Selina: The Flower of Carnage

The walk with Cathy and Tager remained silent, leaving Elaine alone with her thoughts. They were flooding with memories of Margaret, her beloved daughter, her pride and joy. Life passed too quickly, it seemed, while Selina was little. That was probably because she was separated from her so early in life. Elaine had to wonder if at all during that time, Margaret missed her. Did she feed herself alright? Did she ever fall in love? Did she make any friends? It was hard to believe that they would finally be reunited.

A warm smile touched her lips as her mind focused on a single memory...

~A cute little girl, five years old, with hair white as snow. Elaine was working in her garden, while Margaret and Tynee frolicked in the yard. There was a chocolate pie chilling in the fridge; it was Margaret's favourite. That girl seemed to love chocolate more than her own Mother!

Elaine heard bubbly giggles and an excited, barking dog. The gardening shovel was set down once she buried the last of her flower bulbs, and she then swiped her sleeve across her sweating brow. While she removed her gloves and turned around, she saw Margaret riding on the large dog's back, continuing to laugh her heart out.

"Weee! Look, Mommy! No hands!"

Little Margaret put her hands in the air as Tynee ran back and forth, his massive tongue hanging from the corner of his mouth. The Mother couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Tynee! Attack!" One of the daughter's fingers pointed at Elaine. The dog picked up his speed and charged towards Elaine as she pretended to be in peril, with nowhere to escape. She let their family pet knock her into the grass and lick at her face, while Margaret clapped her hands and shouted out her victory. Once Tynee moved away from her, Elaine snatched the little girl into her arms and put several kisses on her face.

"I think someone's ready for a snack."~

Elaine sighed inwardly at the fond memory, her eyes moistening. What she wouldn't give to relive those days...
 
Selina grinned as she held on to the spear.

"It is called a Hiuju staff." Selina explained. She then unscrewed the weapon, so it folded back down into a series of non-threatening looking sticks once again.

"These staffs are issued to every officer of a Kin regiment. While I was trained more along the lines of a partisan fighter; the dumb ass Tager made a smart decision for once, upon issuing it it to me. However, I've modified it enough that it's more streamline and easier to handle. Since I don't know what kinds of creatures we'll be facing off against, if you cover the rear, I can deal with the frontline. Just make sure you can run and fast. I'm not exactly known for taking it slow nor easy."

She then laughed. Maybe Selina was trying to make a joke...

"Now, we'll have to smuggle some kind of combat gear for you....If you show up in that backwoods get up of yours, the populace will want to throw you out of the ring."

Selina then eyed him over. Jon's long black leather coat was about the only thing uniformed about him and she really didn't care for the large beaded necklace that he wore either. "The key is make them assume that you belong to some kind of former military unit."

She then grabbed a sheet of paper from one of her logs and began to sketch a picture of a uniform. What Jon saw next would further add to the mystery of Selina...She was also an artist?
 
Jonathon seemed mesmerized by the staff as she explained what it was. He still held his new weapon as if it were a child, and then smirked as she laughed at... Something. The girl didn't have a very strong sense of humour, but she seemed to be trying. The only part of her sentence he found laugh worthy was her calling Tager a dumb ass.

"Don't worry, I won't slow you down," he promised. Jon's build was athletic for more than just working in fields. Some jobs required lots of speed, and he spent a lot of time running just for his mental health. It felt good to know that he'd be able to help her in some way, instead of being a burden.

While she made comments of his attire, he looked down at himself. It was true, he didn't resemble anyone that was once in the military. This jacket could help pull it off, but nothing else. Jon certainly didn't want to be tossed out of the ring just because of the way he looked... 'At least somebody knows what they're doing.' he thought gratefully. Then again, he never did doubt Selina's knowledge.

Curiously, he watched as she began to sketch something. A uniform, to be exact. There were more and more surprises for him everyday! The beautiful handwriting wasn't all that shocking, but... Drawing? Now he felt even more talentless in comparison to her.

