at one of his locks.

“You think I should cut them?”, the mage asks to nobody in particular.

"Maker, YES!", replies George willingly.

“It's just... they get dirty so fast...”, Håkan starts. “And everytime I reach a sort of success in my experiments they get burned….and takes forever to dry

"Not to mention that haircut looks ridiculous....", adds George with a smile

“It's not ridiculous”, Håkan replies after a short pause. “It's... practical, most of the time”

"You look like a girl. Although.. that's not entirely a bad thing" George gives him a rapist smile.

Mari, already washed and dressed up, shows her head at the boys room and yells at Håkan "Not only it is ridiculous, it makes you look gay", she laughs.

Håkan stares at her. “If you think I look so bad, why don't you come here and give me a haircut?” and after a pause he adds with an evil smile “...if you can reach my head”.

“You must sleep... sometimes”, is Mari’s evil answer.

George laughs. "I can do it... Just get on your knees...", and he smiles at him again

“If you'd cut MY hair like YOURS then I'll pass”, Håkan scowls.

"There's nothing wrong with my hair" George glares at him and runs his finger through his beloved red hair.

Lauren walks to the boys’ room and looks up at Håkan. "What? Are you cutting your hair?"

"Well, I was pondering it", he replies to Lauren."It was practical in the tower, but on the outside world having them this long is just annoying."

Lauren looks at him and tilts her head "umm...a change would be nice...maybe shorter? And some fringe?” She giggles, and Håkan’s eyes sparkle at the sound.

“I can do that...” he smiles. Håkan sits on a chair and calls: “GEORGE? Like the lady said!”

Mari ignores Håkan nonsense; she has things more interesting to look at. Kyle is washing himself, bare chest, and his muscled torso is sight to see for the devoted elf.

During the conversation, a servant has arrived to fetch the group assuming they’re finished. "The Lady is most kind to host you. I don't think she's ever had an elf to dinner. You are very lucky indeed. And Sighard will join you as well!"

Darn nods disinterested "I’ve never had elf for dinner either"

Kyle has finished washing and ask the servants "Are we allowed to have weapons at the dinner?"

The servant raises an eyebrow, "Only the guards go armed in the Keep. You are safe here, ser."

“Then may I wear my armour? I have no other clothes.”

The servant nods, "If you prefer. But the Lady had some of Eric's clothing brought down. You are of a size with him."

Darn frowns "Knights should wear armour" he mutters

“Uh, no thank you, I don't want to trouble you too much,” denies Kyle, wondering who Eric is. Kyle then goes to put on his armour, again, while Mari continues watching him, enjoying the view

The servant shakes his head, "No trouble", and hands him a suit of fine clothes.

Kyle looks pale, and then blushes when he notices that Mari is watching. Finally he sighs, proceeds to take the clothes from the servant and puts them on grudgingly. Before finishing, he hides a knife under the shirt, just in case. Mari continues watching with a cat smile on her face

George is trying to decide on if it's better to wear his armour or his normal clothes... Not that his clothes are very... classy.

Lauren smiles at George "don't worry, George, your clothes are fine"

George finally goes with his normal farmer clothing and leaves his axe, feeling almost naked without it.

Darn sighs looking at everyone doing random things, he feels like back at Kirkwall taking care of sisters. Then he notices Zara leaning against the wall in the hallway, waiting.

“What takes so long?”, the female warrior asks.

Darn walks next to Zara holding her hand "Shall we?"

Zara takes Darn's hand. "I guess. I am glad you have the sense to stay in armour. I don't trust these shemlen."

“I really want to go back to the inn, now”, Kyle mumbles again. Mari looks at him with sympathy… and a bit of awe. The clothes fit him perfectly and make him look like a prince.

She takes his arm and wishes again she had brought her dress.

Kyle just smiles at Mari, feeling her discomfort: "Don't worry, beautiful, I won't even glance at the other ladies and their fanciful dresses."

“Ah but I look so out of place by your side”, she complains. Now she really feels like a servant, compared to him.

“Well, if someone talks, I'll just take my shirt off.”

“Then I really need to convince someone to talk!!”, she giggles. As always, his words comfort and warm her.

The servant takes them all, dressed and clean, to the dining room. A long, empty table. At one end, Sighard, a warrior on his fifties. On the other, the arrogant old Lady Sarah

Darn bows formally before the nobles. Zara bows with him and then awkwardly switches to a curtsy. Lauren bows and waits to be told where she must sit or what she has to do, while looking awkwardly around. Also George feels awkward, while bowing as all the others do. He doesn't really know how to act around these nobles..

Bann Sighard stands, shaking men’s hands warmly, and kissing each lady's palm, not minding all the females in the group are elves, "Welcome to Dragon's Peak. I hear I have you to thank for my daughter-in-law's arrival?” Mari decides she likes this man without prejudices already.

The Lady Mallory does not stand, but when she sees Kyle she turns pale as a ghost and whispers something to a servant. The servant rushes off afterward. Mari sees the Lady's reaction and holds Kyle's arm tighter

Kyle smiles at her grip and then addresses to the Bann. "It is an honour to meet you, Bann Sighard. I am afraid I have some bad news to tell you”. He then reaches into his pocket, pull out Renard's note and present it to the bann.

Bann Sighard takes the note and reads it with a frown. "What is the meaning of this?"

“Something we found on the corpse of a bandit who tried to kidnap Lady Taverline, milord”, Mari points out.

"This is serious. I cannot think it is true... but I will look into it. You have my apologies for the hardships you suffered. I will be sure to include a bonus. Please sit and be at ease for now."

Kyle bows "Certainly, milord." He can't help but respect this man and wonder how he can be related to Lady Sarah.

Zara looks at Darn, he knows more about this sort of things. Darn pulls the chair out for Zara to let her sit first. Zara sits, smiling a bit at Darn. Then he pulls chair back to the table carefully and sits next to Zara.

George doesn't trust and doesn't like these nobles... He feels uneasy without any weapons. After seeing Darn’s action, he pulls out a chair for Lauren. Lauren stops looking at the ceiling and notices George. Smiles at him. "Oh thank you"

Mari looks around feeling very uncomfortable. Kyle realizes it and, assuming she’s waiting for him to pull a chair too, he does it, smiling. “Sorry love, I'm just so slow sometimes”.
Mari sits down but she still feels out of place. “Don't worry... I just didn't know what to do.”

