Redemption
Chapter 9 - This chapter begins with Liam and Catherine meeting with the King Father and Queen mother over breakfast. After it was revealed he was the culprit behind the scandal, Catherine has a few questions. Also, we find out what is causing Liam to feel so uneasy all of a sudden.
"I wasn't expecting to see your father so soon."
"If it makes you uncomfortable Catherine, I can have staff set up a table for the two of us elsewhere."
Since finding out it was his father who tried to ruin her reputation and keep her and Liam apart, there have been a mixed bag of emotions she's had to confront regarding her future father-in-law. She is no stranger to adversity and growing up in a tough New York neighborhood has taught her that among every hardship and bad experience lies a truth in understanding… of not only oneself, but others as well. Most people act out of fear in one way or another and once that emotion is isolated, all that remains is honesty.
"I'm sure you have questions, and just know that I'll be there the entire time."
"In case I need backup?"
Liam smiles sweetly and wraps his arms around her waist.
"Father has accepted his responsibility and I'm sure he expects you to inquire, but if you should feel uncomfortable, just say the word and we will simply walk away."
"I think I can handle it, but it's good to know we have other options."
He kisses her soundly and then they walk side by side down the hall. When the doors to the dining room are opened Constantine and Regina are already seated inside. Regina is the first to speak.
"Lady Catherine. Thank you for joining us this morning."
Constantine adjusts his shirt sleeves before meeting Catherine's gaze.
"Yes, I believe we have business to discuss."
Liam pulls out a chair for Catherine and as soon as she sits, he takes the seat next to her. Servers begin bringing out an assortment of dishes and with obvious tension in the room, Liam decides this would be a good time to make a positive announcement as he turns to Catherine with a smile.
"Catherine, as a show of commitment to our people and the kingdom there is a condition that the future queen hold a house and lands in Cordonia. Once it has been officially verified and recorded, you will be named a Duchess."
"What? A duchess?"
"Yes. We have a few unclaimed duchies and one is being bequeathed to you as part of becoming my queen. Would you like to give it a name before the certified documents are sealed?"
"I'm not sure… Does it not have one?"
"Traditionally, it has been known as Valtoria. However, in accordance with Cordonian law, the name can be changed upon claiming the duchy's lands. The choice is yours."
"Valtoria… It has a nice ring to it. I think I'll keep it."
Constantine smiles in reaction to hearing the duchy's name will remain intact but Regina's reaction is focused more on the responsibility that being a duchess and future queen holds. She is concerned it might be too overwhelming for someone with such limited knowledge of governance. The King Father echo's her concerns with a vague offering of encouragement.
"Ordinarily, one would spend years preparing for such a role, but you have demonstrated surprising resourcefulness and tact, Lady Catherine… Particularly in light of my actions toward you… You may yet carry out your duties with distinction."
Liam and Catherine glance at one another knowingly. The opportunity to ask those lingering questions has just presented itself and Catherine decides to seize it… with Liam's reassuring gaze.
"Speaking of past actions, Your Majesty… I think we have some personal business to discuss…"
Constantine nervously adjusts his collar while he tries to gather his thoughts.
"I assume you are referring to my involvement in the scandal?"
"Yes. I know you and Liam have talked about this already, but I think it's only fair that I hear it directly from you."
"Y-yes, I suppose I do owe you that much at least…"
Regina places a comforting hand on his arm… he gives her an appreciative nod and then begins to explain in great detail his version of the events and what led to his decision in the first place.
It began when Liam was a small child growing up in the shadow of his father, The King. The monarchy had been under attack by unknown enemies who had threatened and challenged the crown on many occasions, as well as all members of the royal family… which eventually led to the untimely death of Liam's mother. As hard as it was to lose someone you love and cherish, it was even harder to remain strong in the wake of such tragedy, but it was expected that the royal family remain undaunted as a show of stability… no matter the circumstances.
"I've already lost so much to our kingdom's enemies, and when I'm gone there will be no one left to protect my son… I had to find a way to secure his future and that of Cordonia…"
As the threats increased over the years so did Constantine's fear for the lives of his sons, and the future of his kingdom… he became more vigilant regarding their safety. That fear was only amplified by the news of his illness which prompted the need for solidity to the kingdom, knowing he would be turning over the reins to his youngest son.
