Katherine really hadn't bothered to learn the names of the others yet. There was the Caravan Leader, Roland Durant but aside from him there were little in the rememberence of names. What she could tell though. . . Plenty of those divine bigots. She thought those people were just wanting the artifact to just force their religion. Probably. Everyone was here for their own nefarious purposes. Some had more of an idea than others. Katherine, well. . . [hr] [hider=]Livia sighed, relaxing in the rather comfortable couch that had been her favorite for years. She flipped through the pages of the book she was reading; Something about some magic theory or something. She had honestly probably read it more than a dozen times, and she was doing it more to simply pass the time at this point. She was dressed in her favorite purple dress, though that was the only thing about this attire that was normal. Her undergarments were...less so. A small smile formed on her lips as she impatiently closed the book. Her...secretary should be at her home soon she hoped. She had some very...important business to discuss with her precious little student. Her home was richly decorated as ever. A thick carpet covered the floor, made from the finest material availble. The living room she was currently resting in was spacious enough to house quite a few guests, and quite often they would. The headmistress liked her little...get togethers, after all. In front of the sofa was a table, on which a bottle of wine and some freshly brewed tea sat, awaiting the arrival of her student. If she was any later, she might just have to...[i]punish[/i] her favorite little student for her tardiness. But, not but a few seconds later Katherine and what could be called a small army of dolls came marching through the door. The Pupperteer was still a bit amazed at how . . . Lavishly this place was decorated. Truely it was what one could call eye candy, if said person could appriciate decent decorative sense. [color=green]"Pardon my lateness, Headmistress."[/color] Katherine mentioned, still in Secretary mode. At this point she needed to make defined ways of speaking to make Livia get her point at times. [color=green]"There was more paperwork than normal, and many student distractions for some reason."[/color] [color=green]"That being said, I believe there was something you wanted to talk about today?"[/color] Of course, she meant something a little bit more unusual than normal. . . Then again, the two were in a somewhat weird relationship. At least in Katherine's opinion. She didn't mind. Not in the least. Still, they [i]were[/i] Master and Apprentice, Headmistress and Secretary. Some would find that in conflict of interest. Others, mutual interest. [color=green]"I've little else to do for the rest of the day."[/color] [color=662d91]"Ah, and here I was looking forward to punishing you~"[/color] Livia laughed as Katherine asked about her reason for being her. [color=662d91]"But if you're so...free, perhaps I will anyways"[/color] It was almost an invitation to keep her around for the rest of the night, honestly. But that was for later. For now, she did in fact, have something rather important she wished to discuss with the object of her affections. For now, she simply sat up on the couch and reached for the bottle of wine, pouring herself a glass and pouring some Tea for Katherine. [color=662d91]"Do take a seat, my dear Katherine. I have a request I'd like to make of you."[/color] She motioned for Katherine to sit next to her on the couch. [color=662d91]"And not in the vein of my...usual requests."[/color] She chuckled. [color=green]"Oh? I've been rather fond of starting off our conversations with, 'Should a Headmistress be treating her Secretary like that?' It's become rather like tradition by now." [/color] Katherine joked with her boss as she sat and took the glass of tea, bringing it up to her lips and giving it a small sip before turning back to the older woman, though one could hardly tell based on looks alone. [color=green]"So, if it's not the. . . [i]Ahem[/i]. . . 'Usual', what would it be? Perhaps something to do with current rumors?"[/color] She could hardly know the truth with how secretive the Headmistress could be at times, even with her Apprentice but even she had small ideas of what it could have been. [color=662d91]"Oh my~"[/color] Livia chuckled.[color=662d91] "If you're so eager to get right to the fun part...maybe I'll be nice and not drag this out hmm? But I rather do enjoy...a little bit of...toying."[/color] She took a sip of her wine before continuing, a small smirk forming on her lips. It was probably clear to Katherine what that smile meant. [color=662d91] "So I think I'll...drag this out as long as possible~"[/color] She rested her arm on the edge of the sofa, her smile not disappearing. [color=662d91]"So, Rumors then, little Katherine? There are so many of those I don't know [i]which[/i] one you could possibly mean."