Steel, Fire, Honor and Ruin
Chapter 14
conversations in the night
Location: Beekerhoven, city of Nordland
Day 38
Massive blood loss aside, Maria Shepard understood the danger she was in. This wasn't her first rodeo so to speak.
After being assisted into the city of Beekerhoven, the friendly knight going by the name Erhart carried her to a nearby building just inside the city gates. It turned out to be a guardhouse and armory for the locals as Maria passed by a few more soldiers and stored weapons. Once inside she was led to a room lined with small beds where Erhart helpfully helped her onto the nearest one.
He was helpful like that.
Maria's head rested on a pillow. She closed her eyes just to enjoy the feeling. Way softer than the bark of a tree.
"Help me get the armor off," Erhart said to a second solider standing beside the bed.
Her eyes snapped back open. "No."
Erhart just ignored her as his hands started working on her chest plate.
Maria grabbed his arm and despite her weakened state held tight. "No. Armor stays on."
"You're covered in gore," he said with a frown. He tried to work her fingers off his arm. "We need to check you for injuries."
"Armor stays on," she repeated firmly. "I am fine. Just the scratch on my neck. Nothing else."
He gave up trying to get her to let go. "If you're calling that wound a scratch you clearly have no feeling across the rest of your body."
"It will heal," she replied with a smirk.
"Even if it does, it's going to scar horribly."
Maria winked at him. "That will heal to. Trust me."
One more thing she could thank Cerberus cybernetics for. Didn't matter how nasty the fight was, after a few days you couldn't tell Maria had just been shot four times. Even the scars would fade away.
Erhart let out a martyred sigh. "You Reiksguard are crazy." He shook his head. "Fine. We wait for the doctor." He glanced at the other soldier. "Fetch some clean water and rags."
The soldier left the room leaving Maria alone with Erhart. She let go of his arm and tried to relax. Only a few hanging lanterns were lighting up the room she was in, with a candle on the nightstand next to the bed. Just dark enough that no one should be looking twice at the weird collector armor hidden just underneath the metal plates. If she kept the soldiers from removing them, she was fine.
And as far as Maria could tell, aside from her head, she wasn't injured anywhere else. But from the looks Erhart kept sending her way, the one injury was enough.
"That bad?"
"I've seen worse," Erhart said meeting her eyes. "You would have to lose your head for it to be worse, but no, it doesn't look good."
Wow, ok, way to sugar coat it. "Am I still bleeding?"
He sighed again. "I don't know, there's an awful lot of blood covering everything." He reached out and gently took her chin in an armored hand and turned her head. His brow furrowed as he examined the wound. "Yes, but… only a little. With cuts that deep, how in Shallya's name is that even possible?"
Shallya, goddess of mercy and healing. Her temples, priests and priestesses can be found across the whole of the Empire, the southern realms of Estalia and Tilea, and even a few places in Bretonnia; and they are the ones responsible for healing the sick, injured and corrupted of the world. With that many different countries and cultures worshipping her, you had to believe there was something to it.
But they still had nothing against four billion credits and good old human scientific ingenuity.
Maria took his hand from her chin. "Told you."
"What happened out there? Run into a few beastmen?"
Maria closed her eyes only to see jaws snapping inches from her face. Opening them she swallowed and lightly shook her head. "No. I was attacked by four wolves. Dead wolves."
Erhart chuckled. "I guessed that. Still, it's a rare pack of wolves that decide to hunt a human."
He didn't understand. She grabbed his arm and met his eyes. "No. I was attacked by four dead wolves. They were already dead, but still moving and attacked me."
He stared back at her and she saw the moment he realized what she was saying. Erhart shot a quick glance over his shoulder then leaned in over the bed closer to her.
"You're a Reiksguard," he began, his voice low. "I know the significance of that. This isn't me questioning you just because you're a woman. But are absolutely sure that what you fought was an undead wolf?"
"Erhart, I tore one in half and it was still trying to chew my arm off," Maria replied seriously. "They were undead wolves. You want to ride out and check, I will show you the bodies."
"No, that won't be necessary." He straightened back up and just stared at the wall as a pained look overtook his features. "That means there's a Necromancer in Nordland or worse still… Sigmar preserve us…"
The worse still was probably a Vampire. As dangerous as they were, reanimating the dead and wielding dangerous magic, necromancers were still mortal men and woman. Honestly between the two and considering she had openly pissed off the Vampires already, Maria hoped it was the latter.
But a moment later that hope evaporated. She had first met the wolves back in Middenland. So either she had the massive misfortune of traveling in the same direction as a necromancer across two whole provinces for nearly two weeks… or somewhere along her travels the Vampires had found her again.
"Maria?" Erhart asked her suddenly. "You alright? You don't look so good."
Luckily, she was saved from answering as the soldier and doctor finally arrived. The soldier was carrying a bucket of water and a few strips of cloth, while the doctor walked in carrying a thick wooden case.
The doctor wasn't dressed as professionally as the one she had seen back in Nuln. Put him in a crowd and you'd never guess his profession. He wore a white shirt with a brown vest over it and brown pants. His face had begun to stretch with age and his hair was solid black without a hint of grey. But as soon as he saw Maria laying on the bed in dented bloodied armor, his face went as red a beet and storm clouds gathered above his head.
"Why is the patient still covered in more viscera than my table after a full weeks' worth of surgery?" he demanded while pushing Erhart aside so he could place his case on the small nightstand.
Maria opened her mouth but Erhart beat her to it. "The armor stays on. She appears fine apart from blood loss. Just do your best to clean the wounds."
Maria had to look twice as the doctor reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a monocle. He wiped it on his shirt then perched it over his left eye. After that he began rolling up his shirt sleeves.
He was wearing a monocle. Doctor Chakwas needed a monocle! She would buy the doctor one when she got back.
He glared at Erhart. "Appears fine? Four deep lacerations running down the patient's face and neck does not a healthy person make! Now help me get the armor off before infection sets in."
"Oliver!" Erhart snapped, stopping the doctor as he reached for her armor. He gave the man a hard stare. "The armor stays on for now. This isn't up for debate. She was attacked by the undead just outside our walls. Please clean her up and bandage the wound. I need to go and alert the rest of the guard." He looked at Maria. "Get some rest. You're safe within our walls."
With that he left the room, taking the other soldier with him.
The doctor glared daggers at his back. "See how fast he fled the room, the coward. Tell me how to handle my patients… don't come whining to me when your guts fall out again! See if I feel like stitching you back up or not!"
He turned and leveled his stare on her as he took hold of her head, one hand on her chin the other on her forehead, and slowly turned her so the injury faced up.
"Undead really do this?" he asked sharply.
Maria made a little nod in his grip. "Yes. Four undead wolves."
He let go of her, opened his wooden case, and started pulling out a number of jaws. Some had leaves inside, others looked like they contained dirt, one was filled with a foggy gray liquid. Once he was done with that, he took the bucket of water, dunked a rag inside, and wringed it out.