"My God, what else can you do?" he asked, chuckling. Jon was clearly impressed with her, though he doubted she cared. No other woman has ever amazed him this much.
 
Selina raised an eyebrow. This young man was very odd to her. Compared to male Kin, Jon clearly showed his emotions at any given time. Male Kin on the other hand, were expected to remain emotionless and remain ever stoic. Is this what made humans so dangerous? They clearly lacked the ability to master themselves. It took her a while to respond to Jon's question. It was clearly not a literal question since he laughed. That meant it had to be a sign that he was impressed by something she did.

"I do what I need to do." Was Selina's response.

She looked at the drawing, noticing that Jon kept staring at it and back at her. "It's not that impressive..." She said.

Selina then grabbed the piece of paper from Jon and folded it up. She didn't want him getting any idea that she might be a passive artist fartist sort.

"We'll have to find the proper material. Then we'll have Alia make it for you. I saw her mending up the clothing for that little girl that had with her...Nana?"

Selina then began to pace back and forth. The room was small and she really didn't want to be couped up anymore.

"So how about it? We'll blow this Popsicle stand and go find you a proper uniform?"
 
Jonathon should have expected that she wouldn't simply say 'thank you' when given a compliment. Everything she did, was just something she needed to do. Surely, she had some hobbies to be proud of. Everybody did. This was no time for him to lecture her, though. Sometime in the future, he'd have to teach her to be more... Human. It seemed wrong to ignore that half of her.

"Yeah, Nana" he confirmed, getting the weapon comfortably strapped behind him while she paced about in the room. This place really was compact... Not to mention filthy. Sleeping outside in the grass sounded a lot more enjoyable than this. Though, this did have a roof.

Jon nodded to her, making a simple smile. "Let's get outta here. I hate it," he replied, walking over to the door just seconds after his words. He pulled it open a crack to peek outside, searching for anyone that might be a threat. Honestly, he didn't trust anyone here, except for the people he traveled with. People and Kin always seemed to be targeting them!

"Looks like we're clear to go..." he mumbled.
 
Selina looked left and right. It did appear that everything was in the clear. She was going to step out first. That was until Jon grabbed her by her arm and then crossed it with his own.

"You know..." He said, "I think that maybe we should try to blend in more with the human population..."

Jon was certainly acting a little bolder than he had at the start of their journey just a few days earlier. He liked the adventure that seemed to follow this young wayfaring stranger. She was a mix of a mentor, soldier, and woman all rolled into one young form.

"....You are right." Selina said. "Just don't get any bright ideas, got it?" Selina said. Her voice was sharp as it always was. But if Jon paid close attention the young soldier was slightly blushing. She wasn't used to close contact with others. Jon was colder than she was. Of course, the Kin were bettered designed for the coldness of the planet than these new comer aliens.

They both walked at a slow pace. While Selina had planned to act like they were little more than siblings, it was clear that it would be better to act like a legitimate couple...
 
Being this close to Selina, he admitted, was nice. As expected, she was a little annoyed by it, but this was for her safety as much as his. They could probably pass off as siblings now that she looked more human with that makeup job. He'd be the elder brother, looking after his little sister. Though, should trouble come along, Selina would doubtlessly be the one defending him. That would raise some suspicions...

Whilst linking arms with her, they strolled through a street of Oren, eyes peeled for what they were looking for. Something Jon noticed was just how warm she was. All this time, he called her an ice princess, yet her body temperature could melt that frigid solid within seconds. He could feel himself getting warmer, making him almost want to take his coat off.

Jon couldn't help but get distracted, though. He's never seen a place like this before! Now that he was walking through it, his mind was wandering, asking questions about how buildings looked inside or what the wood in the windows tasted like. The brightness in his eyes was youthful, though he remained calm, resisting the urge to make a goofy smile. They had a little mission, after all. Hopefully, they could explore Oren some more. Should the event come that he is banished, or even killed, he'd regret the lack of traveling through it.

"I wonder where Samson and those girls are," he said quietly, mostly to break the silence between them.
 
