CHAPTER 40 POST-PARTY PARTICIPATION
Kat pushed open the doors to Alina’s tea party, well aware that she was incredibly late, but she had alerted the Troivackian queen she would be running a tad behind as the interrogations of the witches of the coven continued.
However, instead of a room filled with Troivackian noblewomen, Kat instead found the serving staff cleaning up and two guests speaking with Alina, who sat primly as ever, her hazel eyes intent on them.
Lady Sarah had her head in her hand and was pointing unsteadily at Lady Wynonna as she slumped back into Kezia, who stood behind her fellow handmaiden with her hands on Lady Wynonna’s shoulders as they waited for their queen to finish speaking to her remaining guests.
“Ah, did I miss the whole thing?” Kat approached the noblewomen while Alina wrapped up with her conversation.
“Mm-yeah. Yeah, you did.” Lady Sarah turned blearily toward Kat. Her right eye closed then, as she appeared to have difficulty seeing only one Katarina in that moment.
“Lady Sarah, I’ve never seen you properly sauced before!” Kat chortled delightedly.
Even Lady Kezia was smiling over the development, though Lady Wynonna looked as though she were already asleep.
“Well, you know … Is because I’ve had to … to do all this work … alone! You are off with … swords and such, an’ you.” Sarah turned to Kezia. “Jus’ had a beautiful baby!”
Kezia laughed, her eyes warming at the mention of her son. “That I did. Thank you for all your hard work to make Her Majesty’s first official gathering such a success, Lady Sarah. I know she could not have managed everything without you.”
Kat smiled at the Troivackian noblewoman appreciatively as a pang of guilt thrummed in her gut. She really hadn’t been doing much to help Alina directly as of late.
“The throne room looks lovely!” Kat cited while casually gripping the hilt of her sword out of nervous habit.
“You!” Lady Sarah brandished her finger at Kat suddenly. “You—hic—have a brother, right?”
Already sensing where the conversation was going, Kat looked wide-eyed to Kezia, who pressed her lips together as she barely staved off another laugh.
“Er … Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Is he good-looking?” Sarah insisted, her eyes fluttering.
“Well, I’m a bit biased against the ninny, but some women show an interest.” Kat cringed and shook her head as though already trying to rid herself of the thought of her brother being appealing to anyone.
“Then les’ do it! Les set up—hic—a wedding!” Lady Sarah tried to stand in a commanding manner but instead slipped and fell back into her seat. “Huh … Someone musta washed the floors.”
Lady Kezia couldn’t hold back any longer, her chin dropped to her chest, her beautiful waving black hair falling over her shoulders, curtaining her face as she laughed.
Kat, on the other hand, was already letting out a sigh. “Lady Sarah, I sincerely doubt that he’s your type. I’m sure there are some halfway decent men in Troivack … somewhere.”
“I used to think so!” Lady Sarah whirled around in her seat with surprising quickness. “But then you showed up, an’ now, an now … Ugh. I have … opinions!” The noblewoman dropped her face to her hands, ashamed.
Kat frowned but was also starting to smile simultaneously in shock and amusement.
By then at least, Alina had bid farewell to the other two noblewomen, who were holding each other’s hands while whispering back and forth excitedly.
Once they were gone, Alina seemed to deflate in her seat while letting out a long breath, but then noticed Kat.
The redhead held up her hands. “I’m sorry, I know I missed it. Faucher insisted I help finish questioning the witches. His Majesty is compiling the findings, and I also have to—”
Alina waved, effectively stopping her friend’s apology with a weary smile. “We’re both working hard. No need to worry. Thank you for everything you’re doing, Kat. Truly. And thank you, Lady Sarah, for arranging this. I wouldn’t have known that long tables were not used for these gatherings had you not told me, nor that lighter colors are expected to be used for the first gathering after the solstice.
Lady Sarah had rested her head on her forearm while Alina and Kat were talking, and it seemed that she had joined Lady Wynonna in falling asleep.
“Well, if it isn’t the dream team!” Kat crowed happily.
