The Shadows of the Past
A.N.: I sadly own any of the characters, netheir do I make proffit out of this. Besides, this chapter contains a sex sceane near the end, so when Mary and Francis are in their room, look out.
Chapter 10
Catherine sat silently eating her lamb.
Being in the presence of her uncle had allways made her nervous, ever since she was a child. Not because of how powerful he was, or how easy it would be for him to manipulate her.
It was solemnly because of his personality. He was cold and kept most for himself, so she didn't know him well. She didn't know him at all. That scared. Catherine knew what to expect from Hortencia and Rowan, Diane and maybe a litle Penelope, but her uncle... He could either be plotting her death or something else.
He was arsh. In the way he talked, in the way he walked... Had allways been. To him, the people around him were pawns, and nothing more. He would play the game and plant has many flowers in France soil as he could.
Her uncle was the principle reason why she decided to study plants and how to create the deadliest of poisons. She might not be fisically strong, but she was clever and at least like that she wasn't all that helpless.
They had been staring at each other for what seemed an eternety. Finally, her uncle crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.
"Your cousin Hortencia has disapeared."
"I'm aware."
"Don't you dare to speak to me in that tone, Catherine. I want to know what you are planning to do."
"I'll try to find her."
"And if you don't?"
"I'll find the reason why she disapeared."
"And if she's dead?"
"I'll find the murderers and send them to you."
"Good. It pleases me to know you still remember your lessons." Well, that was quick. "How are things between you and your husband?"
"Better, I would say. Before you say something-" she had seen her uncle about to interrupt her "-a lot of things have changed since he tried to have me beheaded."
"You almost died a few days ago." it was not a question, more like that said everything she needed to know.
"Yes, and Henry as been nothing but caring since then. I don't know who did it or why, but I will surelly find out."
"Don't bother sending this ones to me unless they are doing this against the familly. If this is an atack on the Queen of France, than you must deal with it alone. And try not to embaresse us this time."
"Yes uncle."
They fell back in silence, and Catherine felt like she had been dismissed. The conversations with her uncle were allways like this. Short and straight to the point, he was the one in charge and you didn't question him.
She thought that maybe she could ask him about the cross, or that weird man, even. Nothing made sense lately. Henry had wanted to talk to her about the all ordeal, but she didn't have the time. The Queen promessed to meet with him that night, though.
"Uncle," Catherine placed her fork down. "I was wondering how Horningold met Hortencia. Knowing that might help us disclose this all mistery."
"From what she said he apeared one day with a neckalce for her. After that she kept him around and now she is gonne."
That hadn't been helpful at all. If her uncle was telling the truth or covering for Hortencia, Catherine didn't care. It was useless to waste time figuring it out, and there would certainly be other ways to find out.
At the same time on the other side of the Castle, Penelope was plotting. She had found Diane's idea wonderfull! Soon Catherine would be gonne, and Henry would go back to her. From what the older woman said, it wasn't the first time Henry had had this moments of infatuation with his wife. In the end he allways dumped her, so why would it be any diferente now?
Catherine's bedroom was a complete mess. For someone so obsessed with control this room is impossible to live in.
She only had to find the danm stamp and take it to Diane. But where could it be? It wasn't on the desk like she had thought at first, or anywhere else for that matter. She had been openning and scanning trough everything, and the young woman had to admit: being a real Queen seemed incredible. The quantity of jewels, dresses and lotions Catherine had scatered around... Never in her life Penelope would have dreamed to have that.
Almost giving up, Penelope sat on the bed. If she didn't get her hands on the stamp, all those invitations Diane had written would be for nothing, and then all those young Ladies would never come to Court to take Henry's attention from his wife.
She finally saw the stamp on her bedstand. Why it was there she had no idea, but now that she had it she could finally get out of that room before someone caught her. Penelope was openning the door when another young woman openned it before her.
"What are you doing in the Queen's rooms?" Luzia didn't like how this whore kitchen had intruded in her Queen's territory. Nothing good would come of that.
"Nothing of your concern. Why don't you go to the kitchens and bring something for me and Henry to share in his room?" even when being confronted, Penelope could not loose her cool. She was the Queen, and whoever this was owed her respect.
"I don't take orders from you, you filthy bitch!" Luzia grabed her arm and shoved her outside. Penelope let out a squeal and fell.
"How dare you!? When I tell Henry-"
"He'll laugth in your face. That is if the Queen doesn't get to you first."
Without caring, Luzia slammed the door and made a mental note to tell Catherine and to alert Charlotte to whatever was going on.
Penelope stood up, cheeks red with embaressement and anger. She should've known better than to mess with one of Catherine's Ladies... She doesn't know that I took the stamp, at least that...Better go give this to Diane.
Back to Catherine, she was finally able to get ride of her uncle. She even offered to see him out, but he insisted that he was not uncapable of find his own way. And just like that, her familly was gonne. All except Hortencia. Well, she might be gonne too...
