Randal arrived at Beaverton Castle. He was going to ask his father about things and he had better tell him the truth. He found his father in the council room.
"Son, what can I do for you?" The Emperor asked.
"Tell me truth."
"About what?"
"Sir Jonathan. I know you sent him to the front lines on purpose. Who told you about him and Katarina?"
"That is of no concern."
"I know it was Lady Michelle. It was one of the women you take to your bed. She wants you to leave mother and make her your Empress. Are you going to now that she has betrayed Katarina?"
"I have no intention of Michelle being anything but a mistress. She was useful in getting information about your sister. I will not have my daughter with a knight."
"Did you plan to have him killed?"
"Yes. I made sure he would be killed. I did not want any of Katarina's children's paternity to be called into question."
"Well, it is a little late for that. The baby she is carrying might be his."
"What?" The Emperor could not believe that. He had made sure that the knight was gone. "That is not possible. I made sure he would not see her again."
"He sneaked away from the army and went to see her. They were together and this baby might be his."
"Then it is good he is dead. He can lay no claim to the child. As far as everyone knows, The Prince is the father."
"If you want me to keep this quiet, you will get rid of Michelle. She is a nothing." Randal knew Michelle was to blame and he wanted her dead for what she had done to Katarina.
"Done. I will make arrangements for her to be executed for treason." The Emperor wanted to save face with his daughter and if executing Michelle was going to accomplish that, he would do it.
"Good. I expected her to be dead soon." Randal left and went to his chambers. He had taken a new mistress recently but she was getting too clingy for him so he had arranged to have her executed.
That night the guards took Lady Michelle to the tower for her to wait for her execution. She and Lady Kelly were to be beheaded in a few days. Michelle was shocked that she was arrested for treason. She thought that the Emperor would leave his wife for her but she was mistaken. Now, she was paying the price for being his mistress. She wished she could change it and go back to being the Prince's mistress. But she thought about Lady Kelly next door and how she too was going to be executed for treason. Both knew if they had not been the mistresses of the Prince and Emperor, they would not be killed. But once the Prince or Emperor was through with you odd were that you were killed.
Lady Michelle and Lady Kelly were executed for treason a few days later. Katarina was not shocked when she heard. Randal had told her he would make sure Michelle was taken care. She knew that Michelle had always been jealous of her but she never thought she would have someone killed to hurt her. She was shocked about Lady Kelly. She knew it meant that Randal must have a mistress that he really liked. Her brother never seemed to keep one longer than a few months. News soon came that Princess Maryse had given birth to a girl much to the disappointment of the Prince and the Emperor.
"I can not believe she had a girl. What the hell happened to the Orton blood line?" The Emperor said to his advisors.
"I am very sorry Your Royal Majesty." Count Cole of Despree said to the Emperor.
"A girl. This will not do. Randal needs to have a son and if the Princess can not give him that, he must take a concubine who will give him a son."
"Did you have someone in mind Your Royal Majesty?" Count Rhodes of Engeland asked him.
"His new mistress. I will talk to Randal and tell him he has to make her with child. He must have a son."
"Yes, Your Royal Majesty."
"Now, let's just hope that Katarina has a son." The Emperor left his advisors and headed to his chambers. Lady Nicole was waiting for him. She had taken Lady Michelle's place.
Randal was very disappointed that his wife had delivered a girl. Now, he would have to be with his wife again to produce a son. Oh, how he hated Princess Maryse even more now.
"I am sorry about the baby." Maryse said as she held her daughter, Mary, in her arms.
"Yes, well maybe next time it will be a son." Randal walked out of the room to his chambers.
"Milady, I am so sorry." Lady Dena said to her but inside she was smiling. Now that the Princess had given birth to a daughter, the Prince would be looking for someone else to have his son.
"I thought it was a boy. Now, my husband will be more distanced." Maryse gave the baby to her nurse. The baby was to stay with the Princess for a few days and then taken to Wilmont. "You may go Lady Dena." Maryse's mother had walked in.
"I am very sorry, daughter." Her mother, Queen Katherine, said to her. "You must have a son next time. Maryse we can not take the chance that the Prince might have a son with someone else. You must keep his attention."
"Mother, I am doing my best. I thought I was carrying a boy. I wanted a boy."
"Maryse, you have not been the wife the Prince needs. He has many mistresses outside your marriage. If one of them has his son, you will be executed."
"I know that. Once it is safe to try again, I will give the Prince his son. He can not resist me."
"You are a naïve fool. Do you think he will want you if he knew you were having your affair with Prince Theodore? You were supposed to be a virgin before you married Randal. If it is found out you were not, you will be executed."
"Mother, no one knows the Prince and I are having our affair. I did not love him and he did not love me. It is purely lust. No one will ever find out."
"What about King Christopher? If anyone finds out about him it will be devastating for us all. The Emperor will not hesitate to have us all killed. He has supreme power over us even though we rule Summerton."
"No one will know anything."
"Then give your husband a son and very soon." She was the only one who knew her daughter had flings with Prince Theodore and the fling with King Christopher.
"This baby might be Prince Theodore's anyway." Maryse said to her mother.
"You will not tell anyone that. To everyone this is Prince Randal's child." Queen Katherine quickly left her daughter's chambers.
Princess Maryse looked at her daughter and knew she was not Randal's. She was in fact Prince Theodore's but that was something she had to keep to herself. She had more power as Prince Randal's wife and the mother of his children than she would have as Prince Theodore's wife.
"I am sorry about the Princess not giving you a son." Lady Dena said to the Prince when they were in his chambers. After she was dismissed from the Princess, she came to his chambers.
