CHAPTER 70

The moment the lights went out, Katarina was out of the bath and moving toward the bathroom door before her splash of water had even hit the floor, cursing under her breath.

The armoire toppled over against the door just as Katarina hit it. Olivia was turned towards her, and watched as Katarina hit the door.

The door shifted against the armoire, and Olivia stepped out of the tub as Katarina hit the door a second time.

The top hinge of the door gave way with a scream of tortured metal, and Katarina kicked the door away and stepped over the armoire as Olivia, still shocked at Katarina's quick thinking, wavering between getting a robe or not.

Katarina had been watching Olivia carefully, as the woman seemed to be behaving strangely, and not wholly because of her hangover. She seemed preoccupied, at times nervous, other times acting as if she were a cat that had gotten away with the cream. There was only one answer to the unasked question: Olivia was up to something. This was emphasized in the bath, where Olivia's off behavior ramped up suddenly. Katarina wasn't surprised in the slightest.

However, the sudden and spontaneous eruption of magic in her bedroom was wholly beyond unexpected. Whatever Olivia was planning, it would have to wait.

Leaping from the tub, Katarina expanded her anti-magical field before she'd even hit the floor. Outside the door came a booming crash; likely the armoire. Katarina hit the door slightly and tested the give, with the second shove, the door came apart. She vaulted over the toppled bureau, enhanced senses picking out the one that had used magic like a single lit candle in a vault of darkness.

Katarina grabbed the magic user by the collar of the maid's outfit she wore, pivoted neatly, and slammed the woman down into the flooring with sufficient impact to knock the breath out of her.

The lights flickered on, no longer suppressed by the mage.

"Temeritous witch, you think you can use magic near me and I'll not know about it?!" Katarina yelled as Olivia picked her way through the shattered door and tumbled armoire. She was shocked. She hadn't expected Katarina to do anything like what she did.

But Katarina was straddling the mage, one hand at the girl's throat, the other raised high overhead, her other hand grasping something that glittered.

"Katarina, wait!" Olivia yelled, but Katarina's arm went up and down three times as Olivia rushed to Katarina's side, clutching her robe tightly around her.

"What have you done, Katarina?" Olivia shouted, as Katarina rose to her feet. The taller woman looked down at Olivia and then pointed. "Nothing. I just killed a Witch." She replied indifferently, and held up a bloody knife Olivia didn't see Katarina grab.

Olivia looked down at the young woman. Her family had provided maids and servants to her own family for generations.

"She was Sanctioned, Katarina." Olivia reported, her voice shaking. "She had barely any talent at all. Could barely light a candle, and you killed her!"

Katarina eyed Olivia with a dangerous curiosity, as if she were some new but interesting bit of prey, a bug with protective coloration putting on a show for an entranced cat.

"If a mage uses magic against me, it doesn't matter if they were Sanctioned or not." Katarina replied simply, as if it were a foregone conclusion. Numbly, Olivia realized that Katarina was right. Any use of magic against a Witch Hunter was considered hostility. Katarina's response was only natural.

Olivia fumbled for the chair next to her vanity and sank into it, hands shaking. She'd grossly underestimated the Witch Hunter. There was something fundamentally different between that woman and herself. In that situation, Olivia would have waited for things to resolve themselves. Katarina's first response was action. Violent, straightforward action. A plan that had taken ten minutes of thought and fifteen minutes of planning in advance had been undone completely in three seconds by Katarina.

Katarina picked up the end of the toppled cupboard and heaved it upright with no more apparent effort than Olivia would display turning a page in a book. Katarina pulled a robe across her shoulders, and then strode through the bedroom and out towards the sitting room.

Olivia heard the front door to her apartments open, and she surged to her feet just as Katarina called for guards.

"No, Katarina, what are you doing?" Olivia yelled, stepping out into the sitting room, and Katarina gave her a baffled look. "You want to leave the corpse there?" She asked, and Olivia shook her head.

"By the Goddess." Olivia swore. "You never stop moving, do you?" She snapped.

Katarina raised an eyebrow at this, but simply ushered Olivia over to a seat by the fireplace as a pair of Alstroemeria guards came through the door to Olivia's apartments.

"A witch attacked us." Katarina reported succinctly. "The corpse is in the bedroom."

The two guards gave each other baffled looks, threw a glance at Olivia, and then marched into the bedroom, hands on sword hilts.

