The First Queen (Currently Being Updated)

Chapter 18

About an hour later I was fully armored, hair pulled back in a braid. Some of my ladies were on the verge of crying as they assembled my armor, but I did my best to reassure them that I would be fine. As of right now, I was alone in my room, adjusting my gloves when I knock came at the door. Thinking it was Buckingham or Di, I casually said "come in" without looking up from my hands.

Hearing the door open and close, I heard a few, quiet footsteps come up from behind me, but not close enough to be uncomfortable. Strange, I thought. Looking up from my hands, I turned around to find Katarina looking back at me with a nervous expression. My eyes widened - I was not expecting her, of all people, to see me.

"Your majesty," she said, giving me a quick curtsy before waiting for me to speak.

"What do you want, Katarina? I have a war to fight and if this is about your golden boy then don't waste another minute of my time -

"Thank you."

I was taken aback, my eyebrows raised at her gratitude for something unknown to me, but she filled the void.

"Thank you for saving me the agony of seeing Dominic again. You have no idea what -

"I believe I am certain what has happened between you two. You were lovers, no? He was the man who laughed with you from the other side of the door when you locked me in that room twenty one years ago. He must have something on you for you not to see him last night. Does he know that Darien could possibly be his child?"

The statement caught Katarina by surprise. A look of fear glazed her eyes as she looked down to the floor.

"I was foolish. I was young. Dominic was to escort me from Bellumigne to Alendar and on the voyage we - well you know. I believed that after I had discovered my pregnancy that it was indeed your father's child, but as the years passed, Darien showed no resemblance to your father. Then, when he was four, I was pregnant again, with you. I saw that you were a girl and I ignored you, believing that with Darien I had secured Alendar a male heir for the next generation, but no. Your father saw through the facade and banished Darien -

I held up my hand to stop her. She had no clue why Father really did banish my sibling.

"Darien was banished because he had successfully plotted against my father, making it seem that an assassin had poisoned the king. He was so desperate to be on the throne, but he did not know and still does not know that he is incapable of ruling. He is selfish and can easily be blinded by success and personal gain. Look now! He is doing it again and was nearly successful in killing me! You know that both times, he attempted to take the throne without letting me or my father try to put up a fight. I can assure you, Katarina, that I will rain hell upon him. He seeks my head but I seek his; I just hope I get to his before he can sever mine. If there is anything that I will leave you with is this: you are a fool and you will always be a fool," I said, grabbing my sword and walking past her.

"And if you try anything while I am away," I continued while walking towards the door, "I will know and I will see to it that the consequences are severe. Tread carefully, Katarina."