Make Your Move Katherine

Bimbo

Early the next morning, probably before half of the Royals were awake, Ju was announced and she had seemed happy that Kat was well, although she eyed her neck. A neck that Kat hid behind a versatile silk Gavroche, scarf.

Wordlessly, she had given Kat a pill to swallow. The mage then informed her that she needed to see her in her private lab. Kat understood the woman did not want anyone to know what was being said.

Inside the lab, Ju started to ask her weird questions. “Did you have any dreams about a dragon?” Kat had thought she was joking for dragons weren’t real- ‘of course they were- why not. Anything seemed possible here…’

No, she had confirmed for the mage. The mage knew he was a vampire? Of course, she did, they all knew.

“Do you feel hurt anywhere? No- besides your neck,” she added when Kat’s hand went to cup the bruised side, hidden by the soft, silk cloth. It was four punctures, not two as she had originally thought when she had pulled of part of the plaster. The two at the back of her neck were deeper than the two at the front that she had seen previously. She really needed to forget what she saw on tv or read in books.

Kat wasn’t even certain if she trusted this witch-scientist person. But she could tell by the way the woman was speaking to her that she had assumed Katherine had known Oscar was not human.

“Like if someone is wanting to hurt you perhaps?” Ju was still saying, while she snapped her fingers, walking in semi-circles.

Kat answered her, yes, she thinks she’s being poisoned and relayed her story and suspicions. She drew Kat’s blood and confirmed she indeed had. But not in the traditional way- nope. Ju had placed her blood in a wooden bowl and did some chanting and voila- yes.

“Stay away from anything that wasn’t brought in by your maid, personal maid,” she portends disaster for Kat by her words. “And er- tea?” she warned Kat, tapping a finger against her mouth, with her other arm rested across her flat stomach.

Then she told the mage that she suspected it was Oscar and she grew sterned faced and denied it outright. “He would never. My king is- He- bit you?” she faltered her speech as she stared at her neck and Kat confirmed he had indeed. “Can I remove the band-aid?” the mage motioned with her hands at her neck and Kat nodded.

She pulled it off partially and stared before closing it back. “Well, it’s not infected. Interesting. And the pill is working already.”

Infected? Kat hadn’t even thought of that till she said it. It could have been but wasn’t why? She looked on as the woman placed her both hands on her waist and paced the large room almost in a circle.

“What about the phoenix?” Ju held a finger up to her lips while she walked back and forth, “But he needs you to merge.”

“What is this merge you keep mentioning? “Kat grabbed the woman’s hand but she turned away lost in her own rantings.

“He said you were surrounded, by enemies- My King? Never. Protect you he said. From what? Who I had asked, but not Oscar for the phoenix is him- well soon anyway.”

Kat was lost, for the woman spoke as if she was referring to more than one person. She stared at the woman as she opened door after door of her many cupboards and then roamed over the shelves. She wondered about Eric then, for she hadn’t seen him, didn’t he say he was an apprentice of some sort here? She dared not ask anyone either for if word got back to Oscar, he would call it a disrespect and she did not want a repeat of the scene in her apartment again.

“Never him. No, he bit you, however- why? It is too soon or did he feel it?” Then swiftly turning to her she asked, “Why did he?”

Kat had been startled by her movement and her body reverted a bit before she answered, “I don’t know- he- I’m not sure.” Kat didn’t want to say the king was making out with her neck first.

“He wasn’t hungry?”

“Yes! He said he wanted blood and he was going to drink someone’s if not mine,” Kat said nervously.

The woman had turned around and started to repeat the process of opening cupboard doors again and Kat left feeling the anxiety she had developed since living here, building up.

ONE MONTH LATER

“Can I have your autograph?” the little girl inquired, in their native language, flashing her a sunny smile and Kat smiled even sunnier. She was too young Kat supposed to yet have the almost perfect, yet accented speaking English tongue that most of the locals seem to speak with. Kat had discovered that the country had multiple languages but the locals intermingled with English. It was pretty neat.

Someone wanted her autograph. Kat gushed as nobody had asked her yet until today although they wanted to take pictures.

The Royals were leaving a meeting they just had to discuss taxpayers’ dollars. Oscar had felt he should meet his people and hear some of their concerns for the tax increase was brought up in parliament. Two other princes, Yichen and Qiang, accompanied them on this outing while the people voiced their direct questions. 

She bent and took the pen from the girl whose face was lit up like starlights, on Divali night and pressed the point onto the book but her hand was seized. Then gently pulled away by a white-gloved covered hand and she turned back, knowing she would see Yeon. He shook his head with an ever so tiny shake that you had to be staring at him to notice it.

“Your Majesty- it is forbidden to sign your name anywhere other than official documents,” he said in a low voice for her ears only.

“It’s just for a little girl.”

“I’ll explain. Just write her a note,” he replied with a slight tilt of his head, and she nodded when he stepped back. Kat had come to understand by now that Oscar’s men always had Oscar’s best interest at heart. She had learned that whatever the royal guards or any of the castle staff assigned to her, mostly Miss Moon as a matter of fact told her, was most likely in the best interest of the king.

Yes, he’d better she thought as she wrote, ‘Keep’- for she had her mind set on K already- ‘being beautiful’- “What’s your name?” and the girl blushed and answered shyly-‘Wei Nuo, and the world will smile.’

Beneath that she wrote; ‘The Queen’.

Kat felt it was appropriate advice, for a twelve-year-old for the girl looked around that age. She ruffled the girl’s bangs and waved to the others before Yeon guided her back to the convertible.

“Explain,” she addressed him abruptly although the crowd was extremely noisy. Oscar was being accompanied by Anthony and she saw both men waving at the crowds as they walked back to the vehicle.

“Yes, My Queen. All Royals are banned- well forbidden really, from signing their names from the public for safety- as in forgery.”

“What?” she inquired as he opened the door for her.

“It increases the risk of your signature being forged so that precaution is implemented.”

She recalled Oscar had indeed said something like that but she hadn’t taken him seriously. Now she knew better. Just as she was told her make-up should always appear light, modest and natural. Her hair must always be neat and kept and nail polish is almost prohibited, she had come to learn too.

Kat had also come to understand that in all her life- she had been most unproper, at least by castle standards. The audacity of her.

While she never actually grew her nails long Kat was horrified when they had trimmed her nails, the day she got engaged. They had cleared her blue polish off and coated it with a pearl one. So many rules and hardships to follow. A Queen can’t do this and can’t say that, and you can’t wear what you want and that’s inappropriate…

Kat was quite sick of it.

Someone should tell all these little girls who fantasied about marrying a prince when they grow up, that it is just too much work. It’s not all about fancy dresses and filled with roses and happily ever afters. Definitely not where your prince was a knight in shining armor that slew the dragon, returned home, marry you and become king and you queen…You couldn’t even say what you wanted to. Kat always had notes handed to her for her to memorize.

She's become a bimbo-bobhead.

She did seriously listen to Oscar about abstaining from her political views- that she knew had to be kept to herself even when and if asked about it.

“In fact, just say you have no political views on anything, they would nit-pick you, so be alert,” he had warned her the second time in the car, the first time they had made a public appearance for lunch.

“Do not shake anyone’s hand that is offered to you, for it is you who has to make the choice first, to touch them. If anyone does that, it is a disrespect to you. Instead, hold your hands in front of you and maintain a small distance to avoid this. My mother used to hold her purse out in front of her.”

Wardrobe malfunctions were never allowed and so Kat had to dress down all the time now. Kat was beginning to get a headache by the time Oscar reached the vehicle.

“Wave Katherine,” Oscar said as the driver sped up a bit and brought the hood up.