Chapter Text
It all happened so quickly, Heinrix’s head was spinning as he attempted to piece together just what in the Void had happened.
He and Revna (as well as a number of her more respected crew) were in Janus on invitation from the newly-installed Governor, attending a soirée alongside a number of nobility at the main estate. Revna - her auburn waves pinned into a delicate style around her head, was donned in a formal blue gown that had been specifically tailored for her person, and Heinrix couldn’t take his eyes off of her as she went from highborn to highborn to extend her personal greetings.
He would have had no trouble doing so anyway, seeing as he was her Master of Whispers and it was his duty to keep her safe, but it was apparent she had effortlessly captured the entire event’s attention.
And he very well couldn’t blame them—she was absolutely stunning.
Although Revna had come to him from time to time throughout the duration, asking if he’d like to accompany her or if he’d like a drink even, he was content to stay on the upper level of the estate’s main hall that overlooked the ballroom below. It gave him a well-rounded view of the vicinity, and therefore, a good observation spot in regards to all of the attendees.
For the first few hours, everything had been fine. The orchestra played, trays of food were passed around frivolously, and at one point, the Rogue Trader herself had been invited to make a speech on behalf of the future of Janus - which was thriving thanks to her efforts.
But it would be too simple for things to stay that way.
Movement in the corner of the ballroom immediately put Heinrix on alert, and his eyes locked onto an individual whose steps lacked confidence. To his horror, their gait became more hurried as they snatched an object off a passerby’s belt before making a beeline to Revna’s current position, placing her in immediate danger.
Not wasting a moment, Heinrix leapt into position and reached into the Warp to apprehend the individual, but his heart nearly gave out when, just as his psychic attack hit its target, a gunshot sounded throughout the ballroom - eliciting a chorus of screams.
“Cease them!” he roared to the guards below, and all were quick to follow his command. Adrenaline had him practically vaulting onto the main floor, only to find a crowd gathering around a particular spot. Forcing his way through, he stood frozen at what lay before him—Revna sitting on the floor and holding her side as blood seeped through her ruined dress and onto her fingers.
The room immediately turned to ice; Heinrix’s nostrils flaring as rage took over. He turned to where the guards were holding the individual he’d immobilized and his entire body began to radiate with psychic energy - so much so that the other guests were cautiously putting their distance between themselves and him. The assailant’s eyes were wide with fear, and Heinrix took a dark pleasure in the sight. How dare they harm his beloved, his Lord Captain, his Revna.
But he needed information, as much as he wanted to kill the person on the spot. And so, recalling every discipline he’d learned from his time in the Imperium, he tampered down his well of psychic energy.
“Have them taken to the cells below. I will personally see to it that the motives on harming Her Ladyship are disclosed in detail.” he spat with absolute venom. He may no longer be in the Inquisition, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t stoop to his prior methods - especially where Revna’s safety was involved.
Once the fiend had been removed from the scene, Heinrix hurried back to Revna’s side, relieved to see that a healer was already tending to her and that she was alert.
“Heinrix,” she called to him, and he lowered himself to her side, taking her hand in his. “That hurt like hell, but they only managed to graze my waist, thankfully.” She must’ve picked up on how taut he was from his fury, because she started to massage at his knuckles with her thumb.
“Thank the Throne that was indeed the case,” he exhaled, but immediately his features became pained. “Forgive me, My Lady… I was certain that the event was secure. This should never have happened and I…”
But he remembered he was still in front of a crowd of nobles, all watching the scene with rising interest. Those who needed to know before doing something rash (such as previous... employers) were aware that he and Revna had quietly married and that he shared her name - but that didn’t mean the general public did. And now wasn’t the time to get emotional; that could wait for when they were in private.
He cleared his throat, squeezing her hand briefly. Revna, observant as ever, seemed to decipher where his current train of thought was headed and offered him both a nod and tiny smile.
“It’s alright,” she mouthed to him, and damn if he didn’t want to haul her into his arms right then and there. Heinrix rose to his feet, never taking his eyes off of his wife, but briefly managed to do so to address the servants idling by.