The city of Oren was much more advanced than the regions that Jon and Selina had previously visited. To the travelers and tourists to this land, they would call it the Land of Towers. Indeed, there were hundreds of skyscrapers that loomed over their heads. Selina decided to look straight forward. While she wanted to look up and be amazed by the scenery, Selina just couldn't. Not with Jon in front of her, at least. There was something about him that made her feel that she would have to keep her stern persona up. Deep in her heart, she was envious of him. Jon had never encountered death on the scale that she had. She still wished that he would have left her during the attack on Swamptown. At least, he would be able to keep his humanity, unlike how she had lost her own...

"I'm not sure." Selina said passively, "I'm sure he had some magical way to..."

They then felt two giant hands rest on their shoulders.

"Magical way to do what?" Samson said. Both Jon's and Selina's hearts were now racing. "Sorry kiddies, didn't mean to scare ya. I decided to stick in the rear alleys near the stables where they kept you for the games. Since Selina is a sly little bugger, I figured she'd escape with relative ease. My home is over this way. Come on. I'll sign a waver to allow you too stay with me during the games. I'm a vet, afterall."
 
Jon tensed when Samson came up behind them so sneakily, settling his large hands on their shoulders. If he didn't hear that familiar voice, he would have done something rash. Almost instantly, Jon relaxed under the old man's hand, his threatened face turning into his regular, usual expression. "Magical way to do... That," he answered, smirking over his shoulder.

That smirk turned into a thankful smile. It was nice to hear that they could stay with him, instead of that junk home they were thrown into. Jon's home on the farm was nothing glamorous either, but it was like a paradise compared to that shack!

"Thanks Sam. Did you want to go, Selina? Or should we keep walking?"

They were out on a mission, after all. Also, it wasn't Jon's place to make these decisions. She knew what she was doing, he was simply following.
 
"I think, it would be better if we stick with the Old Man for the time being. While I don't like admit it, Samson knows his way around Oren better than I do. I'll assume you were a front lines sort of guy in the Final Rift War of thirty years ago." Selina said.

"Hahahaha." Samson then slapped her hard on the shoulder. "If ya weren't such a bitch, I'd like ya even more."

"Don't touch me, you old pervert." Selina said dryly.

"Cranky, aren't ya. Anyways, just follow me then." Samson said, while starting to walk towards his home.

Selina's decision to follow Samson would be one of those events, that would change her life forever....

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A small beetle like Relic Guard loomed overhead. It's scanners had picked up high concentrations of heat coming from the eastern sectors of the city. It had been programed to sense any sort of unusual concentrations of power; either physical or magical. There had been a sudden spike in both heat and Rifts energy. These readings were then sent over to a group of men that spent their entire lives tapping away in front of screens. This Relic Guard had sent it's findings to these men.

"Holy shit." One of the men said, "There was a spike in Rift energy in the Eastern Sector. The Guard also picked up high levels of heat coming off from two citizens that walked past it. I think that it could be a Kin, should we inform the Tsar?"

"How do you know for sure?" Another asked.

"It's simple, really. Remember in grammar school, we can always find out that it is a Kin because only they can control Rift Energy without needing machines and they have a core body temperature that's higher than a humans..."

"I don't we should inform him, just yet. Remember, these machines have recorded high levels of energy in the past but we haven't found any Kin in the City. Let's face it, that Kin would have to be some kind of wayfaring stranger to come to a Kingdom like ours. The Kin are not humans, so they hate our guts. It is as simple as that. There is no grey in these sorts of matters."
 
Oren was coming into view for Elaine, who had a hand hooked onto Tynee's collar. She was feeling nervous, therefore felt the need to hold onto something. For her own comfort, she traveled behind Tager and Catherine the entire way. Most of the journey had been silent... There was nothing she wanted to talk about. Besides, she had no news to share with Tager. Life got dull after Margaret left her and she certainly didn't have a husband to be entertained with.

This city was impressively huge; she could be anywhere! Even from afar, she could see the skyscrapers. If she had an item of Margaret's, there was no doubt that Tynee could track her instantly. Sadly, she had nothing. The only materialized memory she had of her daughter was a picture in a locket around her neck.

