AN: Madeleine and I would like to present this next chapter to you in the hopes that you all aren't too upset at that last cliffhanger. We promise we aren't leaving you off too abruptly in this one! Enjoy the read!
It wasn't one of his usual possessive kisses. There was a desperation in him as he kissed her – as though he couldn't live another moment without her knowing of his touch. Catherine gasped into the silent air of his bedroom when he released her lips to move on to every inch of exposed skin above her neckline. Again, his words surprised her. Her knees going weak at his touch, his words, she pushed him away with trembling hands.
"Tesoro, please, you're injured." In her flustered state, she'd barely registered she'd spoken Italian rather than French. Catching her breath as best as she could and trying to speak levelly, she spoke once again, but in his native tongue. "Henry, I'm sorry, we can't. You've only just been seen to. Your wound won't heal if we aren't careful."
Henry smiled in understanding. Her response wasn't unexpected, in fact, he had been almost certain she would do exactly as she had – too concerned with his well-being to take such risks – but even still, it'd been worth it to be able to kiss her at least once.
"We needn't do anything. Being near you is more than enough, lumière de ma vie." At least until his curse of a wound healed and he could have her undivided attention focused on his body in more pleasurable ways.
Still, he never wanted her to think that was all he wanted of his Queen, she meant much more to him than that. Looking into her eyes the King tried to gauge whether or not she believed him as his arms moved to encircle her waist.
Trying for some levity, Catherine braved a laugh against his chest. "Well, the light of your life would like to help change you into your nightclothes and check on your bandaging." With a light hand over his chest, she broke from his arms to go to his armoire.
"The light of my life may do whatever she pleases." Henry replied with a slight chuckle and a lasting grin, happy to see her good humor hadn't left her.
Throwing open the double doors to his armoire, she shuffled inside for his night shirt and some trousers for him to sleep in. It wasn't as if she didn't know where they were, she just wanted time to banish this blush from her cheeks. Honestly, you aren't a teenager, Caterina. Removing his heavy doublet for the third and final time in the last few hours, the King watched her prepare his clothes with a visible content. He'd almost forgotten how she fussed over him in his time away though Henry had never been more welcoming of her attentive nature.
Turning with his clothes in her arms she asked, "Do you have bandages in your rooms?"
"By the mirror. The servants had been trying to wrap me up earlier." Henry answered softly as he sat on the edge of the bed, trying to fight the feeling of his eyelids growing heavy.
He didn't want to sleep, perhaps not ever again. Much as he wouldn't say it, he was afraid to blink and find this was all just a dream. Letting the clothes plop down onto the mattress, Catherine went to retrieve the bandages. Clean and serviceable. His servants had most likely run down to the infirmary for them at realizing their King had an injury. Coming back to her husband's side, she knelt up on the platform his bed stood on. Her gentle hands teased back the bandages Nostradamus had done up. The poultice was still working and there didn't seem to be any leaks, but just to be sure…
Winding the new bandage around her husband's midsection, the Queen made sure to not jostle him about too much. Henry looked as though he'd slept sitting up. Poor man. Finished with binding him, Catherine took up his night shirt and slipped it over his head carefully. His boots came off and she stood. There really wasn't any way she could get him out of his trousers and into his pajama bottoms with him so tired and liable to fall over should they try. Brushing away a curl that had fallen out of her hair styling, she urged him to lie down.
"Do you think you could drink some water before I have to leave?"
Henry had barely noticed her changing his bandages, too exhausted to keep his eyes open for more than a few moments at a time. He lifted his arms to help her get his shirt on, but even then his movements were sluggish, as if he were already sleeping. The King almost fell asleep when he felt the softness of his pillow against his head, but as he caught her last words his eyes flew open, suddenly alert as he felt a panic in him he couldn't explain.
"Leave? Where are you going? Stay."
"Shh, caro, calm down."
Soothing him with hands that had done it a thousand times, Catherine laid her palms against his chest. Moving over the tense muscles, she tried to instill some peace in her upset husband. It wouldn't do for him to overwork himself and effect his injury. Henry relaxed as he always did when she placed her hands on his chest. He hadn't any idea why, but it never failed to sooth him even on the worst of days. Stepping off the platform of his mattress, she moved to his water pitcher and sniffed it subtly to let her sensitive nose pick up on any detectable poisons that may harm her King. Bringing back a glass, she sat up on the edge of his mattress in the curve of his side to offer the cup to him.
"I'll stay if you drink this." You need to be more careful of that injury, Henry.
Agreeing to her terms, the King took the cup from her and drained its contents slowly as he knew she'd chastise him otherwise. Handing it back to her as he finished, Henry watched her carefully, wanting to be sure she planned on upholding her end of the deal. It wasn't unlike her to leave when he'd pressed as he had earlier after they'd made it to his bedchamber and he'd had her alone.
"Will you lie with me?" He asked, somewhat calm at the promise of her staying. "I keep some of your clothes in the far wardrobe should you wish to change."
