A Katarina Interlude
It was always sad when a party had to end, but there inevitably came a time when all the food had been eaten (by Katarina), all the drinks had been drunk (by Katarina), all the desserts were gone (because of Katarina), and everyone was tired and wanted to rest (because they weren't Katarina). That was when you had to say your farewells, get in a few last goodbye hugs—which weren't in mom's big etiquette book, but there was also nothing against it, so it wasn't improper!—make sure everyone knew to meet for breakfast, before finally and sadly seeing them off as they headed back to their rooms.
Unfortunately, Nicol couldn't walk Hyetta back to her own rooms—which was probably for the best, since if he had the other ladies going that way might never make it there—since apparently he had to go back to help his dad with the work they still had to do, but Katarina had made sure they'd sat next to each other during dinner. Keith, Sophia and Mary had also showed up at one point, but beyond getting them to sit down to eat, she really hadn't been able to talk to them much. After all, she was playing hostess, so that meant she had to keep moving around and talking to everyone. It was a good thing Lady Maria wasn't there, or Shana might have lost dessert, since Katarina was did this with a plate piled up with food in one hand. After all, she needed to eat too. She wasn't like mother who could run on pure tsun. Katarina needed actual food!
Still, it had been fun walking back to Hyetta's room with Sophia—who'd showed up at some point and had given Nicol a big jar of green blossom tea before they'd parted—just talking about the Night Fall books and making guesses of about what the next book—Shadow of Lies—would be about. Zorayas was there too, but she seemed content to just listen, since apparently she hadn't read the books.
"It's going to be about Dorothy's past," Sophia asserted. "After all, why else would it hint about her by showing those shoes at the end?"
"But she hasn't been part of the story since The Hidden Valley," Katarina said. "Besides, the last time the shoes showed up, they were with Nessa."
"But remember, they weren't on Nessa's body when they found her under that house," Sophia pointed out.
"But that doesn't mean Dorothy has them!"
"She's the only one who knows how to activate the Weapon Art on them though!"
Katarina staunchly maintained that the next book would be about the pendant. After all, it had to happen sometime!
"But all the plot points about it are tied up now. We even know what it finally does!"
"Yes, but they still haven't used it! You can't just set something up and never use it!"
"Sure you can. We never find out what the feathers in the cage meant, after all."
"Oh, come on, that's an easy one. It means the princess grew wings and flew away. All those fat knights had wings, after all."
"But they couldn't fly!"
"Because they were fat! The princess was a lot smaller, so of course she could fly!"
Hyetta had merely espoused that she knew that next book would be great, and was merely looking forward to it, which was a cowardly non-answer.
"I mean, anything would be good," Hyetta said. "The previous books left a lot of unanswered questions after all, like what happened to the Kind Princess why there's no mention of shadows of the other Empyreans. There's the Queen's shadow, and the Witch's shadow, but there's no mention of the two princesses shadows."
"Ooh, you're right! I never noticed that! they should have shadows too, since all Empyreans get one… yeah, I hope that's in the next book!"
"I think that's more of a plothole than anything else. Maybe their shadows tried to kill them when they tried to set up their own Princessipality? I mean, the blind princess has never known defeat, after all."
"No, I'm pretty sure she was born with feet but they fell off because of her sickness…"
They eventually waved goodbye to Hyetta—even if she couldn't see it—then turned to head back to their rooms.
"Ah, what a day," Sophia sighed as they walked side by side away from the Hallig delegation's rooms. "I want to go home and read…"
"Eh? Aren't you staying here in the castle, Sophia?"
"Yes, that's why I want to go home… Oh, right! where are you staying tonight, Lady Katarina? Maybe I can stay with you instead, and we can read a little? I'm too tired to try and go to my room…"
"You know where I'm staying tonight, Sophia. I've been sleeping with Ma—er, Dame Maria, remember?"
"S-sleeping with Maria?-! W-wait, there are plenty of rooms open now because of all the cowards who ran off! Shouldn't you have your own room now?"
"No, I don't think so. Anne moved all my stuff to Dame Maria's room too."
"Grr…"
Maria had finally been dismissed from guarding the king, with orders that she present herself to resume guarding him in the morning. Normally, she would make her way down to the dining hall and have a meal there, but the day had been so long that she headed straight for her rooms with the intention of asking Lasciel to simply get her something from the kitchens. She was so tired that she might not even bother to eat, simply let herself pass out and consume a large breakfast in the morning.
