Episode Twelve: The Oath of the Huntsman

 Katherine was up and was listening to the faint chirping of birds and the hum of the central air conditioner. The house was a nice cool 68 degrees and had no humidity! She thought of her dream again, she picked up her composition book and flipped back several pages, and everything she had dreamed fit oddly into what Vincent had told her. The power she dreamed of was perhaps the same magic Vincent and the Dominus mentioned. Her ability to instinctively know certain things before they happen. What did she know now? Absolutely nothing! She was just as confused and conflicted as she was when she met Vincent in the library. Today was August 31st, and it was the day she was to depart for parts unknown! What was she going to do? If she went on this wild adventure she needed to talk to Mrs. Ellis about keeping an eye on Ruby while she was gone. But was she going? She fell back into her bed, her head sinking into her pillows. Katherine gazed up at her ceiling, the shiplap had been painted white in the bedroom and she had wondered why – it was natural pine with a high-gloss sealer in all the other rooms. She began counting the narrow boards but was too anxious to get to the other side of the room. "Sixty, always sixty – that's not going to change, Katherine!" she muttered to herself and got up. She looked at her cell phone charging on her nightstand. She was supposed to text Vincent in the morning, but she was already changing her mind about going. She growled in frustration and stalked into the kitchen.

 She had changed her mind a thousand times in her sleep. She was waffling back and forth now that she was awake and standing in the kitchen. No matter how many times she changed her mind she still could not help but feel the pull of discovering what this was all about. She knew she was not gladio material – whatever they were looking for -- she simply could not be it!

 Katherine pressed the button on the Keurig coffee machine. It gurgled and burbled to life. She popped in a K-cup and set her white café mug on the tray. She pressed the button and it wheezed and brewed a nice hot dark cup of coffee. She added two sugar packets, added a generous splash of evaporated milk, and stirred. She sipped it experimentally and nodded in satisfaction. There was a thump at her back kitchen door, and she knew that would be Mrs. Ellis' cat, Leo. He was a big ginger tabby with a white bib, four socks, and a white blaze down to his dark pink nose. He wanted his saucer of milk! This was his routine. Katherine took Leo's dish from the drainboard. It was a chipped dessert plate that matched nothing in her cabinet. When she had moved in, Leo had been a scrawny kitten with a loud insistent meow. Now he was four years old and had a grumpy chirp that served as his morning greeting.

 Katherine filled the dish with the leftover evaporated milk and added a splash of water. She opened her back door and cracked the screen door. Leo slipped in through the door and glanced up at her with green-gold eyes. He chirruped his raspy greeting as he briefly flicked his fluffy tail against her leg and he moved regally past her. "Good morning to you too, Leo. Here for your milk, are you?"

 She set the plate down and took a seat in her kitchen to watch the cat settle in over the plate and begin lapping up the offering. She sipped her coffee and when Leo had his fill he was ready to head back outside to take a morning nap in the sun. Katherine opened the door and the cat sauntered out. She closed the door, picked up the saucer, and put it in the sink to rinse later. There was a rap on her front door and then the doorbell rang.

 Katherine headed up to the front door and looked out the peephole. It was a courier. She opened the door with the chain latch still in place. He looked at her, "Katherine Van Dermeer?"

 "Yes," Katherine answered. She unchained the latch and signed the pad he handed her. Then he handed over a large, padded manila pouch. He lifted a hand and was off down the drive to his van and gone. She looked at the label, there was nothing much to go on other than it was addressed to her. 

 She closed and bolted the door. She took the envelope over to the couch and sat down to open the contents on the coffee table. Inside was a large document folder with elastic ties keeping it closed. She unfastened the ties and looked at the contents. There were brochures, maps, photographs, and a set of keys, several were old brass keys, and a few looked newly cut. She found a folder with official-looking documents with 'sign here' tabs sticking out. She looked at the first paragraph of the first document. It was in a foreign language. These were the papers Vincent said they would go over on the flight. Everyone had assumed she was going to go to Geneva! It was insane to even consider -- how could she pick up and go. Then again, how could she not? 

 Katherine was about to change her mind again when the doorbell rang. Was the courier back with another delivery? She shoved everything back into the padded envelope and went to the door. She looked through the peephole and saw Taylor Ballard standing on her front porch. He slicked back his hair nervously and rapped on her door again. She opened the door and he turned to greet her. "Katherine,"

 "What can I do for you Taylor?" she asked.

