Ratwomen, Ratmen,
And so, one year has come to an end and a new one has begun. There has been a lot of turmoil for everyone. In France, we've had the worst and the best.
Even though I'd love to have more comments from you, I'm always happy to answer those I receive, and I know that you'll continue to follow the path I'm suggesting, whether it's on Archives of Our Own, or Wattpad.
I won't make a long speech about the end of one year and the beginning of the next one. Your friends and family will encourage you better than I can. I'll just say one thing: don't let idiots blinded by rage tell you what you should think, who you should vote for, what hobbies you should practice and what pieces of art you should reject outright. You're better than that. Just be yourselves.
Happy New Year 2025, and Glory to the Horned Rat!
P.S.: Thank you for your patience, I had to let some time go by to rest after the festive season.
- Can you hope to wake up with a prettier view?
Greta stretched with a smile. She was a young woman, who had passed the age of twenty a few years earlier. Blonde, voluptuous, callipygous, she was slightly shorter than the average Human woman. Lying on her side on the bed, she mechanically readjusted her garter – the only piece of clothing she was wearing at the moment – and swivelled to face her flatterer. She met Nedland Barnrooster's eyes, the Halfling was half under the sheet but fully awake and shining with happiness.
- I bet you say that to everyone you offer a job to.
- No, I don't!
- Come on, Neddy, don't lie. I didn't study at Nuln University, but I know how to spot a salesman when I see one.
Nedland made a fatalistic gesture with his hand.
- OK, I sometimes see other colleagues of yours. But I can promise you you've got something special in comparison.
- Just like the others, isn't it?
- No! I mean it, Greta. You're the only "regular one" I feel so well with. Especially after what's happened over the last few days.
Greta got up and went into the next room, where she knew an employee had prepared a tub of hot water. While she refreshed her skin, she spoke through the opened door.
- Will you come back to see me later?
- Of course, darling, but... I don't know when this "later" is.
- Is the Prince going to whore you out for him for longer than usual?
The Halfling took no offence at the use of this expression. He finished getting up, shook his head and sat down on the edge of the bed.
- He ordered me to attend the trial, I have to testify.
- Trial? What trial? The one for those cult bastards?
- No, they've already been dealt with, they'll all be shortened for heresy. I'm talking about Yavandir Palebough.
- He's the leader of the gang, isn't he the guiltiest? That's what the Marshalsea said publicly, didn't they?
- It's more complicated than that, darling.
Greta went back to her room and put on her dress. Nedland also went into the waterer room in turn.
- I shall talk about my part in all this mess. It pisses me off, but I have to obey the Prince.
- You're not in danger, are you? Greta asked, worried.
The Halfling smiled tenderly as he washed his face.
- You're a sweetheart, and your candour makes you all the more adorable. Do you really think I'd be here with you if I was even a suspect in the case?
- Would you be running away? Would you abandon me?
- Of course I wouldn't, my darling. I'd be in a hideout waiting for the trial so I could defend myself, and I'd make sure no one came to cause you any trouble.
- You're a real sweet Angel, Neddy.
- I don't hear that very often, so it's always nice to hear. In fact, I love it!
Two minutes later, Nedland was presentable. He approached the woman sitting on the bed and gave her a peck near her lips.
- I promise I'll be back as soon as they let me leave the courtroom.
- Are you sure you're not taking risks?
- What kind of risk would I take, according to you? I'll just testify! At the very least, the defence lawyer will try to get me crack so that he can reduce Palebough's sentence, but I've been through others!
- Yeah, except I've heard about trials where a mere witness can become a suspect in turn! That reminds me of Fidelio.
- Who's Fidelio?
- One of my former pimps. He wanted to lodge a complaint against a merchant who had tried to ruin his reputation, and when the Vereneans opened the trial, it backfired on Fidelio, and he was the one who ended up in the galleys!
Once again, a smile lit up the Halfling's face.
- Johannes Schmetterling tempted. He was an army commander, a bloke far more courageous and solid than your Fidelio, believe me. It didn't bring him any luck. He tried to pin his crimes on me, and he ended torn to pieces by Lord Gottlieb. Let me tell you, Greta: the one who's going to put me off the game for good is not yet born!
With that, and after a last stroke, Nedland left the inn and made his way to Verena's temple.
