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[center][sub]Interacting with: [@PrinceAlexus], [@Echotech71][/sub][/center]
[color=lightgray]Katherine’s hand trembled gently as Daphne helped her guide the wooden cup to her mouth. She could feel herself become more alert as she finished the small quantity of icy water, wiping away a small drop from the corner of her mouth before looking at Daphne with grateful eyes. This felt like more than just following orders. Whether it was from being in service to the Coswain’s or otherwise, Kat couldn’t tell. It made sense that the squire cared so much for Persephone. [color=19CACA][i]But why is she doing so much for me?[/i][/color]

In service to the goddess, perhaps? Trying to win her favor. Katherine nodded mentally, that had to be it.

And then it hit her. [i]Kat.[/i] She’d called her [i]Kat.[/i] Not Katherine as she’d introduced herself, and not by her title, but by a shortened and very much more personal name. Maybe there was more behind her actions than originally thought.

Katherine moved her head to face Daphne a bit better and watched as the fire glimmered in her violet-eyes. Something about them drew Katherine’s attention every time she’d looked at Daphne, and with it, she began to pick out new details here and there. Daphne looked younger now that they were in a properly-lit room; the darkness and Katherine’s prior exhaustion had allowed it to go unnoticed until now. Long, dark hair that, unlike her own braid, was done up to stay out of the way. A certain softness was visible on her face behind the mask of a royal guard that she’d managed to keep up so well. Lastly, a build to her that few men would be able to tangle with. Katherine’s comparably small frame wouldn’t stand a chance if they ever crossed blades.

And damn did Katherine drink in every bit of it, though trying her best to hide her ogling every time the squire’s attention came back to her. Any other day, Katherine would have jumped in and contested Daphne’s promise of protection, but the squire’s smile and the playfully-mischievous look she’d held stripped any of that desire for independence away.

[color=19CACA]“What a shame indeed,”[/color] her tone was playful despite an audible weakness still present in her voice, [color=19CACA]“You might even be stuck here for hours.”[/color]

[color=19CACA][i]Alright, clearly I’m starting to improve if that’s where my mind is wandering. Time to make yourself a bit more presentable, high priestess.[/i][/color]

A moment later, the priestess had managed to find the strength to sit herself up. Katherine’s back now rested against the warm stone-structure of the fireplace, letting the heat warm her to the core. She was finally starting to feel somewhat normal again despite the primal and unrelenting nature of her… interrogation attempt. Every fibre of her physical being hated the magic that she’d been forced to channel for as long as she’d shown the potential. But despite its nature, Katherine knew its potential and knew the power she held just by being one of the few people that could contain it. A small part of her liked it. It was this small part that Selune kept in check; the threat of her wrath if Katherine stepped too far over the line was all-too real.

There was also of course the threat of consequences from her fellow mortal beings if they ever found out the truth. The very reason her blood went cold when Nathaniel mentioned traces of magic on the body. The very same magic that she’d used. Unless she’d missed something, Katherine hadn’t felt any sort of magic from the body prior to starting her ritual.

He had detected [i]her magic[/i] on the body. 

[color=19CACA][i]Just breathe. He doesn’t know the source, and as long as that doesn’t change, you’re safe. At least until the prince comes knocking.[/i][/color]

Silence was her best friend right now. There was no explanation she could give for her state of exhaustion that wouldn’t look suspicious. At least not one that wouldn’t be immediately disproven the moment that anyone who’d been at the scene took a deeper look into it. All she could do right now was play for time until the sage had gone. Then and only then, she could perform final rites for Sir Abel and have control over the majority of the remaining evidence.

Just like she’d been taught.[/color]

[quote=King’s Eye Handbook, Chapter 4: Control]“If you control access to information and evidence, you can control the conversations that follow. If you control the conversations, you control the narrative.”[/quote]