The group sits down. Darn extends a serviette to hang it on Zara’s collar, and then starts explaining silently basic rules how to eat in such occasions as this one is. Suddenly, the Lady Mallory clears her throat.

"Eric? Come here please?”, she says, looking at Kyle.

Kyle stares at the lady, dumbfounded for a second, while Mari wonders who that Eric is. Bann Sighard looks at the Lady Sarah confused, "He is dead, mother. This is Kyle."
She stares at Kyle for a moment, then nods. "A bit too much wine. Please, never mind me."

Kyle lets his breath out. He had not even realized he had been holding it.

Zara looks at Darn and grins, then looks to Lauren and the others and whispers, "I think the Lady has lost her mind". Lauren nods, lost. She also wonders who that Eric is
George gives the lady a weird look. "Nobles...", he whispers, and frowns.

Lauren gives George a look. "George. Not now..." she whispers

Mari just can't resist and asks aloud the question they all are wondering: “Who is that Eric?”

Kyle hears her and groans: "Maker, help me through this", leaning his forehead on his hand.

Bann Sighard sighs, sitting, "My younger brother Eric”, he finally replies. “At times, Lady Mallory forgets he has passed. And you, Ser Kyle, remind us of him very much. Maybe it is the clothes."

Zara nods, trying to pay attention to everything at once

Mari holds Kyle's hand tightly under the table. “Maybe the clothes, yes”, she mumbles. But they both know there’s more.

Lauren looks at Kyle. He looks indeed very handsome and noble-like with those clothes. Håkan follows her gaze and looks at Lauren uncomfortably. Then he reminds Kyle is with Mari and feels a little better.

“I am grateful for your hospitality, milord”, Kyle finally says, trying to keep his nerve in control. “However I do think you are greatly mistaken”. His past could very much be unravelling right before his eyes, but he is not sure if he should let them. He feels Mari's hand under the table and grips it back tightly.

The Bann shakes his head, "No, you have his look. That mop of dark hair, the nose... I can see how my mother would mistake you. We miss him very much. He died during the Orlesian occupation. After leaving here on... bad terms."

At that moment, several servants start bringing out tray after tray of food until the table is covered with dishes. George smiles happily at the food. He's never seen so much food all at once. Then he tries to see if there's any potatoes... Lauren nudges to George and points at one of the dishes "There, George... potatoes". George sees them and gets in a blissful state: there are potatoes everywhere… mashed, baked, fried, flavoured, stuffed, roasted, rolled, peeled, steamed...

Håkan whispers to George "Control yourself", and George glares back at him.

Mari also looses track of the events, suddenly all attracted by the food. Lauren looks at it too. Everything smells delicious.

Darn doesn’t mind nobles rumbling, since he got used to just not get involved in their affairs. He just waits until the lord starts to eat.

The Lady Sarah keeps looking at Kyle without moving. Bann Sighard motions for them to eat. "My sons rarely join us at meals. It is good to have guests. Please, enjoy yourselves."

“Can we... can we start?” asks Mari, her mouth drooling.

Bann Sighard begins to eat. The Lady Mallory just drinks, silently.

“It sounds like you loved him very much, milord, I'm sorry if I trouble you”. Kyle has no appetite, but picks up some mashed potatoes for courtesy, smirking at George's face.

Mari is trying to decide where to start, until she gets some kind of roasted meat and starts eating it. Then tries a bit of food of each dish. Soon her own plate is full of bones and peels. Darn eyes the meals, it looks the same as in arl court, guess Ferelden has only one kitchen. Zara gets a plate with almost nothing but roast meat... Darn whispers to her that he would like her to cook more. Zara grins and kisses his cheek when no one is looking. Darn blushes and get back to his meal.

George loads his plate with potatoes cooked in all kinds of different ways. There's also some meat on his plate... somewhere under the potatoes... Lauren cannot decide, everything looks yummy, so tries a bit of each dish. Lauren has a little bite: "Mmmhhhh".
A few minutes into dinner, the lady Sarah speaks again, words beginning to slur "Eric, I didn't mean it. About the serving girl. You didn't have to leave,".

Kyle wants to slap his forehead at the Lady’s voice. Again?

Mari raises a brow when she hears back about Eric. She looks at the woman, concerned, and then turns to her betrothed: “Kyle... I think that's proof enough...” she whispers.

George is thinking the lady truly is crazy, while Lauren glances at the woman and then looks at Kyle. Coughs and focus on her plate. Darn minds his own business as always
The Bann shakes his head, "Lady Mallory is not feeling well. Please escort her to her room," he tells a servant. She shuffles past you all, stopping by Kyle's chair and laying a hand on his head.

“My lady? I... am not your son”. Kyle looks straight into the woman's eyes and tries to search for something familiar.

The Lady Mallory sighs, eyes narrowing, "No . . . you aren't him. You've got her Maker-damned eyes." That is all she gets out before the servant gently guides her away.

Kyle feels relieved, and also pity for the lady. He turns back to the table and lets out a breath. “I have never been so thankful that I only have one eye.” Mari puts her arm around Kyle's shoulder and hugs him. He touches her arms and turns to smile at her. “Well, nothing matters now, does it?”

Mari nods, with a sad smile “What do you plan to do now, love?”

“Me? I just want to go back to the inn”.

“Then tomorrow we come back”, she agrees.

George noms a stuffed potato.

Zara watches the exchange, "Some people can't hold their wine, I guess."

Darn grins at Zara "And are you better?"

Zara blushes, "Well I am now. Water and milk..."

George coughs awkwardly, while Darn smiles approvingly

Bann Sighard smiles and scratches his chin, "Sorry about that. So who are the rest of you? She only mentioned Ser Kyle."

“I'm ummm . . . Zara Arletis. From Kirkwall”.

Darn glances at Zara, he was supposed to introduce her. "Sir Darn Arletis, champion of Redcliffe", he then says, reluctantly. He doesn't like to introduce himself but the arl ordered him to always say full title.

Zara whispers, "Sorry . . ."

Darn smiles compassionately on Zara whispering "We will train this if you want"

Zara nods to Darn. "If we keep doing things like this, I think I need it. Even Mari seems to know better than I do."

