if to love you is a sin, i'd gladly be a sinner
Words: 2503
Summary: Katherine has a heavy burden on her shoulders. Shelby notices. It does nothing to stop her from falling.
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Shelby ran her sleeve across her brow for the millionth time that morning, as she set down the last of the crates near the square of New Glimmer Grove. Katherine next to her cleared her own face with a white, satin handkerchief with her initials sewed in golden string.
“That should be the last of the supplies,” the princess noted, glancing around.
“Well, if there's more, I can surely use my magic?” Shelby meant to sound more self-assured, but it was a well-known secret that using her magic typically ended up in disaster. The last thing Katherine needed was another mess to clean up.
Katherine shook her head no and Shelby bit her lip. Her clumsiness was really no secret. Yet Katherine offered her a smile. “You've done plenty already. If necessary, I'll go grab them myself.”
Shelby was glad for the sunny morning, for it concealed the redness of her face under the perfect guise. “If you say so… We should get them distributed before they go to waste in this scorching sun.”
Katherine nodded. New Glimmer Grove was a small settlement with few inhabitants who were still struggling to make ends meet. Starting over, especially for the more elderly villagers, was near impossible. It was the duty of their sovereignty to look after them in these tough times, a duty Katherine had seen to with diligence after her parents' abdication. From what little Shelby knew of the original kingdom of Glimmer Grove, it had been laid to waste, and all efforts to restore it had been in vain. The only way forward was to rebuild away from the disaster, a responsibility that Katherine's parents could not handle, as it would seem.
Shelby's duty was to observe the situation in all surrounding kingdoms, including Glimmer Grove. She wasn't supposed to interfere and she certainly wasn't supposed to assist any of the rulers in any way. These were the Academy's orders and regulations. The witches had their own agendas and didn't need to meddle into foreign politics.
On the other hand, what reason did Shelby have to obey, since this assignment was nothing but an exile, an attempt to get rid of the embarrassment of the Academy? And whatever her fate would be, they would bear no responsibility. Abandoned in an isolated muddy swamp, visibly unreachable by any outsider — and frankly, who in their right minds would want to delve so deep into the labyrinth that was known as the Evermore? — she would either lose herself to the fog or madness. And no one would even look for her.
At first, desperate as she was and afraid to invoke any more of the Academy's wrath, Shelby was more diligent. But as time passed and it became clear that no one was particularly concerned about her whereabouts, she started straying further and further away, until she found the Sun. And although Katherine often bathed herself under the moonlight, she was more like the Sun in Shelby's eyes. Her gravity was so strong that it was impossible not to draw you into her orbit and without her light, you'd probably wither away. Thus, she found herself offering her assistance, against the entire regulations of the Academy.
It wasn't entirely out of the goodness of her heart. Shelby was guilty aware that this was an excuse to spend time with Katherine, since they lived quite far away from each other and the princess had no reason to venture in the direction of the Evermore. Ruling a kingdom was a handful in itself, not even accounting that Katherine was a monster hunter vigilante, out in the night to make sure no harm would come to her people. This was Shelby's only opportunity to bathe herself greedily under Katherine's sunshine. Katherine’s happiness was perhaps a good addition too. Since her coronation, Katherine took care of everything completely by herself. Having a helping hand seemed to be very appreciated.
