Faith And Shadow
Kasha Cousland sat at her desk in the study of Vigil's Keep. It was quiet, aside from the sounds of repair going on outside. The citizens of Amaranthine had been extremely generous in helping restore the damage inflicted during the darkspawn battle here. At the time, she had built up the keep as best she could, and against her companions protests, had stayed to defend Amaranthine, leaving The Vigil to stand on it's own. She had put her faith in the old building, and those that stayed to defend it. And she'd been rewarded.
She was going to miss it. She was going to miss them too. She had been unhappy when she arrived, that none of her companions from the blight had been able to join her. She had left Denerim in such a rush, she couldn't even bring her faithful Mabari, Lethallin, although Ohgren was about as protective and loyal...even drunk. Leliana had been off researching Broodmothers, ironically that could have been done better if she'd been in Amaranthine. Zev was helping to train recruits back in Denerim, Sten and Morrigan had both left, and Shale was off to discover her Dwarven
mortality. Then there was Alistair. He had been in the Bannorn when she left, Eamon had sent word at her request and taken over for them in their absence. At least she had gotten to see him when she arrived. She grinned as she remembered his goodbye at the Vigil's gate. A whisper in her ear, about lampposts in winter, accompanied by a gently nibble.
"And what may I ask are you so amused by commander?"
Kasha jumped at Nathaniel's voice, and laughed.
"First of all, I have told you to call me Kasha, we are far beyond formalities considering our history.
Not My Lady, not commander, and not Your Majesty...simply Kasha"
Nathaniel smiled and replied "As you wish...Kasha"
It still awed her that they had become such good friends. The history between them ran deep and
dark. It was his father that had ordered the attack at Highever. After several failed attempts to grasp at the Cousland's power through marriage, first trying to get Fergus to marry Delilah, then Kasha to marry Thomas, he had finally aligned himself with the other Teyrn in Ferelden, Loghain, and aided him in grasping the throne. Killing the Couslands, was the first step in securing it. Bryce could have easily taken it when Cailan fell. Eventually it was Kasha, who had killed Arl
Rendon Howe, while rescuing Queen Anora.
She hadn't known there was another son off in the Free Marches. Until she arrived at The Vigil. He had arrived three days before her, to spring a trap and kill her to avenge his father. She'd found him in the dungeon, where she talked to
him the first time. It had taken four guards to capture him. This impressed her, and she found herself remembering Daveth from her joining. He had robbed Duncan, with great ease and skill. When the Denerim guards caught him, Duncan conscripted him rather than see him punished. That's when Kasha shocked the Seneschal, and did the same withNathaniel.
It was rocky at first, Nathaniel was torn between blaming Kasha and the wardens for his fathers death and shame, and blaming himself for not being there. But, eventually, thanks to his sister, he had seen Rendon Howe for what he was, and he and Kasha became close friends. He even saved her brother from a bandit attack.
"Nate, I wanted to thank you for saving Fergus, as you know he is my only blood family left. There was an estate, owned by one of the nobles that had been involved in the conspiracy to kill me. It is yours now." When he started to speak she interrupted.
"No, I insist, you will not humble your way out of this. It's yours, and that's final. You may do what you wish with it, though I suspect that will be giving it to Delilah, in which case, I hope she enjoys it"
"You know me too well I see, as you wish." He said.
"I'm going back to Denerim, leaving within the hour in fact. I've already said my farewells to everyone. I'm leaving you in charge here. Keep Sigrun busy...I don't want her trying to sneak off to her calling early. Also, try to keep Oghren from driving her too crazy"
"Justice seems to keep him in line pretty well, I'll just make sure he stays between them" Nathaniel grinned.
Justice gave Oghren the creeps, being a walking corpse filled with a fade spirit, and he seemed to enjoy making the dwarf squeamish, often stretching the skin on his face when he'd catch Oghren staring. Oh, he played it off as innocent curiosity the first few times, but everyone had figured out that he'd found amusement in the dwarf's discomfort.
"Speaking of Oghren, he didn't take my leaving well, keep an eye on him. I've already finished proof reading his letters to Felsi this week. If you could do that for him, from now on I'd appreciate it. He does trust you"
"As you wish"
"As for you, please take care of yourself. No more sneaking into darkspawn infested estates to spring traps on Wardens" she teased, as he blushed "You have become a treasured friend Nate, if you ever have need of
anything, you know where to reach me. I want to thank you, for everything you've done for me, and the wardens. You have become like a second brother to me, and I love you."
Nathaniel smiled, as he wiped a tear from her cheek, and pulled her into his strong arms for an embrace. "And I, you Kasha"
She couldn't see the look on Nathaniel's normally stoic face, and for that he was grateful. She'd become more than just a friend in his heart. But he knew she adored her husband, and he would never hurt her so much as to come between that.
Unfortunately, neither of them saw the dainty shadow in the hallway. The shadow of one that had no problem with hurting this human, who had taken the only person she'd ever loved, and left her to die or worse among the
darkspawn.
Modifié par Lady Jess, 01 mai 2010 - 06:04 .
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I put the shout out on my chapter notes that I am writing tonight. You are Lady Jessmyn on FF right? 
