The characters from the game belong to Capcom. The OC's and story background belong to me.
A/N: I'm not english native speaker, so you might find some typos or grammar mistakes, I do apologize for that.
"A woman fits in many titles and roles in her lifetime. She is someone else at each stage of her life.(..) What matters is which title and role you see fit for yourself."
"(…) I am a strong woman and he would have to kill me to get his goal! While I breathe and live, no man will never touch me again the way he did! No man will never lose respect for me ever again! That is why (…) that women shall not let down their heads towards men! We have the power to put them down. Women are not vessels and inferior to men. I've stood up for myself against that asshole and I made a lifetime oath, he will never, ever, touch me again!"
"But (…)… you're still engaged to him…"
"Not for long my dear! Not for long!"
"You… you're not really considering to kill him… are you?" the blonde stuttered, the scare was clear in her voice tone
(*)
"You're my fiancée!", the man said stepping close to her
She could not stop herself from shooting him a disgusted look, "Get out of my chamber!", was the only thing she said to him, before making an attempt to move away from the man, who was extremely repulsive.
The Duke grabbed hold of her arm, "Answer me!", he demanded stopping her from moving.
"Leave me alone!", she screamed angrily, revolted to having been touched by him.
"I am not leaving without an answer!", he pressed on knowing the answer.
"So what if I did?", Katarina spoke acidly, finally able to jerk her arm off his grip.
"What does he have that I don't?", the noble man asked feeling dejected.
"Everything!", she replied coldly pushing him away
(*)
"What the hell do you think you are doing?", Katarina asked not keeping the annoyance off her tone, as the duke kept her pinned down with his weight.
"Getting what I want", the Duke said leaning closer to her face.
"Get off of me!", she tried to push him away and beat him to let her go but he didn't cease.
The Duke didn't listen to her and took hold both in one of his hands while his other hand ran wild, feeling the soft curves of her body. She screamed and struggled, trying to get herself lose but felt somewhat helpless against the man, who was twice her size.
Just as the man leaned in to capture her lips, she managed to release one of her hands from his grip. She instinctively slapped the duke, putting all her strength in that one slap, which its sound echoed in the room. The Duke sat up straight and she thought that he would give up now, but the next moment he grinded his jaws and pulled out his belt.
He tried to grab both of her arms and tied her up, but she knew if she let that happen then she wouldn't be able to save herself. She reached out to whatever she could grab off her bedside table and threw it on to her attacker. He moved to dodge that projectile and she got the chance to push him off herself.
She hurriedly crawled off the bed and made a run to save herself, unlocked the door and rushed out the room, calling for help. She looked over her shoulder whilst running to see the Duke following her and she knew he could catch up to her anytime. She tried to run to the entrance hall of the palace, where she thought there were guards and servants that could help her. But just as she reached the top of the stairs, the duke got hold of her.
The brunette struggled, shouting out for help and trying herself to release but this time his grip was even tighter. She hit him, pushed him back and pulled away from him, as if they were playing tug or war. She didn't realize when they both lost their footing and fell from the top of the stairs. She reflexively screamed out of pain, as they both rolled down the stairs together, finally crashing at the bottom of the stairs.
She pulled herself from the Duke and looked down at his limp form, while his blood formed a pool around his head.
(*)
Katerina woke up with a start feeling desperate, trembling, confused. Out of reflex, she saw a figure before her. Scared, she pushed it away with all the strength she had for that moment. It was when she heard a scream.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Are you out of your mind?"
She heard a man's annoyed voice, "Get away from me!" she yelled still not completely back to reality
"Are you out of your mind?" he asked stepping closer to her
"Don't touch me! Stay away from me!" she yelled crawling off the bed from the opposite side and ran towards the door of the bedroom
"Katerina!" he yelled going after her
The brunette, terrified, seeing only the disgusting man from the dream, ran away from the bedroom. In the dark, in direction of the stairs.
She knew the man was following her, calling her name.
Luckily she didn't stumble while running down the stairs. When she reached the door and grabbed the keys to unlock, the lights turned on.
"Kate!"
She looked back and saw the naked silhouette of Douglas standing at the stairs' parapet.
