Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Note: I love this quote. Mainly because I've always had a thing for slim Spanish fencers. Karin etc totally out of character. Sorry.

My Name is Inigo Montoya. You Killed My Father. Prepare To Die.

Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

Geppeto woke me around midnight. "It's time for your watch, Alice,"

Within a few minutes I was heading for the cathedral. I needed less sleep nowadays. Or maybe it was just that I learnt to need less sleep out of necessity.

Margarite was waiting for me. When I entered the cathedral, she stood up, and walked over to me.

"She's been pretty good so far. Talk to her if you want. I'm going to bed,"

"D'accord. My bed at Geppeto's is free,"

"Thanks. I've fed her and so on, so she should be all right,"

Then Margarite left, and I was alone with the prisoner. I went and sat down next to her. She was asleep. From the looks of things Margarite had uncuffed her left arm, and simply attached the handcuffs to each other around the pole. The basic effect of this was to leave her left arm free for use, and to allow her to move more comfortably, but to leave her right arm useless.

I set my candle down on the floor and looked at the lieutenant. She had long red hair that she wore tied up, ironically enough. She was dressed in German uniform.

It was several hours before she awoke. Luckily I had borrowed a book from Geppeto, so I wasn't bored. I was reading more and more these days. I don't like to be left alone with my thoughts.

When she did awake, her first words were "Why are you keeping me here?"

"To be honest, I don't know," I replied. "Bur for some reason Margarite thinks you're important. I don't even know your name,"

"Karin. Karin Koenig,"

"I'm Alice Hyuga,"

"How long do I have to stay here?"

"Either until we're all killed or until we think you're no longer a threat to us," I said. I was purposefully hardening my heart. If she escaped, if she destroyed the village, well, it would be my fault.

With some difficulty she sat up.

"Where do you come from?" She asked.

"My mother was Swiss and my father was English. I was brought up in England,"

"I'm from Munich,"

We lapsed into silence again. A while later she asked, "Why is this village special to you?"

"My uncle lives here. I've lived here for the past year,"

"Only a year?"

"Not even that. It'll be a full year in about a week,"

And for that past year, my heart had felt odd. Heavy. I could never forget about it. Now, that heaviness in my heart was weighing me down, suffocating me. Almost a whole year since Yuri's death.

The lieutenant didn't seem to notice my discomfort. "Why did you come here?"

"My father died,"

"I'm sorry. So your father died a year ago?"

"Two years now,"

"Huh? But I thought-"

"I saved the world in the meantime,"

"Huh? Are you serious?"

"Yes. And I lost someone very important doing so. I don't want to talk about it, I'm cranky through lack of sleep, and I've got a gun,"

"Ah. Who was it you lost?"

"That's the bit I don't want to talk about,"

"I'm sorry. Being held prisoner makes me a little inquisitive as to peoples reasons for doing so,"

"Well, I don't know why. You'll have to ask Margarite,"

"She said it was for you. Only she called you Alice Elliot,"

"I changed my name. Because of the person I don't want to talk about," I really didn't want to cry in front of a German soldier. I didn't want to cry anymore. I wanted Yuri to be proud of me for being strong, not worry about me because I couldn't cope. "I wonder what she meant?"

"I don't know. Who was it that died? Your husband?"

"I don't want to talk about it,"

"I don't want to be a prisoner,"

"I have a gun,"

"You won't use it,"

"What makes you say that?"

"You didn't want to take me prisoner, did you?"

"It's risky," I said.

"But your friend wanted to. She wants me alive. You've complied with her once. You're not going to stop because I'm nosy. So was it your husband?"

"No. Well, sort of. In the, ah, traditional sense of the word,"

"Huh?" She said blankly. Then her expression changed. "Oh,"

"D'accord. Why am I telling you this?"

"Because you're a nice person and I have a trustworthy face,"

"How do you know I'm nice?"

"You killed the soldiers quick. Someone cruel or thoughtless wouldn't have bothered to aim so precisely,"

"I don't see the point in suffering,"

"That's what I mean,"

I shrugged.

"What was he like?"

"He was my soul mate,"

"I don't believe in soul mates,"

"Good for you,"

Again we were silent.

"Why are you important?" I asked her. "What is it Margarite wants from you?"

"I don't know," she said. "I wish I did,"

"Well, tell me about yourself. Why did you join the army?"

"Well, my father was a marquis. I've been trained to fight from birth. The Koenig's used to be nobility back in Munich, but we've fallen on hard times recently. I just wanted to restore the family name,"

I couldn't see anything important in this information. Perhaps I was just too sleepy to process it.

"I-" she began. It was then that the door to the cathedral slammed open.

"Sorry I'm late,"

"It was a man I'd never seen before. He was dressed in white robes and had strawberry blonde hair. Karin started when she saw him. "Nicolai!"

He walked in. I stood up and faced him one hand on my gun. "Who are you?"

He studied me. "So you are the one they call Godslayer," he said.

"I did not know I had that name,"

"You defeated a god,"

"My friends and I defeated a god,"

"You are the Demon Eyes,"

"Yes,"

He smiled. "You're just the person I've been looking for,"

I saw his hands go to his pockets. The door behind him opened, and Jeanne, Blanca's mistress walked in. "Alice, are you – oh!"

Nicolai turned on her. He waved his hands and a bolt of pure energy struck Jeanne. In slow motion I watched her small form crumple to the ground.

