Demons Inside Her

12. Isolated

Fleetwood was the furthest and isolated castle in the Southern Isles. Hardly anyone lived up there and it bordered the kingdom of the Northern Isles. Raids from the Northern King were common and there was a self-proclaimed no man's land just as the border shifted.

It was a prisoner haven. And Katerina was its newest prisoner.

Katerina's carriage pulled into the small village. The houses were made of stone and surrounded the castle. It was in the middle of winter and a small group of villagers left their warm houses to greet the Queen. The castle was guarded by a heavy brick wall. As the carriage entered the castle gates, the gates closed behind her.

The courtyard outside the castle had servant quarters, a jail cell, and a spot for public executions. Perfect for a Queen who had attempted undeclared treason.

The carriage door opened and Katerina got out of the carriage. Victoria was handed off to a nanny who whisked the newborn into the castle and away from the cold. A footman led Katerina into the castle and the gates closed shut behind her, sealing her from the outside world.

The footman directed Katerina to her and James's living quarters. She opened the door and saw James pacing in front of the bed. She closed the door. "Darling?"

James stopped mid-paced and looked up. "I hope the journey was okay. Please have a seat."

Katerina curtseyed and walked to the bed. James stood over her and hit her on the cheek. Her ear rang and she saw small black dots in her vision. She breathed in and turned her head to face James.

James raised his hand again. Katerina closed her eyes and waited for the smack, but it never came.

"Are you mad?" Katerina asked.

"Are you mad?" James asked in return. "Sneaking around my back and fucking with your servant! That is treason Kat! I deserve to strip you of your crown, your title, and send you back to Viera!"

James backed away and took a deep breath. Kat hung her head and felt tears form in her eyes. She let her urges go too far, and once again, it made her fall.

"Look at me," James said, grabbing Katerina's hair and pulling her head up. Katerina yelled in pain.

"We are staying here for the winter until your little stunt blows over in court. You are extremely lucky that my uncle didn't step in. If it was up to him, you would be stripped and executed," James said. "Do not do it again or let me catch you doing it again. If you do, the consequence will be great."

Katerina nodded her head. James grabbed her by the arm and pulled her upwards. Katerina groaned as James pushed her towards the door. "You'll be staying in a separate room tonight. It's the first door to the left. Get ready for dinner."

Katerina left James's room and felt the door push her as it closed. She walked down the hallway and found the door to her new room. She opened the door and walked into the room. The room was smaller than James's room and had a bed, dresser, closet, and a vanity. Another door led to the bathroom, which was small as well.

She walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. She looked at her reflection. The left side of her face was red and a small bruise started to form on her left cheek just underneath her eye. Her eyes were red from crying.

She grabbed a towel and placed it in a bowl of warm water. She held the towel to her face to stop the bruising and swelling. This was the first time she was scared of her husband. James never hit her.

She nursed the bruise for five more minutes. After she washed her face, she walked out of the bathroom and decided to change. She walked to the dresser and pulled out a dark blue dress. She laid the dress on the bed and slipped out of the dress that she was wearing. She quickly adjusted her corset and put on the new dress.