Lady Katherine Harrington of Johanne
14 October, Year 1 of Sebastian VI, Emperor of the Longbournian Nations' reign
Longbourne Military Academy for Women, Amöneburg
The Longbournian Nations
While our colleagues were organising a team and making preparations to go down to the caves, the Princess and I stayed in the sanatorium with Cadets Eichmann and Hartmann.
"For the Lord's sake, drink this tonic and sit still, Cadet," the Princess rolled her eyes, as she held up a glass towards Cadet Hartmann.
Cadet Hartmann was almost bouncing on her bed in anticipation, as she grabbed the glass and gulped it all down in one go.
"Louisa, you should come with us," she was actively trying to persuade her friend, "we could use all the help we can get."
For the umpteenth time, Cadet Eichmann shook her head. "I will be of no help," Cadet Eichmann sighed, and sank against her pillows, "I am so tired. The Lord knows where you get your energy from."
Indeed, the child looked terrible. Thick eyebags hung from her lower eyelids, and it cost her a lot of effort to even make the slightest movement.
"Mayhap you should sleep now, Cadet Eichmann," I eyed her worriedly, feeling her rather warm forehead, "you look very ill."
"I tried to, but I cannot, Ma'am," she mumbled, "every time I close my eyes, all I see are those wretched caves."
Cadet Hartmann's eyes softened. "Louisa – "
"Do not worry about me, Amelie," she attempted a wobbly smile, "you go on ahead. And do tell our friends I wish them a speedy recovery when you find them."
Before Cadet Hartmann could answer, the sanatorium doors swung open.
"We have assembled in the courtyard, and we are ready to leave," Corporal Stauffenberg stood on the threshold, "Cadet Hartmann, do you need one of us to carry you?"
"Ma'am, may I remind you that I made my way from the caves to the Academy all on my own?" Cadet Hartmann was indignant, "of course I can walk to the courtyard by myself!"
To prove her point, she swung her legs off the bed, and almost pushed the Princess to the ground in her haste, as she sprinted out of the sanatorium, past Corporal Stauffenberg.
The Princess was trying hard not to laugh, as Corporal Stauffenberg shook her head tiredly.
"That girl will be the death of me," she muttered, before, "come, let us go, Archery Mistresses."
I turned to my colleagues. "If you do not mind, I would like to stay behind and keep an eye on Cadet Eichmann," I requested, "leaving her unprotected again will be nothing short of a folly. Should there be another attack on the Academy in your absence, my first priority will be to bring her to safety."
The Princess tilted her head at me. "Are you sure? I can – "
"Aye, I am certain, Mistress Hohenstaufen. I am past the age when I believed that all glory lies in battle," I remarked dryly, "all the best with your mission. You too, Corporal Stauffenberg."
Cadet Eichmann tried to sit upright, anxious. "Ma'am, please go ahead with the mission without worrying about me. I do not want to be a bother – "
"You are not a bother, Cadet. Mistress Harrington is right – you are not safe until all of your captors are rounded up," the Princess assured her gently, "take care, and get well soon."
Corporal Stauffenberg wished her the same, and the both of them nodded at me, before they turned around and walked out of the sanatorium.
"Ma'am, you did not have to do that for me," Cadet Eichmann mumbled.
"Relax, Cadet," I turned to her, and sat down next to her, "and cease worrying. I am certain Cadet Hartmann's energy will make up more than enough for my absence." I cracked a weak jest to distract her.
It worked. "That is true. Amelie is hardly fazed by anything, Ma'am," she chuckled faintly, "every time life forces her to her knees, she bounces back with double the strength."
"Have you known her before she joined the Academy?" I was interested despite myself.
"I have met Amelie, and all her nine siblings over endless soirees and balls over the years," she recalled dryly, "and she is the only one of them I can talk to without wanting to pull my hair out in frustration." She made a face.
"Nine siblings?" my eyes went as round as saucers, as I shook my head in disbelief, "I have two brothers, and even that feels like too many at times."
She laughed at my expression. "They do tend to dominate any room they enter, Ma'am," she conceded, "Amelie often tells me that I am fortunate to be an only child."
"But I suppose you must feel lonely at times?" I guessed gently.
"Of course, I have always wanted a sibling," she admitted, "but Papa tells me I am to worry no longer. He wrote to me a few days ago to inform me that my mother is with child."
Her brown eyes sparkled with joy, as a wide smile crossed her lips.
"Congratulations, Cadet!" I beamed, "I am most happy for you - "
At that moment, a few knocks sounded on the doors of the sanatorium.
I paused, and my hand subconsciously reached for my bow. "Yes?"
"Emperor Sebastian and Prince Albert of Quedlinburg have arrived, and wish to meet Cadet Eichmann," came the reply, "is the Cadet well enough to see them?"
