I Will Always Love You - Empires SMP S2 AU: Nature Wives

Chapter 7: Found It (Katherine)

Katherine looked across the corrupted infertile land, eyes wide as she relived her nightmare.

"PRINCESS KATHERINE-!"

The princess blinked, turning to the rowdy afraid mob of villagers that had appeared behind her.

"PRINCESS KATHERINE! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?" one villager cried.

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO STOP IT?" a farmer questioned, beating the end of his rake against the ground.

Katherine attempted to order the court, "One at a time please-,"

"ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE?" None of the villagers had heard her, or they chose not to listen.

"WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?"

"Katherine,"

Katherine didn't have to turn and look to know that it was Shelby who had yelled her name.

Shelby stopped just outside the ring of villagers in Katherine's line of sight and was waving her hands like a maniac, trying to get Katherine's attention.

Katherine clocked her witch and fixed her with a panicked stare that only Shelby would understand.

Shelby mimed telling the crowd to shut up.

Katherine took a deep breath, "I know you are all panicked by the recent turn of events-,"

"WHEN ARE WE LEAVING?"

"-but it is no reason to panic-," panicked sweat trickled down Katherine's brow.

"ARE WE GOING TO LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND?"

"CAN YOU ALL PLEASE SHUT UP?!" Shelby roared from her spot behind the crowd, causing all heads to swivell so they were all facing her.

She pushed through the crowd on staring villagers until she was spat out on the otherside.

Shelby came to stand next to Katherine, head held high and glaring at the villagers, "Listen to her. She's your princess for crying out loud,"

She turned to meet Katherine's eye for a brief second, winking at her before resuming her survey of the villagers.

Now glad that Shelby was on the scene, Katherine took a deep breath before beginning, addressing her people with a serious tone:

"As most of you saw, or felt, the curse is spreading," Katherine fought to keep the terrified wobble from her voice as hundreds of eyes tracked her, "It was unexpected and sudden."

Katherine glanced over her own shoulder, just to check how far the cursed land was away from the village.

She swallowed, "I don't know why it happened. I don't know when it will happen again. But we need to be prepared."

Shelby looked to Katherine with wide eyes.

"I advise you all to keep a small bag at hand so if it spreads again, we are ready to depart, if necessary,"

The crowd before her murmured, giving her uneasy glances.

Katherine swallowed down the tremor that had weaved its way into her voice, "I'll be meeting with the council today to discuss a potential escape plan,"

The crowd nodded and they started to disapate back to their tasks, glancing back in Shelby's and Katherine's direction.

Once everyone had gone, Katherine exhaled the breath that she didn't realise she had been holding.

"Katherine? You Ok?" Shelby touched Katherine's arm as the princess turned to survey the plain of infertile land that was creeping towards the village.