In a strange twist of fate, Caterina finds herself facing a difficult choice where she may just lose everything she's worked for...Her choice? Saying 'I do' to Antonio de Borgia!

Prologue

"W-what?" Caterina blinked, sure she had misheard.

"It's not 'what' it's 'pardon'," corrected the slightly huffy woman on the monitor. "And I said; we wish for a treaty between Hispania and the Vatican, the easiest way to finalise this is a marriage of the eldest children, namely yourself, Miss Caterina and our son, Antonio," the Queen of Hispania reiterated as though she were talking to a small child.

"Do you not concur, Miss Caterina?" asked the King of Hispania.

All eyes were on Caterina and she wanted nothing more than to fade into the chair she sat in so no one could see her. Risking a glance sideways towards her brothers, Caterina noted fear in both sets of eyes, though her older brother, Francesco, was doing a much better job of hiding it.

Caterina swallowed dryly. They were in a precarious position; it was clear she was being given the choice, but if she didn't accept it could lead to much trouble with Hispania, a major political player and unfortunately one with a lot of power both outside and within the Vatican – a case in point being her proposed partner was a cardinal and the Minister of Vatican Public Relations… which also controlled the media... damn. The flip side was if she accepted the grand headache she and Francesco shared would have a greater standing within the Vatican and would abuse the fact they were married to never leave her alone. Not to mention these types of treaties usually only became properly settled when children were born. Caterina shivered at the thought, not only did she not find Antonio even remotely her type he was self-centred and cowardly – definitely not traits she would want a child of hers to have, that said she didn't want to be married or have children!

Damn it all to hell! She thought as she sighed in resignation to her duty.

"Um… no Your Highness, it isn't that I don't… I… I just find it a little sudden…" Caterina said weakly.

"Oh please! I'll bet you've been dying for a man to call your own since you were a babe! And the sooner the better, you're not getting any younger after all~," commented the Queen tactlessly.

Caterina's eyebrow twitched behind her monocle in irritation – so that's where Antonio's presumptuous nature came from!

"Begging your pardon, but I'm twenty-six, hardly 'old' by anyone's standards and marriage hasn't crossed my mind since joining the church."

"Well then it's a good thing we have everything in order for the wedding in a month's time," answered the Queen as though Caterina had already agreed.

"A… A month?" stammered Francesco uncharacteristically.

"Yes, although there are a few details that will require our presence in Rome, but I have no doubt you can accommodate for them all~," the Queen answered a tone that was begging to be challenged, though none of the late Pope Gregorio's children said a thing.

"Well unless you have anything to add I shall arrive in two days to commence the last of the preparations," the Queen announced cutting the video feed.

"…Somebody kill me now," Caterina whined placing her head on the table so her long golden locks hid her face.

Ahem... yes, little random but I have writer's block and for some reason this pair's grown on me so I thought I'd force them together for everyone's amusement~

Please review, they make me happy~