My Darling Katherina

Chapter Nineteen

"I heard you have a boyfriend."

It was their weekly tea time. Where they would sit and talk about what happened the past few days, or sometimes about their pasts.

They sat in one of the fields behind the House of Wind. It was one of the gardens Elain would tend. Her flower shone brightly in the sunlight. Flowing softly from the light breeze.

It was one of Katherina's favorite places to sit alone or with her father and just be. She adored the scent of flowers and the sun's longing warmth.

The rustle of grass and the sound of birds flying by. The soft beat of their wings gliding through the air. It gave Katherina a sense of calm. Comfort.

Despite the fact that she adored the Night, the Stars, the Mountains, and the Darkness... Something deep inside her favored the Light.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Katherina stated.

"Cassian had a different story."

She gave her father a teasing expression as she turned her head around him.

"Cassian doesn't know what he's talking about, Caldor is just a friend."

"Caldor, huh," Rhysand teased. "Already establishing first name bases?"

"Father!" Katherina remarked. Katherina couldn't take her gaze away from him as he laughed with her. When he smiled or laughed, she believed he looked better.

He appeared to be younger as a result of it. More liberated.

As if for those few moments, he wasn't a High Lord, and she wasn't an Evil queen's daughter.

It was at these times that they appeared to be an ordinary father and daughter from afar. Simply enjoying one other's company while sipping a cup of tea.

Katherina tilted her head back to stare up at the sky.​​​​ The blue it wore reminded her of the 'Forget me not' flowers in which Elain has yet to plant and with the clouds swirled up with it... It looked like a dream.

Katherina was curious as to how the Night court would appear when Winter arrived. Everything blanketed with snow, which glistened as brightly as the stars in the sky.

Katherina had attempted to stay away from it since Ziv. When Winter approached, she would flee to a place where the cold was not present.

She knows that it isn't good for her, but she isn't ready to face it yet. Just thinking about it brings back the painful memories.

Smoke and ash suffocate the air, dark red blood staining the beautiful cool snow. Eyes that were once alive with life now dull and lifeless.

Ziv's last breath echoing in her ears. Katherina's scream shook the earth as tears streamed down her face.

Nothing would be more excruciating as losing them.

She had intended to inform her Father that she would be unable to attend Feyre's birthday celebrations after her Coronation.

Katherina was well aware that he would be disappointed. Especially since they've all been so kind and lovely to her, and she'll be missing Feyre's birthday party.

She couldn't bring herself to do it today, though. It was their day. It shouldn't be full of problems and betraying daughters who aren't going to be present at her father's mate's birthday.

"What are you thinking of Darling?"

Katherina gave him a puzzling look.

"Why don't you use your cool Daemati abilities to find out."