Chuckling to herself, the Queen checked the time. Realising the sun wouldn't set for a more few hours, she decided to leave the conversation with Mary for later. All this was leaving her tired and confused. Maybe a nap would help her sleep a litle better.
As she was walking to her room, something caught her attention. Penelope was walking back from the same direction she was heading to. Now, the only things of real notice on that side of the Castle was her room and study, her children's rooms and the kitchen. So there was no real explanation for her presence there.
Besides, she seemed to be hiding something. Her hands twisting every now and then, bitting her lips... Oh, just the sight of her enraged Catherine.
To be honest, the Queen knew everyone was right about her at some level. She had a hot temper. And was italian. If she had her way, Catherine would beat Penelope herself until the little peasant was begging her to stop. And then she would beat her a litle more, just for the fun of it.
Instead of walking away like any other person would do, Penelope smiled brightly. Why Catherine didn't know. It had been a long time since someone had defied her like her. Not to be violent... it was dificult. And after spending so much time with her familly, Catherine was in no good mood.
"Well, hello Catherine." Catherine praied no one was around, otherwise there would be witnesses to the upcoming murder. "You really must teatch your ladies how to behave. One of them was extremely rude to me just a few moments ago."
"Good. I don't like you." this blunteness from Catherine startled Penelope. There was a barelly hiden hatred in those golden eyes, but she didn't care.
"But you should! As Queen of Fran-"
"You are not a Queen. You're just a walking disaster. Soon I'll get my hands on you and then you'll wish you were never born." the longer Catherine looked at that stupid face, the more violent she felt.
"You witch! You know, Henry told me himself that he would have you killed if it wasn't for your son. I wonder how he would thank me if I was to do him this litle favor."
"Did you just threaten the Queen of France? Do you really think you can beat me?! Think you can just steal my legacy out from under me?! After all I've sacrifieced!?" Catherine was inches away from the other woman's face.
For moment, Penelope looked truly horrified but then she regained her compusure and shook her head as I she was talking to a naughty child. "But you're not the Queen anymore, are you? You're replaceable."
"You litle shit..." she was cut short by Penelope's hand coming in contact with her face, the slap echoing through the corridor.
When the French Queen's head turned back to look at the servant before her, it looked as thought she was about to breath fire. Any comon sensed person would have stepped back. However, Catherine was not comon sensed, she was extremely intelligent, and right now, pissed.
Furious, she slapped Penelope back, breacking open her lip. After that all hell broke loose. Penelope grabed a hand full of hair and tugged at it, as Catherine punched her nose. They fell, their limps tangled. The Queen punched the servant non-stopping, blind with rage. All pain was ignored, the blood not felt on her skin. Penelope slapped and squirmed under the ruler of France, using her nails to mark Catherine's porcelain skin.
None of them was aware of the young man that had come across that situation. Not sure of what to do, and slightly scared of the look on the Queen's eyes, he went to retrive the King.
Henry had been in a meeting when the Lords had decided to start fighting. Feeling that if he let them keep talking they would engage in a huge fight, he dismissed them all.
He had no idea what to do next... Maybe Catherine was already donne with her uncle and they could spend some time together. Smiling to himself, he lazily walked to her rooms, wondering what he had donne to deserve his italian beauty. Catherine was perfect in so many ways...
Turning the corner, he could hear someone talking. Strangly, it seemed his wife, and she sounded angry.
When he finally laid eyes on the speaker, he was shocked. Even more when he saw a servant running away from the sceane.
Quickly, he himself run to both woman, separating them. Penelope just stood up, but Catherine was still trying to hurt the other woman, squirming.
When Catherine felt someone grab her from behind, she wasn't scared. That person smelled of Henry, so he was Henry. Instantly, she relaxed, but there was still a lot of rage inside of her.
"What hapenned here?" Henry was very confused. But very very confused. He had known Catherine wanted to get her revenge, but not that it would be like this. She wasn't supposed to get hurt.
"Oh, Henry! Your wife atacked me! I was just telling her how she was not Queen anymo-"
"Guards!" Henry didn't need to hear anything else. No one should dare to speak to his Catherine like that, much less hurt her. "Take her to the dungeons. I don't want to see that woman ever again."
The guards grabbed the shrieking Penelope as she kicked and tried to free herself. She had a bruised cheek and open lip, her left eye swollen. Catherine had donne quite a number on her.
He felt the grip on his hand tighten. Looking down, Catherine didn't seem happy with this new development.
"No, take her isntead to Nostradamus. He can take care of her injuries."
The men escorted her away, and Henry lead Catherine inside her bedroom. He smiled despite the situation. The mess in the room was so tipically Catherine... She hasn't changed at all...
She was startled when he lifted her in his arms and placed her on the bed. He kneeled in front of her, holding her hands, waiting for an explanation...
"She started it." Catherine looked so cute, her hair all messed and pouting.