[/color] Livia replied, taking a sip of her wine giving Katherine a coy smile. There were likely only two possible rumors she could possibly be speaking of, but she wasn't going to simply let this be easy on her precious student. She had to work a bit for her information, after all. Nothing was free. [color=green]"Well, I'm definitely sure it's not the rumor about how the skeleton in one of the classrooms move at night by itself. I'm sure that's just you trying to scare someone."[/color] Katherine chuckled a little before regaining herself and continued, [color=green]"Not that I'm a hundred percent sure, but if I had to guess it's about the artifact rumors."[/color] Katherine said with a confident look across her face before changing to a more. . . Well, not so confident look. [color=green]"Or some cake sale somewhere in town. Somehow that feels like it could be an option for some reason."[/color] She never really knew the woman to be more a fan of sweets than her drinks but Katherine could see the woman pulling that out just to mess with her. At her assumption of the cake sale, Livia laughed, though a fake pout appeared on her lips at the girls assertion. [color=662d91]"Ah, do you really think I'd call you out here to discuss a cake sale? When you have such a busy schedule and are...'distracted by the students'?"[/color] The coy smile returned, making it obvious what she was suggesting. [color=662d91]"Well...maybe I am."[/color] She continued with a smile. [color=662d91]"If you want to know about a cake sale there is one going on not too far away from here...a few blocks over at a very lovely little bakery. Perhaps you'd like me to treat you to something sometime, hmm? They make the most delicious cakes I have eaten around here."[/color] She finished with a chuckle, taking another sip of her wine, her grin fading as the drink left her lips, replaced with a more serious expression. [color=662d91]"Indeed, this is about the supposed Relic, little Katherine."[/color] She sighed, taking another sip of the wine, breifly collected her thoughts on the matter. She already knew what she was going to ask, after all and there was very little chance that Katherine would refuse. [color=662d91]"The crowns...mages, nobles. Everyone wants this Relic for themselves for whatever reason. It is not the best state for things...at this rate the infighting could definitely escalate into something worse as long as this Relic exists."[/color] She sighed, shaking her head. [color=662d91]"Unfortuantely, I am unable take care of this myself. I have too many...obligations that I already must take care of."[/color] [color=green]"Too many obligations, hmm?"[/color] Katherine questioned. She didn't mean anything bad by it. [color=green]"Well, I understand. Not like someone else couldn't pick up my job anyhow."[/color] Thoughts flew through her head about how she just organized everything perfectly with the help of her dolls and how someone new would mess them up royal. No, worse than that. . . And the royalty were pretty bad. No, no. Those were thoughts she needed to push out of her head. [color=green]"So, what exactly did you need me to do?"[/color] Katherine asked of her Master before sipping from her tea again. Somehow Livia always made the tea just right whether through magic or not. [color=green]"I've heard it's out in the wilds so I can't imagine going even by myself with [i]all[/i] of my dolls.[/color] She was pretty powerful with how many hands she had helping her at once, but she was no match for a pack of wild animals. [color=green]"Is there a team or something of the sort?"[/color] Katherine only heard the slightest rumors so she had no idea about much more than there was an artifact in the middle of nowhere. [color=662d91]"Indeed, the crown is putting together a little...expedition."[/color] Livia replied, pouring herself some more wine. [color=662d91]"It's going to be full of nobles, loyalists to the queen and king, and probably a few mages who wish to take the power for themselves. I do not partifularly care if they get along or not. I'm honestly hoping they all get killed before they even reach the Relic."[/color] She finished with a sigh. it was true, honestly. She thought the relic, whatever it was would be beter off staying buried. Not that their chances of success were all that high, to be honest. She was fairly certain most would probably die, but...there was always the small chance of them succeeding that she couldn't discount. [color=662d91]"I honestly doubt they will ever reach it,"[/color] She continued. [color=662d91]"But...on the off chance they do the Relic must not make it back into the hands of one of the current factions. The mages are simply power hungry tyrants who seek to make themselves more powerful. A bit hypocritical perhaps, but that is a path that will lead to Themis' inevitable destruction I bleive. If the nobles get it? The infighting will never stop. I wouldn't be surprised if they all ended up killing each other in a generation. The crowns are too obsessed with proving who is right and who isn't, and with that much supposed power it would only lead to tragedy."