163 Blazing Fires

When Katherine stood securely, her eyes met Nathaniel's and both of them halted. Seeing each other's desire had a different kind of allure than the touch alone. Katherine gulped. She felt like she should not make too fast a movement right now or the predator would jump on her. Slowly, she walked over to the chair opposite Nathaniel's, where Aston had sat in the morning. Smoothing her crumbled dress with her hands, she sat in the comfy upholstery. Meanwhile Nathaniel moved his legs slightly to wake them out of the slumber they had fallen in unknowingly.

"I still can't really imagine you as a child", Katherine returned to the first topic. "Did you ever smuggle sweets or played pranks on your maids? No, wait, you don't even like sweets..."

"I smuggled crackers instead", Nathaniel helped her out, forcefully subduing the fire within him. A grin emerged on his lips when he remembered a special occasion. "Once I smuggled a whole bottle of whiskey from the cellar. I only drank a few sips though; it was really awful. Since I didn't want to waste the rest, I used it to make a big bonfire on top of the palace dome. Everyone thought they were under attack. It was funny, seeing the royal guards run around like a bunch of headless chicken. Up there, I always felt like I was the King of the world."

Fascinated, Katherine leaned forward. "Did they ever find out about it?"

Nathaniel chuckled. "Of course. Just a few minutes later. I was forbidden from entering the rooftop ever again. Naturally, that only made it more exciting to sneak up there. It always was my favorite place."

"Forbidden things are always the best", Katherine agreed. "I also like heights. Now I really wish you could have shown me what the Capital looked like from above."

"Next time I will", he promised. "We could even have a picnic on the rooftop. Imagine what a sight that would be."

He paused, when he saw her surprise, and asked: "You thought we would never return, did you?"

"I at least have my doubts. The situation with your uncle doesn't look rosy right now. Even if he survived, he can't just return to the palace until those traitors are dealt with. Additionally, I heard the Queen has proclaimed that the King is dead and is preparing for the coronation of the Crown Prince. So, the King needs to return before the coronation, or it will be too late. I just can't see how he can be healthy again until then."

There was silence in the room, until Nathaniel raised his head to look her in the eye. "Even if it isn't my uncle on the throne, there is a chance that we can come back. My uncle doesn't want the throne anymore, while after his coronation my brother would follow the wishes of our mother. Even if he stops her from killing me, which I doubt, I would never be allowed back in the Capital. I would be a fugitive for life. But since I'm the son of the former monarch..."

Nathaniel paused. He knew what he wanted, but he suddenly wasn't sure if Katherine would approve of it. What would he do if Katherine didn't want to be Queen? Could he give up a dream he had treasured for his whole life? But he couldn't give up on her either. At least he knew that all that Katherine did until now was to get revenge for her parent's death. As a Queen, revenge would be easy, so she should be inclined to do it.

Exhaling, he knew that it was senseless to worry about all that before even knowing her answer. He just had to convince her. So he raised his voice again: "Well, putting my uncle on the throne is not the only solution to prevent life as a fugitive. When I met with him, he asked me... if I would be the next regent. Though it felt more like an order."

Since he watched her face very closely, he saw the shock in her expression, followed by deep contemplation. When her finger started tapping again, Nathaniel moved uncomfortably in his chair. He suddenly felt like the air had gotten thinner. What was she thinking so hard about? There was even a shadow of pain in her eyes that she couldn't hide completely.

After some silent minutes, Nathaniel finally couldn't take it anymore. "What do you think?"

Awoken from her thoughts, Katherine smiled bitterly. "I thought we would have more time together."

"I can't seem to follow your thoughts", Nathaniel admitted after a succinct pause. "We can have as much time as we want. The question is only if we want to have it while running from the government or while reigning it."

"Darling, you know it's not that easy", Katherine denied, and now there was real pain in her eyes. "You may have the position to be the monarch of the Icelands, but I have nothing. I am not worthy to be a Queen. And the Icelanders hate the Dragsean. Your chances for the throne will drop close to zero as long as we remain married."

"That is not true." Nathaniel voice thundered through the room, even though he didn't raise it. His body was taut, and his red eyes blazed with a silent fury, as he stood up. "We will not divorce. I will not let you go, and everyone will have to accept this!"

Like the predator he was, he moved towards her, clutching the armrests of her chair tightly as he bend over her. Intimidated by his sudden rage, Katherine shrank back into the chair, yet her cheeks flushed in a bright red color.

"Did I in any way imply that I want a divorce?", Nathaniel growled, and the sound strangely sparked a fluttering feeling in Katherine's belly.

"N-no, but - "

"Then what makes you think I will let you go? What makes you think that you, who saved the King, and also my life, are not worthy to be a Queen?"

"I am just - ", Katherine began in a stutter, when suddenly she noticed an error. "When did I ever save you?!"

The exclamation reverberated in the room and Nathaniel froze, his gaze blank. Slowly, he let go of the armrests, yet Katherine caught his hand before he could pull back further. Her eyes, those violet wells of stars, were pleading and her voice soft. "What do you mean by saving? When did I save you? Dear, please tell me."

When he remained frozen like a statue, she pressed his hand. "I always felt like a big parasite by your side. I did nothing to deserve so much help from you. You didn't even need me after the patient..."

Suddenly, she fell silent. Realization, shock and hurt flashed in her eyes. She released his hand like it was a snake. "It was you, wasn't it? There was never a patient to begin with. I should have known. How can two people look so similar? I guess, I just didn't want to realize it. Really, I was so dumb."

A tragic laugh escaped her throat. Nathaniel's quietness was like a silent confirmation, even more than his motionless pokerface. Tears spluttered down her cheeks. She tried to fend them off with her sleeves and all the time she felt his quiet gaze on her, making her uncomfortable.

With sudden anger, she shoved him back and sprang to her feet. "If there is anything else you lied to me about, you better come out now! I won't forgive you if you ever lie to me again!"

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