"Sir, if you are addressing me, let me assure you that I was with no woman last night, least of all yours. If you are attempting to insult me by suggesting that I would be interested in your kind of women, you have succeeded. But if you thought that you would pick a fight with me to look good, you are sadly mistaken." The man looked down at his feet, confused. The stranger bent down so that his face was level with his antagonist.
"You have picked the wrong man with whom to fight, sir," the stranger almost-whispered. In an instant the drunken man was thrown across the room, though almost no force was applied through the stranger's muscle. The scent of magic was heavy in the air, and it was even quieter than it had been before. The drunken man attempted to get to his feet, then gave up and slumped, nearly lifelessly, against the wall. No one made a move to assist him. The stranger brushed imaginary dust off of his clothing, and walked out of the bar. Topeka got to to her feet and followed him.
It was snowing outside, and Topeka was nearly blinded by it. However, she was able to spot the sturdy shape of the stranger, a few feet away. She ran after him, and reached him at last. She walked quickly, fighting to keep his pace, while trying to catch her breath so that she could speak. At last words came to her.
"That was amazing, sir. What you did back there, I mean," Topeka said, attempting to get some sort of word from him. She felt almost desperate to gain his attention. But he made no sound, instead quickening the pace.
"Please, sir," Topeka tried again, "won't you stop for a moment? I would speak with you!" The man paused and looked at Topeka. He appeared mildly amused--or was he irritated? Topeka couldn't tell.
"Yes? What is it?" he commanded her answer, and Topeka found none. "Well?"
"I..I.."
"If you have nothing to say, I must bid you farewell, Miss..?"
"Topeka," she gasped. The stranger nodded politely and continued his march onward. "Wait sir! I would know your name!" Topeka cried, struggling after him, feeling a complete fool. He stopped though, and though his eyes narrowed in what Topeka was quite sure was annoyance, he replied:
"Ro'kopp." Topeka stared up at him, her eyes wide.
"Please sir, may I request something of you?" she asked hopefully.
"Depends on what it is," Ro'kopp returned stonily.
"Please..would you..train me? That is, in magic? And fighting technique?" She gazed hopefully at him.
"No."
"But why?" she cried.
"First of all, I don't know why you want to learn--"
"I need revenge, you see I was--"
"--don't know who you are--"
"I'm Topeka!"
"--and I don't much care. Now that you've quite wasted my time, may I be permitted to leave you?"
"No!"
"No?" He wasn't angry; an amused light flickered into his eyes and he actually looked her square in the face.
"No. I need to know these things, sir--Ro'kopp. If you don't teach me I'll never have my revenge."
"What exactly has been done to you, my dear?" he asked condescendingly. Topeka got the feeling he was only being polite.
"I-I was raped. That is, well, I was tricked...well, actually, I was quite compliant but I didn't know he would leave and I went to get help from my cousin but then her husband tried to kiss me and I'm pregnant and all alone and I don't know what to do-ooo," she wailed, "and it's all Mikael's fault!" Ro'kopp had a very serious, almost angry look on his face and he set his hands on Topeka's shoulders.
"Shh, m'dear, I'll help you."
"You will?"
"Yes. This was none of your fault. I will help you to track Mikael down. But, m'dear, you do not want the magic I have. It is..not good," he noted uneasily, "very strong. And besides, you need it to enter your blood before it becomes potent. And that's painful." But Topeka had already pulled out a little dagger from her boot, and she quickly cut across the palm of her hand.
"Will that do?" she asked with a wince as the bright red blood flowed freely from her hand. Ro'kopp sighed.
"Yes, I suppose. Are you sure this is what you want?" Topeka nodded, and Ro sighed again.
"Very well. Come closer." Topeka stepped closer, and Ro drew her tightly to him, wrapping his cloak around both of them. He muttered a few words and kissed the cut upon Topeka's hand, then poured a little black powder into it that made the cut sting. Topeka's hand jerked and she bit her lip and willed herself not to cry out. Suddenly there was a flash and a clap of what seemed like thunder, and everything went black.
When Topeka came to she was in a strange bed and Ro was bending over her with a foul-smelling liquor in his hand.
"Drink it," he commanded, and she obeyed with a twist of her face while she sucked it down.
"That was horrible," she remarked, and Ro grinned.
"That was brandy."
Topeka grimaced, but she felt the warmth of the brandy--and something else?--coursing through her veins. She sat up. Her fingertips crackled with electricity. She smiled, and Ro smiled back.
"Let's get to work," he said.
What happens Next?