“Have Her Ladyship taken to her temporary quarters as soon as the healer deems her stable enough for transport. I will be heading to the holding cells to conduct my investigation into this matter.”
“Yessir, of course,” one of them replied, bowing, and with one final glance to Revna, Heinrix was off.
“You had best start talking—my patience is already at its limit,” was the first thing Heinrix said to the assailant when he arrived at the cell they’d been detained in.
“W-what’s there to say?” the person, a man with gaunt features, answered - looking like he may faint at any moment. He was visibly struggling against the bonds tied behind his back.
“I will not entertain obtuseness,” Heinrix hissed, and put the slightest pressure on the man’s windpipe with just the narrowing of his eyes. The effect was instantaneous, as the prisoner began coughing like he had something stuck in his throat.
“I-I swear I wasn’t trying to start an uprising or anything!” he pleaded through a wheeze. “I was confused and the opportunity was there so I thought I’d—“
“Opportunity?” Heinrix interrupted, eyes narrowing further.
Now the man was gasping for air. “Y-yes! Lady Vyatt - she knew I fancied her, I told her as much… and then she was slain by the Rogue Trader’s hand. All I could think was: that woman will be here, I have the chance to avenge Vistenzia. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it! I-I swear I meant to just attend the party as a lesser noble, but then I saw her there on the floor with everyone; smiling and enjoying herself. It made me angry. It pushed me to act.”
So the attack had been spontaneous - and Heinrix previously clocking his manner of walking lined up with the claims to hesitancy. That brought some relief; as he’d already been mentally cataloguing all of the possible groups that could be responsible. But one spurned lover who thought he was committing a heroic missive on behalf of his fallen lady was not something that would’ve been on the radar.
Heinrix almost felt pity for the fool - wondering if he’d do the same should the roles be reversed. But then the idiot decided to speak again.
“Don’t kill me, I beg you! I don’t know what came over me—and Her Ladyship only suffered minor injuries!”
This had ice forming around the room almost instantaneously. “Minor injuries?” Heinrix seethed, taking a threatening step. “Had I not apprehended you, there’s a good chance Lady von Valancius would’ve been struck in the heart instead. Would you be attempting to make the same argument then?”
He took another step, and the man began to whimper and shake. “And now you beg for your life like a coward. If you really did intend to follow through on your ‘revenge’, you would have been willing to die for Lady Vyatt at any cost. But now you grovel for mercy. Pathetic.”
“It was a mistake, a lack of foresight! I let a moment of weakness cloud my senses! Please, I swear I didn’t mean to—“
But Heinrix had heard enough, and silenced him—permanently. The man’s head rolled backward in a silent scream as the nerves in his head were fried in an instant, but the Master of Whispers had already turned away before the corpse could collapse to the ground.
“Notify the house this man belonged to of the actions taken against the Rogue Trader; and see to it that those who show signs of lingering loyalty to Lady Vyatt are brought in for questioning,” Heinrix ordered his agents who’d accompanied him. “It appears to be a single, freak incident - but I don’t want to take any chances.”
“Yes, Master,” they replied with fists to their chests, and dispersed but a moment after.
Not wanting to waste any more time now that the matter was contained for the moment - Heinrix hurried off to his and Revna’s quarters within the estate.
“Love?” Heinrix quietly called out as he entered the greeting room of the expansive suite. He didn’t want to startle Revna if she was resting, and so he kept his footsteps light as he proceeded towards the bedroom.
His wife was sitting up in the bed when he entered, scrolling through a data-slate with a bored expression. She’d changed into her nightgown and her hair looked to have been washed, which likely meant she was (understandably) completely done with the day.
“Revna…” he quietly addressed her, and she instantly met his eyes, then placed the data-slate on the nightstand. He couldn’t help himself—seeing her alive and well after the unexpected scare had him striding across the room and gathering her up in his arms (all while minding her injury). His head came to rest in the crux of her shoulder, and his fingers tangled in her still-damp hair as he shakily inhaled her scent.
