Make Your Move Katherine

Our Little Kitty

Eric

“Eric!” he heard the queen’s shout when he opened the door, strolling in. He froze when he heard her high-pitched voice and slowly walked in, taking a quick peek ahead to the right, into the kitchen as he turned into the wide-open living room area, looking for Oscar. He was seated opposite her and Kat looked like a cornered animal- to terrified to move even. At least until he walked in.

“Your Majesty?” he answered in an uncertain, but questioning way. They were both sitting parallel to him but the queen was looking at him with wide as saucers eyes.

“How are you?”

“Er- fine? And yourself?” Eric answered as he looked from her to Oscar who didn’t even move his eyes away from her. Oscar’s eyes frightened him- it was how a wolf looked at sheep.

Eric’s pores on his body rose and he slowly made his way to them and sat in the long side of the L- shaped sofa, Oscar on the shorter side, and Katherine was in the single-seater looking like she was about to burst into tears any second.

“Call me Kat-” she gulped and Eric nodded. She had indeed said it before but he wasn’t sure if Oscar would allow it and the way he looked at him now- he doubted it.

“Kat? He’s your friend now?”

Katherine did not answer but Eric knew she was stating her full name but had lost the rest of her name when she hiccupped-gulped.

“Wow, Katherine, how easily men become your friend. You have known him- how long?”

“Oscar,” Eric responded, and saw the queen’s eyes open even more and he clenched his jaw for he had to remind himself that Oscar is still his king- no matter where they go, “I don’t think that is proper- I will not-”

“You won’t but she will,” his king insinuated and Eric was growing agitated by his words.

“Oscar, I don’t-”

“She has a thing for Anthony- why do you think I chose you?” he blurted out.

The queen’s tears flowed then but she didn’t deny his words- nor did she confirm it. She didn’t have to for Oscar was being unfair. He married her only to gain his power but still, that doesn’t mean he gets to treat her like trash.

“Our little Kitty here likes the men- don’t you?”

Eric was quick to defend, “Hey you can’t-”

“And yet another shields you,” Oscar cut him off, still looking menacingly at the tiny woman, whose body was now shaking.

Just what the heck happened while he was out? It had only been four hours since he had left them alone. Eric closed his eyes and blew a loud breath out his mouth, rubbing his face roughly between his hands then bending his head he muttered, “What brought this along Oscar?”

“Where were you?” Oscar asked instead. They might be in friend mode at the moment but Oscar is always king so he answered, “Been to see the doctor about er- Katherine-” Oscar's face gave him a ‘so what else is new’ look as if to signify that Katherine was flirty with the doctor. Or maybe she had coerced him into checking in with the doctor for her- as if.

And even so- why would she want to check the doctor that she had said had overly medicated her to keep her asleep until Oscar came?

Which is what he had been up to. He had found her words unbelievable but he had not said so to her. Eric had found out from the male nurse after he threatened him by claiming to be an undercover police officer, that he had been instructed to do so by yes- the one and only Doctor Novak.

The male nurse had already been on edge about Katherine being a reporter that threatened them and now him, the police. Eric did not know what to make of Oscar now- what if she had died? Did he really not care? They all knew that he would have gone through almost anything to gain his true potential but…at the cost of an innocent life?

“-had something to eat, checked some friends then I was back at your place. Ju, then here.”

Ju had told him over the phone that she had a vision of some sort that the queen was in danger. She is surrounded by enemies- of course, he didn’t say this to his king. Ju was always right- it’s like she had sensed Oscar’s mood. He did not tell the mage about what he had found out about their king, making up his mind to tell her of his findings later when they were all back at Castle Wen.

Eric felt she was safe now as Oscar already had her where he wanted her, so no harm will come to her now, so he had assured the mage that the queen was safe and with Oscar. She had been pampered with that fact but now Eric saw that Ju’s vision was indeed about Oscar as he took in the scene.

