A Katarina Vacation Arc
With the party behind her and much food to burn off, Katarina took her practiced sword and went with her early morning practice with a will. Time seemed to fly past in a flash of light as she let her body move by the rote burned into her muscle memory.
…
Eh, she missed having a garden to take care of. There was nothing like the satisfaction of taking care of crops to eat them later with your friends!
"C-cousin Katarina? Um, can you hear me?"
Katarina blinked, realizing Matthew had been speaking to her for a while. "Ah, sorry Mashu!" she said. "I was really into it. can I help you with something?"
"Um, I was wondering if you'd like to spar?" Matthew said. "Just with swords, I promise! It would really help me if I had a real opponent. But only if you want to! I'm not forcing you or anything!"
"Oh, sure!" Katarina said agreeably she straightened and began stretching and twisting to loosen up some more. She stamped her feet, and was satisfied with her how her feet fit in her boots.
The two faced each other, wooden practice swords raised…
"Um, you better start," Katarina said. "Like I said, I'm not good at attacking."
"You won't get better unless you practice," Matthew said. She lowered her sword, pointing it to the side. "Here I'll give you an opening to start with."
"Well… okay… " Katarina said, dubiously. She took a deep breath, held her sword before in a kendo-like stance that this more western style of swordsmanship apparently shared. She rolled her shoulder. It's just like swinging a hoe, it's just like swinging a hoe… she reminded herself.
With a cry, Katarina stepped forward and swung downward…
The family was sitting down for breakfast when the doors to the dining room slammed open.
"UNCLE SALOMAN! HELP!" Katarina cried, carrying Matthew sack of potatoes-style over her shoulder. "I RUINED COUSIN MASHU'S BEAUTIFUL FACE! I DIDN'T MEAN TO! WAH!"
"Rearry, it's fibe, I'b hab worsh," Matthew tried to reassure her.
"I SCARRED HER BEAUTIFUL FACE!" Katarina wailed, completely ignoring her. "Now cousin Mashu will never be a bride! She'll have to settle for some blackhearted genius who'll only use her as a shield to protect himself from women!"
"P-prease stop calling me dat…" Matthew said groggily.
"I'M A TERRIBLE PERSON! Mashu probably hates me now!" Katarina wailed.
"This feels so familiar…" Olga muttered.
"I'll get the grass jelly," Adella said, rushing out of the room as Katarina set Matthew down and hovered nervously around her as Saloman started his daughter's face.
"Don't worry dear, your nose isn't broken," he reassured his daughter and Katarina. "Bruised though. After we clean it, put some ice on it, it should go down. What happened?"
"Mashu and I were sparring, she tripped and I hit her in the face!" Katarina cried. "I tried to pull it, but she stumbled forward before I could stop!"
"It wash my fault," Matthew said. "I wasn't ecshpecting her to shtep on my sword."
"I'M REALLY SORRY MASHU!" Katarina repeated again. "I… I'll make it up to you for ruining your chances of getting married! I'll… I'll… I'LL DO THE HONORABLE THING AND BECOME ENGAGED TO YOU!"
Mili choked. It was quite an accomplishment, as she didn't have anything in her mouth at the time.
"Eh? What?" Uncle Saloman said. "Wait, what?"
"EH!?" Matthew exclaimed.
"Oh my," Marie said as everyone else around the table did their own spit takes.
Katarina ignored all this, bowing to Matthew. "This is all my fault! This horrible scar is going to deter any suitors and keep you from getting married! As the person responsible, I vow to take responsibility for this! So… Cousin Mashu, will you become engaged to me?"
"W-waib, what?!" Mashu exclaimed, staring at her cousin.
"I know I'm not very attractive, having this huge scar on my forehead myself, and evil, villainous eyes, but I can take responsibility for this horrible thing I did to you!" Katarina said determinedly. "Don't worry cousin! I'll be there for you so that this doesn't ruin your social standing!"
"Wait, no you REALLY don't have to do that!" Matthew cried.
"Mili, why are you banging your head on the table?" Sheryl asked.
"So… I don't have to marry cousin Matthew for scarring her face and deterring future potential suitors?" Katarina said, hardly daring to believe it.
"No," Mili said. "Honestly, I understand why you'd think so, but… no. No, that's not something you have to do."
"Ah! Is it because I'm a girl? I'M SORRY MASHU! I RUINED YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE AND I CAN'T EVEN DO THE HONORABLE THING AND MAKE IT UP TO YOU BECAUSE I'M A GIRL!" Katarina wailed. "I'm a horrible cousin! You must hate me!"
"I don't hate you!" Matthew wailed right back. "I don't hate you, I don't hate you, please stop crying Katarina!"
