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Home / Imagination Short Story / Witnessed the King’s Betrayal, I’m Out / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of Witnessed the King’s Betrayal, I’m Out: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

11 Chapters

Chapter 1

Katherine's POVNot long after I returned to Peacock Hall, a warm body pressed against my back. Jeffrey Stuart wrapped his arms around me from behind and placed his palm on my lower belly, stroking it gently. "You came looking for me earlier?"I did not answer him as I only stood there in silence.He sighed. "Kat, if the royal household still doesn't have any heirs, the councilors will bury me with complaints. You don't want to be called narrow-minded either, do you?"I thought of the days when we first arrived in this era.Back then, he had dismissed every other concubine in the royal household and kept only me.At court, one councilor complained I had bewitched the king with my beauty and would bring the realm to ruin. Without another word, Jeffrey banished him a thousand miles away.Another councilor complained that as queen, I should welcome more concubines into the palace to provide more heirs for the royal bloodline. Otherwise, I would be failing in my duty as queen.Back

Chapter 2

A thin veil seemed to hang between us. We were courteous, proper, and distant.He asked if I had been well that day, and I said I was fine. He said the weather had turned cold and told me to wear another layer. I said I understood and thanked him for his concern. Later on, we had a huge fight over the matter of heirs and I stopped seeking him out.When he came, I avoided him when I could. When he did not, I sat alone, staring blankly into the sky, letting one day pass into the next aimlessly.He thought I was brooding, but I was simply too tired. Too tired to fight, too tired to hope, and too tired to hate him properly.On the day of the royal hunt, the autumn sky stretched high and cold. I stood in a clearing in the woods, lost in thoughts, all alone.Suddenly, Cecily screamed behind me. "Why did you push me, Your Majesty?!"I turned in surprise and saw Cecily sitting on the ground, her hair loose and disheveled with her face pale.Jeffrey helped her up, his expression full of

Chapter 3

I took the cup and drank it all down.The strong wine burned down my throat and my vision blurred. My skin was beginning to burn as each breath grew harder than the last. Then everything went black, and I collapsed.-When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was Jeffrey's worried expression. "Kat, you could have used something else instead of wine. You didn't have to hurt yourself like this even if you were angry with me."He must have forgotten that Cecily had once wanted the painting called "Winter's Breath" from my chambers and I had refused. He said nothing, but he did not set foot in Peacock Hall for an entire month after that.A few days earlier, the Southlands Royal Weavers had sent two bolts of rare satin as offerings to the royal household. The patterns were uncommon, and Cecily had wanted them too.Jeffrey always looked out for me. But that day, he scolded me in front of a crowd of palace servants. "You're the queen. How can you haggle over something so trivia

Chapter 4

The gift Jeffrey bestowed to Cecily was even more astonishing. Gold, silver, jewels, broadcloths, and other valuables poured into Cloud Palace as though they cost nothing.There was also the Sage's Rose in Cecily's private garden. I heard it was a rare treasure Jeffrey had sent men to find in the Far South. When it was transplanted, dozens of gardeners were summoned to tend it day and night, all to make her smile.During the years when he favored me most, the realm had only started to know peace. Everything was waiting to be rebuilt and the treasury was empty. I even had to think twice before having new gowns made.So… When it was for someone he loved with all his heart, it did not matter if he was spending it all on her.Jeffrey sighed again, his tone softening. "Oh, Kat… When will you understand that I'm doing this for you? When will you become gentle and tender like Cecily?"I suddenly felt as if I had become Sunny in that cage, trapped inside one tiny cage.Once, I had my own

Chapter 5

Jeffrey was silent for a moment after he heard my response. Then, he said, "Sunny has been at my side every day lately, and she has been terribly noisy. If I lose my temper one day, who knows what I might do. Kat, be a good girl. I will give you a surprise the day the banquet ends."A surprise?Jeffrey, as it happened, I had one for you too.Five days earlier, a magus had sent word into the palace: [The Blood Crystal binds souls between two worlds. When fate calls, they gather. When fate is silenced, they part. On the night of the full moon, one may return where one belongs when one's fate is no longer bonded and the crystal is shattered.]After three bitter years of searching, I could finally go home…-The banquet was held at Windsong Pavilion in the Royal Gardens. Lanterns burned bright as day, and music drifted through the air.Jeffrey sat on the seats of honor with Cecily next to him. He leaned over and picked up a piece of perch, then fed her. He murmured something to her