Something Elaine didn't notice was that Tybalt was stalking them. She and the dog were too occupied with the city they'd soon enter, which was already filled with strangers they didn't trust. With every step she took, she felt her pulse beat faster. Finally, after all these years, she'd see her little girl again!

When they reached the gates, she waited patiently for their turn to enter. She wondered if Tager would have any trouble getting in... Elaine wasn't up to date on the rules of the world. Kin and humans just didn't get along for reasons she wished would go to rest.

End of Chapter Six​
 
Episode Seven: Lost Innocence​

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"It is now midnight and I'm sitting on the roof of Samson's home. My two journey to redeem myself and my father shall begin tomorrow. Tager and Edelweiss act like I'm nothing more than a speck of dust that they can control or murder off to save the integrity of their clan. I will show them that I'm not a pushover! These games shall be my Waterloo. The last stand.

I have to pretend that I'm a soldier without fear and without a choice. Just keep on marching on impulse until the day of my freedom comes."

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Selina had come up to the roof of Samson's home to think. She could hardly believe that after two years of living on the lamb that she would be able to make it to Oren. Tager and Edelweiss had failed to capture here and therefore she viewed this as the start of her path to a victorious life of freedom. Samson had pulled a few strings, so that her and Jon could stay at his second home here. Selina was slowly beginning to respect the old man; he must the must influential trickster she had ever meant.

She was lost in thought and didn't notice that Jon was watching her from the window nearest to the room in the attic that she had chosen to sleep in. The harvest moon that hung over the skyline made the Half-Kin even more beautiful to him. Though he did wish that she still had her white hair and ivory skin at a moment like this....

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"I don't get this feeling...It's just an impulse, right?" Jon thought to himself, "She's the most bossy woman I have ever met; yet she has a grace that none of the girls back at home...Something's whispering to me that she's the one..."

For a moment, he believed that she had peered his way, so he ducked as quickly as possible. It turned out to be a false alarm. Every time he thought about her Jon knew that she was impermanent, lacked humility, and was therefore was imperfect but that's what made her beautiful. It was her emotions that marked her as being different from the girls on the farm. She was private, crude, fatalistic, and cynical. Yet somehow this sadness made her beautiful in his mind's eyes.

Jon then placed his back against the wall and slowly smiled, "Hehehe, I'm a sucker for melancholy."

Selina was now wrapped up in a heavy blanket that she had carried in her pack. It was a light white with two horizontal notched bands. It was still the rainy season, so the winds from the north were blowing with their unrelenting fervor.

"I'm not small. I will prove this to the world...I am not small..."
 
It took a while for Jonathon to fall asleep. Even though he was sharply aware of how capable Selina was of caring for herself, he didn't want to miss the opportunity to give her his jacket if the rain fell down, or jump in to defend her if anything came with a threat. The only themes of love he was familiar with, were what he read in romance novels. There was no other time he even felt this way about a woman. It had to be her of all people...

Like always, he woke up with the sun. Alia and Nana were still soundly asleep. As for Samson, he wasn't quite sure where he was or what he was doing. The old man was sometimes awake before he was, or still sleeping. Either way, he didn't really care. That man didn't need any kind of help from Jon.

After getting his shirt back on, he moved over to a window, where he stared out at the skies and buildings. The views were all fascinating, but he missed being able to actually see the horizon. Jon liked open fields with less crowds; this place was just nice for a visit. If this was where Selina wanted to be though, he did as well. She didn't take kindly to him following her, but then again, why didn't she just coldly tell him to go away? There was no other sufficient response!

With a calm sigh, he folded his arms on the windowsill to rest his chin down, his eyes still locked on the gray sky. Being able to stand there and think reminded him how out of place he was. Jon was just a lonely farm boy, after all. His skills just couldn't match with anyone else's of the group he traveled with. Alia probably even had some knowledge of weapons and self defense!

