Consequences

"Just one more minute," Katherine said as she looked around at all the lights.

Being in the hidden garden had brought her more peace than even being held by Jasper had.

Charles sighed and put his phone back in his coat pocket. He stood up and put a hand out for Katherine to grab.

She ignored him, and did not move a muscle.

"Everyone is worried about you. Unfortunately our time is up for the night," Charles said as he reached down for Katherine's hands that were resting on her lap. He grabbed them and pulled her up.

"I've never snuck out like this before," Katherine said as they walked to the door that would lead them back to the official garden.

"I imagine that would be hard to do with that guard of yours. It's a wonder how you managed to escape to the bathroom without him in the first place," he tried to say it passively, but Katherine could detect a hint of something else in his voice. He almost seemed annoyed, which was very unlike Charles.

Katherine decided to ignore him and instead, changed the subject.

"When you left the bathroom at first, I heard you talking to someone before you came back to get me. What had happened?" she asked as they made their way back towards the castle in the pitch black darkness.

"I saw a woman with a clipboard who was frantically running around looking for you. I might have lied and told her I saw you go down the opposite hall so that she would send the guards that way and we would have time to make a run for it," Charles guiltily admitted.

Katherine threw her head back and laughed so hard that she snorted.

Charles was the epitome of a goody-two-shoes, and he never broke the rules or lied. It seemed as if Katherine was starting to be a bad influence on him.

"You mean to tell me that you actually deceived someone?" she mocked in between laughs.

"Worth it," he said with a small laugh.

When they reached the concrete in front of the door that would lead them inside, Katherine paused to put her heels back on.

Once she was ready, she continued to just stand still, which caused Charles to give her a questioning look.

She answered it by saying, "Thank you for sharing that place with me. It feels magical in there, and I wish we had more time."

"What if we agree to meet there every night at midnight until I go back to Eos? It could be our little break from reality. Our little escape from being royalty."

Katherine could see the slight hesitation in his face, as if he was afraid she would deny his request. He really did wear his emotions outwardly.

"I would like that," she said with a small smile.

"Me too, Kit-Kat," Charles replied as he looked down at the ground to hide his big grin.

"Well," Katherine started in a quiet voice, "I suppose we should go back inside now."

"I suppose we should," Charles said. Neither of them moved, and their eyes were locked on each other.

She was not ready to go back and face everyone as their Queen. Charles had different reasons for not wanting to go back.

Katherine saw something change in the way Charles looked at her, and without looking away from her, he slowly took a step towards her.

Before she could register what was happening, the door flew open and Eric appeared. He threw his hands up in the air when he saw Katherine and said, "There you are!"

Katherine and Charles froze and Eric quickly closed the space so that he was right in front of them. "You can't just disappear like that, Your Majesty! Especially considering what happened to your parents! Do you understand just how many people were sent into a frenzy since you decided to go frolic through the grass?!"

Eric was clearly angry, and Katherine flushed, knowing she lost what little respect she had earned from him the last few days.

She looked down at her feet as he scolded her, too embarrassed to justify her actions.

"I'm sorry Eric, it was my fault. I wanted some air and asked if she wanted to go with me," Charles jumped in.

Eric sighed and put his hand to his forehead. He clenched his jaw as he thought of a response that would not include yelling.

"You should know better, Your Highness," Eric said towards Charles. "Next time make sure to inform at least one of us where you go off to; and take a guard with you. Jasper looks like he's about to have a heart attack, so you should get inside because I'm sure he's not the only one," Eric said to Katherine.

"Sorry," Katherine mumbled as she started to make her way inside.

Eric and Charles followed her in silence, and she could feel the tension grow the closer they got to the ballroom and everyone who was waiting in it for her.

The guards waiting outside the ballroom doors stood up straighter as they approached, and the two of them opened the doors for her to enter and face everyone.

Much to Katherine's surprise, everyone was still chatting and enjoying beverages, seemingly totally oblivious to the fact that she had been gone the last half hour or so.

She looked back at Charles, who seemed just as shocked as she was, and he went to stand next to her so that he could whisper in her ear, "It looks like your escape attempt went unnoticed by everyone apart from the guards and Eric."

Katherine let out a small laugh full of relief, but the smile was quickly wiped off her face when she turned forward and saw Jasper beelining towards her.

If looks could kill, Katherine would have been dead from the daggers that were shooting out of his eyes.

"Your Majesty, I thought we discussed not going anywhere without me," Jasper menacingly whispered to her when he came face to face with her.

"I'm sorry, I felt ill so I ran to the bathroom," she replied.

She had no desire to tell him about the secret garden she spent time in with Charles. There was no need to make him jealous or upset, she already felt like she put Jasper through enough.

"Is that where your crown ended up?" he asked.

Katherine reached for the top of her head and realized that never put it back on. She opened her mouth to explain, but Charles beat her to it, "It's on the bathroom floor still. I can go grab it for you, I'll be right back."

Charles turned and left, and Jasper watched him leave for a second before he turned back to Katherine. "So you were with him?" he asked with venom and hurt in his voice.

Katherine wanted to put her hands up and hold Jasper's face, but they were still in front of everyone in the ballroom, so she couldn't. She had to rely on her words to convince him that it wasn't what he thought. "Jas, it's not like that. He must have seen me run out and he came to check on me. That's all," she said firmly.

Jasper closed his eyes and let out a long breath. "I know you don't have your phone on you right now because of the coronation, but please let me know if you ever need to disappear like that again. I need to know you're safe, Katie."

"I know, I'm sorry Jas."

"I think dinner is going to start soon, then this long day will be done," he said as he looked around at the staff who were in the middle of preparing the table.

"Good. I'm starving."