The Devil's Due [Completed]

[Katarya Frost]

Kat looked up and suddenly, Artemis was there.

In a whirl, he he had taken out enough of the men that she felt lie she could sag with relief, but she had no time for such.

As the men fell to the floor, they rounded on Artemis. He was obviously the greater threat.

At the scene before her, Kat's eyes narrowed. Their vision was blurry, and she might look a state, but there was something about this that gave her ... something.

Close by, a raven called.

Kat reached out a wavering hang to Artemis, pointing her finger in his direction. Helcë! She called, as commanding as she could.

Around the thief, ice sprang up in a semicircle; impaling the closest man though the stomach in a terrible gurgling sound, while another am lanced in the knee by one of the icicles jutting from the ground.

For a moment, she looked down at her frost covered hands in wonder, then quickly hiked up her skirt ad ran over to Artemis. squeezing his arm and laying her blood marked hair against his head. "You came." She whispered

[Artemis Black]

Artemis flinched heavily as the sense of magic washed over him with Katarya’s shout. He still moved to toss a knife and catch the injured but alive thugs before the witch moved over to him. He caught her, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a quick hug.

“Of course, you called,” he said, giving her a grin before looking her over. “You took something fierce, wait a moment,” he said and then quickly moved around to collect his knives and any obvious loot on the dead attackers. He spent several moments afterward listening and looking around. There were clear sounds of alarm outside, but they were well off still. There were several exits from the room they were in. He decided on a doorway that looked half collapsed that should lead to the back of the building.

“Alright, come on then,” he said, giving her a squeeze before moving towards his chosen exit. The next room was a pile of garbage, rotting containers, and bowing outer wall. Artemis grinned and set Kat on her feet.

“Cover your mouth and eyes,” he said, waiting for her and then jamming the tapered end of his crossbow between the boards of the wall. There was a creak, groan, and a cloud of dust and wood when the board popped free. Artemis moved to the next board, yanking it roughly from the wall with his gloved hands. One final board and there was a space just enough to squeeze through.

“Step through, then wait,” he said, frowning at the shuddering roof. When he was outside he abruptly picked her up, giving her another squeeze when she tiredly yelped in protest. “For now, be the injured damsel, and I can be your protector. If you squint hard enough it almost seems to be true,” he said, shifting her weight slightly before starting down the street.

‘Sneaking out a new exit should give us just enough time to get high and keep moving,’ he thought as he mounted a low wall and followed it up onto the shop roof. The route out of the dockside was maze like with its large buildings and wide wagon-sized streets. When they were several streets away he looked up to Nyx and slowed before finally stopping and setting Katarya down.

“Do you need immediate care? What happened? What was that magic?” he asked, his words all tumbling out at once as deep concern finally showed in his eyes. The adrenaline of combat had faded by now and he had left was his worry for her injuries.

[Katarya Frost]

Kat did as she was bade; covering her mouth and closing her eyes as Artemis let loose an arrow.

She coughed a little as she looked to him. "I was never very good at being the damsel in dis..." She winced and her hands want to her stomach. She shook her head. "I'll be fine." She said, with little conviction.

When offered, she took his arm. "Get me to the Hart," she said. "I think I need a looking at."

***

It wasn't an easy trek; Kat had to stop several times as her stomach contracted and she had wait for a moment or two for it to pass.

But soon they were there, and as soon as they entered, Elára took one look at the witch and barked out orders.

"I need a healer." She managed.

The Elven woman nodded. "Lassë Black can remain down here, while - "

Kat shook her head, leaning heavily on her lover. "He stays with me."

Elára looked like the might argue, but in the end she gave a nod. "Go on." She said, but her eyes watched as the two passed and made their way up the stairs to Kat's room. "A healer, now. No, I don't care what time it is! Remind yourself whom you are talking to, boy! We have enough in our employ that they cane come immediately. Do it now."

***

Kat's head felt fuzzy from the tonics given to her by this Elven healer, the first of which she had promptly thrown up. "That'll not help anyone." He had pointed out, while preparing another.

At first he had pushed and pressed on her stomach; a usual way of finding something wrong. When he had asked her to bring her legs up to her buttocks, she had blanched. "Is that necessary?" She had said, drowsily.

"I wouldn't have asked, if otherwise." The healer had pointed out.

So Kat did as she was told, and gasped in discomfort as he went to work .. inspecting her. She had many questions, but the drugs she had been given had made her head fuzzy. She wasn't even sure what to ask.

