(The altar, Temple on the Imperial grounds)
Katherine was standing alone in front of the golden altar, both of her hands were dipped into the bowl of holy water on it. She felt it get warmer every minute, yet she didn't take her hands out until it started evaporating.
Taking a few steps back, she was now standing in the exact same spot as Evan during the coronation ceremony.
King!
The image flashed in front of eyes, the noise made her flinch.
It was now like he was standing in front of her, the late king in his red cloth with a crown in his hands, desperately reaching it out to his son.
Katherine blinked and tightened the grip on the scarf she wrapped around her head. They made her too recognizable.
A few more steps and a turn towards the altar, she was not the late king looking at his son. A man who doesn't know if the thing in front of his eyes is real or not. It caused her heart to ache. She reached her hand out, the same way as the late king, reaching it out as far as she could just to touch him, just to brush her fingers over his hands. The only difference between them was that she could actually do it.
It was another one of her mistakes. They just keep getting more and more visible with each passing day.
Katherine took a deep breath, it was best not to think about it. For years that has been the best thing to do, there is no reason to change it now. If the battle is the one you can't win, don't fight it.
This battle she couldn't win in a million years.
Katherine approached the altar again, this time her face was so close to the golden carvings she could see every scratch in the work. All the tiny faces of angels had their imperfections almost invisible to the eye, of centered lips, two different eye sizes, missing nostrils, wings with uneven number of feathers. Their perfection, the one they long for, can never be achieved, no one will ever give it to them.
It was satisfying to some extent.
She cleaned her hands in the bowl one more time, if she keeps doing this there will soon be no water left.
It was now too precious to disappear.
Katherine put on her gloves and pulled the scarf over her face more. Invisible she can not become, but hidden she can stay forever.
Now, all she needs is enough time to pass, they get tired after a few weeks usually. No more than a few weeks, that is not a long time. Living here tires them out. It is insane that they can even last that long, nonetheless make themselves visible.
They are much, much bolder than she remembers.
Katherine left the altar and the temple behind her. She exited through the temple door, on the outside a red gloved guard waited for her. She didn't have to say anything in order for him to start following her. It was his job to follow the empress around and make sure she was safe.
He walked quietly behind her, always staying two steps behind, that was the rule her husband implied.
Now she usually doesn't take guards with her to the temple, it is a sacred ground that everybody is protected on, there is no need for knights and weapons. But the very sword of the empire was in that altar yesterday, many could have been killed on that very spot hundreds of years ago. Was there actually a point in forbidding something that can not be stopped.
With an exclusive number of people in the palace it was safer to walk with a guard everywhere. Katherine had gotten too comfortable being on her own. Rulers needed to come in place again. There was no time to do it one step at the time.
Rules were better, they kept her safe, comfort made her sloppy, sloppiness could cost her everything.
But can you really make it right this time?
Katherine stopped and turned around towards the temple. She did that so suddenly that the guard behind her flinched.
"Is everything alright Your Majesty?" He asked her right away.
Katherine was breathing faster, she took off the scarf on her head, it was useless. "I just thought I heard something."
"Should I check what it was?" The Imperial guards were skilled when it came to pleasing their masters, he knew there wasn't any noise.
"No, let's go to the palace." Katherine made five steps before he stopped her.
"You Majesty, would you like your parasol?"
Katherine had completely forgotten about it. She looked at the ground before silently reaching her hand for it. She opened it quickly and continued walking ahead, with a silent "Thank you."
*
Neftali was furious, even that was too soft of a word to describe how she was feeling. She slammed the door of the library so hard behind her that the maid that was passing by at the moment flinched and almost dropped the tray in her hands. Neftali ran through the palace hallways, when she reached the point that split the palace into The King's and The Queen's, she stopped and looked both ways several times. If she goes to her mother, nothing will change, the Empress will just accept the decision of her husband and go on with her life. But if she goes to her father and makes a scene. That sounds more like a plan.
What kind of man doesn't invite his own wife to the banquet he is hosting in their home? Not just their home, their empire, on the event that will be attended by every important official in the empire. This is a scheme for something else. A thing so disgusting Neftali couldn't even say it in her head.
She took a deep breath and turned to The King's palace.
"Neftali! Neftali!" A man was yelling from behind, Neftali stopped and turned around, she recognized that voice, it was Sir Leo. Running from the end of the hallway towards her.
"You are fast." He said after catching up.
"I don't have time to speak to you right now." Even if it sounded rude she didn't have time to talk to him right now, Neftali was headed towards her father's office, if she isn't quick enough he will definitely escape her.
"Where are you headed?" Sir Leo was now walking alongside her, "Is there some trouble?"
"Yes and I am currently solving it." No matter how much Neftali liked and respected Sir Leo, she had more important things to do than talk to him, like, for example, to kill her father.
Unfortunately for her, these kinds of things interested Sir Leo so much that he could not resist getting involved. The relationship between him and the Emperor has always been strictly on formal terms, both of them avoided getting into any personal conversation with each other, that was for a good reason, it was better for everyone if the two of them didn't speak to each other. This empire would be in much trouble if the two of them came face to face more often.
