Chapter 29 Exiled

Lady Katharina trembled on her way to the War Room. It was obvious that there was something wrong. She had been summoned by the king with a soldier... and to the War Room. It was a place where only bad conversations took place. She couldn't focus as she approached to the door and her steps became heavier.

The soldier opened the door and Lady Katharina entered the room. She became an ice statue when she noticed Lord's Roderick's presence and the severity on the king's countenance. There was definitely something grave going on.

"Have a sit, Lady Katharina. I need to ask you a couple of questions." The king addressed the lady with the same severity in his voice. The blonde sat immediately. Her shaking hands on her lap, she looked at the king and she asked him. "Is there anything wrong, your Majesty?"

"I hope not... tell me my dear, do you know someone called Lilura?" The king asked the lady. Her face turned white as snow. She looked at Lord Roderick first and then to the king. She had been caught. What was she going to do now? She managed to speak with a broken voice.

"Lilura? No, I don't recall anybody with that name... Why do you ask, Your Highness?"

Lord Roderick was boiling standing in his corner. 'This bit - blonde is lying! Liar!' He thought and he clenched his fists. The king looked at Lord Roderick noticing his reaction. Then he continued the interrogatory.

"I have some witnesses that affirm you went to visit that witch a week before the Masquerade..." Lord Roderick interrupted the king's inquiring for he couldn't contain himself. He stepped in front of the accused and yelled at her.

"Do not deny it! It has no use you lie! I saw you giving Am a glass of wine minutes after her blackout! Confess you evil woman!"

Lady Katharina almost fainted. She was not able to speak. Everything accused her... Suddenly a third male voice joined inquiring.

"did you poison her? Is that true! Is that what I've heard!" It was the prince, who entered the room after he heard the screams in the hallway.

Lady Katharina couldn't do anything but cry. She threw herself by the prince's feet and crying she begged. "I did it because I love you with all my heart! I didn't want to lose you! You mean everything for me! I noticed you were falling for her and I couldn't stand it any longer! Please, forgive me!"

Prince Alasther was astonished. Lady Katharina just confessed her crime against Am. He became petrified as the lady held his legs as if on that her life depended. The prince spoke with gravity in his voice.

"No, I can't forgive you. You are an evil woman. You attempted against another person's life without measuring the consequences. Am could be dead by this moment, and that is something I would never pardon you or anybody that wish to cause her harm. I don't want to see you again in my life. My engagement with you ends at this moment... Father, her fate is in your hands now. You certainly know the punishment for the severity of her crimes." And the prince left the room.

Lady Katharina remained standing in the middle of the room. She spoke to the king. "Your Highness, I've done wrong and I know it. But I did what I did because I love your son with my soul. I was not going give him to that maiden... Please, for your friendship with my father, I beg your pardon..." And she kneeled in front of the king.

"For your father I would not let fall on you all the severity of the law. The punishment for witchcraft is death... and of attempt of assassination in a long stay in the castle's dungeons... You father would die of shame and sadness if I hang you or imprison you... I condemn you to perennial exile. You are a non grata person in the kingdom of Abhainn. You lost all the privileges and the status in society you enjoyed in the realm and its territories. I will send two servants to help you pack. You leave tomorrow morning with a letter to your father explaining what you did... You are dismissed Lady Katharina." The king pronounced his verdict with Lord Roderick and two soldiers as witnesses. The two soldiers escorted the blonde to her chambers where she would spend her last night in the castle.

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The prince was sitting on his bed, thinking of what just had happened. Lady Katharina almost killed his beloved Amalthea. He had a mixture of feelings revolving in his stomach. He felt so angry with Lady Katharina. How could she did that harm to Am? Memories of her illness came to his mind. The soft kiss that he gave her with the promise of eternal love blinked in his mind... Now he was free... free to love his love... free to run to his maiden and confess how much he adored her...

A soft knock on the door interrupted his trails of thoughts. It was Queen Cephora coming in his room with a guilty expression on her face.

"I can guess that maybe you need some privacy, but we need to talk about this unfortunate situation... I want you to forgive me. I pushed you into an engagement with a person you didn't love... If I had known the wrecked soul of that woman... I... I" The prince's mother was crying. Alasther stood up and hugged his mother tenderly as he spoke to her.

"Mother, there is nothing to be forgiven. I know you would never wish me any harm and you didn't know how dark Katharina's heart turned to be. None of us could imagine how far she could go to get what she wants... Now I need some time to think what I am going to do..."

" I will give you that time... Maybe I should say this before, but if you love that maiden... if she is your true love, fight for her! Don't let anyone interpose between you two. Go and defend your love. You have my blessing." The queen kissed his son forehead and left the room.

'Yes, I will fight for my love! I will fight for our love Am!' The prince spoke to himself as he threw himself on his gigantic bed. He needed to sleep. Tomorrow would be another day...