RISE OF THE CROWN PRINCESS

33. KATHERINE'S BURNT BRIDGES

LADY KATHERINE
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Lyra goes back to the Palace to find all the newly hired staff greeting her with respect and admiration. She tells them to rest and enjoy. She then goes along with Solon, Mika, and Jackson to Katherine. After explaining everything to her, Katherine inquires,

"Which people are part of your close team?"

"Viscount Vile, Count Jarvis, Duke Atlas, Duke Axel, and Viscount Edwin."

"Huh? What is he doing in your faction? I thought he was neutral."

Katherine spoke in surprise upon hearing her friend Edwin's name. Viscount Edwin was Katherine's childhood friend. He was with her throughout her journey in which she lost her love and even her title and life as a princess.

To explain it in simple terms, Duke Atlas, Viscount Edwin, Duke Axel, and Lady Katherine were all childhood friends. Katherine fell in love with a commoner names Jonathan. However, King Derek was against it since there was political instability going on and the King needed the nobles to support him. If his sister were to marry a commoner, it would lead to the aristocrat noble's faction viewing him negatively. Merely because of that, he set up an engagement between Duke Atlas and Katherine. Fortunately for both of them, Duke Atlas fancied another woman and broke off the engagement. Even though he took the blame so that Katherine wouldn't be stigmatized, she still left her family and her life since she was sick of living as a royal and felt it was suffocating.

"Since he was away last night, I just got his letter stating he heard everything from Duke Atlas and Duke Axel and wants to aid as much as possible. He has always been part of my faction."

"But he is always away on some excavation that I assumed he was neutral."

"Well, he isn't. Is he being a part of our faction a problem?"

Lyra inquired to which Katherine mumbled,

"No....I haven't been in touch with any of them. Last I saw them at that party you invited me to, but I refused to talk to any one of them. Although Edwin does keep bothering me."

"Isn't he your friend?"

"I left everything behind Lyra. Even my friends. I am no more Princess Katherine. I am merely Kate."

Lyra grabs Katherine's hand softly and gives an assurance smile,

"Whether you are Princess Katherine or not, whether you are Kate or not, you will always be 'you'. That will never change. Believe in yourself. Trust in yourself. I know you can do this."

"I know I can handle everything perfectly.... it is just that going back...."

"I promise no one will bother you. Every single one of us will listen and understand you. Everyone will respect and value your opinions. So, please. Give yourself another chance to accomplish something in this life."

"....fine."

Katherine smiles as her eyes were filled with tears. She was not sad about her current life. But she wasn't content either. She always wanted more. And was extremely grateful to Lyra for giving her this chance.

In all honesty, she missed her friends deeply and often reminisced about the times when they would all have fun together. Often she was criticized for not having female friends, but their group never cared about it. She enjoyed her time.

After she had left that time, she lost contact with everyone except for Edwin. He was the one who was always there for her during everything despite from time to time being busy with his work until he was stationed at the border for around 2 years and that's when they lost contact.

Katherine after leaving her position, and becoming a commoner, had started working at a flower shop. One day, she turned around to greet a guest only to find Edwin there. Both were surprised to see each other. Although taken aback, Katherine pretended as if she didn't know him and treated him as a customer which irked him.

Seeing how she was behaving, he started teasing and provoking her, which made her come back to herself and start treating him the same. Since then he would come every Thursday to buy the same bouquet for someone. Katherine tried to find out who it was for but he would never let her find out. This was the reason that she had managed to stay in contact with one of her friends.

"Aunt, are you listening?"

Lyra's words brought Katherine back from her thoughts as she turned to her,

"What did you say?"

"I was stating that you should come live in the palace with me. Please."

"...no."

"Why? You are now my advisor which gives you the right to come and go as you please in the palace. You can even stay. We have plenty of rooms."

"I...will only enter that palace to stay once I have earned back my title. Till then, please let me stay here. The commute wont be too much therefore I can manage."

"Hmm...."

Lyra bit her lip as she wanted her to come with her. However noting her determination, she sighs and adds,

"Fine. But I will assign Frank and Oliver to you as your escorts and I won't take no for an answer. I will also give you a royal carriage to use for transport. Deal?"

Letting out a burst of fond laughter, Katherine replies,

"Deal...thank you...for giving me a chance..."

"No, I should be thanking you for all that you taught me. I have to say whenever I saw you in my childhood you were always shining so brightly. I often wondered how a person could be so talented and good at everything. You were and still are my role model. It was only later that I realized that all that glitter is not gold. You too were hurting behind that shining aura. There were cracks everywhere. But fret not. I shall make you shine again without any cracks. I will make sure of it since you deserve to be embedded in that light once again."

Lyra's words make Katherine let out tears as she tightly embraces her niece and whispers words of appreciation.

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VISCOUNT EDWIN DALLAROSA

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