Looking at it, he really didn't have a home anymore.
 
Selina hadn't moved very far from the position she had been in since earlier that evening. Her face remained emotionless by human standards. It was blank; unlike the feelings in her heart.

Dwelling on her father always put her into a nostalgic mood. Selina's relationship with him was mostly based on fragments of her childhood years. Her bright blue eyes stared off into the distance; past the skyscrapers and other man made structures that blocked the natural view of the land around it. Her mind's eye was once again busy focusing on the past.

From what she recalled, her father had long silver hair, just like Tager. However it was much softer looking. He wore a beard as well. This action was rather uncommon amongst the Kin; because they believed that facial hair was the sign of barbarians. Her father always had a smile on his face. For a brief moment she smiled because she recalled the way he said her real name.

"Margret" He'd always say in a deep fatherly voice. She'd always giggle. These days she refused to go by her birthname. It was all a part of her training. That damn training that brought to this point. She sighed, upon thinking about this. While she was proud of her ranking in the military, Selina felt that she had lost so much feelings; training and training. No time for fun. Though…The people that she just met were fun to be around but she could never admit it to their faces. She was still a lost confused child at heart.

Though to be perfectly fair, Selina would still be considered a child by the world. This warrior was only 17 years old. However, since had been little more than a rough and tumble sort; most people thought she had to be in her early 20s. Often she used this to her advantage.
 
About an hour after Jonathon awoke, Alia did as well. She looked to the slumbering child in their bed, smiling warmly at the sight. Nana looked so peaceful and angelic when she slept... Tenderly, she planted a kiss on the girl's forehead and then climbed out of bed, stretching out her arms to their fullest lengths.

From where she stood, she could see Jon staring out the window. He appeared to be deep in thought; she had a feeling she knew what about. After combing through her hair with her fingers, she quietly approached him, making a tap on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Hm?" Jon turned around, then smiled at her. "Good morning, Ali."

Ali smiled back at him, making a cutesy wave with her hand. "Where's Selina? I'm surprised the two of you aren't arguing about something, or training for the competition," she told him with a shrug.

"It's still early. I don't want to bother her," he replied, much of a lie as it was. He very much wanted to bother her, because he knew there was something on her mind. Selina didn't seem to care about the fact he concerned for her, though. The constant pushing away didn't hurt him as terribly as it should. Perhaps by now, he was used to it. How slowly they were getting close was making him somber, but he knew the relationship was still improving.

"Oh, I see," Alie cooed, then looked up at the roof. Jon was gazing upwards when he finished his sentence, so she could only assume she was up there! "I'm gonna go tell her good morning, then."

With that, she left Jon to climb the ladder that led to the rooftop. Once she read there, she took a few steps over to Selina's direction, taking a seat beside her. Like Jon, Ali wanted a good relationship with her. It was very rocky in the beginning, since she didn't really trust her. Now, there was no doubt that Selina was a friend.

"Good morning."
 
"Good morning to you as well." Selina said informally. She was still looking out at the wall that surrounded the city that she wanted to call home. "It is good to hear that you are in good health again. Samson mentioned about it last night before we got settled in. That amazing old coot; he knows the system even better than I do. Claiming to be a vet of the last Rift War in order to allow us to stay here instead of the barracks. That wife of his, gods rest her soul, taught him well."

The ex-slave then sat next to her. Selina's eyes still remained forward.

"It's weird being here. I just need to get through some more tests and then I shall be free of my burdens...Such a silly ambition I have."

Selina's eyes then closed and she had a slight smile on her face. Then something unexpected happened. Her black markings started to appear through the magically enhanced make up that Samson had used to cover them with. Instead of remaining black, they started to emit a strange purple glow. At the same time, the old blade that she always kept on her person, but rarely used in combat was also starting to glow that same purple.

They were reacting to Alia's presence.

This could mean only one thing: She was one of the Flowers in the Human World that Tager had told her to be weary of so many times in the past. They were the only ones that could stand up to the rule of the Kin....
 
