บท 260: Violet: Changing of the Guard

10 May, 1348. Magdaline Castle, Islia

Kathryn Danner's fall from grace turned out to be both swift and glaringly obvious. Queen Celia isn't the type to forgive and forget, Violet noted to herself for future reference.

Kathryn was no longer asked to sing the queen's beloved ballads out loud or to brush out her hair at the end of the day. The queen never asked her to the strum a harp, the way she had before. Queen Celia was nothing but polite when she spoke to Kathryn but she now addressed her former favourite in detached tones.

It wasn't long at all before the other ladies-in-waiting noticed the changes as well. No one was brave enough to ask Kathryn directly what had happened, of course. Instead most of the ladies started giving her sidelong glances. They also started keeping their distance from her, as if whatever had made her lose favour was contagious.