I am revising some of my chapters and here is chapter three, lovelies.
Disclaimer: I don't own Reign and profit in no way financially. This is a fan story from my own mind because I wasn't satisfied with how the show started going.
Henry hadn't had to wait long to hear of his nightmare being a reality. A few hours after he had sent out the rider, they had received word of Catherine's abduction from the arrival of one of Roman Medici's men. Within an hour he had left Paris and his business matters behind, and was traveling as fast towards home as he could.
He couldn't comprehend what was happening. Had he lost her for good this time? He had become so accustomed to their arrangement that he hadn't bothered to think of what he would feel if there were true possibilities of Catherine being gone. What if he hadn't been a selfish bastard who threw tantrums like a child when he didn't get what he wanted immediately? What if she hadn't shut him out when they were trying for years to conceive an heir? What if they had trusted each other? What could have been was of no use to him at this moment as she could be lost to him forever, but the thoughts still tortured him. She couldn't actually be dead. It wasn't possibility he was ready to accept. They deserved more time. This could not be what was meant for their lives.
They reached the castle well after dark that night. If it hadn't been for their King's orders the men would have stopped hours ago to make camp, but Henry had ordered them on. It was a dangerous gamble, but one he was willing to take. He had to be there to organize the search. Catherine had been in charge of affairs while he was away in Paris and with her kidnapping and Francis away leading the troops to attack Calais, Mary would have had to make the decision of what measures would be taken to find his wife. He wasn't keen on the young Scot's abilities to organize anything. Mary couldn't even control her own regent. How could he trust the well-being of his kidnapped wife to her?
He hadn't sent a rider ahead to notify the castle of his arrival, and as he walked through the hall the servants were in a panic. He was sure Mary would be in bed by this hour, but he had to find out precisely what she had accomplished. He, however, didn't make it to Mary's rooms before quite literally running into Roman de Medici. Henry had been pondering who had the gall and resources to have kidnapped Catherine that his distracting thoughts had gotten the better of his attentions, and he hadn't seen anything or anyone around him.
"Why the hell can't you French vermin watch where you are going?"
Roman's mouth hung open when he looked up at the King before him. Why was the King back so soon from Paris? Saving his ponderings for later, he hurried to acquiesce the ruler before he paid for his mistake with his head.
"I'm so sorry, your Majesty, I hadn't received notice of your arrival! Please accept my sincerest of apologies for-"
"Yes, yes, you bumbling fool! Stop kissing my ass, and tell me if you even know of anything that has been done to find my wife?"
Henry barely registered the man's apology at all. He hadn't any need to hear platitudes when Catherine was in danger.
Roman was quite puzzled by the King's sudden interest in his wife's safety. The man had tried for years to be rid of Catherine, and only months had passed since he had almost had her beheaded for adultery. Drawing his shoulders back he paused before he answered with what little information he knew to be true of his cousin's abduction.
"The Queen returned this afternoon, disheveled and angry, and carrying her cousin Hortensa's head, but otherwise she was unharmed."
She was alive! Henry's heart leapt within him and despite his stern tone his stance became slightly more relaxed as he questioned Roman more.
"Has anything been found out of whom was behind the act?"
Knowing of Catherine's suspicions of the young Scottish Queen, Roman pondered on whether to tell the King his wife's suspicion. Deciding just to give the facts for now, he made a split second decision to speak to his cousin before revealing anything more. One never could tell how the Valois King would react to his wife's suspicions.
"Yes, your Highness. Catherine ordered us to search Hortensa's rooms, and we found a letter explaining her plot to have come here with the intention of having your wife kidnapped. It appears that Hortensa had plotted the death of her husband, and was in desperate need of a large sum to keep the secret from getting out."
Without so much as another word, Henry turned right around and headed straight for Catherine's rooms. He didn't care the lateness of the hour; he had to speak to her immediately. The closer he came to her door, the faster his heart began to race. They had another chance! She was alive and safe, and he had somehow known of her abduction. He threw up a silent thanks to God that he had let her return to him, and vowed to not waste any more time denying his love for her. As he reached her door the enormity of their mistakes overtook him. Did they even deserve a second chance? As he stood staring at her door, he hated to even think that it might be too late for them. Was there any use of even trying?
Maybe he should just wait till morning to speak with her. She had been through quite an ordeal and would probably be sleeping. As much as it pained him to admit it he was unsure if he should enter her quarters. If she rejected him there wouldn't be any hope for a future together, and he desperately needed her love. She was the anchor that held him in the storm that raged around him. Things had to change between them.
That revelation gave him the strength he needed to walk through the door into her bedroom. The fire burned low from the lateness of the night casting dark shadows across the room. Catherine was asleep in bed so he put a few logs on the fire. He remembered she hated waking up to a chill in the air. He walked over to the side of the bed she was sleeping in and sat down in the closest chair just to watch her breathe. He wouldn't disturb her, but he needed to be near her. He would have climbed into the other side, but he didn't want to disturb her slumber. She had always been a light sleeper, and since she hadn't awakened upon his entering he knew she must be exhausted. He also had no idea how she'd react to him climbing in her bed at this time of night. There would be questions and problems that could be confronted in the morning. For the moment he was just content with thinking of what could be if they could somehow try to fix their broken marriage.
