[u][center][h2]Marianne Delacroix[/h2][/center][/u]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/Jr0Uu63.png?1[/img][/center]

Just as with the bandits from her very first mission, these guards were hardly a challenge for Marianne. In truth, they were all merely hindrances. Obstacles that really only served to eat up their time. Time that they didn't have to waste when lives were at stake. Each attack or attempt at harming her missed by wide margins as the guards all clearly telegraphed their movements and intentions. Marianne as per usual gracefully 'dancing' just ever so safely outside of the range of their weapons. The actions that were more prudent to deflect she did so, parrying and knocking away weapons to swiftly end their lives by following up with a riposte. Her own counters and killing blows being only what was quick and necessary to humanely bring about the guards' exit from the living plane. All in all, it was merely another fight for Marianne. She briefly wondered when she and the Iron Roses would truly be challenged in the field of battle, but wasn't sure if she would be content with the higher risk to life and limb. For now, this would have to do.

A loud roar from behind shook her from her thoughts. When it was safe to do so, Marianne looked behind to see a very familiar little girl decimating some of the guards on her own. She was awed by the girl's hammer, penetrating and melting through the guards' shields, armor, and....sickeningly, their heads. What magic did she use? Marianne perhaps thought that the girl's hammer was enchanted and thought that it may be a good idea in the future to have the same done with her own blade. She frowned, trying to piece together the puzzle pieces until the picture they made was obvious. Infuriatingly curious as to whom this diminutive girl was who fought alongside them for whatever reason. She wasn't simply just some random girl Captain Fanily knew, that couldn't be it. The fact that she knew how to conduct herself in combat told of her apparent age, if not her perceived age. So then she was a woman? A woman who knew Captain Fanily well and knew how to fight. It was then that it clicked that if not an ally to the Iron Roses, the woman was an Iron Rose herself. Just how large was their organization? How many of them exactly were there? Even still, she didn't know the woman's name. Either having not heard it or forgotten. How forgotten, she couldn't tell. She wondered how old the woman actually was. If she was actually much older than herself, then Marianne would figure herself a little envious of how she may appear so young.

Her attention returning to the engagement with the guards as they advanced further down their own path of the crypt, she knocked away a vertical sword swing with the buckler on her left forearm and stuck her blade through the guard's throat. Kicking his body off towards a few other guards which caused them to stumble and fall to the ground, allowing the 'hammer-woman' to do as she may with them. She thought that now was as good a time as any.

[b]"Excuse me, miss!"[/b]
She called out to the hammer-wielder.
[b]"But I do not think we have had the pleasure of introducing ourselves to one another!"[/b]
She back-stepped outside the range of a horizontal sword slash, 'skipping' forward towards the guard to slice open the man's throat and dropping him.
[b][i]"Je vous presente. Je m'appelle Marianne Delacroix. Comment vous appelez-vous?"[/i][/b]
Why Marianne used her native tongue, she did not know.
Another guard lunged at her.
Marianne side-stepped the easily avoidable attack and swept his legs out from under him.
As he landed, Marianne's sword found its temporary home in the back of the guard's neck.
He wouldn't stand again.

[@Rin]