The temple was crowded. Many citizens wanted to discover the true face of the threat that had tormented the Rat Kingdom. The soldiers were nervous, and began to sort through the crowd. The instructions were clear: with so many spectators, they had to let in among the first to arrive those who "looked as little like troublemakers as possible". A delicate task, to say the least. The first disgruntled exclamations could already be heard, such as "I've been waiting for three hours!" or "I remind you that it's my taxes that allow you to eat!"
Even if the guards were used to it, it was still not a pleasant moment. Kristofferson grumbled. He had been called as a witness in this trial that was shaping up to be particularly lively. What bothered him was finding himself in the middle of this nervous crowd.
- Hey, Kit!
The brown Skaven swivelled round and found himself in front of Nedland.
- Oh, hello, Ned.
- This gathering of people is a real pain in the ass!
- You said it, my friend.
- Didn't your sister explain to us that witnesses had to come in through the back door, did she?
- Yes, she did.
- So, what are we doing here? The guards at the door wouldn't let me in and told me to wait here. They wouldn't tell me anything more! Given that you're the brother of the High Archivist, they might have been more talkative with you, right?
- Not very much. They said there needed to be a purity zone to allow the Swordbearer in or something.
- A "purity zone"? What is this all about?
- It's a tradition that goes back to the time when the first Swordbearers appeared, replied Brisingr Steadyhand in a clear voice.
The two friends looked at the Elf with surprise and suspicion.
- Since when you have been an expert in Verenese theology?' asked the Halfling in a falsely curious tone.
- I've never claimed that, Master Barnrooster. It's just that I've dealt with this type of clergyman in the past, and it happened in this way. The original idea was to guarantee the purity of the Swordbearer until he entered the place where the trial would take place. Today, it's more a way of preventing any attempts on his life.
The magister turned to Kristofferson.
- Your sister should have thought of that, it's a shame.
- And you should think of leaving my sisters alone, Master Steadyhand.
- I have nothing against them in particular, I assure you. On the contrary, I am bowled over by the work done by the High Archivist. And you are not to be outdone, Master Kristofferson. Allow me to tell you that you have my highest esteem. You were very professional in dealing with the Tzeentch gang.
- I'd like to return the compliment: a game of lies and manipulation, that puppet in your cell... the audience would have laughed out loud at the look on my face if we'd been in a circus! After all, the comic relief who gets cheated by everyone, that works every time, doesn't it?
- Oh, young man, you weren't the target of the trap.
- Yes, I know, my father explained it all to me. But in the end, I've been the fall guy. So, forgive me if I don't thank you for making me look like a complete idiot in front of all the prisoners!
The Elf sighed.
- Normally, I would have responded to your irony with my own, but won't this time.
- How nice!
The voice of the herald announced solemnly:
- Hear ye! The trial is about to begin! Witnesses are requested to present themselves at the small door. I invite the citizens to take their seats in an orderly and disciplined manner.
The doors to the courtroom opened, and the people of Steinerburg moved about in a hubbub. The brown Skaven wanted to take the opportunity to break off the dialogue.
- You'll excuse me, but I have to go.
- I'm with you, my friend, I'm also a witness, I remind you.
Kristofferson felt his patience running out when he felt Nedland pat him on the arm.
- Here, come with me, I've got something to tell you in private, declared the Halfling, emphasising each syllable with insistence.
Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed the ratman by his wrist and pulled him towards the small door. Relieved to have a way of getting away from the Elf, Kristofferson felt sufficiently emboldened to conclude with:
- While I'm thinking of it: don't forget to have a word with Walter Klingmann, I'm sure he'll want to thank you, too!
- Oh, he's already done that, young man. He has officially awarded me the title of "dirty little fart".
- A richly deserved title, indeed! Be glad he didn't reward you any more than that!
Nedland tugged at his sleeve more insistently. Kristofferson turned on his heels and walked away from the magister. He thought bitterly of his friend. Since the night of the fall of the Purple Hand, the captain of the Steinerburg guard had not been seen by anyone. No doubt he had never left the family home.
He was brought back to the present moment by the voice of the Halfling.
- You all right, son?
- That tall dickhead is really starting to get on my nerves! I can't wait for this to be over so I don't have to put up with him anymore.
- Careful, remember he's one of your grandfather's favourites.
- No more than I am, Nedland!
- Come on, forget it, let's go in.
The two friends went through the small door. A guard led them to the witness box at the side of the room. Bianka, already seated, smiled with relief when she saw Kristofferson arrive. He sat down beside her, followed by Nedland. Steadyhand stayed away.
