Chapter Four- Ultimatum

Kathryn POV

The sound of my own words echoed in the grand hall, and for a moment, I couldn’t hear anything else. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I kept my chin high, my eyes locked on Marcus's .

Gasps rippled through the gathered crowd, but it was my grandmother’s sharp intake of breath that broke the silence.

“You insolent child!” she hissed, her face contorted with rage. Rising from her seat with surprising agility, she crossed the distance between us in a second.

Her hand came down hard on my cheek, the crack reverberating through the hall like a whip. My head snapped to the side, pain blossoming where her palm met my skin.

“How dare you embarrass this family in front of His Majesty?” she spat, her voice trembling with fury.

I staggered but held my ground, refusing to let the tears welling in my eyes fall.

“You think you have a choice? This is like a golden egg falling on to your lap.” she continued, her voice rising. “You are nothing! You will do as you are told!”

She raised her hand to strike me again, and this time, I braced myself, refusing to flinch.

But the blow never came.

Before her hand could descend, a low, guttural growl rumbled through the room, freezing everyone in place.

It was Marcus.

He was on his feet, his eyes glowing with an unmistakable rage that sent shivers down my spine. His aura was suffocating, and I wondered if I had actually ever seen him angry.

“How dare you?” Marcus’s voice was cold amd lethal. It sent a ripple of fear through the room. “Do you think you can lay a hand on my empress without consequence?”

My grandmother stumbled back, her face pale as the fury in Marcus’s expression settled on her.

“My….My Emperor,” she stammered, trembling. “I only meant to discipline her for her disobedience. She….”

“Silence!” Marcus roared, his voice shaking the walls. “If anyone in this household believes they can treat Kathryn as a commoner, let them step forward now. I dare them.”

The room was deathly silent. Even my father and Cassandra cowered in their seats, their earlier bravado utterly gone.

Marcus stepped forward, his movements deliberate, his piercing gaze locked onto my grandmother. “If you ever strike her again, I will ensure the Kellers cease to exist. Do you understand?”

My grandmother nodded frantically, her lips trembling as she backed away.

Then, Marcus turned to me, his expression softening, though his voice remained firm. “Kathryn, you are mine. You were mine the moment fate decided it, and nothing…not your family, or your refusal will change that.”

I glared at him, wondering about the twist of events. Could it be that my reincarnation had caused some changes? I remember vividly how in my past life I had grovelled and begged to be his concubine. Now here he was coming directly for me.

“You don’t own me, Marcus,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions raging within me.

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes, something almost vulnerable. Then I realised I had said his name out loud. Oh goddess!

He didn't seem to realise as he continued “You’ll see that running from me is futile.”

With that, he turned to address the room. “Prepare for departure. Kathryn comes with me to the imperial palace…tonight.”

His words sent another wave of shock through the room, but no one dared to speak.

The silence that followed Marcus's declaration was thick, the weight of his words pressing down on everyone present.

My grandmother was the first to recover.

"Your Majesty," she began, her voice trembling but laced with forced bravery. "It is an honor beyond measure that you have chosen Kathryn. However, there are certain…rituals that must be observed before she can leave with you. Traditions of the Keller family, you understand.”

Her attempt to stall was painfully obvious, but I knew she wasn’t ready to let go of the newfound leverage Marcus’s interest in me had granted her.

Marcus’s piercing gaze shifted to her, and I felt the room grow colder under the weight of his disdain. “Are you suggesting your rituals are greater than the imperial decree?”

My grandmother faltered, her hands twisting nervously. “Of course not, Your Majesty. But surely you would not wish to dishonor centuries of Keller traditions. A union as sacred as this deserves to begin on the proper footing.”

I swallowed hard, anger bubbling within me as I realized her intent. She wasn’t stalling for my benefit; she was hoping to delay my departure long enough to exploit this situation further.

Marcus, however, wasn’t so easily manipulated. His expression darkened, and the room seemed to shrink under the oppressive weight of his fury.

“What traditions are these?” he asked, his voice deceptively calm. “Be specific.”

“Well,” my grandmother stammered, clearly scrambling for an answer, “there is the blessing ceremony, where the matriarch bestows her approval upon the bride. It is vital to ensure the union is blessed by the ancestors.”

Marcus stepped forward, his presence commanding. “And how long will these…traditions take?”

My grandmother hesitated, caught in the trap of her own making. “A day, at most, Your Majesty. Perhaps two, if we…”

“Then I will stay,” Marcus interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The collective gasp that followed was almost comical. My grandmother’s face blanched, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Even my father looked as though he might faint.

“Y-Your Majesty?” my grandmother stuttered.

“You heard me,” Marcus said coldly, his eyes narrowing. “If these rituals are so crucial to your family’s honor, then I will personally ensure they are completed without delay. Consider it my gift to the Kellers.”

The thinly veiled threat in his words sent a chill through the room.

“B-But surely the palace awaits your return…” my father began, only to fall silent under Marcus’s icy glare.

“The palace can wait,” Marcus said sharply. “Nothing is more important than my empress.”

The word empress hung in the air like a challenge, and for the first time, I saw true hatred flicker in my grandmother’s eyes. She bowed her head, but her fists were clenched tightly at her sides.

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” she said through gritted teeth.

Marcus turned his gaze back to me, his expression unreadable. “You will remain here until the rituals are complete. Then you will come with me.”

I met his stare, defiance burning in my chest. “I told you, I am not going anywhere with you. You are simply wasting your time here. I can never be with someone like you.”

His lips twitched, almost forming a smirk. “You can fight me all you like, Kathryn. It won’t change anything.”

With that, he turned on his heel, addressing his men. “Prepare my quarters. I’ll remain here until the rituals are done.”