Make Your Move Katherine

Her sketches

Anthony

“Your Majesty, would you like to accompany us to Lady Wexford? We are to deliver a parcel and Julie thought you could use a day out,” Anthony’s clear voice was heard above the maids chattering. It had been almost three months since the royal wedding and Anthony knew the queen was beyond overwhelmed and even the servants were talking about it, Julie had informed him a few days ago.

“We would take a ferry to get there, the fresh air ought to do you some good. A chain of small islands surrounded by-”

“Islands?” the Queen had interrupted him, making him aware of how deeply she was affected by his simple words. It made him feel worst about how he already felt about her being kept in the dark about her whereabouts and he looked away guiltily.

Her eyes grew brightly and her face held his captivated for some seconds as the flushed, enthusiastic expression she now wore beautified her.

The Queen, looked to Julie and Miss Moon, who were both smiling at her from where they stood, next to Anthony and her eyes widened in excitement when Julie’s nod confirmed the guard’s words. She was in fact bored. Worried and bored, Oni had informed him when he questioned her. Going almost crazy in the past week that Oscar had left- not that she missed him, Anthony knew. But the king had her phone- well hid it away, for Anthony doubted he took it with him- and the staff still had no phones on them that she could use. In fact, Queen Katherine couldn’t even leave the castle alone.

But the guard knew with the absence of the king meant that she also felt disconnected from herself as Oscar stood as an anchor to the queen whether she wanted him to be or not. His being gone probably made her reality a bit too much for her to handle, which was understandable in her situation. Seeing the sad expression on Julie’s face had added to his guilt over the Queen’s state causing him to open up to her with this invitation to her.

It was also Miss Moon’s surprised look at his words that caused him to want to retract his words. But the Queen’s eyes grew with excitement with his few words and he took back the feeling of sudden regret.

The Queen had even picked up drawing again- a skill she had as a junior in school but had since left out as she pursued her high school education. Pretty soon she had forgotten about it, well until a few days ago anyway. She was admiring her childish drawings when the trio walked in together.

He was certain the Queen didn’t recall who the ‘Lady’ in question was, but he was certain she would take the opportunity to be outside. Lady Wexford and Margaret were sisters and lived alone. Both were married previously, outliving both husbands and now lived together a distance away from the castle. Also, cousins of the former King. Anthony had informed the curious queen that they dwelled on another island, on the way over and he saw her forehead furrow.

The queen hated the fact that everyone had their own separate ‘quarters’ and hardly interacted with her, Julie had informed him as If she herself pitied her. She had said that the Queen had said mournfully one time to her that she used to complain about people not respecting her privacy and how she used to wish people called her less, texted her less, and visited her less. "Now, look at me Julie...be careful what you wish for, or you just might get it," Julie had said that those were the Queen's exact words.

"Practically begging for human contact feeling totally isolated from society," the head maid had mumbled in a dispiriting voice as she had walked away. Of course, nobody dared to inform the king.

“This way, Your Majesty,” Julie said a bit joyfully and both she and Miss Moon, step-sided and motioned with their hands at the door for Kat to move forward. Oni was up on her feet, standing next to her in the same instant.

Right, he was sure she had forgotten she had to freshen up and change her clothing, Anthony noted. So not royal-like he thought to himself as Miss Moon shook her head as if thinking the same thing. He shook his head...she was so forgetful and unsuited for the Kingdom. Well, that was why she had maids- to see she was dressed perfectly and ready at all times. Honestly, to himself, Anthony thought that she was not in need of makeup but she had to keep up with the traditions as the King saw fit for his kingdom to be pleased.

The guards outside frowned slightly when Anthony announced to them that he would be accompanying the Queen to visit her new cousin-in-law but they only nodded in acknowledgment, for nobody dared question the captain of the guards.

In the fifteen minutes absence of the Queen, Anthony was looking at the drawings of himself. Two. His eyes widened at them but not because he was the person she chose, for she had also done sketches of the other guards. He was awed by her artistic hand.

The quick, freehand drawing of his face was not intended as a finished work he could tell but still, it was near perfect, at least to his untrained eye anyway. He knew from the background check he had done on her that she had dabbled in it as a hobby when she was a child. Why did he even remember that now anyway? That was years ago and she had quit before she met Oscar too.

He paused at the other one that looked like him but certainly had to be a fantasy one, for he was beckoning someone. This was a full body of himself but dressed in casual clothing. The background behind the drawing was a tree with flowers falling. Very romantic-like he figured. His facial expression is what caught him off guard- it was happy. His smile, although tiny was noticeable and his features looked softened a bit unlike the first one. He was looking at the artist he supposed and holding his open palm out to someone.

Anthony’s blood ran cold the more he looked. Was he supposed to be looking at… her? Uncomfortable, he cleared his throat and loosed his tie, suddenly feeling a bit sweaty.

He would never do that with the Queen- that was considered treason. He did not fancy dying. But it did make him have a weird thought- did the Queen admire him? Taking the paper, he rolled it up and placed it inside his jacket as he walked to the other portraits, his watchful eyes scanning while the servants cleared up the room.

No sketches were of the King, he noted.

So, this is what she had bought when she had requested to go into the shop inside the mall, in disguise? Paper and pencil- art supplies? Interesting indeed, for he had figured she had gone in to purchase make-up or some other feminine product that ladies go crazy over.

The Queen was different than he expected her to be. Very, very different indeed.

The ferry ride over, is what had probably erased any doubt and convinced her that he had spoken the truth about the islands. Open air, the feeling of being free. Her hands had clasped together and her mouth was agape as she stared out into the sea. Many islands lit up the way but they were headed to the largest one and he pointed their destination.

“A huge one at that-” he broke off, deciding that was enough information about their location, for he knew that the King wanted her to know the least she possibly could about it. She was considered as ‘the enemy’ Anthony knew but he just couldn’t bear to see her so downcast so he tried to lighten her curiosity a bit without letting out too much.

“-and the castle is almost at the centre of it. The capital,” and he pointed to buildings as the huge red car moved along smoothly on the roadway to the island they now left.

“Lady Margaret, how lovely your home is,” the Queen spoke as she sat down inside the lavish home of the elderly, wrinkled sisters, roughly an hour later. Miss Moon, it seemed was well acquainted with the sisters as well. Julie and Anthony stood aside while the four chatted away.

They spoke about paintings of all things until the time had come for them to leave. The queen seemed to really like them and she promised to return soon with their cousin. At the mention of Oscar, however, her facial expression looked pinched.

Could she be plotting an escape? Her facial expression might look a bit irritated but she seemed to be holding back and that could mean trouble. As a reporter he knows how conniving they could be, slippery little snak- he shook his head. No, he cannot use such words with the crowns. One mistake and his tongue slipping could be his life on the line.

Not wanting any trouble either on the way back to Castle Wen Anthony informed her that there were guards everywhere. And nobody was permitted to leave the island unless given permission from a stamped seal by the King.

Business in the capital was only conducted on specific days if you did not live on the main island.

“Other than those times, it was done four times weekly. Mondays and Thursdays at 8 am and 6 pm.” He didn’t bother with the return for he knew she would never return if she did somehow manage to leave. Not that it was even possible for her.

“Ah- a military-like lifestyle,” he heard her mutter and he smiled tightly. Well, if one compared their way of living to other countries then yes, he supposed she was accurate there.

“But a system that works, yes?”

Should we dive again into King Julian’s mind again? *rub hands together*