Make Your Move Katherine

Her father is dead

Oscar

“What the f*ck Ju!” Oscar burst through the wide oak door that his guards opened just in time or he would have slammed into it and stared at his mage. Somehow, he held himself in check for he wanted to wrap his hands around her neck and squeeze but he knew the mage was on his side. But he was angry. She was sitting on a chair with her hands propping her face on the counter as if awaiting his arrival.

Ju always had this way of looking bored no matter the situation.

“Your Majesty,” Ju bowed her head and Oscar’s eyes landed on the woman’s red neck when she straightened up. “She put a knife on my throat, I didn’t have a choice.”

“We always have choices Ju- it’s the excuse we use when we make a bad one- yes?”

Ju didn’t look scared or even have the look of someone who had a weapon pointed at them. Every hair was in place still in the bun she had. Her entire aura was relaxed. He didn’t see any line of blood or bruising on her neck either but he figured she was telling the truth for nobody dared lie to him. She wouldn’t do that to herself, right? 

Anthony was accessing the room for any sign of a struggle and seeing none he shrugged his shoulders at his King.

“I will not lie- “

“I know- what did she want? Where is she?” Oscar interrupted her as he scanned the room. He trusted her with his life although looking at her now, he felt the trust flickering. Her next words caught him by surprise.

“Back to her home.”

Recovering quickly, he nodded and indicated with his chin at the book then started taking off his cuff links and shoes. Lately, he suspected everyone of attempting to help his wife for they were always trying to change his mind about everything to do with her- and it had started with his father. It was only a matter of time for them to help her elope…isn’t it? He would behead any that was behind today's mishap or will attempt to in the future.

“Anthony- sword.” 

Oscar, like his father before him, had the sword passed down but it was not used in battle. It was used for magic and spells but its purpose was for the King only. A protection blade that was passed down generation after generation.

Eric raced in then just as the royal guard exited, panting and out of breath. Anthony and Oscar had left him a few seconds behind. He looked into the room and also at Ju’s neck. “Oh, my goodness- I thought she would- have wanted to talk about- you know to find out about things- geez,” the sweaty man panted.

“At ease,” Oscar muttered turning away distastefully and saw Ju taking one of the bottles of her shelf and his best friend bent over heaving, removing his short white lab coat and draped it over the back of a chair, before seating himself on the same chair bending his head, his long hair falling flat, parallel to his nose.

Eric was the one who had alerted Anthony that he had seen the queen heading in this direction without any guards. She was dressed like a maid he had said and at first, Anthony was skeptical but he was a man that likes to be thorough so he made his way to her chambers to prove to himself that it wasn’t her. He alerted the king instantly and they both raced to Ju’s department, leaving Eric behind for he wasn’t as fast.

He drank the potion the mage handed him, “How did she cut the air?”

“I don’t know but I knew she didn’t need the blade somehow. I gave her the potion though, although I didn’t think it was necessary for, she is covered by the pishogue still.”

Oscar frowned. Why is she so protected? A mere human, when he is a vampire and needed it. Maybe when he was merged with the phoenix, he’ll be strong like her- maybe stronger with his vampire power. But just what kind of power did the previous mage have that the man’s pishogue couldn’t be intervened?

Ju wasn’t half as good as him but her knowledge was growing. It's not known that if he can create vampires but he is attempting to- for his knights to be like him with the assistance of Ju. His mage has been injecting his guards with his blood. The first and only man, he had attempted to convert by biting him, had almost died because of the venom, so he's attempting to do it again by slowly introducing his blood into their system with the toxins. And so far, the mutation looked to be compatible when administered in small doses.

“My King- her father is dead. I had no choice,” Ju stood up then giving him a grave look. Oscar understood now why she did it. But still, she had disobeyed a royal command- he would deal with her later upon his return.

“Her Majesty said that she missed the funeral too because you took her phone away so her family had no way of reaching her.”

‘Lies.’

Oscar’s mind argued with him that Katherine would lie to get her way although he believed it somehow.

Her father is dead? But how? Yes, Oscar is well aware of his fight with cancer and the relapse but still- it was unbelievable, although at the back of his mind he knew the man had been weak. He had just refused to pay attention. He was sure Katherine knew too- crap. How long had she suffered with that knowledge, he wondered but he had taken her phone away- crap.

Even if he did not believe her words just then, it is impossible for a mage to lie, that was their curse for the power they had. They had to be pure.

He hoped she made it in time for the funeral- crap. She missed that too, Ju had just said.

See she wouldn’t be going through this if she obeyed him from the start. Why did she steal her phone place… ‘this is your fault Katherine, not mine. It’s on you. I refuse to be partially blamed here.’

He remembered the man from the video call and his stomach lurched. Oscar felt like a jerk at the moment. Even though her fate was to be dead in a matter of a few months- maybe …still, she should grieve her father’s death properly. Isn’t that the humane thing to do?

She should have told him and he would have allowed her to return home- maybe not if he was being honest enough, for he needed her to survive now- at least until the merge anyway. The last time he had been away from her was just over a week and his body had become so weak that he almost couldn’t walk. And he wasn’t allowing it again.

Stripping himself naked he grabbed the sword that Anthony brought him and said to Eric, “You come,” and to Anthony, he said,” Stay here, search her quarters and see to things until tonight.”

Both men had surprised looks on their faces and looked ready to protest so he added, “She is drawn to you... ahem…so stay,” and Anthony froze. Eric looked at the royal guard and stepped closer to Oscar who said to him, “And you- you need to be out more. What was that just now? Keep up, you unfit arse.”

The man started removing his white coat and Oscar threw over his head at Anthony, who nodded when he ordered, “Tomorrow he joins you in training, tch.”

Two minutes later both men were in Katherine’s condo. Oscar took one look at the burnt clothing on the floor and shouted, “Katherine!”

Of course, he knew he would get no reply. He raced into the shower and saw it was wet. He stared for he felt she knew exactly what moves to make. Showering himself, he again kept thinking someone helped her from his Kingdom. He was almost certain.

Running out within a minute he stared at Eric who still stood in his burnt clothing but with his back to him, staring at her bed. Why was he still here and not fetching his clothing? “Eric, my clothing!”

The man swiveled around and stuttered,” I’m not wearing that,” and pointed to Kat’s tiny robe. Eric was such a waste at times. He wore his clothing every time they traveled too, for he didn’t feel comfortable standing naked in front of Ju.

“It’s just one floor, Eric.”

“She’s your wife, Your Majesty, you wear it,” he mumbled and stripped of his charred clothing walking into the bathroom he just vacated.