Her travelling gown had not belonged to the troupe of mismatched and torn gowns, it belonged to Lady Anne, a newer gown of hers that she'd generously gifted her, and bore not one tear or loose thread, with a few adjustments to Katerina's size it was as good as her own. The gown was of an emerald that almost mirrored her eyes (one of the reasons Anne insisted she take it) and was adorned with a black partlet of lace so intricate it appeared to be spun by a spider. She pinned her hair with pins of gold and flecks of emerald and her jewelry, again, was as simple as the cramp ring on her finger and the one on her chain.
The two trunks of clothing the servants brought down for her were of the clothes with the least amount of imperfections, those would sustain her until her own gowns could be commisioned. She did not pause her waltz down the stairs when one servant's fingers became weak and dropped a trunk down the steps. The trunk slid down and missed her ankle just barely but she seemed wholly unaware as she escaped its contact and trotted to the elaborate coach at the ready for her departure. She could just barely hear a servant breaking out into a sigh of relief as he retrieved the trunk from the bottom step but made nothing of it.
The black horses became a subject of interest to Katerina who caressed their wet snouts, allowing herself a fanciful moment to think that they would be her accomplices for the course of her journey, they (as well as the coachman) would take her to her new lands. This made her grin with an eagerness that was almost dangerous and a smile that despite her best efforts revealed her Taker incisors. Luckily enough, the servants were loading, the coach and the coachman was nowhere to be seen and no one had arrived to bid her farewell yet. Only the horses were victim to the sight of them and they whinnied and tugged away from her touch with fright.
No sooner than when Katerina was forced to walk away from the horses (for fear that they would trample her) did her companions and benefactors begin to arrive and it seemed only fitting to bid farewell to Cecily and her ladies first. "I should like to thank you, your Grace for your kind benevolence and understanding for my situation. Without you taking me under your wing, I don't think I'd have made it through my days in Court." Her words felt odd as they rolled against her tongue but soon she realized that they were not foreign but genuine.
The duchess dowager attempted at stifling her smile to no avail and she soon envelopped her in a gentle embrace. "You are a good, kind young lady and I would think of no one better than to take under my wing." Her tone was dry but Katerina could tell that her words were genuine.
She was not good nor kind and was amazed that she'd managed to convince her, or anyone for that matter, anything otherwise. She'd might as well take part in the King's theatre production. This managed to leave her so astounded that her curtsey to Cecily was shaky.
In attempts to stray her thoughts from this she turned to her ladies and took a breath. "Well ladies, I must thank you for your hospitality, indulging me in gossip as well as comforting me in the times where I felt the backlash of it and most importantly, allowing me to embroider with you all." The ladies tittered good naturedly. Everything she'd said, including the smile, had been genuine.
Though her words were as genuine as her gestures, she left out saying that they were all blind for not seeing that she was not who she appeared, that she was conniving and cruel and hadn't come to Court for love (though she'd found it anyway) as much as she hadn't come because of the death of her faux husband but because she wanted riches and an estate all on her own, to do something her mother could have never achieved. It was odd to feel so genuine towards their hospitality and so smug that she hadn't been discovered. Katerina blamed the babe for toying with her emotions.
The toy of emotions did not stop there and from smug she went to her lip trembling the moment the ladies Anne and Margaret trailed in with nips of their lips to keep their own lips from trembling. Before she could crush them in an embrace of her own, they did so and she was rendered near deaf from a shrill chorus of, "How we shall miss you".
Muffled and trying not to cough out Margaret's veil she replied, "Every week we must write to eachother and you both will have to visit as soon as I am settled. Of course, I'll be visiting as often as my health and the weather allows" and so long as it does not interfere with my Taking, she added to herself.
The three girls then engaged in idle chatter, Anne maliciously recounting the tale of yesterday evening's event, Margaret gaping and exclaiming that she was not surprised as the young Jacquetta was no better than her mother and Katerina shaking her head and clucking her tongue to conceal her chagrin. The conversation with her mother had left her determined to find something to tell Hastings but she wasn't willing to discuss it until she did.
A woman donned in a drab blue travelling gown and white wimple came into view but Katerina did not recognise her, not because she wore a gown almost as dull as the servants but because she hadn't seen her before. "Who is she?" The question had remained open for both girls but was mostly directed towards Anne, who'd proved to be quite the avid gossip.
True to her new title, Anne was more than happy to whisper back to her two companions. "So glad you asked. That, my sweet, is your new attendant, a Miss Jane Gyrth. She arrived yesterday in the late evening from Canterbury so I hear, poor chit is going to have to journey back after after only just arriving."