…
No, she needed to eat. Maria wouldn't be able to effectively protect the king if she wasn't at her best, and from the looks on things this would be her duty for some time. She might need to start making arrangements for her estates to be taken care of in her absence…
Fortunately, she had parted ways with the king somewhere she recognized, so it was no trouble for her to backtrack to the room where her effects had been moved. Wearily, with her feet aching in her boots, Maria knocked upon the locked door. The sight of Anne opening the portal was a welcome sight. "Anne," she greeted tiredly.
"Maria." Her mother's lover greeted with a small smile, even as she quickly looked Maria up and down to take in her state. She opened the door wider and gave her a precise bow. Inside the suite's sitting room, Maria saw Shana look up from studying the thick and much bookmarked 'The Noble's Proper Etiquette Reference and Manual of Propriety and Action, seventh edition' laid on the girl's lap, as well as Lasciel and Sadako rising to their feet at the sight of her. "Welcome back. Lady Katarina is still at dinner, I believe." The brown-haired maid shut the door behind Maria.
"Lady Maria-dono," Sadako greeted, her hands folded at her waist and bowing low in the Ashina fashion. "Want dinner? Want bath? Watashi?"
"A bath and dinner please Sadako, Lasciel," Maria said, finally allowing herself to relax slightly and loosening her cravat by a finger as Shana turned to look at Sadako for some reason. Ah. much better. She walked over to the weapons stand and began divesting herself of her weapons. Pistols, throwing knives, bombs, spare cylinders, various antidotes… they all went onto the various shelves of the stand. Maria also removed her coat and cape, laying it over the shoulders of the stand. With hesitation, she also divested herself of her boots, setting them down on the stand and allowing herself the relief of walking on unclad feet. It was indecorous, she knew, but after a day on her feet…
Well, she'd allow herself this small indulgence… since Rafael probably wouldn't be ravishing her tonight…
After a quick and refreshing bath that unfortunately involved her having to stand to make it quick, Maria was finally able to take the weight off her feet and sit down on the couch next to Shana, listening as the young girl spoke about what further etiquette lessons were in store for Katarina. Maria made an occasional comment but left the rest in the girl's hands. She had been doing splendidly so far, so it would be pointless for Maria to interfere, as Shana was already doing an exemplary job. The girl had beamed proudly upon hearing that, once Maria had explained what 'exemplary' meant.
Maria was midway through the dinner that Lasciel brought back when there was another knock on the door. It was an enthusiastic and energetic knock, distinctly Katarina in a way that went beyond the rhythm of knuckles striking on wood. Anne certainly recognized it from the alacrity in which she got to her feet and somehow glided to the door, not a fold out of place as she came to a dead stop and smoothly opened the door and bowed. "Welcome back, my lady."
"Hi, Anne! Oh, good, I'm in the right rom after all," Katarina's cheerful voice proclaimed through the open door. "I thought this was my room too, but Sophia kept saying mother must have given me my own room since there were a lot of empty rooms now."
"You are correct, my lady," Anne said. "For your own safety in case there was another attack in the middle of the night, her grace thought you would be safest sleeping in the same suite as Lady Campbell."
"My squire, come inside and stop lingering at the door," Maria called out. "It's late and you still need to get more blood stains out of your armor so that you're more presentable tomorrow. Lady Sophia, you may enter or leave, but please choose one."
There was some annoyed muttering. "Ugh… fine. I'll see you tomorrow, Lady Katarina. Take care."
"You too, Sophia!" Katarina said cheerfully, and there were various sounds that Maria surmised that her squire was giving Sophia a hug, which was probably very uncomfortable since Katarina was wearing armor. "See you tomorrow! Don't forget, we're having breakfast with Hyetta."
There was no reply before Katarina finally skipped into the room, and Anne closed the door behind her, cutting off any reply Sophia might have given.
"Hi, Dame Maria!" Katarina greeted. "Hi, Shana! Hi, Lash! Tadaima, Sadako-chan!"
"My squire," Maria nodded as she continued eating her dinner. "I heard you've been busy in my absence."
"Eh? I've just been talking to my friends, though?"
"Oh? What have you been talking about?"
"Well, first I went to see Hyetta to see if she was all right…"
A week after the attack on the International Assembly, as Sorcier was in the midsts of preparing for war, a herald arrived at the castle of Morfae Londo. Clad in the black, yellow and cyan colors and heraldry of La Sable, they flew a banner of truce as they proclaimed to bear a message from the nation's senate.