Catherine stood in the greenhouse alone. She was looking in the direction of the lake that was opposite the castle. Moonlight cascaded through the frosted glass that made up the structure. She had stood patiently waiting, she had paced from one corner to another, she had even smelled some of the lavender flowers that filled the greenhouse, but nothing helped to calm her nerves. She was waiting for the Duke of Guise. He was notorious for his tardiness, but with the purpose of this meeting she assumed that he might be more energetic about being prompt.
"I had sex in that greenhouse once." Narcisse, that ass, was infuriating. "I assume that's what you will be doing."
Christian, the Duke of Guise was not an ideal partner by any means - he was rumored to have the naked physique of a neanderthal and the genitalia of a poodle, and the fact that he was Mary's uncle nearly made Catherine sick to her stomach. It had been some time since her last sexual encounter but it wasn't as though she had never had a lover, or in this case, God willing, a one night stand. The Duke was a handsome man, charming, and he certainly seemed to be taken with her, so why did Catherine have this dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach? Then she remembered what good sex was like, the feelings that it could illicit, and she couldn't help but think of Henry.
Henry. He was unfaithful, egotistical, selfish, a terrible husband, a less than satisfactory father, but his many affairs had given him lots of practice in the art of love making. Now mind you, most of his best tricks were discovered and refined in Catherine's chambers. One of their practice sessions lasted for nearly three days and the result was Francis. Nearing the end of their marriage most of their nights together were prompted by too much wine, Diane's absence, or Henry's desire for a more passionate partner than the slutty simpletons he dragged into his room night after night. Yes, Catherine was quite skilled herself.
Catherine smirked proudly. She'd never forget how her talents had snagged her her seat on the French throne. It would be stupid to believe that Henry chose his bride based merely on fine breeding, good looks, and cleverness. He tested each hopeful before promising anything. She no longer feared sex when it became the deciding factor of whether or not she was to wear a crown. She was Italian. It was practically in her heritage to be an impressive lover. However, she did remember one scared little Italian girl who ran before Henry could seduce her. Catherine remembered being fifteen years old and peeking around a corner at the prince's chambers, hoping to spy on her competition. Hortensia, her cousin, all but sprinted out of Henry's rooms looking flushed and panic stricken. The poor girl had no idea that she was leaving behind all hope of being a queen as she fled.
Her musing was interrupted when someone opened the door. Her stomach flip-flopped. Catherine straightened and said in the most seductive voice she could muster, "I didn't think you were coming."
"I didn't know you were expecting me."
Catherine whirled around. Narcisse stood in the doorway. Both of his arms were resting on the door frame as if to trap her there. Behind him she could see fresh snow falling from the sky. Another one of Narcisse's remarks floated to the forefront of her brain, "The walls sweat in the heat as the snow falls outside." Before she could stop her imagination from elaborating on that idea, her mind had already formed an unnaturally vivid picture of Narcisse, to her chagrin, naked, or at least shirtless. Her imagination wasn't prepared to envision anything below his waist. Even so, she could tell by the look of determination on his face and the way that his upper body was rocking that he was engaged in the sort of lustful activity that Catherine couldn't keep her mind off of since she saw the Duke of Guise and Narcisse competing for her favor earlier today. In her mind, the sweat caused by his exertions was turning into steam and clouding the glass. Goosebumps prickled her skin as she imagined the heat coming off of his body. Catherine blinked and the image regretfully became hazy and retreated to the back of her mind so she could focus on the un-imaginary, fully clothed Narcisse in front of her.
"What are you doing here?" she inquired accusingly.
"I thought that I might drop in on the happy couple. It seems as though one of you is missing. Is the Duke of Guise late again? Pity." Narcisse ambled towards her.
"Leave," Catherine pointed at the door. "Now."
"But Catherine, if I may, it wouldn't be gentlemanly of me to leave the Queen Mother unescorted outside of the castle." He moved a step closer. "Alone." He was standing right in front of her. "In the moonlight." They looked at each other. It was an evenly matched stare down suspended in that breath of a moment that occurs right before someone takes the first lunge in a duel.
