PRINCESS CATHERINE’S ARRIVAL PLAN

A beautiful woman is in a luxurious room in a palace. She slept very soundly on the comfortable bed. The bed that every woman in this world dreams of. The bed was very large with a charming golden pillar. In front of him was a warm fireplace which ensured that she would not be cold from the unfavorable weather outside the palace.

The door to the room suddenly opened. "Get up, Princess! We have to talk," said Queen Victoria, entering her daughter's room without knocking.

Catherine opened her eyes, revealing her moss-green eyes. Eyes that are rarely owned by anyone. She immediately sat up when the Queen entered her room suddenly.

"My Queen, is there anything I can help you with, so you come to my room at night?" replied the woman.

"We have to talk, Princess. Tomorrow prepare your things, you have to go somewhere."

"Where should I go?"

"To an old castle across the forest, in front of the palace."

"What do I have to go there for?"

"To meet a man named, Albert Louis, Duke of Hamilton."

"What should I do there?"

"Seduced and snatched him from his wife and got him divorced from his wife."

"What do you mean, are you creating a scandal in the palace? By turning your own daughter into someone else's household destroyer?"

"I'm not concerned with scandals, Princess. I'm saving our future which is threatened by the rebellious vassal of the late Queen Anne. They hate me and don't like it when I take Queen Anne's place."

"What does the rebellion of Queen Anne's followers have to do with that man?"

"He is the son of Queen Anne's loyal bodyguard. He is currently gathering strength to rebel against me."

"Then just punish him. Why should I go to the trouble of seducing him?"

"Royal politics is not as simple as you think, Princess. Queen Anne's following is still very large. They have the power to overthrow us."

"If we are innocent, why should we be afraid?"

"Within the kingdom, anything can happen. What is right can be wrong, and what is wrong can be right."

"What if he rejects me?" she asked. The question made Queen Victoria laugh.

"Who can resist you, Princess? You are very beautiful, your body is very beautiful. Any man, will not be able to refuse you."

"There are times when men don't just look at a woman's appearance."

"If he rejects you, tell him that he will get the Golden Land back, and he will be sure to win the parliamentary candidacy, if he will marry you."

"Should I marry him?"

"Of course. If you marry him, he can't bring up Queen Anne's death again because that means he's digging his own wife's grave."

"What if the wife doesn't want to let her husband go?"

"Relax, his wife is just a poor Lady you can't compare to. In fact, she married Albert just to seek protection. That woman was tainted before, whereas you are the diamond of this kingdom, and you have not been touched by anyone. Only a stupid man would dare to reject you."

"But what if I don't love him?"

Queen Victoria laughed again, hearing her daughter's innocent question. "LOVE? Even I married George without love. In fact, I could have given birth to you and Harry. Your life is very comfortable in the palace, and I am happy with my position. Never ask love in front of me, because I'm happy without love. Even my power is in my hands."

"But, My Queen..."

"No buts. Tomorrow your train will be ready to take you to Louis castle. I've already messaged Louis if you'll be making your visit there. Make good use of your opportunity, Princess. Don't let us end up on the streets, or even in prison just because you failed to do your job," said Queen Victoria who didn't want to be denied, she then just left Catherine's room.

"My Queen, we're not done talking yet."

"My Queen..."

"My Queen..."

"Mother!!!"

Catherine shouted several times, but there was no response from her mother. Catherine couldn't do anything, all she could do was follow what her mother wanted. That's her life since childhood. Follow the rules, be polite and submit to the words of their parents.

She could not fulfill her wish because she collided with the royal rule. Can't do something she likes because it's considered rude. Even falling in love was forbidden for her. Because her mother had set her up with a man she didn't know. A married Duke, she didn't even get a prince to be her husband.

***

Simon was in a hurry when he got a letter from the kingdom. He ran to the library, even though Albert had forbidden him to go to the library when he was with his wife. But this time the situation was urgent, he couldn't wait for his master to come out of the library, to let him know that Princess Catherine was on her way to her castle.

There were sighs and laughter as Simon approached the marble table where Albert had often been, completing all his tasks.

"My Lord, My Lady, may I come in?" Simon asked from a distance, trying not to see what Albert and Annabelle were doing.

Albert instantly stopped his movements. "STOP IN YOUR PLACE, SIMON!" shouted Albert quickly.

Annabelle wanted to laugh when Albert had to stop their activity, when they were about to explode. Since the night of the peak hunting season a few weeks ago, the library has become their favorite place to realize all of Albert's imaginations. Today too, Albert again pulled Annabelle to give something new.

Not yet finished, Simon interfered with their activities. Several times Albert cursed loudly because something was disturbing his fun. He quickly fixes Annabelle's messy dress. Annabelle, who knew that her husband was angry, cupped Albert's face with both hands.

"Hey, inhale and exhale slowly! There must be something important Simon has to tell you."

Annabelle's words managed to make Albert's anger subside. Even so, there was still resentment within Albert.

"Simon, come in!" said Annabelle when she and her husband had cleaned up.

"Very well, My Lady," said Simon with his head down, coming in front of them. Annabelle got down from Albert's lap and kissed Albert's lips.

"I'll leave you two to talk," Annabelle said, but Albert held his wrist.

"Stay here. You will know what I know, you will be my eyes and ears," said Albert to his wife. Hearing her husband's words, Annabelle stood behind Albert.

"What is it Simon, that you can't wait for me?" asked Albert in his cold voice.

"I just got a letter from the kingdom, My Lord. They told me that Princess Catherine was on her way here," said Simon as he handed the letter to Albert.

Albert read the letter for a while with an unreadable expression on his face. Then give it to Annabelle.

"Visit? What visit are they referring to? Do you think this was Queen Victoria's plan, sending her daughter here to spy on us?" Albert said to Simon for his opinion.

"That's a possibility, My Lord. We have to be vigilant when Princess is here."

Hearing Albert and Simon's conversation, Annabelle was silent behind her husband's body. For some reason, Annabelle suddenly felt uneasy. It wasn't about spies or threats, she thought instead, what Princess Catherine would look like. Is she beautiful? What if Albert is interested in the Princess?

Maybe its excessive worry, or maybe it's a wife's instinct. All these feelings mixed in her heart, making her chest tight for a moment.

"Annabelle, can you help us prepare a welcome for Princess Catherine's arrival? We cannot be unfriendly to our guests. What's more she was a guest from the palace. It's rare for someone from the palace to visit an old castle like this," said Albert.

"Yes, I will be in charge of welcoming Princess Catherine," Annabelle said.

***