It took a few more minutes for everyone to enter and settle in. The Prince was seated in the front row of spectators, with Heike on his left. They were finishing a conversation while waiting for the procedure to begin.
- So, he's at the temple in Shallya again?
- Yes, Father, with Isolde.
- By Taal's beard, what is he doing there? Has he been touched by Shallya's grace, too?
- Not at all, Father. He's come to see Emil.
- Has he? You don't say! Well, it's getting him out of his laboratory for a bit, I don't think it's doing him any harm, especially after the emotions he's been through recently!
- Do you know he's made some friends recently?
- Gabriel, friends?
- Aboard the Brave Griffin, he's got to know some children his own age. He visits them from time to time at Rhya's temple, too.
- I'd never have believed it!
A Verena priest declared in a powerful voice:
- Ladies and Gentlemen, under the impartial eye of Verena, let the Court enter!
The door at the back of the room opened and three people entered. This time, the trial was being conducted by Provost Tomas himself. He took his seat at the lectern.
- Today's trial will pit Master Yavandir Palebough against the Kingdom of Vereinbarung. I, Provost Tomas, will be the judge. May Verena enable us to deliver the fairest possible judgment in what promises to be a really complicated case. I ask the attorneys to come forward.
One of the other two people who had entered after the judge stepped forward. She was a middle-aged Human, slightly shorter than the average Vereinbarung woman. A crown of chestnut brown hair with golden highlights framed her oval face. A pair of glasses with narrow, elongated lenses encircled the root of her vaguely hooked nose.
- Sister Capucine Weiseneule, I will represent the people in this trial, under the benevolent guidance of Verena.
- Praised be her name, replied Judge Tomas.
The other person in front of the Provost Marshal was a man in his thirties. He also wore dark glasses, had a strong chin, and his forehead was bare beneath his dark, curly hair.
- I am Brother Merthin, and I will ensure the verdict is as appropriate as possible for my client, Yavandir Palebough, under the benevolent guidance of Verena.
- May she guide us all from this minute onwards, replied Tomas. Bring in the defendant, please. And I'll ask the audience to remain calm.
The back doors opened. A great silence fell over the room, broken only at regular intervals by the sound of the newcomers' footsteps, themselves punctuated by the clanking of the chains binding Yavandir Palebough.
The Elf took his place at the dais. His handcuffs, made of perfectly ordinary metal, were fitted with complex mechanisms to prevent any trickery. Besides, his head wound had been energetically treated by Prior Romulus himself, and all he had left was a clean bandage around his forehead. At the request of the Prince's daughter, Yavandir had been allowed to wear a simple eye mask. The entertainer had thus regained his identity, and now appeared to be in full possession of his faculties once again. He also seemed determined to stop laughing and joking, well aware of his situation. So, he stood up straight, waiting for the judge's reaction.
On a table in front of the judge's lectern, the Vereneans had placed pieces of evidence. There were four of them. The first was a small, four-inch glass vial, with no label, in which a dark liquid could be seen. Next to it was a sheet of precious paper bearing a poem written in a delicate hand. The third object was another sheet of paper, this one half burnt. Finally, the last piece of evidence was a thick, leather-bound grimoire with metal fastenings.
- Now, let the Swordbearer come.
There were surprised murmurs. Psody himself felt surprised when he saw Verena's famous special agent. He was a teenager, no more than a dozen years old, dressed in an elaborate toga, slim and dreamy-looking, almost absent-minded. As he passed by, the White ratman felt a sensation that he would have great difficulty describing later: a sort of "cold warmth" was the best expression that came to mind.
Behind the young boy, two other priests of Verena carried a long leather-covered box. The Swordbearer stopped in front of Judge Tomas and introduced himself in a clear voice.
- Your Excellency, I am Brother Tiberius. Verena has done me the immense honour of choosing me to represent her Word.
His neutral tone confirmed what Romulus had thought.
He is completely detached from material things, to the very end of the word!
- Brother Tiberius, thank you for agreeing to come all the way here to help us pass judgement on Shallya.
- Thank you in return, Provost Tomas. You have given me the opportunity to learn more about our world, and thus enrich my modest knowledge.
The priest of Shallya then noticed that the two assistants had opened the leather sheath. His eyes widened when he saw the magnificently crafted sword inside. True, it was an instrument of justice by all appearances. The blade was gleaming, and not the slightest bit dirty. Delicately chiselled decorations adorned the handle, giving it the appearance of a scale.
