[Job/Kirahunter] Escort Service

orpal rolled his right shoulder. It still hurt like hell but as far as he was concerned the injury had healed. Underneath his suit jacket the wound he suffered fighting the ancient warrior was well bandaged and on its way to being back in full form. Despite the rather profound effect the battle had had on him he tried to press forward with his work. He walked towards the front doors of a nobleman’s estate where he was expected to escort his daughter to a charity ball, and hopefully do a little attitude adjustment of the allegedly poor mannered lady by the end of the night. After his last close encounter with death Vorpal had thought the job had sounded like a welcome change of pace and more importantly he felt he could use an attitude adjustment himself. Reaching the door of the estate he knocked on it with his right hand, he grimaced at the sight of his own gloved hand. His memory flashed back to when a broadsword had pierced all the way through his solid metal hand and he quickly lowered the weapon out of his own line of sight to push it out of mind. That too was an injury that had not properly healed. The door was answered by an older gentleman who took one look at Vorpal and sighed with relief, “You certainly clean up much better than I initially thought. The lady is coming right on down, do you remember your instructions?” Vorpal nodded to his client, “Escort her through the event, make sure she talks to people, and if possible-” “Enough of that here she comes.”

She descended down the stairs in a simple dress of black with a modest over jacket. The young lady looked maybe a couple years younger than Vorpal, and like she wished this evening was many years behind her. Among the first things Vorpal noticed about her was her short white hair which didn’t quite match her light red eyebrows. He figured her hair was dyed. She approached her father not even so much as giving a glance at Vorpal sharply she addressed her father, “Is this him?” Seemingly not used to his own daughter’s coldness the old man stepped back and stuttered out affirmation of the fact. With that she walked past her father and out the door, again not looking at Vorpal despite walking right past him. Vorpal was beginning to see how difficult this night was going to be. He briskly walked after her and quickly caught up so that he was walking shoulder to shoulder with and matched her pace. He tried to introduce himself, “We weren’t properly acquainted. I am Vorpal Kleim, I’m a-” “An unimportant mage hired by my father to baby sit a full grown woman. You need no introduction. I do not want you here, and you do not want to know me. Remain quiet and I’ll assure my father you did your job.” Vorpal was momentarily lost for words but decided he couldn’t push his agenda any further here, “Very well Lady Diana.” They walked along the street as the sun began to set over the city, Vorpal was curious as to why they had no more formal means of transportation but figured it was the ladies attempt to maintain her own independence.

After a time they reached a large castle like building, even larger than that of Diana’s own home. They were met at the door by a servant who opened the door for them both and they went inside. As they entered Diana took him by the arm but even that gesture felt cold, he could feel how rehearsed this was all for her. For a time the party was a blur. Vorpal having served as the weapon of a knight of a holy court in days past was familiar with how to behave in a courtesan manner faced no complications being among such company, and Diana seemed equally talented at politely and properly avoiding any meaningful communication with anyone. Eventually late into the night Vorpal found himself being led into a back garden away from the rest of the party. He looked around expecting Diana to be looking to meet someone but instead he found the garden to be empty, not so much as a guard around. Diana pulled away from him and approached a nearby fountain looking down at its dark waters, hardly illuminated by the moon above. “Vorpal. Could you please kill me?” Vorpal could not help but let out an audible gasp at the request, “Lady Diana, why would you request such a thing?” She turned around to look at him, “Isn’t it obvious? You saw the people in there, you saw my father, the way they talk about the world. They talk about charity and greater goods but they are really just looking for an excuse to tout their wealth. I don’t want to be a part of their world, but because of my last name I will always have to be.” Diana was talking quickly, her eyes growing a light red around the edges, “My only way out of this fake life was my mother! She was supposed to take me away! Then she, and she, she, well that clearly didn’t work out.” She stomped her foot and was basically yelling at Vorpal, “I ordered father to hire me a mage escort not for fear of some assassination! You were hired because I need you to kill me now! No one is here! Just say some assassin caught you off guard, and that’ll be it! Please my dad is preparing to move us to some foreign land, I want to no part of this, this is my last chance to escape him and all of this nonsense!” Vorpal shook his head violently, “That’s nothing to go and die for! I’m sorry that your loss has brought you to this, but I can’t imagine-” “You can’t imagine my mom would want me to die? Well I can’t imagine she would want me to live like this! She never wanted us to be wealthy. She just wanted us to live simply but father went and found money, and it changed him! He is why she died! Him and his money and I don’t want anything more to do with it!”

Again Vorpal found himself in an impossible situation. Just a week ago he found himself sending a proud warrior to the afterlife for fear of growing too old. Now again he was faced with a client begging for him to end their life but their reasons couldn’t possibly be more different. He couldn’t accept Diana’s reasoning, it just escaped his experience. But at the same time he couldn’t just leave her to a life she didn’t want to live, there was no telling what she’d do or how she’d suffer. Instead he raised his left hand and formed it into a blade he looked at Diana, “You want out of this life more than anything?” She stared nervously at the blade, swallowed and nodded her head. Vorpal plunged his hand into his abdomen and fell over bleeding. Diana cried out in shock. Vorpal returned his hand to normal and clutched his new wound. “Bandits attacked. They incapacitated me and carried you off with them. There was nothing I could do. I’ll apologize to your father.” Diana seemed to understand and took off towards a back gate of the garden. Vorpal rolled over on the ground to look at her and shouted one thing before he left, “I think your mother would like you to carry her natural hair color. It suits you.” She looked at him but didn’t reply, with that she vanished into the night. After waiting a minute, still clutching his wound he began crying out for help. Diana was free now, but Vorpal could only hope he made the right choice. “God I got my hair cut for this mission, and I’m probably not even going to get paid.”