The characters from the game belong to Capcom.

A/N:I'm not english native speaker, so you might find some typos or grammar mistakes, I do apologize for that.

Northman's Palace

Pierce Northman, a young 19 year old man and rear admiral who serves the Crown of Bohma and came from a lineage of soldiers as his father and great-father had served the kings in life, was laying down in his bed at the Palace of Northman, the land he inherited from his father who died in battle.

It was a cloudy and cold morning after raining all night long. The young soldier looked thoughtful and distant. Memories of the previous battle.

That day he did face the death after falling into an ambush that killed many other soldiers and almost gave the king of Edonia his victory if there was not for Christopher Reed's smart move disperse the his men and turn the enemy's ambush into their own trap.

A saddened sigh. Memories of their friendship.

Pierce and Christopher knew for a long time, even before they enlisted to be soldiers.

Bohma, a growing country had many villages spread around its territory. All the villages were subordinate to the king's power as he kept royal lands in every village and visited them from time to time. Although most of the villages were located nearby the king's land and main castle.

It was in one village near the main castle that the young men had met ten years prior when Pierce's father was invited to be part of the court. One day, the young boys met in the streets and since then they remained great friends and shared a brotherly bond. Until that night a few days prior...

Pierce had managed to escape the trap on the ground – very injured – and with difficulty ran to reach a horse and continue battling. He was ready to die but giving his life was not going to be so easy for the enemy. They had to try harder. And that was what had happened, he ended up cornered and before receiving the blade of the sword into his chest, he saw a shadow jumping in front of him and receiving the attack in his own abdomen.

"Pierce, run!"

His friend and nearly mentor yelled as he wrestled with the Edonian soldier and removed the sword from his abdomen and used it with a single precise move to kill the Edonian soldier.

"I will not run! I am soldier and giving my life in battle…"

"The war is not only about death, but life! You have to tell and give this to the king!" the agonizing Christopher who was kneeling down on the ground interrupted the younger man and gave him a paper, "There are others coming from an opposite route! There's a traitor serving the king of Edonia, he's infiltrated and you must prepare our king before is too late!"

"We both are going to do this, together!"

"No! just go Pierce! It's an order!"

Vexed, Pierce Northman only option was to obey to his superior and old friend who ran into the woods to distract some other soldiers giving him time to return to the castle and inform the king about the real situation.

There was no goodbyes. Thanks to Christopher's last act, Pierce will soon be turned into Vice-Admiral and take the old place of his late friend who was declared deceased in the battle.

Pierce stood up from the bed and wearied of only staying in the room, he walked slowly to the front yard.

Two young women, a blonde woman who was 18 and a brunette woman who was 19, walked to the barn in the O'Gregon's land. The blonde named Elizabeth didn't look pleased as she followed the brunette who didn't hide the enthusiasm on her face expression.

"Katarina, I cannot continue doing this! Our parents might hear about your solo adventures and I get caught in lies! I don't want to be punished because of you! Women shall not visit any man alone! You know what they might say…"

"I do not care about what they say! Women are no objects or dolls to be slaved by any man! Women do deserve to have friends and that's what I am going to do… to visit my friend! I do not see any problem visiting a friend" the brunette woman shrugged

"I must repeat, women shall not visit any man alone!"

"But I am not going to visit Any man… Pierce is my friend and Everybody knows that!" she gasped, "Actually, everybody knows how friendly I am! People like my presence and I have a good reputation because everybody knows I am not doing anything wrong by having friends!"

"People don't say that to your face, but I've heard some people commenting about you and Fleming were too friendly…"

Katarian gasped, "Fleming and I were getting to know each other because our parents wanted me to marry him… I only took the time and the mood to get to know him better because I cannot marry Any man!" she cleared her throat and laughed, "And he proved he was not good enough to be my husband! Oh and he died, right? I would had hated to be a widow by now!"

The blonde-haired woman rolled her eyes in disgust, "This should not had happened! Women shall belong to one only man and that man is her husband, I don't know what you need in a man to make you happy..."

"I totally agree with you my little sister and that's what I am doing… looking for my man and only belong to him since I know what I need in a man to be happy."

Elizabeth gasped, "Did it include sleeping with Fleming?"