The two guards returned a moment later. They nodded at Katarina. "Very good." He reported, and glanced at the Lady Cardinal.

"Your Grace, perhaps it would be in your best interest to ... let us tend to this. I'll send word to the seneschal to-" He began, and Katarina nodded and placed her hand on his forearm familiarly. He jolted at this, but relaxed when he saw Katarina.

"The Lady Cardinal will stay the night in my apartments." Katarina replied. "But yes, you should take care of that as soon as possible." She encouraged.

Once they were in Katarina's room, the Witch Hunter rounded on the Lady Cardinal.

"You knew her?" Katarina asked. Olivia nodded. "Her family has served the Wolfes for three generations." She explained. "I offered her the position here in Darnell when I came here."

Katarina frowned, mouth twisting at this news. "So why was she using magic?" She asked.

Olivia took a breath. "It's my fault." She replied with a slow sigh. She looked up at the Witch Hunter.

"I wanted a better relationship with you." She began.

Katarina summoned one of her own servants as she listened to Olivia's plan. It wasn't a terrible plan, the Witch Hunter admitted, just operated wholly by a person who had no understanding of Witch Hunters. She resolved to do better. While Katarina was fully justified in killing a mage, she hadn't needed to. Olivia had been right, the woman was barely able to use magic.

Katarina hadn't thought at all; hadn't considered anything. She'd felt the use of magic and her body had reacted. When her awareness had cleared, she stood over a corpse, and Olivia had gazed at her with shock and horror.

When the first servant arrived, Katarina gave her some instructions. A simple breakfast was laid out, along with a packet of medicinal powders for their hangovers. As they ate, Olivia pointed out that Katarina should attend Gabrielle's lesson, to which Katarina agreed.

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"I don't stand on ceremony, but remember your manners and we shall do quite well." Gabrielle announced casually as the smartly dressed handsome man escorted Katarina into the Lady Cardinals' apartments.

The Cardinal herself wore a form-fitting dress with a plunging neckline and long sleeves that clung scandalously to her voluptuous curves, and she reclined on a low chair that was cup-shaped and filled with pillows. A low table with a glass carafe of wine and a half-filled glass was nearby, along with a book. Her window was open, but covered with a gauzy curtain for privacy.

Katarina glanced around the room. The room was a testament to decadence and indulgence. Thick, plush carpeting covered the floor, heavy curtains framed paintings in ponderous frames on the walls, and all the furnishings in the room were gilded and carved in the baroque fashion that was popular some eighty years back. The furniture was densely and heavily ornamented with golden filigree patterns of interlocking vines, leaves, and flowers.

Gabrielle smiled languidly at the Witch Hunter. "If you want to take your ease with one of my butlers, don't hesitate to ask." She encouraged. "I've selected them for their looks, talents, and most importantly, their discretion."

Katarina eyed the butler that had escorted her into Gabrielle's apartments askance, and shook her head.

"I was supposed to take a lesson from you." She said by way of reply.

"So you were." Gabrielle replied with a warm smile. "And what sort of lesson would you prefer?" She asked encouragingly.

Katarina sighed. "I'll take my leave, Lady Cardinal." She decided, and sketched a curtsey. She had more important shit to do.

"You're not going anywhere, child." Gabrielle called after Katarina had taken a few steps. "Except to that seat right there. A lesson is a lesson, and we shall have it." She adopted a pout as Katarina turned back, and then laughed lightly.

"I'd thought to make your burden easy by allowing you the opportunity to indulge yourself a little." Gabrielle complained. "And before you give me that boring talk of 'duty'," She began, raising a hand to forestall Katarina, "Understand that there are many types of duties." She smiled and took a sip from her glass. "Such as the duty to relax. Indulge yourself in the pleasures that bring you happiness. Explore your interests. Discover hobbies." She offered another smile. "How we 'play' is just as important as how we 'work', Lady Katarina." Gabrielle offered.

She gestured at another of the plush seats. "Sit. relax. Take off your boots. Miles here is absolutely spectacular at foot massages." She made a sour face, "and by the looks of it, you need one." She gestured at the low seat again, and repeated in a much firmer tone, "Sit. Miles, get her boots off."

