Post by Kathryn Remington on Jan 11, 2018 4:24:19 GMT -5
After the events of the past week, Kathryn needed a few hours to stop, catch her breath, and take stock of all that was occurring around her. She found it eerily uncanny how Dante's predictions regarding the future of Archades and his family were coming to pass in what seemed like unstoppable momentum. Within the span of a week, the Deverauxs had fallen through internecine strife, all but paving the path for the Sandovals to neatly resume their place. Her head threatened to spin from the gathering force, prompting her to forego her accustomed evening routine in favor of a long, hot bath and some intensely desired solitude.
The soak in thoroughly heated, scented water granted Kathryn the chance to review what had happened. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the rim of the tub and let memories rise to the surface. There'd been no time in which to react that evening - before she'd known it, Nicolette collapsed, triggering chaos and violence, and a narrow escape at Dante's insistence. Kathryn hated knowing that Nicholas was not with them, yet Dante made it clear that to stay was beyond dangerous. She'd been swept along with his sisters to safety, left feeling helpless and impotent to save her brother.
The days in which the palace was locked down, trapping Nicholas and diverse others in a blood-riddled feast hall passed with agonizing slowness. Reports of what transpired in the palace were slow to emerge, though each revealed some new horror inflicted by Benoit Deveraux. Dante and his family had not hesitated, putting plans into motion to seal the city and force the Deveraux prince to release his hostages.
The plan worked nearly to perfection, compelling the release of those held in the palace some few days later. Kathryn had never been so relieved to see her brother, but where she'd regained her brother, there'd been a loss - one of Dante's brothers was killed in the escape. Still, the Sandovals continued executing their plans with precision, maintaining order in the city even as they staked their claim.
Emerging from the bath, she hastily dried off and donned her nightrail and dressing gown, picking up her brush to sit by the fire and remove the tangles from her hair. Her feet remained bare, warmed by the fire as she considered what the coming weeks would mean. Dante would be crowned King of Archades, of course, and the nobles swear their oaths of fealty to him. There would need to be a trial for Benoit Deveraux and those who aided him, likely resulting in executions or exiles. A new Privy Council would have to be established, naturally, and then... she blinked to realize that her betrothal was now official, and would be announced shortly with a wedding to follow soon after.
All that Dante had predicted, all the conditions that Nicholas insisted be established before the betrothal could be sealed had now come to pass. Feeling dizzy with the force of realization, Kathryn shivered. It was beyond strange to see predictions coming to pass right before her very eyes... and this, she suspected, was merely the beginning.
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Dante Sandoval