"My name is George..." George decides to leave it at that... he feels so awkward at all of this.

The Bann nods to Darn and gives Zara an odd look, then smiles at George. Just George?"

"My last name is unimportant and I have no fancy title, my lord"

The Bann smiles, "Good man. Titles are overrated”.

Mari realizes the bann's question and clears her throat: "I'm Marilyn of Denerim, milord.”

And after a short pause, she throws the bomb. “Ser Kyle's fiancée”. She then looks at the
Bann waiting for his reaction.

He just looks to Mari and raises an eyebrow, "Fiancée? A bit young to marry aren't you?"

Mari feels surprised and happy, while Kyle blushes. “Er... maybe, milord... but it's what our hearts desire... And I'm already twenty...”

The Bann shakes his head, "So young. May you find happiness, both of you."

Kyle bows to the bann, red as a tomato now.

“Håkan Kattergård, mage of the circle”, profites the tall mage to say.

"ah...Lauren Berde, also mage of the Circle", she says too.

"Two mages? And without templar minders? Should I worry?"

Lauren giggles "no I don't think so, milord. We have permission"

“We are scholars, my lord, authorized by the circle”, Håkan adds “Templars tend to be little interested in our kind of researches”

Lauren glances at Håkan and nods

"We have them under control, my lord." George teases and giggles, while Håkan stares and Lauren glares at him.

Sighard smiles, "I used to keep a mage here. Nothing like having a healer on staff, but the Chantry objected. I don't suppose you're looking for more permanent work?"

“Alas, my lord, our permission is tied to our research,” says Håkan. “We are mages, not enchanters. As tempting your offer may sound, if we abandon our research, we should return to the circle immediately”

Lauren nods again "Ah...that..."

The Bann nods, "I wouldn't pull you away from your work. I may petition the Circle. Perhaps they will reconsider."

Lauren glances at Håkan "that is a very kind offer, milord...but ah...at least not for now..."

"My lord, trust me..." Håkan mumbles…"you don't want me to continue my research HERE..."

"No? Well, you mages do have a habit of blowing things up."

Lauren giggles "Not all mages"

George tries to stop himself from laughing at the mental image of Håkan blowing everything up. Håkan plays vague... Lauren stares at Håkan, while Zara tries not to think about mages blowing things up

Timmy flies in and perches on Kyle's chair, eyeing the bann.

Kyle looks at it "What's up, birdie? Why are you here?", and he gives the poor bird a piece of roast meat from the plate.

Darn looks at Kyle bird "He is probably just bored...maybe you should let him hunt outside"
Timmy grabs the meat and circles up to the rafters to eat in peace

Kyle smiles at Darn "Falcons are not nocturnal, my dear brother."

Darn shrugs "just a suggestion"

Kyle grins "Thanks for your concern anyway, Darn. Timmy appreciates you."

Darn laughs "Always ready to help, brother"

Timmy steals about half a roast, but the Bann does not seem to mind. Mari keeps eating and offering Kyle some food when she realizes he's not eating anything. Kyle smiles and takes the food from Mari's hand to eat it.

“Sorry to trouble you, love”.

“Don't worry... You seem thoughtful”, she smiles.

Dinner finishes peacefully. The Bann asks that you meet with him once more before leaving as he will have questions about the note later. After, a servant walks you back to your quarters. The servants leave you in your separate quarters with only one lit candle.

"If you need anything, the kitchens are always open"

“Thanks a lot, my good men”, Kyle says, politely.

Mari kisses Kyle's cheek before heading to the girls room: “Sleep well, my love”.
Kyle blushes and kiss her back on the cheeks. “Night, love”.

Zara also kisses Darn's cheek on tiptoe, "Good night." Darn smiles at her and gets to boys room. They both are the only armoured persons in the group.

Lauren waves the rest before walking in the girls room, where she sits on a bed and takes her boots off.

The boys room has four beds, one door, no window. The girl's room has one bunk and one cot, and two windows. Mari looks around the girls’ room again with a sarcastic expression: "Bunks. I feel at home. I claim the upper one!"

Zara enters the girls’ room. "This is lame. I'm just saying . . . we eat like guests and sleep like maids."

Lauren giggles "You can sneak out of the room"

Mari doesn't mind a lot. After the cold nights out, a bunk is a bed like any other bed
The second he returns to their sleeping quarters George checks that all his belongings, and his axe in particular, is where he left them. He touches his axe, relieved to see that all the group’s belongings are as they left them, although it is obvious people have been in their quarters: things are shifted, the basins of dirty water gone, pitchers of water left for drinking, chamber pots emptied . .. But nothing seems missing or searched.

“You and that axe have really something going on, uhn?” Håkan asks to George

"Yes. Maya is special."

“Uhm…Want some time alone with her?”

George glares at Håkan, while Darn wishes there was a window to watch the moon... and to take the smells out of the bedroom.

Kyle collapses on the bed with his underclothes, the noble clothing folded neatly beside him. He is too tired to notice any smell. He pushes away all thoughts of the events that happened at the dinner and doze off...

George takes of his clothes and craws into his bed. So warm and cozy...

Håkan takes his robe off and lies on the bed, unaware that George watches him, checking Cold Feet in the satchel. "You'd better stay there, little one. I don't know if there are cats here" But suddenly, the small mouse noses out of Haakan's pocket and jumps to the floor, disappearing under the bed

“Try not to disappear, mouse!”, the mage warns him. “And if you see any cat, return here”

"Do you really think he understands you...?", George asks, concerned.

“A boy has to try”, Håkan replies, “and I'm too tired to chase him now”

Darn puts plate parts of armor down and lies to bed like a rock.

Timmy seems disturbed, flapping his wings and staring at the door

Kyle wakes up at the sound. “Is anyone there?” He reaches under his pillow and grasp the handle of his dagger tightly, but soon the sounds reveals to be just servants moving around in the hall. “Shhhh, Tim, it's just servants, we are trying to sleep here”. Timmy cocks his head at Kyle and then settles. Kyle lets out a breath and falls back to his bed again.

Zara sits on the edge of the cot after taking off her armor.

Lauren stretches on the bed. It's so comforting after all those nights outside... Then suddenly sits up “Do you girls mind if I let Ambrose out, just for a while?”

“No problem, Lauren”, yawns Mari. “But be careful he doesn't get lost”

“I don't mind”, Zara agrees.