The girl was making a head tilt as she watched Selina, listening carefully to her words. She was staring off into the distance, obviously deep in thought until a time came to voice them. Ali felt thrilled that she of all people was trusted with such information. Selina always struck her as the withdrawn sort, who seldom shared thoughts, feelings and secrets.

"It isn't silly!" she said honestly. "Fighting for what you want, need and love is amazing. The goal itself might seem silly to you, but it really isn't."

Alia parted her lips to say something more, but instantly shut them when she noticed the glows emitting from Selina. She raised her brows whilst making a puzzled expression. These lights made her wary; what did they symbolize? Only the hidden marks on her face and her weapon glowed with purple. All she could do, to make sense of this, is ask,

"Selina, um... What's going on?"
 
"I don't, I don't know..." Selina lied. If Alia didn't know she was one of the so called flowers, the better off the former slave would be. The Kin had a reason for wanting the Flowers rounded up and destroyed...The legends said that they would bring the downfall of the great societies. This is why the two nations should remain a part in their minds....

Selina tried her best to cover her face; an unwanted observer from the streets could easily ruin her plans to live in the city....

"I am sorry....But I must get inside." Selina said as she quickly moved towards the window that Alia had used to get on the roof. Luckily it was still open...

As she made it in, there stood Jon. He blinked as he saw the purple lights glowing on Selina's face.

Meanwhile....

Edelweiss stood up on the deck of her airship, Elijah. Her eyes were narrowed and it was clear to her soldiers that she was unhappy.

"You mean to tell me that Tager left this ship with that stupid little girl he found on the wayside?!?!!" She yelled at one of the Relic Guards that stood near her. "That fool! He keeps breaking the traditions of our peoples. How dare he! He should be on the right side of the fight."

She gritted her teeth has she remembered something from her past....

"My daughter. I have one goal for you in life...Keep our people strong. There are many that seek to bastardize the Kin and turn our proud race into slaves for the humans. Remember, that they are the alien lifeforms here. They are savage will do anything to conquer this world as their own....You are the true blooded one...."

Edelweiss' father had constantly told her lines like those and they sunk in. Every passing day she saw her people falling for the lies of the humans. Sure...They might seem similar to the Kin on the surface, but underneath, they were sub-Kin. Dirty little urchins that were sucking the life out of the world.

Just then, one of her guard approached her. His face was stern but she could sense a certain amount of fear in his mind.

"What is it?" She demanded.

"We just received an in-voice from your father. It appears that Tager was there recently and he removed an object from the Relics hall in the Crystal Tower...."

"And what concern is that to me?" She asked.

"It was the Mask of Rshacho."

".....He didn't. That bastard!" Edelweiss then slammed a fist into the wall.

The news of the Mask of Rshacho made Edelweiss uneasy. She knew of the power the item had; she had witnessed first hand the power it gave the last wielder of it.

The woman wore a red uniform, of a similar design to that of Edelweiss. Also like her, the warrior also wore a long braid of hair but she was several years younger. Edelweiss grinned for this match would an easy victory. That was until behind her stood the impressive figure of Tager. The tall collar of his blue coat contrasted with the red of his student.

They paired up. This duel was going to be a friendly game of fencing. Edelweiss picked up her blade and attempted to strike first but Tager's new student easily matched her speed! The girl then ran as quickly as possible and elbowed Edelweiss in the gut. She cried out in pain, for no one had ever dared to strike the daughter of a high ranking family.

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Her foe then picked up the blade that Edelweiss had been armed with and soon her neck was pinned down by an "X-shape" of metal. This was the only time that Edelweiss ever whimpered in pain.

"Master. Give me the order and I will end her." The girl said.

Tager waved his hand, "No, no. You proved your point. Disengage."

"As you command." The girl said with a cocky grin. She then fluffed her hair a little, revealing a golden mask....

Edelweiss then put her focus back on the guard. "We are going to the capital."

Several hours later....

