Crowned

Chapter 10 - Katherine

Katherine stabbed the biscuit that was unfortunate enough to be on her plate.

Nothing was going right. First, the dress she had intended to wear was dirty and needed to be washed. Second, it was such a gray, depressing day. Third, it was the day that marked two years since Derrick's absence.

She didn't try to remember - she just couldn't forget.

Two years had passed. Two years since Derrick became a knight. Two years since he left. Two years since she last heard anything from him.

To think that she had taught him to read and write and what did he do? He ignored her for two years!

She slammed her knife down on the table. "Stupid biscuit."

Her parents watched her in silence. Cedric didn't dare provoke the already agitated tiger and quietly consumed his breakfast.

How did he dare? After stealing her first kiss, he ran off like a coward. Her blood boiled just thinking of it. Didn't have enough courage to write a short note saying he was doing okay? Apparently not.

She stood up, forcing her chair back. "I'm going out for some air."

No one made a move to stop her.

She almost wished someone dared to try. Pent up anger burned inside of her and she was more than glad to release it on anyone who disagreed with her.

She marched through the corridors and found herself on the balcony of the great hall. Once she had stood on the balcony, beckoning Derrick to come up and dance with her.

Katherine scolded herself for remembering him. It had been two years, wasn't that enough time to forget?

She crumpled to the ground and leaned against the balcony's rail. How many tears had she shed on account of him? How many nights had she stayed awake underneath her blankets, wishing for his return? How many times had she sworn to forget him?

In the field below, she could hear workers buzzing around preparing for the tournament.

Her Father gave her the option to either choose a husband by her twenty-first birthday or he would host a tournament and the victor would become her husband.

She had failed to find a suitable husband before her twenty-first birthday, so now she was forced to chose the second option. It seemed more desirable than the first.

If a collection of daring and brave men came to fight for her hand, perhaps her feelings could be stirred up once more.

As it was, she was collapsing into despair and pining away for someone who would never be hers. It wasn't a healthy lifestyle and surely not a sustainable one.

And so she consented to the plan of a tournament to distract herself from thoughts of Derrick and what could have been. It was better this way. She would find a suitable man, marry him, and forget all about Derrick.

She breathed in the cold, damp air, allowing herself to calm down. It wouldn't do her any good to get all worked up about somebody who, for all she cared, was non-existent.

Who am I trying to fool? She buried her head in her arms. Not a day went by where she didn't think of Derrick.

Some days she prayed that he was living well. That his parents were alive. That he paid off the farm. That he was leading a happy life.

Other days she hated him. Hated him for making her fall for his charm. Hated him for pretending to love her when he really didn't. Hated him for kissing her and not taking responsibility for his actions. What sort of rogue would string a girl along, making her believe that he liked her when he really had no interest? The question plagued her daily.