“Ah...eh... Don’t worry!”. Lauren opens the flask and puts the frog on the ed, then she takes off her clothes and puts on a long simple shirt. After letting Ambrose jump some more, she puts him back in his flask and goes to bed. So comfy into the blankets...

Zara burrows into the blankets, shivering even though the room is not very cold

Mari takes out her clothes and puts on a simple night shirt. Then she climbs to the upper bunk, hugs the pillow and prepares to get asleep, listening to Lauren and Zara's comforting breathing sounds

Night settles over the keep, silent and cold. Except for George's snores, which can be heard all over the place. As usual. Even servants sleep. The hours stretch, dawn approaches slowly. Darn eyelids moves as he has some bad dream

Kyle suddenly wakes up, as he usually has very short sleeps, especially in strange places. At the same time, Mari hears a noise. She moves on her bed, and listens carefully. Lauren mutters something while dreaming. Mari reaches down on her bunk and tries to wake up Lauren “Psst, Lauren... wake up”

“Mmmaah....the mouse....maaah...I don't want more tea, thank you, master potato...”
A sudden scream of Mari finally wakes her up. “Mme, ah? Mari? AAAH!”

Mari kicks and punches. Her arm bleeds, someone has stabbed her. She manages to jump down of the bunk, searching for her daggers, regretting not having kept one of them near in the bed, specially because she had already though those two windows were so suspicious.

Kyle shoots right up when he hears Mari's scream and runs out of the room, dagger in hand, screaming her name: “Mari!”

"Damnit damnit damnit”, she swears, trying to get rid of the assassin. “Kyle!”, she shouts back, relieved, when she hears his voice.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
PART 2

Lauren rubs her head. Hurts. Tries to find her staff. "Mari!!"

"Lauren! Heal me!"

Lauren tries to localize Mari and cast Heal to where her voice comes from, but she can see her. The girl's room is pitch black. When Kyle opens the door, an unnatural darkness seeps out.

The cries wake up the other boys too. Håkan takes Cold Feet and rises. "What was that"?
Darn snarls waking up, he narrows his eyes trying to see something in darkness

"GEOR...", starts Håkan, but George has already grabbed his axe and rushed into the girls' room.

"What happened?", he asks in the darkness. He and Kyle only can hear struggling in the room

"SOMEONE TURN ON THE LIGHT!", shouts Kyle

"Kyle!", Mari cries, at his voice. "Here!"

Suddenly Zara screams "Get off me!"

"Mari!", continues searching Lauren, "Where are you? ZARA?"

Mari keeps shouting to make people know where she is: "I'm here, Lauren!"

Lauren tries to find them in the dark, moving to their voices

Håkan sighs and goes to the girl's room

Mari feels stabbed again. "My shoulder!". Kyle runs to where he can hear Mari's voice is and tries to feel around without harming her.

George hears the mage coming. "Håkan! Get in here and bring some fire..."

"Where?"

At Zara's cry, Darn stands up darting to girl room

Kyle is slowed by the darkness. it is like trying to walk through mud. "LAUREN! WE NEED YOUR WISPS!!! ANYTHING!"

"KYLE? WHAT WISPS?"

"You meant you haven't learnt that wisps spell that all healers learn?", Kyle screams at Lauren

Mari tries to find Kyle following his voice, while Zara continues fighting invisible captors:

"Ouch! Void take you!"

"Mari, keep talking!", Lauren encourages her friend.

"Lauren!". The redhaired elf feels each time more desperated. "I'm here!", she cries, while moving following their voices

Lauren reaches her arm and tries to catch her, but Mari turns back yelling in pain and stabs in the darkness. Invisible attackers continue stabbing her.

Darn moves inside the room disappearing in a darkness which slows him, barely getting past the doorway. He grits his teeth, his body is incredibly heavy. Kyle is only a little bit ahead

Håkan casts flaming weapons on George's axe, hoping that will bring some light in the darkness.

"Mari! Come here!", Kyle calls, and Mari follows his voice, randomly, trying not to get stabbed again

"Kyle!! I'm hurt!", she cries. But the pain is not worse than the feeling of being unable to move and reach the reassuring presence of her warrior.

Kyle reaches out in the darkness and try to feel for something, anything at all. "Don't worry love, just come here, I'll heal you, I'll protect you".

George steps into the room, trying to get a grasp of what is going on.

"Kyle! Keep speaking! I'll find you...". Mari suddenly realizes speaking will tell where she is also to her enemis, so she stops speaking and moves as stealthy as the pain allows her.

Lauren casts heal on herself, coughs and swears to herself

"Curse this unnatural darkness!", Kyle yells, helpless.
Where the magic flame of George's axe goes, the shadows withdraw

Darn frowns "Blood..."he thinks and look into direction of smell gripping his sword before him

Mari continues following the sound of Kyle's voice. Kyle realizes it, and continues calling for her: "Mari! I'm here!"

Zara sees what Mari did and makes no sound anymore

George tries to find Lauren and Mari, lighting up the way with his axe. Everybody can see now it like a light in the darkness, a floating axe of fire

"George??", calls Lauren, relieved, recognizing the axe.

Darn moves forward following the scent of blood

Suddenly someone grabs Mari, and she turns back and stabs him like crazy. There is a hoarse shout, a man in pain

George follows the sound of Lauren's voice until he reaches her. His axe parts the shadows as he moves, leaving a path to the girl's bunk. The other men follow him, tring to make out the details of anything suspicious.

"What is this?", George asks. "Lauren, are you ok?". Lauren squints because of the sudden light

"Yes...ah...We need to find Zara and Mari"...

Suddenly darkness disappears and everybody can see the scene. Mari is bloody and Lauren is bruised. The redhead is viciously stabbing a man behind her. There is a strange wooden doll on Lauren's bed.

"Mari!", says the warrior, relieved. "Dear, can you see me?"

"I can hear them", Lauren starts, "but I can't...". She can't continue, because the wooden doll slams itself against the mage. "AYYE!!!"

George and Håkan jump at the same time to grab the doll, while Lauren tries to protect herself with her arms. The redhear warrior is faster, and the doll jerks in his grip, pulling first toward Lauren and then Håkan..

Lauren walks away of the doll and grabs Håkan's arm "What...what is that thing?", and she suddenly backs, realizing all the men except Darn are in their underwear.