"It is what it is. Now, my father wants me to have a concubine to have my son. He feels that the Princess might be incapable of having a son."
"Do you feel that way?"
"I do."
"I can give you the son you desire." She was determined to improve her station and having a son for the Prince would accomplish that.
"We shall see but be warned if you fail in providing me with a son, you will be executed."
She did not say anything back to him. She knew that the Prince and the Emperor were both the type to execute if something does not go their way. She hoped that she could give him the son he wanted.
"Princess, I have news from Mertican." Lady Mickie said coming into the Princess's chambers.
"What is the news?" The Princess put down her needlepoint.
"Prince Randal and Princess Maryse have welcomed a daughter, Mary."
"A daughter. I am sure my father is not happy about that."
"No one is happy, Milady. Everyone expected Princess Maryse to have a son. They are not pleased."
"I figured. My brother has taken a new mistress and I am very sure he is considering her to carry his son."
"That is the rumor."
"Lady Mickie, where are you hearing these rumors?"
"Lady Alicia tells me everything."
"I assume you know that my father has a new mistress also. Someone who is younger than me."
"I have heard that. Milady, are you okay? I have heard about Sir Jonathan. I know what he meant to you."
"I am as good as I can be. Lady Mickie, you have always been my confident and I appreciate everything you have done."
"Thank you. I hope to continue to be that for you."
"I hope so also."
Katarina was still hurting from Sir Jonathan's death but she was happy that her brother's child was healthy but disappointed it was not the son he desired. She knew more pressure would be on her now to have a son. She wondered if her child was Jonathan's. A part of her hoped it was so she would have something from him but the other part knew it would be better if it were Theodore's. She was tore as always between her duty and her heart.
Prince Theodore heard about Princess Maryse giving birth to a daughter. He wondered if the girl was his. He knew with things the way they were, he could not claim her if she was. He wanted to see the baby and see if she was in fact his.
He had also noticed the change in Princess Katarina after she learned of her knight's death. She spent most of her time in her room reading. She took meals there and rarely came out to dine with him. He had sent a letter to her brother explaining things. He was very worried about her. He hoped maybe he could talk to her. Theodore headed to his wife's room to see if maybe he could help her.
"Prince Theodore." Lady Mickie announced.
"Leave us please." Theodore said to them. They quickly left the room leaving the Prince alone with her. He walked over to where she sat staring out the window. "Katarina, please talk to me."
She continued to stare out the window not saying anything.
"Katarina, I know you are hurting about this. I understand and I want to help you. Please let me."
"How can you understand? You said you have never been in love." Katarina just stared out the window and did not look at him when she spoke.
"I know I have never been in love. I meant I understand what it is like to lose someone you love. I loved my brother a lot and he is dead. I know how much you loved your knight. I am so sorry that he is dead."
"He is dead because of my father and my father's former mistress. She told my father about me and him. He then made sure he went to the front and was killed. Your brother was not killed on purpose."
"Katarina, I am so sorry that your father did that." Theodore hided his smile and pretended to shocked about that. But it was his idea also that Sir Jonathan die.
"The Emperor is not a father. He is only an Emperor." Katarina still did not look at him. During the whole conversation, Katarina had continued to look out the window.
Theodore realized that she was not going to talk to him yet. He hoped she would talk to her brother. Theodore was certain that he would come and talk to her.
"I will talk to you later." He left the room and headed to his chambers. He worried about her. She was, as the Physician had told them, five months with child. He knew that even though Katarina was upset about her knight's death, she would do nothing to harm the baby or herself. After all, the baby might be her knight's.
"Your Highness, Prince Randal is here." The guard told him.
"Thank you." Theodore got up and greeted the Prince. "Your Grace, I asked you here because I am very worried Princess Katarina. She only sits in her chambers by the window. She rarely comes out anymore."
"How long has she been that way?"
"Since you told her about Sir Jonathan."
"Alright. I will talk to her." Randal left the Prince and headed to Katarina's chambers.
"Prince Randal." Lady Mickie announced.
"You can leave." Randal said to the ladies. They left the room quickly. "Katarina, the Prince is worried about you." He took a seat beside her.
"He should not worry. I am fine." She did not look at her brother.
"Katarina, look at me." He turned her head to him. She had been crying. He pulled her into a hug. "Katarina, I am so sorry about Sir Jonathan."
She broke down at his words and let him hug her. He had always been her confident before Lady Mickie. He was always there for her when she needed him.
"Katarina, you have to be strong for your child."
"I know that. I just can not deal with everything right now. I need to work things out alone."
"Kate, you are a strong person. Father admitted what he did. You were right about that. I am so sorry. Had I known, I would have stopped it."
"I know that. Randal, Father is not a father. He is merely an Emperor." She turned back to the window.
"Kate, please take care." He kissed her on the head and walked out. Right now, she needed time alone. He knew she would be okay and pull herself out of this.
He headed back to the Prince's council room. He wanted to tell him he was leaving and that he had talked to her.
"I talked to Katarina. She is upset right now and just needs some time. There is no need to worry. She will be fine."
"Thank you for talking to her."
"It is no problem. Theodore, my sister is hurting and she needs understanding. I hope you can help her but just give her some time."
"I understand. I will help her and give her the time she needs."
"Thank you." Randal left knowing the Prince heard what he said. He trusted the Prince to take care of Katarina.
Once Randal had gone, Theodore retired to his room. He wanted to help Katarina and hoped he could. He would give her the time she needed to work through things. He trusted her to do nothing to harm the baby.
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