She exited the balcony back into her office, her heeled boots leaving humid stains over the carpet. Her flat hair glued to her face unceremoniously. Clementia flashed her the Look. In her mind, Elena called that look the "what in the throne" face. She was often on the receiving ends of those.
Abelard, more used to her strange ways than his grand-daughter, refrained from commenting or saying anything. He was already falling in line behind her as she passed by Clementia haughtily, saying nothing and ignoring her.
Abelard glanced at his daughter with a shrug.
Imperiously, Elena opened up the doors to her study and stopped, considering the situation.
On one side of the room, Lady Cassia stood, with her aide servant, Heinrix and Achilleas Scalander at her side. Heinrix was at Cassia's right, silently supporting her in whatever scene had been unfurling.
On the other side of the room stood a man that Elena instantly knew was going to be trouble. There was no mistaking the newcomer : it was Calligos Winterscale. He had been described to her as a maniac that could change his mood in a second, from merciful to bloodthirsty. The tall, muscular man now in her hall, with his excited expression and widened eyes, could only match the description. Everything around him screamed of danger, from his power axe that he carried effortlessly at his side, to the spark of violence igniting his dark eyes from the inside - a flame that was unpredictable.
A soldier stood by his side, morose and grey. Elena didn't know him. Probably Calligos's Seneschal. He looked just as dangerous as his master, if maybe a little more contained.
She scanned him in witch-sight and immediately regretted it. His aura was all over the place - like rolling waves, darkened and tainted by something wicked. Yet, interestingly, the shadow of the man himself in the Immaterium proved remarkably crumpled and coiled up - as if wounded. The dichotomy hurt her mind.
Evayne was standing at his father's side, his face red with embarrassment...and, to her surprise, marked with the imprint of a slap. Whatever had just been said before her arrival had to have been…undelicate. Her servants had cleverly backed away from the situation. She spotted one of them quivering, holding a tray of appetizer with a pleading look in her eyes - not knowing if she was to offer her guests a refreshment or flee away.
Abelard cleared his throat as he gazed at the sad spectacle unfolding in front of them. " Lord Winterscale. It is my great honor to introduce to you Ele -"
Calligos Winterscale laughed at that. A laugh that was more like a bark than a sign of humor. It was so loud that it drowned Abelard's voice out.
With a complete absence of etiquette, he ignored the Seneschal and stepped towards Elena, stopping himself midway. Abelard's face had gone pale with vexation. Clementia stood bewitched by the cheek of the Rogue Trader.
Heinrix, stepping silently behind Calligos's back, cast her a warning look. She immediately understood the unsaid words he was trying to convey with his eyes - 'careful, Elena.'
" New blood. Are you so incapable of introducing yourself that an old, senile man has to do the job for you ?" began Calligos, eyeing her up and down.
Abelard's face grew red instantly. Cassia put a talon over her mouth, scandalized. " Oh dare you ! " escaped the lips of the Navigator.
Elena glared back at the Rogue Trader, who was studying her so shamelessly she almost felt the urge to smack him down. Evayne was lumping behind his father, looking as if he was going to die from the embarrassment of the scene. The daddy-issues must have been strong within that young man.
" Lord Winterscale. You live up to your legend, I see ", she simply delivered, in such a cold tone that any one sound of mind would have taken the hint and scattered away.
Instead, Winterscale snorted, his face bright with audacity. " Ah ! That, I do, new blood. That I do." He narrowed his eyes, a mocking glee in his eyes. " The question is, do you live up to yours ? I was told that a voidrat witch had overtaken Theo's throne. Is that so ? I don't know what to think about that, new blood. "
" Lord Winterscale !" huffed Abelard, his face contorted with rage. " That is no way to conduct yourself ! "
Calligos gestured dismissively at Abelard. " Keep quiet and know your place, Seneschal. Your mistress is about to speak. "
The whole room had gone quiet. Cassia had now gone from scandalized to speechless, experiencing every hues and shades of outraged in-between. Elena felt that Cassia was ready to snap at the aggressive Rogue Trader - and she didn't give him a chance if she did.
