DISCLAIMER: me no own da Reign
AN: ANOTHER ONE? Apparently so. Let's hope it's decent. In part one of this trilogy, I mentioned Elisabeth (the whole garden party thing) and I imagined her around five during that time so that would mean that Claude would be around three, and Francis would be six. Mary would have already been in France for three years and Charles is only a few months old. Also: the French kings moved around the country to their different estates during the year soooooooooooooooo more framing of the piece. No one please notice that the kids never actually did stay with their parents for most of the year eh heh. I can't handle Catherine away from her babies so I AU-ed it because I can. Anyway, ENJOY THE READ!
The Queen's voice was soft, but quick as she directed her personal staff to see to the preparations of the journey. They were late in the year to move to Blois, but they would be moving all the same. Blessedly, the roads seemed to be in good condition and as much had been settled, they would be moving today. The procession would move slowly with Charles only having just been born a few months previous in June, but that was a concession that could be made for the newest Prince of France. Tucking in her son's blanket more snugly around him as he lie happily in his nanny's arms, Catherine gave her sweet son a kiss to his chubby cheek. It had only been a few months earlier that Charles had come to them and she thanked God for him every day just as she did for her other darling babes. Shooing Charles' nanny into his carriage where his other nannies and nursemaids awaited to ensure his safety and comfort during the journey, the Florentine turned to her older children who were playing just outside their carriage. Little Claude and Elisabeth were chasing their brother in circles around the young Queen of Scots while Mary called for them all to run faster. The Scottish Queen was fitting in well here in France, and Catherine was glad for it. She knew how difficult it was to leave one's home country, but it seemed that Mary was learning to love her future kingdom with each passing day. Clapping her hands for their attention, she caught her toddling Claude and hoisted her up onto her hip before patting down Francis' golden curls and pressing a kiss onto Elisabeth's forehead.
"Your Grace, are these the heirs of France or some wild children?" Catherine asked the Scot as the little Queen giggled behind her hands.
"They're wild heirs, Your Majesty!" Mary cried as Francis scrunched his nose at her.
"Now, now, Francis," His mother admonished. "None of that or your face will stay like that."
"Funny face, Francis!" Claude squealed at seeing her brother's face so silly.
Obliging his youngest sister, the future king blew out his tongue and squeezed his eyes shut for her before reaching up to leave a smacking kiss on her cheek as Elisabeth came up to tickle their sister's itty bitty feet. A howling princess in her arms as Claude's siblings attacked her with their affection, Catherine changed her hold on her little girl to move her in front of herself so that they could more easily kiss and tickle her. With the continued onslaught of happy making, she felt badly for having to break it all up, but they did need to get on the road. Setting Claude on the ground where she hid from Elisabeth's tickles from behind Francis, the Queen of France reached to bring in Mary's cloak more closely in to herself. It wouldn't do to have her future daughter in law catch a chill, after all. Signaling for the footman to open up the carriage door, Catherine and the children's governesses hustled them inside. Four laughing young things packed safely into their carriage, the Queen left them with kisses blown their way as she moved to her own carriage keeping an eye on the servants who were still loading trunks further down the line. Hopefully, they'd be done soon. She didn't much fancy the idea of getting to Blois without her or her children's things there. Waving one of her ladies over, Catherine asked for a few more blankets to be brought to the children's carriage just in case. She didn't want her babies to get cold on the way over. Then again, they could just giggle their way back to warmth. That sweet thought in her head as she turned away from their carriage, her brow furrowed.
"The children will be fine, Catherine." Her husband's voice was a low timbre behind her and for a moment she thought guiltily that she could have that to stay warm with during the procession.
Her cheeks a bit red from the chill in the air among other things, the Queen answered him, "I know, I only wish we'd left earlier."
"Then why were you looking so troubled?" Henry's head tilted to the side so, she could see where little Elisabeth had picked up that particular trait.
"It seems they haven't brought my carriage around yet," She sighed, disappointed that she was paying such under prepared grooms. "I can't understand why not when they'd brought the carriages for the children and Charles. Have you heard word? Is it in disrepair?"
"Yes, it is, unfortunately." His reply was automatic as he informed his wife of her carriage's fate. "Something about the wheel. They said they could fix it, but I knew you'd want to move out as soon as possible rather than wait and risk a turn of the weather. You don't mind sharing with me, do you?"
Over the horses and all the servants, the King still heard the happy tinkle of her earrings as she shook her head. "No, not if you don't."
"Of course not. Please, allow me."
