"Why do I even bother being her protector?" Roche growled as she stalked through the halls. Her knuckles ached bitterly, and she smelled terribly of shoe polish. The scent would linger on her for days. Not to mention she had a million nicks on her fingers from sharpening swords. She'd also nearly set off ten guns while checking the gunpowder stores, stopped in time only by heer inkblood.

All in all, Roche was not having a good time.

She walked into the infirmary looking like a wreck. Verita took one look at her and grimaced.

"That bad?"

"You have no idea." Roche sighed, crossing the room. She stretched her pained fingers. "How's she doing?"

"Better," Leinos promised, running a hand through his salt and pepper hair. "She only needed a few stitches, but I knocked her out to check for any poison running through her system. So far, she seems fine. She'll wake up soon."

"Perfect," Verita replied, "I'll need to get her testimonial to confirm my findings."

"Do you have an idea what the creature is?" Roche asked as Leinos darted off to the other twelve cots he'd arranged, empty vials of elixirs abandoned beside each one.

Verita hesitated for a moment. "I have a theory." she paused, her eyes glancing around the infirmary, "But I'd rather not say it here."

Roche inspected the librarian's face. Verita was rarely secretive about knowledge. Except when it came to one topic.

Roche lowered her voice until it was barely audible. "Does it have something to do with inkblood?"

Verita nodded quickly, glancing around at the other patients who were knocked unconscious. "We'll talk once we're back in our chambers."

A groan interrupted Roche's reply. She jolted up as Ivie stirred in her cot, blinking up in confusion. Her strong, muscled arms darted to the side like she expected a sword to be there. Roche barely managed to jump out of the way.

"Ivie!" she cried out excitedly. Ivie's eyes widened, her brows furrowing.

"Roche?" she murmured, sitting up slightly. "Where am I? What am I doing in- agh!" She clutched her side. Leinos hurried over.

"That's what you get for sitting up too quickly." he chided gently, easing Ivie up slowly. "You'll tear a stitch if you keep moving so fast."

"I needed stitches?" Ivie peeled her soiled shirt away from her side, her face darkening as she stared at the bandages stuck to her skin. "Great. The steward's going to be pleased."

"You've been excused from your duties to heal. You saved a fellow member of the royal household." Verita explained, nudging Roche out of the way. She stared at Ivie hawkishly, holding up a pad of paper and a pen. "Would you mind telling us what you saw?"

"A giant, white furred wolf." Ivie replied slowly, glancing at Roche, "It was huge. As tall as a tree. Heavily muscled. Seemed to freeze people."

"Freeze people?" Verita repeated. Ivie nodded.

"Before it mauled some of the servants, it would pin them down and breathe on them. The victim would just... stop struggling." Ivie shuddered, "It would sniff them and then tear into them."

Verita fell silent.

"Did that confirm anything?" Roche asked. Verita snapped her pad of paper shut.

"It did. Thank you, Ivie, you've given me much to consider." Verita murmured, her eyes faraway. To Roche, she whispered, "Come back to the library as soon as you can. We need to talk."

Dread filled Roche with those words, but she nodded anyway. Verita stalked out of the room and Leinos descended on his patient. Roche awkwardly stood at the side of the cot, unsure what to say.

"Um... thanks. You know, for saving my life." Roche said, trying to keep her voice steady. Ivie smiled at her meekness.

"Ah, I was just doing what anyone would have done."

"I haven't met many people who can fight like you." Roche blurted out before thinking. Her cheeks flooded with heat. "Well, granted, I haven't met many people in general."

Ivie raised her brows as if to say I can tell.

Roche cleared her throat, face on fire. "How did you learn to fight? I know Cook can be a menace, but you fought as well as any knight!"

Ivie's face softened at the question. "Oh, part of my duties is to serve the knights on the training field. You know, cleaning their weapons, getting them water, those kinds of tasks. I picked up a few things from watching them."

"You're a natural!" Roche gushed.

Ivie grinned, mortified. Roche wished she knew how to stop talking.

"Please excuse my pathetic excuse of a maid. She doesn't know when to start blabbering or when to stop."

Roche spun around. Tigris leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed. Her eyes hardened as they focused on Ivie, struggling to get out of her cot.

"My lady," Ivie greeted her, "I'm sorry. I would curtsy if I wasn't stuck in this infernal cot."

"Don't try and leave yet, young lady!" Leinos warned from across the room. Tigris chuckled.

"Please, be at ease. You have no need to curtsy to me after what you did. You saved many civilians from slaughter." Tigris glanced at Roche, who was trying very hard to be invisible, "And based on my excited maid's account, you showed a great deal of skill with a sword."

Ivie's eyes gleamed like Tigris had given her the best gift of all time. She bowed her head respectfully. "Thank you, my lady."

"I assume you've given Verita your account of the fight?" Tigris asked. Ivie nodded, and Tigris sighed in relief. "Excellent. I came by to see how you fared. And to reward you for your service."

Ivie blinked in surprise, her jaw dropping. "That won't be necessary-"

"Please," Tigris cut her off harshly, her voice gentling as she added, "I insist. You did what many brave knights did not."

Ivie lowered her gaze. "I've only ever wished to serve you, my lady."

Tigris perked up. "Like a promotion? You could always replace Roche!"

Roche yelped indignantly from the shadows. She liked Ivie, but she needed to stay close to Tigris to fulfill her destiny. "I am irreplaceable!"

