Chapter 5
When Kate woke up the next morning it was to her sister's yelling. "Rise and shine, Katie! We're waiting for you downstairs. Breakfast is ready.“
The young girl rubbed her eyes, sitting up once Phoebe's words had wormed their way through her still sleep-dazed mind.
Seconds later she bolted out of the room, grabbing her clothes, sprinting over to the bathroom, calling out over her shoulder at her sister who looked at her in astonishment. "I'll be right there, short one.“
Phoebe in her shock failed to even notice that nickname she dreaded so much being used to address her, simply nodding her head and taking the stairs back down to inform their parents of Kate's upcoming arrival which turned out to be unnecessary as only a second later the older Janeway sister was walking inside the kitchen, greeting everyone around with a cheerful. "Good morning!“
Her parents exchanged a look before answering her in kind. "Good morning, Katie.“
Edward Janeway smiled at his eldest daughter and asked her in his warm voice. "Had a good night's rest, pumpkin?“
Kate had a hard time not blushing at the question, guilt gripping at her heart for a moment before she replied truthfully. "I did actually, pa. How about you?“
It was true. After finishing her diary entry the previous night Kate had miraculously fallen asleep without trouble, dreaming of curious blue eyes clouded up in mystery and oddly enough she dreamt of the sky full of stars.
Kate was still confused about the meaning of her own dream, but her attention got diverted by her father's reply to her question. "So did I. Your mother however claimed she had heard weird sounds around the house which kept waking her up.
"I told her it was probably just the wind howlin'.“
Kate's heart almost stopped, hearing her mother's remark. "It wasn't the wind howlin', Ed. I told ya, it sounded way different than that.“
Kate felt awful then and there, all her earlier appetite having vanished. If her mother would be able to put two and two together she would be faced with ultimate doom.
'If only I had not been so foolish to sneak out last night.'
Knowing she had a lot of hard physical work ahead of her again today, Kate forced herself to clean the plate with breakfast regardless of her lack of appetite and the uncomfortable knots that had formed in her stomach induced by the fear of her mother potentially figuring out her nightly activities.
If Gretchen Janeway knew or even suspected anything she was very good at hiding it. After successfully finishing another day of hard farm work, the Janeway family was currently sitting together for dinner.
To Kate's surprise, her mother unexpectedly brought up the theater performance they had watched together a few days ago. "I did quite enjoy that theater performance we watched that night. Those actors were quite talented.
"Though I did not agree with everything, it was a welcome change.“
Kate smiled at her mother, positively surprised at her reaction, about to answer her but was beat by her little sister who chimed in. "Katie seemed to enjoy herself a lot too. Right, big sis?“
Kate was on the verge of shooting her death stare at Phoebe for that remark but remembering that they were under their mother's eagle eye, smiled and nodded. "I did and I'm really glad to hear you had a good time too, ma.
"How about you, pa? Did you like the performances?“
Edward Janeway smiled brilliantly at his oldest daughter and nodded. "I did, pumpkin. It was a special evening. Thank ya for takin' us there with you.“
Kate's heart warmed at her father's words. They soon finished dinner and Kate went right up to her room. Once there, the door firmly locked behind her she grabbed the latest novel she had started reading to kill time while being grounded.
The book was titled Fanny Hill by John Cleland and it was the best find she'd made at the local library in a while. She knew that if her mother would find she had a book of the likes of that one in her possession being grounded would be her smallest concern.
To Kate's chagrin reading the erotic novel only further fueled her raging hormones and fantasies involving a certain blue-eyed stranger.
The redhead soon put the offending book away again, counting the hours until everyone inside the house had fallen asleep, despite her better judgment Kate had decided to once again sneak outside, desperate to find either Nikolai or last night's blue-eyed stranger.
Just like the night before she soundlessly escaped through her already open bedroom window, practically gliding into the night. Prepared for the chilly May night air this time, Kate was wearing a wool cardigan over her dress.
Like the night before she chose to take the way through the fields rather than the direct route which may risk her getting detected. This time she was determined to head straight to the camp of the theater group.
'Hopefully, they are still around. I couldn't take it if they'd left without me being able to see Nikolai, or that mysterious girl again...'
Once she'd arrived at the camp which, to her relief, was still standing where it had been the night before, Kate felt her nerves kicking in much like the night before.
Balling her fists in grim determination, she forced down the fear that threatened to take over her again at the prospect of being faced with the object of her dreams and fantasies alike. Would the stranger recognize her from the night prior?
She walked around unsure for a while, not knowing which was the trailer of either Nikolai or that blue-eyed stranger.
Her heart jumped in surprise when a voice suddenly called out from behind her. "Can I help you with anything?“
Kate felt like she'd just been caught red-handed, the heat crawling up from her ears to her cheeks, she slowly turned around. She inwardly sighed in relief when she was met by the gentle brown eyes of the exotic illusionist.
Fortunately for young Kate, the young brunette beauty had decided to wear more casual, less revealing attire that night much like when she'd seen her at the pub.
She smiled tentatively, an instinct telling her she could trust this stranger, she decided to give it a shot and asked. "I was looking for Nikolai. Could you tell me where I could find him?“
The brunette tilted her head to the side curiously, her gaze intense, making Kate shrink back at the uncomfortable feeling of the woman staring straight into her soul. Her heart was racing, perspiration forming on her forehead, anxiously awaiting her answer.