Waving away the footman, the King of France extended his hand to his Queen. Catherine had a little smile playing at the corners of her mouth before her small hand found his great one, and not for the first time, Henry wondered how it was that his wife had such soft hands. Unmentionable thoughts of where she could put those soft hands flashing through his mind, Henry cleared his throat as he waved for the coachman to get ready to pull away. Following his lady into their now shared carriage, he brushed off his near falter on which side to sit before settling in across from her. A husband would sit beside her and a friend… a friend would sit across from her, wouldn't he? He'd arranged it so that Catherine's carriage wouldn't be brought so that they might ride together, but now he wasn't quite so sure where to go from here. If he were his past self, he'd have her in his lap, his lips against her neck as they made their coachman blush from their moans, but he wasn't that same man, no matter how much he did want to be at times like this. Being her friend didn't discount him from having such thoughts and when she was bundled in her furs as she was, he couldn't help but want to bring her into his side if only to keep her warm. Would that be what a friend would do or something a husband would? He hadn't been much of a friend to her ever, and there was nothing more he wanted than to be her best of friends. His eye once more catching sight of those lovely hands, so long and elegant, he had to look away with a bit of a flush as he tapped the ceiling of the carriage for them to start in on their journey to Blois.
A lurch as the carriage set into motion and her hand on his knee as she caught herself with the sudden jerk, Catherine looked up with an apologetic smile. The Queen retracted her hand - if after a moment of lingering - and sat back, brushing a few stray locks of her hair away from her face. She'd not expected him to sit across from her, but she was glad for it now, else she would have fallen. Her hands finding their way into her lap and into the folds of her heavy skirt, her hazel gaze sought out her husband who seemed so far away as his own warm brown eyes returned once more to the passing scene just outside their carriage. They hadn't shared a carriage since before Diane's involvement in their lives and she could feel an almost tangible atmosphere between them. Was he regretting inviting her to join him in his carriage for their procession to Blois? She could just as easily switch to Charles' carriage. She wouldn't mind sharing with her youngest son and his nannies. She'd rather have their son's coos and cries at her ear than this deafening silence as the wheels of the carriage turned and drew them closer to their destination. He didn't seem to be expecting anything. Henry didn't even seem to be acknowledging her at all by the look of him. It wasn't quite so different than it was before in that respect, but it didn't settle well with her now that they were meant to be friends. Taking a slow, steady breath, Catherine decided she'd be the one to set about clearing the air around them. She enjoyed the quiet, was used to it more than most people, but with her usually talkative husband so reserved, it was setting her on edge. Just as she'd intended, Henry reached out to her as she stood, meaning to sit beside him. One hand at her hip and the other clasping her bare hand, her King helped to settle her beside him just before the carriage hit a bump in the road.
"Are you alright?" The concern in his voice was sweet and she was reminded of the gentle boy he'd once been.
She nodded, wanting to put aside whatever it was that was troubling him. "I just wanted to move so that I wouldn't have to keep taking hold of your knee."
"I don't mind it." He shrugged as the carriage rolled on down the road away from the castle.
"Would you rather I not sit beside you?" Catherine's voice was light to make sure he didn't feel as though he was cornered by her question.
"No, no. It's fine. I just thought - " The King sighed as he shrugged once more, at a loss of how to articulate what he'd thought earlier.
"Go on?" It wasn't often Henry didn't speak his mind and she'd rather have it now then ride along for days with this continued silence.
Steeling his nerves as he did his best to not feel silly about he was going to say next, he met her eye in a show of determination for himself. "I just thought it would be better if, as your friend, if I sat here and allowed you your space."
"I appreciate the thought, Henry, but there's nothing in our agreement that says you can't sit beside me." Not attempting to hide her smile even as it turned coy, Catherine gave his hand a pat. "Besides, wouldn't you say it would be safer for me to sit beside you?"
"Yes, but I wouldn't let you fall either way." Struck silent by his sincerity, the Queen took a moment as she settled into their shared seat.
"Then, if it's fine by you, I'll just stay here." She supplied after composing herself.
Henry nodded, as he shifted a bit to look at her more easily. "Just to make sure I remember it all correctly, after nothing of the carnal sort - "
"Much to your disappointment."
"And yours?" When you smirk at me like that… Clearing his throat, the King went on, "Our agreement encompasses: no sharing a bed, no kissing, no phrases of affection. Is that it?"
"You're forgetting no pushing - from either of us." She tacked on that last to ensure he understood that all these rules applied to them both and not him alone.