"Pull it away from the beds, George!", Håkan yells.

George does as Håkan says and the mage casts flame burst against the doll. The thing explodes into fiery bits, smouldering on the blankets

Mari turns to the sound of Kyle's voice. Kyle runs over to her "Hold still!" and drive the dagger into the unknown man's shoulder, but before he finishes the phrase, she runs to his side to hug him, almost crying.

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"I said hold still....", he says, hugging her back, "but never mind... are you hurt?"

Mari nods, tears of relief running down her cheeks: "The shoulder... and the back"

Kyle lets Mari lean on him and helps her get on the bed. "It's ok, Lauren can heal you."

Lauren turns her head when she listens Mari "Mari??". Mari is sitting on the bed with her nighshirt covered in blood.Lauren runs to her. "Mari? oh mai...are you...where are you hurt?"

“Shoulder... and back, Lauren”, the elf says in a whisper, her strength failing.

“Please, please heal her, Lauren”, the warrior begs.

“Ok, let me see...”, Lauren examines the girl before casting a healing spell. “Where is Zara, is she ok?”

Darn still follows the scent "Zara?". But Zara says nothing. Then he suddenly feels weak, hearing someone mutter from the where the window should be. He moves towards the sound. Håkan also feels something and tries to look out of the window on the other side of the room.

Suddenly, a fireball comes through it. It gets rid of the darkness, but it burns and knocks the group to the ground.

“Ouch!”, complains Håkan

“Ouch! what the hell?!”, agrees George

Lauren tries to stand up slowly "ouch..."

Mari looks at Håkan with a "What did you do NAO" face

“It wasn't me...”, the mage replies, “…this time”

“No… wait...it wasn't him...” Lauren agrees.

Darn crouches after receiving hit and topples to stand and looks around

“Someone over there?” asks Håkan.

Kyle feels his skin burns like hell, then he was struggling to stand up and regain his consciousness… He did his best to fall over Mari’s body, protecting her from most of the burning, but she has enough with her still not completely healed wounds.

Håkan points the window he was going towards. There is a man in robes, face masked on the window ledge. He moves back, about to jump. Darn tries to run after the masked man, when he sees Zara in her bed, seeming untouched, but definitely not conscious.

Lauren has seen her too, and kneels by her side to check if she’s hurt and to try to wake her up. “Zara is fine...she should wake up soon...”, she says

After a moment of hesitation, Darn runs into the man, sword ready, knowing his lover is now in good hands. He stabs at him, cutting into his side, but man jumps back, landing on a jutting piece of stone. He begins to run. Darn jumps after him and arcs with his shield attempting to pin him to the ground

Håkan gets up and runs to his room to take his staff, while George jumps out the window after the man, chasing him. He swings his axe, aiming at the man's legs.

Mari gets up painfully, looking around to see if Kyle is safe. She sees he has got up, and now leans on the window ledge, looks down at the man in robes and without thinking, throw his dagger straight at the man's shoulder. But the blade clinks off of an unseen barrier. It also deflects George's axe. Darn begins to catch up

“A spell shield? Of course”, says Kyle sarcastically.

"What in the fade?... Mages..." George mumbles annoyed..

Håkan returns to the girl's room and goes to the window trying to get a clear shot to the man if still visible. Lauren grabs her staff and jumps the window too, prepared to cast a glyph on the man.

Mari, still shocked, raises a hand to her hair to make sure it didn’t get burned, and sighs of relief when she sees it’s only a bit singed

Darn raises his shield at the man moving against him like battering ram, while Håkan yells "BACK!" to Kyle and George and casts a fireball to the man. Kyle falls back the window, while George just tries to dodge. Lauren's glyph catches the man and holds him, and that allows Darn's shield bash to destroy the last of the magical shield on the mage, before being knocked back, along with George, by Håkan’s fireball

Håkan yells "SORRY! My bad, Darn ", but he thinks: “if you still didn't learn to duck when I scream it's your problem, because it always mean that something's going kaboom…”.

Then he jumps through the window to help the group chase the mage.

“Ouch! really?! AGAIN?!?!”, complains George, glaring at Håkan while he lands by his side.

“These mages...”

Lauren sighs, while Mari thinks she knew those windows were a bad sign.

Kyle, still in the room, gets off the window ledge to turn his attention to Mari, who is still sitting on the bed holding her knees, while the wounds heal. Where is that man who attacked her?. He looks down and sees him on the floor, motionless. He kneels by his side and makes sure the man he is dead. Seems Mari did a good work stabbing him. He glances at his still shocked girlfriend, smiling proudly at her.

Darn topples to stand up again. The mage is still alive, just burned. He glares at George and Darn. Lauren points with the staff to him: “Don't move”, she says, even if the mage definitely can’t.

George gets up. He's feeling pretty roasted...

Håkan asks: “Is there some rope here?”

Darn walks toward mage "Talk and you will die later"

The mage says, "Touch me and die now."

Darn looks at him coldly "I will take you with me first"

Håkan asks Darn "Another one?", while aiming the mage with his staff

"You couldn't touch me without help from that knife eared bitch. Just wait."

Lauren is healing George, who is smiling at her feeling better, when she hears it. She freezes and looks at the mage "What did you say?". George glares at the man

“Darn, move aside...”, says Håkan with a cold voice. Darn nods and obeys

"You. die. now." George says, and moves away so he won’t get burned again

Håkan casts another fireball, which blasts around the mage. He is a bit scorched, but mostly unharmed.

George helps Lauren back to the girls room, where they find Kyle sitting down next to Mari and touching her face "Are you ok, love?".

Mari is still shivering over the bed. She shakes her ears. “No... I don't understand...Why did they attack us?”

When they walk pass it, the body of the stabbed man lumbers up off the ground and grabs Lauren, pulling her back. “AYEeee!!!”

George turns around as he hears Lauren screaming, to see her fighting and trying to get rid of him. Her staff attacks have no effect. Also Mari turns at the cries. Kyle lungs forward and tries to pull the man off of Lauren, grabbing the clumsy zombie by the neck. He throws the man/zombie on the ground and tries to keep him down with his feet.

Meanwhile, Mari watches, not sure if her wounds would re-open if she rushed to kill that man again.