Cadet Eichmann grabbed my hand, her smile widening. "Papa is here," she sounded breathless, as she turned to me, "I am quite all right, Ma'am. Truly, I am. Please send them in?"
"All right, all right," I laughed at her excitement, before I raised my voice, "aye, the Cadet is well enough to see them!"
The doors burst open. Almost at once, a towering, well-built man almost pushed aside the Emperor to sprint towards Cadet Eichmann's bed, and pulled the child into his arms.
"Louisa," his breaths were ragged, as he sank to his knees, "thank God. Oh, thank God."
When he pulled back to kiss her forehead, his brown eyes – an exact copy of hers – were glistening with unshed tears.
She wrapped her arms tightly around him. "Were you scared, Papa?"
"Out of my wits, darling," he whispered, "first, tell me this: did the kidnappers hurt you in any way?" He checked her extremities for any injuries.
I moved away from them, hoping to give them some privacy. As I did so, I glanced above their heads at the Emperor, who was still standing on the threshold, looking rather out of breath and rather pale.
My forehead creased. "Sire, are you all right?"
His gaze snapped to mine, as he smiled weakly at me. "I am all right. We set off from the Palace the moment we heard that the girls had arrived," he admitted, as he walked towards me, "it was an...exhilaratingly rapid ride." He ran a hand through his dishevelled hair.
I was not convinced. It was clear on my face.
"Not to worry, Mistress Harrington, truly," he hurried to assure me, "this is the inevitable result of simply sitting on a throne and reading through letters full of creative ideas on how to best harm me, all day and every day. Such a level of inactivity is dangerous."
I assumed he was referring to the letters my team and I had found at Prince Heinrich's Manor. Captain Keitel had indeed been swift in dispatching them to the Palace.
Although his expression was resigned, a familiar twinkle entered his eyes.
I felt myself relax slightly. "Being an Emperor does that to you, I hear."
"You heard right, Mistress Harrington," he laughed, "mayhap 'tis time for me to consider an alternative employment for my own health and safety." He pretended to think.
I tilted my head, curious. I could not imagine the Emperor as anyone else, but judging from his countenance, he seemed to have already given the possibility a fair bit of thought.
"What would you be, Sire?"
His sea-green eyes lit up. "A magician."
"A magician?" I repeated, surprised, "truly?"
He nodded, slightly embarrassed. "My Lady Mother has always told me it is a rather silly dream," he blushed, "and a little childish – "
"Nay, tell me about it," I pressed him, extremely intrigued, "Sebastian the Magician. It has a certain ring to it, I admit."
He broke into a happy beam at that. "I have everything planned, Mistress Harrington," he confided in me, excited, "I would first form a performing troupe. We would then travel around the Longbournian Nations – and all around the world, even, if we become successful enough – and delight and amaze people of all ages, from all walks of life, with our talents."
His eyes took on a dreamy quality, as he painted a beautiful portrait.
"The acrobats will thrill the audience with their dangerous stunts. They will perform somersaults, dives, balancing acts and many more. The jousting matches will be open to the public for anyone, men or women, who want to challenge themselves against the jousters in our troupe. The jesters will wear bright-coloured, and absurd costumes, and crack amusing jests that will make everyone laugh and roll on the floor until their sides hurt."
"The dancers and singers will prepare a feast for the senses, translating various emotions into graceful movements and music. Oh, and the sheer ingenuity of my magic tricks will, of course, leave them all amazed and mesmerised. I will challenge their minds and perceptions with my every trick," his deep voice was filled with excitement, "it will be five hours of uninterrupted entertainment at every show. And – am I boring you, Mistress Harrington?" He paused, suddenly remembering that I was still beside him.
In the meanwhile, I had been listening to him, fascinated beyond belief.
Even in the short time I knew him, he always had a cheerful disposition, and his sea green eyes rarely lost their twinkle, but at the moment, they seemed to simply shine brighter than all the candles in the sanatorium in his passion and excitement.
Regardless of how excellent his magic tricks might be, I was already mesmerised. In that moment, I felt like I could have watched him for all eternity.
"Of course not," I answered softly, "the way you describe your dreams is absolutely beautiful."
The Emperor seemed startled by my words, and he gazed at me. For a long while, his eyes held mine, solemn and intense, as they had the first time we had met during his kidnap.
Willing away the blush that was threatening to creep up my cheeks, I continued speaking.
"Although you may not be able to become a full-time member of a troupe, you still may be able to perform every once in a while, whenever you have some time on your hands, Sire," I suggested gently, "if your magic tricks are good enough to attract an audience, that is." My smile turned mischievous.
"Is that a challenge, Mistress Harrington?"