Young brother Tiberius approached the box. He ran his slender fingers carefully along the length of the blade, as if he was stroking an animal, murmuring a prayer in the classical language. After a long half-minute of this ritual, the blade flickered briefly and gently lifted out of the box. It rose some ten feet above the heads.
- The trial may begin, solemnly announced Provost Tomas.
Brother Tiberius made a small gesture towards the accused. The sword flew silently over the Elf artist and came to rest horizontally, ready to strike. Yavandir Palebough couldn't contain a slight apprehension as he felt the presence of the blade. Brother Tiberius explained:
- This sword will feel the slightest tremor in your heart caused by a lie. It will come down if you deliberately say something that is not the truth for you. The Blade of Justice punishes liars. Provost Tomas, I recommend that you ask the most precise questions possible, so that there are no "word games". If you answer truthfully, the accused, the sword will stand still.
- That's reassuring, but before answering your questions, I'd like to be sure of something: what happens if I say something that I think is true, but is false because of a lack of information?
- For you, it's the honest truth, so the blade won't react any further. You don't risk being hit because of something you don't know that could falsify your answer. An unintentional error will have no more consequence, as long as sincerity guides your words.
- What if I say something that I think is a lie about something, but it turns out to be true without my knowing it?
- In your heart, it would still be a lie. The Blade of Justice punishes liars.
- That seems satisfactory to me, said the Provost. Defendant, please state your identity and profession.
- My name is Yavandir Palebough, a travelling artist specialising in comedy.
The Elf glanced over his head. The blade didn't move.
- Very well, Yavandir Palebough. You are accused of being the main instigator of a plot to overthrow Prince Ludwig Steiner. By your actions, you wanted to provoke a war: you put Chaplain Romulus in a compromising position so that you could hand him over to Lord Horace de Vaucanson, whose aim was to overthrow the Prince and take our Kingdom on your advice. You are also accused of attempted murder by agent on the person of Master Mage Prospero Steiner, whose disappearance would have seriously compromised the fragile balance between Humans and Skaven that we have been trying to maintain for the last six years. Finally, and most seriously, you have attempted to establish within our walls the Cult of the Purple Hand, whose affiliations with the Chaos God Tzeentch are well known, which we consider to be heresy, as the representatives of the Law of the Empire do. What's more, an innkeeper, a war veteran and an initiate of Verena have lost their lives because of you, and I don't mention the many victims caused by Karhi's Feral Skaven, Horace de Vaucanson's Bretonnians and the worshippers of the Purple Hand. In short, you are linked to everything that has threatened our kingdom in recent months. These are all very serious charges, Yavandir Palebough, and should not be treated lightly under any circumstances. How do you plead?
- Guilty, Your Honour, replied Yavandir with dignity.
The golden sword above the Elf didn't even twitch half an inch.
- Sister Weiseneule, I invite you to tell your version of events.
- Thank you, your Honour. Ladies and Gentlemen, your Highness Prince Steiner and his family, we are here to settle the Yavandir Palebough affair. This person has sworn an oath to one of the Chaos Gods, in this case Tzeentch, the God of duplicity, lies and manipulation. For months, Master Palebough and his accomplices hatched a despicable plot to overthrow the Prince and those close to him. Had he gone through with his plan, Vereinbarung would now be devoured by multicoloured flames, with Demons spreading mutations and disorder everywhere. In the best-case scenario, our Kingdom would have had to be purified by fire from neighbouring principalities, and in the worst-case scenario, the Renegade Crowns could have become a new hotbed of infection, in a same way as the Northern Desolations. It was not just many lives that were threatened, but the very balance of the world we know. The sentence must be both exemplary and of the utmost severity.
The priestess let a few seconds of silence pass, and faced the judge, who nodded in agreement.
- Thank you for your opinion. Brother Merthin, please express your point of view.
- May Verena enlighten your judgement, Your Honour. Yavandir Palebough committed acts that are crimes, that's a fact. But we must look beyond appearances. It has been clearly established by his Highness the Prince, the Master Mage Prospero, Chaplain Romulus and yourself that my client was under the influence of a creature of Chaos who drove him to provoke a climate of discord and threaten the balance of Vereinbarung. The real culprit is this creature sent by the hated Gods. The Prince, his daughter and the Prior knew Master Palebough before he fell into the clutches of this Demoness, and they will tell you that my client was a completely different person, both loyal and benevolent, despite a personality that could be described as "rather extravagant". This person contributed to the development of the Rat Kingdom, at the earliest: Yavandir Palebough helped Prince Steiner with his research on the Skaven when he was still living in Altdorf. So Vereinbarung took its first steps with the help of my client. Today, Master Palebough is in the dock because he has been the victim of an odious manipulation. When we have established his innocence and cleared his name and honour, you will be the first to seek his acquittal.