"Here's how this is going to go," he said as he started dabbing her cheek. "I'm going to clean your wounds. You will keep wearing this disgusting armor. I will give you medicine which you will take without question or complaint. Once you're all bandaged up, I at least expect you to try and stay still long enough to regain some of the blood you've lost. Am I clear young lady?"
Maria knew he wasn't really asking. "Yessir."
Some of the red began to leave his face as he nodded approvingly. "It seems I've stumbled upon intelligent life. Looks like you deserve that armor after all."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She could just barely make out her reflection in his monocle. Besides being an incredibly angry and scary man, he was quite gentle as he dabbed her face. Maria felt her eyes begin to close on their own.
Doctor Chakwas sooo needed a monocle.
A sudden shouting jolted her back awake. She heard boots marching outside her room. The doctor was still standing over her.
Maria tried to push up but he was ready for her with a hand on her shoulder keeping her down.
"I'm not done yet," he growled pushing on her shoulder. "Noisy bastards. Still the middle of the bloody night."
"Is it normal for that much noise?" Maria asked, keeping the nervousness out of her voice. Last thing she needed is more of the wolves jumping over the wall to get her. Oh yeah, great, flying wolves. Wouldn't put it past this crazy world. "Is there something outside the walls?"
The doctor huffed. "If there was something outside the walls, I'd like to think someone has the presence of mind to fire a shot or two at it. Put those cannons to good use. So until you hear those blasting away settle back down and let me do my job in peace. You've been asleep less than an hour."
Maria nearly groaned. "Felt like a second."
He moved for the nightstand and picked up a small wooden bowl foaming over at the edges. "Blast it all!" He picked up a clean strip of cloth and held the bowl so the foam covered the rag. "All this ruckus… made me miss my measurements."
"What is that for?" she asked.
"I've cleaned your wounds," he explained, covering the entire cloth in the foam, "gotten the dirt out. This is to prevent infection and help speed recovery. I'll be covering the length of the cuts with this."
That was all fine in her book, but thanks to her cybernetics any natural remedy would probably be attacked by her amped up immune system and eliminated before giving the medicine a chance to do its job. Medi-gel would have been preferable. Of course, medi-gel was planets away at this point. Oh well. Any little bit would help in the meantime.
Someone could be heard shouting outside.
BOOM! The entire building shook, loosening a sprinkle of dust from the ceiling.
The doctor looked back at the door, then at her. "That doesn't bode well."
BOOM! A second explosion of noise shook the room, but this one was immediately followed by several smaller pops. Musket fire. More people could be heard shouting.
Maria sat up. "How strong is the city?"
The doctor shrugged, still remarkably calm. "Better than most in Nordland. We lie next to the capital. The silver mines are on our doorstep. The Knights Panther have a chapter house only an hour from our gates."
The shouting outside gained volume. Someone screamed.
He shrugged again. "Of course, it is the middle of the night, our army is asleep. We weren't expecting an attack. And the chapter house for the Knights Panther is an hour away."
The was a crash that came from the front of their building. Maria could hear furniture, tables, chairs, being thrown about. She and the doctor both looked at the doorway.
And then a monster burst through.
Maria's jaw dropped. "What the shit?!"
The monster stood taller than a man and was hunched so it wouldn't hit the ceiling. It walked on four legs. Its front legs were actually wings bent back to allow it freedom on the ground, leathery and torn in multiple places. Hooked claws carved into the wooden floorboards. Its body was grey and covered in hair with a mane of stark red hair running down its back. Its head was that of a bat, but narrower, and it jutted out into a horrible mouth lined with sharp teeth. Two of its teeth, its incisors, were far longer than the rest.
The creature/bat/please-don't-be-a-vampire thing saw Maria and the doctor with blood red eyes. It opened its mouth and a terrible screech filled the room, so loud it felt like it pierced through Maria's ear drums.
Then it leapt at them.
The doctor dived to the floor as Maria rolled out of the bed, scrambling back as the creature smashed it to splitters in the blink of an eye. It opened its jaws and another screech filled the room as it stood only a foot in front of her. She saw a bloodied cloth in its teeth and then its eyes met hers.
There was nothing there. Just a dreadful lust to kill, rip and tear. It was a predator and everything else was its prey. It started crawling toward her.
Maria pulled on her biotic power, cloaking it around herself like a shroud for protection. Layering it tighter and tighter until there was a visible solid blue wall between her and the creature.
And then she thrust out her arm sending all that power into the thing. The blast caught the creature in the chest, ripping away the fur and flesh. It picked the thing up off its claws and feet, threw it across the room until its back hit the wall, broke through the boards, and continued through to the next room after that, and finally out of the building entirely. Maria had just built three new doorways for the guardhouse.
Laying out on the ground, Maria looked across the room to see the doctor sprawled out just as she was. He looked back and forth between her and the new holes in the walls, and then he just looked at her.
"If you have magic why didn't you use it to protect yourself against those wolves?" he demanded, looking very annoyed as he climbed to his feet.
Maria nearly rolled her eyes. "I did. They jumped me."
Something frighteningly familiar shrieked outside the building. Sounds of fighting filled the air.
"You didn't kill it," he reported, unnecessarily.
Maria tried to stand but only slid back down on her butt still dizzy. "Not good. That was the best I've got right now." She could still shoot it of course, but that was a little harder to explain than waving her fingers and claiming 'magic'.
The doctor went over to her and lifted Maria to her feet.
"You may not be bleeding but your wounds haven't closed yet. Try not to tear them open as we go."
Maria put her arm over his shoulder. "Can you see without your…um," she pointed up at his eye. His monocle had fallen off.
"I use it to examine wounds, young lady, not see my way down the streets." He snorted. "Probably see better than you."
He helped her out of the room then wisely guided her toward the back of the guardhouse. All around them they could hear shouting and screams. A few gunshots went off now and again. The cannons hadn't fired since their first rounds.
They reached a door and the doctor yanked it open.
Just outside right in their faces another of the gruesome bat creatures was hunched over a body. A torn neck hung from its jaws as the creature turned to face them. It spread its wings, jumped into the air and flapped into the night, carrying the body with it.
Screw it. She'd shoot the lot. Maria reached into the bag at her hip and pulled out her locust submachine gun. The weapon expanded in her hand.
"We need to keep moving." And this time she was the one pulling the doctor. Seemed the gruesome sight had made him silent.
They walked into the street together. Soldiers were fighting more of those winged beasts. She could see four of them on the wall. Another two were beside gate, one of which had a big hole in its chest. A pair of mounted knights were desperately trying to keep them at bay. Bodies and blood covered the ground.
"What's that in your hand?"
She supposed it was too much to hope he would stay silent.
"This is the most powerful gun in the world," Maria replied. At least until it overheats. "It is also a secret," she added quickly. "Don't tell anyone. Emperor's orders." She took aim at one of the creatures on the wall. "And don't drop me."
