there will not be a third time

Prompt: Use the following sentence, exactly as it is, somewhere in your entry:
I have a system for getting exactly what I want out of people.

Word count: 995

***

The bedroom door crashed open with a deafening thud.

“You two have been in here this whole time? The whole palace has been searching everywhere for you,” Norbert asked with amusement.

“I guess starting the search for me in my bedroom would be too obvious, Uncle?” Daniel replied, his eyes still closed.

“Very funny, Nephew. I am sure the council will love to hear your jokes at the meeting.”

“No talking,” Katarina mumbled, covering her head with her pillow.

“Miss Katarina, your presence is required as well, as the lack of your official agreement to the marriage is what is stalling the peace negotiations.”

Katarina groaned and buried herself further under the blankets.

“And by the way, what are you doing in here, my dear?”

“It is long story, Uncle,” Daniel answered as he began to peel himself from his bed.

“Does it happen to involve two bottles of blackberry wine?”

“Yes. How – “

“I overheard some of the kitchen workers talking. Apparently now there is not any left for the meeting, so well done.”

“Wait, what meeting?” Daniel asked, his body turning in a circle as he scanned the room, “And when did I take off my shirt?”

“You said something about being on fire and threw it somewhere,” Katarina answered, still under the blankets.

Norbert pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply before walking to the armoire, grabbing a clean tunic, and throwing it at Daniel.

“There is a council meeting going on right now,” Norbert began, his voice increasing in volume, “and you both are absent. And since you both are the reason for the meeting –“

Daniel interrupted his uncle with a swear and threw his tunic over his shoulders.

“Get up, Kat,” he said while giving her bottom a swat, “We have to hurry.”

Katarina pulled her head from under the pillow, her eyes narrowed into slits. Daniel ignored her glare and pulled the blankets from the rest of her body while handing her boots over to her.

“Let’s go!” Daniel said, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him past his uncle and out the door. The two ran hand-in-hand down the long hallway and down the stairs to the entrance to banquet hall, passing startled palace employees along the way.

“Give me your foot,” Daniel said stopping at the two oak doors. Katarina balanced her foot on his thigh as he began to lace her boot with practiced expertise. Both hands now free, Katarina began to smooth her disheveled hair and with skilled hands, weave a braid down her back. They were both nearly completed with their tasks when the doors to the hall began to open.

Katarina, hands twisted in her hair and boot balanced on Daniel’s thigh, and Daniel widened their eyes as they stared into the hall, the representatives from the all the nations in the region staring back at them. Daniel put a final knot in the boot’s laces before letting Katarina’s foot fall to the floor just as Katarina was tying off her braid. Both straightened, putting their shoulders back, and marched into the hall.

Katarina slowed as they approached the empty chair by her father and brother, but Daniel looped his arm in hers and escorted her further to the empty chair at the head of the table. He then pulled out the chair for her to sit down, and stood at her side.

“Would you like for me to bring you a chair, M’Lord?”

“No, that will not be necessary,” Daniel replied, “This will not take long.”

As the rest of the council gawked at the two at the head of the table, Katarina cleared her throat.

“I think we all know why we are here, so I will just get on with it,” Katarina began, “First, King Daniel and I have agreed to terms presented yesterday. We shall be married in order to ensure the continued good relations among the nations, however-“ Katarina paused to look around the table, “we have some conditions as well.

“First, there will be no other specifications about our marriage except that we are to marry… Nothing about how many children I must provide or what sort of flowers we must use… nothing. We are doing this our way.

“Next, our nations will obviously become allies against foreign invaders. This partnership is intended to maintain peace - not for acts of aggression.”

“Agreed,” Katarina’s father said with a nod.

“Last, each nation will return to their pre-siege borders. This means King Daniel will maintain his territories to the east of the Forsythe River.”

“Absolutely not,” King Charles shouted, “Those territories are rightfully mine.”

“Those are the terms,” Katarina stated flatly.

“Who are you to give me terms, Woman? You have no business here.”

“She is my future wife,” Daniel said, his eyes narrowed, “And if memory serves, you were about to lose more than those territories before I took power and ended this war. Perhaps the better question is what your business is here, King Charles.”

“Those are the terms,” Katarina repeated, “They are not negotiable. All other terms will be negotiated tomorrow. King Daniel and I are going back to bed.” Katarina grabbed Daniel’s hand and started for the door.

“I will not be given orders by this foolish woman,” King Charles spat.

Katarina’s father and brother each stood up, but before anyone could move further Katarina had taken hold of King Charles by the arm and shoved his face into the table.

“You have disrespected me twice now, King Charles. There will not be a third time,” she growled before taking her hands off his arm and the back of his head. Without looking back, she grabbed Daniel’s hand and went out the door into the hallway.

“Well, I think that went well,” Daniel told her with a smile.

“What can I say?” Katarina said with a shrug, “I have a system for getting exactly what I want out of people.”