The Lady Justice

Chapter XLVIII: To Accuse, And Be Accused

Lady Katherine Harrington of Johanne

4 December, Year 1 of Sebastian VI, Emperor of the Longbournian Nations' reign

Amöneburg Ballroom, Amöneburg

The Longbournian Nations

As the Dowager Empress and Queen Eleanor continued to expound the benefits of the Treaty of Amöneburg, the Emperor and I stood frozen. We stared at each other, shocked and horrified into silence.

Was this truly happening?

How did they even - How could they -

Just then, I heard a barely suppressed snarl behind me. I turned around to find the Princess trembling, looking ready to murder the women on the dais.

Her eyes were bright red, burning with fury. Her lips had thinned into a pink line, and her fists were clenched tightly by her sides, as if she was trying hard not to punch everyone surrounding her.

She was the very portrait of what I was feeling inside.

The Emperor sighed. "Natalya - "

"Brother-mine, you will deal with that nonsense before it escalates," her gaze was flinty, as she gestured to the dais, "and you will not let either of them bully you into agreeing to anything. I swear to God, if you bring that Madeleine girl into our home as your wife, I will castrate you in your sleep, make no mistake."

I flinched at the image she painted, but the Emperor took it in his stride. He nodded tersely at the both of us, before he began to stride forward towards the dais, his eyes promising trouble ahead.

I closed my eyes. By God -

"We, in the meanwhile, have another pressing matter to attend to," her voice broke into my thoughts, "look at that." She pointed to my far right.

At first, I could not tell what she was pointing at. The ballroom was too crowded with jubilant people, moving and jumping about. I squinted, until I recognised a familiar countenance that stood out in the sea of happiness in its misery.

A well-dressed Richard was rooted to the spot where he stood, his grey eyes filled with horror, and a healthy dose of pain. While the unfamiliar blonde woman clinging to his arm was cheering at the news of the Emperor's marriage, he was running a hand through his hair, utterly conflicted, lost in his thoughts.

"He came to the ball after all," I observed numbly.

"He did," she murmured, "and I can bet you my fortune that he will leave for the pleasure house in a few moments."

I turned to her, incredulous. "We are not following him tonight," I refused, "there are enough problems here to solve - "

"Do not worry. If Brother-mine values his manhood - which I am certain he does - he will set my Lady Mother and Queen Eleanor straight, and remind them who is the Emperor of the Longbournian Nations," she smiled wryly, before it faded, "but that is not the issue."

"Then what is?"

"The question is, when all of this blows over," she kept her gaze on me, "can you accept his hand in marriage whole-heartedly? Without the shadow of your past clinging to you?"

I had no words.

"You need to make peace with your past before you can look to your future," she continued softly, "and so do I." She admitted.

At that moment, Richard turned his gaze away from the dais, and began to stride towards the doorway.

"You had best follow him first," she gently pushed me, "I will find Arielle and Michelle, and ask them to cover for us in the event Queen Eleanor or my Lady Mother look for us. I will meet you outside the pleasure house."