Katarina laughed loud, "Lovely sister just go get the saddle quickly. I intend to return before the sunset!" she ordered keeping a large smile – smile of cynicism

"I wonder how many men have you slept with…" the blonde spoke as she walked away

"Just ask the people who talk shit about me. You have not heard of any men I have slept with! And Fleming, well… what can I say? People just spoke shit because they knew we were "engaged", despite I do not see it that way, but they needed to cite the most obvious, huh! Did they ever use the word Sleep?"

"Not really and no one has used that word about you, sister… But I think that as your sister and confidante, I do get concerned about your reputation and of our family's. I don't like when people talk those things about you"

The brunette smiled kindly, "I know you do care about me and I do care about you too, but you might get used to that because people will always talk shit about anyone and everyone. This is people's, this society's thing!And you and any one else cannot change that. So just ignore it! If me as the subject in matter do not care, why will you? It will only age you faster and waste your beauty!" Katarina spoke as they finished arranging the saddle on the horse

The blonde smiled looking down, "You're right! But… Will you sleep with Pierce too? Have you forgotten Christopher?"

The brunette rolled her eyes laughing, "Do not say it 'too', it is rude even if you are my sister."

"Will you?"

Katarina exhaled, "You meant 'marry' Pierce, right? You have to express yourself better my lovely sister" she smiled and the blonde exhaled, "Who knows… we are friends for a few years, so will see… and about Christopher…" she took a long sigh, "I still love him, but now that he is dead, life goes on! Maybe Pierce can give me the happiness I so want" Katarina rode the horse

"You'd better be careful with that sister… if our parents know… I don't know what else to tell them…"

"They will not if you do not say anything! Just imagine that I am your big sister and I have the obligation to teach you things, and how can I teach you something I do not know? That way you will free your head from all the nervousness of answering to their questions!" she replied smiling and then ordered the horse to move

Elizabeth O'Gregon watched her adventurous sister disappear in the land. She sighed with a concerned look. She only prayed that Katarina will never be caught in her twisted ideas.

Katarina arrived in Northman's land by the lunchtime. From afar, she spotted Pierce sitting on a bench and called him. She was wearing a long green dress in noble fabric, her long curly brown hair and fair skin made her seemly to glow from afar. She got Pierce's attention and he walked slowly to her direction to greet her.

There was something wrong about himself. He felt weird as she smiled at him in such different way, as if in a flirting way? That was wrong! He knew she seemed to have feelings for Christopher and he respected that despite his own feelings for her. He wasn't the type of man to take a friend's woman, well at least not a living man.

As days and weeks passed, Katarina's behavior towards him had changed significantly. She demonstrated interest in him and more attracted he felt for her, however he had mixed feelings about the whole situation.

She belonged to a noble and wealthy family, a family that was close to the king. He was a royal officer. They belonged to different social classes and he had doubts about her family accepting their marriage.

Katarina O´Gregon's early education was typical for women of her class. The perfect woman courtier. Her carriage was graceful and her French clothes were pleasing and stylish; she danced with ease, had a pleasant singing voice, played the lute and several other musical instruments well, and spoke French fluently. A remarkable, intelligent, quick-witted young noblewoman. That first drew people into conversation with her and then amused and entertained them. In short, her energy and vitality made her the center of attention in any social gathering. She "revelled in" the attention she received from her admirers.

Her academic education was limited to arithmetic, her family genealogy, grammar, history, reading, spelling, and writing. She developed domestic skills such as dancing, embroidery, good manners, household management, music, needlework, and singing. Katarina learned to play games, such as cards, chess, and dice games. She was also taught archery, falconry, horseback riding, and hunting. She had been of average height and she had a slender build with long curly and thick black or hair, dark brown eyes, a definite wide mouth with slim lips, and ideology's complexion for that time. She was considered to be brilliant, charming, driven, elegant, forthright, and graceful with a keen wit and a lively, opinionated, and passionate personality. Katarina was depicted to be "sweet and cheerful", drinking wine, eating French cuisine, flirting, gambling, gossiping, and hearing a good joke. She was fond of the occasional game of bowls. Yet Katarina also had a sharp tongue and a terrible temper.

Angelique was sleeping in her room when she was awaken by the sunbeams illuminating her face through the partially open curtains reminding her that the new day had arrived.

She had finished doing her morning hygiene and changed her clothes. She walked to her guest's room to check on him as part of the routine they already shared. He wasn't there. He was nowhere in the house. She knew he was a morning person and looking at the window, she could tell she had slept more than she should, so it won't be a surprise he could be doing some external home chore.