Katarina found herself gently herded to the low chair by the young blonde lad, which she sank into more than sat. Miles' nimble fingers unlaced her boots and slipped them off. Another lithe butler brought a low basin, and Miles went to work on her feet with surprising strength.

"Stay with me, Kat." Gabrielle chuckled amusedly. "We're going to have your lesson here while he works his magic."

"Katarina." Katarina replied acerbically. "Not 'Kat'." She corrected, and suppressed a wince as Miles dug into a particularly painful knot.

"As you will." Gabrielle replied lazily. "Tell me, are you familiar with the type of free-travelling minstrel that are known as 'bards' among the peasants?" She asked curiously, and Katarina nodded.

"Of course." She replied. "Officially, the Church decries them as con men and thieves, but then, they also use them to carry messages and disburse news to areas where we are expanding."

Gabrielle laughed, a rich full laugh that rose up from the toes. "You've done your homework." She replied.

"Not really." Katarina replied comfortably. Miles was doing an excellent job. "A bit more than a year ago I was kidnapped by a bardic order." Katarina replied. "They called themselves the 'Twilight Lilies' or something to that effect."

Gabrielle sputtered laughter. "I was going to introduce them to you today!" she stammered. Katarina shrugged at this and grit her teeth to keep from laughing as the butler rubbed his thumbs over the arch of her foot.

"They wanted to know about firearms." Katarina added. Gabrielle nodded.

"You know that the other Lady Cardinals have their pet projects, yes? You're at least aware of this, right?" She asked, and Katarina shrugged.

"Olivia concerns herself with setting up hospitals and orphanages. Yuriko is obsessed with keeping the Anglish Empire out of Yamato. The 'Dusk Lilies' are mine." She added with a significant glance at Katarina. "Constance... entertained herself with research. Phoebe and Celeste are obsessed with The Grand Exodus."

"Ah yes, that." Katarina replied easily. Across the room, on the far wall and framed by rich maroon curtains, a lovely orcish woman reclined on a chaise lounge in a ponderously ornate picture frame. The family resemblance was striking; was Katarina looking at a painting of Gabrielle's mother?

"Aha, you weren't supposed to know about that." Gabrielle replied in an offhand voice, surprised and yet unsurprised.

"I'm of the House of Pavlenko." Katarina replied. "We've been moving people out of Ardeal for decades." She replied, and Gabrielle's eyes lit up. "Ah, yes."

"The long and short of it is this: We're losing Rothgar." Gabrielle advised. "Oh, there are those that will say that it's not decided yet, that we still have a chance, but there have simply been too many missed opportunities and failed chances. The war will drag on longer than you or I will live, but we have lost." She opined. "Why do you think the capital of the Anglish Empire was relocated to Darnell?" She asked sardonically. "Certainly not because of the weather."

"I don't know how to respond to that." Katarina replied, eyeing the painting. The detailing was exquisite, the artist had even picked out the ritualized scars on the womans' arms and shoulders.

"You're not supposed to respond to that." Gabrielle replied smugly. "You're not supposed to know of that at all." She finished, and added an inch of wine to her glass. "Ah, forgive my monstrous impertinence." She observed. "Daly, get this woman some wine." She called abruptly.

A previously unseen man with olive skin detached himself from the shadows and appeared with a glass that he carefully filled with a ruby vintage.

"Tell me, Katarina, what do you think about prophecy?" Gabrielle asked, swirling her wine and admiring the color.

Without a moment for hesitation, she gave the response that was expected, not the truthful one. "I think nothing at all. Pure sophistry. Persuasive nonsense you can hang an elegant illusion of hope on." Katarina mocked, taking a sniff from her glass. Her experience with wine with Olivia had left within her a sense of caution with the stuff.

"From my strategy classes, the Anglish Empire is quick to exterminate those societies that rely on prophecy. After all, it's hard to surrender when you know that fate is on your side." Katarina replied sardonically, and Gabrielle laughed.

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"Just so!" She exclaimed. "But you know, the Golden Lady has prophecies too."

"What? Absurd." She took a drink like Olivia had instructed, savoring the flavors. Katarina's eyebrows raised at Gabrielle's willing admission. Could this mean that she could share her phophetic dream of Darnell and its inhabitants in ashes with the Lady Cardinal?