She squeezed the trigger and sent a pair of three-round bursts into the nearest bat things chest. It took notice of that right away, screeching at the top of its lungs. It spun away from the four men it was previously trying to kill and dived from the wall straight for Maria and the doctor, its wings spread and its jaws wide.
She took aim and squeezed the trigger again. The rounds burst through the creature's head. It fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
The remaining creatures reacted to the death. They all spun to face Maria. Each shrieked in turn. At her. Directly at her. Then they spread their wings and took flight together disappearing into the night.
"I can see why the Emperor wants to keep that gun a secret," the doctor acknowledged as he surveyed the dead thing at their feet.
/ooooooo\
Day 39
As soon as the creatures flew off, the city of Beekerhoven exploded in a frenzy of action. Maria and the doctor were both hurried further into town and within the thick walls of the city's castle garrison, as waves of now battle-ready soldiers poured out. Within the hour the full military force of Beekerhoven was awake and patrolling the walls and streets.
If the bat creatures attacked again this time they'd face an army.
Which was a huge comfort to Maria. Ever since the attack she couldn't help remembering when all the creatures looked directly at her. Their eyes had been terrible. They wanted to rip her apart. Why they didn't, unnerved her just as much as the creatures themselves.
Why was this world so complicated?
Everything back in her world could be explained. The things she fought made sense. Geth were built by the Quarians. Some of them convinced to fight on the Reapers side. Collectors just turned out to be the last of the Protheans. Modified and kept around to be useful servants for the Reapers. Pirates were pirates. Slavers were slavers. Terrorists were terrorists.
And the Reapers were machines. Ridiculously large and powerful machines, but machines none the less. And they were stuck out in dark space. As long as she kept them there…
This was an absolutely, positively messed up world. It was enough to keep her awake the whole night. Luckily blood loss and an overexertion of biotic power knocked her out well enough.
/ooooooo\
Morning came fast. And with it a whole host of problems.
Maria finally got out of her blood drenched Reiksguard armor. Cleaned herself up so the doctor could have another look at her wounds. Whatever that foaming mess of his was it kept the strips of cloth stuck over her cuts like glue. The bandages now covered the left side of her face and down her neck.
It also itched to high heaven, but he just claimed that meant it was working.
With her armor gone Maria was now wearing a Nordland uniform. The shirt was dyed into two colors, split right down the middle. One side a deep blue, the other a bright yellow. Brown pants and black boots filled out the rest of her outfit.
Just like when in Bokel, Maria had been forced to hide her collector armor back in her room.
It was still early in the morning and she was now standing in the back of a large circular room in the center of Beekerhoven's castle garrison. Armed soldiers lined the perimeter with her. It was a war room. A room where serious people discussed serious subjects. And those men sat around a table in the center. If it were possible, Maria would be sprinting for the door. But she couldn't. Because she was a Reiksguard and her attendance had been requested by a certain someone she couldn't ignore.
There was no doubt in Maria's mind that she was in as much danger here as she was facing that Vampire Count back in Blood Keep.
"There's no question. I examined the remains myself. What we fought were Vargheists," reported one of the men. There were only two at the table not wearing armor plate, and he was one of them. "Vampires starved by centuries until madness takes them and the predator emerges. They don't work in concert unless given orders by someone strong enough to exert their will over the primitive minds."
"A Vampire Lord…" someone groundout. The title hung over the table.
"There aren't any Vampire Lords left in the world," another cut in.
The first man shook his head. "We may have killed those risen from Sylvania, but there are those Vampires old enough and powerful enough to claim that title still living outside the Empire. Their kind weren't born here after all and –"
"Spawned more like."
"Yes, well, regardless. Even centuries after that conflict we haven't accounted for all the blood-drinkers that rode to war against us."
"Back during the wars no undead army ever marched as far as Nordland. It's unthinkable," another man added.
A third huffed. "Do you see an army? We fought off remnants of a bygone age. Now they are gone. It's done."
"The threat remains!" growled yet another. "We didn't kill them! They flew off on their own. We need to send word to Reikland. The Emperor must be told. Stirland as always remains weak and undisciplined. They let something through their watch. An investigation must be made."
"On that we agree."
"Aye."
"Aye."
Everyone looked to the man sitting at the center of the table. He was one of the tallest in the group. Wearing full plate armor like the rest of them. Across his shoulders was a green, fur-lined cape. He had a wide, broad face lined with age, and a head of full white hair that spread about almost like a lion's mane. A goatee, also white, covered his face and chin. He was old, but his flinty eyes showed no weakness. He sat with the stature of a man ready to leap into any challenge. You knew he didn't wear his armor just for show.
The man's name was Theodoric Gausser, Elector Count of Nordland, wielder of the Nordland Runefang, one of the twelve magical swords forged by the renowned dwarf runesmith Alric the Mad during the time of Sigmar and gifted to his tribal chiefs as a badge of office; twelve swords still carried today. He was the most powerful man in the province, one of the twelve most influential in the Empire, and his fortified keep was built between Beekerhoven and Salzenmund. He had ridden for the city in force as soon as word had reached him.
He was also currently ignoring all his men and staring straight at Maria. She held his gaze.
"Send a message south, then." Theodoric's voice was as solid, but you could hear the onset of a tremor behind the words. So many years shouting on the battlefield were starting to exact a price. "Inform the Emperor of what attacked us, but that we have the matter well in hand. The city, and province, remains secure."
"And what of the Vargheists?" the man beside him asked.
Theodoric seemed to mull it over. "Assemble hunting parties. Five groups, forty men each. Have them rallied and sent out by first light tomorrow. Three will scour the Forest of Shadows, the other two will hunt the edges of Laurelorn Forest."
All the men sitting at the table shifted in their seats, looking uncomfortable. One of them spoke up. "What of the Wood Elves? They won't approve of our men entering their forest."
Maria caught the Elector Count's hand forming a tight fist though his features remained neutral.
"I said our men would search the outskirts of the forest," he affirmed in a measured tone. "If those arrogant pointy-ears have a problem with that then they can send someone to complain in person. A Vargheist threatens them as much as us. And this is still my province."
He stood from his seat, everyone else following suit.
Theodoric looked around the table. "Nineteen men died protecting the walls. Let's make the bastards responsible pay and think twice before trying again. The rest of you, continue securing the roads and patrolling the borders. Marienburg's trade is headed north. We have to be ready for it."
A chorus of 'Elector' filled the chamber as the men began leaving with their soldiers. The Elector Count's laser-like gaze kept Maria rooted to the spot as nearly everyone else left. Soon it was just Maria, the Elector Count, and a pair of his guards still standing at the door.
Theodoric returned to his seat then waved Maria over. She walked forward and stood at the table's edge just across from him at a parade rest. He looked her up and down.
"There are no women in the Reiksguard," he declared.