"But your face!" Katarina cried. "Your cute, smart girl, sweet and approachable face was perfect and I RUINED IT!"
"It's all right!" Matthew said. "REALLY! This isn't the first time I've been hit in the face! I got hit in the face lots of times when I was a squire and learning to use the shield! You get used to getting hit in the face when you become a knight! So it's all right!"
"S-so, I haven't destroyed any chance you have of getting married because I scarred your face and made it so no one would ever want to be your suitor?" Katarina said, sounding like a hopeful puppy.
"No, you haven't!" Matthew assured her. "Honestly, why would you think that? It's just a little mark, it'll heal right up."
"Eh? But when he scarred my forehead, the prince said it meant no one would want to marry me, so that's why he proposed and we became engaged," Katarina said. She pointed at what to Matthew seemed like a perfectly smooth and unblemished forehead. "See, right here. He says he sees a huge scar there, and that's why he has to stay engaged to me. I can't see it, but I suppose he has better eyesight than I do…"
"The prince said WHAT?!" Mili said, suddenly filled with motherly indignation. How DARE that little dung pie imply her wonderful daughter was even a little bit ugly!
"He said the scar was still there, so he had to stay engaged to me," Katarina said. "I guess he still thinks I'm too ugly for anyone else to want to marry…"
For the first time in her life, Millidiana Claes considered that the Third Prince was completely unsuitable for being king, as he was clearly blind and stupid. She had never had any real objection to Katarina marrying the prince, only the notion of Katarina becoming queen and representing and assisting in ruling the nation. Had the Third Prince not been the most likely candidate to become king, Mili would have gladly supported their union, secure in the knowledge that Katarina was marrying well.
But… what was she to think, learning that the Third Prince had convinced her daughter she was too ugly for anyone but him to marry? And even then, only out of honor? She had always assumed that the prince's actions for her daughter were motivated by guileless love that had grown to surpass any sort of political consideration (he certainly seemed as lovestruck as anyone else around Katarina) but… what sort of man did that to the woman he claimed to love?
A memory came to her, chilling and unbidden.
"I would, of course, not impugn his highness, but I must point out that if Katarina should become pregnant with his child… I apologize if you already know, but at the Academy, it is whispered that the Third Prince intends to wed Lady Claes as soon as they both graduate."
"I think…" Mili heard herself saying, as if from far off, "that I should have a long-overdue talk with that upstart fiancé for yours, Katarina."
"Eh? Mother, are you mad?" Katarina said. "Did I do something wrong?"
"You've done absolutely nothing wrong dear," Mili said. "Far from it. Why would you think I was angry at you?"
"Um… you're doing that glaring at that wall the way you glare at me when you lecture me…" Katarina said.
Mili realized her brows were set in a stone expression, and had to physically force herself to relax. "It's nothing dear, just a passing thought. Not your fault." She looked at her daughter dear. "If it makes any difference Katarina, I see no scar. All I see is my beautiful daughter."
Katarina smiled. "That's nice of you to say mother."
"I'm saying it because it's true," Mili said. "Are you calling your mother a liar?"
Katarina jerked. "No! No, of course not!" Hesitantly, Katarina's hands reached towards her face, and rubbed her forehead.
"Um…" Matthew said. "I don't see a scar either cousin."
Katarina didn't say anything, still fingering her forehead.
Uncle Saloman coughed. "We'll, it's all clean now. Katarina, why don't you help your cousin get some ice for her face?"
Katarina jerked. "Ah, okay, I can do that! Come one Mashu, let's get you some ice!"
"Please don't… okay," Matthew said, letting herself be pulled.
They left the dining room as servants began to set their places for them when they returned.
"So," Duke Henry Adeth said, looking at his second sister, who had taken on a countenance not unlike a wrathful goddess of war. "Just to be clear… we're not rebelling or treasoning are we? Not that I wouldn't support you either way, but I'd prefer if we didn't."
"No," Mili said, and it was the duchess who spoke. "No rebellion, just… taking a stand."
"Ah, good," Duke Henry said, stroking his beard. "Well, that's nice. I won't need my axe, then. So, what do you need?"
"I represent a faction that is against the Third Prince marrying my daughter," Mili said. "May we count on your support?"
"Of course," Duke Henry said. "Any other political goals in mind?"
"I believe I'll start with making that little ball of slime regret making the implication my daughter was ugly," Mili said, "punish him for his presumption he can just marry my daughter without my approval, and see where we go from there."
"House Romani is with you," Leona said, face utterly serious.
"Dear, that's my job to say," Marquess Romani said. "But yes, what she said."
"We'll talk to our relatives," Henriette said, and Eileen and Viola nodded.
"Ah," Sheryl said. "It's so wonderful when a family comes together. Can someone pass me the pancake syrup?"