- Thank you, Brother Merthin. Sister Weiseneule, you have the floor.
The priestess readjusted her pince-nez and moved towards Yavandir's desk.
- Master Palebough, can you explain how your story came to be mixed up with Vereinbarung's?
- Certainly, Sister. It goes back a good ten years. I was already a touring artist, but times were hard and the band's coffers were empty. We continued to give our shows, but we were obliged to do a few "mercenary jobs" here and there. So, one day, I took on a research job which, I had no idea at the time, would change my life forever. The client's name was Ludwig Steiner – you know him, he's the current Prince of the Rat Kingdom. I didn't know it at the time, but he conducted research on Skaven, illegally according to the Empire Law. He regularly hired mercenaries to provide him with... "study material", as he named it at the time.
- What was the nature of this "study material"?
- They were Skaven from the Under-Empire captured alive. As their study is strictly forbidden still now in the Empire, we were obliged to resort to this type of terminology, which obviously doesn't apply to the inhabitants of Vereinbarung who were born under the sign of the Horned Rat.
- Be careful, Master Palebough, the people of Vereinbarung are raised to worship our Gods. The first Harvested were all baptised according to our rites, just as they do with their children. No one is considered to be connected with the God of the Feral Skaven, including the Harvested ones. But I'm interrupting you for trifles, please continue.
- I'm coming to the interesting part, Sister: I've participated a few captures of Feral Skaven. Prince Steiner was always very careful about who he employed. I'm proud to have been one of the very few people he trusted.
- Can you give us the names of those lucky people? Don't forget we're talking about events that happened in Altdorf a long time ago. Accordingly, there's no risk to anyone involved.
- Apart from Ludwig Steiner, there were his servants. I think I know that only two of them survived the night Grey Seer Vellux set fire to his estate. Prior Romulus was involved. At my level, I worked with two other people: a Norscan warrior, Hallbjörn Ludviksson, who founded his mercenary company with the money he received from Prince Steiner, and Brisingr Steadyhand, who is in this room. The three of us have carried out a few "capture" missions. Brisingr and I were scouring the countryside around Altdorf. When we heard stories like "a farmer has been attacked by Beastmen", we'd go and investigate. When we spotted traces of a Feral Skaven, we'd go and find Ludviksson and set off on the hunt.
- In the open country? Don't Feral Skaven prefer the sewers of big cities?
- Not necessarily, there are some who prefer the countryside, they live under villages made up of large farms with livestock. In fact, Master Mage Prospero comes from such a colony. And it was during one of these marauding expeditions that we once captured a young fema...
The artist paused abruptly, and his cheeks flushed.
- Please, Master Palebough, keep talking.
- Excuse me, Sister, I was about to talk about Lady Heike in purely zoological terms unworthy of her person.
- You mean that's how you brought back the Skaven woman that was officially adopted by Prince Steiner?
- Yes, Sister.
- You seem to have been personally affected by this event, to talk about it with such restraint?
- That encounter changed my life, Sister.
- You did these marauding jobs for money, were you well paid for it?
- Yes, the risks were high, and the rewards were commensurate.
- How did this work in particular change your life, Master Palebough?
- Meeting Heike changed things. Money was no longer the only interest. This young girl made us realise that Skaven could be something other than repulsive creatures lurking in sewers and burrows. We established contact with her. It was... so... moving!
Palebough looked ready to weep. Priestess Weiseneule pouted.
- I find hard to believe that an honest merchant from Altdorf would trust a professional entertainer with such a secret project? You're an artist, aren't you the kind of person to be exuberant?
- Yes, I'm an artist, but that doesn't mean I don't know when to talk and when to keep my lips sealed, Sister. From the moment I accepted the first job, my destiny was linked to the Prince's. If I said the slightest word, I was immediately branded as accomplice, and sent to the stake.
- Oh, such a creative and daring man as you are... you would have defended yourself, and charged your employer to take him down with you!