"You may interpret that in any way you wish," I shrugged, "but I admit that I am very curious to see your tricks."
"Now?" he was surprised, "but I do not have my materials with me here."
"I have a pack of playing cards with me, Your Imperial Majesty," a voice spoke behind us at that moment, "would that suffice?"
We turned around to look at a rather amused Prince Albert, who seemed to have been following our conversation, sitting next to Cadet Eichmann on her bed. He reached into his pocket, and held out a stack of cards towards the Emperor.
The Emperor smiled sheepishly, as he accepted it. "Aye, it would. Thank you, Albert," he chuckled, before looking between us, "now I would require a volunteer - "
Cadet Eichmann's hand shot up into the air excitedly even before he had finished asking, much to my amusement.
The Emperor's gaze softened. "How are you doing, Louisa?"
Cadet Eichmann beamed up at him from her father's embrace. "I am feeling better, Your Imperial Majesty," she answered, "but I will mend even faster if you would be so kind as to choose me. I love magic tricks."
"And it might help her sleep, Sire," I murmured, keeping my voice low so that she could not hear, "the kidnap has frightened her greatly, and she could use a distraction."
The Emperor smiled sadly. "Of course. Please sit next to Princess Louisa," he bade me, before he grinned at Cadet Eichmann, "are you ready, Princess?"
"Aye!"
Chuckling, I walked towards the bed, and sat at the edge, on Cadet Eichmann's other side. The Emperor drew up a chair in front of the bed, sat down, and leaned forward towards her.
"First, please help me separate all the black cards from the red ones," he requested, "and set aside the Ace of Spades for me." He handed her the deck of cards.
She took them from him, and sat cross-legged on her bed, all exhaustion forgotten. She quickly sorted the black cards and red cards into two piles on her lap, and held out the Ace of Spades towards the Emperor.
He shook his head. "Now, give the pile of black cards to Mistress Harrington," he instructed, "and then shuffle the Ace of Spades in any way you like into the red pile, if you please. I shall look away while you do so."
Intrigued, I took the black cards from Cadet Eichmann, as the Emperor turned his back on us. He placed his hands in his pockets, and whistled a happy tune, while she thoroughly shuffled the Ace of Spades into the red cards.
"I finished shuffling, Your Imperial Majesty," she eventually spoke up.
"Oh, splendid," he turned around to face her, "please hand me the pile." He held out his right palm towards her.
She placed the pile on his palm, almost bouncing in her excitement.
He brought it towards himself, and seemed to shake the cards vigorously, his gaze never leaving the three of us. Before long, a single card from his hands flew high up into the air.
Our eyes followed its graceful trajectory, before it landed right on Cadet Eichmann's lap, faced down.
"Could you show your father and Mistress Harrington what card it is?" he sounded confident.
Cadet Eichmann reached for the card, and flipped it over. "This...this is the Ace of Spades I had shuffled into the red pile of cards," she was delighted, as she looked up at the Emperor, "excellent, Your Imperial Majesty!"
I was stunned into silence. How?
Even Prince Albert seemed impressed. "I have seen this trick performed before, Your Imperial Majesty," he admitted, "but I almost did not catch it this time round. You were very good."
While Cadet Eichmann and her father were pleasantly surprised, I was still trying to understand, still trying to wrap my mind around the sorcery I had just witnessed. I looked back and forth at the black pile of cards in my hand, and the Ace of Spades in Cadet Eichmann's hand, breathless and disbelieving.
"Mistress Harrington, are you all right?" the Emperor's sea green eyes twinkled.
"How - how - how did you do it?"
He smiled angelically at me, revealing a dimple in his left cheek. Unfortunately for him, I had seen that smile on my brother Tristan's face too many times to be deceived.
"How did you find that particular card in the pile? You were looking at us the whole time!" I demanded, trying to recall anything he might have done that I had missed, "and how did it fly with such precision? Non, non, c'est impossible - "
The Emperor laughed, as did Cadet Eichmann and her father, as he bowed to me. "A true magician never reveals his secrets, Mistress Harrington."
***
"Thank goodness she is asleep at last."
The Emperor's countenance was filled with relief, as he and I looked down at Cadet Eichmann peacefully slumbering in her father's arms, who had also fallen asleep long back.
"Why, Sire?" I raised an eyebrow, "were you running out of tricks to show us?"
His sea-green eyes twinkled, as he turned to me. "You wish, Mistress Harrington. I would have you know that I still have plenty more tricks up my sleeves."
I simply rolled my eyes at him.
He laughed quietly, glancing down at the deck of cards in his hands. "I miss it sometimes," he admitted, shuffling them, "the thrill of watching a trick being performed for the first time, and the eagerness to learn it well."
"You learned these tricks simply by watching performances?" I was astounded.
