A few minutes later... - Hallway Leading to the Royal Ballroom
It was a meagre few minutes that passed after leaving my bedroom that I found myself completely alone, standing in the midst of a long hallway. My instincts flared up and I began to slowly panic as my gaze darted around, wrought with paranoia.
Another minute passed, one clad in petrifying silence, as I collected and braced myself, steeling my stature and calming my breathing.
I was alone.
In a hallway.
As a king.
Again!
With nary a sound other than that of my own breathing. Hell, not even birds could be heard outside and I didn't see anyone as I looked out of a window. "If I were an assassin, you would be dead right now, Klaus." An unamused, icy but otherwise familiar tone rang out, echoing throughout the hallway. "... Katrin?"
I called out with uncertainty. "I'm right here." She replied as I instinctively turned my head back toward my front, flinching visibly as I finally noticed her standing right there, almost as if she hadn't moved for quite some time. Yet, I swear she wasn't here a moment ago. "Hmm..." She mused as a plated gauntlet's finger rubbed against my chin. "You weren't this handsome a week ago..." She whispered with hazy eyes before straightening her posture and pulling her arm back down, having extended it fully in order to reach my chin.
With a annoyed expression, she finished. ".. or this tall."
Throwing her a look of complete disbelief, I sheepishly turned away from her gaze in a rather uncharacteristic manner. "Yeah well, a lot of magic and a good diet can do wonders for you!" That sounded like an excuse. Why did that sound like an excuse? And why was I even being so defensive? What the hell is going on?!
Shaking my head and gritting my teeth, I forcefully shattered whatever stupor or spell possessed me just now, my expression seemingly catching Katrin off guard as she blinked and took a few steps back. "Uhm- wait, I-I- I wasn't trying to anger you!" She became flustered and adopted a pouty expression as she looked to the side.
"I am not angry nor stupid enough to think that you actually tried to harm me just now, but I still do desire an explanation for what just happened, Katrin." A calm tone echoed from my mouth, betraying only the barest hints of raw fury, even though I legitimately wasn't angry at her. Hmm, guess its just been a while since I've been spooked like this.
Yes.
That must be it.
Anyway, Katrin seemed to adopt a rather sheepish expression before becoming fully red with embarrassment, looking down onto the red carpet as she replied. "I- uhm... I erased my presence and extended my aura in order to terrify anyone around because I.. I wanted you to come here alone..."
So that's why there's nothing living anywhere nearby, not even birds. "That's how you did this, not why." Casually pointing this out made her already crimson cheeks become even more red for a brief moment, before a rather melancholic expression took over her pale featured. "Klaus, I want to join the Festival."
...
I could not help the massive sigh that escaped me just now. "I see. And how have you come to this stunning decision?" She seemed to brighten up a tiny bit as she scooted over to my left and promptly put her hands under my arm, motioning for us to walk forward. Shrugging, I decided to humour her a bit. Its not like I disliked her, after all.
A lot of what she had was attractive to me; a great ass, fit body, fighting spirit, submissiveness, short stature, wounded mind and spirit as well as being a generally useful, self-reliant and professional person where it counted, just to name a few. Her family and status were an afterthought for me personally, but they weren't detrimental in the least.
Katrin was, by all means, a woman of exceptional pedigree. "Uhm.. are you even listening to me, Klaus?"
Chuckling, I promptly replied with honesty. "Nope. I was thinking about all the things about you that I like." She blinked in surprise, but before she could open her mouth, I continued. "Anyway, what was it that you were saying?"
She then adopted this expression which was a mix of embarrassment, joy and anger. It was, without a doubt, one of the most adorable things I have ever seen. "I was telling you why I wanted to join the Festival!"
"Oh?" Katrin's eyebrow twitched as she harrumphed and straightened her posture with a pout. "Like I said; you changed a ton these past two weeks. Granted, you're still an evil asshole bastard, but ..." She sighed and looked away, seemingly out of shame. "Well, you're a hot evil asshole bastard now."
Quirking an eyebrow at her, I replied. "While that is very flattering of you to say and I understand that me becoming somewhat better looking might make it easier for you to forgive me for what I did in the past but, honestly, I don't really think that-"
"Its not just because you suddenly look good, you bastard." She seemed to grit her teeth and look at me in the eye as she continued. "You are definitely planning on becoming a full on tyrant, worse than even my brother. Way I see it, if I become your queen, the least I will become able to do is limit the ensuing casualties and protect the little people from you."
