The night got colder as the hour became later. Her Majesty was still in her office going over final things that need to be done tomorrow with Lady Diana.
This made her feel quite unsettled, not just because it was late, but because she, for the first time in her whole life, skipped dinner.
Instead of eating with Neftali and waiting for her husband who was not going to come, she stayed in her office.
It seemed like the visit of the Favre family just kept delaying tasks that needed to be done. So even if she is done for today, there is still too much stuff to do the next day.
"You will need to visit the gardener to check on flower arrangements." Lady Diana was standing in front of her majesty's desk with a list written inside her leather notepad in her hands, Lady Diana always wrote down things she needed to do or to say to someone. With all the preparations going on and people involved in them her notepad was getting quite filled.
"I will meet him at two tomorrow." The Empress nodded her head tiredly. All of this has been wearing off on her.
Lady Diana wrote that down in her notepad and closed it. Wrapping it shut with a thin rope made out of horsehair with a charm in the shape of a silver maple leaf, a gift she got from her secret admirer as she called him.
She adjusted the glasses that had fallen on the tip of her nose and took a deep breath of relief.
"That would be it."
Empress leaned back in her chair, perhaps for the first time that day. "Thank you Diana."
"No need to thank me, my Lady, I am just doing my duty."
"Well thank you for fulfilling your duty then."
"Of course My Lady. You should head back to your quarters now my lady, it has gotten quite late and there is a long day ahead of us."
"So should you. Running around on your feet all day is more tiring than sitting in this chair."
"I had help my lady, there are three of us, which is just enough to get everything done."
"Thank God for all of you."
"No, thank Madam Loise for gathering us like lost sheeps."
That brought a smile on both of their faces, Madam Loise, even if strict still has a special place in their hearts. That woman gave everything to them, from knowledge to life, she didn't skip a thing.
Silence grew in between them for a moment. It was late, only the night patrol was awake in this hour, you could hear them walking around halfways every now and then. But this moment was completely quiet.
The Empress adjusted the feather in the ink bottle so it leaned on the other side. Diana cleared her throat.
"My lady, could I ask how it went?"
The Empress took a look on her worried face and smiled softly. "There is no need to be so careful around me Diana."
"It is just that I reacted quite harshly last time."
"You had every right to do so. Don't speak like that in the future, it doesn't suit you."
Diana returned her smile. "How did it go then, meeting with that woman?"
Just as the empress was about to answer.
There was a short knock on the office door just a moment before it was open, that person was not patient enough to wait.
And that person, tall, shoulders wide, with a shadow of a dark halfway behind him entering this room even more dark then the hallway was the Emperor.
The Empress stood up from her chair, and Lady Diana almost bit her tongue when she realized who it was.
"Good evening." He said, shutting the door behind him. He wore his usual attire, the black suit with gold buttons and embroidering. Which was usual for him even at this hour, now was the time when he either drank wine in his room, or was busy sneaking women into his bedroom. The only difference is the undone collar of his shirt.
He took a quick glance around the room, the way he entered, he certainly didn't expect to find anybody else besides his wife in there.
"Lady Diana." He said.
"Good evening your Majesty." She greeted him with a short curtsey.
He stooped looking at her, his gaze now set only on the empress who was still standing quietly behind the table.
"Please leave us, Lady Diana."
Diana turned to look at her lady for a moment, she nodded quietly and without further discussion Diana left without saying goodbye to them.
"Good evening Your Majesty." Empress finally spoke, Evan didn't pay much attention to her words, he sat on the couch and unbuttoned his blazer. He invited her to sit beside him with a gesture of his hand that tapped the spot next to him twice.
Katherine took a good look at him, to see if he was drunk or in one of his states of melancholy. At first she hesitated, finding it hard to take a step from the spot she was standing in.
For the first time in her life she has tried everything to avoid being in his presence, usually it was not a thing she would need to do intentionally because he chose to avoid her most of the time. But now when the only thing that she wished for was not to see him, he kept appearing.
From his usual spots he would flee and appear in places where he never went. The gardens of the Queen's palace, riding his horse near the temple grounds, walking multiple times a day in front of her office just because the doors were always open. He felt her hesitation there was no doubt, the sudden change in her behavior, the wish to avoid him. And deep down she knew that would happen, even though he doesn't want to admit it, their emotional bond still stands strong. All the ties he cut, and still that one stands and it will always stand.
There it is now, in the darkness of his eyes, that were calling her to sit beside him, telling her to come closer. The knot that can never be undone.
Yet it is like he is having a hard time seeing her. Like his sight is too focused on the spot she is standing in, convincing himself she is indeed standing there.
Was that man still holding onto that knot that is tying them together or is he, as she fears, driven only by desire to see her gone?
Katherine brushed her fingers over the spot where the blade pierced her, her hands were shivering.
