Bianca-Daughter of Corax

Three months, as best Bianca could tell had passed since the fighting on Isstvan 5 had begun. (It may have been longer but to her days seemed to last forever.) Two days of bitter fighting but with the knowledge they would prevail against the heretics. Then the betrayal and the drops site slaughter, it had put who ever had survived on the run. Through some miracle Bianca had come across Jenieve and Jania only a few days after retreating into the wastes of Isstvan.

The three had worked well together, for weeks and months.  They had been able to pull off small attacks against the traitors, to gain supplies and ensure they where not being tracked to closely.

Bianca and the daughters of Vulkan had done much better then even thy had hopped. Until one day, when Night Lords had, caught on to their trail.  Pure luck had been on the their side, they had defeated 12 fully armed Night Lords with; one sword, a battle hammer, bolter and a combat knife. But during this fight Jania had sustained several severe wounds. Bianca attended to Jania as best she could but there traveling was slowed a great deal and several days later a detachment of Emperor's Children had been spotted.
“Bianca, shut the hell up and listen!” Jania’s black hand gripped Bianca’s white forearm.

“I am not going to let you leave yourself as bait, to throw them off our scent!” Bianca growled at her cousin pointedly.

“Stop being an arse! I’m wounded and I will only slow you down, if I lead them away it will buy you time.” Jania said calmly, she held her hand pressed against a wound in her side blood could be seen. Despite the numerous times the wound had been dressed and the primarch gene's she carried with in her nothing could get the wound to begin to heal.

“I won…” Bianca started, but Jania cut her off.

“Bianca, I’ve lost my Father, most of my brothers and one of my sisters today. Jenieve is all I have left, you have to protect her. I don’t care what else you do or what you have to do to protect her from the traitors but you have to do this! You are the only one who can.” Jania finished in a hushed tone, Bianca could see pain in her cousin’s eyes.

“I can’t leave you…behind.”

Jania smiled in spite of her feeling of apprehension. “You aren’t leaving me behind. You are protecting my sister and your legion, and I am going to give you time. And don't think I am not going to take as many of them as possible with me.”

Jania drew her long two handed sword from its sheath and Bianca saw the fire of Nocturne entering Jania’s red eyes. Bianca felt words fail her, there was nothing she could say, and there was certainly nothing she could do to stop Jania once her mind was set.

“You had better get moving; there not far from here. I’ll do my best to lead them away.”  Jania said at length, sheathing her sword once again.

“I wish…” Bianca started but Jania cut her off embracing her cousin.

“Do not wish, it is foolish in times such as this. Bianca, remember Jenieve is your sister now. She is your responsibility, you must protector her…at all costs.”

Bianca nodded, her face drawn into a tight expression. “I will, I swear nothing will happen to her.” Jania nodded and started off at a brisk walk away from Bianca, words would fail them both if they spoke more.

She’s only fifteen years old! Jenieve was too young for this, she should have never been on this world or on the great crusade. She should be somewhere safe from all this. Was there anywhere safe now though? If Jenieve had remained in orbit she would be dead already.

I was younger than her when I was first allowed to fight. Bianca thought as she stooped and shook the sleeping girl awake. Jenieve took less than a second to be fully awake and scrambling to her feet, her black cheeks flushed red she had not intended to fall asleep. I like to think I was more grown up though. Although I am sure Branne and Lotharen would disagree.

Her eyes quickly surveyed the area and then she spoke her voice filled with a forced calm, “Where is Jania?”

Bianca looked away, “We are being hunted. Emperor's Children 30 or 40 of them are closing in, she is buying us time now. We have to get moving.”

“No.” Jenieve said standing up straighter her eyes glowing with pain and anger. “I am staying, I’ll die with her.”

“That is not an option Jenieve, either you come or I’ll be forced to incapacitate you and carry you, which I would really rather not do.” Bianca voice was cold and hard as she packed what little they had scavenged into a bag.

"You are just going to leave her to die? You are no better then the rest of the her..." Jenieve hounded but was cut short by Bianca who spoke now in quite voice.

"Maybe not to you. But to me there is a difference between keeping my word to a friend and betraying those who trust you. Now come along please, we will make better time if you are conscious." Jenieve was silent as she picked up her hammer and quickly found her way to Bianca's side. Without another word the two girls began to make there way north-west toward rugged mountains. There was some hope in refuge there, at least for a time.

The half the day past in a haze, the daughter's of Vulkan and Corax doing there best to stay out of sight as they scaled the mountains. After several hours of strenuous climbing Bianca called for a rest, saying; "Let's rest here, this is as good as we can hope for tonight." Jenieve only grunted in response and followed Bianca into a small cave hidden from they prying eyes of all those who may have been below them.

"So what is our plan from here?" Jenieve said after both girls where settled as comfortably as they could be in the small cave.

Bianca didn't speak at first her words where slow and deliberate. "The only plan I have from here is us surviving and getting off this world. Bonus would be, killing as many of them as possible."

Jenieve nodded, "Sounds like a solid plan, I'd particularly like to watch them all die. Preferably in a very painful way. "

"I can't guarantee the painful part. But I swear I will avenge the deaths of all the brothers and cousins I have lost. " Bianca's words surprised Jenieve she had expected to be promised vengeance but it certainly raised her respect for Bianca. Silence fell once again as Bianca shuffled through their scanty supplies. Three water bottles and and two ration packs, she handed a bottle to Jenieve and breaking half of one of the dry rashes in half. Tossing one half to Jenieve, Bianca took her half and chewed it slowly.

