Endearment

Chapter Thirteen

Tis sweet to sing the song of life
The song of freedom
But heartache comes with strife
Endearment is love
For the song of freedom is life
The life of freedom is song
Tis sweet to sing the song of life
Tis the reason love endures
But heartache comes with strife
Endearment is love

Katherine sang the words quietly under her breath as she played her sweet melody once more on the miraculous piano in the music room. Playing the piano was the only thing that seemed to calm her down anymore, she'd only been the Kings wife for three weeks and already she could feel the pressures of royalty weighing down on her. And it wasn't just the fact that the pressure was on for her to be with child.

Despite the newly formed alliance between her old country and the one she had now, the people were not happy. Rebellion had stirred up amongst the people of New Times Square, people had begun protesting about Central Presses laws that they now had to follow. The people in Katherine's home were not happy and it only added stress to her, which wasn't good because she already had to much of that behind closed doors.

She was sick, she was tired, and probably pregnant already but she wasn't about to tell anyone that before she knew for sure. She'd rather not having everyone looking at her like she would break if they got too close, Jack already seemed to do that to her... she didn't want anyone else to be that way.

And Jack... oh Jack. What was there to say? They were friends, they really were, best friends? Not really. Good friends? Depended on the day. But for the most part they were nice to each other and only talked when absolutely necessary, Katherine knew he didn't like it any more than she did and that kept her from being bitter. Katherine couldn't even count how many times she'd been pinned to that bed in the last three weeks, it was an almost daily occurrence and Katherine knew Jack probably enjoyed it more than he wanted to admit.

Katherine's head stated to spin suddenly as she played the piano, it had been doing this on and off recently and it worried her. She'd never been sick a day in her life which only added to her confirmation of a potential child already growing inside her. She quietly ended her piece and folded her hands in her lap and squeezed her eyes shut as the spinning subsided to a dull throb in her temple. She felt nauseated but held her breath until it went away.

"My lady, your husband requests your presence in the royal chambers."

Katherine turned her head to see Clara standing by the door her head elevated a bit toward her Queen. Despite Katherine wanting things to remain normal between them, Clara was required to be professional when out and about the castle.

"Yes, of course." Katherine said letting her hands stroke the beautiful ivory keys once more.

Katherine walked silently with Clara up through the castle hallways, over the weeks that she'd been here Katherine had gotten her self fimiluar with the castle in her spare time. She'd only gotten lost once or twice since and it had been quite and adventure trying to find her way back.

"How are you feeling today?" Clara asked tentatively.

"Great." Katherine lied.

Sensing that Katherine didn't want to talk Clara kept silent for the rest of the way only speaking when Katherine asked her a question.

"Have my mother and father returned from New Times Square?" Katherine asked quietly. They'd left about a week ago when the rebellion had first started becoming noticeable, her mother had promised they'd return shortly but she hadn't heard a word sense.

"No my lady." Clara said quietly.

They lapsed back into silence.

As Katherine reached the door to her chambers she dismissed Clara unsure of what Jack had in mind. She opened the door expecting to find him waiting for her but he wasn't. In fact, she couldn't find him at first. It wasn't until she looked out the big glass balcony doors did she spot him leaning up against the railing looking up at the deep blue sky.