Katerina hadn't the time to reply before Margaret snickered in a whisper, "She looks like a mouse". The girl's brown hair, that could be seen through her thin wimple, and darting eyes did not help her cause, the girl certainly did look rather mouse-like but she seemed gentle enough and not much older than her future mistress.
"Indeed though we mustn't judge her much too harshly."
"Perhaps she is a blessing, 'tis better than having an attendant that looks as she does rather than have a beautiful one to rival you and become yet another one your cousin's mistresses." Margaret's thought became Katerina's source of comfort but it wavered when Hastings appeared from around the bend carrying a something in a gray blanket, whatever it was, seemed to be squirming.
They all exchanged snorts. "Speak of the devil."
"And he shall come."
Hastings walked with all the authority his name brought him until he caught sight of Katerina then, however slight, his steps seemed to falter and pounded nervously against the cobblestone. Once he reached them, he'd managed to compose himself long enough to bow and bid them a, "Good morning ladies" as they curtseyed before him.
Remembering her mother's words of advice, Katerina bite down on her tongue and extended her hand for him to kiss. He did so, and looked up from her hand almost shyly, as if he suspected that she knew who he'd been occupying himself with the evening prior. Fumbling with the blanket, Hastings then uncovered the squirming creatures head to reveal that revealed an Italian greyhound puppy. It looked up at her with new curious eyes the color of twelve different shades of gray, as if storm clouds gathering in its eyes.
"For you." Hastings transferred the no longer writhing animal from his arms to hers.
"Oh!" The girls squealed as all three reached to pet the little thing, it darted from one hand to another trying to decide which to sniff first. As Katerina brought it closer to her chest, she could almost smell warmth and perhaps it was just the blanket but lavender washing soap. The creature nestled itself close to her for comfort and she managed a smile.
As a little girl, she'd thrown stones at the birds that dared venture by the cottage and would giggle at their caws of protest and of vexation but she'd never thought to hurt them or any animal for that matter, though she took small pleasure in it, it did not compare to the amount of pleasure she'd taken in watching her mother drain fluid from a young body or the thrill when one would escape Jacquetta's trance and screech and beg for mercy. This proved that Katerina preffered to enjoy the pleasure of people rather than animals, making it safe for Henrietta.
"What will you name her?" Nan asked, ruffling the back of its ear.
"I took it upon myself to assure that it is a girl." Hastings assured them with a slight blush at the thought of them knowing he'd had to inspect a dog's genitalia.
"Henrietta it is then." The girls commended Katerina on her decision and they giggled and chattered but the harsh wind cut them out of their breath and the ladies clutched their cloaks tightly. She would have to rely on the warmth of her skirts to keep her feet from being battered by frost.
"There are blankets in the coach are there not, Sir William?" Katerina asked, clasping her hand over the one that clutched her cloak to warm it after feeling a nip of frost trailing alongside another fierce gust.
"Oh I do hope so, 'tis but morning frost but I shouldn't like you to catch chill." Margaret piped in worriedly.
Just before Hastings could reassure them that there were, indeed, blankets in the coach and that she needn't worry, Jacquetta the Elder waltzed past through the castle gates and veered Thomas in the direction of the now spotted Katerina. As she passed the horses, she met their eyes and for a moment they seemed to be even more distressed than when they'd caught sight of Katya's incisors. As her skirts brushed past them, they calmed, seeing as she'd moved on to her next victim. But Jacquetta knew, Katerina was as much as a victim as she was her adversary.
"I have come to wish you a safe journey and farewell." But Katerina did not reply, she simply smiled airily, forgetting all those around her. When confronted with Jacquetta, she'd learned to forget her surroundings and focus solely on her adversary. "How are you feeling?" It was sickening how caring Jacquetta made herself to sound.
"Horrible." Katerina said shortly before adding, "But those are the disadvantages of childbearing".
"Two is better than one."
The statement jolted her as if she were one of the startled horses herself and Jacquetta seemed to notice the jolt, no matter how short, and arched her brow. What she'd said hadn't been intended for her to take offense and so the jolt had come as a surprise. Katerina managed to recover smoothly with, "So I've been told". And she had indeed, not that she understood why.
Struggling not to meet any questioning gazes, especially Jacquetta's, Katerina crouched down slowly to meet Thomas's eyes, his held no questions. "I am going to miss my favorite dance partner, I must admit."
