Mary wore a tight-fitting velvet blazer over a vintage band tee. She paired this with black denim drainpipe jeans so skinny they looked like a second skin. She also wore a crescent moon buckle on a distressed leather strap. Around her neck, she wore a raw quartz crystal alongside a pair of high-end Sennheiser headphones draped like a scarf.
She carried a BlackBerry Curve 8300 in a custom "liquid glitter" case. Mary also had a first-generation iPod Touch peeking out of her pocket. She also had Vivienne Westwood "Pirate" boots, giving her an edgy, London aura that attracted attention from everyone in the hall. Her long black hair, green eyes, well-defined facial features and naturally curvy body gave her a unique beauty.
After their kiss, Cate felt that all would be okay. "I have been forgiven," she thought and hoped. Cate sat down, and the two began eating their lunch. Cate ordered their meal, and Mary did not object. This further increased Cate's hope.
They had seared scallops with pancetta, served on a bed of bright green pea purée with a drizzle of lemon-infused oil. They ate in silence, but Cate's eyes never left Mary's face. Their main meal was pan-fried sea bass served with a "puy lentil" ragout and balsamic-glazed shallots with "crushed new potatoes" and a saffron velouté.
The silence went on. Many people were looking at the couple. After the hot kiss, Cate and Mary were the topic of conversation for everyone present. The two did not speak, but the silence between them stopped being awkward after the kiss, and the food was just that good.
They had a side dish of triple-cooked chips served perfectly crisp in a silver mini-bucket. They then had warm chocolate fondant for dessert. All this was washed down with sparkling Hildon water.
Lunch came to an end, but Cate wanted it to continue. She wanted to avoid the difficult conversation they were sure to have. Cate had lied to Mary for a long time. This was not something that was so easily forgiven. "How have you been?" Mary finally said something.
With the ice broken, Cate told Mary about everything she had done in the past few years they had been apart. Cate even told her about how she went to the Red Desert and met Set, becoming his Herald. In an attempt to recapture the trust she had lost, Cate also disclosed his plans to go to Italy and steal the third key of destiny from the Staranse clan.
Mary was shaken by the madness in Cate's plans. She could see that Cate was doing everything she could to gain her trust, and this warmed her heart. In truth, Mary had long ago forgiven Cate for her deception. She lied, but there was a very good reason to do so. If Avalon ever found out that Cate was an imposter in their ranks, she would face a fate worse than death. The High King was not someone to be played around with.
The two spent their day together, moving around London. They went shopping and discussed their future. Cate had planned on staying for a single day, but she ended up staying for an entire week. By the time Cate left for Italy, she believed that their relationship was back on track. There was still some tension, but this was not enough to stop them now that they had come this far.
Cate was in a very good mood when she returned to the Wandering Palace. Catherine saw this and decided to take advantage of the situation. She requested to leave the palace and stay with Mary for some time. After Catherine promised to help clear the way for Cate to fully get Mary back, Cate agreed.
Catherine would stay at the hotel with Mary but only as long as she was accompanied by a maid from the Wandering Palace. Cate sent Mellisande, her most powerful maid, to protect Mary and keep an eye on Catherine, making sure that she did nothing to trouble Cate.
With everything put in place, the Wandering Palace tore through space and arrived in Italy. It appeared right above Rome. Cate did not go directly to the home of the Staranse clan. She had done her research and come to learn that she could fool those in Avalon that she was Catherine Staranse, but this would not work in the Staranse clan. If she were to try this, they would find her out immediately.
From her research, even simply entering the Staranse Crystal Palace required one to have the bloodline of the Staranse clan or be given an explicit invitation by someone from the clan. Cate did not have the bloodline, and the only spell she could possibly use to solve this issue and fool all the magic put in place by the mage was not something Cate could cast until she became a legendary sorcerer.
Since she could not get in by claiming to be their bastard daughter, Cate decided to get an invitation, and in Rome, there was someone she felt could be her best way into the clan. Since she could not fool these people, Cate decided to go by her real name.
Rome was abuzz with cinematic glamour and political tension. The Colosseum had just been named one of the Seven Wonders, and the Rome Film Festival was to take place in a week's time. The Eternal City was filled with globalisation protests, anti-government rallies, and intense football debates.
Even with all the tension in the air, the city still had a regal air that could not be found in most cities around the world. The streets were filled with people, and the buildings had an ancient beauty. Cate did not hide her arrival in the city, and the moment she appeared, many factions took notice of the power she was giving off.
Italy was home to the Staranse clan, but they were not the only major supernatural faction to have lived in this part of the world for thousands of years. Rome was ancient, and with time came countless mysteries.