Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: Written: 2006, Found: 2018.- Licia

"Please, Kauri, you cannot stay up there all day!"

"No, Cata! I won't come down! I won't go to lessons today, I don't want to!"

The teenager glanced quickly over her shoulder, before turning back to the tree she stood beneath. The youngest princess sat among the branches, her light blue dress quickly becoming torn and dirty from leaves and bark, her long black hair becoming home to all manner of leaves and twigs, the white bow she wore coming undone.

"You have to attend lessons, Kauri!" Gritting her teeth, the young companion balled her hands into fists at her sides, digging her nails into her palms. "If you do not come down, Nessarose Frexparia, your mother shall have my head! I will be sent back to the kitchens or cast out completely and then you shall never see me again, is that what you want?"

She knew it was an empty threat she just presented, but a threat none the less, and her greatest fear. She had grown accustomed to being with the four daughters of the royal family, had grown particularly close to Elphaba and Nessarose, and when she had to return to the kitchens, it felt strange. She loved the girls, all four of them, she really did, and she feared being separated from them. The nine-year-old seemed to think for a moment, before shaking her head. The threat from her and her sisters' companion had made Nessa pause, but ultimately, didn't change her mind.

"Cata?"

The thirteen-year-old turned at the soft voice; Elphaba Frexparia stood behind her, long black hair held back with a bow, a sunhat upon her head, the light blue dress she wore pristine and neat, so unlike her little sister's would be once she finally came down. They were spending time at Caprice-on-the-Pines, the family's name for their summer palace by the sea. "Do you need anything, Elphaba Frexparia?"

"Can I help?" The teenager sighed, stepping back and giving Elphaba the floor, so to speak. It would be no use, but she could try, for Cata was getting nowhere. "Nessa? You need to come down. Now."

"No, Fabala! I won't go to lessons! I already told Cata that I don't want to!"

Elphaba planted her hands on her small hips, glaring up at her sister. "Nessarose, you come down this instant! Otherwise I will tell Papa and he is going to come get you!" The younger girl didn't move, and after a moment, Elphaba turned to glance at Cata before turning back to her sister. In a rare show of abandon- for Elphaba was as reserved as her older sisters, even at eleven- the second youngest princess stamped her foot, letting out a screech that could be heard all the way back at the Winter Palace, Cata was sure. "Papa! Papa!"

Her scream was so loud and unreserved that Cata had to cover her ears and back away; Nessa even pressed her hands over her ears to block out her sister's screams, even as it did the trick, bringing not just Frexpar, but Doctor Dillamond, Countess Upland, the empress, and several other members of the royal household running. "Elphaba! Elphaba, what is the meaning of this?" Frexpar grabbed his daughter by her shoulders, turning her towards him and shaking her gently, and but all Elphaba did was nod to the tree overhead. Slowly, every head turned to the branches, and the princess sitting among them. Frexpar sighed. "Nessarose Frexparia."

The youngest girl swallowed, and after several minutes, Frex and the sailor nannies managed to get the nine-year-old out of the tree. As Frexpar gently set Nessa on her feet, Elphaba crossed her arms over her chest in a very unladylike stance. "I told you I would get Papa if you didn't come down."

The memory faded and Cata sighed. "As I grew older, I spent less and less time in the kitchens, as Her Majesty requested my presence more and more in her and her children's lives. I soon became the girls' companion, going everywhere with them. Her Majesty believed that it would be good for the girls to be around someone their own age, that if they had someone close to them in age, it would probably humble them, though they were already humble."

"You were like Cattery is with our children."

Cata nodded. "When the girls went to visit the Dowager in the City, I went with them. When they went out among the people of Fliaan, I followed. I was constantly with them, that the others maids often referred to me as the 'fifth' daughter."

"Look at who is back from her jaunt with the royal daughters."

She looked up as the door shut softly behind her. Evrina, one of the other young maids, sat on her bed in the small dormitory quarters the scullery maids shared, reading a magazine. Candle looked up from her book and her place in her own bed, long dark hair down in two braids. Slowly, she removed the pins from her hair; the caramel locks tumbled down her back in waves, and she swallowed. "Did you have fun doing whatever you've been doing with your royal sisters?"

Cata remained silent, moving away from the door and going to her small corner of the dormitory, placing the pins in a small tin she kept the majority of her toiletries in and then proceeding to undress, removing the beautiful dress gifted to her by Sophelia; it was worn, but still good, and the oldest princess had insisted that the young woman, only a couple years younger than her, take it, as she had nothing nice to wear, and they would be going to the opera. But the night had turned deadly, as the Fliaanian ambassador had been assassinated in the audience after the performance, in full view of the Emperor and his daughters. Oziandra had broken down in tears, and Sophelia had folded in on herself; it had been up to Cata to comfort the distraught princess, the girl she shared an age with. "How is it fair, that a lowly kitchen rat like you becomes the fifth daughter of the Emperor and his wife? Why you, Cata? Why not one of us? Each of us is just as worthy, if not more, to be favoured by the royal family than you are-"

"That's enough, Evrina." Candle snapped, shutting her book. Setting it aside, she got out of bed, making her way to the girl and taking a seat beside her on the bed once Cata was in her nightgown. "Are you all right?" "The other girl sniffled, reaching up to wipe at her eyes, alarming Candle, for she never cried. "Cata? What happened?"

"The... the prime minister... he was shot, after the performance..." Candle gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

"What?"

"What do you mean, shot?"

She looked up as Evrina, despite her jealousy, and Audah, a young maid who normally kept to herself and also shared their room, joined the other girls on the bed. After a moment, Candle took her hand. "He was standing, and... during the applause, someone came up and shot him in the chest... I don't know if he died, but... but the guards got us out of the royal box immediately." She broke down then, and Candle pulled the sobbing girl into her chest, rocking back and forth to comfort her.

"No one knew that those were the first signs of unrest in our beloved Fliaan. We only knew the Prime Minister had been shot; he died three days later. We didn't know of what was yet to come." She looked up at Trism, who cupped his hands around his mug, waiting for her to continue. "You must understand Your Majesty, that the Thropps were more than just my employers. They were my family; they were the only family I had after my mother died. Please do not think any less of me for what I did after. Her Majesty does not, I could not bear it if you did. Everything I did after the revolution hit, I did out of loyalty to the Emperor and Empress and the royal children. I did what so many in the royal household did not after Frexpar abdicated."

Trism sighed, taking a sip of his drink, blue eyes studying her. "What, exactly, did you do that you think believe I would think less of you for, Cata?"

She swallowed, tears welling her hazel eyes. "I stayed, Samraat. I stayed when so many in the royal household fled."