"First name, Katrina, Last name, unknown. Sex, female, Age, Unknown, Height, five feet eleven inches. Weight ranging between one hundred and sixty to one hundred and seventy pounds. Appearance, red auburn hair, brown eyes, pale white skin, and a scar under her left eye. She is most commonly found wearing a highwayman shirt and shorts with red striped stockings and knee high boots. Carries duel pistols named Love and Hate which she holsters, one on each outer thigh. They use and unknown ammunition which have adverse effects. Origins of target, Western Samarkand. Mission is to locate and kill. Any questions?" The masked figure looked up from his paper and scanned the room full of equally cloaked figures. "This is high risk. Those of who aren't killed by the terrain on the way there run the risk of being killed by her protectors or even herself."
"Why are we even going after her if she's all the way in Samarkand?" one of the men called out.
"Let's just say it will be better if we snip this bud before it fully blooms."
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The sun was particularly sweltering that day and all the humidity just made it worse. It was one of those days where it felt like you were drowning on land, but in the cool waters it had no effect on Katrina. She sat happily on the rock, the water covering up to her neck, feeling the fish swimming by causing small disturbances in the water. She listened as a distant storm rolled its way in, a bright spot in the future; a form of relief from the heat was coming their way. An especially loud clap of thunder caused her to open her eyes and watch as the first raindrops landed on the water's surface.
"Looks like it's time to get out." She mumbled to herself as she swam to the shoreline. She didn't even bother to dry herself of before putting on her robes. Why bother. Plus it would help her stay cool if she didn't. Another clap of thunder made her hasten her way from the court yard to the security of her home. In the doorway she slid her slippers off and one of the staff took them as they handed her a towel. Throwing it over her shoulder she padded down the hallway to the library.
"Wearing one of your robes from southern Samarkand I see. Master Garth would have mixed feelings about that." A voice said from behind her.
"I know, Sanvia, but it is so much cooler than my other robes, I'm pretty sure that he'd understand." Katrina stated as she turned to face one of the sweetest people in the world, "Plus it could be worse. I could be running around in my commoners clothing."
"What clothing? That outfit barely has anything to it. Where did you even get it from?" she said giving her charge a small smile.
"From the docks." Katrina said evasively as she tried to duck into the library. The smile had quickly left Sanvia's face at hearing this.
"From whom did you get it from?" Her tone was deathly serious.
"We both know who I got them from, let's not carry on. I need to study now." The change of subject was attempted.
"I want to hear you say where and from whom you got them from." Change of subject failed.
"I got them from the pirates down at the docks for five gold and my weave bracelet." Even though she stared at the ground she knew the look that Sanvia was giving her. It was the same look she had received a million times as a child after she had done something wrong.
"You know very well that Master Garth has forbidden you from socializing with the pirates. He doesn't even like you going to the docks at all." Katrina had the feeling that a long lecture was heading her way.
"I know, but he isn't even here to have any grievances with it. When is he even coming back? It's been a year since we last saw him." Since he put that thing in my neck that started to make me see the future she thought to herself.
"You know Master Garth, he shall turn up soon. As far as the pirates go, you are not allowed to leave the grounds for a week." Sanvia turned on her heels and left before Katrina could say a word in protest. She knew it was no use arguing with Sanvia, what she said was law. When Garth wasn't around she was in charge. Plus she had every single one of the staff in her pocket; they would totally snitch on her if she tried to sneak out.
She resigned herself to the library with a sigh. Leaning back into one of the lounges she contemplated the dream she had had as she was soaking in the water. Were people coming after her now? Or was that in the future? Or was it just a possible future?
"This curse brings more questions than answers." She snorted as she as she picked up a book on the old kingdom and began reading, "Eh whatever comes shall come."
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The storm was right over them now. The sun had gone down and the lamps had been lit. Katrina had spent hours in the library doing her studies on the old kingdom and geography. She even read about a thing called snow. She would love to see snow one day.
She started to grow restless. It was mostly the thunders fault. She always go so energetic when she heard thunder. Her will even crackled to life on its own accord at times during a thunder storm. It was like the storm was talking to some primal side of her, the side that housed the control of her will and subconscious.
Yes she had hero blood in her. Her mother was related to the hero of Oakvale, though how, Garth had yet to tell her. He really didn't tell her a lot of things. He wasn't around enough to.