He nodded, chuckling at the expression on my face. "I have watched many, many of them, you understand," he explained, "when I was a Crown Prince, I used to live in Brauchitsch - which was, and still is, one of the popular states in the Longbournian Nations for travelling troupes to stage their performances. I had never missed one during the time I lived there."
In the meanwhile, I was confused. Brauchitsch? my forehead creased, but is that not Prince Heinrich's -
His smile faded. "Aye, Mistress Harrington, you assumed correctly," he caught my expression, "I used to live under Prince Heinrich's wardship in Brauchitsch during my childhood."
Feeling the tension in the air rise up a few notches, I glanced at him, taken aback. His eyes were downcast, almost as if he was hiding them from me, as he crossed his fingers together.
He was grieving. He was truly grieving for Prince Heinrich.
For the first time those few days, it occurred to me that there may be another reason - apart from his inherent magnanimity - that drove him to keep forgiving Prince Heinrich for all his treacheries, before Princess Natalya had murdered him.
"Were you very close to him, Sire?" I asked softly.
He nodded, still not looking up. "I was," his deep voice shook very slightly, "he protected, taught and raised me as his own son in Brauchitsch, until I ascended the throne earlier this year."
I kept silent, and listened to him.
"I was born after many of my Lady Mother's miscarriages – and failed assassination attempts on her life," he continued to explain, "and my Lord Father was anxious for my health and safety. Thus, he entrusted me to Prince Heinrich, the then President of the Crown Council, to raise a few months after my birth."
I was not surprised. It was a well-known custom for sovereigns to send their children as wards to the households of trustworthy aristocrats, to be raised away from the diseases, distractions and dangers at the royal court.
As a result, however, these children hardly saw their parents.
"You must have missed your family very much, Sire," I murmured.
"Aye, very much so. I only met my parents a couple of times a year growing up, and I was first allowed to visit Natalya only when she turned a year old," he answered sadly, "but Prince Heinrich had always tried his best to ensure that I did not feel their absence. I considered his wife as my second mother, and his children treated me like their own sibling."
"I had a very happy childhood, filled with love, warmth and support from his family, Mistress Harrington," he said softly, "and despite how our relationship fell apart after I became an Emperor, I cannot forget that."
"Why did it fall apart?" I hardly dared to ask.
"Our disagreements on many of the policies I wanted to enforce when I ascended the throne aside, he was also upset with me for not including him in my reign," his voice grew very quiet, "he had quite enjoyed being the power behind the throne when my father had ruled – picking council members, weighing in on new policies, handing out favours, and so on – and was hoping to do the same when I was on the throne. He has assumed he would have even more influence over me, since he had raised me and I looked up to him to no end."
"However, I wanted an honest council, with members chosen based on merit and who only wish to work for the betterment of the Longbournian Nations. Above all, I want to rule justly, without anyone's influence or power clouding my judgement," determination filled his tone, "I do not wish to compromise on anything with regard to the well-being of my empire. Prince Heinrich lost all his influence when I ascended the throne, and the desire for that lost power blinded him to his last day. He has betrayed me, and tried to harm me and my family countless times these few months."
"Nevertheless, he was...he was once the closest thing I had to a father figure during a time when I was most lonely, and lacked proper guidance," his admitted tiredly, "and I still miss him and mourn his demise terribly. I know I should not - considering everything that he has done – but I do."
His voice faltered, as he looked up at me. His sea-green eyes were rimmed red, and shone bright with tears, filled with pain and grief that truly resonated within me in that moment.
My heart broke for him, and my own vision blurred.
Catching my expression, his lips tried to form a smile but failed. "Oh, nay, now I have made you cry too, Mistress Harrington," he mumbled, embarrassed, "at times, I truly do talk too much. I am so sorry for burdening you with such unnecessary – "
Even before he had finished that sentence, I found myself standing up, striding over to the other side of the bed, and reaching out to wipe away the few tears that had escaped his eyes.
He gazed up at me, completely vulnerable. "Katherine," he whispered, "I – "
"There is no shame in mourning for him," I told him fiercely, "none at all. Traitor or nay, he still means a lot to you. But after this day forth, you can either allow his betrayals to breed grief within you and clog up your airways with every breath you take – or you can keep him alive in your memory as the father who, for all his flaws, still managed to raise you to the wonderful man you are today."
I hesitantly cradled his face in my hands. "It is all right to mourn him," I murmured, "it does not make a dead man's crimes any less heinous, or make you any less of a man. You are both...you are both only human."
His expression crumpled. In one swift motion, his arms had encircled my waist and he buried his face against my stomach. I held him in my arms, feeling his shoulders heave, and his tears soak the fabric of my uniform, as he cried his heart out.
And that night, I cried with him.
***