Targu Province - Kerrigan Lokir
Monday dawned with a glistening sheen of ice coating the snowpack creating a white shell across the world. Kerrigan had been up since before dawn training with Breanna. Sometimes, a vigorous bout with the warrior was the only way to keep warm when the temperatures dropped below -17C and tried to drop further.
Kerrigan twirled with her quarterstaff. Clank, clank, clank!
Breanna stepped back, sweeping a sweatband from her brow. "Good. Your skill with a quarterstaff is greatly improved."
Kerrigan panted, glad for the momentary reprieve. A thin fog formed with each breath in the chill air. "But when will I have need of it? If I am attacked on the street, I doubt I will have a quarterstaff handy."
"True. How is your blade work these days?"
Kerrigan grimaced. "Passable." While she enjoyed working with her daggers, she knew that it was a deadly undertaking to face another skilled opponent. Even a master of Breanna's skill level may not make it out of a bladed duel unscathed.
Breanne rummaged in her training chest and tossed Kerrigan a pair of rubber practice daggers. She caught them, let out a sigh, and stripped off her shirt, leaving only her sports bra. Breanna did the same. The two women faced off. This kind of training was notorious for shredding clothes, even with the practice weapons.
Breanne circled before starting in with a fierce set of rapid attacks. It was all Kerrigan could do to hold off the attacks, taking slashes to her arms but defending her vitals. 'Abraxas, Care to show me your skill?'
'Desperate so soon?'
'Gah, useless.'
'My power is limited but, I suppose I could let you feel a taste.'
As Breanne circled again, preparing for another attack, Kerrigan felt a trickle of power fill her body. She felt time slow. She crouched, eyes closed as the power flowed to every muscle fiber. Just as Breanne began her attack, Kerrigan snapped her eyes open, her green eyes blazing.
Breanne stumbled back in horror as she saw the glowing from Kerrigan's eyes. "What the hell?"
Kerrigan smirked, "Defend." She gave Breanna half a beat to regroup before she launched into her attack. She lunged low, driving a ripped series of stabs at Breanne, scoring several nicks to her shins but no kill points. Breanne defended well, her training kicking in.
Kerrigan had to fling her body back to avoid a kick to the face. Breanne had decided to go all out. Kerrigan rotated her hips in an astounding acrobatic move allowing her to counter with a blade to Breanne's inner left arm as they passed each other. Breanne obeyed the engagement rules and dropped that blade, locking the arm to her chest, declaring it out. Kerrigan tried to take advantage of the pause and swept her legs, but Breanne jumped them. What Breanne didn't count on was Kerrigan also slashing her legs with both blades. The force of the blows while midair caused Breanne to flip and smash into the ground face first.
"Shit fire, Girl! Yield!"
Kerrigan stopped a strike centimeters from Breanna's throat.
"Damn, Kerrigan, I thought you said your technique was passable."
Kerrigan blinked rapidly as the world came back into normal focus. Her hands shook from the exertion. "Well, I may have had help."
Breanne's eyes were wide, "Abraxas?"
Kerrigan grinned sheepishly, "He helps when he wants."
"Well, if he can help you do that, what the hell de you need me for?" Breanna said in a huff, pulling herself back up, and grabbing a towel.
Kerrigan toweled off her own sweat and checked her marks. She felt good about the match. She had received several slashes early on but none to the vitals. Breanna on the other hand appeared to have received several marks that could be considered kills.
"I need a shower before work. Thanks for the warmup." Kerrigan called as she sauntered out of the training room.
"Don't let that win go to your head, Kerrigan. I can still beat you when you are not being aided." Breanne called after her.
Kerrigan made it to her office reinvigorated from the cold air. She was surprised Natalie had not greeted her as usual, but she had also been a bit later after the morning warm up with Breanne. She set down her bag and slipped her mask back in a drawer, taking out a stack of papers to begin looking over her files for the day. A few minutes later, Natalie arrived with a steaming cup of apple cider with cinnamon.