 "About last night," He began and looked nervously over his shoulder. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea about what I said."

 "I know exactly what you were attempting to do, Taylor," Katherine said coolly. "You wanted to embarrass me in front of my dinner date."

 Taylor pursed his mouth in a sour smirk. "Date? He was a little young for you wasn't he?"

 "Oh, I'd imagine he's about Kim's age," Katherine said tartly, "your hypocrisy is extraordinary!"

 Taylor frowned at her. "Just call off your overzealous foreign lawyer, will you? You know he threatened me! He even sent me a text message saying he would have me stripped of my license if I didn't come and apologize! How the hell did he get my number?"

 "I wouldn't know," Katherine replied, "Is this your way of apologizing?"

 "I apologize! Okay!" Taylor growled. "There; you can tell him I apologized!"

 Katherine clicked her tongue in annoyance then saw the rental car slide up and stop. "If you hang around," she said pointing over Taylor's shoulder, "You can tell him yourself."

 Taylor jerked a look over his shoulder, his face drained of color, and he stumbled backward off her porch. "I don't what you're planning on doing but whatever it is you're thinking – don't do it!"

 "I will do what I damn well please!" She snapped. Taylor was backing slowly away from her. He looked afraid of her, or of whatever Vincent had texted. Perhaps the Dominus had instructed Vincent to put the fear of God in him? 

 "Don't do it, Katherine!" Taylor told her. "What do you know about these people?"

 "Goodbye!" She watched as Taylor all but ran to his car, got in, and lurched out of the drive and past the dark rental car. The last thing Katherine saw was Taylor's pale frightened face as he sped off, tires squealing as he rounded the corner. The dark sedan waited a moment longer in the driveway then rolled up next to Katherine's SUV and stopped. After a moment, the engine stopped, and Vincent stepped out. He was dressed in a similar way he had dressed last night. Casually expensive. 

 "He is something to behold, isn't he?"

 Katherine looked over and saw Mrs. Ellis peering through her potted plants at Vincent. Katherine chuckled. "He certainly is --- by the way, If I were going to be away for a few weeks, would you mind looking out for Ruby for me while I'm gone?"

 "Going overseas are you?" Mrs. Ellis asked.

 "Good morning Mrs. Ellis," Vincent said as he stepped up onto Katherine's porch. "How are you today?"

 Mrs. Ellis cackled at him and winked at Katherine. "Sure, I'll look after the place and Ruby."

 "Thanks, Mrs. Ellis, I appreciate it!" Katherine called as the old woman shuffled back into her house. 

 Vincent angled a look at Katherine. "I did not receive a text this morning, I take it you have made a decision?"

 "Come in," Katherine said. She turned away and let Vincent follow her and he closed the door behind him. She pointed to the large packet on the coffee table. "That all just arrived. Have you had breakfast?"

 "I have not," Vincent replied. He went over and picked up the packet. "Ah, good. This is everything we need to go over."

 "Did the Dominus contact you last night?" Katherine asked.

 "No," Vincent replied, looking up from the packet. "Why do you ask?" 

 "That card you left had an IP address embossed on it and I logged into some kind of chatroom," Katherine said, she left him and went to her kitchen to see what she could cook for the two of them. 

 Vincent smiled triumphantly, then followed her into the kitchen. "You could see it?"

 "Really? Another test?" Katherine asked him as she paused in her task to glare at him. "Is everything from now on going to be some kind of test?"

 "I know it feels that way, Katherine," Vincent replied sitting at the small kitchen table. "But the other two that have been searched and are already with their families and are weeks ahead of you in their training. You are showing rare connectivity to Dominus Vanderau from halfway around the world! It is rare to show these kinds of signs without ever having met."

 "Magic again?" Katherine paused in cracking eggs into the mixing bowl. She pointed to her Keurig machine, "There's a couple of different kinds of coffee blends if you'd like some."

 He rose and selected a K-cup, opened the pod door, and pressed the cup into place. He took a cup from the cup holder next to the machine, positioned it under the spout, and pressed the button. The coffee machine began to gurgle and wheeze. "Call it what you want. Extra-sensory or psychic abilities, but you are showing abilities that are out of the ordinary." 