The gentle brown eyes were smiling along with her as the young woman told her. "Come along with me, sweetie. I was just about to go look for that one myself. We have matters to discuss. By the way, I'm Dee.“
Kate returned a smile of her own at Dee and bowed slightly. "I'm Kate. It's nice to meet ya, Dee. I really enjoyed your performance that night. It was quite impressive!“
The older girl smiled appreciatively at her, answering her earnestly. "I am glad to hear you thought so. It's nice to meet you too, Kate. I love your hair! Is it naturally this red, or do you dye it?“
Dee took a strand of Kate's hair between two fingers, looking at it from up close.
The young girl felt her cheeks heat up at that uncalled-for contact and told her silently. "It is my natural hair color. It's a family heritage from my father's side, just like the freckles.“
Dee upon noticing her own overstepping of social boundaries quickly let go of the strand of hair, bowing her head deeply in apology, her own cheeks now tinted dark. "I'm sorry, Kate. I forgot to ask you if it was fine for me to touch your hair first. I got kinda carried away there...“
The young girl couldn't help chuckle at the older's antics, patting her softly on the arm in a reassuring gesture. "It's quite alright, Dee. No harm's done. I was just a lil' caught off-guard for a moment there, is all.“
Dee audibly sighed in relief, smiling at the younger girl, immediately detecting her honesty. She stopped before Anastasia's trailer, unsure of how to proceed for a moment.
Kate who noticed the hesitance coming from the older girl told her. "If it's alright with you I'd like to have a word with Nikolai first. I won't be long, no worries.“
Dee was about to protest, alarmed at Kate's announcement, yet she had no time to intervene as the young redhead had already vanished inside the trailer.
Dee's heart went out to the owner of the trailer, hoping against hope that her young friend would not experience the shock of her life.
When Kate entered the trailer she at first thought that no one was inside. She had knocked earlier, not only once but receiving no response she'd entered the trailer, ready to wait for the owner inside if necessary.
She was about to sit on the bed when to her surprise and shock she noticed long blonde hair peeking out from underneath the blanket.
Her gaze fell further down, unable to help herself, a gasp leaving her lips at the sight of the swell of breasts which were fortunately for her covered by the blanket.
'How can this be? This is a girl. Did Dee bring me to the wrong trailer? Or is this Nikolai's girlfriend?'
The thought made Kate feel sick. She stumbled back, about to leave the trailer when the figure on the bed stirred.
Anastasia's eyes opened, her body shivering. She mused to herself that it had gotten rather cold. She rubbed at her eyes to clear her vision which was still blurred from sleep.
Her heart started to beat faster when she saw a strangely familiar figure standing close to the door. Once her vision had readjusted she, to her shock, recognized it to be the redheaded stranger from the previous night.
Wrapping the blanket even more tightly around herself on instinct she asked the stranger, her voice firm. "Who are you and what are you doing in my trailer?“
The redhead looked at her with wild eyes, stammering. "I was looking for Nikolai. Dee told me I could find him here. I'm Kate Janeway and I wanted to talk to Nikolai. I am sorry for intruding on your privacy like this. That was not my intention. I should probably go...“
Anastasia was stunned at the young girl's words.
'She is looking for Nikolai? Why? I do not know her...' Anastasia mused to herself, suspicion of the motives of Kate overcoming her.
When she didn't receive any answer, Kate was about to leave the trailer but was stopped by Anastasia. "Wait... What did you want from Nikolai? Can I relay any message to him from you?“
Kate turned around towards the young girl when out of her peripheral she caught sight of the rags she'd seen the mysterious stranger at the pub wearing the previous night. Suddenly it dawned on her.
'It's her! What is she doing at Nikolai's trailer though?'
Kate was utterly confused until her gaze met that of those crystal blue eyes again before lingering on a familiar pair of plump lips. "Y-you? How?“
To say Kate was overwhelmed would have been a grave understatement. Out of a sudden, she fled the scene, leaving behind a very confused, hurt Anastasia.
The door to her trailer opened again and in came a very concerned-looking Dee. She immediately walked over to her young friend, wrapping her in a warm embrace.
The shaking blonde could not contain her emotions anymore and sobbed heartbreakingly into the older woman's embrace.
Dee who was used to her friend's often sudden emotional outbursts by now, tightened her hold on her, whispering words of reassurance into the distraught girl's ear.
After sitting like this for a while, both of them having lost track of time, Anastasia mumbled, her gaze downcast. "She was offended by my looks. There is no other explanation for her sudden departure. I shocked her, freaked her out...“
Dee's heart hurt at her friend's words, unable to believe that to have been the case after having witnessed Kate's genuine interest in her friend earlier.
Following a sudden hunch, she asked her hesitantly. "Sweetie, what did you two talk about? Kate was in here for quite long and I got really worried when she didn't come back at first...“
Anastasia bit her bottom lip, replying softly. "She told me that she was looking for Nikolai. Then she said 'Y-you? How?' and suddenly she ran away.“
Dee frowned, she had by now started to pace the room until her gaze much like Kate's before fell on the rags hanging on the chair next to the bed.
Her eyes widened and she exclaimed. "She figured it out! She must've realized your disguise and it shocked her. Kate wasn't aware that you are, in fact, a girl too and not a boy, sweetie. However, something tells me that there is more to this.
"She didn't seem very straight to me...“
Anastasia coughed at her friend's words, eyeing her suspiciously. "What made you reach this conclusion, Dee?“
The older woman smiled knowingly. "Trust my instincts on this, sweetie. I'm an empath, remember? Also, I have certain abilities to detect these kinds of things. I could teach you one day if you are interested. However, I doubt your father would agree to this.
"One thing's for sure. Kate will come back. This wasn't the last we've seen of her. You can trust my instincts there.“
Anastasia eyed her friend suspiciously but decided to nod. She desperately wanted to believe that Dee was right and she'd be able to meet Kate again. Why that was so, she was as of yet uncertain...