"Kate… what's going on with you?"
She choked. She looked scared. Perturbed. For a moment, she saw the man from her nightmare on Douglas. She didn't know what to say. Her mind was incapable of formulating any sense to what just happened.
Maybe it was a result of how emotionally affected she went to sleep those weeks Douglas stayed in the apartment. Always restless. Crying. Angry. Tired of that situation with him.
When she met him, despite her initial antipathy for him, she worked her mind to accept him. That time, she thought getting involved with him would be a good deal to change her life standards when she learned how important he was, a CEO. She thought she could take advantage of that to grow in life, as he seemed willing to give her whatever she wanted.
Now she questioned how much her life had changed. She still felt she had nothing and still lived in the same pattern from the beginning. She lived in a nice apartment – that wasn't hers. She started college – but was in the verge of not completing it. She had no car. She was just a secretary – and temporarily – then she'd be only a receptionist again.
She depended on him to most things. She was a bird that couldn't fly.
Too much sacrifice for nothing… her path was frozen.
She felt she never was capable to progress in anything she wanted, or started. Her path was blocked despite her efforts to improve.
She needed to do something about it and move forward with her life. No matter what.
Careless, the man scolded her and cursed her mean names. He blamed her for the bad night and that he needed a good night of sleep for the meeting the next morning. Yet, he tried to make her stay and shared the same bed for the little time they had of sleep. Although Katerina was irreducible in not letting him touch her again. Sleepless, she headed to the guest room with her cellphone and sent a message to her only friend, Lucy.
"I can't take it anymore. I need your help. I need to get rid of that asshole."
Standing at the balcony looking the night sky, defiantly. Repeating the speeches she heard in her dream and altering to her current stage.
Speeches from the stunning imposing woman she felt very connected at this moment of her life.
"(…) years playing the perfect (…) mistress. Pretending to be what I am not. Who I am not! I am no one's shadow. It is over! Nothing else is in my way. No one else is in my way.
I am no man's mistress. I am no man's slave. I am no man's maid. I am no man's carpet. I am no man's play. I am no man's trash!
I've stood up for myself against that asshole and I made a lifetime oath, he will never, ever, touch me again!
My name is Katerina Göbel.
I draw my own destiny!"
(**)
While the man slept, Katerina packed some of her belongings. Carefully. Coldly. She separated the items he wouldn't notice the absence at first. Using the bank app in her cellphone, she checked her funds in the bank account. She had enough to make her living for a month or two if she had the help of Lucy by staying in her home, even with the drastic low of standards, otherwise she could barely make a month if she had to go to a hotel or something. She'd have to drop college – unfortunately.
She had to make that sacrifice. It was her dignity in check. Her self-sufficiency. Her pride.
She hid her suitcase with the door attendant. She gave him a nice tip for his silence in case Douglas asked him questions, but she doubted that could happen. Douglas was not the type to talk to people he judged inferior to him so often. In addition, he kept his car in the garage, so there was no chance he could meet the door attendant for at least a day.
Patiently, she waited the time of the alarm clock ring. She played her usual routine. Douglas continued lying in bed; he didn't need to get up so early to go to his work.
She acted normally while she dressed for her work. She carried her usual purse and left.
No kiss of goodbye. He didn't suspect of her at any moment as they had had a tough night, so he wasn't surprised she wouldn't be caring towards him in the morning.
Katerina retrieved her suitcase with the door attendant and left the building without looking back.
BSAA HQ
Chris arrived at work in his usual time. Before starting his chores, he always passed in his office to get any updates for meetings or notes for the day.
He greeted Katerina, and couldn't help the notice of a suitcase between her chair and the wall, although he didn't comment on that. She warned she wanted to talk to him later. And as the usual, he entered his cabin, and checked his email.
"Dear Captain Redfield,
I am writing this letter to officially inform you that the management has approved the request submitted by you for a business trip to Edonia's branch. It is scheduled to 9 September and we wish that in this period you will work as per to the strategies and norms laid down by the company and will get business for us.