"A kingdom as small as ours is vulnerable on its own, and the threats are becoming more and more difficult to define. As the king, my responsibility was to secure its future and Liam's, once my illness forced me into retirement. I may have overstepped my authority and in turn, only succeeded in making the situation worse."
"That is an understatement father."
During the social season it was obvious how Liam felt about Catherine and given the choice, Constantine knew he would ask her to be his queen. But he took the necessary steps to ensure that Liam would choose Madeleine instead. She was once betrothed to Liam's brother and had spent years preparing to become queen… if she were chosen, it would be a show of strength and stability in the face of uncertainty… at least that's what he thought at the time.
"Father, the part most concerning to me is that you wouldn't have given it a second thought had we not discovered the truth."
"I did what I thought was necessary and I only hope you find a way to understand that it was only meant as a diversion of certain tragedy…"
Liam takes Catherine's hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"The real tragedy is, you manipulated your power in an attempt to remove this incredible woman from my life and bring her honor into question. It pains me to know that my own father could conceive of such an act against someone… anyone… but especially the one I love. And your expectation that I would accept an unwanted arrangement of marriage in anticipation of an upheaval is beyond my comprehension. You had no right to choose that direction of my life."
"I never meant to hurt you Liam… or Lady Catherine, but that is the price of wearing the crown… You have to know it wasn't a personal–"
Liam cuts him off before he finishes, clearly not ready to accept that his father's attempts to control him and the woman he loves, had not affected them personally.
"Not personal?! How can you justify that after bringing shame to our family in such a manner? I realize fear may have lead your actions but that in itself is no excuse for what you did. I have no doubt that Catherine will be a remarkable queen… her strength and generosity have been an inspiration to many… myself included. And if you failed to witness those facts, then you obviously cannot comprehend how much her presence is not only necessary… but also essential for the survival of this kingdom."
Liam gazes lovingly at her for a moment and then brings her hand up to his mouth, kissing it ever so gently.
"I see how important she is to you Liam… that has never been in question, but I just hope my fears are proven wrong."
There is a long moment of silence as Constantine takes a shallow breath and turns to Catherine.
"Lady Catherine, you have proven to be both resilient and intelligent, and I realize that I may have judged you unfairly… It may not be very comforting at this time, but perhaps someday you will find peace in knowing I am truly sorry."
There are no words that will change the past… not even an apology… but if Catherine has learned one thing in life it's that you can't harbor animosity, no matter what the circumstances are. The consequences of allowing such hatred to flourish only deepens the wounds caused by the hurt… in the end though, it's the one's we cherish that suffer the most.
"I understand your reasons, but I won't forget how you almost succeeded. I do appreciate your honesty though."
"You are far more gracious than I would be in your position, Lady Catherine."
"It doesn't mean I accept what you did, but I know you were acting out of concern… however misguided it was."
Breakfast continues with no more conversation about the scandal and fortunately it was pleasant enough. Before exiting the dining room, Constantine reminds Liam that they have to meet with Bastien in the afternoon to welcome the additional guards that were commissioned before the start of the engagement tour… As a time honored tradition for such an undertaking of this magnitude, it is the king's obligation to greet and speak with each newly appointed guard as a gesture of faith in their service to the crown. Another task added to his already hectic schedule.
"If you insist on being present father, I will meet you and Bastien in the security office at three."
Liam and Catherine exit the dining room walking arm in arm and before making it to the grand staircase he stops, taking both her hands in his.
"While I would love to spend the rest of the morning with you my love, I do have a few things that require my attention. Would you mind if I catch up with you a little later… let's say around noon?"
"I don't mind at all. Besides, I'd better enjoy this free time while I still have it, huh?"
"Thank you Catherine. I knew you'd understand."
Liam wraps his arms around her and kisses her firmly before letting go, then heads to his study while Catherine wanders toward the front door. Before making it outside she sees Drake coming up the hallway.
"Hey, Drake!"
"Hey Beckham. Where are you headed?"
"I thought I'd take a walk out in the gardens while Liam is working. Want to join me?"
"Well, I was going to the armory… but it's nothing important… so, yeah."