- A simple Elf entertainer without the protection of an entitled noble, versus a rich and powerful merchant, with a few entrances into the family of the Talabecland Count Elector? I pride myself on having a vivid imagination, but not to that extent!
- What if it had been the opposite? What if it wasn't you who were in danger, but your employer, Ludwig Steiner? You knew of his penchant for studying Skaven, but by spending so much time with him, hanging around his house, you might have had access to something incriminating? Stolen letters, evidence of money laundering, that sort of thing? Did you have some kind of hold over him, the logical consequence of which would be your actions over the last few weeks?
- Not in the slightest!' retorted the Elf aggressively. Ludwig Steiner must undoubtedly have done things that would displease Verena's representatives, as anyone in his position would, but even if he had, I have no knowledge of it, and it doesn't concern me! From my point of view, Prince Steiner is a good man, and in my normal state, I'm the last person to want to do him any harm!
Palebough's words echoed through the courtroom. Above him, Verena's Sword floated placidly, without reacting.
- Thank you for your sincerity, Master Palebough. I wish you to explain to the Court how you became an agent of Chaos. I am aware that this may provoke strong emotions in you, but we must know the Truth, whatever the cost.
- I'm here to bring that Truth to light, if only to clear my name.
The gleaming sword still didn't move.
- What was your first contact with Chaos?
- I didn't come across them for many years. But when I started working for Ludwig Steiner, I also became involved in a conspiracy between the worshippers of two Chaos Gods who were fighting over relics linked to a Champion. The two cults were the Red Skull, loyal to Khorne, the God of Blood and Slaughter, and the Purple Hand, agents of Tzeentch, the God of Magic and Change. They were looking for artefacts likely to be related to Xathrodox, a very zealous servant of Khorne. The first wanted to bring this Champion back to life, the others wanted to destroy all hope of doing so. Me and my comrades Brisingr Steadyhand and Hallbjörn Ludviksson wanted to stop the Red Skull, but we didn't know about the Purple Hand, so they were more discreet. It was during this affair that my path crossed with that of Katarine Braun.
- Katarine Braun? Can you tell us more about this person?
Palebough needed to catch his breath and think about his words. Behind his mask, his eyes clouded over with nostalgia.
- Katarine Braun was an extraordinary woman, Sister. By my standards, she was more than attractive. Not only did I find her anatomically very seductive, but she also seemed to have a very fine mind.
- A woman as beautiful as she is witty, that's the dream of many people. And so, she had no trouble seducing you, I presume?
- She did worse than that, Sister: she faked her abduction, and when I "rescued" her from her captors, she fell into my arms. I was over the moon, you can imagine. The next few days passed like a dream, despite the threat of the two Chaos sects around us. Never for a moment had I imagined that Katarine Braun was part of the Purple Hand.
- And that's when the trap closed on you. It's a pity; a cultured, intelligent man being tricked like a romantic child... I find it hard to believe.
- That's therefore how it happened, Sister.
- Are you sure? You were with this person long enough. You've been close to her. And you didn't understand who she really was? She ended up confiding in you on the pillow, didn't she?
- Objection! exclaimed brother Merthin, speaking for the first time.
- Rejected, Provost Tomas declared. Go to the end of your thought, Sister Weiseneule, but be careful not to stray from the path of decency.
- Of course, your Honour. Master Palebough, you finally understood Katarine Braun was a witch affiliated to Chaos. So why did you stay with her? Admit that you became her accomplice of your own free will!
All eyes were on the Sword. Everyone expected it to fall on the Elf. The latter didn't lose his composure. But when he replied, his voice had a tone of determination that Heike had never perceived in him until that day.
- I won't do it, Sister. I fell hopelessly in love with Katarine Braun, and I'll never know if a spell had anything to do with it or not. Maybe she left a charm under the bed to trap me, maybe she was really infatuated with me? I was her accomplice on our walks, our trips to the theatre, our tumultuous nights. Faced with the threat of the cult searching for the artefacts linked to the Champion, I saw Katarina's apparition as an invigorating oasis in the middle of a desert of black sand. Everything in her demeanour, her words, her gestures, her looks, expressed True Love, and nothing else. Perhaps she wanted to make me her partner rather than her instrument? In any case, I don't esteem I became her accomplice "of my own free will". I did, it's true, but the Yavandir Palebough I was before I met her would never have betrayed the Steiner family. The moment I realised this woman's true intentions, I was no longer myself! She broke through my defences, exploited my weakness and made me her puppet!