I would also like to inform you that Ms. Katerina Göbel, your personal assistant, Lieutenant Piers Nivans and Ms. Janet Wilson from the Sales department will also accompany you in this trip and we wish that after returning, you should prepare a report as well as your expense report and submit to the concerned department. Your return flight has been left open, as you requested. Tickets are being mailed to you directly from the airline.
We have reserved three double rooms at the corporate rate of $98.00 per room. The hotel provides free breakfast in its lobby from 6:00 to l0:00 a.m. Parking space is available in the hotel underground garage at no additional charge.
We hope you approve our arrangements."
Chris rested his back on the chair and called Kate, who didn't take long to enter the cabin.
"What can I do for you Sir?"
"Take a sit"
Katerina's heart was racing. She noticed the serious expression on the man. Keeping her composure she sat before him.
"I just received a mail and the superiors decided to include you in a business trip to Edonia in three weeks, so I'd like to ask if you accept the invitation."
"Absolutely! When will we be leaving?"
"On September 9"
"Okay…cool…and how long will we stay there?"
"Until I solve the matters there and I'll need your help for reports"
"Oh, okay…I'm glad to serve you" she smiled
He smiled lightly back.
Katerina cleared her throat, "Ah, Sir…May I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"Do I have to pay anything for the trip or will be discounted from my salary?"
"No, of course not. It's all on us. Actually it's the opposite; you'll receive extra additions for that"
"Oh…okay…" she spoke relieved
"They are noticing you Kate, and whatever I can do to help you I will do."
"So it was you who suggested me for the trip?"
He laughed awkwardly, "Kind of… You deserve it. I can see you work hard and you're competent, so…I just gave an extra push"
"Thank you Chris!" her voice trembled. She was starting to get emotional, "You have no idea how much this means to me…especially now…"
"Is there anything else I can do for you? You said you wanted to talk to me" he asked noticing her fragility
She was hesitant, embarrassed, "Could you give me permission to stay in a room in a barrack for some time and anticipate my salary so I look for a new place to live?"
"The barrack is just for soldiers and officers"
"Yeah, I know…but I don't have anywhere else to go"
"What do you mean? You have a condo, don't you?"
"No I don't…that place wasn't really mine…I had a bad time with the owner and I had to leave…I just managed to get the essential belongings and I counted with the help of my only friend, Lucy…but she's on a trip in another country and I don't have much to pay for a living…and I cannot go back to that place because I fear for my own life…"she spoke in tears
Chris didn't know what to say. He hated when a woman cried next to him. That made him feel powerless.
"Did you talk to Piers?"
"He's not talking to me…I tried but he's ignoring me"
Chris bit his lips and frowned thoughtful. He thought of people that he could ask some favor and home Kate, but at the same time he knew that would be awkward to ask as a favor.
"Don't you have any relative?"
She shook her head and looked down, "No…They're dead…"
"I thought you had a brother…Vlad"
"Vlad is useless!…It's because of him I don't have money for me now! I know he won't pay me anytime soon"
"I see…" Chris could relate to her loneliness. He knew that feeling very well, however he had a sister he could count on.
"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have told you that…You're just my boss and…I'll give my own way…but you could let me sleep in this cabin tonight…I hadn't slept yet and because of no sleep I can't think…could you do that for me?"
He looked at the couch. It was comfortable, he himself had slept there a few times. There was a personal bathroom. He had his own suite when not home, but he looked back at Kate. She was going through a hard time and no one else could help her. And there she was crossing the boss-employee line out of despair.
He was surprised with Piers' behavior towards her, but he could also understand. Ex-lovers atmosphere were really a problem.
He had no other friends in town to home her. He thought of Claire, but remembered she was on a trip.
He thought of paying her stay in a hotel, but for how long would she stay there? He knew her salary couldn't afford it for too long, and why would he spend on that when another option crossed his mind. A crazy option. Desperate times call desperate measures.
"Hum…I know I'm your boss and there's a limit for this relationship…but I know it's not the employee crying before me and trying her last resource…it's the person who needs a friend…and I can be a friend too…so I'm leaving the professional relationship aside and as a friend I can be…I offer you my guest room…" he swallowed, "in my apartment"
She was trembling in nervousness, "What?"
"I live alone…I have space for two…I could help you with money, but…why spend when I can offer you for free?"
