Catherine closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slipped beneath the cold water until bubbles covered her head and the outside world completely disappeared from her sight.
She's back in the Faalum Lake where she first saw the earth fairy which she helped to get back home in their kingdom. After the incident of saving an unknown girl and killing a person in the process, she was asleep for five consecutive days that made Ria and Jospehine make unreasonable excuses just to keep her from a royal physician. Catherine woke up needing to get herself immerse in the cold water of the lake. Jospehine filled in the details of things when she was asleep and she already grasped the situation she's in.
1. For the last five days, Lucas visited her in her chambers to see if she was already awake.
2. He demanded for a royal physician to check up on her but Josephine made a ton of excuses.
3. Lucas invited her to a meal when he learned she woke up.
4. There will be a birthday party for Clementine the next day.
As much as she wants to stay in the cold water, her lungs won't let her. Catherine moved her feet to make her body resurface the water. Ria, with a towel in her hand covered the now dripping wet Cathrine as they walk back to Catherine's chambers.
“How do you feel? Is there anything wrong or what?” Ria asked, full of concern while drying Catherine's hair with another towel. Ria placed her hand on Catherine's arm and using her fire element she dried her body as well as her hair.
“I'm actually fine.” Catherine replied as she tried to examine her own body. After killing someone with her elements, she knew there was a price to pay. Enchantress and enchanters are connected to the nature which is also the source of their powers and when they used it to harm a human, being part of the nature, it will cause a disruption in the balance of nature that may affect the enchantress or enchanter who harmed a human.
“Maybe because I did it to protect another human?” Catherine guessed that made Ria think about what she said. They entered the grand hall as the servants continue to greet them politely, stopping their tracks and bowing their heads as they pass.
“You have a lunch date with His Majesty today, Your Highness. Josephine has already prepared your clothes in your chambers.” Catherine nodded and they ascended to the grand staircase where she and Lucas first appeared together in the crowd in their engagement party.
“Your ladies-in-waiting are also in your chambers. Lady Thalia will brief you a lesson as you prepare for you lunch date.”
“Please don't call it a lunch date.” Catherine whined as they enter her room. A beige A-line dress with rubies showered all over the place is placed in her bed.
“Don't tell me that is what I'm going to wear for lunch?” Elle and Maria nodded enthusiastically at her. With their eyes sparkling, Catherine tried to find the right words to change the dress so that she won't hurt their feelings.
“Don't we have anything more…”
“Never mind. It is beautiful.” Elle and Maria smiled at her from ear to ear and sat Catherine down in her chair in front of the vanity.
“Greeting, Your Highness.” Thalia and Caitlin said in unison as they curtsied before the princess. Catherine smiled at them and motioned for them to take a seat. Thalia opened the book in her hand and started her brief lessson for the princess.
“The Uranbel Kingdom was founded by the first king Leonard Uranbel in the year of XXXX who was a general that lead the army into victory against the revolutionaries. The general's victory at Edingtan and the death of the king in the city, gave King Leonard an opportunity to establish a new political order. He led the remaining soldiers to the Danes and counquered the kingdom at night. In just three years he was able to conquer three more kingdoms after that. ” Elle and Maria worked their way to make Catherine's silver hair match the dress they picked for her.
“Now, some people believed that King Leonard possesed some kind of powers because of his raven hair and golden eyes, that it was a gift from the heavens but others believed that it was a curse from the devil. Only the Royal Family has black hair and their golden eyes in the entire kingdom. Their descendants would inher-”
“What? The Royal Family is the only one with golden eyes?” Thalia nodded while Caitlin snorted at Catherine's comment.
“Everyone in the kingdom knows that.”
Catherine stood up and paced back and forth at the new information she gathered. If the royal family is the only one with golden eyes, Catherine thought that the one she was dancing with at the festuval a few days ago was the king himself, unless he has other relatives.
“Does the king has any other relatives like a brother?” Catherine wondered. She thought maybe the one she dance with wasn't Lucas but another person.
“No, the king has no other relatives alive today. He is the only descendant of the king and queen. The queen had a frail body that she was only able to bear one child, and that is King Lucas.” Thalia answered thoughtfully. She was about to continue her lesson when Caitlin interrupted.
“I heard that the current king was not loved by both his parents, especially the queen. The people say that he was treated less than a servant an thag made him kill his own parents.” Caitlin move closer to Catherine.
“You should be very careful of what you say.” Caitlin whispered at Cathrine.
“Thank you for your concern. But I highly doubt that. As Thalia stated, there was no other descendants besides him. As the only successor to the throne, and the queen's son, it was only right that he will be treated as such.” Catherine stood up and headed to her bathroom with Elle holding her dress. Caitlin rolled her eyes at the back of Catherine.
“Why does Lady Caitlin only know a handful of gossips?” Elle said as she close the door behind. Catherine only laughed at her comment and proceeded to change her garments.
“Maybe because they got nothing better to do than to gossip.” Catherine tilted her head that made Elle laughed. Elle pulled the ribbon behind the dress Catherine wore.
“Not to tight. I would like to eat a lot. I'm famished.” Elle nodded even though Catherine could not see her. She pulled the ribbon a little bit before typing the perfect bow. She handed Catherine a pari of red pumps, which she wore gladly.
“Thank you. Where is Catalina?” Catherine smiled sweetly.
“Oh, she is in the laundry room, Your Highness. She will be back after your lunch.” Elle answered and they exited the bathroom.
“You look stunning, Your Highness.” Maria exclaimed and clapped her hands.