"How.... HOW CAN HE BE ALIVE?!", asks George while swinging his axe down upon the zombie.

“Walking dead”, Kyle replies coldly. “I heard stories.”

The zombie struggles against Kyle as George's axe buries itself in it's chest. Kyle then takes his fist back and brings it down to the dead man's face, cracking open his skull and pulverizing his brains. The zombie's head crushes into a mass of broken bone and grey-red gore, and the thing stops moving.

Mari looks at the scene, eyes wide, thinking she better don't piss off Kyle too much in the future. Kyle looks to her and smiles nervously, seeing the terror in her eyes. “It's the only way to stop them, you know?”

Mari tries to smile too, still shocked by what she has seen. She has never seen that side of the warrior before.

Lauren pants "Thank...thank you"

"Are you hurt?" George asks, worried, while he pulls his axe out of the zombie's chest.

“No...I'm fine but...” Lauren raises her head. “Darn! and Hoekan!!”, and runs out of the room.

"Oh! right!". George rushes back out again.

The group stands on a stone walkway, a low wall to each side. Darn thinks that is no good in roasting the man "Time to die" and charges against the mage with his sword trying to cut his head.

The mage glares at Darn, hands moving up to cast, "Your turn to die, fool."

Darn's sword slices into the mage's shoulder as he is thrown back by a wave of dark energy. Darn takes a breath and swing with the sword once again

Håkan throws a dart to the mage, doing little damage. The mage casts a glance to him and hits him with mana drain.

Darn's sword catches only cloth as he is hit by a life drain. The mage's wounds begin to close, while Darn feels his old wounds cracking open, he grits his teeth in an effort to hold his sword properly. The mage then takes a step back, trying to get away, profiting that Darn hands shake too much from the pain to use the sword. He puts the sword back to the scabbard and favours shield since he trust it more, trying to follow the mage.

Lauren and George arrive in that moment, and she casts the paralysis glyph again, but the mage moves to quickly, evading the glyph. He turns to run. “Manure!” she mutters. But George's axe catches the mage in the knee, causing him to stumble, so he attempts to kick the mage in his face.

At the same time, Darn arcs with his shield against his head as he gets closer trying to stun him. The mage falls down, stunned, as Darn's shield connects with his face. You can hear bone splinter when George kicks him in the head. And then there are guards running toward you, weapons drawn.

Darn raises the sword to give a final blow to the neck, but the guards shout, "Stop! Lower your weapons! There will be no murder done here!"

"This mage tried to kill us!", George shouts, lowering his axe, while Darn holds his hand looking up at guards.

"Put your weapons away! If you are attacked, the Bann will see justice done."

George frowns. Yes, because nobles are all about 'justice', he thinks. He says nothing though. Håkan puts down the staff and Darn puts his sword back to scabbard with hands still shaking and throws the shield to the ground.

The mage stumbles to his feet, pulling down the mask. "They attacked me, guards. In my own home! Kill them all!"

“Do you live on this window?”, Håkan teases.

The mage sneers as best he can with a busted face, "My father's keep, you Circle fool"

“We attacked you?”, Lauren protests. “You sneaked in our room and almost killed one of us!”

“If there's a templar between you it would be useful,” Håkan says: “he's a mage”

"YOU attacked US!", George insists.

The guards stare at the mage, and then look at them all, uncertain.

“Let’s go reunite with the rest of your friends and we’ll decide then”, says one of them.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ room, Zara opens an eye, groggy, trying to realize what has happened. Ufortunately, nobody pays attention to her.

Mari turns at Kyle: “Shouldn't we report this attack to the Bann?"

“Probably”, Kyle sighs, looking at his hand, still gore of blood, brains and bone splinters. "I need to wash up first though."

Mari giggles nervously: "Me too. Can you help me?”

Kyle chuckle nervously "Right."

Mari gets up with Kyle's help looking for some clean clothes to put on.

“Something to wipe my hand would be nice”, Kyle mutters. Mari lends him a towel, and he uses it to clean his hand with it, perfectly.

Mari smiles nervously while she puts a blanket over her shoulders and turns again at Kyle:

“Maybe you should find something to wear before we go to report the attack? Not that I mind the view, of course”

Kyle blushes at this and feels slightly better. He turns to go back to the boys 's room, when they hear the guards coming

Lauren rushes from the group when she sees her friend. “Mari! you feeling better?”

“A bit better, but I still feel pain when I move”, the redhaired elf replies. Suddenly she notices the unmasked mage and her eyes get wide of terror. She grabs Kyle’s arm before he goes and makes him turn back.

“Something the matter, love?”

“Kyle... that man...”

Mari stares at the broken nose, the missing teeth replaced by golden ones, the face that could have been attractive if it had not such a vicious grin. That face brings her back memories of a dark cell in Denerim, of a hand touching her without her permission, of a fight to try to keep her dignity, of a bittersweet victory, suddenly interrupted by Sergeant Kylon’s and Ser August opportune arrival. She points at the mage the others attacked.

“I know him...”, she continues, unable to say all that aloud, grabbing Kyle's arm so tight she sinks her nails on it

Darn looks at the guards "Who is this man?". He awaits their answer without looking at the mage.

The mage glares, "I am Barrick. And this is my father's keep. I was taking an evening stroll when these mercenaries attacked me!"

"Taking an evening stroll... peeking into the window of unsuspecting girls... and THROWING FIREBALLS!", George spits out, glaring back at the mage.

Kyle looks down at Mari and holds her closer. Something is definitely wrong here. Mari hugs him tight and tiptoes to speak at his ear, while he lowers himself down to listen. Suddenly his face changes when he hears Mari’s confession. Kyle turns at them: “Oh dear”.

The guards mutter, and one nods, "You're Barrick but . . . why the mask . . . and why are you covered in blood?"

“Because he is a filthy good-for-nothing liar!!!”, shouts Kyle, trying his best not to rip the mage's face off after what he heard from Mari.

Darn knows that this cannot be solved here "Take us to the Bann"

The guards take a step back, unsure. "Uh, ser . . . Barrick . . . maybe Bann Sighard should see to this?"

Mari just stares at the man holding her blanket tight and feeling very defenceless, while Lauren turns to Kyle and looks at him puzzled.

Kyle whispers in Mari's ear: "Shhh, love, he can't hurt you. I'm here."

