Hello! As promised here is another chapter of the Heretic! And it didnt take me forever!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing at all. Except the laptop I wrote this on... nope not even that :(
In this crazy world of choices I've only got a few
Either you're coming with me, or I'm coming with you
Cause I finally found, I finally found you
You'll never have to worry if what I say is true
Girl I've been looking for you
And when I saw you I knew
That I finally found, I finally found you
EPOV
Caroline and I were standing outside of the Princesses chambers, working up the strength to go in and face her.
"Well then, we better get in there." Caroline nodded to the guard and he opened the door and waved us inside. I slowly walked beside Caroline towards where Katherine was sitting at her vanity. We curtseyed and said good morning while keeping our eyes cast towards the floor. The princess didn't acknowledge us one bit. She kept powdering her face while staring into the looking glass. We stood up and walked over to the other ladies in waiting.
"Lady Caroline, come here please" the princess called out from across the room.
Caroline walked up to her chair once again and repeated her curtsey, "your Highness?"
"I have heard rumors about you and Lord Lockwood. Yes apparently he has a fancy for you." She put down her powder brush and looked up at Caroline.
"Does your Highness think such rumors could be true?" Caroline looked hopeful but also weary.
"Oh definitely Lady Forbes, I have it on great authority that Sir Lockwood does nothing but speak of you when he is in the company of his companions. My darling Damon complains of his long rants about you constantly."
"Your Highness I do hope I have not upset the King in any way, or you for that matter my Lady."
"My dear do not be silly! I think this will be a wonderful courtship, you have mine and his Majesty's most sincere blessing" she smiled at Caroline a small smile. Then she nodded to her and signaled for her to return back to the rest of us standing and watching their interaction.
"Lady Donovan" Katherine called next.
"Yes your Highness" Vicki curtseyed awkwardly and much too low.
"Have you confirmed the information you presented to me earlier?"
"I have your Highness; it would seem that several servants of your personal court mentioned seeing her out of her chambers at a most disgraceful time of the night."
"Thank you Lady Donovan," Katherine stood and turned to address us all, "You may all start your way to the cathedral. Morning mass will begin once I arrive. His Majesty will be in attendance today so please do not embarrass me or yourselves. You may go." She gave us all a stern look and then sat back down at her vanity. "Oh and Lady Gilbert, may I have a word?"
Caroline looked over to me and I nodded that I would be okay and that I would meet her in the cathedral.
"Your Highness" I gave her a curtsey.
"It would seem that I have found you in a difficult position Lady Gilbert. Several of the members of my court have reported seeing you outside your chambers last night."
"Forgive me your highness I did not know it was a cardinal sin to leave me chambers"
"YOU DARE TALK TO ME THAT WAY! I am the future Queen of England! YOUR Queen! And you DARE to speak to me that way?"
"Forgive me your Highness." Just then there was a knock on the door and a guard entered.
"Your Majesty there has been a development in the matter you asked me about." Katherine arched her eyebrow as her eyes began to burn.
"His Majesty has asked Lord Saltzman to deliver a note to you, stating that he will be meeting with Cardinal Elijah to discuss the developments of his newest vessel. However the Cardinal was spotted leaving his Majesty's chambers this morning with the plans for the ship."
"His Majesty is probably tired and wishes not to upset me with declining an invitation for dinner."
"The kitchen is supposedly preparing dinner for two, to be delivered to his Majesty's chambers tonight."
I was starting to understand what Katherine was thinking. "Your Highness I was never asked by his Majesty to attend supper in his chambers this evening I swear it!"
Katherine turned to me and put her hand up to silence me.
"You will return to your chambers immediately and pack your things. You are hereby removed as my lady in waiting and you are no longer welcome here in my court. And if you ever speak to his Majesty EVER again, I will see to it that you hang." I couldn't believe it. I was stunned, and I couldn't move. My parents would be heartbroken, and Damon. I would never see him again, or Caroline and the rest of my friends at court. I would never see the court again. I would be sent to a convent to live out the rest of my days as a nun. I grabbed my skirts, turned on my heel and ran out of Katherine's chambers, without even a curtsey towards the bitch.
I ran and ran until I ran straight into a wall, except it wasn't a wall at all. It was a person, and not just any person. It was the King. I didn't realize where I was until I looked around and realized I hadn't been running towards my chambers. I was outside of his Majesty's chambers. Before I knew what I was doing, I held him close and fell into darkness.
My life as I knew it was over.
DPOV
"Quickly, don't just stand there help me bring her in to my chambers Stefan!"
"This girl runs smack into you in the hall and you don't wish to have her beheaded? Are you feeling alright Damon?"
"This girl? This girl has a name brother." I glared at my younger brother. How could he not see her beauty and that she was clearly distraught before she ran into me?
"Oh? And what might her name be?"
