A Name Like a Blade

4E 201 | Late Hearthfire | Thirty-Seven Days Since Arrival

The notice led to an emptied storage house behind the Bannered Mare.

Fresh sand covered the floor. Practice posts lined one wall. Three hopeful duelists waited beneath hanging lanterns. At the far end stood a woman in fitted black armor, dark hair around her shoulders, one curved sword at her hip and knives hidden wherever cloth allowed.

She dismissed a scarred mercenary after disarming him before his threat finished leaving his mouth.

"Cruelty is not strength," she told him. "It is weakness demanding an audience."

A young swordsman admitted he wanted power to avenge a brother killed by vampires. She sent him away to grieve before vengeance hollowed him out.

Then only Tsukihana remained.

"Your name," the stranger said.

"Tsukihana Kurogane."

"Katana."

Tsukihana waited.

"That is a weapon."

"I am aware."

Katana revealed that the notice had been a net. She was searching for disciplined fighters after finding the Seven Calamities' symbol on a murdered sellsword. The killer had made one perfect cut through armor and spine.

Tsukihana drew.

Katana's dark blade answered.

Their duel began with silence and became violence too fast for the inn patrons beyond the wall to understand. Tsukihana controlled distance; Katana disrupted it. One trusted formal lines; the other hid knives inside broken rhythms.

The fight ended with Katana's blade at Tsukihana's throat and Tsukihana's katana resting between Katana's ribs.

"Tie?" Katana asked.

"You bleed out first."

"You stop breathing first."

They lowered their weapons.

Katana asked what Tsukihana intended to do in Whiterun.

"Learn. Work. Find the Calamities."

"Terrible plan."

"It has worked so far."

"You nearly died twice in Falkreath."

Katana extended her hand. "Let me improve it. Traveling companion?"

Tsukihana thought of roads shared, voices becoming familiar, and the price of losing people after learning their footsteps.

Then she accepted.

"For now."

"For now," Katana agreed.