Lady Unlike Any

13. What is in the name?

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."―William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

They were in the secret hideout in the queen's garden. Thick bushes surrounded them, hiding from the world and the moon shone brightly in the sky illuminating everything around them. They stood catching their breath. No one would know they were there unless someone came looking for this exact place. They looked at each other panting, her eyes worried while he watched her under the starlight.

No one uttered a word for a long time for it felt like a sin to break their moment with an unnecessary sound. It was blissful, the music from the ball would drift to them slightly like a thread attaching them to the real world.

William soon became aware of the electricity charging around them.

"Lady Katherine," He said breathlessly.

As expected, she scowled at him, breaking the spell cast on them. 

"It's Kathalina, not Katherine," She said irritated.

"But you are English, are you not?" He asked teasingly.

"Yes," She replied.

"Kathalina is not an English name," He said smugly.

"I know," She said fed up with his teasing, "I am named after the Spanish princess."

"Is that what your parents told you, Lady Katherine?" He teased her again.

"They told me the story too," She said folding her arms annoyed at him.

"Pray, tell me too," He said matching her childlike behaviour.

She looked at him suspiciously. William Kentshire was engaging in a frivolous chit-chat with her. It almost made her feel special but she knew he wasn't the one to waste his time knowing the story behind her name. It was possible he wanted to distract himself from the position he saw his fiance in.

"The crown prince of Britain was engaged to the crown princess of Spain, Princess Kathalina," She said.

"Pardon my interruption, my lady," He said.

She sighed, not happy with the interruption.

"What is the problem, my lord?" She asked irked.

"The Spanish princess engaged and now married to our crown prince is Princess Elenor and not Princess Kathalina. I have never heard about any Princess Kathalina," He said seriously.

"If you wouldn't have interrupted me, you would have known who Princess Kathalina was," She said pouting.

"Please proceed, my lady," He said taken aback, "I will not interrupt you any further."

"So, Princess Kathalina was engaged to the British crown prince when she was born. An alliance was forged between the two kingdoms through their betrothal. The alliance which brought wealth to Britain."

"She would come to Britain after she was sixteen to wed the Crown Prince but the civil war in Spain threatened the alliance, hence at the age of 10 the princess left her home for Britain. My father was one to receive her at the shore of Agagusus. He was one of the key people in forging the alliance and the one to welcome the princess on English land, he was immensely happy so much so he left his wife in labour to welcome the princess."

"But the enemies were cruel, they sank the princess boat in the middle of the ocean, and even her corpse couldn't be found. My father came back dejected with the news that shook Britain and Spain alike. The alliance was in danger. With their princess gone and civil war on the rise Spain couldn't send the wealth they promised to Britain, which could give rise to the civil war in Britain."

"I was born the day Princess died and my father so fond of the Princess he never met but thought of as a saviour named me after her and soon became the Prime Minister of Britain forging a new alliance."

"Then the current princess?" William asked softly. He didn't know of the tale of Princess Kathalina. He only knew that Princess Elenor married the Crown Prince for the alliance.

"She wasn't even born when Princess Kathalina died. But it was decided any princess that would be born in Spain will become the queen of England, getting the financial benefit that Spain had long ago promised Britain. Princess Eleanor was betrothed to crown prince even before she had opened her eyes to the world, no wonder she was so reluctant to marry."

William listened to her with rapt attention. She too like her father seemed to be fond of Princess Kathalina.

"And now you know, my name is Kathalina and not anything else," Kathalina declared.

"Yes, my lady," William smiled and she smiled in return. For a long time, they smiled at each other. The candlelight flickered, and the cold breeze touched them making her shiver. They sat there in silence in each other presence for that was enough.

"We should go back to the ball, our absence will be noticed soon," He said reluctantly.

"Can't we just stay here looking at the flickering candles and the stars above and watch the sunrise?" She asked wistfully.

"I am afraid, we can't, "Ever,  He said with a down face. She didn't say anything.

"Please make way to the ball, my lady. I will wait a couple of minutes to not raise any suspicion," He said.

"Alright," She said getting up, "I will see you around, my lord."

She did a perfect curtsy before turning around to leave through the hidden bushes.

"You too, Lady Kathalina," He whispered, his words reached her clearly in the silent night but she dared not to go back to him for she was sure she will not be able to leave again.

William didn't go back to the ball. He joined his younger brother in gambling and drinking. He knew if he saw her again his heart will break into two. He wouldn't be able to dance with her or place a kiss on her gloved hands.

 This was the end of the road for them, he was certain he was in love with her. She was the kind of woman he would never marry and yet here he was wanting to spend every breath with her. The problem was not that he was in love with her, he could have loved her and still be away, the problem was she reciprocated his love. 

Knowing Kathalina, she might not have understood her feelings, but the way she looked at him and smiled at him, he knew she was also attracted to him. And that made him unable to stay away. If she keeps pursuing him, it would be so difficult for him to let her go.

He needed a distraction, something that will take her away from his mind, at least temporarily. Well, his fiance having an affair with another member of his party should be a distraction enough. He had to make sure no one else finds out about her affair and it should end before it can affect his plan for her to marry him and eventually what her father promised him.

When the night ended, William didn't remember how much he drank to keep away Kathalina from his mind. He woke up in his younger brother's estate, his head heavy and throat parched. He rang the bell, he planned to sleep again after a bit of food in his belly.

As usual, he was served with tea, biscuits and the Ledger on the side. He ordered to bring in breakfast and sipped on his tea hoping to alleviate his headache. He picked up the ledger to go through what London was up to till late at night.

"Lord Liverpool's only daughter finally set to marry"

Lord Liverpool announced the engagement of his daughter, Lady Kathalina, to Lord Chadwick of the Conservative Party. The announcement was made in his small circle of a friend at the Royal Christmas Ball.

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