From what she could tell, both Werserians were positively seething with hostility. Achilleas was studying the situation with a glint of interest. Heinrix was just looking at her, impassively - unmoving.
This was a test, of course. Winterscale had come all this way, to her own anteroom, only to try her boundaries. Even the way he nicknamed her predecessor - calling her "Theo" in such a careless manner right in front of her - was a bait.
Rogue Traders were predators by essence. He was on her hunting ground, and he was sniffing her out, trying to understand how she worked. They locked gazes - two hunters carefully prowling around each other, watching for any weak spot in the other's guard.
Elena may not prove to be as exuberant as Calligos or Theodora. But she certainly was not easily impressed. You didn't live through the Black Ship, Scolastia Psykana, Mistress Maria's teachings and the Imperial Guard without toughening up.
" Is that it, Lord Winterscale ? " she asked. " Are you done with these childish outbursts, or should we wait for you to finish up on humiliating yourself ? This is taxing my patience. "
Calligos snarled, his fingers twitching, as he was ready to pounce upon her and stab her in the second. " You - " he started.
She did not leave him that chance. With a little, polite smile, she crossed the space between them. Her movement was sufficient to throw him off for a second - enough to get close to him.
Then, very ceremoniously, she extended her hand to him.
" I am, indeed, what some less than savory characters refer to as a voidrat witch. I find that the Holy Warrant of Trade had somehow made everyone blind as to this reality. It surely is the best disguise available in the Koronus Expanse. It makes everyone turn a blind eye to one's backstory, doesn't it ? "
Getting her inspiration from Mistress Maria, her voice had turned velvety and honeyed - the better to carry its hidden venom. For a majority of her life, people had referred to her as the void rat, the low-rabble, the void scum, the weird one. But always far away from her ears - in case the witch could hear them and exact her revenge.
She had learned that the best way to deal with these persecutions was simply to acknowledge her difference head on. It somehow pulled the rug under the feet of those that believed they could hold power over her with a mere insult.
She had heard about Winterscale's own origin. He wasn't quite a noble man himself.
She could see the smile lightened up his face a second before a barking laugh erupted once more. In a large gesture, the Rogue Trader gripped her extended hand in a handshake - his heavy fingers tightened firmly around her wrist.
" I love a woman with a good comeback. Rogue Traders should not scuttle in shame for what they are. We are chosen by the Emperor himself, after all ! "
That relieved some of the tension in the room - except from Heinrix, whose eyes had fallen over the firm handshake, looking strangely empty of thought.
It was a good time for Elena to strike, while Calligos was busy being smug and happy with himself.
She tightened her grip as well around the polite handshake, her face showing nothing of the hidden contest of strength between them. She took advantage of the movement to lean forward amicably, and said, between clenched teeth :
" Now, Lord Winterscale, you said you didn't know what to think of me yet. Let me help you out with that : when you think of me, Calligos, you should think of fire. "
A fresh breeze darted around the room.
Heinrix immediately frowned. The others shivered, but thought nothing of it - after all, the balcony was still wide open and a storm was raging outside.
The palm of Elena's hand, hidden inside Winterscale's, turned unbearingly hot. The whole balance was not to make it downwards hostile- but still painful and uncomfortable enough to teach the man a lesson.
She was a witch, after all. Might as well live up to people's expectations.
The look of surprise in Calligos's eyes was certainly worth it. Her face remained gently amiable, but her eyes were like that of a predator stalking a prey. Let's see how you deal with that, now.
" And one never plays with fire without consequences ", she whispered, so as to only be heard by her guest.
He overcame his surprise soon enough. Calligos didn't let go of her hand, even though it must be burning him. Instead, he tightened his grip again - and she nearly thought he was going to break her bones. he certainly could if he wanted to. Something crazy danced in his pupils, then died away, replaced by a frenzied smile.