She smiles as he falls in step beside her, trying not to stare. Drake can't help but feel a warmth when he gazes upon Catherine… the way the sunlight catches a small hint of blue in her hazel eyes and the rosy glow on her cheeks… he feels like he could get lost just being in her presence.
"You don't seem surprised to see me here."
"Well, I did see the statement from Tariq… I think it's pretty obvious."
"Yeah, I guess you're right… so, what did you think about it? I mean, did you think he would actually come forward and admit his guilt?"
"I dunno, maybe. Tariq may be an arrogant bastard, but he still has a conscience."
Catherine sees a bench and gives Drake a questioning look. He willingly sits and she follows.
"Lucky for me, right?"
"Yeah… Hey Beckham, I'm sorry all that happened to you… and to Liam. I still can't believe it was his own father though. That just… I dunno … it seems crazy."
"That's one word for it… but I hope we've seen the last of all the drama for a while. I talked to him this morning while we ate breakfast."
"Yeah? How'd that go exactly?"
"Well it was tense at first, but I think we were able to reach an understanding and at least he was honest about it."
"That's good. I'm sure it wasn't easy to face him after what he did."
"No, but I'm just glad it's over now… You know, I never properly thanked you for being there that night Drake. I really do appreciate it."
"It was nothing."
"Don't say that… I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there."
"Well, I couldn't let anything bad happen to my best friend's girl now, could I?"
Drake stares off as a twinge of guilt washes over him. What he did wasn't just for Liam… The truth is, he had fallen for this attractively strong and desirable woman sitting just inches from him, and he'd almost give anything to be in his best friends' shoes, but loyalty wouldn't allow him to give in… and as hard as it was not to, he told himself that having her as a friend was better than nothing at all… but why does she have to be so damned adorable?
"Are you going with Liam to meet the new guards this afternoon?"
"Nah. That's more Liam's thing. I'm not into the whole 'traditional' side of things."
"So you prefer the modern approach, huh?"
"What I prefer is no frills, no fuss. I'm a simple kind of guy."
"No one would argue with that Drake."
"Ha. Ha. Beckham."
"Well, I just thought you might want to make sure they meet criteria. I mean, they are going to be guarding our king after all."
"Good point, but I figure Bastien's already got that covered. No point in me stepping in where I clearly don't belong."
"You're just as good as any of those other guys. Maybe even better."
"Now I know you've gone mad Beckham… let's be honest though, the only reason I'm allowed to even be here is because I'm friends with the king."
"Well, you're wrong… but you go ahead and think that way if you want."
"I didn't know I needed your permission to think."
"Haven't you heard? I'm going be queen soon, so I might decree that everyone be fitted for one of those mind-control devices… including you."
"Hell, I don't even wear a watch on my arm… good luck getting me to put something like that on my head."
After a few more minutes of playful banter, Drake reluctantly departs for the armory and Catherine heads back to the palace. Once inside she walks a few paces toward the stairs, stopping only when she hears her name mentioned by a voice coming from somewhere down the hall. Thinking it sounds like her fiancé, she walks in that direction and upon reaching the slightly cracked door, it becomes clear that the voice is not Liam's.
"… let's just say that when this tour starts, the king and queen-to-be are in for a surpr-" He stops suddenly as if spooked by something and his already muted voice becomes like a whisper. "… hold on, I think I hear someone outside the door…"
Upon hearing these words, Catherine darts into a nearby alcove just as the door swings open… not sure why someone would be talking so mysteriously about the upcoming engagement tour, she stands in the shadows barely taking a breath hoping he hadn't seen her. As the figure turns and closes the door she exhales slowly, thankful he hadn't, but she just can't make herself walk away. After what he said she now needs to see the face behind the voice. She waits patiently.
Soon, the door opens again as the man is just finishing his conversation, still speaking in a muted tone.
"… Who knows? It could have been a ghost. I'm sure what we have planned would make any one of these old kings wake from the dead…" The man lets out an eerie laugh. "…but I'd better get going. We're supposed to meet with the king this afternoon and we certainly don't want to get caught before the fun begins… Alright, I'll call you as soon as I know more… Love you too."
The man hangs up as he cautiously exits the room, heading in the other direction. Catherine waits a few seconds and then carefully looks out only to catch a glimpse of him as he turns a corner. She almost gasps when she realizes he is one of the new guards!
