A/n: Thanks Aslanmane, Bella, Emma, PeterCaspianRlz, QueenElenaofnarnia, Artemis-hunt-goddess, QueenLucyfan, EC, Emily, Lea97, elomeno, Alexa, CairParavel, LOVEM, Connors, Narniafan, GoldenAgeNarnian, and all the other guests. Some really bad things are going to happen in this chapter. :(


(Telmarine Castle, Narnia)

~Chronicler's POV~

The next morning, while Lady Katrina was having breakfast with her sister, Lady Ines spoke.

"Last night I saw you going from King Caspian's bedroom back to your own," she stated quite sternly.

Katrina froze and the syrup from the bottle in her hand was poured incessantly over her pancakes.

"Mm hmm?" Katrina didn't bother denying it.

"Why?"

"His Majesty wanted to see me," Katrina answered with a shrug.

"Yes, well, I'm sure he did; I could have pretty much figured that out on my own. What I don't understand is why he requested your company when it's so late at night. What really happened?"

"In a nutshell, we talked," Katrina said curtly. She wasn't lying. "And we kissed."

"That's it? You didn't…?"

"Didn't what?" Katrina frowned.

"Well, you know, what usually happens at night when there's a bed and people take their clothes off and…"

"Well," Katrina said nonchalantly. "Do you think I did that?"

Ines looked skeptically at her sister. "No, I don't think you did."

"You're right. I didn't," Katrina replied. "But I would have, willingly, if the King asked that of me."

"No, you mustn't sleep with His Majesty," Ines warned, looking concerned.

"Why not?" Katrina folded her arms. "He loves me, you know? I thought that was what people do when they're in love."

"What if you get pregnant?" Ines said worriedly.

"I know bastards can be recognized and legitimized," Katrina said uncaringly.

"His Majesty might not recognize the child, because you two are not wed," Ines said defiantly.

"Relax, please. I won't get pregnant. It's not that difficult to go to an apothecary to buy herbs that can prevent a pregnancy," Katrina said naively.

"It'll be a scandal. Any pharmacist or dispensing chemist would know that you're unwed. And they all know that the King is unmarried, so if there is a need for contraceptives, then surely you must be engaging in some forbidden activity that's considered a taboo. Word will spread around like wildfire. It's a stigma on your reputation. You don't want that," Ines said cautiously. "I'm just trying to look out for you."

"Thank you for giving me more than I need," Katrina said, trying to not sound snide.

"What if it weren't me who caught you sneaking?" Ines said hypothetically. "Whether or not this love affair you're having with the King involves intimacy, if it were somebody else who caught you, you'd be in a lot of trouble."

"Who could have caught me?" Katrina sipped on her pomegranate juice laxly. Pomegranate was the symbol of fertility.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe Princess Gilda," Ines tried to impart to her sister the potential danger of her liaison with Caspian.

"I'm sure Caspian would be able to come up with an excuse," Katrina said, not very convincingly.

"But then you've got to realize that – wait, 'Caspian'? You mean King Caspian? It's not polite, you know," Ines frowned.

"Don't you and King Peter address each other on a first name basis anyway?" Katrina rebutted.

"Yes but we're courting. You and King Caspian clearly are not, and as much as you, and I too, would like it to happen, I'm afraid it's just wishful thinking," Ines sounded exasperated.

"I'm not sure you quite understand the nature of my relationship with Caspian," Katrina drawled.

"You should not be in a relationship with His Majesty, at all," Ines said with an admonitory tone.

"Why not? I thought you were always a supporter of and believer in true love. Why change your mind now?" Katrina asked sardonically.

"If His Majesty can have an affair behind his fiancée's back, then he can do it to you as well. Who's to say he won't be unfaithful to you too, and invite other courtesans to his bed?" Ines reasoned.

"Just because I'm his mistress doesn't mean I'm sleeping with him," Katrina growled. "At least not yet."

"Ooh, I guess you just let something slip," Ines said under her breath.