"Then you won't mind if I hold your hand, would you?" The backs of his knuckles brushing against her hand, it seemed to be getting a little warm inside their carriage, but Catherine didn't pull away.
"Not at all."
Golden eyes fixed on him as he joined their hands, the rough of his calluses from years of training slid against her palm. The Queen spread her fingers slightly for him to find his way more easily between hers as their carriage ambled on. She wasn't quite sure if her sensitive ears could hear his heart beating or if her own was hammering in her chest. To have him so close and away from everyone else did make her heart beat faster. Her hands and wrists were sensitive after years of touching nothing much else but fabrics, jewels, and on occasion, her husband's own heated skin. If they were still young and she unscarred, perhaps she would have leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, allowed more than just a kiss here in this space with him. The jostling of the carriage the only reminder of where they were, she could almost give in, but they weren't as young as they were and she'd learned too much to be so impulsive. They needed rules. It had been days since that kiss she'd given him at the ball and weeks since he'd kissed her in the garden. A part of her said that only his mouth was off limits to her kiss, but she'd already bent the rules kissing him at the party. Catherine was a master at finding loopholes and as easy it would be to just untie the laces at his neck and warm his chest with her lips, she couldn't, but his hand in hers made her want to. From the way Henry's sights were still so focused on their now joined hands, she might even get away with a pressed kiss to his cheek or two, but no. Perhaps she really should change carriages if she would be having these thoughts about Henry. Through all the preparations for the journey, she'd not been able to attend to herself last night as she'd planned to and had been on edge since she'd awoken this morning to her ladies bustling about setting her final things into her trunks. Guilty of having some additional thoughts on where Henry could kiss her without violating their agreement, Catherine nearly gave a start when he spoke once again, his voice filled with wonder.
"You're so very small, Catherine."
A bit of a nervous laugh slipping past her lips, she asked her husband, "Are you flirting with me?"
"It's not on the list." The way he looked up at her then nearly broke her resolve, but she drew her walls up as high as they would go to ward of the temptation that was him. "But no. For once, I'm not flirting with you. It's just an observation."
"Well, so long as we're observing and not flirting… you do have a fine figure, Henry." The words were out of her mouth before she even had a moment to think over what she'd said.
Thankfully, her husband only seemed to think it another of her jests in this time after they'd had their understanding. "You're a kind friend to say so."
Your wife also says so.
AN: MWHAHAHHA I know. I just felt like we get a lot of Henry being attracted to Catherine and wanted to remind you all that our Queen feels much the same way, she's just a Hell of a lot better at hiding it. Plus, baby childrens everywhere. The kiddos will be playing a bit of a part in this story so yay! Also: this chapter was gigantic, but idk how long the next chapter will be /:
Just real quick as a trigger warning: these next chapters will deal with child death. It's the year after Louis' death, their fourth child and second son, by my math, so I just wanted to put that out there to let you all know. I want you all to be comfortable reading my pieces and wanted to give you fair warning beforehand. This chapter itself doesn't really talk about it, but upcoming chapters will. I'm not quite sure if we'll revisit that time in their lives through flashbacks or if they're going to just talk about it and remember, but yes. That's coming up. I don't know how I'll write it to separate the sections containing the possibly triggering sections and those that aren't, but if I'm able to, I'll leave an author's note about it. If I'm not, I'll also let you know. In either case, I'll be doing recaps at the tops of each chapter so you don't have to read all of it to get what's happening. I hope that will help everyone out!
PopRockShawty: being just friends when you've been lovers before is difficult, especially when you're still in love with that person and still so attracted to them. Will be going into that more throughout this piece because yup. Issues.
CallmeCordelia1: but of course, now she has to kick herself for that little kiss because RULES ugh she's such a good girl, it's nearly annoying
Guest Reviewer Katie: Your reviews are SOME OF MY FAVORITE lmao I'm glad you're still here and still reading. Let me know what you think of this one! Xx
FaerieBreath: *hearteyes at this chapter* not as slow, thankfully, and a bit longer as well? Wanted to fill this chapter out for what's coming next.
Lizz204: Thank you! This was a quick write, so hopefully it still reads well.
Pickleshibby: So glad you like it! I think this chapter will tide you over for a while? Lol
Also: I have some chapters in the works already, but I might be inclined to write the Royal Treatment version to this chapter if you all are in favor. If you all don't know what that means, look out for my username on AO3. Some chapters are coming out soon for RT, but if you want this in the mix as well, just let me know. You know I take requests lmao.