She walked over the kitchen and read the note he had left on the table. On top of it a pink rose. Her favorite. She couldn't help the smile forming in her lips. She loved the little gestures of his care for her. A part of his gratitude she thought.

She was having her breakfast when she heard loud knocks on the door scaring her. Surely wasn't Christopher as she recognized the male voice calling her name. One of the brothers of her stepmother.

"So this is the place where you've been hiding?" she could notice the mock tone in his voice

"I'm not hiding. It's no secret I stay here whenever I want"

"You've stayed away for too long. It's dangerous for a lonely woman not having any man's security at her side…"

"I feel more secure here than in the snake's nest"

He laughed at her sarcasm, "whether you like it or not may I remind you that you belong to the snake's nest since your beloved mother died. They don't want you, a single woman, ruining the family's reputation. You want to live in your own house, get yourself a husband and give yourself some dignity!"

"You're no one to tell me that. Now please, leave my land. You have seen I'm safe and sound, so tell them they don't have to worry and shall congratulate my absence in their precious house!"

"I didn't come to check on you. I came to retrieve you." He spoke taking her forcedly by the arm

"Let go of me! I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"You will not stay alone here either!"

"Legally it's not!"

"To hell the law! I'm not going anywhere with you, you're nobody to obligate me! If they want me back, they shall wait my own decision!" she yelled pushing him

"Stupid bastard child!" he shouted slapping her on the face, "For me you can burn in hell!" he yelled giving her his back and hurrying to his horse

Angelique watched the angry man leave as she caressed her face. She could feel it burning, probably it's reddish. Paralyzed, she cried. She cried in anger, she cried in fear. She hated that submissive condition women were forced to live. Marriage, besides death, was the only option to escape. Although, in her point of view that option won't be so freeing as she wished. It will be only a switch of authorities. In the place of her father, she will have to obey to her husband. What a shit!

However, marriage didn't seem to be an immediate "solution". There are much better female candidates out there. Women who can be good housewives. Prettier women. Communicate women. Richer women.

Angelique didn't see anything close to that in her appearance, in her personality. She hated wearing makeup, actually she didn't even know how to use that. She was thin, average height. Probably the only thing she liked about herself was her hair.

As the angry man disappeared, Angelique closed the door and went to wash her face. Her day was ruined. Her mood was ruined.

She heard a noise. Her eyes widened in scare. The hurrying steps getting closer. Will she have to go through another dispute? She took a deep breathe preparing herself.

"Angely? Are you there?"

She recognized the male voice – Christopher's. she exhaled in relief.

"Angely? What happened?" he asked in concern, noticing the red mark on her delicate face, "I was taking woods and saw a man leaving in a horse. Who was he?"

She tried to disguise her apprehension, inevitably looking down, "He's the brother of my stepmother."

"What did he do to you?" he asked touching her chin gently as he lifted her face to him, searching for her eyes. The eyes of truth.

"Nothing…"

"Angely, don't lie to me, you can trust me!" he spoke with a warming tone

Ah his touch, his gaze. No other man had been so friend and kind to her. So supportive. Such a gentleman. So caring and respectful. Strangely, the world seemed better when he was close to her. The life felt better when he was around. She never felt so good with a man before, reason why she isolated herself from any male approach or flirting.

"He didn't do anything…" half of the truth, "he just wanted to take me back 'home'" her voice trembled. She couldn't call that place Home.

He looked down in sadness. She could feel the coldness on her skin as his warm fingers left her skin.

"But I'm not going anywhere" she added after a swallow. He looked up at her. he couldn't hide he did like hearing those words, but as soon as those words seemed to be a consolation, the hope was doomed when she added, "At least not for now"

That was the reality. None of them belonged to that place. It was temporary, a season. A season that was extending without their control. A season that prolonged and intensified the growing warming feelings in their hopeless hearts. Hopeless hearts that united in the water, in that lake at an almost-like heavenly shore. Fates that united a few weeks prior to that gray day.

That night none of them could sleep. In separate rooms as always. The distance and emptiness they shall adapt very soon.

Thank you Herpderp for the review :D

In this chapter we were introduced to two important characters of the story, Katarina and Pierce.
Pierce Northman is Piers Nivans in the 17th century.

Katarina is actually the third main character of the story and time will tell her real role in everything.

I hope you liked the chapter and I still don't have much to say in this initial chapters. Thank you for taking your time to read my work :D

and Stay Tuned!