She waits a safe amount of time, allowing the man to be completely gone and then quickly heads back in the other direction and upstairs to find Liam… she has to tell him what she heard before he goes into that meeting this afternoon. Upon reaching the top step, she sees Bastien leaving one of the offices and he immediately turns when he hears her feet hit the floor. He can't help but notice her worried expression as he approaches.
"Lady Catherine, what seems to be the trouble?" Out of breath from running, she spits out a few inaudible words and after a few seconds she manages to tell him about the man dressed as a guard and what she heard him say.
"The king definitely needs to hear about this. Follow me."
Bastien hastily leads her to Liam's office where she repeats everything she'd overheard. Liam is obviously concerned that someone with malicious intent could have infiltrated the King's Guard so easily, but what concerns him the most is what they might be planning. He holds an even tone in his voice to avoid upsetting Catherine, taking her hands in his.
"Catherine, I promise we will get to the bottom of this before the tour starts. You have nothing to worry about love." He turns to Bastien. "Bastien, I know you were thorough in the selection process, but obviously something was missed. I want the details of all personal and professional history on these three men performed immediately and a report on my desk within the hour. Also, if the waiver of disclosures have been signed, I want each of their phones examined for an active call within the last ten minutes."
"The waivers were signed this morning sir."
"Good. Then I will await your report on both."
"Understood Your Majesty."
Bastien bows and leaves the room. Liam's focus then turns to Catherine, whose expression holds a hint of unease. While still holding her hands, he smiles ruefully at her.
"Bastien will take care of it love… I promise you that."
"I know…"
Liam pulls her into a tight embrace, kissing into her hair as she lays her head on his chest. When he feels her relax in his arms, he pulls back slightly.
"Why don't you stay here until I'm finished? The only thing I have left to do is prepare a speech and then we can go have lunch together. How does that sound?"
"Okay. I'd like that."
He leans down and gently kisses her lips, pulling away with a smile. While Liam goes back to his desk, Catherine roams around the room looking at the old books lining the shelves on the wall. As much as he tries to focus on the task at hand, Liam can't help but be distracted by Catherine's presence. With her back turned, he watches in adoration as her fingers graze along the spine of each book, obviously reading their titles. Finally, she spots one that interests her and takes if from the shelf.
"Hey, is this a book about Cordonian law?" Liam quickly looks down at the papers on his desk as if he wasn't staring at her the whole time, then looks up nonchalantly.
"Yes. I believe that one is the latest edition."
"Would you mind if I read a few pages?"
"Of course not. Come to think of it, maybe you can find the section that details how the king can legally have his queen all to himself."
"Hmm, I could be wrong, but I think it's called a… 'wedding'?"
They both laugh as she walks over to the sofa by the window and sits. Liam can't help but smile as she opens it carefully and starts reading with a curious expression on her face as though absorbing every word her eyes can see.
Once Liam is finally able to focus on writing, rather than watching Catherine, he finishes his speech. Placing the pen on his desk, he stands from the chair and stretches. Upon gazing toward Catherine, he smiles seeing she is completely engrossed in reading the heavy book… so much so, that she doesn't even notice when he sits next to her on the sofa.
He places an arm around her shoulders and leans in, gently kissing her neck up to her ear. That definitely caught her attention, but she waits it out to see how far he will go to get her to notice him.
He continues with featherlight kisses along her neck and the tender spot beneath her ear, then slowly pulls the fabric down kissing her shoulder and back up her neck. With her eyes now closed, the warmth of his breath on her skin sends a heat through her body. His other hand follows the hem of her garment, along the buttons until he reaches the top and begins slowly unbuttoning the shirt… by now, she is fully engaged…
"Oh Liam…"
He smiles and then kisses from her neck, along her jawbone until his lips find hers. He takes the book from her hands and places it on the couch beside her… she wraps her arms around him as he tightens the embrace.
"I could get… used to this… work a little… kiss you a little more…" Liam says between kisses.
"I'd say it's… the perfect… way to spend… the morning."
As they both get lost in a passionate kiss, a knock on the door startles them apart. Catherine adjusts her clothes as Liam sighs in frustration over the interruption.
"Come in."
Bastien walks in with a folder in his hand.
"Your Majesty, I have the information you requested. I think we may have our answers…"