Come and sit with me, his invite still hangs in the air waiting for her to accept it.
And so she did. There were mere five steps from her desk to the couch he was sitting on. Katherine sat besides him, tall and steady like she always does. And she kept looking at him, his head that slowly turned following her every step.
There is no weapon on him, but his hands were enough to kill her. To see for himself that she can not die.
Those hands moved, he crossed them on his stomach.
"You weren't at dinner today." Evan said. "I was just about to tell Sulivan to send a message that you don't wait for me since I had eaten in my office already. But when he returned, I found out you were not there."
Katherine waited a moment before she answered him.
"I was working till a moment ago, Your Majesty. I will wait for you next time, it won't happen again I promise you that."
"Have you eaten?" He raised his hand and took a loose strand of her hair in between his fingers.
Katherine held her breath. "I have not, Your Majesty."
"You should eat, we can't have our empress staying hungry. Especially in your condition. My daughter tells me you still haven't recovered."
"I am well enough, you shall not worry for me Your Majesty."
"She didn't sound so convinced when we spoke today, in fact that is why I am not hungry, we had tea together. I had no idea it was possible for a person to eat so many different sweets at one time."
Katherine wasn't surprised that Neftali spoke with him, Evan has a stable relationship with his children, they may not like him much but he is still their father. They do talk to him from time to time.
From her hair, his hand went to her cheek, his fingers, rough, skin hard from years worth of blisters slowly went over her face, her skin felt like finest silk under his touch.
The look in his eyes got deeper, less focused.
"I must worry, you are the chosen one, I must make sure you are taken care of."
Evan lives by the prophecy his father gave him on his death bed. Katherine is the one that will make him the emperor, Katherine is the one that can make all his desires come true.
His father was right. She was that girl, the one that made every wish of his come true, that continues to do so.
The state of his country, his status, his position, his children, all the battles he won, all the riches he acquired, it all happened as he wanted, it all came true. She is an amulet of luck, a gift from gods given to him.
Yet it all fails to please him.
Yet he keeps her in fear that all will be lost without her.
"Are you alright Evan?" She whispered and for a moment it was like she saw the girl from the temple, the girl she was at his father's funeral, wrapped in black, only her face and a few pieces of her hair uncovered.
Katherine blinked, once then twice. He was close, the closest he came to her in the last few years.
His hand went lower, following lines of chin all the way down to her neck. Thin and porcelain like skin had a blue glow from the darkness of the night that came in through the window.
She closed her eyes, but Evan was no longer looking at her face, all his focus went on her neck, how thin and fragile it was.
Katherine held back tears, if she could she would step back, but that might make things worse. So she stayed still, waiting for his fingers to wrap around her neck and choke her to death.
"You are not wearing a cross." He said.
"I have not, for a very long time."
"I shall give you a necklace."
Then he stood up and got out of the room, leaving her behind.
"Evan!" She yelled for him, the door was left open and she went after him. What is wrong with him? Is it happening? Is it finally the time for it to happen?
Katherine stepped out in the hallway, she saw him, standing in the moon light. He wasn't alone, there were two figures in front of him. She approached them slowly.
"Evan." She whispered this time.
It was Marquise Favre and his daughter, she was standing right in front of Evan. Katherine stopped just a few steps away from them. Marquise saw her first, taking his daughter by hand, forcing her to bow to them. But Gabrielle didn't care for her, right in front of the window the two of them stood. Both covered in moonlight, with their reflections appearing in the window.
Even stood frozen in front of her, his expansion still, not really understanding what to do. But she looked at him with desire in her eyes, with need like Katherine had never seen. Her reflection was much clearer, much more distracting than Evans. And for a reason that was.
Katherine froze in place, it was almost too hard to breathe, the air around her became heavy. She could see him, a tall figure wrapped in feathers hidden in the moonlight on the window. He was safest there, closest he could get. His thin lips moved in silence, he was too far away for her to hear what he was saying. And she had a feeling, he could see her too.
Katherine was right, her feeling was right.
But before she could do anything Evan turned towards and spoke.
"Katherine." He said. "I shall take you to your chambers."
A blink and he was gone.
Katherine looked at Gabrielle, still in the bow with her father, completely unaware of what had just happened in her life. Perhaps it was better to stay like that, she is not supposed to know, nobody is.
"Come Katherine." Evan called for her with his hand reaching out for her.
She touched her stomach once again, they are back. Katherine closed her eyes and took a deep breath, this is something that she needs to face after all. Like the priest said, there is no running away.
She wrapped her arm around Evans and greeted Marquise and his daughter. It was finally clear to her why she appeared all of the sudden.
"Good night Your Majesty." Marquise said to them as they passed.
But Katherine could turn around, she felt him again, his presence in the moonlight.
Shiver ran down her spine.