Edelweiss moved forward, remaining as stately as possible. Her red uniform made her stand out from the whites of all these politicial figures in the Kin city of Ibis. Edelweiss and just returned from her raids on the rice villagers. With a new harvest of slaves and other goods, she would sleep well tonight for a change. She was headed towards the capital tower called the Ryckhalt, behind her marched two towering soldiers with short white hair. Neither of them appeared to have any expression on their faces. Edelweiss always traveled with these two, for they kept the advances of unsavory figures away.

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The halls of Ryckhalt was over crowded with old politicians and their various lackies.

"Generalmisso Dietrich, you cannot just barge here into my offices without a proper permit. You know the drill. I don't care if you are the head of the Eastern divisions. A woman like you...Well, needs to stay disciplined." The old man said, while take a puff from his cigar. "However...If you have news of finding the Flowers, then that is a different affair altogether." He smiled.

Edelweiss had to with hold an angst of disgust when she spoke, "We found the village where one of the Flowers was. It was burnt to the ground and my soldiers are currently searching the rounded up slaves to determine which one is the girl that we are searching for."

"That's it? Generalmisso, I don't like wasting my tax payer's money on empty results." The old man gritted his teeth. "Then what about that Tager fellow? Is he actually making any advance on finding that half-blood?"

"That is what I wanted to talk to you about....Father." She said, "He took the mask. Which is rather interesting; considering the fact that you are the only one with access to it."

Edelweiss then drew her sword, "You are trying to trick the Military by giving Tager access to technology that he was banned from having excess to?!?!?"

The old man laughed, "I will tell you in good time. There are certain things a fool hearty woman like yourself do not need to know for the time being. Tager is a wise man and he knows what he is doing. Since you have failed time and again to bring in that bloody mixed blood Orion."
 
Catherine was asked to wait in an abandoned shelter while Tager left to acquire something. She sat at a table that was in poor shape, the chair covered with dust from years without a cleaner. There was even an abandoned spiderweb beneath the set drawn from one leg to the other. Cathy paid no mind to the filth, though. She left the cushy life of a future housewife to make something of herself. Some dirt wasn't going to bother her!

As she sat there, she tapped a finger on the table's surface, her brown eyes gazing at a wall of the shack. She was deep in thought, her expression emotionless the entire time. Tager had plans for her; he said something about helping bring the half-blood home. She trained daily with her sword and learned of her inner powers that came with being a Kin. Cathy wasn't fully confident with her skills, though. Either Tager had something up his sleeve or he was very confident in her.

The upcoming battle aside, her emotions were a mess. From the moment she saw Tager, she was foolishly in love. What stemmed from that was undying devotion. Cathy would do anything for that man, even if it meant dying. He saved her life, after all. She felt like she owed him. At the same time, she just wanted to express her love in any way possible. Hopefully, he'd see her for more than just... A pawn. She knew how furious her family would be if they knew she was letting herself be used. There was nothing upsetting about it, though. She felt like this was what she was meant for and had hope that someday, she could be something more.

On her lap was the sheathed weapon that belonged to her grandfathers. She looked down at it, her hands setting onto the covered blade. Every passing day, she felt a stronger connection with her weapon. The realization that just because she was a woman, she wouldn't have been given the sword, was infuriating. It was meant to fall into her hands! Cathy was certain of it.

'I'll prove that I can do more than cook and clean.'
 
Elaine sat behind Cathy.Her large dog stood next to its master's chair, growling at the Kin when ever he walked by. Tager was never fond of dogs to begin with and this monster of a hound was apparently trained to be aggressive to beings its master didn't like.

"It will take until about night fall tomorrow before we reach Oren." Tager mentioned as he started a small fire in a grill that he found in the back of the house. From the looks of this place, it was clear that it had been raided by slave drivers. They were such a common problem in these. Of course, they were sponsored by the so called "Square Trade" between the Kin and the Tsar's nobles. If any came there way tonight, Tager could easily crush them....

He then walked over to Cathy and presented her with a gift box. "This is for you. A gift from a fellow Kin to another."

Tager then formed a rare smile on his face. This was the mask that Edelweiss was looking for.
 
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