"And I will miss mine." His cheeks were already were becoming warm and pink and the ladies tittered at this, only fueling Katerina to goat him a while longer.
"I expect a dance when I returrn, then."
Thomas was quick to nod eagerly. "Good." She murmured, her voice riding softly along the breeze before kissing him lightly on the cheek. His skin was warm against her lips and she could feel the blood coursing through him in a slow, pulsing motion. Had it been a full moon, her instinct would have commanded her to sink her incisors into his pale, untainted by the sun, neck. She'd have stayed with her lips pressed against him and fantasizing about his blood spiraling down her throat for longer but her propriety forced her to remove her lips from his warm cheek and straighten.
Nobody seemed to notice how Katerina's lips lingered on his cheek as they were much too busy chuckling, Thomas himself was much too preoccupied blushing profusely to notice, much less be afraid. She could only imagine how much warmer his cheek was now.
The coachman had finally appeared and took his place by the horses, gathering the reins and looking to Katerina to signify that all was ready for her departure. She gave everybody one last farewell, embracing her two companions once more before accepting Hastings' hand and climbing into the coach.
When he did not follow her inside the coach, she raised a confused brow. He must have noticed this as he said, "I will be following the coach by horse" for assurance. Katerina did not mind this in the least, not thinking she'd be able to think of what to say to him when he would be sitting but a few paces away from her.
As she found herself sitting on the plush seating, she recovered the much fretted over blankets and sprawled one of her lap, nestling Henrietta in that one as well as her own. When she looked up, she noticed Jane's small frame sitting with her hands folded neatly on her dull colored gown, her once darting eyes now settled on Katerina's haughty figure.
She seemed to notice her attendant's eyes resting on her, as she smiled lightly. "Hello, I am Lady Katerina of Perche." Making firm eye contact long enough for Jane to shift uncomfortably before tugging at the blanket so that she could nestle her frost bitten feet within it.
"Hello, I am Jane, I would curtsey but..." Jane gestured to the top of the coach, making both women titter. The crackle of the coachman's whip colliding with the horses' pelt interrupted them and soon the sound of hooves clattering against the cobblestone at steady pace could be heard, along with the almost defeaning cries of God's speed. The cries became soon muffled as the horses' made haste and pace quickened. The sound of hooves hitting cobbelstone became no more, it was replaced by hooves thrashing at the thick soil as they picked up speed.
This sent them both into silence, for they knew not what else they could say. The journey would consist of two days of travel, Katerina decided it would be two dull days if she did not become accustomed to Jane's company sooner or later. Plus, she would be now living with her, she needed to make a friend of some sort in Jane if she didn't want the rest of her days to be bleak. Because of this, she felt obligated to engage her in conversation. "Tell me Jane, where are you from?"
The subject immediately made Jane's eyes brighten, as if there were no better subject she would like more to discuss. Having a fondness in where she came from was very much appearant in her eyes. "I was born and raised in Goltwaine- a little village not far from Canterbury, a twenty minute walk from where the estate, not even ten minutes by horse. The estate is at the edge of the city, though you've been told, I'm sure."
Katerina had been told nothing of the sort. Aside from the brief description of the estate and its grounds, she'd been told nothing of her surroundings, where she would be located or whom she would be near, much less that she would be living on the fringe of the city. In a small one like the one Jane was describing, when children went missing, people tended to notice and if it happened monthly, there would be uproar, maybe they would not suspect her but one could never be too careful. She'd have thought that she'd rely on the raggamuffin and orphaned children of the city to get her monthly intake, no one would notice if one raggamuffin disappeared when there were so many of them.
"Are there farms around the land, Jane?"
"Many, my lady."
That would do, somewhat, farm folk produced children as if rabbits and there were also the servants to consider, probably raggamuffins from the city themselves and surely there were some orphans living on the fringes of the city that would happily come to the garden. A Taker could be fully satiated and rejuvinated with but two children but blood is the equivalant to a Taker of a wine to a drunkard, however satiated, they will always want as many children as there in the garden. After two children, the Urge is but a silvery whisper and Thirst is the reigning soverign of the Taker's will but there is always a desire for more, for more blood, more youth.
Although it was despite herself to stray her thoughts from the most important aspect of her life, she forced a smile and she and Jane began to speak of the small village and other pleasantries that had proved to be truly pleasant rather than those forced such as the ones she'd often have to partake in at Court. By the end of the first day of their voyage, Katerina had learned that Jane had been the daughter of a silk merchant and would watch ladies of noble rank purchase the silk and emulate their behavior and mannerisms, making her suitable to be an attendant. Whenever Jane would ask of her own life, she would give the vaguest answers, often veering the conversation to her love for gardens rather than her past.