"Chivalry has never been one of your outstanding characteristics. You prefer conniving. Really, why are you here?" she asked pointedly.
"You told me exactly where you would be this evening. Your conversation in the hallway earlier today was virtually an invitation."
"It was not an invitation." Catherine said haughtily. "This meeting was supposed to be private so I suggest you get out before Christian arrives or he is liable to kill you." Narcisse laughed heartily.
"Christian," he scoffed, "makes convincing threats but is reluctant to follow through. Much like his promise to you." The comment upset Catherine. Narcisse could tell by the blush that came to her cheeks, and her neck, and the tops of her breasts.
"Besides," she cocked an eyebrow, "I thought you didn't entertain women my age. Were you not found crawling into bed with my daughter?" she said in a biting tone.
"I told you, Claude crawled into bed with me," Narcisse said. Catherine let out a disgusted noise. "Come on, Catherine, admit that you were glad it was me that came through the door and not that Scottish prick." She was speechless for a few moments.
"You - How dare you insult the Scottish ambassador! I could have you put in the stocks! I could have you hanged!" The threats were building on the tip of her tongue and she was getting louder. The venom in her voice sounded just as deadly as the afflictions that were rolling from her lips. "...tortured until you-" She cut herself off before her emotions could completely overcome her. Normally, in unpleasant situations intimidation tactics would save her from embarrassment, but being virtually stood up on such a personal occasion in front of a man who did not seem to be scared of her, was perhaps the most humiliating thing she'd experienced in a very long time.
"Please. Leave. For my sake, leave," she refused to add to his gratification by making a scene, and when she lowered her volume he could barely hear the waver in her voice. She shut her eyes in the off chance that Narcisse would be gone when she opened them. Maybe then her heart could return to it's normal position in her chest rather than remaining in her throat for the rest of the night.
Catherine de Medici was begging him. He had never heard this tone in her voice. "Catherine, I didn't mean..." She opened her eyes. There wasn't a tear in them, but the moonlight made it seem as though her entire face had been painted with watercolor. She was usually so confrontational. Now she seemed almost overthrown. Narcisse looked at the corners of her rose colored lips turned down in a pout.
"Why did you come?" she asked one more time.
"Catherine, you aren't dull."
Catherine looked at him expectantly. Narcisse let out a sigh. "I wanted to keep you ... from making a mistake."
Any hint of softness from the moment before dissipated quickly.
"I loathe you," she growled. "You helped me escape the same fate as my husband but a poisoned bible will not make me forget all of your past sins. And how dare you - How Dare You! You have no right to question my decisions! If I wish to take a lover I shall, and it is none of your concern or anyone else's for the matter. Why did you want from coming tonight? Truly. What did you expect to see? The Queen Mother in a compromising position with the Duke of Guise? Did you want to attain some scrap of evidence you could use to blackmail me the next time you want to meddle with the royal family? I am Catherine de Medici. I will tear you to shreds before you will every have power over me."
"Catherine, if you will stop making accusations-" Narcisse tried.
"-just another lying bastard that I hate with every part of my being and yet we are constantly attracted to one another," she hissed.
"Catherine, are you talking about me or Sebastian now?"
She let out a frustrated scream.
"I mean that you are inescapable. You always manage to entangle yourself in my dealings. You betrayed my son. I'll never understand why he spared you. You have been nothing but a plague to my family. Better yet, you are like a misquito. Sucking the life out of me and my family. Hungry for the power that flows though our veins. Infecting me with-"
"With what, Catherine?"
"You are always there where you do not belong. Advisory meetings with the king, banquets you were not invited to attend, giving me unwanted, unwelcome advice. My mind," she added softer than before.
"Your mind? Interesting." Narcisse rumbled. That set her off again.
