1 October 2023

When the templar captain stopped Fera and Kyra on their way out, Kyra groaned internally. Logically, she’d known she’d had it easy so far. The [x]’s weeks travel from Naothair to Cathwain may have been uneventful, other than a rare bandit or five, but she’d always known traveling with the saintess would come with complications.

Still, Fera was the saintess, right? Didn’t that mean her word was supposed to be law or something for these churchy types? What was the point of getting stuck with the job if the girl got all the responsibilities with none of the perks?

“I appreciate your concern, Captain Neumann, but Kyra has proven herself perfectly capable of defending both my person and my honor.”

“And I am grateful for her efforts in escorting you here to Cathwain. But now, surely we can pay her what she’s due, and assign someone more capable to stand at your side?”

Kyra growled and rested one hand on the head of her ax. Before either she or Fera could respond to the templar, though, a bark of laughter sounded from the gate. The three turned to find a hooded man reclined against the doorway, flipping a knife between his fingers. “Capable? Like the way you lot handled the [] invasion? Or how the [slums] are an absolute icon of honor and civility?”

The templar’s hands tightened into fists. “At the very least, we should be more capable of defending the saintess than some drunkard off the street.”

Kyra opened her mouth to protest, then cocked her head. He kind of had a point. At least about the “drunkard off the street” bit. From what she’d seen, though, she figured she could take any of these “knight in shining armor” types.

Based on the shake of his head, the hooded man agreed. “You’ve not even seen the woman in action. Don’t you trust your little saintess’s judgment at all?” Fera protested, but the man ignored her. “Look at the way the woman carries herself. Ten gold says she’d be able to take any one of your people.”

A familiar feral grin spread across Kyra’s face. “Sounds fun. Care to test me, Captain?”

Fera muttered, “Oh, pickles.” Kyra pretended she hadn’t heard her.

21 September 2023 part 2

Kyra had always figured traveling with the saintess was bound to come with complications. But this… this was something else. The [x] weeks’ travel from the holy city of Naothair to Cathwain had been uneventful, other than a rare bandit or several, and the fact Fera felt the need to check in at the local cathedrals seemed to come with the job description.

Then the templar captain had stopped them on their way out, with “concerns about the company her holiness was keeping”. Which… fine. It was annoying, but, fair. Kyra knew she wasn’t the most respectable person around, especially when she got herself drunk. Which was often.

No, Kyra’s issue was that the dumbass reused to listen to anything Fera had to say on the subject. Wasn’t she the saintess? Wasn’t her word supposed to be like law or something for these folks? What was even the point of being stuck with the job if the girl got all of the responsibilities but none of the benefits?

“My lady, please, I implore you. Let one of my templars take over as your bodyguard, and let this… drunkard… back to drowning whatever demons plague her elsewhere.”

“I appreciate your concern, Captain [Neumann], but Kyra has proven herself perfectly capable of defending both my person and my honor, regardless of her degree of inebriation. There’s really no need for you to be concerned.”

The templar–[Neaumann], Fera said?–blinked. “If the issue is a matter of gender, my lady, there are a number of women under my command who would be honored to serve at your side.

VERSION 1

Surely they can serve you better than this mercenary? There’s a large difference between fighting bandits and fighting demons.”

Next to her, Kyra heard Fera mutter, “Oh pickles.” Kyra wasn’t sure if that was because of her or the captain, but she wasn’t going to worry about it. She took a deep breath and glared at the templar. “So your brats know what it feels like, then? They’ve seen demons murder their family? Friends? Watched their homes–their whole village–burn around them? Are they haunted by nightmares still, years, even decades later?”

Both Fera and captain stared at Kyra with wide eyes. She spit on the ground and growled, “Don’t talk sh** about things you don’t understand.”

She turned to leave.

VERSION 2

Surely one of them is more trustworthy than this mercenary?”

Kyra’s hands tightened on her belt, and she forced herself to breath slowly and keep calm. “Are you implying I am not as good as my word?”

The templar shrugged. “It is well known that a mercenary’s loyalties lie with the highest bidder. And while I doubt the demon king would be making any viable offers, there are some less-than-reputable nobles who might be willing to pay a veritable fortune to keep the saintess under their thumb. I’m just saying, a more trustworthy and reputable entourage–”

He was interrupted by a snort of laughter from the wall. The three turned to find a hooded man lounging atop it, a nihilistic smile across his face. “You only need to visit the [slums district name] to see the famous ‘honor of the templars’ at work. Half of them would sell out your ‘precious saintess’ before night fell.”

Based on the way the templar captain grimaced, there was at least some truth to that statement. His expression did a lot to relieve Kyra’s building temper.

The templar opened his mouth to reply, but the stranger cut him off. “Besides, your saintess is right. Look at the way the lady carries herself; she’s no green recruit in shining armor. No, she’s a fighter, and she’d be a more capable protector than any of your little knightlings. Probably better than you, even.”

The captain scowled and glanced at Kyra. She shrugged, then grinned as she suggested, “I know a way we could find out.”

From beside her, Fera muttered, “Oh, pickles.” Kyra decided to pretend like she hadn’t noticed.

11 August 2023

Fera’s official recruitment of Kyra. Honestly, reading back over it, I’m not especially satisfied with this; I might cut it entirely, if the previous scene ended well enough, or I might rewrite it in the future. We shall see.

…twice and let go. “How would you feel about joining me on an expedition to the demon king’s castle?”

Kyra blinked slowly. “What?”

“You and me. Based on the scuffle last night, you seem quite strong. If you think it’s too dangerous, though, I understand.”

It took another moment for Kyra to catch up. Then she snorted and shook her head. “Hate to break it to you, but unless you can somehow get the saintess to join us, no way they’ll be letting us anywhere near the front, much lest into the heart of the demon realm.”

Fera pointedly avoided meeting Kyra’s gaze. “Ah, yeah. Um, about that…” She held out her hands, which slowly started to glow.

Kyra’s jaw dropped. After a few moments, she said, “You’re the saintess? Here?” When Fera nodded, Kyra planted her face into the palm of one hand. “What the hell did I do last night?”

“You stepped in when I was accosted by a trio of overzealous noblemen. Really, if you hadn’t immediately gotten sick, it would have been quite gallant.”

Kyra groaned, her cheeks flushed. She took a deep breath, and then she looked up at Fera. “So, let me get this straight. If I go with you, act as your bodyguard, you’ll give me a chance to punch that son of a bitch demon king in the face, yeah?”

Fera shrugged. “More or less.”

A positively feral grin formed on Kyra’s face. “Then count me in.”