"It's true, though. She's given us several prophecies that we have recorded. We teach them as lessons to aspire to. Be the 'peerless warrior' that will 'strike with unerring accuracy'. Aspire to the 'compassionate healer' who can 'heal a thousand wounds'." She pontificated. "Used this way, prophecy becomes a practical teaching tool instead of a blind hope casually tossed amongst the masses." She finished, and downed some of her wine at a swallow. "This is also a state secret." She confided, and placed a finger over her lips.

"Why are you telling me these things?" Katarina asked curiously.

"The Cardinals of the Book have been tasked with the responsibility of teaching you about the Church of Angland, Katarina." Gabrielle replied casually. "I figured you should learn some of our secrets." She added thoughtfully. After a long moment, she peeked at the Witch Hunter, who was silent as the butler worked on her feet.

"Do you have any questions for me?" She asked, and Katarina thought for a long moment.

"Tell me about the orcs." She finally replied. "I don't know much about them."

Gabrielle shook her head. "And for good reason.", she replied shortly.

Katarina waited expectantly. After a long moment where Katarina was worrying over whether or not to break the silence, Gabrielle finally spoke up. "The Yamato like to think of themselves as not elvish. They say, 'We share a common ancestor with elves, but we are not elvish'." She spoke haltingly, reluctantly. Katarina nodded, remembering her discussions with Araya and Sasaki.

"We know the truth. We're neither ignorant nor stupid. Elves and humans intermingled together until they were indistinguishable. At some point they decided that those with the strongest traits would rule, and there you have it: The sad story of the Yamato. The Anglish will eventually get tired of the Yamato prevarication and we'll beat them down." There was another long pause as Katarina wondered what Yamato had to do with Orcs.

"The Orcs will never follow that path. Our orcish heritage will remain lost, our blood dilute." She smiled a little. "There are those that have sought to restore orcish blood and have intermarried with each other in order to bring out a pureblood orc." She clenched her hand into a tight fist. "We do not allow this."

Katarina raised an eyebrow at this. "I didn't ask for that. I asked you to teach me about the orcs. Your culture." Gabrielle laughed.

"We do not have much that you would consider 'culture', Katarina. We are human, after all." She replied. "There is a desire that manifests at puberty to mark ourselves. That's the one thing that remains consistent throughout those with orcish blood: We cut ourselves in certain places when we grow up. Nobody particularly understands why, it's just something we need to do. We have to, or it drives us mad. Incomprehensibly bizarre, but there you have it: It's just something that needs to be done." She remarked idly. "Some historians point to a progenitor race that grew bone spurs and horns and the like, but there's no way to be sure." She laughed gaily. "Aside from that, we laugh, we love, we fight, and we sing with all of our souls. We love to be alive, and we love to share that with those around us." She leaned out of her chair. "I wonder if you've felt that, Katarina: We've trained your mind to be structured and diligent, and we've trained your body to be a weapon that moves for the Holy Church, but have you felt your heart move with such passion and conviction in your breast that everything you were doing at that moment was an absolute delight and a passionate exultation?" She wondered, and Katarina thought back.

"I know that there have been moments like that." Katarina allowed. "I can't remember the specifics for many of them."

Gabrielle laughed. "Then tell me of one you do remember." She urged. "Share a secret with me."

Katarina let out a sigh. "Making love for the first time." She finally admitted after a long struggle.

Gabrielle laughed and clapped her hands delightedly. "I'm so very happy for you, Katarina." Gabrielle replied guilelessly. "Indulge in the things that bring you happiness. Revel in it." She encouraged.

"I may." Katarina replied.

"It's about time for your lesson in the stables, is it not?" Gabrielle inquired. "Otherwise, if you would like to take your ease, the bedroom is down the hall." She gestured lazily.

Her lesson involved sitting in the saddle, which was then mounted on a series of poles and connected to a series of levers and pulleys. She was then required to execute specific maneuvers as the saddle tipped and lurched. She came away from that lesson tired, sore, and a bit sick, and her thighs were trembling and weak from gripping the saddle.

She stopped by the small temple of correspondence and sent a letter to Landeck, thinking of renewing her friendship with her childhood friend Frederika Edelweiss, a noblewoman from the duchy of Nauders that had come to train in Darnell to be a Priestess, a healer at the same time that Katarina had begun her training as a Witch Hunter.

Katarina didn't expect an immediate response, but as she was turning to leave, the mage in charge of sending correspondence called her back.