"Who do you think you are?! I'll tell you. A disgrace. A fallen Lord whose only possession is his title-"
"I can answer your question if you would shut up!" Narcisse boomed over her. Catherine was gagged by her shock.
"Yes, I am a fallen Lord. I have nothing left to call mine, but that is only for a short time because I do have something that few others posses. A mind that is constantly calculating, Catherine, very much like your own. We are far more alike than you would like to believe. When I told you Claude came to me because she had seen we had grown closer, it was not a lie. Claude is very beautiful, but I didn't sleep with her because I have become fond of you, Catherine. When I sought you out tonight my aim was not manipulation. If I did happen to fabricate some bit of urgent business that would keep the Duke from his meeting in the lavender house, well... It was not done out of dislike, I promise you that. It was, as I said, to extricate you from an intrigue you would undoubtably regret. I know this because I feel that I know you," Narcisse brushed Catherine's cheek with the back of his hand. "I understand your mind very well. As it so happens, I view the two of us as equals." The look on Catherine's face made Narcisse smile. "Equal" was not a word she was familiar with, and hearing it come out of a man's mouth was a first for royalty. He was the only man she new that wasn't threatened by her or dismissive of her.
"I don't trust you," she said.
"I don't trust you either." He searched her eyes for any sign of resistance then slid his arm around her waist. "We are equals," Narcisse whispered. Narcisse kissed her, softly at first, then his his hand moved to the back of her neck willing her to him. He wasn't rough but he longed for her to kiss him back with the same fire he knew ran through her veins. He felt her begin to lean into him. Seemingly unsure, her tongue ghosted the bottom of his lip. The kiss slowly began to deepen. Catherine put her hands on Narcisse's chest and he could have sworn that when she curled her fists into his shirt, it was to pull him closer, until she instinctively pushed him away. When they separated Catherine's back hit the frame of one of the many windows that made up the walls of the greenhouse. They were both breathing heavily. Narcisse couldn't read her emotions but he did recognized a spark in the back of her eyes that meant he had either pissed off the most powerful woman in France or she was deeply aroused.
However Stephan knew the consequences of playing with fire. The kiss alone was a risk. Pursuing her any further would inflame more than the blistering tongue lashing he was sure he was about to recieve. He had had his fun in the beginning. He was unsure how this strange encounter would affect their relationship when they returned to the castle but what was done was done. His only regret was that if the Duke ever showed up, he was going to have one hell of an evening with Catherine in this fiery state. He turned to leave but before he could reach the door,
"Narcisse" Catherine called. "This does not absolve you from anything." Then she rushed across the room and threw her arms around his neck. The passion in that kiss nearly knocked Narcisse off his feet. She pulled him to her mouth, her tongue was relentless, unwilling to let him retreat or even breathe. They finally broke and before Narcisse knew where he was, he realized Catherine was unbuttoning his jacket and he began to understand her intention. He had never seen a woman more hungry for sex.
"We may be equals, but this will not change your relationship to me. In fact, this will put a larger target on your back because if you tell anyone," a sly smile creased her mouth, "I will deny everything and have you publicly drawn and quartered for treason like you should have been the moment you decided to blackmail Francis." Catherine walked her fingers up the center of his stomach where the executioner would split him open and Narcisse shivered. She ended her stroll by unlacing his shirt and placing a slow kiss in the center of his chest. He looked into her soft hazel eyes and wondered how the Medici devil woman could still resemble an angel after dealing him a death threat. Narcisse's playful attitude returned. He circled her, eyeing her, noticing the goosebumps on her skin.
"Now that I think of it, this dress is completely inappropriate for meeting foreign dignitaries." Narcisse played with the clasp on the back of Catherine's necklace. "It is too low cut" He let his fingers graze the back of her neck and her collar bone before his hand plunged across her body and beneath her neckline to grasp her warm breast. His other arm held her around the waist as she arched into him with a long held sigh. As he played with her nipple, her chest heaved, her head fell back on his chest, and she whimpered like a puppy. Narcisse nuzzled into the top of Catherine's head and relished the moment, the smell of her hair, the feeling of her wrapped in his arms, her complete lack of control. Occasionally she liked being man handled a bit. Her partners after Henry were all too afraid of her to be the aggressor.