" Bold words for new blood. I am glad to say that this party might not be so boring after all. "
To her astonishment, Calligos then proceeded to publicly bow, though his movement lacked the heaviness and formality of it. Still locking gaze with her, Calligos pressed her burning hand upon his lips and kissed her knuckles with a crooked smile.
To any spectator, it might look like a courtly kiss - a weirdly aggressive, graceless one, but still.
To a psyker who knew she was using pyromancy to turn her hand into a weapon, it was completely crazed. His lips sizzled and crackled over her knuckles. The pain made him wince a little - but he did not lose his composure, continuing to play along.
Heinrix's dark eyes bore upon the back of Calligos's skull, as if he could drill it open if he glared at it enough.
Regally, Calligos said out loud :
" I thank you for your…warm welcome, Lady von Valancius. I shall remember it fondly."
At that, Heinrix narrowed his eyes down, before recovering his distant composure. Abelard openly winced, grimacing.
Though Calligos's words had grown more polite, they somehow sounded like a threat. Elena pressed her lips.
" Now, now. We have things to discuss - like how my stupid son has apparently believed himself worthy enough to offer his hand to a Lady Navigator that you chaperone. "
He said that with such contempt that Evayne's face turned even redder. The young man looked down over his shoes. Elena glanced at Cassia's reactions - she was fuming. But both of them were too young to know how to properly react to the situation. Evayne looked miserable.
" But let's put all this aside for now. I have yet to install my quarters and you have a lot of preparations to go through. "
He let go of her hand. In a swift gesture, he hid away the red blisters on his palm by sweeping away his hand over the hilt of his axe.
" A piece of advice from someone who experienced the same thing as you, long ago : try to take some time to actually savor the moment. Our lives, as Rogue Traders, are merely a wild game of survival. But every now and then…every now and then, we get to have some fun. Seize it when it presents itself. "
On this last, unasked for and unwanted piece of advice, Calligos turned his heels and headed towards the exit with a last, barking chuckle. Clementia raced after him to actually try to maneuver him back to the residential estate. His son mouthed a weak " My apologies " before darting off after his father.
Everyone exhaled loudly and with relief in the room - though no one had noticed that they had stopped breathing.
Abelard took a chiffon and wiped away at his forehead, grumbling. " If that man didn't have a Holy Warrant, I swear to the Throne I would have taken this wild beast down for a long time ", he commented to himself.
Cassia nearly imploded on herself. " He slapped Evayne because he had dared speak to me ! Such rotten colors…so vile…This is unacceptable ! Elena, I beg of you, let me find a way to teach him a lesson ! "
Elena pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. Why was it that she could not go through a single day of her life as Rogue Trader without suffering headaches ?
Heinrix clasped his hands behind his back in a formal manner. " You managed to impress him. Alas, I fear this has only struck his interest. He was clearly testing you. He will try again. " He considered her. Maybe she'd imagine it, but she could almost see the worry and the hint of protectiveness in his eyes.
" Well," said Elena, rubbing her hands together. " At least, Incendia will not make such a fuss, I imagine."
Her hopeful words were met with silence.
Concerned silence.
" I should not have said this out loud, now, should I ? " she added, sighing.
Abelard cleared his throat gloomily. " About that…Something….has come up as well. Incendia did not make a fuss per say…but she had sent Hieronymus Doloroso to make contact with Sister Argenta. "
Elena waited for the bad news to drop.
" The revered man has asked Sister Argenta to return to stand watch over the reliquary in Footfall and also invited her to join Chorda's retinue ", said Abelard. " The Sister is having a crisis of faith and duty inside the von Valancius's chapel as we speak. "
Elena felt a curtain of cold fury pressed at her heart.
Oh, having Winterscale stroll in here and insult her Seneschal right in front of her was something.
But trying to steal Argenta from her in such a sniveling way was totally something else.
" Oh, no, she didn't just do that. "
" You did push her out of Footfall", noted Abelard grimly. " She might be trying to repay the favor. "
" I should come with you. I am interested in whatever Doloroso has to say. He is…a person of interest ", said Heinrix calmly.
