Make Your Move Katherine

She Got The Phone

 Kat held onto her phone, all the way back to the castle and almost lost her resolve when the elevator door closed sealing them in. She was so scared that she actually hummed and swung her hands laughing nervously. Anthony escorted her to her sitting room, while Oscar walked the other way, for his personal quarters were on the opposite side of hers. Whether he was going to meet his lover or go back to his ‘Kingly’ duties was far from Kat’s mind as she once again gripped her phone in her pocket. She held the top that was sticking out of the opening of her small dress pocket as she walked. She couldn’t take the chance of putting it in her purse because that was a risk of it being taken away again. She had to find a way to escape from here somehow.

Oni smiled brilliantly when she saw Katherine and she lowered her head slightly before she took her purse from Anthony. Kat sat down quietly on the first chair she saw, trying her best to look casual so she rested her chin clumsily on her propped-up hand.

Anthony took no notice and bowed out.

“You’re trending,” Oni clapped her hands gleefully and pulled out a chair, and sat opposite her. Kat swallowed as she looked at the maid with, wide eyes.

“Trending?” her eyes widened more.

The girl mistook her fright for excitement and closed her eyes, swaying her head along with her hands sweetly in a lotus frame, and gushed on, “The way he looked at you. Have you guys decided to make it work?”

‘Make it work?’

Kat knew Oni was smarter than she let on. The young girl definitely knew Kat was against the marriage. Ugh- unless she thought it was an arranged one and eventually, they would fall in love. She did not have time to dwell on what her maid thought.

‘So, someone would recognize me, right? I will be able to go back home.’

No wait- her home was on the other side of the planet. Kat’s gloom was kicking in…which was almost pretty normal now but still she felt a chill growing inside.

“No, it was all pretend,” she said in a flat tone as she started removing her jewelry. She saw no reason to keep up this whole farce when the girl already knew about Oscar’s filthy ways. Oni knew firsthand how he flaunted this- Nuwa around in front of her, despite their recent marriage. Kat wanted to ask Oni about how they met but she wasn’t really all that curious about them. Anthony however, she would have liked to know about but she was too afraid to ask.

From the way they feared the King she suspected that the girl might be ‘put to death’ or something. Oni had confided in her that she was working to help out at home so she didn’t want to put the girl or her family at risk.

She wanted Oni to leave her alone though, for she had a call to make.

“What? But that was magic, how- how- fake?” the girl looked as if she was hit on her face for, she was still holding her cheeks but this time she wore a pinched look.

“But- I saw- you- the King- the earrings…I’ll run you a bath, Your Majesty,” she finished standing up when she saw Kat’s stern look.

It was customary to bath after every outing, as a royal she had come to learn. While the other royals, like Prince Lichen and Princess Shancai, seem to be normal with it, Kat found it bothersome. Then again, they were all born into it while she had not. When she was younger, she used to dream of the day she would change clothes- dress after stunning dress, and look beautiful for everyone to envy…now? Not so much…she wished she could go back in time and shake her little senses back in.

“Yes. You can leave, I’ll see to it, please Oni I have a headache.”

The girl turned to leave, saying, “I’ll get you some-”

“No, just leave,” Kat screeched and Oni froze, turning back slowly to look at her with a slight furrow and Kat tried to soften her look but failed.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” she said as she bowed but Kat knew she would report her alleged headache to Julie just as she was taught to do.

“Do not return for the night- you are disrespectful to the -er Queen,” Kat hated to refer to herself in such a title but it had to be done. She hoped she said it correctly.

Oni clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head waiting for Kat to finish scolding her as Kat knew she was taught and Kat felt pity for the girl.

'This isn’t who I am.'

But Kat could feel the phone against her thigh and knew she needed to drive the nail home to get her privacy. Wincing she uttered, “My day was so stressful with that audience. Having to pretend to love that bast- “she couldn’t use that word Anthony had warned her already, “-husband of mine in front of the world to see-” Kat wasn’t sure if the world was watching…she very much doubted but still…” to smile so widely and then to come home to this?”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness- “

“Your Highness?” Kat scoffed. It was a title used on her when she was Oscar’s fiancé but he had told her it was used for Royals. Never to a King or Queen and Oni knew this, for the girl's eyes widened even more. Kat knew it was just a slip of her tongue though, a simple mistake that could have happened to anyone.

Oni looked up at her and Kat saw the fear in her young eyes, before the girl dropped to her knees, her face on the floor, chanting how sorry she was. Honestly, the entire thing irritated Kat ad she rolled her eyes at the sight of the begging girl on the floor. It just felt like one big farse to her.

To have a nation afraid to use a wrong name? Tch. But right now, it was working in her favor.

“Oni, you came in here, talking to me and walking out? What was that? Are you too comfortable with me?” Kat twisted her mouth as the words escaped her lips and the sight of the girl raising her upper body to look at her pitifully, almost undid her. Oscar had informed her that turning your back on the king and queen was a disrespect that was not to be taken lightly- if ever done. Lashings were in order for anyone that does.

Oni rubbed her hands together while mumbling her, “Forgive me, Your Majesty,” irritated Kat more. The more the girl said ‘sorry’ the more Kat despised the word and Oscar.

“Then you come in here and call me by that low rank,” it so wasn’t but it was something that Kat figured a Queen would say if she was haughty and the girl started shedding tears then resulting in Kat almost losing her nerve. “However, I will overlook this evening, without reporting it, if you just leave. Now. Without making a report to Julie,” she added as an afterthought.

 I’ll just leave,” she gulped and stepped back, bowing out as she left.

Immediately ran into the bathroom and pulled out her phone from her pocket and ten seconds later Kat realized her blunder.