§LÄVÈ

S L A V E ~ 10

Catalina

"What are you doing here?" The Queen asked with a frown, as she watched the Ms.Delatore close the door and walked further into the space that started to feel so confined.

"I wrote letters, and you responded to none of which I sent. I thought it was time to pay a visit" Ms. Delatore stated. Her gaze shifted towards me with disappointment in her eyes and clenched her jaw before she looked at Mrs. Bieber and her husband again, "What is going on here?" She repeated her question from earlier,

"You cannot be here unannounced", The Queen ignored her question.

"If you had oh so taken the time to open my letters, you would have seen that I made my intentions very clear" Ms.Delatore hissed as she walked towards me and helped me from the ground,

"And what do you think you are doing?" The King spoke up with raised eyebrows, "I am helping you. If only you knew what exactly you were doing"

"I am punishing a filthy slave that needs-"

"She is not filthy!" Ms. Delatore glared up at him,

"And you have no grounds here!" The King screamed at her unapologetically. The room fell silent and anyone could sense the tense-ness that arose and settled in the atmosphere. No one said a word until the King decided to break the silence, "Rebecca, I have much respect for you because you are very close to my wife. But if you think for the slightest moment that I will allow you to be disrespectful towards me — in my home, I will make an example out of you" He stated with emphasis, walking towards his desk and taking his seat behind it.

"With all due respect my king, I am not afraid of you and I will stand my ground on what I believe is right and what I know" Ms. Delatore said, as I stood shakily by her side with my head held slightly down, "I cannot let you torture the best thing you have ever had knowing you are putting this country in danger"

    "What are you saying, Rebecca?" The Queen raised her eyebrows in concern. The King sat forward in his chair and looked at her keenly, "What do you speak of? bring meaning to this! I command you!"

"I do not know as yet! I am not sure if my theories are correct" Rebecca said, taking a deep breath, "That is why I wrote letters ... I-I need to talk to you both, privately" She then looked down at me, "But I must speak with Catalina first"

    "No, I will not allow-"

"You will, for I am her organizational overseer and she is of age, you cannot stop me by law" She took hold of my arm, and without another word, she helped me out of the room and led me down the long hallway before we entered an empty room and she sat me on a chair that was in the corner.

"Have you heard about the plan?" was the question I asked as soon as she looked down at me.  

     "Word travels fast..." was what she responded as her voice trailed off. I could feel her analyzing me with concern evident in her eyes – as she stood in front of me with her hands placed on her hips and a worried expression on her face. I took a deep breath and looked up at her with sadness in my eyes; even then, I nodded, "I am fine" I said without being asked verbally; it was the fact that I could see the question burning to be spoken from her lips. Her body language and her eyes gave away her secrets that laid just on the surface. "Are you really?" she asked with raised eyebrows. I bit down on my lower lip and cleared my throat, I did not find it easy to lie to Ms. Delatore and not have her see right through it.