The Storyteller

Chapter 24: Broken Loyalties

Katherine sat upon her wooden trunk, placed neatly at the foot of her bed. She sat clutching the letter her father and given her mother before he had been found guilty of treason and executed. She had stopped reading and was now merely staring at the words. She had meant to show this to Gisborne. She had meant to explain herself and to convince him to take back what was his; theirs. It was to remind him she hadn't forgotten.

But her plan had altered, changed so subtly yet suddenly she had found herself caught in a new whirlpool of troubles. There had never been a correct moment, never enough time to reveal what exactly was in her mind and heart.

Now, after reading the letter again she was reminded what was at stake. She would show Guy tonight. She would tell him everything, and they would find a way to make things right again, together. She was resolved in this, but her hands continued to shake at the prospect.

She raised her head at the sound of laughter just outside her window. She rose, curious, placing the letter gently down atop her bed, she made her way to the window. She could hear excited tones below. That was definitely Lynna's voice, but it carried with unusual wildness and energy. Then she heard a low laughter accompany Lynna's voice. Katherine nearly stuck her head out of the window at the sound; Guy must be with her.

There they were. She could see them. Lynna was gesturing wildly with her hands and she was even walking backwards at time, making small skipping, hobbling leaps. From the way she was moving and acting, she must be in the process of telling a story. She could see Guy walking steadily in front of Lynna as she continued hobbling backwards. Katherine could almost sense her brother's amusement at Lynna's antics.

It was more than just that, however; Katherine could see the freedom in which Lynna carried herself. This was not the same mouse of a girl who shied away the moment she allowed the smallest amount of personality to break through. Now, below, she walked with newfound energy.

Katherine bit her lip as she saw Guy reach for Lynna. She heard the girl yelp with surprise only to have it be muffled by an obvious kiss, judging from the way Guy held her in place. Suddenly Katherine felt as if she was intruding upon them. She turned to glance back at the letter sitting atop her bed, then stole another glance out the window.

The couple had parted since, but they walked so close together they appeared as one shadow in the late afternoon sun. Katherine sighed in frustration and turned away from the window once and for all. It was not that she did not adore Lynna as a friend and confidant, it was that she knew the path she walked now was dangerous and she would rather the girl be far away from it. Lynna had been an unexpected friend at a most inconvenient time. Unfortunately she had found the girl when she, herself was most in need of someone to trust. She could see how much Guy loved her, perhaps that had been part of the reason she had become attached to Lynna in the first place; and she could see Lynna slowly grow to love her brother. She had been happy at first, with the help of Lynna maybe she could get through to Guy, but obstacles had appeared. Now Lynna could only be used as a means to control Guy. The Sheriff had proved that with his first attempt to murder the girl.

The voices were directly below her now. Katherine sighed and folded the letter, clutching it in the palm of her hand. She opened the door to her room and quietly made her way down the steps to greet her brother and her friend.

Lynna's face was flushed from coming out of the cold, and her eyes were remarkably bright. She was unwrapping the shawl from about her shoulders when she saw Katherine. Her face practically split with a smile, before it quickly erased itself. She looked up at Guy as if waiting for some signal.

Katherine raised an eyebrow at the two, they both looked like a pair of children concealing a very mischievous secret. “Well? What is it? What trouble have you gotten into? Bothering the servants? Stealing sweets out of the kitchen? I warn you I will send you both off to bed without supper if you try me so you had better have out with it.”