“Heinrix… I’m alright, love,” she soothed him, her hands stroking up and down his back.
“But you almost weren’t,” he retorted, clutching her to him. “I should have thoroughly vetted every single person in attendance for signs of ill intent. If I had been even a second too late or my attack had missed—“
“Neither of those things happened, Heinrix,” she stressed, and he felt her lips brush at his temple. “You’d already done everything you possibly could have to protect me; and I merely got a nick in the side. I’ve suffered far worse, you know that.”
“Had I done my job correctly, you never would have been harmed at all, Revna. Had I lost you…” his voice nearly gave out at the weight of his words, but she coaxed him into lifting his head so she could look him in the eyes.
“That’s the danger we face in this life, my love,” she said sadly, but attempted a smile as she brushed her fingers through his hair. “You saved me, that’s all that matters. I’d rather you didn’t, but—if you really want to beat yourself up over the specifics, then simply take it as a lesson for next time, alright?”
Heinrix closed his eyes, and a furrow appeared between his brows.
“You are, as always, far too merciful to me,” he finally uttered in defeat, shaking his head, but brought her hand to his lips - placing a reverent kiss on her ring finger. “I’m… still learning to forgive myself, even now.”
Revna smiled at him, a genuine one this time, and his heart did a somersault in his chest. “I know. It will get easier with time.” She embraced him once again, slipping her arms around his waist while his own settled on the small of her back. For a time, they simply held one another in a comfortable silence.
“Did you find out anything?” she eventually asked, knowing he wouldn’t have returned unless he was satisfied with the results of the investigation.
“It would seem a possible lover of the late governor was enacting revenge on her behalf,” Heinrix explained. “I’m conducting an investigation into the house that the individual belonged to, but it doesn’t appear to extend beyond that.”
“A lover’s revenge, huh?” Revna asked in surprise. “I hope it is indeed contained—we just got the Governor settled and the nobility adjusted to the prior shift in policies. I don’t need an uprising in the name of Vistenza Vyatt of all people.”
Heinrix sighed. “You are all too familiar with just how tempting the lure of Chaos can be. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are undisclosed threats all over this planet.”
“That makes me feel better,” Revna scoffed. “What of this assailant, though? Feelings aside, did he seem connected to any Chaos plot?”
“Not at all.“
“And yet you still seem troubled. The interrogation put you on edge as well, didn’t it?” Because of course nothing got past her—she had too keen of an eye, especially where Heinrix was involved.
“Perhaps it did, yes. …He spoke of wishing to avenge the one he adored, and yet groveled for his life when death was imminent.“ Letting out a deep breath, he rested his cheek on the top of her head. “His pleas made me… angry. In my eyes, dedicating yourself to someone means being willing to live for them… die for them, at any cost.”
“You’re thinking of us.”
“Yes.” He placed his hands on her shoulders, bringing her away from him enough so he may look into her crystalline eyes. “I swore myself to you, and I will die for you if it comes to it. To live without you…” He shook his head. “My life has no meaning without you in it—and so begging for it would be pointless.”
“I certainly hope it never comes to that,” she whispered, bringing a hand to his cheek and stroking at the skin there with her thumb. “I wouldn’t want a life where you’re not in it.”
“Revna…”
She didn’t respond; instead leaning forward so she could press slow, tender kisses to every inch of his face. His eyes fluttered at the sensation, basking in the love that radiated from her touch.
“I think I’ve had enough talk of doom and gloom for one evening,” he felt her breathe against his parted lips, and it took all of his willpower not to close the distance. “I’d rather explore how we’ll live… love… for one another, instead.”
One could almost taste the sparks that were suddenly permeating the air, and Heinrix sucked in a shaky breath. “But… your injury…” he weakly argued, his hands already slipping down to her hips and squeezing.
“I seem to recall my husband throwing caution to the wind with his own injuries the very first time we were together,” she mused, fighting a grin and failing. “And he had to internally stitch himself back together.”
“A sound argument, I’ll admit,” the man chuckled, before he finally caved and slanted his lips over hers hungrily.