While Ju is always right; Oscar is always king which trumps anything said or done by anyone.

This was so frustrating to deal with- this drama. Oscar needed Katherine to merge with his true self and they had so much trouble with that. He had been with Oscar when he had refused to marry anyone other than Nuwa, his girlfriend. Then when he learned the hard way by almost dying that he had no other choice- he agreed to find his chosen one.

He was also present with Anthony, the first time when Oscar had found himself in this very living room, on this exact couch...well the one she had before. It was so confusing since everything was the same. It had been a few months ago just before he was crowned king and it looked as if Katherine had fallen asleep doing research. Eric was the one who had looked at the laptop screen and seen she was job hunting- but why as she had a stable job already?

“Well- great news for her,” he had joshed back then, “She needs money and you got it. Win-win.” He had been joking then for he wasn’t certain she was broke- he didn’t think someone living in a condo could be broke. How guilty he now feels as the innocent girl was suffering now and it was partly his fault that his king exploited her with money.

Oscar had said she looked familiar and had turned her face towards him to look at her fully. The king had stepped back and muttered she is the last person he would marry. Fuming he had returned to the castle and made a massive scene with Ju, until the shaman had stepped in.

Finally, he agreed to the wedding and was crowned king then he went in search of her.

During their investigation of her, it had come to light that she was the daughter of the woman that betrayed their country. Oscar was hell-bent on sending her straight to their enemy as a show of peace and while they didn’t all agree with him, they figured one sacrifice was worth their country’s peace and harmony. She would be married to the gruesome man but who knows maybe he would change after meeting her. Eric doubted but he still kept that in mind for it was all he could do- hope.

Having met the human to be given to the dragon king was a different matter. Knowing that Oscar did not care if she ended up dead was another matter. Just knowing- why did he have to end up here with her? Now he was guilt-riddled.

Eric understood his friend hated his wife but he shouldn’t harm her. Nothing was at the fault of Katherine- she had been an innocent bystander in her parents’ betrayal of their country. Yes, Oscar’s mother and sister were dead along with other citizens when the dragon king had attacked but that was at no fault of the queen.

She had been a little girl herself just as Oscar had been an innocent boy too. No one should lose their loved ones that way- nobody.

What exactly was the king thinking now that his dark moods were setting off alarms in Ju’s head.

“Eric, leave us alone.”

“But-”

“Leave. Inform Ju that the queen and I need some time alone and would return tomorrow, instead of tonight,” Oscar ordered as he looked at him.

Eric instantly got up, despite seeing Katherine’s eyes begging him to not go. She stood up and made as if she was leaving with him too but froze when Oscar looked back at her. Eric walked a few footsteps towards the door when Katherine bolted behind him, grabbing his right arm, pleading, “Don’t go.”

Without looking back Eric uncoiled her fingers from his arm and made another step forward but she grabbed him again.  His heart grew heavy for he couldn't help her- no matter how much he wanted to.

“Tell her all is well. And Eric?”

How could he say that to her when Eric knew the mage would be more worried than ever? Especially when he tells her about what he had found out earlier and then what transpired here ton-

“Not a word about this.”

“Oscar what are you-”

“I will not harm her, she was fine until she saw my teeth earlier.”

Oh- well that explained the girl’s fright. Wait- did the king plan on drinking her blood tonight? But still, that didn’t explain the way Oscar had been towards her though. He shook his head, clearing his brain mentally; this is between husband and wife. And not just any husband and wife but his King and Queen. He had no right meddling in any part of it and his heart sunk even more when he heard the king's next words and alarm bells were now triggering off in his own head as well.

“Do not return tonight or until I call for you, tomorrow,” the king’s cold words had added a chill in his blood too

“It’s fine- he won’t harm you,” Eric assured the queen and walked away for he had no other choice. It was a criminal offense to disobey the king and besides, Oscar couldn’t kill her for he won’t gain his power. He consoled himself with that thought but Eric couldn’t sleep that night.