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Henry could not relax. He was feeling anxious, itching to have this banquet be over and done with, especially with the source of his problems currently sitting to his right. He had anticipated using this banquet to show off their union, that together they would be the ones running France, not some lord grasping for power. Instead Catherine entered the room and the energy shifted.

To everyone else she looked the role of the perfect queen, but to Henry she was a vision. She was wearing a dark blue silk gown designed to show off her station. The blue also happened to be his favorite color, a conclusion he had just reached. She also left her hair half down, and it was no secret how much he loved her hair.

Now he had to sit through this whole banquet as if nothing were wrong, as if his wife's presence wasn't making him wish it were just the two of them with that blue dress crumpled on the floor. He also couldn't be sure, but it seemed like she was holding the attention of almost every man in the room. Currently she was conversing with Father Dubois, and even the father's eyes seemed to linger on her.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Henry tried to move his gaze to around the room. The dinner hall was packed with people. He also couldn't help but notice there was a surplus of young women. Inwardly sighing he knew what people were about, trying to use their female relations to gain access to the king and further their positions at court. However, none of these women were even coming close to Catherine.

Thinking of her made his eyes shift back over to his right where he saw the supposedly pious father blushing. Placing his hand over hers, effectively ending the conversation between the father and his wife, mostly because she turned her head to look at him, Henry felt little bit smug. He liked knowing she was his and he was hers. They had strayed apart, but he was ready to learn from his mistakes and atone for them and move on to a happier chapter in his marriage. There was nothing he wanted more, and slowly he felt like he was getting through to her.

He felt like their light flirtation over the past was building up to something, and Catherine falling asleep on his shoulder was a huge step. He remembered the moment her head had gently laid upon his shoulder, he had been reading over a document after their discussion of what he would say to the Cardinal, when he felt her body lean into his. When he looked down, it was then he noticed she had fallen asleep.

"Was there something you wanted?" Catherine asked pulling Henry from his thoughts.

"How about a dance?"

Eyeing him up and down with suspicion, rather than scorn, a look Henry was very familiar with, Catherine nodded in acquiescence, making Henry feel eight feet tall. Rising with his wife to descend upon the dance floor, Henry locked eyes with the newly promoted father hoping to convey the message that Catherine was still his wife.

Moving around on the floor, Henry couldn't help but notice how different things were from their last dance a few weeks ago. There was still tension, but this time Henry wasn't perplexed by his feelings. It seemed rather obvious that he should be this smitten.

Once again though, the dance ended too quickly. This time however, Henry made no move to let Catherine go. He couldn't let her abandon him.

"Dance again?" he quickly asked, not even realizing how badly he wanted too until he said it aloud.

This got Catherine to stop in her tracks and slowly turn back to look at him.

"What with me?" Catherine asked incredulously. "Surely you must want to partner up with some other young lady, as far as I can tell, there are several here hoping to catch your eye. You wouldn't want to leave a lady disappointed."

"There is only one woman I am interested in pleasing" he replied in a low tone, trying to make sure she was the only one to hear, plus he also knew from past experience that tone usually had an effect on her, and it did. He could see a faint blush starting to appear. She also hadn't come up with a quick retort yet, and Catherine was only at a loss for words when she was genuinely reeling.

"I…" she trailed off, hopefully not trying to come up with a nice way of saying no Henry hoped, "I guess that wouldn't be a problem."

And so they danced again, this time though electricity was surging through them, looking and moving together as if they hadn't had years of estrangement between them. To Henry the moment was sublime. Even as the second dance came to a close, Catherine stayed by his side, allowing the two of them to walk about the room without interruptions from others.

"Henry, why did you interrupt my conversation with the father earlier?" Catherine asked.

Responding more gruffly than he meant, "He should be more focused on his objective in Rome."

"He was simply asking me about life in Rome and the workings of the Vatican."

"He was not interested in Rome, my dear."

"Are you implying that the father, who has taken vows of chastity, chosen to live a pious life in reverence to God, would be having untoward thoughts? About me?"

"That's exactly what I'm implying," Henry insisted, and then added once her noticed her eyes rolling, "You and I both know that being a man of the cloth doesn't mean giving up worldly pleasures. Not too long ago a Pope had illegitimate children, he even housed his mistress there."

"You are right, I should stay away from men like that" she added sarcastically.

Knowing where this was starting to go Henry tried to state his case differently, "That's not what I meant. I just meant to say that I didn't like where his gaze was drifting, and he wasn't the only man tonight I wanted to pummel."

"It's not me, who you should worry about straying" she said simply and took her leave, probably to go chat with Nostradamus, another man that vexed Henry.

As the festivities drew to a close, Henry noticed Catherine leave to retire for the evening. He followed after her, wanting to apologize for his behavior earlier.

"Catherine wait!" She turned looking at him expectantly, and maybe just a tad annoyed. "I just wanted to apologize. I acted the part of a cad."

"Why couldn't you just trust me? Did you think I would embarrass France?"

"I can assure you that my reaction was less of a political matter as it was a personal one."

"He's a priest Henry, one that we just promoted! Do you think so little of me?"

"No!" Henry exclaimed, reaching out he took her hand, hoping she could feel even a sliver of what he felt for her through the gesture, "I just…It's just that…" he sighed, "what I think of you is the exact opposite."

Taking pity on his floundering Catherine smiled, Henry loved that she smiled, he hadn't fully botched it up this time. He moved his gaze back to her hand as he played with the rings she was wearing.

"He was letting his gaze stray" Catherine admitted. Henry looked up from her hand and to her face, which had taken on a mischievous appearance. "He also had a little too much to drink, to say that while I did not encourage, I didn't discourage either."

Realization dawned on him.

"Your behavior of late had perplexed me and I was curious to see your reaction of how you've treated me over the past years."

"Well it was terrible, I can assure you" Henry replied. "I will be better, I swear to you."

"Please don't make promises you can't keep."

Henry got closer to her face. The air was heavy with a mixture of tension and electricity. Reverting back to the tone she loved, "I intend to keep this one."

"We shall see" Catherine whispered, rising on her toes, she closed the distance between the two of them and gave Henry a small kiss. Henry was shocked and took a second to respond back appropriately, but just as quickly as it started, Catherine pulled back, surprise etched on both of their faces.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, please" Henry pleaded.

"I…I should go" Catherine responded, looking around the hall, probably for the closest escape.

Henry released her hand, if he didn't he probably would have pulled her to him and continued what she had started.

"Catherine, please, don't regret it" his voice trying to convey how much that small peck meant to him.

"Goodnight" Catherine said breathlessly, and with that she was off, disappearing down a corridor.

Henry stood planted to the spot where he stood, relief washing over him. While Catherine ended up putting up a wall and fleeing again, it was only after she kissed him. Turning around heading towards his apartments Henry was smiling, it seemed she wasn't as impervious to him as she wanted him to believe. It made a man feel good, even one with a long road ahead of him.