"You don't understand, do you? I'm his maitresse-en-titre. His royal official mistress. We're exclusive. He promised to love me, and only me. Not Princess Gilda. Not any other woman. Me. It's an honor to be on the receiving end of the King's affections. I am the sole holder of his love. No other woman can take it away, because I have it in my possession."

"Oh, Lion's Mane. And I thought His Majesty was better than his uncle. He's no different, to be honest," Ines shook her head.

"I can assure you that Caspian is nothing like Miraz," Katrina said in disagreement.

"If that is the case, why is His Majesty following his uncle's footsteps? Why's he taking mistresses?" Ines challenged. "I really don't think our parents would be proud to know that you're the King's whore."

"I'm not a whore!" Katrina iterated defensively. "I don't dress like a harlot and I don't sleep around for money. I don't work in brothels; how could you think of me like that?! I have kept my virtue just as you have kept yours. I seriously thought you would have more faith in me. I did not sleep with Caspian. Or King Caspian if you so insist on formalities. I didn't sell my body or my maidenhood; he asked me to be his mistress, and I said yes."

"So you intend to be his mistress all your life? To be labelled as 'the other woman'?" Ines questioned.

"As far as I'm concerned I am not 'the other woman'. I am the only woman in his heart. Aslan's Mane! I thought you'd be happy that Caspian and I have found a way to be together, against all odds," Katrina retorted.

"It's difficult to be happy for you when you won't listen to me," Ines retaliated. "It's just a matter of time till he'll have you sleep with him. You may have his favor now, but what happens when you lose it? What happens when your tenure as the lady of his heart is over? He'll play with you for a while, a couple of years at best, a couple of months at worst, and then cast you aside, just like what happened to every single mistress Miraz had. I'm not bluffing; this really happened. Except for Gabrielle, because she gave birth to his bastard son. But what will your place at court be, once His Majesty decides to end things with you?"

"I'm still Queen Lucy's lady in waiting. Nothing changes that unless the Queen herself decides to remove me from her service," Katrina stated scornfully.

"You should not have accepted the position as a mistress. Official or not, it brings shame to the family," Ines said didactically.

"Well I can't go to him and end things with him now. I'm not going to call it quits. Feelings don't just go away; you can't just dismiss them like a master dismisses a servant," Katrina said adamantly. "Think about it: if you were in my shoes, you and King Peter are in love but he is engaged to a foreign princess. Wouldn't you have done the same as I have?"

Ines looked troubled and did not answer. "Look, I don't want to keep arguing with you. I just want you to know that I worry for you. I am concerned about your safety, your reputation, and your future. Whether or not you appreciate my concern, it is given to you from a sister regardless. I'm not going to force you into agreeing with me. We are still sisters no matter how our love lives go so it's peace between us, alright?"

Katrina nodded cooperatively. "Peace."


A month later, a banquet was held at the Narnian Court. The last party ever in these grounds, for the next banquet would be held at the renewed Cair Paravel instead.

It was the day after the celebrations. King Peter and King Caspian wanted Lady Ines and Lady Katrina to have breakfast with the royals this morning, instead of in their own area.

"That's a great idea. Gilda, you will join us too," King Edmund said promptly. Before the Archenlander Princess can say anything, Edmund had already grabbed her by her forearm and they were rushing down the stairs. The others followed groggily.

"Katrina," said Queen Lucy to her lady in waiting. "Have you seen my topaz necklace?"

Lucy was referring to the necklace she got for her birthday, a gift from her siblings. She opened her jewelry box this morning, expecting it to be there, but as it was nowhere to be found, she found it quite strange. She had kept it in a safe place, she knew.

"No, Your Majesty. I think it should be in your jewelry box, or in the other drawers of your dressing table. I'm sorry," Katrina replied. "I can search after breakfast if you want, my Queen."

Lucy nodded and said her thanks. Halfway through their breakfast though, a guard came to the room, looking grim.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your meal, my Lords and Ladies," the guard bowed, then turned to Caspian specifically. "May I have a word with Your Majesty in private?"

"Orion, you can say whatever you want to say. They can know," Caspian said, placing his coffee back onto the table.