“You flutter me.” Catherine laughed as well as Ria.
“We will continue our lesson later.” Catherine faced Thalia and she nodded. She looked at Caitlin who was clearly irritated and probably thinking that she should be in Clementine's residence.
“Where are you going, Your Highness?” Josephine asked when Catherine started ealking towards the door.
“To His Majesty, of course.” Catherine exited the room leaving Maria and Elle squealing in excitement. Catherine heard Caitlin argue with Maria about the etiquettes of being a noble lady that one should not be the first to got to a man's office and what not. She shook her head, smiling and went to the king's office.
When she arrived, she knocked thrice and peaked at the door. She saw Konnor and Lucas busy talking with some papers in his table. Catherine thought that the papers in his office seems to never lessen. In fact, it seemed to increase. Catherine excused herself and made her way behind Konnor.
“Hi! Busy?” Catherine asked that made Konnor jumped in his feet. He turned around to see Cathrine smiling with her hands behind her back.
“Is it that time already?” Lucas asked and stood up.
“Oh, no. I'm just here early. Continue what you were doing, don't mind me.” Catherine looked around as she walk inside the office.
“How are you doing?” Lucas asked suddenly, while observing what Catherine does.
“I'm fine. I heard that when I was asleep, you insisted on calling the royal physician. Thank you for your concern.” Catherine looked back at Lucas and smiled before touching the books in the shelves.
“You were asleep for five days straight. Who would not call a physician in that?” Lucas went back to his papers and signed it as fast as he could. He gave the remaining papers to Konnor and the pen he used to sign as well as his royal seal.
“Uh, in my kingdom?” Catherine giggled to herself and faced the desk where Lucas was. To her surprise, Lucas was already standing in front of her. She took a step back, making a distance for Lucas and herself.
“Shall we?” Lucas extended her arm to Catherine, that she only looked at before looking back to him. Lucas chuckled at her actions and took her hand before placing it on his arm.
“Are you done with your work?” Catherine asked as they walk towards the exit.
“My assistant is there for that reason, especially when my betrothed personally came to get me.” Lucas smiled at her and gyide her towards her favorite garden, the garden she tended to that was in front of her chambers.
“I thought we were supposed to have lunch.” Catherine said as the pass through the red roses in the garden.
“Are you already hungry?”
“I'm famished.” Catherine admitted, she did not want to keep her stomach empty, especially after sleeping for five consecutive days. She had nothing but a bowl of soup early in the morning because Jospehine said that it might upset her stomach if she gulped down solid food.
Lucas chuckled at her comment and made their way to the dining hall. Lucas never thought of hearing such an answer, especially from a princess. His eyes wondered at Catherine's face and thought that she did became thin after just five days.
“Uh, did you…” Catherine trailed, contemplating whether to ask or not. Catherine looked at Lucas to find him already staring. She instantly looked away, feeling her blood rushed to her cheeks. She cleared her throat and look at him, directly in his golden eyes, as they stopped their tracks.
“Were you in the festival?” Catherine wondered, she saw a glimmer of suprise in Lucas' eyes but was easily dismissed by his charming smile. Lucas guided her to continue walking towards the dining hall. Catherine waited for an answer but all she received was his mischievous smile and nothing else.
A servant pulled the chair for Catherine as well as to Lucas. They sat in silence as the servants continue to place food in their table. Catherine started eating the meat that was served in a very clean plate with some artistic sauce.
“Why are the servings so small?” Catherine whispered and gulped down the wine beside her.
“Why do you think I attended the festival?” Lucas asked that made Catherine stopped eating.
“Well, you see, during the festival I saw someone with golden eyes.” Catherine reasoned that made her regret every word thag came out from her mouth. Attending the festival was just a secret and she just spit it out in from of the king.
“May I ask why were you in the festival?” Lucas leaned in his chair, cross his legs and played with the wine glass in his hands. “The day of the festival was also they day Lady Josephine and Lady Ria carried you back unconscious with some unknown girl from the slums.”
Catherine looked away and fidgeted, trying to find some excuses to say. She wondered what kind of reason would this man accept.
“You know my brother's wedding is coming up and I wanted to give him a present along with his wife-to-be so I went to town to buy some gifts and got distracted by the festival.” Catherine answered truthfully, thinking that nothing beats honesty. Lucas seemed satisfied with her reason and seeing that Catherine tried to push her luck.
“With that said, the wedding is in three weeks. I would like to depart as early as possible. You do know that the travel time is very long.”
“Alright.” Lucas agreed. He thought that it would be the best time to get rid of the obstacles in his way without Catherine getting caught in the middle. After getting rid of the pest, he decided that it's probably the time for them to get ready for the wedding.
“Really?” Catherine's eyes glimmer of happiness. She can't believe that he let her go that fast. The rest of the lunch was in silence, eating fheir own food and thinking about their own agendas.
When they were done eating, Lucas offered his arm to Catherine, which she gladly took. They walk out of the door, arm in arm, as they passed by the servants in the hall.
“Shall we take a walk in the garden?” Catherine suggested and smiled at Lucas. They glided to the garden where they first met and walk in peace, letting the breeze brush their face while bathing in the warm sunlight. Catherine never thought that they would be able to be do this especially with all the rumors going around the king. She wanted to ask but she also wants to keep her head in tact, so she decided to wait until he opens up, himself. Lucas wasn't the only one hiding something, she thought. There are plenty of time for them to get to know each other, anyway. She smiled at the open air.
“Are you happy?”
“Yes. I like this.”