Maria shook her head. "Women? No. Just me." Her mind raced as she tried to prepare for whatever questions he intended to ask. If she screwed this up… well, she wouldn't screw up.
Theodoric's jaw tightened. "How long then since you joined the order?"
"Two years," Maria replied.
"Two years? No, I would have heard of you joining."
Maria shook her head. "Not if it was meant to be a secret."
"A secret!" The Elector Count laughed, cold and hard. "You need to try better than that girl."
Maria stared back at the Elector. She could do better than that. She could tell the truth. Lay out who she was, why she was here, where she was from and what she was trying to do. And pray all of it was taken on faith by a bunch of people who hadn't even happened upon the concept of flight over two-thousand years of recorded history.
That'll be the day.
"Last I knew, the Reiksguard were the Emperor's knights," Maria countered. "If he's been forced to check with you before making a decision, no one told me." She hardened her gaze. "And if that was the case, I would be compelled to do something about that."
Now she was threatening an Elector Count. Oh boy.
The corner of his lips tugged upward. "Such fire. And said with such an interesting accent too. Where are you from girl?"
She shrugged. "Born in Altdorf, orphaned young, traveled the provinces picking up this and that."
His eyebrows rose. "And somehow you went from that to Reiksguard?"
"I'm good at what I do."
"Are you?" The Elector Count frowned. "Alright then… Reiksguard. Tell me, why then? Why keep your knighthood a secret from the rest of the Empire?"
That was the easiest question to answer that he had asked so far. "Because a woman can hide where a man can't. Because people trust my face more than they trust another mans." Just like you're doing right now. She shrugged. "At least when I'm not wearing my armor."
Theodoric looked at her a long time. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, as he raised an armored hand and massaged his brow. "Not the most honorable tactic for an Emperor, but… I suppose this is just another reason why he got the Empire." He dropped his hand. "So, he sends you north, alone it seems, where you're then jumped by four undead wolves, take shelter on my doorstep, and then Beekerhoven suffers an attack by vargheists. Of all the foul things in the world, vargheists.
"Fill in the gaps. What do I need to know?"
Now here was the tricky bit. The man expected some sort of answer to put his mind at ease. To know his people were safe and his own authority wasn't being questioned. If she played this right, she could get everything she wanted and keep him happy.
She glanced over her shoulder at the two men still standing guard then looked back at the Elector Count.
He took her meaning. Standing from his chair, he walked around the table. For a moment, Maria's eyes couldn't help but glide down to the sword at his hip. Inside its scabbard it looked like just another sword. But history had already proven every one of the twelve runefangs to be among the most potent weapons in the world, and across every race inhabiting it. It was said a runefang never even needed sharpening.
"Leave us," he commanded the guards. They both left and closed the door behind themselves. Theodoric now stood before Maria. He was several inches taller and broader than she was. Maria had no doubt it was all hard muscle.
He looked down at her, clearly expecting explanation.
"I'm heading to Ulthuan," Maria began carefully. "I need to get there quickly, but quietly. I tried getting a boat in Marienburg, but you know the Dark Elves sacked the port. I'm heading to Dietershafen now since that's where the trade is."
"Why alone? And why were you attacked?"
"Secrecy," she took a breath, "and because of this." Maria rolled up her shirt sleeve to reveal her omni-tool. It activated and the holographic interface covered her forearm.
Theodoric stared at her arm with a critical eye. "That what you used to throw the vargheist?"
"Yes."
"What else can it do?"
Maria shut off the tool and rolled down her sleeve. "A lot more. I need to get it to Ulthuan for the High Elves to look at. If they can, the Emperor wants them to make more."
The Elector Count's jaw tightened. "He wants more of those things for Reikland?"
Maria figured that would be his first thought. After all the Empire had waged more wars against itself than against its neighbors.
"He wants them for all the provinces," Maria explained slowly. "And your reaction is the reason I'm traveling alone. No one was to know about these devices. At least until the High Elves told us they could make more or not. These are complicated things."
She shrugged, shaking her head. "Somewhere along the road the vampires learned about my mission. Now they want this," she raised her arm, "and me dead. Anything that strengthens the Empire threatens them."
Theodoric drew himself up and regarded her. "Alright. Now explain the gun."
Maria imagined a dreadnought in orbit taking aim on her exact spot and firing. Ah, if only her problems could be solved so easily. It would take her out as well, but, hey, she was hard pressed to think how things could get worse.
She stood straighter as well and held his gaze as her hand rested on top of the bag settled at her hip. "Sorry. That is a secret. Emperor's orders. If you want an explanation, then you need to ride to Altdorf and ask him yourself."
Oh, he didn't like that. A frown filled his face. "I may just do that." He turned away from her and took a few steps across the room. "In the meantime," he turned back to face her, "we'll get you to Dietershafen. What do you need from us Reiksguard?"
Maria had already decided that after nearly being mauled by the undead wolves. "I'm moving on to the port, but I'm leaving my armor behind. The undead are looking for a Reiksguard. It's time I stopped traveling as one. My horse will have to lose his as well.
"All I really need is a boat to take me down the river Salz. Once I land at Stavern, I'm going to ride like hell for the port of Dietershafen. No more nights in the forest for me," she finished with an uneasy smile.
Theodoric chuckled. "Vargheists in the night, if I were in your place, I'd do the same."
/ooooooo\
Maria Shepard understood the significance of what she had just done. Lying straight to an Elector Count's face was the equivalent of Maria lying to Admiral Stephen Hackett. It was unthinkable and went against years of military training and doctrine. The only thing that made it easier was the fact Maria understood in order to survive this ordeal, she had to be more like her teenage self. She wasn't a soldier back then. She wasn't a soldier right now. She was just one woman marooned on a big, big world.
It also helped knowing she'd be leaving the Empire soon, and she'd never see the Elector again.
Beekerhoven was behind her after only an hour of preparation. She rode George out the city gates at a gallop, hidden amongst a group of fifty soldiers heading back to the capital now that the undead threat had passed. Both Maria and George had forgone their armor for the remainder of the journey. The horse so he was lighter and traveled faster, and Maria, so she no longer stuck out like a sore thumb.
That wasn't to say Maria was traveling unprotected. Before leaving the city she decided on a change of wardrobe. Specifically, a Nordland uniform two sizes to big for her. The perfect size that allowed Maria to wear her collector armor, but still keep it covered and out of sight. The claws on her forearms remained a small problem but Maria had a thick brown cloak that kept them covered up.
Why she hadn't thought of doing this her first night on this world nearly saw Maria banging her head against the closest solid object. Stealing Reiksguard armor… what the hell had she been thinking? At least it had kept her alive when it mattered. The teeth on those wolves had managed to pierce even that hardy metal plate. She didn't know how the collector skin would measure up against that sort of bite. In hindsight, maybe she should have kept the armor.
All this second guessing was making her head spin.