Elena did not know if he faked interest over Hieronymus out of duty or was merely jumping at the opportunity to tag along with her - feeling, maybe, that she would need help defusing the situation. She nodded gratefully.
" Let us go, then," she said.
Abelard and Heinrix fell in line as she left her anteroom, heading towards the chapel. In her mind, she could not get over the fact that freaking Chorda was pulling her strings around to take her Sister of Battle out of the equation.
Ah ! How Incendia would parade with such an iconic companion in her retinue !
" Rogue Traders ", said Elena out loud, frustrated.. " A bunch of reckless people who believe everything is their right to take. They don't know how to behave, don't they ?"
Her sudden outburst gained her a sniveling chuckle from Abelard. " Oh, I would never say that. Out loud, at least ", mumbled the old man.
Heinrix just looked at her with the hint of a smile, and said slowly : " Now you get to see how I feel with you everyday. "
– The chapel –
They found Argenta doing what she enjoyed the most : praying.
The three of them drifted by her side as silently as possible, none of them willing to disturb the Sister's prayers. Something may have been different over the Sister's usually welcoming face ; her eyelids, closed in the moment, fluttered with the most discreet hint of indecision. The blush on her cheeks had turned to a crimson pink.
Argenta chanted, unfazed by their presence : " Faith be your sword, your blood and your purpose. Without Faith, there is no victory. Without Faith, there is no deed that cannot be undone. In His name, all things are righteous and eternal."
The Sister then clasped her arms together around her breastplate.
To Elena's surprise, Heinrix followed and joined the chanting, his masculine voice complementing Argenta's clear one with ease :
" Fortitudo est certa clara meo ; Domine deduc me mi Imperarotis ; Levis est mihi."
Abelard and Elena casted each other a confused look at this use of High Gothic and, not sure what to do, formed the sign of the Aquila with their arms.
" The Emperor protects !" they repeated in unison, if only to feel like they were contributing somehow to the sacred litany.
Argenta opened her dark eyes. A satisfied gleam danced in her irises.
" Elena ! " she saluted happily. " Seneschal. " She turned her attention towards Heinrix. " Brother of the Inquisition. I did not know you were familiar with the scriptures of the holy verset XIV of the book of Roses by Gildeon Thaducci."
Heinrix tilted his head imperceptibly. " Why shouldn't I ? It is a beautiful collection of songs and hymns. I often ponder them in order to reach inner peace."
Argenta visibly relaxed and smiled. " Truly His light is with you, then. It is also my favorite collection of prayers. "
At this point, both Elena and Abelard stood together in shameful ignorance of whatever was going on between Heinrix and the Sister.
Whatever he was doing, though, it was working.
A burrow formed between Argenta's eyebrows as she pivoted towards them. Heinrix gracefully sat by her side, looking as if nothing important was happening, and contemplating the statue of the God-Emperor in front of them.
" Elena. Sorry, Lord-Captain. I am sure your Seneschal has already told you…I have had a perplexing conversation with the Reverend Doloroso. He asked me to return to guard the reliquary over Footfall, or else join Chorda's vessel. I am not naive…I know his mistress is talking through him, and that she wishes to recruit me. She is, after all, a true defender of the Faith. But…it does cast a shadow inside my mind. Duty can take so many shapes and voices. Sometimes it is difficult to discern which path to take. "
Elena felt at a loss. Argenta had always been here, with her, since the start. She could not even begin to imagine her absence. Who was going to carry all their bolters around if Argenta went away ?
Yet she could see how Chorda could prove alluring to the Sister. The von Valancius's line had demonstrated too much leniency and flexibility towards the dogma, she was aware of it. Chorda, on the other hand, was the ruthless beacon of dogmatism someone like Argenta might like to serve.
But Chorda was ruthless, and Argenta was not. Elena's silence had gone long enough ; she could see the spark of uncertainty, so very rare, in the Sister's eyes. Heinrix's eyes had shown interest as well as he carefully put a lot of effort into not watching her.
After all, this was a question he also had to face in his own way.