Her mother had left her in his care and he in turn left her and Sanvia's. Though he did leave a detailed lesson plan for her to learn and he gave instructions for her to learn the arts of war and defense. She knew how to use a sword and a gun and basically any other weapon she deemed appropriate for bashing in an enemies head at any given time. In fact she flourished in it. Her mind was as sharp as any scholar in Samarkand. Probably as sharp as Garths himself and she could hold her own against any opponent or any number of opponents. The only opponent she couldn't handle was the boredom creeping into her everyday life. It was starting to consume her every thought.
She put the book she had been reading back on the shelf and headed into the hall. She couldn't shake the sense that something big was going to happen…
Sanvia was bustling down the hallway toward her, a great smile spread across her face. Katrina couldn't help but smile back.
"Looks as if you've received your wish miss Katrina. Master Garth is on his way home; he is in town and will be coming to the house in an hour."
"That isn't enough time to cook a proper meal for him and he most likely will be hungry. He always is when he comes home." Katrina furrowed her brow; she always cooked Garths first meal home.
"That's Okay, he said to just make a light meal, he's happy with anything you cook, though he did say to put out another setting as we might have a guest."
"A guest? He's never brought home a guest before. Ever." Surprise was clearly written across Katrina's face and as Sanvia thought about it she realized that the girl was right, Garth never brought home guests.
"Well this person must be extra special then. Com now Miss. Let's go make his dinner. We don't want him to have to wait for his food once he gets here do we?" Sanvia took Katrina's hand and started leading her to the kitchen.
"No I suppose not." She said, a smile creeping across her face. She sped up nearly dragging Sanvia behind her. She was so excited. Father was home.
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The table was set and waiting. The only thing missing was Garth. Katrina could barely contain her excitement and nervousness. She had no right to be nervous, not really. But she still was anyway. The last time Garth was back he implanted that shard of whatever it was in the back of her neck and started the cursed dreams. Then a few years before that he did some kind of old kingdom ritual on her and she hasn't aged a day since. She actually had every right to be nervous. She didn't know what he would do next.
She finally gave up her pacing and went to her quarters. She changed into one of her fancier southern Samarkand robes. Admiring the colorful light material and how it seemed to change color in the light. Looking into the mirror she remembered the one slight draw back of her cleavage popping out of her top and the slit in the skirts running up to her thigh. It revealed a little more skin than she was used to showing but gosh darn it kept her cool and comfortable in hot muggy weather, which the storm had failed to alleviate.
She looked into the mirror once more and decided to run a brush through her red lion's mane she called hair to tame it down some. Thought on some days it needed a whip and a shield today was one of the better days where just a few strokes of her brush put the hairs back in place and left it shiny.
Once she placed her brush down she heard a knock on her door. She didn't bother answering, she knew it was Sanvia telling her that Garth was here and summoning her to dinner.
She slid out of her room, shutting her door behind her and headed to the dining area with Sanvia in tow. She was wondering why the woman was fretting over her clothing; it wasn't as if she were going to dinner naked.
But when she saw garths face she felt she might as well have. He was not happy at all and when she looked to his left she saw why he was upset.
Next to Garth sat a man dressed in gold and red. His face was in a permanent sneer and his mouth was spread across his face in a grin. There was a hungry look in his eyes for a second but the n he had himself in check and acted as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
"Reaver this is my adopted daughter, Katrina." Garth introduced." Katrina, this is Reaver."
"The pirate king Reaver?" She asked tilting her head to the side, looking the guest up and down with her eyes.
"The one and only ma chère. It seems that my reputation precedes me." He said lowering his head in a mock bow.
"Yes I have heard of you exploits among the storytellers in town." She replied but the look on garths face told her that he knew "story tellers" she meant pirates.
"I assure you they are not stories and I certainly hope that you haven't heard of ALL my exploits. Some are just too scandalous for a darling petit trésor such as yourself to hear." A smile graced Reaver's lips and he then motioned to the seat opposite of him. "Now please join us before the dinner gets cold and spoils our appetites. Though I doubt anything gets cold in this kind of weather."
She couldn't help but smile as she took a seat across from Reaver, on her father's right hand side. Though she had taken a quick liking to him, his charms didn't completely disarm her. She had hear the stories. She knew that this man was going to be trouble.