Replacing the cup beside the water pitcher, Catherine had to wonder why it was that he'd stowed away her clothes. "If that's what you'd like, Henry."
It wasn't as if she spent many nights here - not any in recent memory. Did she want to change that tradition? Perhaps she did, but it wasn't time for that. If he could hear her thoughts he'd laugh at her for certain. He was always such a tease. Finding a suitable nightgown with some difficulty as it had been well hidden, the Queen looked about with eyes growing wide. He didn't have a changing screen. Panicking at the thought of him watching her undress herself after so long, Catherine subtly moved to the darkest corner of the room. Keeping her back to him as she quickly undid her laces, she named nobles in her head to prevent her thoughts from straying to all the disparaging thoughts she kept locked away. All but ripping the cloth from her body, she quickly shimmied into her nightgown, leaving her dress in the corner. She sat at her husband's desk and laid out her jewels. Rings, bracelets, her necklace - topping it all off with her crown. The pins from her hair came out as well and were laid beside her gems before she shook out her copper locks. Using her hands as a comb, she walked over to her husband's bed as if it were something she did daily. Masking her worries was something she did with sterling execution. Climbing up beside him, Catherine fluffed his pillow before settling down at his side.
"When you're healed, we'll have that talk you wanted."
Usually Henry never would have admitted keeping a change of clothes in his room for her. It was something even his servants weren't privy to. It was a strange sort of hopeful habit he'd had for years just in case she came to see him, as rare as such occasions had been in the course of their marriage, but he was much too exhausted to be embarrassed by the confession. He watched her change in the corner with a slight frown. Was she embarrassed to be seen by him? The thought bothered him more than a little, but even still he made a note to have a changing screen brought in for her in the morning. Nostalgia getting to him as he remembered the days he used to watch her prepare for bed in front of her vanity instead of at his desk, he wondered if it might be too presumptuous to have one of those brought in for her too. Wrapping an arm around her as soon as she settled in beside him, the King fell asleep instantly, finally at peace with his beloved by his side. A sleepy smile graced his features as her words registered with him. Let's hope I heal quickly then, he thought to himself as he drifted off.
Henry, as always, was the first to wake, but with no desire to disturb her the King stayed where he was, he quietly called over a servant and told him to find out what Catherine preferred for breakfast and bring with him a changing screen upon his return.
AN: Not too bad? Leave us a review! We love hearing your thoughts, so please feel free to send something in!
FaerieBreath: A bit of an easier read I think? Hope you liked it!
CallmeCordelia1: Please don't melt! Lucas is gonna get mad at us when he finds a puddle of you on the ground #GetTheMopLucas
Guest Reviewer (who reviewed recently for chapter 1): Thank you! Hope we can deliver on this chapter and keep your excitement up!
demedicigirl: Yay! Glad you liked it! Madeleine and I have big plans for this story!
Guest Reviewer Katie: Ah, yes. A chapter isn't a chapter until GR Katie comes on the scene! Henry v Nosty is something I REALLY wanna see, but idk if it'll happen in this piece. Thank you for the review!
PopRockShawty: *cracks knuckles* HISTORY TIME. So in real life, Diane was old enough to be Henry's mother and basically raised him. He trusted her completely which is something he never REALLY had with Catherine until later in their lives (he made Catherine regent when he went off to war which was HUGE). Diane preyed on the insecurities of Henry and Catherine both and lodged herself into their marriage, basically ripping them apart because she saw the opportunity that could be gained in becoming Henry's mistress. They were young and didn't really know each other and Diane made it so that she with her grace and wisdom and MANIPULATIONS! that they never really would. She got absolutely everything she ever wanted - and when Catherine became pregnant, who was Henry to appoint to be the head of household for his firstborn child and soon heir but his most trusted and beloved Diane? The head of household for the Dauphin would have overseen everything, from his finances to what he wore to his upbringing. Diane was the one that raised Francis and the older children up until Henry's death when Catherine kicked her tf out of their lives #ByeFelicia so there's that. By being Francis' head of house hold, she was of even more importance to Henry and ughhhhhhhhh hope that helps in understanding the historical nonsense that went on!
EmmatheEvil: BUT LIKE. CATHERINE BEING REALLY GOOD FRIENDS WITH ALL OF HENRY'S SIBLINGS REALLY MAKES ME HAPPY. AND SHE WAS BELOVED BY HIS DAD AND HIS AUNT IN NAVARRE? LIKE, HENRY. BRO. CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT SHE'S AMAZING FROM THESE REACTIONS OF YOUR FAMILY AROUND YOU? CMON MAN. ahem. Not sure if we'll be bringing Margaret in seeing as this story is converted from roleplay threads, but! if we can, we will!
pickleshibby: *gently tosses this your way* have that for now lmao not gonna lie, I was waiting for an excuse to post this next chapter and your review was the key to me posting tonight so *extra sparkles for you*
Thank you for reading everyone! I'll be editing the next parts of this soon hopefully, but I do have some things to do for my major coming up, so please be patient! xx we loveeeeeeeeeeeee you!