Alina groaned at the terrible pun while Kezia shook her head, still laughing.
“I think Lady Wynonna’s drinking habits are rubbing off on Lady Sarah,” Kat added while pulling up a chair beside Sarah.
Alina tilted her head side to side thoughtfully. “She does now tend to drink during times of high stress or after an important meeting or event … Though in a way she’s also a lot more relaxed in general.”
Kat nodded while reaching up to rub her eyes.
“Good Gods, are you actually tired?” Alina asked in astonishment.
“Give me a break. After a month of training and no sleep, I got married, then have been running all over, training, facing my parents, and probably other things too …”
“The first few months of being a newlywed are tiring,” Kezia recalled with a feigned innocence.
Kat looked up at her flatly while Alina blushed and averted her gaze.
“That’s enough of that topic … But … I will say … before attending the next council meeting, I think I might actually try for a nap.”
“Gods, now I know you really are pushing yourself.” Alina looked at Kat, her concern deepening.
“I’ll be alright. I just need three days where nothing major happens— Oh. By the way, His Majesty is going to be interrogating the handmaidens tomorrow.”
Lady Kezia tilted her head. “Are we suspected of having ties to Witch’s Brew?”
Kat grimaced. “There’s a woman close to Alina who we’ve been warned has a hand in causing all this chaos, so we’re being cautious.”
Kezia’s former good mood faded as she nodded seriously. “Of course. Her Majesty’s safety comes first. I have faith that we are all good women here.”
While opening her mouth to agree with the sentiment, Kat was interrupted by the arrival of Lady Nathalie, who came through the servant’s hallway.
“Ah! Lady Katarina! I’m glad you’re back, but I must insist that you go speak with that man named Dimitri who fixed your sword. He has been getting more and more adamant that there are things you need to know about its history.”
Kat let her head flop forward before she pushed herself to her feet. “Is he here at the castle at least?”
“I’m afraid not. He is at his shop in Vessa. His Highness has also returned from searching for Likon, so if you would like to go with him, it might be for the best in order to be cautious.”
Kat bobbed her head in understanding and gave Lady Nathalie an appreciative smile before the Troivackian noblewoman curtsied to Alina and took her leave.
Kat reached up and scratched the back of her neck, then her scalp.
“When was the last time you bathed?” Alina rose to her feet with a hand on her rounding middle and her eyes stern.
“Hm … Two days ago? Wait … Before the wedding? Oh Gods …” Kat’s tired eyes widened briefly before she gave a sniff and yanked her hair free of its tie so that she might retie it properly again, the red roots slick with oil, her skin sallow.
“Take a bath. Have a nap. And then go see the blacksmith before dinner,” the queen ordered softly.
Kat stifled a yawn while attempting to shake her head. “No, no. If I go now, it’s done with and I can—” She was unable to finish the thought as yet another yawn overtook her.
Alina moved to stand in front of Kat and gripped her friend’s upper arms with surprising strength. “You aren’t any use to us if you’re too tired to do anything. Go. Rest. It doesn’t take you long to recover your strength anyway.”
Kat smiled down at the queen, who was looking at her firmly.
She inclined herself to the small blonde. “This errand won’t take long, Your Majesty.”
Giving a tight-lipped smile to the queen and a quick wave to Kezia, Kat didn’t allow anyone else to try and stop her.
Making her way back toward the throne room doors, Kat proceeded to tie back her long hair as she walked, though the women all noticed that her steps were a mite less graceful and energetic than usual.
Kezia leaned over to Alina. “I’m very concerned about her. Everyone has relied so much on Lady Katarina, and she has seemed to bear it well, but perhaps she is reaching her limits.”
Alina watched her friend’s back disappear through the throne room doors.
“I know. It honestly scares me how much we rely on her right now, especially with everything happening. If only her father had his abilities or we had more magical power in this court, we could maybe give her a rest. But the council … They are barely permitting me to get away with the progress pertaining to the rights of the noblewomen. Pushing the agenda for more witches in the castle on top of that?” The queen closed her eyes.