"I apologize, my King, but I think I would much prefer it if I could speak with Your Majesty privately, please, my Lord." Orion, the guard, only looked more anxious.

Caspian glanced back at the others. "Well then, excuse me," he stood up and walked outside with Orion.

"What do you think happened?" Gilda whispered to Edmund.

"I don't know, but I've got a bad feeling," Edmund muttered.

The others inside couldn't hear the conversation, but they could have a peek. By the look on Caspian's face face, they knew something dreadful must have happened, because he took a quick glance at them, and he looked as if he just saw his uncle's ghost.

He nodded at the guard Orion and stepped back into the dining room. He eyed Katrina suspiciously with a feeling of nausea settling in.

"Is everything alright?" Queen Susan asked, although she pretty much knew that no, nothing was alright.

"Ladies, if you don't mind, I would like to borrow Peter and Edmund for a moment," Caspian said gravely.

"Why? What's wrong?" Ines looked worried.

"I'll explain later," Caspian said halfheartedly before heading out with the two Pevensie brothers. They walked up the staircases and found themselves in Katrina's bedroom.

"Why are we here?" Edmund inquired.

"Yes, what did Orion tell you?" Peter prodded.

"A servant was changing Katrina's bed sheets when he found a napkin with Lucy's jewelry wrapped in it. Look," Caspian pointed. "This was her birthday present, right?"

"What?!" Edmund frowned. "I like to think that a lot of things are possible but this…this is just impossible. I can't believe Katrina would do something like this."

"Well the necklace is here, Ed," Caspian said apologetically. "No beliefs of ours can alter the evidence."

"We have to do something," Peter said with an inscrutable expression on his face.

"What do you mean? Arresting her?" Caspian ridiculed.

"Yes," Edmund answered.

"No," Caspian said defiantly.

"It's protocol. We can't make exceptions just because we're friends with Katrina. We have proof that the stolen items are in her possession, but we have no evidence that she's innocent," the Just King said seriously.

"I don't think Ines would like this very much," Peter said under his breath. "But this is what we must do."

The three Kings paced back to the dining room, their minds laden with worry.

"So, would any of you care to share with us what happened?" Susan said sardonically.

"Lucy," Edmund answered. "It appears we found your necklace."

"At a cost. Katrina," Peter decreed. "You are arrested for stealing the necklace from the Queen's Majesty."

"WHAT?" Ines and Katrina blurted at the same time.

Edmund proceeded to explain what the servant and Orion the guard reported.

"That's a blatant lie; my sister did nothing of that sort," Ines growled angrily.

"I didn't do anything. I swear," Katrina said, trembling. "I didn't steal from you, Queen Lucy."

"It was in your room and hidden," Peter pointed out. "What other logical explanation could you possibly offer us?"

"My sister would never do anything like that," Ines glowered at the guards who grabbed Katrina. "Let her go. Let her go!"

"But I'm innocent, I swear! How could you imprison me?! You can't put me in jail; I did nothing wrong! I didn't steal anything!" Katrina protested as her sobs caused her voice to be muffled.

"I want to believe you, but I can't, unless you produce evidence that is in your favor," Edmund said sympathetically.

"NO! You can't do this to her!" Ines shouted, trying to free herself from Peter's arms as he sought to stabilize her.

"Peter, take Ines to the living room. We'll be there in a moment," Susan said decisively amidst the mayhem.

Peter dragged Ines out of the dining room, while she was crying and yelling her sister's name hysterically.

"How could this have happened?!" Lucy said, looking as if she were about to cry as well. "I don't believe it. Katrina is an innocent as much as I am."

"Go upstairs and see for yourself," Caspian finally piped up. He wasn't strong enough to actually convict Katrina. He had to leave it to Peter and Edmund to do that.

"I'm going with you. We must find a way to rectify this," Susan turned to her sister as the two Queens went upstairs.

Caspian, with misty eyes and a lump in his throat, followed the guards and Katrina to the dungeons, while Edmund and Gilda proceeded to the lounge.


A/n: Uh-oh. How is Katrina going to get herself out of this mess now?