The return message was curt and to the point: "The Cardinal Priestess is unavailable at this time as she has gone on pilgrimage. She is expected to return within several months."

Katarina raised an eyebrow. Several months? Was this a cold brush-off? She didn't think so, Rika wasn't like that. She was unfailingly kind and polite to everyone. By the time Frederika got her message, Katarina would likely be long gone from Darnell.

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The Librarium Lexicanum was a three-storied building girded with carved and polished granite pillars. Enormous arched windows with a stylized book picked out in stained glass guarded the front entrance. Once inside, a librarian immediately requested her to surrender her arms; in response Katarina flashed her holy symbol at him and shook her head. Instead, she asked for a research assistant to help her look up all the books that spoke of Alicia Stern, Saint of the Anglish Empire.

It turned out there was a good amount on her beginnings; she'd been called to the sword at thirteen, and fought in many campaigns. The Anglish Empire had a turbulent history of endless war, from both within and without, and Alicia moved from campaign to campaign with barely space between them. Alicia commanded her own troops by the age of seventeen, and dug out insurgents, rebels, and fought against all sorts of creatures as the Anglish conquered the continent of Rothgar.

Official records became spotty towards her death, and fell off altogether. Bards and historians took up the story at that point, painting a tale that had Alicia revealing the corruption of a Lord Cardinal. His counterstroke was to have her burned at the stake.

Katarina nodded. Not much different from the history she'd been taught as a youth, and it fit within what she'd learned from the diary she'd retrieved.

Katarina called for records of Lord Cardinals from that time, and was a little surprised to find a 'Lord Cardinal Verona' mentioned in the records. He had been a landed noble, and had been somewhat familiar with the Grand Cardinal of the time. However, the records stopped there. No history, no mention of how or when he'd come to power, no record of the laws he'd passed. Verona was a mystery.

Katarina summoned a genealogist, and requested the relevant records.

The records were sterile, and didn't speak of anything but his family, which was prodigious. He had seven children, and dozens of grandchildren. It was recorded that they changed their names after his death; common enough behavior if they wanted to separate themselves from their ancestor. The Anglish records were precise and marked that, too. Katarina was about to close the book when something towards the bottom of the page caught her eye and brought a smirk to her face.

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Katarina was cutting across the grounds on her way back from the librarium when she spotted a number of white-robed priests and priestesses clustered around the entrance to the Temple of the Lily, a cathedral that was only opened to the citizens of the Empire during the Emerald Week, a week-long celebration of the return of spring, new weddings and christenings. The cathedral was open to ranked members of the clergy all year-round, of course.

Katarina altered her course for no other reason than simple curiosity. As she approached, a few of the priests eyed her with wide eyes and shocked expressions, pointing her out to their comrades. She knew that look. How dare a woman wear trousers, of all things? Blasphemous! Obscene! Katarina rolled her eyes and continued her advance.

"-If you could but listen to my request, I'm sure-" A woman's voice was saying, but it was overridden.

"Certainly not. Your people need to seek accommodations in the Hall of the Teacher. That is the usual place for the Arm of the Healer." the woman's interlocutor was a man in the attire of a Cardinal Bishop. He was a scrawny man with drooping jowls and a short, white beard.

The woman disputed the point. As she'd explained before, the living areas in the Hall of the Teacher were occupied. The man agreed that there was plenty of space in the Hall of the Lily, but healers had absolutely no right to use that space.

Back and forth, back and forth.

Katarina agreed, there was plenty of room in the Hall of the Lily. There was a time in Anglish history when the Hall of the Lily was consistently staffed with beautiful men and women who were on hand to act as teachers, soothers, and guides for those seeking fertility assistance. That practice was short-lived, rife with scandal and obscenity, and was quickly expunged. Despite the practice having been abolished for over a thousand years, the living spaces were still an integral part of Lily Temple construction.

Katarina decided to step in. She trotted up the steps lightly, and centered her attention on the two people with the dispute, and nearly stumbled when she recognized the woman as none other than her childhood friend, Cardinal Priestess Frederika.

Frederika Edelweiss was from the duchy of Nauders, an autonomous possession far to the northeast, and the newest addition to the Anglish Empire. The ruling family of Nauders, the Edelweiss, sent Frederika to Darnell for training as a priestess at the same time that Katarina began her Witch Hunter training. Their friendship began not long after.

