She burst into the room with the pope, and the sight that met her eyes was truly horrid. That stupid girl was ruining him, and she had to put it to a stop once and for all. Penelope froze in her place and Catherine was pleased to see the fear in her eyes. The pope looked away and began to rant "Your grace I thought you had more dignity then this, I cannot look, and you my dear," He gestured to Penelope "Ought to come with me." Penelope however seemed to have a different plan.
"Can't you see?! Henry they're plotting against us, your witch of a wife you told me yourself you had wanted to behead her but your son had interfered! Don't let them break us apart!" Penelope squealed and Catherine felt her heart give an unwanted twinge, she knew Henry had wanted to kill her but she hadn't thought he still had a desire to. Why should she care anyway? "Henry she's just a nuisance you only keep her around because if you killed her the country would want to investigate!"
"Face it girl it's over go before we call the guards." Catherine growled shooting her a venomous glare. Though she couldn't help notice that Henry was looking at her with a slightly guilty look. She instantly adverted her gaze to Penelope, she didn't want to feel that all too familiar ache of Henry's betrayal she'd already felt her share of that.
"He doesn't love you! He loves me now, I'm his queen now, take my place in the kitchen you're the servant now! You're nothing you don't matter anymore!" The kitchen maid shrieked, but before Catherine even had a chance to open her mouth and retort Henry spoke up.
"Go! Leave and never set foot here again!" He yelled at her and she looked at him with a utterly disdained expression.
The pope took Penelope by the arm and practically dragged her from the room, past Catherine who grabbed her crown off the kitchen maid's head with a look of unveiled success. Penelope was thrashing around as the pope and guards escorted her back to the kitchens.
As soon as the pope and Penelope had left she ran to Henry and released from his chains as he practically fell into her arms. "Catherine I didn't say it, I never, I never wanted you dead, I don't know what she was talking about, I never told her you were a witch or a nuisance." He stuttered, but she could hear the lie in his voice. This time however she didn't feel the sting, she had quickly rebuilt her walls of protection from his words or actions. She wouldn't let him get close enough to hurt her, she had her guard up as always.
She went to her knees next to him and took hold of his shoulders, "Henry look at me," she struggled to keep the plead from her voice. This was too hard, to see him like this, insane out of his mind, he barely even seemed to know who she was. As much as she wanted to take comfort with him, have him soothe all her fears away, she wasn't that woman anymore. She had tiptoed through his triggered mind, he'd fought her but she was on his side, now she had to rescue him from himself. She lifted his face to look her in the eyes, her expression was soft, but her eyes were still carefully guarded like the castle. Many layers of weapons and shields to keep out unwanted intruders, to hide any weakness.
Her voice was cool water on a burn and her touch was gentle, cautious, and he realized he had scared her she was frightened of him. He looked up at her and for the first time in a long time he saw the beautiful woman he loved, his queen, his wife. He knew he had hurt her in the past, not physically but he had pushed her away, gone for other woman never made her feel loved and this was his price. A woman who was too frightened to let him see her feelings because he had scared her. "Catherine I never meant it, any of it, you must know that I love you."
Her heart ached as she tried to keep back the tears, all the pain that those words caused her, the words that she had wanted to hear for as long as she could remember. As much as she wanted to hug him, have him hold her as he had done with so many others, she couldn't let herself "I…I.. Henry..you should go to..Diane or or Kenna..or Francis or..the church or on a walk or, or lie down pherhaps… you don't need me.. you just need rest..or…" As she tried to cover up her weakness all her armies fell, and her brown eyes filled with sadness with regret and pain. Her rambling was stopped as he pulled her into his arms and she was openly surprised, for his embrace was not forceful it was gentle and pleading.
"I don't want Diane or Kenna or anyone else I want you." He whispered and he felt the fabric of her dress pressed against his bare chest, he knew she was trying to reassemble herself. He had to prove to her that she was the only person he wanted, that he loved her. She was silent for a long time, her chest rising and falling against his, he could feel her cheek pressed against his bare shoulder.
She felt herself growing weak, she couldn't be weak, she had to pull away. Her heart feeling like a stone she tried to push away but he held her tightly, not harshly. "Henry we..i can't you don't… you're ill you don't know what you're saying." The words stung in her throat and as much as she told herself it was the truth she didn't want to believe it. Her breaths were muffled in the cloth of his shirt and she couldn't help notice that he smelled like herbs. No, she had to stop this she was a queen and she couldn't be weak, she couldn't make that mistake again.
He didn't take offense oddly enough because he knew she was close to breaking. He moved one of his hands away from her back and up to her hair undoing the pins and letting it fall around her shoulders. He stroked it behind her ear and he felt her shiver as the brush of his fingers. "My dear I've always loved you, how could I not?' As he felt her go limp in his arms he pulled the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around the two of them. Rain pounded on the roof outside but the fire in the hearth gave the room the feeling of a cozy cabin.
She couldn't fight, not anymore, so she slowly wrapped her arms around him as well and buried her head in his shoulder. All her fears slowly drifted away as sparkling tears rolled down her cheeks. "I love you too, oh so much." She let out a long sigh and relaxed into his arms, closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest, the support she had wanted for so long was finally granted. She had always told herself not to believe in love, that it was all a joke, but it was only because she had never felt love, not truly. Now she had the king who wrapped his arms around her and told her he loved her, at least for the time being. She couldn't help but to snuggle into his warm embrace, yes they were lying on a freezing tile floor but she couldn't care less.
Never had he thought holding Catherine in his arms, like he really loved her would feel this comforting. He had never thought she was good for much more then having heirs and poisoning the occasional enemy. Now he saw that she was loveable, she was a gentle loving person who had locked herself away from all goodness, behind a wall of cold hatred. She was still the same Catherine he had met when he was a child, the girl who had run around the castle laughing, since he couldn't keep up. That part of her was just buried underneath all the betrayal and darkness that she had caused. Now though, he saw her as she wouldn't let anyone else, the woman who was resting, away from all the evil that lay within, ready to strike at any moment. As her breaths slowed he could tell she was falling asleep.
His warm breath as against her ear, and sleep pushed at the edge of her brain. The crackling of the fire, the warmth of the fur blanket, and the security of his embrace. She didn't care how odd it may seem to be lying on the floor curled up next to the king because for once he wasn't just the king, he was her husband. She smiled, and for once it wasn't a mocking grin on devious smirk it was a true smile, one of happiness. She tried to fight the warm darkness away but it enveloped her and dreams pulled her away. She finally felt safe, for once in her life she was okay.
Sometimes to overthrow the darkness you have to save each other.