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[center][sub]Interacting with: [@PrinceAlexus] Mentions: [@Theyra], [@Qia] and [@enmuni][/sub][/center]

[color=lightgray]In the moments following her miniature welcoming ceremony, Katherine couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride. It was her first morning running Dawnhaven’s temple of Seluna and it had truly surprised her that anyone had showed up at all. She had not announced her arrival, apart from to the guards, nor had she been dressed like a priestess at all until this morning. 

And yet despite all of it, the faithful had arrived.

No longer was the temple silent. The subtle sound of footsteps momentarily broke through, soon followed by the rustling of offerings being taken from their baskets. The candles watched them in a silent vigil, standing guard in clusters around the room and providing just enough light for Seluna to observe her followers.

The air in the temple felt heavy, weighted with the deaths of the two Lunarians. To many it may have felt as though they were imagining the feeling, that it could be shaken away if they put it out of their minds.

Katherine knew otherwise. 

It was a familiar feeling, one that perhaps only the truly devoted followers of Seluna would recognize as impatience. It was a warning. Seluna was waiting for her dead to be returned, so that she may finally cast their souls into the stars and pass her final judgement. The goddess would not be made to wait.

Katherine sighed, nodding to herself--or perhaps to Seluna. She’d need to arrange an expedition to the sea with the deceased.

Which meant she needed to speak with the prince.

[color=19CACA][i]You see the situation you’ve put me in? This whole ordeal is on you.[/i][/color] She directed the venomous thought at her ever-observant passenger, groaning internally.

[color=9e0b0f][i]You’re a clever girl.[/i] [b][i]Figure. It. Out.[/i][/b][/color] Her head pounded with each word. [color=9e0b0f][i]Unless you want to remember what it feels like to betray your kingdom again.[/i][/color]

Katherine’s breath caught in her throat. She blinked--and the temple was gone. In its place, the towering stone walls of the palace, torchlight flickering throughout its halls, and her father’s voice muffled beside her. The world loomed tall around her--voices above her head, footsteps like thunder on the stone floors. Her father’s grip was clamped around her wrist, firm and unyielding, steering her through a sea of strangers and silk. Then—stillness. The murmurs around her faded, as if pulled underwater. Her eyes were drawn to a small figure in the crowd, its features indistinct, almost forgotten by time—except for the eyes. Pale blue, unfamiliar, locked on hers with uncanny clarity. The figure raised a hand and waved, slowly and hesitantly, but with a certain understanding.

Then, as the palace quickly disappeared, a new scene materialized before her.

Katherine felt the tears running down her cheeks before anything else. As she blinked them away, she felt the burning ache in her throat that told her she’d been screaming. Her gut throbbed with a familiar pain, one that was always prefaced with her father’s boot. Katherine’s brown eyes darted around and searched for an explanation, finding only faceless, shadowy figures surrounding her. And as another kick landed against her abdomen, the memory shattered like glass.

The temple came rushing back into her vision. Katherine’s mind raced, trying to put together fragments of a vision that disappeared faster than she could grab them. She shut her eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of her nose, willing herself over and over to remember again. 

Nothing. Whatever memory…. vision? Whatever it had been, it was gone without a trace.

With a deep sigh, she opened her eyes and was met with the welcome sight of Persephone, holding what could only be the breakfast that Daphne had promised. The thought brought a warmth to the priestess’ face, before she paced forward to meet her guest.

[color=19CACA]“Quite insistent, was she?”[/color] Katherine smiled warmly, trying hard to mask the grin beneath it. She grasped the basket’s handle and gently lifted a corner of the blanket, smiling even wider as the warm steam escaped and the lovely aroma filled the air. The remaining stress was quick to disappear off of her face as she rose back to meet Persephone’s gaze. [color=19CACA]“It seems I’ve already been spoiled and we haven’t known each other but for mere hours.”[/color]

 Katherine bowed her head towards Persephone, nodding gently, [color=19CACA]“I appreciate the gratitude, my lady, but it is my duty to protect those who can’t protect themselves…”[/color] she paused for a moment, eyes widening, [color=19CACA]“Even if they only can’t protect themselves temporarily.”[/color]

[color=19CACA]“Unfortunately I wasn’t in time to intervene,”[/color] her attention moved to the bodies, eyes lowering in respect, [color=19CACA]“May Seluna let them shine brightly among her stars.”[/color]

Her attention on Persephone faltered as a familiar tune whispered through the air. Its gentle melancholy touched at familiarity, though Katherine could not place where she’d heard it before. Her head turned, looking for its source before her eyes landed on the little she could see of the raven-haired woman. Then, as Ramona began to sing, Katherine listened more intently as the lyrics of past-times filled the air. 

Vague memories of the happier moments of her life drifted through her mind, before shifting to darker ones in unison with the tune. Katherine saw her mother in these memories, at first alive and well, in the precious few moments they’d shared together, then laid out unmoving on a table before her. Then came the all-too-familiar memories of her father, the man that was respected in public by all, but feared by his own family.

She shook the thoughts away, swallowing hard through the ache in her throat. Then, she whispered a few words barely audible to anyone but herself, forcing out the emotions that had threatened to overwhelm her.

[color=19CACA]“My apologies, my lady Seluna. I will not break down again.”[/color] [/color]