Frederika was a slim, willowy woman, with an ethereal beauty that caught the eye. The House of Edelweiss, the royal family that ruled Nauders, were all afflicted with albinism, and Frederika was no different, with a waist-length waterfall of hair the color of silvery cornsilk, violet eyes, and pale, nearly translucent skin.

Just looking at her, Katarina knew the Golden Lady had chosen wrong. Frederika was a woman that overflowed with compassion, thoughtfulness, and patience. It seemed impossible to make her angry. Katarina was at turns vexed and envious of her, and loved the other woman all the more for it.

"Hi." Katarina introduced herself rudely, and both the bishop and the Cardinal Priestess turned to regard the Witch Hunter. Frederika's eyes widened in surprise and she smiled in delight in recognition, whereas the older man gave her a withering, contemptuous look.

"Cardinal Priestess, if this man isn't willing to extend the most basic of humble kindnesses to those that serve under the Healer, might I suggest the healer's barracks in the Garrison?" She offered solicitously. "I'm certain they'd be delighted to accommodate you during your visit." She encouraged.

The Lily, ostensibly the arm of the church that represented the fertility and spring aspect of the Golden Lady, had evolved to be the administrative arm of the Empire, and oversaw the distribution of missionaries and pastors across every church in the Empire.

The older man scoffed. "And who are you to suggest anything?" He made an ostentatious display of eyeing her up and down.

"I am Katarina lon Pavlenko, Justicar Witch Hunter, Inquisitor, Anointed Knight, and Lady of the Church." Katarina replied indifferently. "And I suggest you keep your eyes on mine, if you want to keep them." She added, tapping her face, "because I don't much cotton to men that stare at other parts."

He made a strange gobbling noise in his throat at this. He was so offended he was unable to formulate any sort of rebuttal.

Rika stared at Katarina through this whole exchange with very little bewilderment and a great deal of amusement. Katarina, once again, had taken the initiative and was standing as tall and as proud as she always had. She'd matured, but hadn't changed at all.

"Fine!" the man finally screeched. "They can stay in the Lily!" He blurted. "And I'll see you take a public penance for your obscenity!" he leveled a knobby finger at her, and Katarina laughed in mockery. They both knew he had no authority to issue a penance for her. He dragged open the great double doors of the Cathedral and disappeared inside.

Frederika eyed Katarina as a silence descended between the two of them. Katarina broke the ice.

"Cardinal Priestess Frederika, it's a delight and a pleasure to welcome you to the Alstroemeria." Katarina intoned formally, and swept her hat off and bowed gracefully. "And I apologize for my interference." Frederika was a willowy woman, with delicate features, violet eyes, and hair as pale and silvery as Katarina's. She dipped a respectful curtsey with a demure smile.

"Your interference was most welcome, Kat." She replied, still smiling. "He would have let us stay, he just wanted to haggle over concessions and favors and the like. You've streamlined what is usually an arduous labor of negotiation."

"It's good to see you, Rika." Katarina replied, and a couple priestesses murmured darkly at the familiar form of address Katarina had given.

"I should like to see you again, Kat." Rika urged.

Katarina nodded. "I'm in the Cardinal suites in the northwest quarter." She replied. "I'd prefer if you'd dine with me tonight."

Frederika smiled in amusement. Katarina was speaking as though she was more than a simple Witch Hunter; she was speaking like a Lady Cardinal. She nodded, and offered another graceful curtsey. "As you wish. Until tonight, then."

Katarina nodded, and strolled down the steps, mentally picturing the route she'd have to take to return to her apartments.

Frederika arrived well before dinner and practically leapt into Katarina's arms. She was startled when Katarina enfolded her in a tight hug, but returned the embrace as fully as she could. Katarina had been so reserved, before.

"It's been so long, Kat." She marveled. Katarina nodded. "It has, indeed. Ten years?" She asked, and Rika nodded.

"I've missed you so much." Rika began, and Katarina nodded. "Myself as well. I came back from my survival test and you had already returned to Nauders." She shook her head. "I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye."

"And you!" Rika cried. "You disappeared for weeks! I was so certain that you had- that something had-" She began, and burst into tears. "I had no idea that you would be gone for a month. And when I found out that you were fine, I was so relieved I cried for an hour!" She sobbed, and Katarina pulled her into an affectionate embrace.

