A Woman Scorned

She flopped over in the bed, still half-asleep, expecting the arm she had reached out to fall upon the warm body that had been next to her only a few hours before. Instead, she found empty air, and then the feel of slightly cold linen. She came fully awaken then, and sat up. Blinking in the thin light of dawn, trying to get her bearings. Had he simply gotten up a little early (ok, make that a lot early)? Was he just now down in the common room, getting an early breakfast?

She glanced around the room, the thought of joining him for some eggs and mutton becoming a fine idea indeed, when it suddenly hit her. Something was wrong. It wasn't only his body that was missing from the bed, but his pack from the corner as well. He hadn't touched it in two weeks. Two MAGICAL weeks since they'd met, and he'd stolen her heart... as well as other things.

No worried, and not understanding entirely WHY, she leaped out of bed and grabbed the nearest covering she could find. The air was chilly, and the lack of the warmth of his body now hit her. He had been gone for some time.

Running now, down the stairs to the inn's commons, she grabbed the nearest wench (perhaps a little roughly, her emotions now out of control. Unfamiliar to her.) and demanded she answer her questions.

Had she seen him? Where had he gone? Had he said anything?

Sadly, the wench answered her questions, and only in all too maddening a detail.

He had left in the deep of the night. Waking the maid and demanding she prepare him provisions that could last him many weeks. Then, without a word, he had departed. Carrying with him everything he had arrived with only those 2 short weeks ago. Tears threatened in her eyes, but they were not tears of sadness. No, she was angry. Furious. How dare he? HOW DARE HE?!

He had arrived at their tiny little Hamlet just that fortnight ago. She had been working as a barmaid in the inn when he dragged himself inside, looking a little worse for wear, tired and bedraggled. Yet in his eyes a fierce fire had glowed, and though it seemed like such a tired cliche, those eyes had captivated her from that first moment. Her, a person that had sworn to never be caught in the usual female trap. Her, a paragon of independence. Her, trapped here in this gods-forsaken place while undercover for the King, trying to track down a violent killer. In the space of but a moment all of that was forgotten, as he took a seat, called her over, looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Food, and a room with a bath, if possible" he had uttered, and she was lost.

Now as she stood in the commons with a wench that looked terrified by what she saw in this mad-woman's eyes, the person she had been before was suddenly back in force. No longer was she a love-sick little girl, her strength and independence gone. No longer was she trapped by feelings she had sworn to never give in to. No longer. The man must have been a magician. There must have been some power in him that he could take her over like he had. Those last two weeks seemed fuzzy now. Like a dream. Like she had been drugged.

A small growl escaped her lips. Yes. That was not the person she was. He had done something to her. Done something, then used her and disappeared when finished.

With a scream of rage, she swore that she would find him. She would use every skill at her disposal (and she had many, being trained under the King's finest forces) and she would hunt him down. She would have her revenge.

Except, first, she would run to the privy and empty and already almost empty stomach as a wave of nausea hit her. Revenge would have to wait.

1 Year Later:

Karyna reluctantly handed the bundle over to the woman in the doorway. It squirmed for a moment, and then was still. No sound escaped it, for now. With a nod of her head, the woman disappeared into the gloom behind, and the door swung shut. Karyna swallowed a choking sob, but then held herself in check. She stood up straight, hitched her pack up on her shoulder, and turned from the doorway. It was done, and it was time.

He had left her that night that seemed so long ago, but not without giving her something before he went. That morning of her rage turned into a morning of confusion, and a few months later all was confirmed. She had been with child. Now, she was leaving that child with this monastery, in order to find its father. No longer did she have revenge on her mind, although she was still driven by anger. Now, she wished only to make him aware of what he left her. To stand up for his responsibility.

Or was that a form of revenge in itself? A feral grin spread on her face.

She knew where to start. He had murmured it in his sleep on many an occasion. A name. It had made no sense to her at the time, but she had had many months to research it. Now she understood.

Torchlight.

The talk of the place was that of legend. So he had gone to seek his fortune. Perhaps to become a hero. Perhaps to become a legend. Most likely to become a god... and bend people to his will. He had been good at that.

With a final grunt of determination, she descended from the steps of the monastery, and turned onto the path that would lead her to him. Hopefully.

She prayed she would find him still alive... because if the monsters hadn't destroyed him. She would.