"Thank you, Bianca... I need...to avenging their deaths. Those especially of my brothers and sisters...and my father."

Bianca merely nodded and gestured for the water bottle. Jenieve took a sip and then handed it back to Bianca, then took a bite from the half of the nutrient filled waffer.

"We shoul..." Bianca started after a moment but immediately fell silent as she heard the rumble of feet on the rocks below.

Quietly as she could, Jenieve put down her wafer and then motioning to Bianca to hold still she peered into the falling darkness of the way they had climbed. Jenieve identified five figures scaling the mountain with surprising speed. Moving closer to Bianca she whispered in her ear. "Five, it's to dark for me to see anything else. But they are astarte's, I am willing to bet they aren't World Eaters or Night Lord."

Bianca nodded and whispered back. "Let me have a look." Jenieve's eyes where good in the gloom, but Bianca's were far superior.

"Emperor's Children." Bianca mouthed with a grimace.

"We should get out of here." Jenieve muttered, gripping her hammer tightly.

"Damnit, the only way out is the way they are coming in." Bianca took hold of her bolter.

"Oh this is going to be fun." Jenieve's eyes glinted red in the darkness. Without another word Jenieve took the lead stepping out of the small cave and using the rocks to give her cover as much as possible. Bianca followed close behind, hunching low she could hear the traitors footsteps and then suddenly one spoke.

"I told you, who would be stupid enough to stay in that cave. If these really are Raven Guard they'll have already moved."

Bianca and Jenieve both risked a quick peak around the rock. As Bianca had presumed earlier, five Emperor's Children.

"I know what I saw, and I believe what we are hunting is far more valuable then a few Raven Guards..." A raspier voice spoke.

Jenieve raised a hand and counted down with her finders; 3, 2, 1.

Bianca stood leveling her bolter and taking precise shots at the Emperor's Children as Jenieve darted around the rocks and slammed into one with her hammer. It took only a moment for Binca and Jenieve to realize they where not fighting alone. Suddenly there where two more space marines clad in the black of the Raven Guard descending on the Emperor's Children.

It was over quickly, Bianca had killed one with a clean bolt through the skull and with the help of the other loyal legionaries Jenieve had made quick work of the surprised group.

"Bianca!" One of the legionaries said removing his helm. He had pale white skin and black eyes, common for a Raven Guard but his strong jaw and tough eyes would have made him identifiable to Bianca anywhere. "You're alive, we all feared the worst."

"Lotharen, throne of terra. I am..." Bianca seemed lost for words as she lowered her bolter, she made to move closer to her brothers then stopped seeming to gain composure. "Who ever is with you Lotharen, order him to remove his helm. I need to know I can trust you all." The space marine unlatched his helm, revealing the pale white skin of a son of Corax.

"I used to think it was just a fools tale." Jenieve said as she slid her mace into it's loop on her belt.  "When they said all Raven Guard had that pale of skin, I stand corrected."  Lotharen spared a chuckle for Jenieve's words, before addressing Bianca again.

"This is Tarence, he is in my company. I'm afraid however, his tongue was removed so he cannot speak." Lotharen explained gesturing to his silent comrade. "Your father will be glad to hear you are still alive."  

Bianca's eyes widened."He's alive! Throne, can you take me to where he is?"

"I can and I will but first let us take what we can from these Emperor's Children and then dispose of there bodies I'd prefer to make us as difficult as possible to...hold one moment I'm getting a message." Lotharen went silent for a few moments as he listened to a vox message  and then spoke again.

"It seems...Branne has come to help out. Well more like rescue, we have to hurry he is starting emergency evacuations."

"Then this is where we part." Jenieve said, breaking the brief moment of silence and then turned to face Bianca.

"Don't be ridiculous you are coming with us." Bianca said shortly raising an eyebrow. "You do realize this means you have a chance of surviving this. Getting away, living."

"It's not about surviving for me. For me there is nothing to go home to, you still have a father and brothers...my father is dead, so are my sisters and almost all of my brothers." Jeneive stopped for a moment then continued on. "This is about killing as many of them as possible before they kill me."

"Jenieve, you are my responsibility now. Jania made me swear to protect you, I am going to get you off this planet alive even if it kills me." Bianca's voice was calm but Jenieve could hear the anxiety in it.

"I'm afraid this isn't you decision and as Jania isn't alive to talk to me about what she wanted I will elect to stay behind, although, I do appreciate your willingness to take me along."

"We have to get moving we don't have much time." Lotharen said urgently interrupt the girl's argument.

Bianca sighed and looked sadly at, Jenieve and said. "I wish there was another way, but you are stubborn so there is no point in trying to talk you out of this."

Jenieve smiled slightly, "Thank you, for understanding." The two moved and embraced however when Bianca let go of her cousin Jenieve's eyes fluttered as she passed out. Bianca caught her cousin and hoisted her into her arms.

"Lotharen, do me a favor. One, carry Jenieve's mace. Two, don't ever mention the fact I used my powers on Jenieve. It was needed to keep Jenieve from doing something stupid...as she is safe do whatever you feel you must."

Lotharen obeyed stooping he picked up the hammer. "I won't mention it, until that is the biggest thing we have to worry about. As I don't see that happening for sometime this is safe between us. Now let's hurry."

Bianca nodded, "Then lead the way."