.three.

He walked quietly into her room just like he said he would while they had been on their family beach outing. She sat on the edge of the bed, curtains that hung from the canopy drawn apart. He stared through the sheer fabric at her exposed back. She wouldn't even bother to look at him unless she absolutely had to.

He rapidly peeled out of his clothes, knowing that this was the only way he could ever have her now. She only gave herself to him because she was his wife, the mother of their children, and a prisoner in her own home. Katherine felt as though she had no choice in the matter. She turned her head ever so slightly, to look over her shoulder at him finally. A sigh escaping her lips.

He walked around the bed to stand in front of her, drawing the curtains wide enough to allow him to pass through, his knees sinking into the cushions of the bed. He didn't look at her as they commenced, nor she at him. Instead, he pressed a hand to her shoulder and pushed her back onto the bed below them, hovering over her stiffened body awkwardly.

Luke kissed Katherine's exposed shoulder, his lips trailing down towards her neck. But she recoiled back away from his kisses as though she were repulsed by him, then stretched her arms forward, her hands pushing against his chest. He eased back just a bit, closed his ocean blue eyes and pushed her legs apart. He entered her, bodies connecting and becoming one with one another, trying to forget how much she probably hated him. The mixed emotions swirling inside of her. Feelings he easily sensed.

A moan escaped Katherine's lips and he couldn't resist a grin. She felt his mouth move to smile against her shoulder and instantly resented her body's betrayal.

Luke paused in his lovemaking.

He laid there above her for a moment, contemplating, then leaned forward to kiss her on the lips. Katherine turned her head away, but he cupped her chin, turning her face back to him then settled his lips over hers.

She closed her eyes, and drifted somewhere else until it was over.

Soon Luke was dressed and out the door, probably out to steal more riches for the empire he was building and to kill more people. That was how he built his kingdom. At fifteen he had joined a mob of organized crime. From there, he had slowly but surely clawed his way up to the top. He didn't care who he stepped on or who he had to get out of the way. Seven years was all it took. It had been much harder to rise in the ranks of the mob than to convince citizens to join him in a mutiny to overthrow the government. Now they were in their fourth year as rulers of Camelot. 

Katherine laid in bed, her fingers toying with the broken blue shell she had found on the beach during their family trip. She moved the curtain that hung from the canopy back, looking around to ensure he was actually gone. She left the soft cushion of the bed then drew her robe from a nearby chair and covered herself, waiting for the noisy children to sneak to her bedroom, as they always did when he was out of the house.

-

Two small children sat on the edge of Katherine's bed no more than an hour later. She closed her eyes tightly, pushing away images of Luke in her bed only moments prior. The way his hands had been all over her body. Katherine hardly remembered a time anymore when they actually made love. Now it was mostly just for her pleasure. Her daughter, Kristiane bit into a warm piece of bread, and Kristian climbed onto his mother's lap and gazed at her face, his bright blue eyes were tired. Sometimes it pained Katherine to look at her son because his ice ocean colored eyes reminded her of her husband. Kristian took after his father when it came to looks. He was blonde haired and with blue eyes, a mini version of the king of Camelot. Except their son was still innocent in the ways of the world. His father was the complete opposite.

"Mommy... are you mad at daddy?" Her four year old son blurted out the question.

Katherine gave the little boy a surprised look, not exactly knowing how to respond. A part of her also wondered how he could even tell. She thought she was acting pretty well when it came to her interactions with Luke in front of the children. She wasn't entirely pleasant, but she also wasn't entirely indifferent. It was a nice balance that she thought would go unnoticed by them. But like many things, she had been wrong about that too. Katherine then calmed, eager to soothe his worries away with fake reassurances. "Of course not, baby. I love daddy."

It pained her to say it. But who was she to be selfish? Who was she to upset her little one? It wasn't his fault she was miserable. It wasn't either of their faults. If she had to blame anyone, she would have to blame her husband for the atrocities he had committed. Some were in the name of securing a home for him and his family, and some things he had told her he did out of love. But her children didn't ask to have them as parents, he didn't ask to have a murderer for a father. He didn't ask to live in an unhappy household with a mother who was held captive against her will with a shock collar around her neck to assure total compliance.

"Why would you think I was mad at daddy?" She leaned toward the boy, a softened look in her eyes, lips almost smiling. But by the end of the day it was more difficult to keep the act up. It was far too difficult to smile since she was tired of pretending. 

"I don't know," Kristian replied, chewing on his lower lip nervously. "Sometimes..." he started, but then he stopped himself, deciding not to tell her what was on his mind. His train of thought shifted to something else in a second. "Can I have a cracker, mommy?"

Katherine sighed. "Not before bed."

Other than the servants and Luke, the children were her only company. Her husband didn't allow anyone else from the outside to visit her. Not her older brother Brek, her father Matthew, her sister Elizabeth, or even Ashton. He was a mutual friend of hers and Luke's. From what she heard in the hallways from the guards or Luke talking on the phone, he frequently sent Ashton away on dangerous missions. He was Luke's liaison. He handled most of the business outside the compound. Katherine knew it was all to keep him away for as long a time as possible. Already before Ashton had tried countless times to see her. But Luke always got in the way and always opposed. He didn't think Ashton's intentions with Katherine were all that good. He thought that his best friend wanted to take his wife from him. 

-

here's a re-written third chapter for this story. 

i just got done with my jog which actually felt nice. i did it indoors in the hallway of my house. but eventually im going to do it in the backyard. im just very self conscious and my neighbors are nosy. they watch everything that happens in the neighborhood.

but anyway, i hope you all like this update. i'm going to hop in the shower in a bit because im getting up at 5am tomorrow for work. 

i hope you all have a wonderful night. i might post another update before i shower. maybe one or two while i cool down and gather my breathing since i am breathing a little hard.

-clary