Darn looks at the mage sharply strapping his Redcliffe shield back to back

The mage gestures at the guards, exasperated. One of them explodes, blood and innards splattering Darn, George, and the other guards

Mari gulps and just holds Kyle's arm. She looks like a lost child.

“I TOLD YOU!”, screams Håkan

“Eww”, mutters George, disgusted.

“Consider your nose removed”, Kyle says.

Darn hits the mage with his fist in the head and makes he fall back unconscious. The other guards look shocked. Darn frowns coldly "Take him to the ban, I will go with you"

“And a templar better be there, if I may suggest”, adds Håkan

The remaining guards nod, grabbing Barrick. "Yes, ser. Thank you ser. We... uh, we don't have any templars."

Kyle feels sad as he realizes that he just lost a chance to rearrange the douche bag’s face permanently.

Mari mutters: “Kill him. Please, kill him”

Kyle holds her again, nodding. “I agree”.

Since Darn is the only man already armoured, he helps the guard carry the mage watching him not to wake up.

Lauren turns to Mari and stares at her. She grips her blanket and makes no movement towards the clothes, so Lauren leads her to the girls’ room, while the others go to the boys’ room to put some clothes on before going to meet the Bann, and helps her to dress up. After that she holds her hand. "Mari..." Mari holds Lauren's hand back tight, and follows her to the Bann’s room like a lamb.

Meanwhile, Zara sits up and looks around confused. She gets up and joins them, trying to learn what has happened from bits and pieces of conversation.
The guard has sent runners ahead, and Bann Sighard meets them all in the audience chamber. He looks ill

Darn has already fallen on one knee before the Bann hanging his head "There is an urgent matter to be solved my lord"

“ Sorry to trouble you at this late hours, milord,” Kyle continues, shaking his head at Darn’s intervention. This is something personal, and he wants to be the one to deal with it. “But I afraid something terrible has happened”.

The Bann nods, "Yes. I see that. The guards tell me my son is a mage, and worse... that he has attacked you. Is this true?"

“I’m afraid so, milord”, Kyle continues with his usual politeness, while Darn nods silently.

Lauren still holds Mari's hand "Yes, milord"

Mari then steps ahead. Her wounds are still bleeding: “We were attacked while we were sleeping, milord”

He looks very sad. "There is too much evidence against him. Ah Barrick . . . why?"

Darn stays silent letting ban making his decision on his son. George is also quiet, still a bit traumatized because of the zombie thing...

"I cannot understand why he would do this. Why attack you? Ambition I understand . . . but this..."

Darn doesn’t know the answer. He looks at his companions with the corner of his eye to see if they know anything

Mari hugs herself and shivers. She’d like he mage were conscious, to see if he’s brave enough to tell his reasons...

“Forgive me, milord”, Kyle continues, taking the lead. “But this is clearly not the first time he has done this. Perhaps you can ask him when he wakes up”.

"If I dare”, the Bann hesitates. “I cannot risk my guards."

“Oh, and in the meantime, my lord...My... uh, familiar has found this in the bedroom you gave us”. Håkan gives the ring to the Bann: “Does it mean something? I don't know what it is, but if it has a meaning to your family it could be related...”

The Bann looks at the ring, "That is my signet. How did you come by it? It was in my drawer this morning."

Håkan shrugs, thinking ‘FAKKING MOUSE’: “Dunno, it was in my room, under my bed”

"The mage should be handed over to the circle... shouldn't he?" suggests George.

Lauren mutters "yes...he should..."

Mari gulps and takes Kyle's hand, trying to get courage. Kyle grips Mari's hand tightly to tell her that he's there for her. “Milord, how long have you knew about his power?” he asks.

The Bann looks at Kyle, "Since he was a child. We brought him teachers. He has never done anything like this. He was always a good boy. A brave boy."

“Brave boy... yes”, Mari mutters, finally finding her voice back to speak. “Milord... has your son ever told you... how he broke his nose when he was a guard in Denerim?...Or who did it?”

The Bann looks confused, "No, what does that have to do with anything?"
“Because brave boys don't usually try to rape defenceless elven girls...”, she finally spits, after a hard struggle against herself. Kyle tighten his hold on Mari's hand and pull her closer.

Lauren gasps, Zara stands behind Darn silently. Darn stands up glances back at Zara
The Bann's jaw drops, pieces clicking into place.

"I see. That . . . explains much. I am sorry, lady." His face grows stern as he looks at the unconscious boy.

Mari lets Kyle hug her and looks at him gratefully. She's trembling and about to cry
George gives Mari a look of compassion. Poor girl. He is really angry, wishing they could just kill the bastard.

"I will deliver justice. Bring me my sword and wake up Lady Mallory. She should say goodbye to her . . . to Barrick."

Mari seems shocked. ”You... just accept my word?”

The Bann looks very solemn, "I wondered about the circumstances, when he was dismissed. This . . . makes too much sense. And the other girls. The ones that worked in fear... and their children. I fear I have been blind."

Zara looks at Darn, throat bruised. She puts a hand on his shoulder. She, better than no one, knows what Mari must feel. At least, she’ll have justice. Darn eyes Zara’s bruises deciding to ask about them later

Kyle hugs Mari close to him and says to the Bann "May I have permission to escort my fiancée back to her room, milord?"

Mari shakes her head “I prefer to stay, if justice is going to be delivered”.

The guards bring in a large, ice blade. The Lady Mallory is brought in, and she falls over Barrick, sobbing

Kyle smiles sadly at Mari. "I knew that you would refuse and I am happy for your late justice, but Lady Mallory-" He cuts off when the Lady begins to cry.

“I know...But I need to see it...”

“ Just stay close to me” Mari doesn’t need to be asked twice.

Lauren lowers her head. She doesn't know what to say, so she just stays by Mari's side
Darn stands up properly putting the Redcliffe shield before him and prays to the Maker for the soul of the poor bastard.

The servants pull the Lady back as Bann Sighard raises his blade, "I am sorry I have not been a better father. I am sorry it came to this, my son. May you rest at the Maker's side and know peace." and then the blade drops. Barrick's head thumps quietly to the floor in a spreading pool of blood. Lady Mallory gasps and passes out. The servants take her away.

