| “ | You’re in the way, Colonel. Again. | ” |
— Cathil to West
| ||
Cathil is a former prisoner of the King's Inquisition in Angland, who joined Prince Ladisla's division of the Union Army as a blacksmiths apprentice.
Appearance and Personality
Cathil is skinny and ragged looking, with a bony face from her time in the penal camps. However, she's also sinewy with a womanly form, and shaggy brown hair. Her voice is soft, smooth, and educated. She's strong and fearless.
History
Cathil and her family were convicted of treason by the Inquisition, and shipped to Angland. The family were split up, and she has no idea what became of them, if they’re even still alive. In her first prison, the commandant took a liking to her. He starved her for five days to get what he wanted. Her only regret is resisting for the five days. She was eventually moved to another prison, near the river Cumnur. Cathil befriended another prisoner called Pike, who pretended to be her father in order to protect her. During her time in prison, she learned to handle metal as well as any of the men.
Before They Are Hanged
At the prison, Colonel West arrives, and demands that any prisoners with blacksmith skills be put into his care to resolve a dire lack of blacksmiths in the Union camp nearby in the First Northern War. The first to volunteer is Pike, who identifies other capable smiths. He also asks that his "daughter" Cathil be taken as well. Despite the Inquisitor being unhappy, West agrees, because she reminds the him of his sister and the guilt he carries with him.
Cathil, Pike and the other former criminals are set to work in the camp. West spends far more time than he should in the smithy, preferring them to Prince Ladisla and his lackeys. Of course, Cathil’s figure has nothing to do with it.
When the Union army do battle with the Northmen, it quickly descends into a rout. As chaos ensues in the thick mist, Cathil finds West being confronted by a thrall and saves him, killing the man with her smithing hammer. Along with Pike, they find the Prince and escape into the trees, only to be found by Dogman.
Cathil joins Threetrees crew, who follow Bethod’s forces to the north, desperately pushing the pace to stay ahead of the fast moving army. Prince Ladisla is terribly slow, and West, Pike, and Cathil aren’t much better, although they complain less. Unknown to Cathil, West's feeling for her continue to grow, as he sees she can handle herself.
While scouting, Dogman spots a dozen of Bethod’s scouts. Threetrees decide to fight, needing the provisions. Everyone will fight except Cathil and Ladisla. Alone, Ladisla tries to sexually assault Cathil, pinning her to the ground, her trousers around her ankles. However, West returns just in time. Without any rage, just a cold calculating will, West pushes Ladisla off the nearby cliff to his death.
After weeks of trudging through the icy north, Cathil and the rest reach the main army’s camp. At the Northmen’s camp everyone gets truly drunk, and Cathil and Dogman become lovers; much to the disappointment of West, who almost walks in on them mid-intercourse while looking for her to tell her his feelings. Later, West demands to know why she chose Dogman over him, and Cathil tells him that he's just too angry for her.
In the battle at Dunbrec, Cathil and Threetrees’ crew are ordered to high flank of Poulder’s line, the ‘safest place’, as a reward for all their scouting. However, Bethod lays on a surprise, when the Shanka attack them. As Threetrees commands the troupe behind a tree trunk, Cathil falls to the ground, a Shanka arrow in her side. Dogman drags her to safety but cannot stay. After forcing the Shanka back, Dogman and Threetrees try to patch Cathil up. When pulling the shaft out fails, they try to push it through. With it finally removed, Dogman bandages her up. But it is for naught. With Cathil’s blood covering the snowy ground, Threetrees declares her dead.
After the battle, Pike, Dogman and the crew bury their dead. With Pike unable to speak the words for Cathil, Dogman remembers her as a girl none of them knew well, but who was tough and strong and someone he wished he had the chance to know better.