“I think Lady Katarina isn’t the only person who needs rest.” Kezia eyed Alina, and then the two noblewomen behind her.
“Lady Wynonna has been the one logging all council notes and records and collaborating with the king’s assistant even on the meetings Your Majesty cannot attend. Lady Sarah has been managing your events, schedule, and diet. I have been of very little help. I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
Alina turned, grasping her sister-in-law’s hands. “Do not apologize for taking care of yourself and your son. The fact that you have returned to your duties so soon speaks volumes of your loyalty.”
Kezia lowered her gaze demurely. “Hopefully I can now lessen the load for both Ladies Wynonna and Sarah. Then … who knows? Between the three of us, maybe in the years to come we can all better help create the progressive court you dream of and have started to craft with your own hands today, Your Majesty.”
Alina took in a deep breath. “I’m certainly going to do my best to keep going, though hopefully we can wean ourselves away from leaning so heavily on Kat, otherwise things will start falling apart once she leaves for Daxaria.”
“I think you are stronger and more capable than you realize, Your Majesty. Lady Katarina’s powers have been integral, it’s true, but I think it speaks of the uniqueness of events taking place. The first witch, daughter of the Gods, could not best the devil. To say things would fall apart without Lady Katarina, well … I think without the devil present? That wouldn’t be the case at all. I know you’re still learning, but your passion, effort, and sincerity for Troivack and its people are what is changing this court.”
Staring at her sister-in-law, tears welling up in her eyes, Alina had no choice but to hug the woman.
“Thank the Gods I have you as my sister-in-law.”
Kezia accepted the embrace. “You have an army on all sides, Your Majesty. Don’t worry. This all will pass.”
“I hope so … I wake up fearing that people will die when everything comes to a head.”
“Let us pray that it does not come to that.” Kezia released the queen and stepped back with her hands on the queen’s shoulders.
Peering up at the impossibly beautiful woman, Alina sighed. “How are you so lovely?”
“I wasn’t always.” Sadness shone in Kezia’s eyes. “I used to run away from things … and I used to resent that my family and I had to hide our knowledge of magic …”
Alina listened, her surprise undisguised.
“It wasn’t until I met a witch who had been hunted all her life, and she told me that while I had every right to be angry, not to dedicate my life to it. She told me how we are responsible for finding our own happiness, and how allowing my life to be consumed in anger means I’ve allowed everything to be taken from me by those who persecute us. Those words have changed how I’ve lived. Your Majesty, I want you to know, the reason I like you so much is because you were treated as if you were weak due to your health difficulties. However, the fact that you found your strength and continue searching for how to build it? It’s similar to my own journey, and I have nothing but admiration, respect, and complete confidence you are going to do great things. ”
Alina reached out to hold Kezia’s hands once more, unsure of what she could say to such a thing when, off to the side, Lady Sarah proceeded to vomit on the floor.
Both Kezia and the queen looked at each other with a wince, then turned to the nearest serving staff, the profound moment between them broken.
“Perhaps a jug of water for Lady Sarah.”
When they looked back to the two handmaidens, they were taken aback to see Lady Wynonna sitting up once more as well, the noblewoman then proceeded to rise from her seat with impressive grace.
She looked to the queen and Kezia, her eyes still glassy. “Good day, Your Majesty, Lady Kezia. I’m afraid I might be sick myself.”
Lady Wynonna proceeded to curtsy, and then she departed while walking in an impressively straight line.
“For a woman not born in Troivack, her alcohol tolerance is incredible,” Kezia chuckled softly to Alina.
“I fear for her liver.”
“We all do. Though, I heard Lady Katarina’s mother may be the one woman who is able to put her to shame.”
“Oh Gods, don’t bring it up to the duchess. She’s oddly competitive about her alcohol tolerance …”
The two women were starting to get sidetracked in their conversation again when another retching sound from Lady Sarah drew their attention to the more pressing matter of getting the poor noblewoman back to her chamber to rest.