[/color] She paused for a moment, taking a long drink of her wine before she continued. [color=662d91]"That is why I would like you to go, My precious little Katherine. I would like you to go on this expedition,"[/color] Livia's eyes narrowed at Katherine, indiciating just how serious she was about this. [color=662d91]"And make sure it [i]never[/i] reaches Themis. Even if you must kill everyone else on the expidition yourself. Understand?"[/color] The request was a bit forceful and...macabre. She was certain Katherine would accept, but she wanted to emphasize this point just a bit. She sat the wineglass down on the table, and moved closer to Katherine before she could say anything. Livia placed one of her arms around the object of her affections shoulder, pulling her close to her, Livia's other hand resting on Katherine's cheek as she turned Katherine's head towards her. [color=662d91]"This is not an order I would make of anyone else. I trust you, Katherine, because I know you would not be so foolish to betray it."[/color] There was a definite edge in her voice. [color=662d91]"I will leave the details up to you, my dear, but I either do not want it to reach Themis...or if it must, it must fall into my hands. Understand?"[/color] [color=green]"My already powerful Master becoming more powerful? I plan on catching up to you some day. I don't need that distance to increase tenfold.[/color] Katherine was obviously trying to kill of some of the seriousness of what Livia just said but decided to answer the request anyhow. [color=green]"Destroying it would be the best case scenario. Covertly if possible. I could come up with some various destructive solutions before heading out.[/color] Katherine started planning. She'd prefer to prove her Master wrong for once and have most people survive. . . If she could help it that is. If it was suppose to be that dangerous, she'd also need a secret weapon just in case. [color=green]"If I can help it I'd rather have a bunch of meat shields all the way back to town, but if I cannot help it, consider them as good as dead."[/color] Livia simply smiled at the meat shields comment. Well, her apprentice was at least one to use things to their fullest ability. [color=662d91]"Indeed...if possible, destroying it would be the best case scenario, but things hardly happen that way, little Katherine, but you know that."[/color] Well, as long as Katherine agreed then there was nothing much else to discuss here. Well, except for...one issue. A minor issue, but one issue nontheless. If she was going t be sending out Katherine on this...then, well, she wouldn't be able to...play with her for awhile. She was going to make this one count. [color=662d91]"Well...if that's settled then, my dear...then perhaps you'd like to help me get out of this dress?"[/color] Before Katherine could respond though, she pressed her lips against Katherines, giving the younger girl a deep, long kiss before releasing the other girl from her grip. [color=662d91]"I do have something rather...special I would [i]love[/i] to show you downstairs."[/color] [color=green]"Should a Headmistress be treating her Secretary like that?"[/color] Katherine said with a dead serious face, before losing the facade and slowly switching to a slight smirk. . .[/hider] [hr] . . . She needed to destroy it. Or at the least kill everyone. [color=green]"Well, Livia's not around. For now."[/color] Katherine mentioned to herself with a slight blush remembering what happened. She still wasn't wholly sure how it got to the point it was at now but it was what it was. Now though, she just needed to complete this modest request from her Master. It was a test of skill. . . And maybe other things, but that was beside the point now. She needed to steel herself, prepare for the worst. The Puppeteer found with a quick look that there were quite a few people in this group. A few mages herself included, holy fighters, a fox-eared(?) man, a Cat-Eared girl. . . Cat-Eared Girl? Now, Katherine could only think that she was one of the most precious things she had ever seen. The downtrodden look with the lack of self-confidence in her step. A meek, no, frail being that needed protecting that reminded Katherine of a small child. Rather than having her head down like that, she needed to look happy. Cats were suppose to be carefree and in succeeding that, being the most adorable things they could be. So she did the only thing she logically could, and walked over to the girl. Yes, this was the right course of action. So very much so. She scratched behind the cat-girl's ears while giving off stereotypical noises one would voice while petting a little kitty cat. [color=green]"Who's a good kitty?"[/color] She asked while she gave gentle, yet firm scratches behind the girl's ears. Soft and warm as she had thought, easily this was worth whatever risk she would have taken.