No matter. Too late now to turn back. And traveling as a Nordland soldier might just be enough to ditch whatever dark thing was chasing after her heels.
/ooooooo\
Location: Stavern, city of Nordland
Day 40
What would have taken her two days by land and more nights on the road had instead been cut to only a seven-hour boat ride down the river Salz. George travelled with her, down in the ship's hold with a few other horses. He didn't complain once as the vessel bobbed up and down. Maria quickly envied him as she battled her head and stomach. The river Salz was even choppier than the Reik had been.
The city of Stavern was smaller than Beekerhoven, but still larger than Bokel. It was built at the halfway point between the capital Salzenmund and the sea. Its strategic placement kept its river harbor busy.
She spent the night at an inn, on a bed and wrapped in a comfortable blanket. A chair jammed the door, a table put on its side to cover half the window, and both her phalanx and locust under her pillow.
A bit paranoid? Maybe, but she slept through the night.
When the sky had just started to turn pink from the approaching sunrise Maria was already guiding George out of the inn's stable. It was a bit annoying that to get on the road to Dietershafen she had to take a small ferry across the breadth of the Salz. In her haste to find a secure place to sleep she had disembarked on the wrong side of the water. The morning had a strong cold wind blowing that worked up the river even more than the previous day. She cringed as the small ferry bucked back and forth against the waves. George hardly batted an eye.
When they reached the opposite bank of Stavern, Maria practically jumped to shore. How the hell was she going to survive the trip across the ocean?
A quick ride through the streets saw Maria at the city gates. Ahead of her was two days' worth of ridding through forest and hills. The strong winds blew across the grass making waves just like the river, while further ahead the trees rocked back and forth in a slow synchronized dance. They didn't look any more threatening than any of the other tress on her journey so far, except this time… this time she knew there was more than beastmen in the woods.
Maria snapped the reins and kicked in her heels. George picked up gravel and dirt as he took off toward the trees. More than anything she needed speed and endurance from the warhorse, that's why he wasn't wearing the heavy armor plates that had saved his life so far. She wasn't worried for him though. Maria would be his armor.
Anything that stood in their way now would quickly wish it hadn't.
/ooooooo\
As it turned out, Maria discovered she had been holding George back. In all their time together, she never would have guessed how much stamina the warhorse that had been her companion all this time had. It was generally a twenty-four ride from Stavern to the next town. George got her there in less than twelve, just as the sun had disappeared over the horizon and pitched the forest into darkness.
The next morning, again at the first hint of the sunrise, Maria was already riding George down the road. They traveled fast, only stopping once to rest, drink and eat up; and as soon as she leapt up on the horse's back he took right off again. This time they reached their destination before the sun had even set.
After fourteen days of traveling, from Marienburg to the northern most lands of the Empire, after beastmen, witch hunters, undead wolves and vargheists, she had finally, finally, reached the port-city of Dietershafen; and George had helped get her there.
She had never been prouder of an animal in her life.
/ooooooo\
Location: Dietershafen, port-city of Nordland
Day 42
Just across the aptly named Sea of Claws was the harsh northern lands of Norsca, and the native Norscans were tribal warriors who worshipped the chaos gods. When they weren't fighting each other, they built ships and raided the Empire's coasts.
Which they did a lot. Significant invasions requiring the full might of the Empire's armies to repel were rare, but every town along the shoreline had suffered a raid sometime in the past. Dietershafen included.
But you couldn't say the Empire had taken all this laying down. The Empire's navy consisted of two fleets. The smaller of the two, the Imperial First Fleet was docked in Altdorf and patrolled the mighty rivers as well as the coast surrounding Marienburg. The larger and grander Imperial Second Fleet guarded the Empire's northern coastline, and on occasion took the fight to the Norscans own shores. This fleet's primary port was Dietershafen.
Maria was walking George through the city's streets. They were filled with as many soldiers and sailors as they were ordinary citizens. The city was a hotbed of activity, and Maria picked up more than one conversation as to why. With Marienburg still under Dark Elf threat, everyone here was preparing to receive the Empire's goods for eventual trade with Ulthuan.
Most were thrilled. More trade meant more money flowing through the city and Nordland in general. The only one's grumbling were the soldiers. More trade also meant more people, foreigners to be exact, and these people would need to be watched.
Maria made her way through the crowds and towards the shore where the mighty warships of the Second Fleet were anchored. The harbor was split into two distinct halves. The half for civilian trade with their galleons and carracks, and the half for the military. She knew she was headed in the right direction because the military's half had a castle built right on the beach, surrounded by docks which grew around the mighty stone structure like the branches of a tree.
With George in a small stable set aside for soldier's mounts, Maria crossed a long wide drawbridge that connected the castle's main, and only entrance, with the city street. Her boots never touched the wet sand a dozen feet below. A clever advantage. Raise the bridge and the castle was cut off from any attacking force.
She stopped to ask directions once from one of the many soldiers and sailors going about their business in the fortress. After a few minutes of stair climbing, she found the door she wanted. And bonus points, it was already open.
"That's a load of cow shit!" someone shouted from inside.
Oh boy. Those bonus points faded away quickly.
Maria stepped into the Harbor Master's office. The mayor might hold the title, but in a city like Dietershafen the Harbor Master ruled all. He may not command the ships, but anything docked was his.
A large table sat in the middle of the room, but Maria quickly deduced it was the desk for the man seated behind it. Just looking at it made her wince. Take all the books, ledgers, scrolls, quills and ink bottles, and all of it had to weigh over a ton. How the table still stood was a mystery.
Six more smaller, but no less busy, tables lined the walls. Over a dozen people were hard at work as more soldiers delivered letters and invoices, only to disappear just as quickly once they received new orders.
The Harbor Master was seated behind his pile. Hard faced and grey haired, a couple days stubble on his face and chin. He had on the blue and yellow uniform of Nordland but was also wearing a gold vest, with finely stitched designs of ships over its surface. A few thin light chains hung across the various pockets.
He pointed to one of the two men standing in front of him. "And you tell Captain Ackermann if he complains again that is what I'll have loaded onto his Wargalley the next time he sets anchor! A full cart of nothing but cow shit! Right in his cabin! A full cart!"
He waved a hand dismissively. "Now get out." The sailor gave a small bow, or maybe a deep nod, and turned to hurry out. The Harbor Master was on to the next man quickly.
"I've more ships anchored in port than ever before, more still on the way, but every Captain coming ashore expects to be hailed an' waited on as if he were the Emperor himself!" He took on a dumb expression and raised his voice to a higher pitch, "Yes Sir! Held the northern shores all by myself sir! Fought off a fleet of longships all by our lonesome sir! Took the head off a sea-monster with a single cannon blast at no less than a hundred yards we did!"
The man standing across from him just smiled. He was wearing a Nordland uniform but wore a shined silver chest plate and gauntlets as well. A long sword was on his hip, a big pistol holstered on the opposite side. A red sash of cloth hung loose over his right shoulder and down his back to almost touch the floor. On his head was a triangular shaped hat that had no less than five different sized and shaped feathers stitched into the cloth on the right side.