"Bless you, Natalie. At least we can still get this even in this weather."
"Well, it might run out soon if the trains from Bayan don't come more often. Bayan Rail Line is starting to cause issues everywhere." Natalie said with a sigh. "Also, did you see Katie on your way in?"
"I thought I saw her at her desk, why?"
"We keep the building warm enough and I know she has a heater at her desk if she needs it but she is bundled up and has that scarf wrapped all the way up her neck. I don't know, she just seems off."
"Hmm. well, keep an eye on her."
"Yes, ma'am.
Around noon, Katie slowly made her way into Kerrigan's office. She knocked timidly on the door.
"Yes, Katie, what is it?"
Katie walked over and slid a sealed envelope onto her desk.
"Katie? What is this?"
Katie just shook her head and headed back to her desk where she sat quietly, staring off out the window. Kerrigan nodded and Natalie went to go check on her. After Natalie was out the door, Kerrigan slid open the envelope and pulled out the letter.
Letter of Resignation
Thank you for the wonderful time at Dragon Corporation, but I feel I can no longer effectively represent this brand and its image.
~Katie Cartright
Kerrigan flew out of her seat and shoved open the office door, startling Katie and Natalie. Brandishing the letter, "What is this? Katie, seriously, what is this?"
Katie buried her head in her hands and cried, not able to come up with any explanation. Natalie grabbed the letter and read the brief note. "Oh, Katie. What happened?" Natalie put an arm around Katie, but quickly lifted it when Katie flinched. "Katie?" Kerrigan watched in horror as Natalie gently pulled down part of Katie's scarf to reveal livid purple bruising with distinct finger marks around her neck.
"He said I couldn't tell anyone. Said if I did... said if I did people would get hurt. That I would regret it." Katie turned pleading eyes on Kerrigan, "Please, let me resign, I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me! If my family finds out." She covered her mouth, horrified at the thought, "They would disown me. Please, Miss Lokir!" Katie slid to the ground before Kerrigan, tears streaming down her face.
Kerrigan had gone white. "Katie," she said with barely controlled rage, "Who is he? I thought you told me you were going to the hot springs this weekend. ALONE."
Katie looked up with swollen, pleading eyes, "I, well, I did go. But it was... I am not supposed to say. I have sisters, Miss Lokir. He said he would make them disappear if I didn't resign and leave."
"Katie, I need to know who if I am going to protect you." Kerrigan said firmly.
The poor girl broke down again, but Kerrigan made out between the sobs, "Kelan."
Natalie looked up sharply at Kerrigan, "And I let you go to dinner with that monster?"
Kerrigan grabbed her phone and dialed, "Lear, find Kelan Benedict NOW."
"Ma'am, he is in a meeting with the Prima."
"The Prima? What the fuck is he doing with the Prima?"
"They have met almost every day the last week ma'am."
"Really? Anything to report?"
"Only that I got a bad feeling today. The Prima just sent for that young accolade. The one you and Breanne have been keeping an eye on. She is a real impressionable girl. I don't like the look I saw from Kelan or the Prima."
"Lear, I don't care what oaths you've sworn or to whom, you stop her from going anywhere with them. You hear? Revak Uth Abraxas Deinmaar!" she shouted the last, eyes blazing with power.
"Your will be done, my lady. On my honor."
"Set a tail on Kelan when the girl is safe. We will deal with him in due fashion." She hung up and turned to see a startled Katie huddled in Natalie's arms.
"My family?"
"If that beast dares touch them, I will personally make him regret the day he was born.
Kerrigan and Natalie didn't get much work done the rest of the afternoon. Kerrigan called her guardsman Stevic at the end of the day to take Katie home. "Watch over her and her family tonight. I will pay you double for the shift, and have Breanna arrange someone to replace you after a while."
"Of course, Ma'am. I will keep them safe."