" Argenta. I would say only this. Doloroso may be a wise man, but Chorda isn't. She lives in the shadow of Aspycia just like I do in the shadow of Theodora. She has chosen to uphold the Faith ruthlessly and mercilessly. I have chosen to uphold the Faith with compassion and conviction. "
Something flashed in the Sister's eyes. Now that her visions had permitted Elena to pierce her secret, it was easy to read her. Theodora, Aspycia : they were heretics in Argenta's eyes. What could their heiress become ?
" There is a choice for you to make. I, for one, believe that your fate aligns with mine. But the decision itself - which path to take - is up to you. They are otherwise incompatible. But both carry out duties to humankind - in their own, faceted ways. "
Heinrix was considering her gravely as well and she found her gaze straying away from Argenta and to his. His lips were tugged downwards, unhappily.
One day they would have to choose. One day their paths would take them apart. They, too, were incompatible. Because of the way Elena was. Because of the way Heinrix was. The tacit understanding passed between them, picked up by Abelard's stern expression. Argenta, though, did not seem to notice the underlying meaning behind this.
" I understand, Elena. You two are Rogue Traders, capable of changing the fabric of the Expanse to your will. But you do so very differently indeed. "
" Sister Argenta, if I can be of help ", offered Heinrix, looking away from Elena, " I can have a word with Hieronymus. He is due a long talk with me for some time anyway. " He smiled, though there was no joy nor warmth in it. It was his "business" face. So, even someone as holy as the Reverend had to walk under the gaze of the Inquisition…who knew what secret Heinrix knew about him ?
" In the meantime, you should know that every controversy on this topic has concluded that one's duty to the Emperor's chosen supersedes duties to one's Order, for as long as the missions they are tasked with involves the welfare and general interest of the Imperium. As my presence can vouch for it, this is considered the case for Elena, until further notice. "
Argenta looked at him, finding relief in his words. She also glanced back at Elena strangely - as if only now growing aware of some sort of hidden conversation between them.
Elena had become enraptured in the sight of the altar that she was staring at silently. There was an awful lot of cryptic meaning behind Heinrix's dutiful words - they spoke of duty, of time passing, of priorities. Of interest. Of 'until further notice.' She felt the tip of her cheekbones reddened as a sense of deep, unsatisfied longing grew inside her chest. Always so complicated. So close…yet so far away from her reach.
Abelard cleared his throat. If her Seneschal had noticed her physical reaction, she didn't know. " Interesting input, Master van Calox. Fortunately enough, the Lord Captain's interest always matches with the general interest of the Imperium. That is the whole purpose of the Holy Warrant she is granted, which supersedes anything I know of. "
The old man spoke sternly, defending Elena's side stubbornly.
" Thank you, Heinrix, for your words. They clear the clouds out of my mind so easily ! " beamed Argenta, oblivious to the entanglement. " The blur has been cast away from my sight. Of course my fate aligns with yours, Elena. It has always been so. "
" Now ", added Heinrix patiently, " I wonder if we might continue this conversation outside for a stroll, Sister ? I am curious to know more about what Hieronymus has told you exactly. "
" It will be my pleasure, Heinrix, " agreed Argenta.
Elena gave them a few seconds ahead, so that Heinrix could interrogate Argenta in peace. She offered a simple prayer to the altar.
Abelard followed her back to the estate. The storm had passed away, but the clouds still covered the skies, drenching Dargonus in eternal hues of grey.
" You should go and prepare yourself, Lord Captain, " said Abelard after a while. " The servants are ready."
The Seneschal looked at her with an imperceptible spark of gentleness and even pride in his eyes - gone in an instant, replaced by his usual sternness.
" It is in the nature of Rogue Traders to trespass boundaries. You have done well in establishing yours with both Incendia and Calligos. But now you should focus on yourself. This is a great day for you, Elena, and for the whole of Dargonus. Let me handle the minor problems. "
" I shall do that, " she agreed.
" The servants are ready. I hear the dress Lady Cassia ordered for you is worthy of Dargona herself. "