"I didn't realize you were such a crybaby, Rika." Katarina joked in a gentle voice, and lifted the woman's face and kissed her.

"I'm usually not, but you're special." Rika murmured, and stroked Katarina's face.

"So what are you doing here?" Katarina asked, and Rika smiled up at the taller woman beatifically.

"I'm here because I'm to review the activities of a certain Justicar Witch Hunter and see if she's deserving of the title." She chirped.

Katarina gaped at her. "They dragged you all the way here because of that?" She exclaimed, disbelieving.

"Well, there's a lot to review." Frederika replied simply, spreading her arms wide. "You've been very industrious."

Katarina blinked several times. "Rika, I-" She began, but shook her head.

Frederika reached out and touched the blonde locks. "This is new." She murmured, a hint of a question in her voice.

Katarina sighed and glanced around. "Rika... things are happening." She grimaced, furious at her sudden reluctance. "Fuck." Rika recoiled as if she'd been stung. Frederika had been raised too gently; hearing coarse profanity was like a slap in the face.

"I've been, for the past few months, having dreams and visions." Katarina spat. "Sometimes every night." She gestured to the streaks of gold in her hair. "And this." She pointed to a patch of skin on her arm that was unblemished and smooth. "And this."

Rika blinked. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with that particular spot, and she said as much to Katarina.

"There was a scar there. I had to have a healer cut a splinter of wood out of my arm." She gave Rika a significant look. "That night, remember?"

Rika immediately covered her mouth with her hands. When they were children, a group of boys that had routinely tormented Katarina had snuck into Rika's room, thinking it was Katarina's. Katarina had protected her, but had taken scars as a result.

"I've gone through the Rites of Inspection." Katarina added by way of explanation. "With a clean bill of health."

Rika nodded slowly, schooling her face to benign concern. She'd have to look for the report. One's hair color didn't change without reason, and a benign mutation wouldn't be reported as a 'clean bill of health'. She'd have to be careful. She loved Katarina as an older sister, had for years, but her responsibility was to the church, and she needed to be certain.

"I can't imagine you're here to look at my activities as a healer." Katarina was saying. Rika focused her attentions on the other woman. "I know some of the rites because of you, but..." Katarina trailed off.

Rika nodded. "I'm to review your interactions with the Church." She replied guardedly. She didn't want to talk too much of that, for fear of bias.

Katarina nodded knowingly. "I've been told there's all sorts of reports of my... behavior. Calls for my censure." She replied simply. Rika raised an eyebrow.

"You've been causing problems, have you?" Rika teased.

Katarina rolled her eyes. "Something like that." She sat down at her desk, and Rika perched on the edge of the bed. "I'm called to hunt the Witch. What usually ends up happening is I'll show up at a church to turn in my bounties or to just check in, let the local authorities know I'm hunting in the area, and the pastor will get a wild hair up their ass to use me to further some..." She trailed off, flipped her braid over her shoulder indifferently and sighed. "Agenda." She glanced at the floor. "Then I have to put my foot down: I'm there to hunt the Witch, not to do whatever they like." She paused. "I don't have a good relationship with the Church, Rika." She admitted. "I worship the Goddess. I love Her. My whole life would be incomplete without Her... but I could live comfortably without the Church." She nodded to herself. "And my records will probably reflect that."

Rika pressed her lips together at this proclamation. She didn't agree with that statement at all. The Church was the hand of the Goddess in this world. Certainly, the Church had its failings, but that was to be expected. Humans couldn't comprehend the inscrutable mystery of the Goddess but in part.

"...even now, I'm here against my will. I should be hunting Witches. Instead I'm stuck here, in Darnell, waiting for them to get around to giving me a new Writ." She punctuated this with a sigh and another eyeroll. "For now, I'm letting things play out as they will because I know that's how it needs to happen, but just because I know how things are going to happen, doesn't change my impatience." Katarina was muttering, and Rika's attention sharpened at this casually indifferent admission. What was this?

"You... know what's going to happen, Kat?" Rika asked curiously. Katarina blinked and opened her mouth, and closed it.

"I was babbling. Pay it no mind." Katarina replied, but Rika stood up and approached her. "Dearest Kat, it's me. You have never betrayed my faith in you, and you should know that I would never betray your faith in me." She urged gently.