"Her name is Elena. And now that you have bothered me enough about yours and your lovely wife's plans for your new summer palace, do you not have somewhere else to be and someone else to pester?" I looked up and gave him a sly smile.
"And would your betrothed not be at all upset to learn that you have a young lady in your bed while no one remains in your chambers with you dear brother?"
"Unlike you Stefan, I do not feel the need to stay completely devoted to my wife. But I do applaud you for keeping yourself available for your wife's pleasure only" and with that comment Stefan turned red and abruptly left my chambers in a huff.
I walked over to where Elena was lying passed out on my bed. She looked like a fallen angel. Her face was stained with tears and she looked terribly pail. I reached my hand out and brushed some stray hair that had fallen out of her headdress off of her face. At the contact she stirred and woke up.
"Where am I?" she looked around the room confused.
"Shhh you are safe, don't fret." She looked up at me and visibly relaxed. "Would you care for some wine to calm your nerves? You look terrified! I have some bread and cheese as well?"
"I should be returning to my rooms to pack my belongings. I am so sorry to have bothered your Majesty." She stood and moved towards the door. What was she talking about packing her things? Was she going on a trip? I moved to block her from the doorway.
"Pack your belongings? Lady Gilbert are you going somewhere? You only just arrived at court!"
"I am returning to my family home at Hever Castle your Majesty."
"For how long? Is someone ill?"
"No one is ill your Majesty. I will be staying there until my family decides what to do with me. Now that I have shamed them they will most likely send me to the convent to become a nun."
Convents? Hever Castle? What the hell was she talking about?
"Elena I demand an answer for all of this! Why are you leaving court?"
She moved and sat back down on the bed.
"Princess Katherine learned of our walk in the Maze of Roses last evening. She became very upset with me. Then a guard informed her that you were going to ask me to a private dinner in your chambers tonight. She banished me from her court and ordered me to leave and never speak to you again. She's furious Damon. And now I have to return home to my parents and disgrace them. I told you this was not a good idea Damon!" she fell apart and began to sob once more.
I was mad with rage. I could not believe that Katherine could think she had control over MY court. That she had the right to banish MY subjects. This was insanity, and she had pushed too far.
"You are not going anywhere. SHE HAS NO RIGHT TO DO THIS IN MY COURT!" I boomed. Elena shrank back against the bed in response to my outburst. "Stay here, I will go take care of this right now. When I return I expect you to still be here." I turned when I realized I was giving her orders. "What I meant was, that if you would agree to join me for supper?" she looked up at me with a hesitant look. "Please Elena, I promise no one will know of it. Katherine will never hurt you again." Slowly she began to smile.
"I am rather hungry your Majesty."
"Brilliant! Help yourself to anything you want. Unfortunately you cannot ring for the servants as you will be found out. Anything you require I will be happy to fetch for you when I return. You are welcome to browse my library of works. I will be back shortly."
"Thank you your Majesty. I do not know why you have chosen me to hold as highly as you do, but I am grateful. And not just for the material things you provide for me, but for the companionship. For being my friend." She smiled a breathtaking smile. I turned and left the room before I had the chance to take her right then and there on my bed.
Several minutes later I was making my way up the Cathedral steps. I could see Katherine on her knees at the altar, her head bowed in prayer. I marched into the church not caring who I was disturbing at the moment.
"HOW DARE YOU" I bellowed. Being in a cathedral, my voice echoed throughout the vaults in the ceiling. Katherine stood and whipped around to face me.
"Your Majesty I am in the house of God devoting myself to our lord and saviour, and you dare interrupt me? What is the meaning of this?" Now she was taking a tone with me, delightful.
"EVERYONE OUT NOW, RETURN TO YOUR CHAMBERS AT ONCE. MASS IS OVER." The priest turned to tell me off but I glared at him and he assumed returning to his chambers would be the smarter idea.
I grabbed Katherine by the sleeve of her dress and dragged her over to a pew. "Tell me it is not true Katherine. Tell me you did not feel that you were above my authority and able to banish my members of court?" At that Katherine's eyes began to burn with rage.
"Damon I am your wife to be, you have no business shacking up with a common whore."
The next sound that filled the cathedral was the echo of my hand striking across Katherine's face.
"YOU WILL NEVER DEFY ME AGAIN, I AM YOUR KING AND TO DISOBEY ME IS TREASON."
Katherine pushed off the pew and ran out of the church sobbing. I was so angry with her. I knew then and there that I did not want to marry her. Having to choose between running after Katherine and sorting this out, or returning to my chambers and dining with the beautiful Elena Gilbert I knew the answer would always be Elena.
It will always be Elena.
I hope you all liked it! I should have the next chapter up by next week!
Let me know what you think! I have so many different ideas for ways this story could go, but I want to know what all of you think!
ALSO! Please please please check out my tumblr site for udpates and inspiration behind this story! elisabethstaunton.
xoxo
-ES