"So doting on me in front of Francis at dinner," Catherine panted, "And the comments you made in front of Guise," Narcisse ran his fingertips over her nipple until it peaked. He gave it a tweak and she giggled, "It wasn't all a ploy?"
"Absolutely not," he growled. He flicked her nipple once more, released her breast, then came full circle in front of her. As he slowly pushed her against the wall, Stephan kissed the sides of her mouth, then trailed slow, wet kisses down her neck to the tops of her breasts. When his tongue slipped between her cleavage he felt pressure on his shoulders and heard Catherine say in an amorous voice, "Keep going." He did as she commanded and went to his knees. She lifted her skirts above her ankles and looked at him expectantly.
He removed her shoe and began to kiss, first her ankle, then his lips moved up her calf and paused at the tender spot just above her knee. He looked up to see Catherine graze her chest and whisper, "Don't stop." She felt his breathe tickle her inner thigh. He was chuckling. Her eyes widened.
"You think this is funny!"
"No, not at all, Queen Mother," his smirk turned into a grin.
She winced at the use of her title and groaned, "Oh, don't remind me! Not when I'm about to have sex in a greenhouse and with you of all people. Ow!" Narcisse left a mark with his teeth on the inside of her knee.
"That sounds like and insult," he said before subduing the angry red mark with a quick peck. Then he realized something strange. He brought his hands up her thighs pushing her skirt nearly up to her waist. Narcisse raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Are you really that eager or have petticoats and shifts gone out of style?" Catherine mimicked his expression.
"I find them suffocating," she said before pulling him into a heated kiss.
She was warming up to him, he could feel it when he lightly brushed his thumb between her thighs. Narcisse's hands moved from her skirts to wrap around her waist, to hold her close. Catherine could feel the peaks of her breasts tingle through her dress when they pressed against his chest. Narcisse pulled her knee up to his hip so he could press his bulge against her slit. The first roll of his hips caused her head to fall back against the greenhouse window. Narcisse continued to rub against her eliciting moans from Catherine he had not believed capable of a Queen. His growing erection was painfully throbbing within his trousers yet filling her with pleasure in the same moment.
Both of Catherine's legs were now wrapped around Narcisse's torso, her back pressed firmly against the glass, and her face was contorted with the features of pleasure. Catherine had one arm wrapped around Narcisse's neck, while her other hand moved up and down her body feeling herself. Narcisse grew harder when he saw Catherine squeeze her chest and bite her lip. Her sweet breasts were nearly spilling out of her dress with the way her chest was heaving. He kissed her on the neck and again on her lips, their tongues tangling in the other's mouth. Narcisse was already causing her inner thighs to clench around him pulling his pelvis closer to add more pressure each time he pulsed against her. It didn't make things easier for either of them when he pushed his hand downward between them.
"Oh...oh...oh, Oh, OH!"
Before she could finish, Catherine's feet dropped to the floor. She pulled down her skirt.
"That is quite enough of that kind of thing," she said as she righted herself. Her lips were swollen and Narcisse knew that her inner thighs were still clenching after the fact by the way that Catherine pressed her hand against her lower abdomen. But Narcisse was confused. Catherine looked up at him and grinned, then grabbed him by the collar, kissed him roughly, and forced him backwards with more strength than Narcisse ever thought such a small woman could have. The back of his legs slammed against the end of a long table covered in flowers causing a few of the pots to fall to the floor and break. The satisfying SMASH of each pot seemed to intensify the predatory look in Catherine's eyes as she crossed the few feet that separated them. She wanted him badly and Narcisse was almost painfully eager to release his cock from his tight pants. She stood close to him and looked up through heavily lidded eyes.