"No!" I screamed. Before I knew it, I had dived onto his back. My 'Demon Eyes' told me that she was dead, if my normal eyes weren't enough. He spun around, trying to get me off. I was using my gun as a club now. I hit him over the head, and he slumped to the ground. It was only then that I noticed that he'd stabbed me in the shoulder. Staggering away, I clenched my fingers to the wound, searching for the weapon he'd left inside. I couldn't begin to heal until it was gone. I leaned against a wall, still facing Nicolai.

The door opened again. Margarite walked in.

"Alice -" She began. Then she took in the scene in front of her. I saw her face drain of colour as I managed to locate the weapon. It felt like a bit of wood. I gritted my teeth and pulled it from the wound, nearly fainting from the pain.

"Alice…" breathed Margarite. She caught sight of Nicolai lying on the ground in front of her, and her eyes narrowed. He was just beginning to regain consciousness, and his eyelids were fluttering.

"Karin…" he muttered.

Margarite pulled out her gun and before Karin or I could say anything she blasted the full six rounds into his chest. Nicolai's body slid along the floor a tiny bit, and his head dropped back.

Karin reached out a hand to him. "Oh, Nicolai," she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks, as the death pallor crept over his features.

Margarite slid her gun back into its holster.

"What are you doing! Why did you kill him!" Screamed Karin. Despite the shock, I began to concentrate on a healing spell. I was the only healer around able to cure a wound like this, and if I lost consciousness I knew I might die.

Margarite face was white with rage. She marched over to me, and picked up the thing Nicolai had stabbed me with. I had dropped it next to me. She strode over to Karin and held it out to her.

"Do you know what this is?"

Karin shook her head. She looked scared.

"It's Mistletoe,"

"Mistletoe?"

"Yep,"

"Huh? What can mistletoe do?"

"This has been specially prepared. It's cursed,"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean that Alice is now cursed,"

"What?" I asked. "What's going to happen to me?"

"Unless we find a cure, your soul will be devoured,"

"What? Devoured?" I asked. The healing spell was taking effect now, and I was beginning to feel a little better, physically, though the news of the curse wasn't doing much for my mental health.

"How do you know?" Karin asked, glaring at her.

Margarite shrugged. "I've been around a few times," she replied.

"Margarite, explain to me exactly what you mean by 'devoured'!"

Margarite came towards me. I could see the sorrow in her eyes. This scared me. Margarite was usually adept at hiding her true feelings. She sighed.

"Alice…"

"Tell me!"

"When you've rested,"

"Margarite! I feel fine! I'm a goddamn healer! Now tell me what you meant about my soul being devoured!"

"Your soul will be destroyed. Your body will go on living, but your soul will die,"

"How long have I got?" A calm question under the circumstances, but I was still in shock.

"I don't know. It takes people differently. A few months, perhaps,"

Neither of us said anything. Eventually, Karin asked, "Is there a cure?"

I don't think Margarite heard. She turned to Nicolai's body, and studied it for a minute. I did the same.

"Why?" I asked, though of whom I have no idea.

"I don't know. I think he just wanted you out of the way. You're pretty powerful Alice,"

"But…it was Yuri, and you and the others…"

"Yes, but you're the Demon Eyes,"

"Why did he want me out of the way?"

"He's the bastard son of Emperor Nicolas II of Russia,"

"What?" Interjected Karin.

Margarite nodded. "Yep. He and a few others were planning a coup in Russia. I've taken out the big boss, Rasputin, already. I've just finished with his other associates,"

"Huh? How did you know?" Asked Karin, looking as confused as I felt.

"I was a spy in my past life," she replied. "I heard about this group, and I found out that they were planning to harm you," she looked up at me, tears in her eyes. I'd never seen her cry before, couldn't have imagined it. "Oh Alice, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I could have saved you,"

"Don't worry about it," I told her. "We'll find a cure, and everything will be fine. You couldn't have stopped him,"

She nodded, rubbing at her eyes. "Maybe. I guess," she pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked Karin's handcuffs. "You can do what you like with the body," she told her.

"You're letting me go? Just like that?"

"Yeah. You can do what you want,"

Karin stood up and rubbed some feeling back into her wrists. "Did you keep me here simply as bait for Nicolai?"

"Yes," she said. I got the feeling she wasn't telling the whole truth.

"I don't believe you," said Karin. Margarite shrugged.

"There're two more bodies outside. Lenny and Veronica. I think you know them?"

"Lenny and Veronica? Yes, I…I think so,"

"Good. You can sort their bodies out too. Get Zhuzhen to help if you like,"

Karin nodded, and started to leave the cathedral, taking Nicolai's body with her.

"How did they slip through the guard?" I asked.

"They're some of the best in the army," Karin said. "Don't blame Zhuzhen. Any normal soldier, or officer even wouldn't have stood a chance," She finally reached the door and slipped outside.

Margarite nodded. "She's right. The village will be perfectly safe if we leave Geppeto and Blanca to guard it,"

"Hmm?"

"We're leaving soon, okay? We need to find a cure for you,"

"And going to the fort of regrets,"

"Yes,"

We were silent again. I was acutely aware of Jeanne's body still in the room. Because of our actions, our choices, a girl had died. Many had died. The soldiers out in the wood. Maybe one of them had a fiancé waiting. A girl who would be crushed, and heartbroken.

"Margarite…what's going on?" I asked her, finally. She turned to face me and rested both hands on my shoulders.

"Alice…I am your friend. I would do anything for you. You know that. I love you. And Zhuzhen. And Halley, and Keith, and Koudelka, and…"

"…And Yuri,"

"Yes. And I would not do anything to hurt any of you, all right? Trust me?"

I looked into her unwavering eyes. "Yes," I replied finally. "I trust you,"