The celebration continued late into the night, the empress decided to retreat early, more so she was forced to by her court ladies. Maria kept asking if she was feeling alright and refused to believe every time she said yes, the empress finally resisted when Abigail told her she would prepare some magnolia tea for her.
Katherine knew, when Abigail gets involved there is no more backing down, in this case she had to accept defeat. The day did really get a strain on her, she felt it in her bones, the ones that she had and in the ones she didn't, they are getting too close.
But besides all that the company, the crowd of guests who kept talking with her helped by distracting her from everything. Now that it is late in the night and the hallways are empty, people are all over the place, in the ballroom, in the gardens, in the bedrooms. But the hallways are empty.
The Queen's palace is quite far from the ballroom, but it felt like she arrived quicker than anytime before.
There was a guard standing in front of the entrance to the hallway leading to the Queen's palace.
It was Dolion.
She hesitated for a moment before approaching him.
"Your Majesty there is a man waiting for you in the main drawing room.'' He let her pass him and now was walking alongside her to the entrance.
"A man?'' She asked with a confused look on her face. "Did he not introduce himself?''
"No, he said you will recognize him once you see him.''
"What an interesting man that is.''
They arrived at the main door, entering the hallway leading right into the drawing room.
"Should I go with you, Your Majesty? He could be dangerous.'' Dolion asked before she entered the main drawing room. With every day he spends on duty she doubts him less and less, right now Katherine was much more concerned about the other guard that was with her that day, she had not seen him around the palace much in the last few days.
"There is no need, please return to your position.'' Thalia said to him and straightened her shoulders again.
As soon as she entered the room she saw a blond head sitting on one of the red couches.
"And who may you be?'' She asked with a smile on her face while not even being half across the room.
The blond man in the white and gold suit stood up and said. "I must say I am disappointed in Your Majesty. Have you forgotten an old friend of yours?'' He also smiled.
"And who are you to call yourself my friend?'' Katherine answered when she finally stood in front of him.
"Someone very special I would say.''
"Is that so? Still, even my friends introduce themselves before talking to me after a long time.''
"My deepest apologies, Your Majesty,'' he bowed. "Leonard of Vendrig at your service.''
"Hello Leonard of Vendrig.''
"Hello Your Majesty The Empress.''
"I must tell you. You are not my friend.''
"I am not?''
"No you are not, you were my friend three years ago, but you no longer are.''
"Then I must apologize Your Majesty.'' He bowed.
"What bring you here may I ask my fellow stranger?''
"I wanted to say hello since I failed to do that today.''
"You hide well I see.''
"No my brother is just bad at finding me.''
The man Katherine had this silly conversation with was Leonard of Vendrig, second son of Vendrig house. He is a knight who taught Katherine's son how to use a sword when he was ten years old and has been doing that for the past six years. Three years ago when her son was away from home in order to prepare for the Royal academy's entrance exam, Leonard accompanied him, he also became his mentor at the academy. He is part of the group of mentors that arrived from the academy in order to prepare Iyan for his future duties in the next two years until he turns eighteen.
Unlike other mentors he arrived yesterday with his family since he was on a temporary leave in order to take care of the duchy while his brother was away on his honeymoon.
As for the friend part, they were never truly friends, but because they talked a lot in the past Katherine understood why he considered her a friend.
"Is there anything else you wanted to say other than ''Hello''?'' Thalia asked.
"No, but do to the time I would like to wish you good night.''
"Please proceed then.''
"Good night, Your Majesty.'' He said and bowed once again, this time for goodbye.
"Good night, Leonard of Vendrig.''
*
"Don't you remember?"
"Your Majesty." A soft whisper rang in her Majesty's ear. The maid slightly touched her shoulder in order to wake her up.
Katherine calmly opened her eyes only to realize she had fallen asleep in a chair by the window while waiting for her tea to cool down. The maid softly smiled and stepped away, she took a basket of folded laundry and opened the door to a closet that was right across the chair Katherine was sitting on.
The light of candles mixed with soft moonlight came through the window. Tea was cold, Katherine noticed as she took the cup in her hands.
"Emily, can you light a fire?" She asked the maid.
"Of course my lady." The maid started the fire and placed a thin yellow blanket over her majesty's shoulders, then she returned to the task she was doing earlier. Katherine looked at her cup of cold tea, it was magnolia tea that Abigail had prepared for her so she would sleep better. And yet she was still awake in this hour, she looked at the clock, it was almost midnight.
She looked at the maid that was putting away clean laundry in her closet. The maid that was doing this particular task was one of the younger maids that worked in the palace, her name was Emily and she didn't really have a face that could easily be distinguished from other maids in the palace. And yet Katherine always recognized her, her majesty knew all the maids by their name but she kept a special place in her mind for Emily. She is young, very young, barely over twenty years old. Her eyes are big and blue, but her hair is dark brown, tied in a very well done bun. Her beauty is not extraordinary, she is quite common looking, same goes for her height. But her posture is excellent as a high class lady.
Unlike the other maids she wears a black uniform, since she is in mourning.
Emily was quickly promoted to work as Katherine's personal maid even though it took someone else years to rise up to that position. Not every maid could be in her majesty's chambers late at night, especially not to put away laundry. Emily was an exception.
While watching her put away her nightgowns something caught Katherine's eye.
"Emily what is that?'' She asked and got up from her chair.
"Your nightgowns Your Majesty.'' Emily answered by showing neatly folded nightgowns with white one on top.
"When was this washed?'' Katherine continued asking while not moving her eyes from the white on on top. Empress always paid a lot of attention to the colours she was wearing. Colors meant the whole world to her. Every single one of them had a special meaning, and she always knew which ones she should and shouldn't wear. Black was for death and she would never wear a black dress unless she was mourning. Something similar applied to white.
White was the colour of purity and she wore it a lot as a child, last time she put on a white dress was on her wedding day, after that day she wasn't pure any more so she stopped wearing it. This also applied to simple things such as her nightgowns.
"There has been a delay with laundry during the coronation preparations. I would say this is from the beginning of the month.'' Emily explained. "Is there something wrong Your Majesty?''
"No, please finish quickly.'' Thalia said and brushed the thoughts off her mind. She vaguely remembered wearing it. How could she wear such a thing? How could such a thing even be in her closet? But everything she wore on her wedding day was still in her closet. Could she take it in the dark by mistake?
"Yes Your Majesty.''
Katherine went to her bedroom and sat down on the bed. She waited for the sound of the door closing. Emily has left her chambers. Only then did she lay down to sleep, Katherine can't sleep while knowing someone is in her chamber. She had this strange fear of being suffocated with a pillow, so even a thought of falling asleep with someone present gave her chills.
There were many strange things she feared but by giving them attention she only made things worse. So she didn't think - she would completely empty her head and let it sink into soft goose feather pillows. She felt her body start to relax and lost any desire to move, her breaths became deeper as she felt the calming effect of magnolia tea of which she drank one cup before pouring herself another one. Katherine fell asleep more relaxed than she had ever been.
Supposedly, the Empress died that night.