Whispers of the Enchanted Forest

Chapter 12

TW: profanity, sex, nudity

Over the next few days, Katherine avoided her father. Her absence at breakfast left a lingering emptiness in the grand hall, a void echoed by the silent murmurs that swirled among the courtiers. Each morning, Chloe would tread softly through the corridors, a silent specter bearing trays laden with delicacies destined for Katherine's private chambers.

Sebastian observed the king's countenance with a mixture of apprehension and concern as the morning light bathed the great hall in a golden glow. His eyes, shadowed with fatigue, lingered at the door. As they sat at the expansive banquet table, laden with gleaming silverware and delicate porcelain, the air hummed with the weight of unspoken words and fractured promises. They ate in a somber silence, the clink of cutlery against fine china, a melancholy refrain that echoed in the depths of the hall. No one dared speak.

"She's in the gardens today," Claudette whispered to him as he rose to depart the great hall, her voice a gentle echo in the cavernous expanse. She was cleaning the table after the meal. With a weary sigh that betrayed the depths of his frustration, Sebastian murmured a quiet thank you and strode purposefully towards the castle gardens, his footsteps echoing against the cold stone floors.

There, amidst the fragrant blooms and dappled sunlight, he found Katherine seated near a rose bush, a book cradled in her hands.

"Is this seat taken?" he ventured, the words hesitant upon his tongue. She nodded without tearing her gaze away from the pages.

He settled into the seat beside her.

"Your absence was noted at breakfast this morning," he began, his voice a hesitant murmur that hung suspended in the air. Katherine nodded in response, her eyes fixed on the book. Sebastian swallowed the lump that lodged in his throat. This was not a conversation he looked forward to having. For a moment, they sat in silence, the air heavy with the weight of unspoken truths and fractured promises.

"Katherine," he started, and as if awaiting this very conversation, she slammed her book shut, placed it on the ledge beside her, and looked at him with a steely glare. He met her gaze with a sigh, and he hesitated before continuing.

As he opened his mouth to respond, he was disrupted by Luisa and Yolanda approaching. Amidst the verdant foliage, they emerged, their steps light and graceful as they navigated the winding pathways of the garden. Sunlight danced upon their flowing dresses, casting a radiant glow around them as they drew nearer. Their laughter, like tinkling bells, cut through the awkward silence. Yolanda's gaze lingered upon Katherine, a warm smile gracing her lips as she took in the sight of her friend.

"Oh Katherine, I do need your assistance in discussing the decorations for your Royal Ascendence Gala!" Yolanda exclaimed, her voice a playful melody that danced to the breeze.

Without saying a word to Sebastian, Katherine rose gracefully to her feet, a polite smile gracing her lips as she followed the two women, leaving her book abandoned on the ledge beside her. Sebastian watched them depart, a bittersweet ache settling in the depths of his soul as he pocketed the forgotten book, its pages a testament to the dreams that lingered just beyond their grasp.

Throughout the day, Katherine immersed herself in the whirlwind of preparations for the Royal Ascendence Gala, her thoughts consumed by the meticulous details of decorations and arrangements. Throughout the bustling halls and corridors of the castle, Sebastian, ever vigilant, maintained a discreet distance from Katherine as she navigated the whirlwind of preparations. His presence was a silent shadow, never intruding upon her space but always lingering on the periphery. She orchestrated the affair with a precision born of necessity, her every movement a carefully choreographed dance of obligation and restraint.