Episode 8

The temple began its investigation against the marchioness, while she was allowed to leave her confinement. As soon as she did, she started complaining to the marquis when she found out that Katerina wasn't taking the classes she had arranged. She also saw her practicing fencing in the training room, and although she yelled at the young woman, Katerina simply told her that her father had allowed it.

"Enough! This is my house, she is also my daughter, and these days, a woman can do whatever she wants! If my daughter wants to be a soldier or a dressmaker, she will be. Now leave, your mere presence is a headache," he yelled furiously.

The marchioness was stunned by her husband's shouting and even more so at being watched by the house staff. It was obvious that this would be all over the city very soon. The marquis ordered the butler to remove the marchioness from the room, while she screamed furiously. She couldn't believe that her husband would treat her that way and never want to give her the benefit of the doubt, undermining her authority in the house and with their daughter.

"That's what happens when you only want to subdue everyone to your command. Mother, I have my own dreams, and being a submissive wife is not one of them," Katerina said.

"This is all your fault! You should just shut up and obey, don't you understand? It's your future!"

"I don't need you to plan my future. Besides, the future I'm planning is better."

The marchioness could see the arrogant smile on Katerina's lips as she looked at her with superiority. Since when was that girl like this? She always lowered her head and did what she was told; she couldn't have changed overnight.

"You're an ungrateful daughter! I got you a good engagement; you should be grateful."

"Don't you know how to say anything else? If you like the crown prince so much, marry him. I have better taste."

With that, the young woman went on her way, and when the marchioness tried to catch up with her, Jane stepped in her way. The marchioness stopped, knowing that the guard was loyal to the marquis.

At the palace, Arek was in a meeting with the emperor, the crown prince, and the generals of their troops. On a table was a map of the country, where a general named Graham was showing them the position of the Ketzanian troops. It seemed that conflict was inevitable and that he should send more troops in case they launched an attack.

"The crown prince could lead our troops," Graham suggested.

At this, Rowan clenched his fists. He had no intention of going into battle; he didn't even know how to use a sword properly.

"That's true; I'm sure that if His Highness goes, it will raise the morale of our soldiers," Arek said with a mocking smile.

"They are right; we have to think about it," the emperor said.

This made Rowan even more nervous, so as soon as the meeting was over, he ran to the empress's palace to tell her, as the emperor seemed to be considering the idea. The empress, of course, was not going to allow her son to be sent to the front lines of the conflict. His place was on the throne, not on the battlefield, and that was exactly what she told the emperor as soon as she went to see him.

"If he dies, who will inherit the throne? We have no other children, and that...that boy will not take the place that belongs to Rowan."

The emperor was left thoughtful by the empress's words. She was right; if Rowan died on the battlefield, Arek would be the one to fight to take the throne, and they could not allow such a thing.

"You're right. We'll send that boy; it doesn't matter if he dies; nobody will care. As long as he represents the royal family, the soldiers will be happy."

It was the perfect opportunity to get rid of Arek, and just as she thought, no one would be able to blame her. Surely there would be no investigation, for many perished in war. It was the perfect plan.

"You're right. I'll send him. We'll say Rowan is ill and Arek will be sent while Rowan recovers," the emperor said.

That way, no one could say that their son was just running away from going to the front. The plan was to say that Rowan would go, but two days before, he would fall ill and be unable to lead the troops, so Arek would be sent. The empress was happy about that; her son would never go to war.

Two days later, Katerina met with Arek again. He told her that it was just as she had said: The emperors were planning something. According to the crown prince, he would be sent to lead the troops, but his spies had told him that Rowan had left the palace to settle a private matter. They were surely planning to keep him away to prevent him from going to the border.

"See? We'll use this to our advantage. We'll make the crown prince look like a coward in front of everyone."

"If I come back alive, that is. If a war breaks out, there's no guarantee I'll be back. Your plans could go down the drain, my lady," he said with a mocking smile.

"That will never happen. I'll make sure you come back alive."

Arek could see the certainty in Katerina's words. She was certainly an interesting girl, even though she was only 14 years old, but she knew how to handle the situation she was in.

"By the way, I heard that your mother is being investigated by the temple. I hope you don't mind that I provided some evidence."

"You did? How sweet. That's such a romantic gesture, Your Highness. You don't know how happy that makes me." Katerina looked him straight in the eye, and Arek didn't look away.

At that moment, she hated being only a 14-year-old girl and Arek being only 15; otherwise, she wouldn't miss the opportunity to taste that delicacy. But she would have her chance in a couple of years. After finishing their conversation, Katerina left, and when she arrived at her family's mansion, the temple carriages were already there. It seemed that it was just as Arek had said, and he had provided them with the necessary information. As she entered, she heard the screams of the marchioness, denying everything, and she turned to the door, seeing the blonde woman.

"There you are, my daughter... Come on, tell these men that your divine mana is real," she said nervously.

"It's not like that. I don't have divine power... My mother made me use a special crystal with that kind of mana," she said timidly.

"You damn brat, how dare you? After what I did for you? Without me, you wouldn't be the crown prince's fiancee." The marchioness lunged at Katerina.

She threw her to the ground and started hitting her. Quickly, the temple guards grabbed the marchioness, and the marquis helped his daughter, asking Jane to take her away.

"Don't touch me... Husband, you know this is slander... Please," the marchioness pleaded.

The marquis ignored her and spoke to the cardinal, who assured him that there was enough evidence and that the trial would take place in the temple. They would decide the marchioness's sentence, for the emperors were only spectators.

The next day, the trial was taking place. The marchioness's crime was mentioned, and the evidence was presented: the stones that the marchioness had given to her daughter, which had been bought on the black market. There, the witnesses claimed to have seen the marchioness, and the shop owner showed a customer book, where the marchioness's name and her orders were written down. When Katerina was called to give her testimony, she said the same thing she had told the cardinal.

The empress was upset. It was humiliating to know that her son's fiancee's mother was on trial, and it was not just any crime; it was one that would cause her problems, for if Katerina was not the saint, she and Rowan would no longer have the support of the temple.

...

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