The Hunters

Chapter 19

"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things."

-Leonardo Da Vinci

The Obscured Knight

Her Highness Queen Katherine's POV

I sat in front of the mirror in dressing room, listening to the whispers. I don't think they knew I could hear."She is not listening to me....-tell her this is not good for her... tortu-...explain it to her!" I heard Destin whisper in a displeased tone, I could imagine him running his hand through his hair, clenching his jaw, trying to control himself. He was angry with me because I chose to attend the feast in this state. Why was he getting so red? He was the one who presented the idea in first place. I took a deep breath and winced in pain, proving his point. But what was I supposed to do? It had been long announced that I was to attend it, and by not going I didn't want to look like a weakling. The people of my Kingdom would be here, for me. That's not the only reason though, it is a celebration of liberation from torture; both mine and theirs. It is a feast to show that their new juvenile Queen is capable to run an empire, capable enough to protect them. After the death of my parents and the tragedies that followed, my people finally had a genuine reason for merry-making. The dark days were finally over. And I had accepted my fate and finally embracing the Kingdom as my Kingdom.

"You know how she is...-No! She will never ......" I leaned in to listen but it was all gibberish, they were in the adjoining part of the room. However I recognized it was Cecelia he was talking to. Perfect. Now my only friends were talking behind my back, or so it seemed.

Ignoring them I turned my head and looked at the mirror, brown eyes scanning the reflection. I was dressed in a full sleeved wine-red ball gown with intricate lace which would cover my nasty injuries. A lush velvet cape trailed from my shoulders, sweeping the floor. Cecelia had to be extremely careful while bathing me and dressing me, she had called the healer who re-did all the bandages and made me drink some potion claiming to heal me faster. Most of the wounds were now clean; some still oozed pus and needed more elaborate treatments.

My face however, was another story all together. The eyes were too big for worn-out lean face, the bags under the eyes covered by some powder, the cuts on eyebrow, cheek and lip showing through the pale complexion. It missed the glow because I had skipped a couple of meals, okay maybe a lot more. My hairs were let down and an ornate veil that covered my scab on my head. A ruby and diamond adorned diadem held it in place. My mildly fractured leg was in a cast, obscured by the gown. A ghost in red.

Footsteps made me sit straight in my chair. I faked well being in my posture while in reality my body felt too frail and feverish to even be awake. Destin walked in wearing a black suit bearing coat of arms, looking glum. My eyes followed him till he came to stand before me, ten steps away. Cece followed in her cream dress nervously paying with her hands. Destin's anger was almost palpable. I sighed and put on a smile. No one smiled back. Cece kept juggling looks between me and Destin. No one said a word. I wonder what was conclusion of their secret chit-chat. Unable to take the silence any longer I grabbed the armrest and tried to stand up but failed miserably losing my balance. Destin had thawed a little and was by my side helping me whilst shouting. I managed a hiss at the pain bolting from my leg.

"What were you thinking? Are you out of your mind?"

"You weren't saying anything, it was driving me mad!" I screamed matching his volume.

"You are mad!? Huh...After all this I am mad! At you!"

"You talk like a drama Queen!" I said swinging my hands, instantly regretting the action.