Chapter Text
She went home.
Yelling at a member of the Royal Family directly to his face, was possibly the worst thing she had ever done.
Other than taunting a member of the Royal Family about their own failing engagement.
....
In retrospect, Katarina had committed a number of social failings and decided the best thing for her at the moment was to run home.
Not precisely with her tail between her legs, but definitely full of chagrin.
The worst thing about this situation is she didn’t really regret it.
Her fiancé far beyond apologizing for his recent behavior, had actually confronted her, with some sort of accusation regarding someone that couldn’t even be called his lover.
He couldn’t be bothered to spend time with his fiancée without her direct intervention.
But he had gone so far as to bring up a woman, a mere commoner, by name and question her behavior towards her.
If they actually got married what would be her life? Being publicly taunted with her husband’s mistress?
With a woman who didn’t even seem sure of exactly what she was doing?
Geordo seemed to delight in the very lack of her social niceties, and he had even seemingly begun to adopt them.
He really was a fool in love.
And everyone around them could see it. So, she would be a useless prince’s consort, having wasted her entire life to be a King’s wife, just to be the legal and ignored wife of a lovestruck idiot.
Watching everyone around her, like she had for months, whisper her shame.
Knowing, for a fact, that he would put that woman before herself.
She had known that he hadn’t loved her, but he didn’t even seem to care about her now.
And that was truly intolerable.
When she arrived home, she didn’t even have to inform her parents of what had happened with Geordo.
They already knew.
Her mother hugged her tightly.
And her father just gave her his stamp as soon as she asked.
And she drafted a letter to annul their engagement.
—————————————————————
Geordo had received the letter, and hadn’t even responded, but….
His Royal Majesty had personally invited her to discuss their ‘issues.’
The king that had spent most of his son’s life benignly observing him—never directly intervening—had personally called for her.
She couldn’t refuse.
Her father had insisted on coming with her, but she knew better, she was going to handle this one herself.
She sat in the carriage on the way there and couldn’t help but be amused at everything that happened. The King had granted her an audience. In all the years she had been tied tight to Geordo’s side, he’d basically dismissed her along with the other fiancees of his sons, but he saw fit to see her now.
Geordo really had inherited his behavior from his father.
They both only paid any attention to oddities.
“Your Majesty, it is I, your humble servant Lady Katarina Claes.”
They had announced her presence in the throne room, and she had curtsied, and all the King had done was look at her. Amusement in his eyes.
“So you’ve finally broken off your engagement with my son Lady Katarina. I’m surprised your parents have convinced you after all this time.”
She looked at him in shock. “Your majesty?”
“I always wanted you for my son. You two truly are the perfect match. I thought with you, he could actually manage to become my heir. Attaining a woman of your status was truly a coup.”
“I’m delighted with your approval.” She had to force the sentence out through gritted teeth. Of course the King of Sorcier was as sadistic as his son. “But I’m afraid he has other priorities now.”
He looked her directly in the eyes, “Oh, but isn’t it his fiancee’s responsibility to guide him in the right direction?”
“Maybe for a lesser woman. But as you’ve said. I’m a coup. I deserve to be treated as such.”
He actually started laughing at that. “It’s too bad my son didn’t appreciate you Lady Katarina. I have a feeling you would have done well in court.”
She smiled at him. “I have a feeling that I’ll do well anyways.”
She returned home.
She was finally free.
She wasn’t Prince Geordo’s fiancee anymore. Not just his puppet.
She was just Katarina.
Her father and mother hugged her. And Keith held her and swung her around, before their mother scolded how inappropriate it was to do so to a single lady.
Her father gave her mother a look at that, and Katarina suddenly remembered.
Right.
She wasn’t completely free.
Now she would have to find someone else to marry.
Someone that didn’t mind that she had been thrown away for a commoner, status be damned, by a prince of the kingdom.
Her mind suddenly went quietly blank.
She may have escaped one bad fate, but she had embraced another.
She quickly excused herself from the room, dismissing her parents who were back in their love bubble once again, and Keith who looked at her with eyes that knew.
Like he always knew.
And hid in her room.
Or so she had intended before Keith came in.
This time holding tea for her.
She almost laughed. “What am I going to do with all my training now?” He reached for her hand, and she let him, something she had forbidden for years, relishing in the comfort. “How am I even supposed to find another fiancé Keith? I haven’t even attempted to do all the things everyone else did to get a fiance because I always had one. I didn’t flirt, I didn’t flounce, I just participated when I needed to for Geordo. Mother and Father are just going to suggest I go with the man my heart chooses but we both know I’m horrible at that.”
She slumped, finally letting go of her perfect posture, and suddenly felt his arms wrap around her. “Keith?”
“You don’t need to find someone else. You have me.”
She looked up at him, “I know you’ll always be there for me-”, and she attempted to move away, “but I need a partner Keith, not just family.”
Keith just held her tighter to him and looked in her eyes, and it was a look she felt like she’d spent her whole life waiting for. “I’m here for you as a partner. Katarina I’ve loved you since the day I met you.” He was looking straight at her, and she finally realized he had always looked at her that way.
When they first met as kids, and she dragged him around everywhere, when he danced with her at her coming out ball, when he promised he’d kill Geordo for what he’d done to her. He’d always looked at her like she had always wanted someone to.
Like she was the air they breathed, that they couldn’t live without.
“I love you Katarina. Not because you’re a perfect noble woman, not because you’re ‘The Lady Katarina Claes’ but because you’re you. ” He cradled her face with his hand, and she felt vividly that her heartbeat was matching his. “I know that you don’t love me in the same way yet, but--”
Had she been ignoring this the whole time?She had spent her life chasing a stupid prince, when she had a real person, someone who wasn’t just something out of the stories beside her.
She smiled and leaned into his hand, “I value you very deeply. And I think one day I’ll realize what that means.”