"If you recall," the man spoke up, smile still on his face, "that story regarding the sea-monster is true. I made that shot."
The Harbor Master seemed to think on that. "Oh yes. I remember now. Still not convinced you made the whole tale up."
"Are you accusing me of lying?"
"You and your entire crew," the Harbor Master replied, smiling now as well. But it didn't last as he spotted Maria waiting for her turn to approach. He sighed dramatically. "Oh look. Here comes another one. Come on soldier, let's get this over with."
Maria braced herself as she walked up to the desk, digging out a rolled-up scroll from her bag, and offered it to the Harbor Master. The man standing beside Maria looked her up and down with a raised eyebrow. She kept her eyes on the Harbor Master as he read the scroll.
"What is this shit?"
That didn't take long.
The Harbor Master stood up from his chair as he looked over the piece of paper. "If this wasn't signed by the old bastard himself, I wouldn't believe it."
Maria knew what he was reading. Before leaving Beekerhoven, Theodoric Gausser wrote out orders that would make her trip to Ulthuan a little easier. It commanded the Harbor Master to work with Maria and help her find a ship capable of taking her across the ocean safely.
The Harbor Master handed the paper over to his colleague. The second man's eyes scanned the message.
"You're a Reiksguard?" the Harbor Master asked, giving Maria a hard stare. "Last I knew there were no women in the Reiksguard."
"Apparently there's at least one," the second man spoke up.
The Harbor Master huffed. "Fine, there's one. But why am I supposed to give up a ship to the Reiksguard?"
"Because our Elector commands us to," the second man answered for Maria. He gave her another glancing look. "I don't like being the dark. And Gausser didn't mince words here. Whatever your mission is, it must be important to not just Reikland but the Empire."
Inwardly Maria cringed. This guy was laying the guilt on thick. It wasn't her fault she had been dumped on this planet. She would have been perfectly happy exploding with the rest of the Collector Station. Not really, that was a stupid thought. She would have been happier escaping on the Normandy with the rest of her crew. Avoid this adventure entirely.
But if she didn't reach Ulthuan and find a way off planet, then this world and hundreds more would burn when the Reapers finally came.
"It's important," Maria said. "I need to reach Ulthuan and speak to the High Elves."
He looked at her a long moment then took a breath, releasing it slowly. "I don't have any warships currently stocked to make the trip across the ocean. It would take a day at least to prepare. You know of any merchants about to set sail for the Elves?"
The Harbor Master took a hefty book from one of the piles on his desk and leafed through a few pages. "There's Dreyer and Schnur… van Sweet as well. They each make regular trips to Ulthuan's shores. But they stripped all their ships of cargo as soon as word that Marienburg's business was coming our way. Wanted to be among the first to take advantage of the new goods headed north. They've the biggest ships, I wouldn't feel comfortable sending a Reiksguard across the waters in someone else's care. It'll likely be over a week before those three send anything west."
"That settles that," the second man proclaimed. "A week or a day? I suspect I know which is preferable." He turned to Maria. "I'll get a Wolfship prepared for you. The day after tomorrow you can sail for Lothern."
The day after tomorrow? She would have liked to set off immediately, but it wasn't the worst to simply wait one more day. And on a Wolfship no less. Those were the heavy cruisers of this world. Obviously smaller than the mighty Greatships, but these were vessels armed with rows of cannons, front and back, and were built with a huge metal ram on the bow, their preferred method of turning enemy ships to splinters. They were built take a beating and deliver one back in kind.
"I'll take it. Thank you."
The man smirked and handed the paper back to the Harbor Master. "Do you think you can spare the supplies for one of my ships? With a Reiksguard on board… I'm going to want the good salted beef and smoked fish stocked. None of that crispy rat meat you try to pass off on the others."
The Harbor Master scowled and snatched the paper away. "Rat meat! I'll strip your ship of food so thoroughly that even the rats will abandon ship! You'll be on your knees begging for scraps before the week is done."
The man laughed as he turned to leave. "See the great thing about being Sea Lord is that every ship is mine! I'll just move my flag to another." As he walked out every person in attendance bowed, and two soldiers joined him as he left, in escort.
Maria stared at his back. The man she had been talking to was Ludolf Köhler, commander of all the warships in the Second Imperial Fleet. She knew his name and the importance of his position but had never even thought she would see him, much less stand before him.
"Smug bastard isn't he," the Harbor Master said as he sat back in his chair. "I remember when the two of us were scrubbing the decks of ships on our hands and knees. The Second Fleet didn't even exist back then… now he commands it, and I run his harbor. Still trying to decide which of us made out better."
He looked past Maria and waved a sailor forward who had been waiting behind her.
"Come back in two days Reiksguard. Your ship will await you."
/ooooooo\
Day 43
Maria leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes. Looking across the small desk she was seated at, she noticed her candle had burned nearly all the way down. Outside day had passed into night hours ago.
She had been in the chair for hours. Seated deep within Dietershafen's only library. Well, deep enough. The library itself was nowhere near as grand and large as the University's library back in Nuln. But it did have books on Ulthuan and the High Elves and that's all Maria needed. When she had been told a ship would be ready for her in two days' time, it seemed prudent to use those last two days to continue learning about the Asur.
The Phoenix King. Ulthuan's provinces. Their current rulers. Their greatest warriors and their greatest wizards, whom they called loremasters. Learning little things like that might make the difference when she tried convincing them to help her.
At times it was a bit confusing for her. All the knowledge she was reading about was written by humans now long dead. Some of these books were four generations old. One of the librarians hadn't even known they still had two of the books in front of her now. But while these books were considered ancient, all the knowledge was still up to date, thanks to the Elves astonishing longevity.
She had to research one important point before her trip across the ocean. Back in Beekerhoven when she had met the Elector Count, the men in that room mentioned Elves in Laurelorn Forest, the largest span of woods covering Nordland.
Maria learned who they were but was disappointed to discover they'd be of no help. The elves living in the forest were not the same as the High Elves of Ulthuan. These Asrai, Wood Elves, lived differently than their island cousins. They lived deep within select forests, strict isolationists, and defended their realms vehemently against any who would enter. Beastmen, goblins, orcs… and even men of the Empire.
The wood elves of Laurelorn Forest had lived inside the woods since before the time of Sigmar. That their forest now lays within the boundaries of Nordland and the Empire is hardly acknowledged. Mainly because they never leave the woods. But any men planning to cut down the trees for valuable timber are quickly repelled, sometimes with blood being shed. The wood elves have made tenuous agreements with Emperors of the past but barely recognize any other authority. This included the Elector's, which explained his strained expression when speaking about them.
Maria pushed out of her chair and blew out the candle on the desk. It was well past her bedtime and she wanted to be rested for the trip tomorrow.