 "So, the closer a potential is to their sponsor the more abilities show up?" Katherine stopped whisking the eggs to look over her shoulder at Vincent where he now leaned against the kitchen counter sipping his coffee. 

 "See?" Vincent said lifting his cup in salute, "You called yourself a 'potential,' that is exactly what we call those we search."

 "I must have heard you mention it."

 "I have never mentioned or referred to you in that way Katherine," Vincent told her. He returned to his chair and cradled his cup in his hands. He studied the contents for a moment. "I know it must seem alien, but as time goes on, you will begin to see it and feel it. Just do not be afraid of it when it happens." 

 "And when you asked me to play anything of Erik Satie, was that my connection to you or Vanderau?" Katherine asked him.

 Vincent sipped his coffee before he answered. "Probably both. As Indago, I have been keyed to the Vanderau family, since you are of his family, I have also been keyed to you. I was first assigned to the Dominus as his counsel three years ago. I was bound into service to him as his Indago first and his counsel second. As word came that each family would be given a list of names, each Indago assigned to a family went out to see if anyone resonated or had signs of being a Potential."

 "How does that work?" She asked him. "Being bound into service sounds like indenture, is it?"

 "No nothing like being indentured. But there is a process." Vincent said. "One that you may come to know."

 Katherine finished cooking the eggs and the toaster popped up four slices of wheat bread. She decided to serve breakfast on her Fiesta Ware plates she had collected from various places. As she brought the plates to the table, he pulled a knife and fork, and a paper napkin from the utensil caddy sitting on the kitchen table. He waited until she was seated before he started to eat.

 She watched him for a moment then began to eat. She had her fork poised when she put it down, "Am I in danger, Vincent?"

 He paused in buttering a piece of toast. "In anything worth attempting, there is a measure of danger to it. You could be the next gladio, and I do not know what will happen. Your teachers will tell you what to expect."

 "Once I reach Geneva what happens to me? Where do you go?" 

 "You cannot get rid of me that easily, Katherine," Vincent told her with a boyishly flirtatious smile. "I will be with you until you are chosen, or you come back home here." He shrugged, "After that, we will go our separate ways, or perhaps we will become good friends?" 

 She had to grin back at him. "Sounds a bit like you're my Lancelot."

 Vincent arched an eyebrow as he sipped his coffee. "Yes, an Indago could be considered a knight of sorts," he said, "But like everything to do with the Sept, it's much more complicated."

 Katherine scoffed lightly, "Well, my dear Indago, what do I need to pack? I don't even know what the weather will be like."

 He smiled at the way she was beginning to relax in his company. This was a good sign, and he was looking forward to growing a close friendship with another Vanderau family member. "You don't have to pack anything," Vincent said, "But I would dress more appropriately than you are now." 

 "Can I bring my laptop and phone?" She wanted to know.

 "Of course," he answered. "You can bring anything you want with you."

 "When do we leave?" Katherine asked picking up her fork and spearing a piece of melon.

 "As soon as you can pack up and get dressed," Vincent said. "We refuel at Heathrow and go on to Geneva. It is quite a long flight, and you need to acclimate to the time changes."

 "I see." She felt her appetite growing and she picked up a piece of toast and buttered it. They ate in companionable silence for a little while then he sat back and watched her finish her meal. She noticed he did not try to rush her or give any indication he was in a great hurry to be anywhere. His phone did buzz where he had placed it on the small kitchen table, and he only glanced at it when it vibrated. Katherine was finished and as she began to gather up the dishes he got up and took her hand and drew her away from the table.

 "You go get your things together and I'll wash up," Vincent told her. "I know what to do."

 She laughed. "Put everything in the dishwasher. It already has a few other dishes in there to make a load."

 He waved her out of the kitchen, and she went to her bedroom to decide what to wear. She took her piece of luggage and packed several changes of underwear, her best sets of pajamas, a robe, and a pair of travel slippers. She packed her laptop charger and extra battery. She plugged the USB dongle back in and nestled the laptop between her fluffy robe and slippers. She tucked her dream journal and pen into her backpack. She went into the bathroom and threw into a cosmetics bag what she thought she might need. She grabbed what she needed to wear and took them to the bathroom. She hopped in for a quick shower and she dressed in a comfortable pair of blue jeans and an oversized tunic. She slid her feet into a pair of sneakers and brushed her long blonde hair up into a ponytail. She heard Vincent talking on his phone. It was French and she could not understand anything he was saying. 