That evening, when she'd been trying to sleep, she thought up exactly what to tell Hastings. The smug giddiness of finally having something to say made her bounce in her seat and kept her up all night. Her penance for that was how she felt as if the dead in the morning.
However exhausted, the last day of their voyage was spent with warm conversation, even a few fits of uncontrollable laughter, which on Katerina's part, is quite rare. The girl's nervous demeanor had been left at Court along with her dull expression (though her drab gowns still remained), now Jane was clever and her face was bright with smiles. She did not look plain when she smiled, rather it was as if the sun from the coach's window had been netted into her cheeks and radiated off of them.
Atleast William did something right in choosing a decent attendent, Katerina thought, battling the urge to smile as she leaned her head against the window pane and her eyelid dropped, defeated from struggle. She was still stroking Henrietta even if she'd long stopped squirming in her skirts and even through her closed eyes, she could see the glare of the weak afternoon sun.
The horses' pace became slow, slow enough that their hooves were only pattering against the soil and that she could hear their whinnying. Either they were stopping for food and a small rest or they'd finally arrived. Despite exhaustion, she pried open her eyes and peered out the window. The estate was a small distance away with its vast plains burrowed between the estate like they were painted with two gentle strokes of a paintbrush. There were trees plucked throughout the land at random, the wind helping them shed their leaves of burnt orange and cardinal. From behind the plains there was a dirt road that led to a dense forest that looked as ominous as it was beautiful. The estate was not grand but quaint, as Hastings had already forewarned, but the grounds were beautiful and if the garden was as beautiful as the rest of the grounds, Katerina would be very pleased.
Leaving Henrietta on the seating, she shook Jane awake. With a slight yelp and a yawn, Jane was concious and began to look around frantically until she settled on Katerina's eager face. "We're here!" She announced as Jane stretched her arms before her.
The coachman soon brought the horses to a halt and as the door opened and they both breathed in the sudden rush of crisp air with great happiness and Katerina scrambled out eagerly, seeming to have dropped her propriety on the seating. She was greeted as well as punished for this hasty retreat with a pebble caving into her heel.
"Oh my God's nails!" Her expression was a picture of agony as she hopped on one foot trying to rid her heel of the culprit. Balancing herself and attemtping to pry the stone out of her heel had proved to be a much more difficult task and she screeched for Jane, who'd already climbed out of the coach to see why her lady was crying out such obscenities.
Hastings had already made note of the commotion and dismounted his stallion at a much faster pace to get to her side. Jane gasped at Katerina hopping about and offered her her hand so that Katerina may lean on her. She did without hesitation and plucked the pebble from her heel, throwing it forcefully to the ground, as if she'd wanted to skip rocks by the lake.
Once more, she cursed and set her foot to the ground with a great huff. Katerina could not bring herself to look to Hastings, much less answer him as he was questioning her welfare. She gave him but the briefest glance before catching another curse within her cleansing breath and saying to Jane, "We, are going to the cordwainers as soon as humanly possible".
Jane did not have the time to answer for Katerina spun on her good heel and took Henrietta from the coach in one gentle gesture."Come, sweeting." She cooed as she sauntered away from the coach without so much as another word. Hastings and Jane exchanged a weary exchange of expression before following suit like well trained dogs themselves.
Katerina did not hesitate to hand Henrietta off to Jane and ask her to leave them. As odd the inquiry, she did as she was told and when the entry door gave a satisfied thud of closure, it was Katerina's cue to speak what she'd wanted to for the last day but Hastings beat her to it. "I will visit as much as possible. You need not worry for I will send money weekly for anything you will be requiring."
"That is very kind of you." She murmured, not that she'd have expected anything less. Certain no one was in sight, she brought herself closer to him and pressed her lips against his own. She pulled back before he could partake and she lead him towards his stead, almost in a playful gait. "William?"
"Yes?"
Katerina pursed her lips primly and stopped her prance to look him levelly in the eye for the first time in two days. "I should ask you to remember this when you are bedding your next whore. William. You may bed whomever you please but you will always be married to your wife and bound to me and I you, out of love. Never forget that."
She only stayed to watch his expression for a mere moment, to see that his mouth was agape and that he wanted her more than ever. Without so much as wishing him God's speed, she turned away and to the direction of her new estate. He may have called out for her, he may not have but Katerina didn't care.
Thank you, Mother.
~
Thank for reading!
Giuliana xox