"This is bold offer…I…I don't know if I can take it…"
"I know it sounds crazy, but it's the best option I see and I have thought of many options, but…I could also let you stay in my cabin, but…that sounds crazier for me…you living here, even for a short period of time"
"It's until Lucy return"
"And when will Lucy return?"
"In two weeks"
"Two weeks sound a lot to live in an office…"
They stayed in silence for some time.
Katerina didn't count on that offer. She even thought of going after Piers again. It sounded more comfortable going after her ex-affair and share his place with him, instead of sharing it with her boss.
She was aware Chris was a man that liked helping people and she was sure he was born to do that.
"I'll try to talk to Piers again…then I'll give you an answer"
"Alright…"
Those two were left in an awkward atmosphere, but that was done. They were living one of those days…
After some hours, Katerina gained courage to visit Piers, after trying to contact him by phone. As the usual, he continued ignoring her. And that intrigued her.
Without warning, and using her break time, she went after him in the locker room after asking about his whereabouts.
She entered and listened to voices talking. She recognized his voice talking to a female in the shower area.
Katerina walked slowly paying attention to their conversation and hid behind the door. She gave a peek when noticed they went silence.
Her eyes widened, her legs trembled when she saw the couple kissing.
She went out of air, as her chest hurt deeply.
She knew his Don Juan fame, but she never expected witnessing that at work.
Angry, crying and desperate, she left the place back to her post.
Sitting on the chair and looking at her suitcase, recomposing herself she stood up quickly and looked at Chris' cabin door.
Loading all the current happenings that made her feel the worse of the people, she recollected her thoughts from the previous night.
"I am no man's mistress. I am no man's play. I am no man's trash!
My name is Katerina" she repeated with herself
Soon after, she inhaled deeply and fixed her uniform. Lifting her chin up and looking straight. With a firm step given, she walked to the door. With permission she entered.
"I accept your offer"
Those were going to be two long weeks…
18th Century
Some days passed since Christopher and Katarina split.
Their separation was the hot topic of the kingdom among the nearby population of the main castle. Despite people not really commenting about them in public. Christopher headed to Edonia to spend some time, while Katarina remained in Bohma "treating" Charles with the miraculous black herb.
"Do you feel any difference so far with the treatment?"
"I do. Almost no pain or weakness… I owe you my recovery."
She smiled delighted. She loved being praised, "Yes you do!" she thought
"So, did you think about my proposal?" the king asked as they were sitting on a bench in the labyrinth garden
"As a matter of fact, I did"
"And what's your decision?"
"Not going to happen!" she said coldly
"Why not? It's a good deal…"
"I am no man's object! No king's mistress! You were weak when you married your boring queen, now take it that you lost me!"
"I was forced by my father" he replied
"And I always loved Christopher, my husband!"
"He's not your husband. Everybody knows you're not together"
"Every couple has difficult phases. This is just another phase we will go through and surpass soon, in fact, we are not even divorced."
"Do you really believe that?"
"I do!" she spoke with firmness
He made an objection face and looked away.
Soon after, the pair heard footsteps, when they turned to the side they saw the royal doctor Vladimir who came to check the king.
Katarina disguised well her displease, but Vladimir knew how much he bothered her.
Green Hills, Talbot's Land
Angelique was doing her home chores when among the dirty clothes she found the letters. She remembered she didn't finish reading them, and out of curiosity she decided to read when she finished her chores.
Not long after she started reading, she bursted into tears.
"Katarina…" she spoke in sobs
Thank you Pin and silver scropion for the reviews! :D
First, I said barrack, but I'm not sure if I really meant that place. I don't know the inside of headquarters. I had thought of using dormitory, but google said that soldiers stay in barrack, so I'm not sure. Please, forgive me if I used the wrong word.
Second, I started the chapter with parts of old chapters. Now I'm already making the connection of the past with the present because we are officially during the transition phase of the story...Soon, the 18th content will be over :) :( and that causes me both feelings xD
I'd like to thank everyone for reading my work, you guys give me the motivation to continue telling this long story :D I know it's long, but I try to always add new stuff to not make it so boring xD
More drama to come!
Stay tuned!