Mari doesn't take her eyes away from the scene, but somehow, she doesn’t feel better. She still wishes she could have been the one to kill him that day. Now, after almost a year, it seems meaningless. Kyle, though, thinks that this is the least the Bann could do for justice.

George looks down at his feet, while Lauren tries not to look at the body

Darn raises his head after he finishes his prayer and waits for orders from the Bann to leave or to stay.

Mari feels tears down her cheeks, even if she was not aware that she was crying. When Lauren hugs her, she hugs back and starts sobbing. Lauren whispers, caressing her head

"it's ok, Mari...". Håkan holds Lauren's shoulder with his hand. Kyle takes out his spare napkin and tries to wipe Mari's tears after she was done crying.

The Bann says, "I will do what I can for his victims. What can I do to make amends to you?"

Håkan looks around, interested, but he discourages when he sees that Darn bows his head wanting nothing and that Mari is not exactly in a situation to ask anything, except maybe a cup of chocolate and a couple of extra hugs.

Kyle restrains himself to shout 'be a better father then!’, knowing it would be sort of unfair. Finally he replies: “Absolutely nothing, milord”.

"Please, rest here until you are well and go with my blessing", he insists.

“Thank you, my lord”, says Håkan finally.

“Certainly, milord”, agrees Kyle.

Darn nods and bows before the Bann, takes Zara by her arm and walks away. Zara tries to keep up with Darn. The rest of the group follows them, with occasional glances at the fallen body, now covered with a sheet, and the rest of the sad scene. Kyle hugs Mari in a protecting way, wishing he could have been there the first time, so she would have never had to witness this. Mari just lets him do. She is still unsure if it was justice or revenge which was delivered, but in any case, she doesn’t feel well. She knows she never will.



EPILOGUE

Before they leave the Peak, Kyle and Mari have a last audience with the Bann. This time they meet in Sighard’s private rooms. A family portrait presides the stance, the likeness of the young man who shares the picture with a younger Lady Sarah and a younger Sighard with Kyle is so accurate even Mari can’t take her eyes of it for a long time. The Bann sits down, with a sad look in his eyes.

“My friends… I can’t say how sorry I am this has finished this way”.
Kyle tries to say something useful, but he can’t find the right words. Mari just shakes her head.

“What is going to happen to Lady Taverline?”, she asks.

The Bann ruffles his papers, just to keep his hands busy.

“She’ll stay here some days, until things calm down… Besides, I don’t want to charge you with the duty of escroting her back to Denerim. And then we’ll see. We will introduce her to my youngest son, Oswyn. He is too young to marry yet, but since he’s the last of the line…”

His eyes go straight to Kyle when he says it. They all know what they are talking about. Kyle shakes his head.

“Yes. The last one. You must take care of him”.

Sighard shakes his head.

“You know, kid… you still can claim your place here. Nothing would make my mother or myself more happy…”

Kyle pulls Mari closer to him.

“And being forced to choose between my duty in a noble family and the woman I love, like my father did?”. He looks at Mari before finishing the phrase. “You already know my choice, milord. And I doubt Lady Sarah would allow an elf to become a member of the family”.

Sighard chuckles. “You’re right. Actually, she has already suggested you should marry Lady Taverline in Barrick’s place. She doesn’t seem to learn the lesson... it was something similar which made Eric run away from here. I personally prefer to know you’re somewhere out there, not hating this family, so there are chances that you will visit us again”.

Not to add that way the heritage line will stick to Sighard’s offspring, Mari thinks, but she doesn’t say it aloud.

“We don’t have proofs, only a bunch of coincidences”, she says instead. “It is better to leave it this way. But if anything, now we know who Kyle inherited his noble heart from”.
Kyle blushes, while Sighard now laughs. “I envy you, nephew. I’m sure you’re going to be happy by her side”.

He gets up and hugs Kyle, patting his back. Mari looks at him with a smile. He still seems sincere about wanting them to visit. Even if none of them will ever admit the relationship aloud. Then he takes her hand and kisses it. She blushes.

“There’s something I’d like to know, milord”, Kyle asks before leaving. “Do you have any idea why your… Barrick… would have wanted to sell poor Lady Taverline to the slavists?”

“The bandit mentioned something about a higher prize”, Mari adds.

Sighard looks at the portrait before replying. "I don't know, young boy... That's a secret Barrick brought to the grave with him... we probably will never know. But Lady Taverline will be safe". He turns and smiles at them. "I'll make sure of that".

Mari looks at Kyle, her curiosity not satisfied, but there's nothing she can do. Both people involved in the attempt, Reynal and Barrick, are dead now. Oh, well. Time will tell. She shrugs. No matter how kind Bann Sighard is to them... the memories creep her again. So she just looks at her beloved, and he nods. Time to go. It's nice to know they'll always be welcome in that place... But they both know they will probably never come back.



BONUS








Please someone kill me because I can't stop drawing this pair over and over again . I seem to have been bitten by a fluffyness demon!!!

And that's because the more I know about them, the more images of them together scream to get out of my head.


So yesterday Doc and me were talking about their backgrounds, and I realized Marilyn had very few answers about her past. She found a locket who had belonged to her mother amongst Ser August's belongings but... why was it there? The templar left before she could find out. So she made up her own story... full of fantasies, because she has that overexcited imagination... Forbidden love, horrible monsters, knigths in shinning armor, tragedy... And I imagined her telling the story to her beloved one peaceful afternoon... I thought it could be also a good exercice for practicing poses.


So that's why I drew her playing with the locket. But then I got addicted to draw her long shinny red hair loose (now I understand how Tangled animators have felt :
, and I imagined Kyle trying to braid it... and getting tangled... And when the drawing was finished, they looked like kitten to me... so I added Stripes the stray cat to the image, because I had never drawn her, and she deserved a spot...

And since :icondoctorwho173: likes how I draw Kyle in my humorous style, here it is also for her to enjoy
. For once she's not making him feel embarrassed... or so I hope (because, oh, yeah... she's still wearing her sexy summer armor!!! )



Hey, he's hunted by an elf girl... And he has no idea which of them she is... And he think's she's 15...
So no, it's not Mihitu lurking and MASTICATING in the bush
He's hiding from the prowling raptor twins.
Lyn twins by :icongwpe: :iconsoniacarreras:

Thanks for the LS guys! <3 font="font">

For our RPG :iconthemerrymabari:


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