Again, as if the throne hall were alive, gasps sounded out at not only the news of possible matrimony, but on the rejection of it.
A woman rejecting a marriage offer was unheard of- it was not their place to make those decisions. The father always decided who the daughter would wed.
Finn and Ser Arthus could only watch Katryna with disbelief.
“I had no say in the matter of matrimony with your prince,” Katryna said. “It was negotiated without my knowledge or consent, and I must formally decline the offer.”
“M-m-my lady,” J’rillo N’va stuttered, “it is not as simple as that. The offer has already been agreed to by both parties. Your father, the king, assured me that-”
“The king is dead,” Katryna said in a bitter tone. “The queen is dead. My Aunt Rashel is dead. Prince Rowan is accused of regicide and is on the run. I see no merit to keeping this proposal intact. The deal is off.”
The ambassadors looked at one-another, shocked by what they were hearing.
“My lady, Queen Virala will not take this news lightly after the betrothal was already accepted. She had been very eager at the prospect of marrying her son to a Camridian princess,” J’rillo N’va said.
Siah R’no almost pleaded with Katryna. “We cannot bring such an offensive update back to Ember!”
“You are both smart men, I’m sure you will figure something out,” Katryna said assuredly yet almost sarcastically.
She did not know if the decision she had made was right. But what was done was now done- she trusted her gut, and her gut did not like the way her father and brother had gone behind her back to use her as a political pawn.
There was no way she would ever agree to such a deal. Her independence was hers alone, and that meant it was her decision to make, no one else’s.
The highborns in the hall were baffled by Katryna’s forwardness. It was almost coming across as arrogant and rude to them.
“My lady, this is the very definition of brash,” Ser Arthus said firmly, appearing at her side once again. “Ember is our closest neighbour. Such an insult will not go down lightly with them. You are risking future repercussions.”
“Ambassadors,” Katryna called out as they began turning to leave. “Tell your queen that if she wants to marry me to her son, she can come and negotiate with me in person next time. I will not be insulted by having strange men do dealings about my future for me.”
The ambassadors hurried out with stern gaits, shaking their heads by the insults being hurled their way.
Katryna stood up from the throne and left with Ser Arthus and Finn following her and an assortment of Infinity Guardsmen tailing them.
The people in the throne hall began to clear out as Katryna left. The court was left wide-eyed and scratching their heads at what they had just witnessed and heard.
“Kat, what in the Creator’s name are you doing?” Finn said as they stepped through a doorway into an offshoot of the throne hall for some privacy.
Katryna did not slow down. “I am doing what has to be done.”
“You’ve gone mad! Do you realise what you have done?”
She stared ahead as they walked at a brisk pace down the hallway, refusing to look at Finn or even reply.
“Wait, stop walking away from me,” Finn huffed. He reached out and tugged against her forearm, forcing her to turn towards he and Ser Arthus.
“What do you want from me, Finn!?” Katryna shouted. “What would you have me do?”
“I’d have you think for a damned second before locking up our remaining family members and hurling dangerous insults at our very powerful neighbour!” Finn yelled, waving his hand around.
“Uncle Hectar and Aunt Ellene were speaking nonsense in front of all those people. What will they think of me when I am also trying to tell them that their prince is a killer?”
“All you did was serve to prove that they were right to mistrust and fear you, Kat. You acted self-righteously. Dangerously. You only made yourself look bad in front of the court.”
Katryna huffed to herself. Maybe Finn was right- she could have handled her aunt and uncle better… perhaps. At least, in front of the court.
But they deserved it!
What did the people think of her now? Had she come across as some sort of tyrant?
“And for Creator’s sake, Kat,” Finn continued, “you may as well have sent some cow dung with the ambassadors for the queen of Ember.”
It was there that Katryna felt she snapped with Finn. Her once charming and loveable little brother had become a source of intense frustration for her, questioning her every move.
While she may have acted impulsively and fearfully with Uncle Hectar and Aunt Ellene, she was sure she was making the right decisions regarding Ember.
She would never allow herself to be used in such a way.
“They were using me, Finn! They have been using me all this time for Rowan’s succession. I’ve never been anything more than a whore for them to sell.”
“Oh, come on, Kat! You know that’s not true. Father would have never-”
“Father allowed this to happen, just as much as Rowan did. I will not let men dictate my life for me, not now, not ever.”
“My lady,” Ser Arthus said, stepping in. She had almost forgotten that he was there with them and a few other guards. “I understand your frustrations, but you must remember that it is the responsibility of the fathers in Camridia to marry their daughters off to good suitors.”
Katryna could only shake her head and rub her temples. What sort of custom allowed for this? How had she never even considered that this could happen to