Chapter 6

Third-person POVThe court physician explained that all Cecily had was a fright. While her pregnancy was becoming somewhat unstable, both mother and baby were safe for now.Jeffrey sat by Cecily's bed for a long time, gently rubbing Cecily's back until her breathing steadied. Only then did he stand up.Looking at her sleeping face, he felt an unexplainable irritation stir in his chest. He walked out of Cloud Palace.The night wind blew over him, but the irritation in his heart did not ease. Instead, it grew heavier.It was all his fault.His fault for not giving Katherine enough certainty, which had driven her to do something wrong.The lamps along the path swayed faintly in the night wind, light and shadow flickering. Jeffrey slowly walked toward Peacock Hall. His steps were unhurried, but they carried a certain confidence.He had so much he wanted to say to Katherine.He had thought about the medicine that caused her abortion countless times.Back then, the court physician

Chapter 7

They had known each other when they were nobodies, and they had survived more than a decade of hardship together.Tonight, if Katherine pushed him away in anger, he would hold her and would not let go. Once she had scolded him enough and cried enough, he would talk to her properly.The lights of Peacock Hall were still lit up.Jeffrey hurried closer, but his steps stopped before the entrance into the royal apartment.Alice was kneeling in the corridor, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed so hard, she could barely breathe. When she saw him, she crawled over to him with tears and sobs. "Your Majesty! Queen Katherine… The queen is missing!"Jeffrey's eyes widened. "What do you mean missing?""I… I don't know. Her Majesty just... just disappeared. We searched the bedchamber, the gardens, the side halls, everywhere, but we could not find even a trace of her..."Alice raised her tear-stained face, her voice choked with sobs. "Your Majesty, you know what the queen is like. No matter ho

Chapter 8

Jeffrey continued to reminisce. The year the barbarians of the Northern Wilds came to negotiate peace, the envoy they sent was arrogant and rude. There was no progress with the talk for seven days, and no one from the court could do anything about it.Katherine had quietly helped him sort through the barbarians' many factions, weighing their interests and weaknesses. Using what she found, he led the peace talk and reached an agreement within three days, winning a decade of peace at the border.Then, there was also the time he fell into the water.It was early winter, and a thin sheet of ice had already formed over the river. Katherine could not swim, yet she still leaped in without hesitation. She dragged him ashore, but she had high fever for seven days and nights straight. Her health had been poor ever since.But how had he treated her later?Jeffrey slowly clenched his hand.All at once, he remembered what had happened at the banquet.Katherine had held that cup of wine, he

Chapter 9

By the time Katherine had arrived at her Women's Academy, the young lady's body had already gone cold. Her pages were still stained with blood, and on them were crooked words: [Better to see the light and die, then to forever live in darkness.]Katherine went to Jeffrey with red eyes, begging him for help.At the time, Jeffrey was overwhelmed with supplying his army at the border and had not slept for several days. He glanced at her as he rubbed his temples and spoke with a trace of impatience in his voice. "We need proper laws to permanently stop this. Enacting a law like this will involve the courts and the councils. This will involve and affect a lot of people. Not to mention this can't be done in a day."Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll personally give you a hand with this."'Once I'm done with this busy period…'Jeffrey had said those words so many times that even he could no longer count them.Just like that, year after year passed.Katherine's academy never gaine

Chapter 10

An attendant voice came from outside the hall. "Your Majesty, Lady Cecily has arrived. She says the matter is urgent and begs an audience."Jeffrey's eyes instantly turned cold. "Let her in."Cecily walked in wearing a pale pink gown, her hair loosely pinned and her steps bouncy. "Your Majesty, I heard you have not been sleeping well these past few days, so I made something for you...""Leave it there." Jeffrey said, not even raising his head. His voice was cold as ice.Cecily froze at his attitude, but quickly recovered and walked to his side. She reached out carefully, wanting to massage his shoulders and neck. "Your Majesty, ever since the queen left, you have ignored court affairs and wandered around aimlessly..."She paused, and a trace of resentment entered her voice. "Surely she did not take your soul with her when she left. I know your heart aches for her, you must think of your health but no matter what."As she spoke, she gently took Jeffrey's hand and pressed it agains

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