After what seemed like an eternity, the healer moved to a bowl of lime water to wash his hands. "Whatever mixtures you have been using to prevent pregnancy have worked, but so has the damage to your abdomen." He turned to look at her, putting his hand on her wrist. "The damage is extensive. I am afraid you will not be able to bear children. There is too much ..."

"That will be all." Kat said, seeming to draw strength from somewhere. She pushed herself up in the best, covering her legs with a sheet. "You have my thanks for coming out so late. You may leave."

The healer looked surprised, looking at both Artemis and Katarya. "There are things you should know going forward ... there will be complica..."

"I know what I am in store for. Thank you, sir." She said, then waved her hand to the door.

The healer dripped his head to both Artemis and Kat as he made a swift exit.

When he did, Kat's head fell back against the pillow. Her eyes distant; they might have been filled with tears had she been any other girl who had heard such news. "I despised the idea of motherhood ... but I had to assume that I would carry on the Frost line. The witches of my family will die with me." She said, then held her hand out to Artemis. "Hand holding would not go amiss not, Mr. Black." She said, with a grim smile.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis was a bundle of frayed nerves and exhaustion from the moment they entered the Hart. Katarya was clearly very hurt, and he didn’t have the skill or connections to get her better. He was glad she had immediately insisted he remain, because he would have likely regretted his own words otherwise. When the healer did their work he remained vigilant and available. Ready to fetch, support, or simply stay out of the way in every moment.

When she offered her hand and he rushed over, kneeling down and taking her arm to his chest. He wrapped his fingers in hers and squeezed gently, wanting to smother her in his affection and care but worried he would harm her. “I don’t really understand what’s wrong, but I know it’s really bad. I’m here, as long as you need me, however you need me,” he said before leaning over to place his forehead against hers.

“Do you want me to go get you something, or just be?” he asked softly after several moments. He had people now, they could deal with whatever needed done in the East Hall. Kat needed him now and so here he would be until she decided otherwise.

[Katarya Frost]

She took his hand while the other remained on her stomach. "I'll never have children." She said, almost aloud, as well as to Artemis. "I could never envisage myself with a baby ... I'm too selfish, an I ..." Her coice caught in her throat and she winced as pain shot through her abdomen. The healer's tonics were enough that these pains weren't overwhelming, but still.

She didnt't look up at him as she spoke though her hand remained encased in his own. "You heard the man; no children from me. You can take that as you will, Artemis. I don't expect you to stay with me when I can't give you a child to call your own."

Her eyes didn't turn to him; he was afraid what he might say. Some part of her expected some platitudes while he walked out the door. She would never blame him.

Katarya, the ice-cold heart of Fellsgard with more enemies than friends, was barren. "I'm afraid all I have is all i have." She said, as if in lament, her hand rubbing her tummy; showing that life would never grow there.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis looked very confused suddenly. His mind was racing over a million thoughts and he couldn’t make sense of most of them. “Do you need anything else for the pain?” he asked, latching on to the one thing he knew he should. Then his thoughts spun off again before he realized something.

“Lómë, my night in which I shine, I don’t think I’ve ever even thought about children before,” he said softly, giving her a shrug. “I mean, what would I know about raising a child? Most of my memories are on the streets fighting the rats for food.”

He gently placed his hand on her stomach, hoping the warmth would be soothing rather than painful. “If it’s something you want, I'm sure we can find a way to fix this. You’re not the only witch, and you certainly don’t know everything. If it’s not, then we can always just hope nothing else is wrong. Either way, I figure when you’re healed again we can get a lot of practice done. Wouldn’t want you to be unprepared if we change our minds,” he said, giving her an uneven grin.

He leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly. “Scoot over, I’ll slide in and keep you warm until you can eat something. We can swap stories if you want. You can teach me how this works,” he said thumbing the ring he wore and giving her a wink.”

[Katarya Frost]

Katarya grimaced as she moved aside, but was glad for his presence. When he sidled to her, she put her arms around him, laying her head on his shoulder. There aren't many thing you can be sure of in medicine, but while the good healer did his work ... I did mine." she took a long breath, "I will bear no children; I have taken too many foolish concoctions and potions that a truncheon to the stomach mist have not even been the last straw ..."

She tailed off, gripping his arm and puling herself against him as much as she could. Sighing deeply as she got herself into a restful position. "The ring," she said, groggily. The herbs were taking effect and she was fighting to stay awake. "It will let me know when you need me ... when you truly need me. It's a magic older than I am probably prepared for ... I'm so tired, Artemis." She said. She laid her head back on the pillow, her hand still on her belly. In a break of tradition, a tear ran down her cheek. "Good night, my love." She said before succumbing to the healer's potions