Ugh. She could already feel the boat swaying.
/ooooooo\
The wind blew strong and the moons were out. Maria walked the city streets back to the inn where she was spending the night. It was late but Dietershafen was still a bustle of activity as the port-city prepared itself to become the Empire's new trading hub. Carts rolled over the coble stones, people and merchants milled about conducting their business, and soldiers patrolled in step. Over it all she could still hear the waves of the sea breaking against the shore.
The library hadn't been far from the inn, so she gave George the night off from lugging her around. He deserved it after the sprint down the forest roads. A short walk later she reached the steps leading into Manaan's Cove. The inn struck just the right balance between splendor and squalor. A good place for a nobody soldier of Nordland to spend the night without drawing to many eyes.
She paused on the entrance steps and looked back over her shoulder. That black coach just across the street was new. As were the two armed men standing guard beside it. They stared at her as she stared back at them.
After a breath Maria turned away and continued inside the inn. The two men weren't an immediate threat. They were bodyguards for whoever rode in the coach, and wouldn't cause problems for her if she didn't cause problems for them.
Maria went to the front desk and retrieved her room key. The man working handed it to her without a word. A blank look on his face as he stared into nothing. That's the graveyard shift for you. She climbed the steps to her second story room, put in the key, and turned the lock.
Her hand stopped just short of turning the handle. She stared at the door. Something was wrong. Her room felt… off. There was a new pressure in the air that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
A feminine voice then called out from behind the door.
"Your hand is already on the handle love, you may as well come in."
Maria nearly snorted. Yeah, just do whatever the strange voice says. That way leads to a long and healthy life. The intelligent thing to do would be to sprint back to the door.
So, Maria pulled out her phalanx and turned the handle the remaining half inch. Spectres don't run.
The door glided open revealing her dresser, nightstand and bed. A lantern glowed softly on the nightstand, and a woman sat comfortably on her bed. Maria took a step into the room then closed the door behind herself. Her eyes, and aim, never left the woman.
The woman looked about her own age but put the two off them in the same room, then add a few men, and no one would spare Maria a second glance. Even if she wore her dress and heels. The woman's skin was remarkably pale and she had applied just the right amount of blush to brighten her cheeks. Her hands rest together in her lap, and her light brown hair was long but done up in an elaborate braid that rested atop her head. Her eyes were dark, and with slim dark lines painted above and below, made them look like bottomless pools. They reminded her of Liara's eyes back when she melded their minds together on the Normandy SR1.
She wore a deep red dress that modestly covered her body from neck to tight black boots, but still hugged her generous curves. The dress buttoned down the middle, then hooped out slightly at the waistline. The woman gave Miranda a run for her money despite dressing in a get-up hundreds of years old by their standards.
The woman smiled. "Welcome back to your home away from home Maria Shepard. Thank you for deciding to see me. Did you find what you were looking for within the library?"
Her voice was silk. Her smile depicted a gentle kindness. Maria would have preferred open threats. It would have been less creepy. Maria thumbed on the phalanx's laser. A blue dot appeared on the woman's chest. She spared it a glance but never lost her smile.
"That dot shows where the bullet travels," Maria calmly explained, "and my pistol is better than your average gun."
"I understand perfectly," she replied without hesitation or fear.
Maria grit her teeth. She was expecting a bit more of a reaction from the woman seeing the advanced technology. And the air remained thick in the room. She was positive the woman had some kind of connection to the winds of magic.
Was it too late to run for the door? Probably.
"Who are you?" Maria asked.
"My name is Nathalie."
"Just Nathalie?"
The woman's dark eye's sparkled in amusement. "Just Nathalie. My surname would hardly tell you anymore about me after all."
She had a point. "Why are you in my room Nathalie?" Maria asked next.
"To speak to you, Maria. What else?"
Maria narrowed her eyes, so the woman offered a small shrug. "I'm sorry. With a weapon pointed at my heart, I don't want to overstep my bounds. Who knows what will set you off?"
"Don't get off the bed and we're fine," Maria replied. She stared at the woman, pausing for a moment. She decided to take a shot in the dark, so to speak, and stopped speaking Reikspiel. "Now stop playing games and let's have a conversation. Why did you break into my room in the middle of the night to talk to me? A normal person doesn't do that."
Recognition flashed across the woman's face before she hid perfectly the next second. If Maria had blinked, she would have missed it. This little meeting just went from unusual, past dangerous, and straight to deadly serious.
The woman noticed her mistake and her smile dipped a little.
"What are you Nathalie?" Maria asked as her grip tightened on the pistol.
Nathalie slowly unclasped her hands so she could lean back on her elbows across the bed. "I'm a vampire," she said slowly. Her chin raised slightly. "I greet you as an envoy of Neferata, Queen of ancient Nehekhara, Queen of the Silver Pinnacle, head of the Lahmian Sisterhood, the rightful ruler over all our kind, and the First of the Vampires."
Maria had to remind herself to close her mouth. That was a lot of titles. The first few needed a bit of explaining but the last one was fairly easy to understand. First of the Vampires? Wow.
"Why did your Queen send you to talk to me?" She kept her voice calm but considering the thing sitting in front of her could hear her heart beating away in her chest, Maria wondered why she bothered.
Nathalie regarded her. "We understand you were attacked outside Beekerhoven by undead wolves. And after seeking shelter within the city's walls, you were attacked a second time. By Vargheists."
Maria shifted uneasily. "You're well informed."
"We have to be." Nathalie cocked her head to the side. A few stray strands of hair hung from her braids. "How do you think I knew your full name? We've been watching you since your stay in Nuln. Maybe we didn't have eyes on you all the time, but we kept tabs on you when you reached the major cities."
"Why?"
Nathalie laughed. It was a soft and delicate sound. "Maria… you killed Walach Harkon. One of the greatest swords the Vampires have ever seen." She pushed off her elbows and sat straight. "Your blood is immune to the curse! And we can't gain strength from drinking from you! All of this, and you still ask me why? I thought you were smarter than that love."
Maria bristled at the tease. She was smarter than that. She was just momentarily thrown by the discovery that the oldest vampire on the planet already knew her by name, and only a month after she had killed that man in self-defense.
Nathalie ran a hand down her dress, working out non-existent creases. "Now, back to what we were speaking about before. The wolves and vargheists. My Queen has commanded me to approach you, talk to you, reveal myself to you, so I can inform you that she and her sisterhood have taken no violent action against you since we learned of your existence within the Empire. It was not us."
A feather could have knocked Maria over at that moment.
It took a second to process all that, but she found her voice. "Please tell Queen Neferata that I thank her for reaching out to me and clearing up any misunderstandings. I now know that she didn't have anything to do with the attempt on my life."
Nathalie smiled and everything was right in this small corner of the province. Screw anyone who said she was terrible at first contacts.
Maria licked her lips and decided to press for more. "Does Queen Neferata know who did send those creatures?"
