MY DARLING KATYA
BY DANIELLE FRANCES DUCREST
Disclaimers: Highlander: The Series belongs to Rysher Entertainment, Davis/Panzer Productions, and Gaumont Television. No copyright infringement was intended. This story was written for entertainment and no money was exchanged.
Spoilers: This story takes place during the flashback in the season six episode "Justice."
Summary: Prince Henry thinks that the woman he loves is dead. Little does he know that she's Immortal…
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France, Medieval Times
Prince Henry looked everywhere. Last night, when Katya hadn't shown up for dinner, he had been worried. Both of them had wanted to be together so badly, that he knew she wouldn't have just forgotten about the engagement. He feared something terrible had happened to her.
He pressed the servants that night if they had seen her. After being threatened with hard ten lashings, one male servant reluctantly gave in. The servant informed him that Katya had come to the palace last night, but no matter how much Henry pressed him, he would not say any more.
He kept asking, but all the servants or courtiers he talked to told him the same thing. When he retired to his chamber that night, he spent the rest of the night pacing on the hard stone floor. He vowed that he would hang the fiend that tried to harm her.
The next morning, he continued his search. He went to the bar where Katya had worked. The barkeeper hadn't seen her since the day before.
When he returned to the castle, he sought out the servant that had shared information with him the night before. This time, he convinced the servant to tell him more. The servant told him that the King was the last one to talk to Katya the previous evening. He also said what the King had done to Katya. The King had accused her of being a witch. He had several " witnesses" claiming that Katya had cast spells on them, and the King also said that she had managed to bewitch his son, Henry.
Now, Henry stormed over to the room his father was in, not at all pleased with the King.
He found the King in the throne room, surrounded by his advisers and members of the court. When Henry slammed both double doors open and walked in, everyone grew silent. Everyone had heard what had happened. Everyone knew the witnesses were fake, but none of them dared to speak up against his Highness.
Henry ignored them all. Instead, he focused all his hatred toward the man sitting on the throne.
"Father, I demand an explanation!" His voice rang through the silent hall.
After several moments, the King made a hand gesture and told the other people present in the room, "Leave us."
Everyone filed out of the room, passing on either side of Price Henry on their way out. Henry forgot all about them and kept glaring at the man that he called father.
"You agreed," Henry said once they were alone. "You said I could marry her."
The King of France, still seated on his throne, stared back at him. "I said I wanted to meet the witch. I never said anything about marriage."
"How dare you!" Henry said. "She was no witch, and you know it!"
"Do you call me a liar? " The King said, rising from his chair. "You should not be allowed to live for that remark, ungrateful boy. If you weren't the person I'd rather give the crown to, you would be dead."
He saw that Henry was about to speak again, but he said, "She bewitched you, Henry. And what is worth more to you, a common peasant or the crown of France? I know you want the crown, Henry. Do not dare to speak treason against me again, or I swear on my father's grave I will give the crown to your uncle!"
The King approached his son slowly. "Do not speak of the witch again, Henry. If you continue to favor a witch, even though she is dead already…it will not be in your favor."
The King turned and started walking toward his chair again. "Go. Come back when you are ready to be responsible for your actions."
Prince Henry left, still angry, and stormed to his room. Katya was dead, and there was nothing he could do about it.
He went to his bedchambers and, after ordering the servants to make sure no one disturbed him, he lay down on his bed. Katya, his love, was dead. He could never see her again. He had hoped to make her his wife, and later, his Queen. But that would not be so.
As much as Henry hated it, his father was right. If he wanted to maintain his social standing, he couldn't so much as visit Katya's grave, assuming his father had given her a grave. He couldn't even grieve for her publicly. If it became known that the heir to the throne was mourning over a witch, it would be the end of him.
Katya hadn't been any witch, but the King had made it seem like she was, and whatever the King said was law. There was nothing Henry could do about it.
He may not do it publicly, but for that night, however, he would mourn for her. He would mourn for his beloved Katya, and hope he would see her again in heaven, while his father rested in hell.
THE END