A few weeks later, the party was a go. Everyone was coming for it. The Emperor and the others agreed that a party would show King Christopher that the alliance was strong and that he would lose the war. Everyone arrived and were soon having a good time. Katarina hoped that this would be a good thing.
"Katarina, this was a great idea." Prince Randal said to his sister.
"Thank you. So, how is your wife?" Katarina asked him.
"Fine. The baby should arrive in a few weeks. What about you? Any news on that front?"
"Not that I can confirm." She had felt sick recently and skip her monthly bleeding. Which made her think she was with child but she wouldn't know for a little while longer.
"So, you might be." He was happy if she was. Their father had been on her for a while now to have an heir. He tried to get him to back off but the Emperor would do what he wanted.
"I might be. I can not say for certain." Katarina wasn't sure how to feel yet. If she was with child, like she suspected she was, it would give the Emperor a reason to leave her alone. But she was uncertain if it was her husband's child. She wasn't sure about the timing of things but there was the chance, it was not.
"Katarina, what is wrong? You know you can talk to me about anything." Randal could tell something was on her mind.
"I want to tell you but I do not want everyone to hear."
"Let's take a walk."
Randal and Katarina headed to the balcony. They did not want anyone to hear. Randal wondered what was on his sister's mind.
"So, what is going on?"
"I might be. I can not say for certain." Katarina wasn't sure how to feel yet. If she was with child, like she suspected she was, it would give the Emperor a reason to leave her alone. But she was uncertain if it was her husband's child. She wasn't sure about the timing of things but there was the chance, it was not.
"Katarina, what is wrong? You know you can talk to me about anything." Randal could tell something was on her mind.
"I want to tell you but I do not want everyone to hear."
"Let's take a walk."
Randal and Katarina headed to the balcony. They did not want anyone to hear. Randal wondered what was on his sister's mind.
"So, what is going on?"
"I might be. I can not say for certain." Katarina wasn't sure how to feel yet. If she was with child, like she suspected she was, it would give the Emperor a reason to leave her alone. But she was uncertain if it was her husband's child. She wasn't sure about the timing of things but there was the chance, it was not.
"Katarina, what is wrong? You know you can talk to me about anything." Randal could tell something was on her mind.
"I want to tell you but I do not want everyone to hear."
"Let's take a walk."
Randal and Katarina headed to the balcony. They did not want anyone to hear. Randal wondered what was on his sister's mind.
"So, what is going on?"
"I might be. I can not say for certain." Katarina wasn't sure how to feel yet. If she was with child, like she suspected she was, it would give the Emperor a reason to leave her alone. But she was uncertain if it was her husband's child. She wasn't sure about the timing of things but there was the chance, it was not.
"Katarina, what is wrong? You know you can talk to me about anything." Randal could tell something was on her mind.
"I want to tell you but I do not want everyone to hear."
"Let's take a walk."
Randal and Katarina headed to the balcony. They did not want anyone to hear. Randal wondered what was on his sister's mind.
"So, what is going on?"
"A few weeks ago, Sir Jonathan came to see me. He sneaked away from the army and came to see me."
"Katarina, what did you do?" He had a feeling what his sister did but he wanted to hear it from her.
"You know what happened. The Prince saw us together."
"Kate. You can be put to death for that."
"I know. I told the Prince that I would take whatever punishment. He said he was not going to kill me or Jonathan. But that this was the only free pass I would get."
"Kate, that is good. I know you, you will not cheat again." He looked at her face. "Kate."
"I do not want to. But I love John and I always want to be with him." Katarina looked out at the land from the balcony. "But I know my duty is to Theodore. It is just things are complicated."
"Complicated how?" Randal asked.
"The fact that if I am with child, I can not be sure it is the Prince's. I am not sure about the timing but I was with both if the timing is what I think."
"I am so sorry, Kate. What are you going to do?"
"I am going to wait and see. If I am with child, then I will deal with things. The odds are it is the Prince's but there is a slight chance it is John's."
"Katarina, things will work out. Just wait and see. You might not be with child."
"Do you think I was wrong?"
"For being with John?"
"Yes."
"Katarina, I can not say it is wrong because I have mistresses outside my marriage. But it is different for me than you and I know you know that. I know how much you love John. Your feelings for him do not change overnight. But you know you should focus on your marriage."
"I plan to. I do not know what I would do without you. Thank you for listening." Katarina hugged her brother.
"You are welcome. You can always talk to me."
"One more thing, you will let me know if you hear anything about him, right?"
"Yes. I will tell you if I hear anything."
"Thank you."
Katarina and Randal headed back into the party. They noticed that their father was talking to the other kings. He was sharing the news of the war and the progress. Randal joined in and Katarina headed to where her mother and the others were.
"Katarina, are you well?" Empress Karenina asked her daughter.
"I am fine, mother." Katarina noticed her mother's ladies which included Michelle nearby. She saw the look Michelle was giving. She hated the Princess and the Empress.
"You just look pale." The Empress hoped that her daughter was with child and that was why she did not look well.
"I am fine. Maryse, how are you?" Katarina changed the subject.
"Good. Hope to have this child soon." Princess Maryse was not happy that she was with child. She honestly would have been fine without a child but because she married Prince Randal, she was expected to have a child. She hoped this one was a son and then the pressure would be off until it was time for another son. The rule of a royal was to have an heir and a spare. So, she knew she would have to have another child eventually. She was also unsure if her child was indeed Prince Randal's. If it were to be Prince Theodore's then she and he would be put to death.