"Well then?"
Narcisse hopped up on the table. He began fervently untying the many laces on the front of her bodice. Catherine took more time unlacing his trousers because she was enjoying the focused, hungry look on Stephan's face. He was so close to finishing the bodice that he hadn't noticed her movements until Catherine's hand was fully down his pants. He stopped and looked down at Catherine. She smirked as she began to work her hand on him again causing him to pause his battle with her bodice. He finished the last few laces, removed her hand slowly and kissed the palm of it, then he spun her around. He removed her bodice and began to combat her corset.
"You, are a wicked woman," he whispered in her ear.
"They don't call me the Medici bitch without reason," she replied.
He yanked on the ties of her corset causing her to gasp for air.
"I don't understand why women wear these contraptions. They look so uncomfortable, deadly even. Are they not?" Narcisse chuckled as he began loosening the ties once more. Catherine clutched her chest.
"I could still have you killed! Remember that you are not in the King's good graces at the moment." Catherine took a large breath. She was finally free.
"Yes, and I remember a time recently when the King was not too pleased with you either."
Catherine grumbled then turned around and dropped the corset to the floor revealing her entire torso to Narcisse's heated bliss. Narcisse pulled Catherine to him and kissed her passionately. There was a familiarity between them as though they had been lovers for a long time, but with a passion and a roughness that neither had ever experienced in a lover. When they broke, Catherine reached behind him and began tugging his shirt over his head. Catherine raised both eyebrows. She didn't know what shape he would be in, however he was always the athletic type, but he was... svelte. And it was making her incredibly hot. Narcisse looked at himself and then at Catherine's face.
"What were you expecting?" He smirked.
"Oh shut up," she said as she pushed him back on the table. By now his member had escaped its cloth confines and was ready for her. Catherine, who was still in the bottom half of her dress, reached beneath her skirts to position him at her entrance. She rubbed the tip along her folds and tortured him by running her hand along him after allowing the tip of his member to enter her. Narcisse enjoyed it at first but soon became annoyed.
"Damn it, Catherine!" He took her by the hips and thrust upward into her. Catherine let out a gasp and fell forward. With her hands by his head, his mouth was in the perfect position to- Catherine let out another gasp and moved to sit up but Narcisse caught her hands and again pulled her forward into his waiting mouth. He rested one hand on her back to hold her in place while the other massaged her left nipple and his tongue played with her right. The arch in her back caused her hips to swirl making them both moan. This persisted until Catherine eventually did sit up to remove the clip from her hair. She began to bob up and down while Narcisse watched as her curls fell onto her shoulders, some even grazing the sweet bud he had just sucked moments ago. Narcisse leaned up to kiss her but she placed her hand on his chest to stop him. Instead she leaned back, tossing her hair and resting her hands on his thighs behind her. As Narcisse laid down to watch her breasts bounce up and down he noticed her skirts creeping closer to his neck.
"Catherine, as enjoyable as this is to watch, it isn't quite doing enough for me." And with that Narcisse managed to sit up and flip them so that Catherine was now lying with her back on the table and her legs sticking straight up in the air. Narcisse stood at the end of the table with his hands still on her hips, quietly laughing at the shocked look on her face.
A miffed Catherine began to sit up demanding, "Is it always a struggle for power with y-"
She couldn't finish her sentence because the power with which Narcisse had thrust into her forced her back onto her back with a cry. she shuddered and Narcisse moaned, "Oh god, Catherine!" Their speed and breathing rapidly increased within a matter of seconds. Narcisse had had enough with foreplay and now wanted badly to see Queen Catherine's face when he made her come as he fucked her on a table in the lavender house. But just as the pressure began to build, they were disturbed by an unwelcome knock from outside.
Catherine began to scramble to her forearms but Narcisse stopped her before she could sit up all the way.
His thrusting had ceased. His head was turned toward the greenhouse door but his thumb was massaging her clit making her squirm with his penis still inside her.