...
Oh boy.
A Stockholm syndrome and a brother complex in one. Still, being equated to that impossible standard does feel rather nice. "So you want to use your position in order to protect others." I let out a sigh. "What makes you think that you can't do that as you are now?"
She appeared shocked at my question. "W-what do you mean? How could I possibly protect anyone as I am right now?"
"Katrin. We've had a court session each of the last two weeks. The only time you opened your mouth to speak during those entire two weeks was when you asked your brother for a duel. Not a single other word has been spoken by you during that entire time." Katrin's expression turned into one of horror and despair. "Uhm.. wait, did I say something wrong?"
She let out a sigh of her own, a breath filled with so much remorse that even I felt a sting, a jolt of guilt, if you will. "N-no.. its not you. You.. You lost your memories so you probably don't know this but..." Turning her head back up and clutching my arm tighter, she finally revealed the horrid truth. "I-.. I'm a woman, Klaus... Our gender does not really have a lot of privileges. You.. you used to abuse this fact a lot before but ever since your arcana awakened you.." She smiled lightly. "You've treated me like a person. Not just me actually, but the other women around you, too."
"Uhm, I hate to break it to you, but I only treat you well because I consider you useful. If you weren't useful, I would-" I began with a cough and a rather sheepish tone.
Which she finished with clear confidence. "-have killed me by now, like you did to everyone else that ended up being revealed as a worthless maggot infesting this dying nation."
The way she stated that, from the happiness in her tone to the sheer joy and pride etched into her expression, made me realize that she had been feeling this way for a while now. Guess this explains why someone as apparently heroic as her didn't flee my court, despite all the horrible shit I've done. Lawful evil, eh?
Not many people can boast to claim that sort of alignment. "So does that mean you approve of me killing people as I please?"
She shook her head in negative nigh instantly. "N-no! There are some people that I do not believe deserved the fates you've cast upon them, but its not like I have any right to question or voice my opinion on the matter."
"Which is why you want to become my Queen. You think that people and, most importantly I, would listen to what you have to say if you held that level of social status." Katrin's only answer was an offered nod as I let out yet another sigh. "Listen, if you want to say something, just speak your mind. You are already someone I consider useful so you do not need to fear a damn thing."
With a sorrowful smile, she replied. "Maybe.. maybe not from you, but most of your courtiers are men, Klaus. What do you think would happen to the stability of the kingdom if rumour spread that the King was under the influence of a woman? Worse yet, a woman that likes to 'masquerade as a man'." She rolled her eyes at that last bit as I quirked an eyebrow at her in confusion.
A woman that likes to masquerade as a man? What?
I'll have you know that submissive tomboys are the greatest form a woman may reach, on this world and any other! The men of this nation have zero taste.
Before I could stop myself, my right hand was already on my forehead, clutching my head in absolute annoyance. "Look Katrin, the only reason why I don't like the thought of marrying you is due to my past sins. It does not feel right. Chasing after you while knowing that I caused you so much pain in the past.. it just does not feel good at all."
Her grip on my arm tightened again, but only for a short moment. "... if I learned how to properly perform statecraft, stewardship and administration... would that ease the burden on your pride?"
I blinked and stopped dead in my tracks, nearly making her trip over my foot in surprise, causing her to yelp as she gripped harder again, making me wince from the pain. "Ow.."
"Sorry, sorry!" She released her plated grip as soon as she regained her footing. "Uhm, why did you stop so suddenly?"
"You've been eavesdropping on me and Vivian, haven't you?" Katrin, to her credit, forced herself to look me right in the eye as she nodded. "I-.. I have. It was an accident... well, the first time was, anyway..." She looked up and coughed. "Would you really take her for your own? Even as she is now?"
"I would not. Not because I specifically mind her appearance, but because a Queen needs to be able to bring birth... something that, I am afraid, might not be possible for her as of right now." Taking a deep breath, I continued. "With that said, she is objectively my best option. Her ability as a ruler is clear and she is definitely someone I could leave the nation to when I have to leave in order to fight a war."
"... but if you take me, I would fight the wars for you." Katrin said before she could stop herself and then looked away with a sigh, but not out of shame. "Which is probably also something you feel is insulting... dammit, why must you men be so bloody conceited.. Its like everything I can provide in a relationship exists solely to make you feel less manly!"