Nathalie shook her head. "No. And you can believe me, it has caused quite the stir among the sisterhood." She took a breath and blew it out loudly, clearly exasperated over the whole thing. "Our Queen doesn't take failure lightly, and not knowing who commands these forces has greatly… upset her. We have one suspect, but it does not bode well for any of us to be correct. It will be handled if true, I assure you."
That didn't sound ominous. "Why does your Queen care if I suspect her or not?" Maria asked. "I'm heading for Ulthuan. Another night and I would have left without knowing you or your kind even existed."
"Me and my kind?" Nathalie frowned back at her with an expression that clearly said she thought Maria was slow. "You can't possibly mean vampires as a whole love? There are more of us in the world than just the few you met at Blood Keep."
Maria sighed and nearly rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know there are other vampires. The Count in Blood Keep made it clear I was on everybody's shit list. But aside from him, I didn't even know who the others were, what they looked like, or even that they had a queen."
Nathalie just stared at Maria, entirely dumbfounded. Then she flopped back on the bed and groaned.
"Sigmar's arse!" she swore. She pushed back up on her elbows. "He didn't tell you, did he?! I can't believe it! Actually, I can believe it. All of this, only to learn he played us like fools! Oh, the Queen is going to be livid." She laughed lightly. "I might just join you on that boat to Ulthuan."
Maria was lost. "What are you talking about?"
Nathalie just continued to laugh with a hand to her face. She looked at Maria between her fingers and quickly got a hold of herself. "I'm so sorry. This game has been played for countless years, yet we thought it ended long ago. We were wrong. Our opponent has used you to inform my Queen that he still plays."
"You mean the Count I met back in Blood Keep?"
"The very same," Nathalie replied. "He and my Queen have a history. In a small, strange way, its comforting to know it continues."
"Who was he?" Maria asked quickly. "The Count, what's his name?"
Nathalie's lips tightened to a thin line as she regarded Maria. "I'm sorry. There are somethings I cannot say no matter how much I like you. I won't betray my own kind, not without my Queen's direct consent. It may seem inconsequential to you, but names hold power. Its bad enough he tricked my Queen into revealing her own."
Maria frowned. It was worth a try at least. Oh well. Another few months and she may not even be on this planet any longer.
"Why did Queen Neferata want me to know she wasn't responsible for the attacks?" Maria asked still curious. "I know my circumstances are unusual, but really? The first of the vampires decides to send someone my way just to say, hi and by the way sorry you were attacked, wasn't us."
Nathalie glanced at the floorboards. "Truthfully, I don't know what goes on inside my Queen's head, and I wouldn't dare presume I did. But I can say that you, Maria, are special. I can see that plainly sitting here before you.
"You have a connection to the winds of magic, but its… wrong. It's there but it's wrong. You also hold yourself like a soldier, you move like a soldier, but your eyes give you away. Your eyes watch the corners of a room as though you know danger may lurk in the dark. Your childhood wasn't easy.
"When you first arrived in Nuln you didn't speak the language. You couldn't read or write. You strolled through the city gates impersonating a witch hunter! And you kept the act up all through your time there. You helped a known criminal, and also defended the city against a skaven incursion. The only thing we knew for sure about you all that time is you had a strange fascination with the university's library.
"You traveled to Marienburg and got caught in the Druchii raid. There you fought a dread lord and his black dragon… and survived. You stole Reiksguard armor, and used the privileges it brought to travel north, through Middenland and Nordland. Not even a pack of vargheists managed to stop you from reaching Dietershafen."
Nathalie grinned. "You did all this in a months' time. There are many humans across the world, few could claim deeds that rival your own. Living or dead. Any that could, they lived to change the way things are forever after. My Queen recognizes you as such an individual. It's an honor in its own way."
It seemed appropriate at that time for Maria to say something.
"Thank you?"
Nathalie nodded back. "Your welcome. May I stand?"
Maria thumbed off the targeting laser and lowered the pistol. She still kept it in her hand.
Nathalie elegantly rose from the bed and smoothed out her dress. She seemed to consider something before she spoke again.
"May we speak frankly Maria?"
Maria chuckled. "We weren't already?"
Nathalie didn't smile and remained serious. "Contrary to popular belief the world isn't as small as most think. The edges of the map have been drawn, the oceans chartered, and the lands explored. Every nation, every culture, every race has been discovered. I've seen nearly all of them.
"Maria Shepard, where are you from?"
Nathalie's gaze was fixed on Maria. The woman was as still as a statue, yet her muscles were tightly strung under her skin. Nathalie looked entirely at ease but was primed for action, ready to spring at a signal known only to her. That intense focus chilled Maria to the bone, and was a harsh but necessary reminder to her that the woman she was alone with was no longer human. The room was suddenly fraught with tension again as Maria prepared herself for the worst.
"I'm sorry. I hope you can understand that there are somethings I don't feel comfortable talking about with vampires. Even envoys of queens. All I want right now is to reach Ulthuan. Nothing more, nothing less."
Nathalie's body and eyes relaxed. The coiled promise of violence evaporated away. She smiled at Maria. "That is your right of course. Secrets unravel the world if too many people know them. My Queen understands that better than most."
The vampire faced Maria fully, then curtsied and bowed her head. "Thank you for your time Maria," she said rising back up. "I hope you forgive me for intruding on your sleep, but things such as they are, I'm sure you understand why I came to you when the sun was down."
Maria shook her head. "Not a problem. Thanks for not trying to bite me."
Aaaah! As soon as the words left her lips, she regretted them. Something like that was perfectly designed to ruin a first contact. She froze as Nathalie just stared at her. Then after too many heartbeats the woman smiled brightly and stepped toward the door, a light laugh leaving her lips.
Seemed Maria had stumbled into vampire humor.
The woman opened the door to leave.
"Wait!" Maria stopped her as she stood in the doorway. Something was still nagging her, and she had to ask. "How old are you Nathalie?"
The vampire's eyes sparkled. "How old am I?" She shifted her weight from foot to foot in a playful manner as though she was thinking it over. Then she leaned closer to Maria and lowered her voice to a whisper. "You heard me when I swore earlier? Not very lady like, I know. I said, Sigmar's arse. Well… he really did have a terrific arse. Gods, it was perfect. I can still see it now."
For the second time Maria's jaw dropped. Nathalie placed a hand under her chin and pushed it back up again.
She stood in the doorway. "I really do like you love. I've liked a lot of people over my life. But I have been forced to kill many of those same people in service to my Queen. I don't regret many, but there are a few.
"Goodbye, Maria Shepard. I hope you make it to Ulthuan."
With that said the woman shut the door behind herself and Maria was finally alone in her room. She stared at the door's lock, but it hardly seemed essential at this point. She walked over to the bed and sat down in the same spot the vampire had been seated. The lantern on the nightstand flickered softly. The room stayed empty.
"Well that happened."