 Everything went into one piece of carry-on luggage, and she zipped it up. She picked up her backpack and took another look around. Then, she pulled the handle up on the carry-on and pulled it along behind her into the living room. She parked her luggage and backpack at the door and collected her phone and charging mat. She picked up her keys from the basket and started to remove the car keys but decided to just give everything to Mrs. Ellis. She might need to get into the house for some reason. She set the air conditioner to 76 degrees and looked at Vincent as he came from the kitchen. "Everything is put away and all the doors are locked," he said. "I have also checked to make sure the windows are locked." 

 "I'm going to give the keys to Mrs. Ellis and say goodbye," Katherine replied. "She'll keep a good eye on everything while I'm gone."

 She walked over to Mrs. Ellis' side of the duplex and rang her doorbell. The door opened and the woman squinted up at Katherine, "So you're off to Europe?"

 "Yes, here's the keys to the house and Ruby," Katherine said handing the keyring to Mrs. Ellis.

 The woman took the keys and smiled down at them then looked up at Katherine. "Have a good time, Katherine. You need to get away for a bit!"

 "I'm ready for an adventure," Katherine said, "I think, I'm ready for an adventure."

 "An adventure is exactly what you need!" Mrs. Ellis declared. "You be sure to enjoy it!"

 Katherine returned to her house and Vincent was on his phone again. She picked up the padded envelope she had gotten and put it into her backpack. When Vincent finished with his call he smiled over at her. "Ready to go?"

 "As ready as I can be," she answered.

 Vincent let her take one last run through the house and was waiting for her on the front porch. She rolled her luggage out and shouldered her backpack. She locked the door and closed it. Vincent walked with her to the car. He put her luggage into the trunk, and she put her backpack on the floor of the passenger side and got in. Vincent closed the trunk, got in, and started the engine. He switched on the cool air and as they strapped their seatbelts on, Katherine glanced at her house and silently said goodbye.

 "Do not be anxious, Katherine. Everything will be fine." Vincent said as he steered out into the street. "I just spoke to the pilot and the jet is fueled and will be ready to go as soon as we arrive."

 She tried to feel buoyant about the trip but try as she might – the niggling fear kept creeping into her head and it was Taylor's mocking voice telling her, "Don't do this." Over and over. She glanced over at Vincent. "I have to tell you, there's a voice that is still telling me to don't go."

 Vincent looked over at Katherine and at the first parking lot he found, he pulled in and parked. He put the car in neutral and swiveled around to look at her. He shoved his sunglasses up on his head. "This voice is Ballard's isn't it?"

 She nodded. "I know! I've changed my mind a thousand times, Vincent! I can't help it!"

 He heard his voice in his head – his Dominus telling him, 'by any means necessary,' Vincent was reluctant to reveal the order to an outsider. Not even the Dominus knew everything about the Indago. He held out his hands to her, "Place your hands in mine, Katherine."

 She chuckled lightly. "What are you going to do, pledge my safety?"

 "I am," Vincent replied, "But I do not take this pledge lightly, Katherine. As an Indago, it is an oath given to only a few people outside the order."

 She hesitated then laid her hands in his. He looked her straight in the eyes. "I Vincent Michele Thys, give a solemn oath to you, Katherine Elena Van Dermeer, that I pledge my life to protect you from all harm. This oath is to you and you alone and overrides that oath and pledge I have given to Dominus Vanderau as his family Indago and counsel. I am yours to command!"

 Katherine gasped as he took her hands in his own, raised each to his lips, and planted a gentle kiss in each palm. "You truly are my knight protector?"

 "Yes, Katherine," He said softly, "I am."

 Her heart did a flip-flop in her chest, and she could think of nothing to stop her from going with Vincent. Whatever he had done had erased all doubt from her mind and she felt oddly foolish to have ever let Taylor get into her head. Vincent had not moved, and he still held her hands in his. "Your will, Katherine. I am yours to command."

 Katherine drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, "We have a plane to catch."

 Vincent grinned. He let her hands go and he turned back to place his hand on the steering wheel of the car. He had given his life pledge to a Potential! He hoped the Dominus and his father would understand! He could never be reassigned to another family in the Sept, and when he returned to the Dominus, he could no longer serve him as Indago -- he belonged to Katherine Van Dermeer, until she released him of his charge.