Now this, caused me to blink as I put a hand on her head, something that caught her attention instantly as she turned to look up at me. "Katrin, have you, by any chance, taken my advice and ..." I let out a massive sigh before continuing. ".. started looking for a man other than me?"
Her expression twisted with shame and fury as she subconsciously stomped the ground with her feet, making me think that something definitely cracked under the carpet. "Yes, Klaus! Yes, I have! AND I DESPERATELY WISH I DID NOT!"
With another sigh, I asked the million dollar question. "Alright. What did the baboons do to you?"
"NOTHING! THEY COULDN'T DO SHIT EVEN IF THEY TRIED!" She fumed and raged as I silently thanked the gods for the fact that nobody was around to see this. "They're all just.." Katrin appeared to calm down for a moment, seemingly about to burst into tears. "I've met about fifty different suitors since the day you annulled our engagement." She wiped a few tears off of her face, shame and sorrow alike marring her otherwise adorable features. "Every single one of them treated me like I was spoiled goods!" With a rather audible sniff, she continued her rant. "They all decided that I should be honoured that they want to be my husband, despite most of them being little more than shitty, meagre barons of some random, wasteland county."
Then she turned her head towards me again. "All of them, every single one, started making demands of me... they told me that if I wanted to get married, I would have to start 'acting like a woman' my age and stop being childish. That I should throw away my sword and take up knitting or gardening as a hobby instead!" She shook her head in disbelief. "One particular asshole even dared to insinuate that I should learn how to cook and brew tea if I wanted for anyone to marry me!"
A rather large vein started pulsing painfully on my head.
I could feel every, single, fucking, minute drop of blood as it passed through this particular, bulging vein.
My, it almost feels like I could pop a vessel or seven~.
Aha!
Subtly continuing to writhe in fury from the inside, I promptly forced myself to say the following words. "And Katrin, if I demanded those same things of you, would you still want to be my wife?"
Now, this is cruel, I know.
... but, its for the best.
I hope.
Katrin, for her part, only seemed to lose her spirit for a brief moment, but it lasted long enough for me to see an expression full of betrayal and shock that I decidedly never want to see again. "I-I... you... you would never ask that of me!"
"This is true, but if I did, would you?" She blinked in confusion and shock before eventually relenting. "... if you asked me to do the same things as those men did t-then.. you must have a very good reason for it!... s-so, I'd consider it, at l-least."
Now it was my turn to blink in surprise. "Well, there are several good reasons behind those demands, though if things ever came to that, I'm sure you would have taken up everything you mentioned on your own accord."
She quirked a rather confused eyebrow at me. "E-eh? Me? Cooking? Knitting? G- *guttural sound indicative of barely prevented projectile vomit* -ardening?.. w-w-willingly?!" She shook her head and clutched her mouth with both hands. "N-never! No way! Just imagining myself doing any of that makes me want to hurl! Why!? How?! How could you ever see me doing any of that crap?!"
Unable to help myself, I threw a satisfied grin at her, causing the woman to blink. "You told me that you wanted to join the Regina Festival, right? So here's your first trial; figure out the only plausible reason as to why you would ever become willing to do these things. Then, once you're certain that you have the correct answer, come and tell me what it is."
Before she could reply, we found ourselves standing in front of the gates leading into the upper floors of the Royal Ballroom and, noticing that this was the case, Katrin finally, and fully, let go of my arm, causing the guardsmen waiting at the entrance to chuckle and snort knowingly, with one of them even giving me a wink, to which I replied to with a sigh.
Without another word, she took up her intended post as my bodyguard and seemed to instantly soothe her raging heart, eliciting a rather deadpan, emotionless expression to etch itself on her frame. How very, very professional~.
I couldn't help but laugh on the inside as I watched her give out the occasional flinch.
Within moments, the gold and red gates opened wide, a splendid orchestra echoing into the hallway as it did. The announcer, the very same guy that heralded the arena, noticed my presence and then turned to the crowd, extending one arm into the air while the other was placed over his heart almost as if he was about to sing. "Announcing the arrival of his majesty, Klaus Exuperius!; as well as his royal bodyguard and Protector of Exuperia, Lady Katrin Terreltait!"