Ivie chuckled. "No, my lady. I do not wish to be your maid. I would love to have the chance to serve as a knight."

Tigris froze. "A knight?" she repeated. Ivie nodded eagerly.

"It's all I've ever wanted. My family's village in the east was attacked when I was a child and saved by the knights of the Faultless City. Ever since, I've wanted nothing more than to serve in such a force." Ivie smiled warmly, "I was content to serve as a maid to such a fine group, but it would fulfil my greatest dream if I could fight by your side, my lady."

Roche smiled. Ivie would be an excellent addition to the knights. She was clearly adept and rather purehearted. There was no way Tigris couldn't see that.

"I'm sorry," Tigris said after a moment, "I'm afraid I cannot allow that."

Ivie's mirth dimmed. "I understand there is a test and I am more than willing to prove myself through it, my lady."

"No," Tigris' eyes were sad as she neared Ivie's cot. "You cannot take the exam. Women aren't permitted to."

Ivie seemed to shrink back. "I-I didn't know."

"Tigris," Roche interjected quietly. Tigris cast her a sharp look that warned her to stay silent. She placed a hand on Ivie's shoulder, waiting for the girl to look up.

"I'm sorry," Tigris said remorsefully, "Truly, I am. I will ensure you are fiscally rewarded instead, Ivie."

Ivie bowed her head. Roche could see a small tear trail down the woman's cheek. "Of course, my lady. Thank you for listening to me."

Tigris' answering smile was sad. She squeezed Ivie's shoulder roughly before walking out. Over her shoulder, she called, "Roche! I hope the armoury is clean!"

Roche groaned. "That brat."

"She's... noble. And kind." Ivie murmured miserably. Roche shook her head.

"She should let you be a knight."

"You heard the rules," Ivie sighed, "It's pointless to ask for things I cannot have. I'm content being a maid."

The words were very unconvincing. Across the room, even Leinos grimaced in sympathy. Roche shook her head, backing away.

"I'll talk to her." she promised. Ivie tried to argue, and Roche shook her head. "You saved my life. It's the least I can do."

Ivie's eyes shined with hope that made Roche's chest feel light.

"Thank you, Roche" she whispered gratefully, sinking back into her cot. Roche nodded, grabbing a skin of water. She tipped it up to the injured woman's lips and went to gather her some lunch.

-------

"Where have you been?" Verita demanded when Roche trudged into her chambers hours later. Roche leaned against the doorway, peeling off her boots.

"Where else? Talking to the brattiest brat to ever exist!" Roche grumbled. Tigris had been staunch in her decision.

"She's really good. Nearly as good as you!" Roche had pleaded. But Tigris had shook her head, her lips pressing flat with irritation.

"I can't. You know the rules."

"But you're a knight." Roche had pointed out, crossing her arms, "And you're a woman."

"I'm the heir to the throne. It's different. Now, I'll have you in the dungeons for a week if you don't shut up your endless prattle!" Tigris had snapped.

Now, Roche rolled her eyes, leaning against the doors to the library chambers. Verita's forehead was lined with worry.

"I know what the creature is." the librarian sighed wearily, beckoning Roche to come closer. A book was splayed in front of the old librarian, dusty with aged illustrations. Verita pointed a withered picture towards one such illustration.

Roche gasped, leaning closer. "That's it! That's the wolf!" she said excitedly.

Verita shook her head gravely. "That's no wolf. It is the Atrex."

"Am I supposed to know what that is?"

Verita swatted the back of Roche's head. "It is a creature summoned from the depths of the forest by the most powerful of inkbloods. It has one purpose, and one purpose only. To find the greatest source of inkblood in its vicinity and drain it. When it does so, its white fur will turn ebony with the acquired ink."

"That makes sense," Roche murmured, "My inkblood froze in my veins when it looked at me."

Silence descended over them both. Goosebumps rose on Roche's arms. She stared at the illustration, sobering at the sight of those fearsome, wild eyes.

"And when you say 'the most powerful of inkbloods' summoned it, do you mean-"

Verita nodded. "The Council's level of power. I believe they intended this creature to find you and any inkbloods that might be serving the royal family and eliminate you."

Roche covered her mouth in horror. "So all those slaughtered people were inkbloods?"

"No," Verita pointed to another line in the book, "The Atrex will plow through person after person, searching blindly for a whiff of inkblood until it finds a significant source."

"So all those people died because they were between me and the Atrex?" Roche realised aloud. Verita's hesitation confirmed it and hot guilt turned Roche's stomach. She looked away from the illustration, afraid she'd vomit if she stared at it any longer. "How can it be stopped?"

"It is an enchanted creature." Verita flipped the page, "Normal weapons won't work. Nor will your inkblood. Only together, weapons and inkblood, can the creature be defeated. You'll need an enchanted weapon of some sort."

"Where can I find one of those?" Roche asked, perching herself on the tabletop. Verita scowled.

"You can't. You must enchant it."

"Me?" Roche blinked, "But what kind of enchantment?"

"We'll need to figure it out," Verita murmured gravely. She stared at Roche with glassy eyes, as if envisioning what flowers Roche would like on her pyre. "Or the Atrex will tear this kingdom apart until it finds you."

A/N: I love writing socially awkward Roche and Tigris just being done with her LOL. So, what do you think about Ivie? Any parallels to a certain knight from Merlin? There's going to be a few more key differences that you'll see soon :) As always, let me know what you think in the comments! Happy reading!