"Come back tomorrow. I am sure that any gardening plans you have can wait until then," he called.
The Duke of Guise recognized that voice. He then heard a female giggle that he could only assume was Catherine's. Rage started boiling inside the Duke at the thought of that bastard Narcisse with his hands on the woman should have been the his this night. Anger made him want to burst through the door and demand what the hell was going on, but what good would that do? He already knew what was transpiring inside that greenhouse. He wanted to storm back to the castle to escape the sound of sex that was clearly coming from the greenhouse but a sliver of curiousity forced him to round to the windowed side of the greenhouse. Narcisse was right about the glass sweating in the heat. He had to rub away the steam that had been fogging up the glass. He saw Catherine lying on the table with her legs wrapped around Narcisse as he plowed into her depths. Her other shoe had fallen off and her toes were beginning to curl as she climaxed. Her finger nails were digging into Narcisse's back and her moans were more drawn out, more desperate with every stroke. He couldn't see Narcisse's face since it was buried in Catherine's chest and neck covering both in sloppy kisses, but as for Catherine – she was covered in the glow of excstacy. It was then that the Duke turned away, half out of fury and the other half out of shame. He stopped for a moment on his way up to the castle as he caught the sound of Catherine and Narcisse falling over the edge together.
The Duke of Guise wasn't around later to see or hear when Narcisse took her from behind causing her to cry out so loudly that even the stable boys could hear, though they would never know that it was a queen who was responsible for the noise.
Narcisse leaned over to rest his cheek on Catherine's belly. They were both breathing heavily.
"Well, Narcisse," Catherine managed to huff. "It seems that you have hidden talents beyond murder."
"I should hope so," he responded. "My skills have gone down in history. Apparently I am legendary in women's literature at court." Catherine picked his head up off of her stomach and tilted her head up so she could meet his gaze.
"You! You are the one from the journal? The man with the butterfly birthmark?" Narcisse lifted his wrist to show her. "Guilty." Catherine sat up and kissed him passionately. He was sex on a lance. He had more than proven himself in this one act and Catherine was not ready to let him walk away just yet.
After round two, they dressed themselves individually and left the greenhouse separately. Catherine went first with her hair remade as best she could and a flower sticking out from behind one ear. Narcisse stayed behind. Before exiting, Narcisse stood in front of the same lit window that Catherine had been at when he had found her standing in. The thought that crossed his mind was,
"Well. This will be interesting."
"How do you know he saw us?" Catherine asked.
"I saw him out of my periferial vision. He had to rub the sweat off the glass. He was watching us, Catherine. Thank god he was dead before he could tell anyone about how I deflowered you among the flowers," Narcisse said before giving Catherine a slow, soft, sensuous kiss goodnight. They were standing hidden just around the corner from Catherine's chambers. Catherine rolled her eyes. Out loud it sounded idiotic, but the way it rolled off of his tongue with the hint of a growl, it was sexy as hell. She licked her bottom lip and then turned around the corner down the hallway to her chambers. She knew that Narcisse would be looking at her as she walked away so she pretended to fix her skirt, placing extra pressure when smoothing out the fabric covering her bottom. Narcisse always said that his favorite thing was her ass. She was surprised that her heart fluttered at the thought of it. She had forgotten how good it felt to be found desirable for more than one night. Even though Catherine could not trust him, it was a fun flirtation seeing him eye her across the table at privy council meetings and stealing kisses in darkened hallways. But however enjoyable, when you're a queen they all want something from you, and Narcisse is not the type to let an opportunity pass by. Narcisse will take advantage of her, try to at least, if she doesn't keep her guard up. They were two battleships sailing temporarily under the same flag with their guns loaded and pointed at the others' hull. The easiest she learned from Henry was that making love with someone does not make them love you. Catherine had tried that but Henry never stayed in her bed for long. Nor did she want Narcisse's love. What she wanted was pleasure and loyalty. That was all she desired. Was that all she desired.