"Can I help?"
"No, now please leave me alone."
They were fast to reach the office wing, since Neftali already knew all the shortcuts through the palace. Neftali came from the corner and immediately took a step back. She bumped into Sir Leo and almost fell but managed to stay on her feat, peaking over the corner.
"What is it?" Sir Leo whispered.
Neftali didn't answer him, she was looking at Sullivan and Lady Diana who were having a conversation in front of the Emperor's office.
Sir Leo peaked on his own then stepped back and tapped Neftali on the shoulder. Unwillingly she turned to hear what he had to say. "You want me to see what they are talking about?"
Neftali frowned, looked back at the two of them and nodded her head.
"Hide behind me." Sir Leo started walking towards them big, moving like a buff criminal. Neftali almost laughed out loud, Sullivan and Lady Diana were turned so they could not see them approaching right away. Even if they noticed them right away, the way Sir Leo was walking was so distracting that they would not even notice Neftali who was walking two steps behind him, with her dress lifted and on her tiptoes. Before even going the midway Neftali could hear them clearly.
"You know very well what I think about this." Lady Diana said in an angry voice.
"I can not control everything he does. It is my fault for not paying more attention." Sir Sullivan sounded more calm.
"You are meant to prevent things like this! We agreed, both sides must stay as they are!"
"Lady Diana, please calm down."
"I can't calm down! That is not allowed in the palace."
"Please don't call a person that."
"I will call them however I want, both of those things."
"If the Emperor finds-"
"If the Empress finds out about this-"
She stopped talking the moment she spotted Sir Leo approaching.
"Sir Leo." She said, more to Sullivan who had his back turned then to them. "Princess Neftali."
"Hello, my lady, sir." Sir Leo greeted both of them with a small nod.
Sullivan turned around, returning the gesture to him and the properly bowing to Neftali. "Your Highness, your Grace, is there something I can help you with?"
Lady Diana, like she remembered what Neftali might be here to ask, rushed to grab her by hand. "Your mother was looking for you, Your Highness."
"I bet she was." Neftali stepped away from her and got closer to Sullivan, "I want to speak with my father. Now, please."
Sir Leo kept looking at the confused, they were quick to forget he was there.
Sullivan answered quickly, positioning himself between Neftali and the office doors. "Right now, that is not possible, Your Highness, I can arrange a meeting later in the day if you would like."
"It is quite an urgent matter."
"The Emperor is in a meeting right now and can not accept your visit."
"Oh, I see, then Sullivan, perhaps you can answer my question. I am in need of an answer."
"Of course, Your Highness."
Lady Diana wanted to say something but stopped herself, she glanced at Sir Leo who just shrugged his shoulders.
"Why is the Empress not invited to today's banquet?"
Sullivan looked at the confused, "The Empress is most certainly invited to today's event. Why would you think she isn't?"
"Don't joke with me Sullivan."
"I would never joke about such matters."
"Princess Neftali," Lady Diana interrupted them, "The Empress will attend. We just failed to inform her in time."
Neftali stood still, looking at Sullivan, clenching and relisting her fists, she bit her lip repeatedly from inside until it started to bleed. "Who is behind that door?"
"Princess-" Neftali cut Lady Diana immediately.
"Who is behind that door Sullivan?"
"A subject that has an appointment."
"Let me in-"
Lady Diana stepped between them, "Neftali, we are going." This time she could not resist, as Lady Diana dragged her from her father's office, because she knew Neftali would have entered, and if she entered they would be in trouble. That made Neftali want to see who is behind that door even more. She kept turning her head as Lady Diana dragged her away, they stopped two hallways away, Sir Leo followed them. Lady Diana grabbed Neftali by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes.
"Don't do that ever again."
"Do what? Who is behind that door?"
"It is best that you don't know who those people are. And don't you dare poke around!"
"Then you tell me," Neftali escaped her grip, "Why doesn't mother know about the banquet?"
Diana took a deep breath and placed a hand on her heart, "The banquet is for her, a surprise."
Lie.
But Neftali will bite. It was too tempting not to.
"Father prepared a surprise for her?"
"Yes, we were meant to tell her this afternoon, when the dress arrives."
Neftali looked at her, that woman was lying. It hurt to be lied by her. All the court ladies, Diana, Maria and Abigail, Neftali thought of the as aunts, especially Diana. She was the leading example that Neftali lived by. There must be a good reason for this lie, truth was perhaps too harsh for her to hear, but the lie still hurt. It almost made her cry.
"Is my mother really looking for me?" Neftali asked quietly.
In her eyes, Neftali could see that this was not easy for her. "Yes, she has been worried since you ran away this morning."
Neftali took a deep breath, she looked at Sir Leo who was still standing there, confused.
"Where is she?"
"In her gardens."
Neftali approached Sir Leo, she felt like a little child for being so upset. "Could you take me to my mother?"
"Of course princess."