"The baby will be here before you know it." Her mother, Queen Anne, said.
"Yes, then the baby will be given to the governess at Wilmot Castle." The Empress said.
"Yes. Randal has already told me that and I am in full agreement." Maryse replied. She was more than happy to let someone else raise the baby.
"Excellent." The Empress replied.
"I think I am going to retire to my chambers." Katarina said getting up. "I do not feel well."
She walked away toward her chambers. She did not want to hear anymore about how much Maryse hated being with child or see Michelle looking with such hatred. She knew it was just a matter of time before her father would tire of Michelle and have her reassigned or executed if she knew too much.
The Prince had seen his wife leave the party. He excused himself and followed her. He hoped nothing was wrong. The party was her idea after all.
"Prince Theodore." Lady Mickie announced to the Princess.
"Leave us please." Theodore said to them. The ladies curtsied and left the room. "Katarina, is something wrong?"
"I just do not feel well."
"What is wrong?"
"I think I maybe with child." She knew it was better to just tell him.
"Really? Are you sure?" He was excited with the possibility that she was with child.
"I am not sure. I have been sick, I skip my monthly bleeding and I have had a craving for quail eggs."
"I hope that you are. I guess we just have to wait it out until the physician can confirm."
"Yes."
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I will leave you now to rest." He kissed her on the head and left.
He headed toward the council room and found the Duke of Linwood there.
"Your Highness, is everything okay?"
"The Princess maybe be with child."
"Theodore, that is great. You have an heir on the way."
"But is it mine? Think back John."
"Oh, the knight." The Duke knew that the child might not be Theodore's. "Do you think it is his child?"
"I do not know. I guess I just have to wait and see if she in fact with child and if it is mine."
"I guess you will." John knew that Theodore had feelings for the Princess.
"John, thank you for listening. I appreciate it."
"You know it is no problem, Your Highness. I hope that the Princess is with child and that it is yours. Your Highness, the odds are good that it is yours so, keep that in mind." John quickly left the room leaving the Prince to think.
Theodore headed to his chambers and thought about what the Duke had said. He was right. The odds were that he was the father. He would go with that and not think that it might not be his until he was certain it was not his.
A few weeks later Prince Theodore and Princess Katarina were walking the garden. The Physician had confirmed that she was with child. The news of this spread through both countries and everyone rejoiced at the thought of a child.
King Theodore and the Emperor were exceptionally happy. Finally an heir for the throne and one that would insure that King Christopher did not get the throne. The Emperor could not be more pleased that his plan was coming together. Katarina was married and now with child and the generals on the front had assured him that Sir Jonathan would be taken care of.
"Are you happy about the baby?" Katarina asked as they walked the garden.
"I am very happy. This will get our families off our back about an heir and we will have a child."
"You wonder if it is yours, do you not?"
"Yes, I wonder. Katarina, I hope it is our child. But no matter what happens, everyone will think that it is. I have not told anyone about what happen between you and the knight and I do not intend to. To everyone, this is our child."
"Yes, this is our child." She knew that it was probably their child but she also knew it was a slim chance it was not.
Just as he was about to say something, the guard announced Prince Randal. Katarina wondered what her brother was doing there.
"Randal, what are you doing here?" Katarina asked him.
"Katarina, I need to speak with you in private." Randal replied.
"I will leave you to speak with your brother." Theodore bowed and left them alone.
"What is wrong?"
"I heard from the front lines. I am so sorry."
"He is dead, right?"
"Yes. I am very sorry Katarina." Randal pulled his sister into a hug. He knew this would upset her.
Katarina starting crying when he told her. She could not believe it and a part of knew that her father was to blame.
"Father did this. That tramp Michelle told him and he made sure he died." She cried as he held her.
"Katarina, we do not know that."
"Oh, come on. You know. All you have to is ask and father will tell you. Please find out for me."
"I will. Katarina, I am very sorry."
"Please go now and find out." She said to him.
"Alright." Randal gave her one more hug and left. He hoped she was wrong about their father. He did not want it to be true.
Once Randal left, Katarina headed to her chambers. She wanted to be alone. She could not believe that he was gone. She knew this was her father's doing and that tramp Michelle was to blame. She would make her pay for telling her father about things. But now all she could do was cry over what she lost.
Theodore had saw Randal before he left and knew about the knight. He knew that Katarina would be upset about it. He headed to her chambers and dismissed her ladies. He walked over to the bed where she was.
"Katarina, I know you are not okay." He sat down on the bed. "I am very sorry about him."
"Just leave me alone. You are not sorry just like my father is not sorry. It is his fault. And I will never forgive him."
"Katarina, I am sorry. I know your feelings for him and I know this is killing you. Just know I am here for you if need me."
"Thank you."
"I will leave you." He got up and walked out. He knew she probably needed time alone.
When he got to his chambers, he smiled a little. His plan with the Emperor was finally achieved. At the party, he mentioned to the Emperor that he had found her journal and knew she was in love with the knight. He also told the Emperor that he worried the Knight would come and Katarina would be with him. He knew she had already been with the Knight and he wanted to stop it before it would happen again. The Emperor assured him that Sir Jonathan would be taken care of. Theodore was in agreement that the death of Sir Jonathan was for the best for everyone.
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