Royale (Book #1 Royale Series) {Under Revision}

Chapter 23: Juliana vs. The Rebels-Round Two

I didn't feel dumb or stupid at what Katherine had told me. How in God's name could I have known that she was the leader of the Albionian rebel's wife? It wasn't like she had a postage note with a confession stuck to her forehead. I didn't even know things about my real family so how was I to know about hers? I didn't even know my own sister's name. Up until two hours ago, I didn't know that my mother was alive and working as a nurse at the palace, my older brother is the King's Royal Advisor and has been working for him for eleven years right under my nose, or that I have another sister whose name I have yet to figure out. It was hard to believe that that was the last thing on my mind at the moment.

"Okay, you're his wife. Then you can tell me what the hell I'm doing here. What does Austin want from me?" I directed my words at Katherine.

"I'll leave that for him to tell. He'll be here soon." Katherine answered.

"Well, you're right here so why can't you do it?" I challenged.

"Not that you are in any position to question me, but this is Austin's problem. This whole blackmail business benefits him, not me. So if you want answers, you can ask him."

At that, she walked away. She disappeared back into the shadows and Ashley and I were alone again. I sighed in frustration and positioned myself on the floor of my cell. I untied the strings of my corset hoping that that would at least allow some air into my lungs, but actually did very little.

"Austin and Katherine are having martial problems," Ashley stated out of the blue. "I don't know if it's somehow related to why you're in here, but it's kind of valuable information around here since they try so hard to keep it a secret."

"What kind of martial problems?"

She eased herself closer to the bars that separated us as if she were telling me some deep secret. "Katherine is madly in love with him. She has been ever since the beginning of the rebellion. No one knows why he chose her or what made her so different from the rest of the girls here that crush on him. You know, for someone who is into girls, I guess I could say he's alright looking."

I couldn't help my smile. Despite that being the reason she was in here, I admired Ashley for being so open about her sexuality and I found myself envying her confidence.

"Anyway, for some reason, he did choose Katherine. They got married about four or five years ago, but Austin is no longer into it. She agrees with everything he says and does. She follows him like a lost puppy."

I listened intently to Ashley's words and the more she explained, the more I actually started to feel bad for Katherine.

"All she wants is for him to return her affection. What is so wrong with that?" I asked and immediately wished that I could take it back. I hated that I was defending her.

Ashley shrugged. "They're married. It isn't like she's stalking him or anything. She needs attention and he's too busy leading a rebellion to give her any. But, there's more." She said her last sentence in a more hushed tone. "Austin wants a child. Desperately. He needs an heir to his rebellion. But him and Katherine have been married for a while and she hasn't gotten pregnant."

"Wow. I had no idea. But why couldn't one of the rebels become a successor to Austin's rebellion?"

"For one, the term 'rebels' just means following a rebellion. We do not actually know how to lead one. All of this," she threw her hands up in the air gesturing toward our surroundings. "Building his headquarters under the royal palace...he created all of it. The rebels just support it. He truly believes that no one but someone from his family could carry it out."

I smirked. "Sounds familiar," I mumbled.

"Indeed," Ashley replied, "Austin leads this rebellion much like your family leads your country. But he is no king. He calls himself our 'leader'. As if the term is somehow less authoritative."