Keeper Of Souls

Chapter: 1.11: A Snippet of Normalcy

Don't yell at me. I KNOW IT HAS BEEN MONTHS. Fantasy always takes time for me. This is why I've never finished an entire fantasy book. I'm going to try and get better at this though. Tell me what you think of this chapter :)

Disoriented and in complete shock, Katarina stumbled around in what remained of what used to be her perfect little castle. Now it was entirely corrupted and evil. It wreaked of gloom, doom, and most importantly, death. When Kat made it inside of the castle, she immediately dropped to her knees at the sight of Margaret cold and lifeless, her body twisted, her face squished in pain. Putting a hand to her mouth, she stifled her whimpers, silent and warm tears running down her face.

Whoever did this was going to pay, if it was the last thing Kat did. Margaret didn’t deserve this death, no one deserved that death and she wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It was as if someone pulled the stopper out of Kat’s little perfect fantasy and pushed her into the reality of life. In reality, people died, people murdered, people switched sides, people did whatever it took to survive, and people lied.

There were so many lies going on right about now that Kat didn’t know what to believe. She had a sister? She had to marry William? Two people were out for information about the dark mistress? Her father was onto her? Her father that she wasn’t even sure was her father was onto her?

It was too much, it caused Kat’s chest to heave uncontrollably. A hand landed on her shoulder and squeezed. Jerking away, Kat clambered up to her feet to find William staring back at her sympathetically.

“Katarina, I thought you left me,” he whispered, his eyebrows pulled in together.

“I should have, I really should have,” she snapped.

Will’s face was smooth and collected, his clothing dirty and torn in places. “I’m sorry about Margaret, Princess.”

“Did you ever think that maybe all of this was your fault? Huh?” she screeched. Will flinched. “Everything was fine until you came around and now look at my home. Did you think if we fell in love this was going to be a fairytale ending and we’d skip off to the heavens?”

Turning away, William shoved his hands into his pockets. “It’s like I don’t know you anymore,” he said, his voice soft.

“You never knew me.” Kat took the opportunity to walk off but not before taking one last glance at his face. It was as if he was trying to hold back poisonous words with his pursed lips, keep back the pain with his narrowed eyes, and then the way his body caved in on itself...He loved Clasterina, he really did.

Yet, Kat couldn’t understand how. He was royalty and she was street scum. He was a prince and she was a commoner. She murdered people and he sent others out to do his bidding. Also, taking in consideration how short the amount of time was that they had been together. Who fell in love that quickly? Probably someone who knows they have forever together no matter what.

In the three seconds it took Kat to formulate all of her new thoughts, she came to a halt, turning back to Will.

“Will, I’m sorry, okay? I’m just, it’s just that Margaret was my everything. She was the mother I never had and I feel so lost now. What am I going to do without her?” The funny thing was that these words weren’t lies for Will’s benefit nor was the tears it brought to the brink.

Slowly, Will walked over to wrap his arms around her and Kat grew still and then returned the favor. How was she going to tell him that Clast wasn’t her and the woman he thought he had was gone without sounding like a lunatic? She couldn’t be the woman he loved. Clast said it herself, he hated her before she came around.