Exhale

Chapter 43 - Lean on Me

"Katherine?" I called, breaking a smile.

There was no doubt about it—it had to be Katherine. Though she had lost weight and had wrinkles on her face, I knew it was her. She still had those same glistening eyes and though they were now tinted pink, they still shone like the stars. And though her hair was as pale as my own, they, too, had this radiant look to it that was a sign of her internal radiance. Then, there was the scent. Now, everywhere I turned smelled like her. Every direction I turned—left, right, forward, back—I could still smell the faint fragrance of sweet cinnamon, the scent I knew so well. If that wasn't a sign that she was Katherine, then I don't know who is Katherine.

Stepping forward, closer to her, I stammered, "Katherine, I thought you... I was told that you..." I couldn't finish my sentence. Though I had so much to say, my heart was racing, my head was lightheaded, and my body was filled with a sense of euphoria. She was... there. Right before me. For the first time in months, she was with me. And though she was far away, just seeing her, alive, made me so... happy. It was enough to bring tears back to my eyes.

I was about to take another step forward until Phil grabbed me by my waist and pulled me back. Grumbling into my ear, he asked, "Al, what the hell are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" I inquired back, tilting my head to look at him. "I'm going to Katherine—what else would I be doing?"

"Do you not see her?"


"I see her perfectly fine."

He sighed. Then, he moved his hands so that they were on either side of my head, almost covering my ears, and then forcefully turned it. And patiently, I watched. My eyes fell on Katherine, who was still looking aghast at me, and then... oh. I see.

Standing next to her was none other than Viola Ainsworth, the Lady in Pink. Though I recognized her figure next to Katherine's before, I didn't consider Viola until now. Nor did I consider the knife in her hand, but that was a given. She noticed that everyone's focus was on her and she smiled.

"Now, I see that everyone notices me,

Now, I see that they see me appreciably.

Though I enjoyed it when you, Al, were so carefree

Now I can say with honor that I killed you legally,"

she sang in that sickly sweet tone. Turning to Katherine, she said,

"Now, without further ado, Lady, pick up you sword

Though it was never your duty to fight in a battle,

We must fight this one in the name of our Lord,

As the people called to protect this ward, we must pick up our swords,

So that the rest of the herd may not be scarred

We will fight this battle for our castle

Of the name Ainsworth, the Lords and Ladies of Great Libentina."

Katherine's face fell to a face as cold as Phil's mother's room. She asked, "Must I do it? Must I pick up my sword? Is there no other way, Servant?"

The other sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Madame, I know that you're suffering.

Madame, I know that she's in there, crying, screaming.

If you want her cries to cease, 
Then I reckon that you do so that there will be no blubbering.

Not today, not tomorrow—she will no longer have a reason for grieving.