"I don't care." he leaned forward giving her a peck on the lips. "Where does it hurt?"
"I'm fine."
"I'm sure she's worst, but that doesn't mean you're fine. Let me see your arms."
Catherine let him curl up her sleeves, revealing all the scratches. Henry kissed up her ams before retrieving something from her vanity. Carefully he openned the smal vial and started rubbing some of the white substance over her arms. It stinged a little and Henry made sure to toutch her as softly as possible.
None of them said anything during the all time. When he finished, the King sat next to his Queen. She was deep in though, and he wanted to help her so badly. He started to take the pins from her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders. She was so beautifull, those coper looks... It wasn't a common sight in France. It was the best.
"What are you doing to me?" Catherine didn't look at him as she speaked.
"Wha- what do you mean?"
"I've never... I don't know, I'm allways thinking now."
"Thinking?"
"Yes, Henry, thinking. All this years I kept ignoring all this things that hurt and now I can't and it's weird and I'm constantly crying and it's all you're fault!" Henry could see now what was wrong with her.
"What did she say?" Catherine didn't answer imideatly.
"Am I replaceble?" her voice was a whisper, as if she was scared of the answer.
"Of course not! Catherine, you're an incredible woman! There is no one like you, no one I would want to share my life with. You're strong and brave, smart , cunning, beautifull, funny... You're perfect in so many ways and I love you so much!" he incircled her shoulders with his strong but gentle arms. She leaned heavilly against him. He had never seen her so tired.
"You tried to kill me..."
"I know, and I'm so sorry! I was stupid, so stupid! I've been stupid for so long... I should've never taken Diane or Kenna or Penelope or anyone else as my mistresses. You're so precious, Catherine... I know I haven't been the best husband, but I want to be! I've hurt you so badly and I know you won't forgive me in one day, but you need to know that I love you. You deserve to be protected, to be taken cared of and loved! I want to be the one to do it."
"Oh, Henry..." her shoulders started shaking and a wave of guilt corsed trhough him, knowing it was his fault she was crying. "I'm so tired... I want it to be true, what you're saying, but but but... I'm so tired!"
"Shhhhh. It's okay, love, it's alright. I'm here darly."
Henry rubbed small circles on her back, trying to calm his small wife down. Her all body was shaking, and her breath dificult. It wasn't working. He lifted her up in his arms. She didn't even care.
Henry pushed the covers back and layed her down. Quickly unfastening her corset and taking out her and his shoes, he pulled the sheets up to her nose.
He wasn't sure if he should stay or leave. Catherine was a very private person, and he didn't want to intrude... But as he was turning around, he felt a grip on his pants.
His eyes fell on his wife small hand gripping the fabric, her nuckles wihte. Her eyes were so pleading, and she seemed so lost. Without a second thought, he slide in bed next to her.
She slowly turned to him, without looking in his eyes. Catherine was still crying, but it felt better to have him there. He was strong and warm and she... she missed him? Yes. She missed him so much... Slowly, she placed a hand on his chest. She realised in that moment how much she wanted to cuddle with him.
Henry saw her scared actions. Well, not scared, more like aprehensive. As if she was waiting to be pushed away. She doesn't know what to do... She, my Catherine... She is so used to hate and disdain that she is scared to even sleep on my chest... She was allways a cudler, and now... I can't believe I've driven into this..
Henry placed his hands under her arms and pulled her closer, until she was lying on top of him. Her eyes were open wide and for a moment she stopped crying. Her all body was tense and she seemed so surprised.
The King started petting her hair, trying to show her that it was okay, that she didn't need to worry. Soon, both rulers of France were deep assleep in the Queen's room.
The hours passed and Mary and Francis started to get worried when none of them showed up for dinner. Catherine had already missed on their meeting, and then there was the story of the fight. Mary found that quite impossible to have hapenned, but Francis insisted that his mother could only endure so much.
And when they asked the servants and Lords, they said that the King had dismissed the council earlier and hadn't been found after that. No one knew what had hapenned to them after the supposed fight.
Deciding that they had to do something, Mary and Francis went to find them. Francis cheked on his father rooms while Mary went to ask the children. None of them had seen their mother during the day, but they were very eager to see her, so they ended up tagging along.
Taking one last shot at finding them, they went to the Queen's chambers, They were dark, no candels or fireplace alight.
What they saw made Francis heart flip and Mary feel like a litle girl.
The Dauphin had never seen his parents like that. They were assleep in the arms of eachother, the King with a silly pleased smile and the Queen with her lips slightly curled up, her hair all over the pillow, a smal hand resting nex to her.
Mary was... she wasn't sure. She only knew that the idea of Catherine and Henry having a happy ending and cute moments like this made her really excited. It was as if she wanted them to end up together for some reason.
The kids didn't care about that. Charles and Henry run to their parents, climbing in bed with them before Mary or Francis could grab them. Margaret wanted to do the same, but Mary was holding her hand. Francis tried to stop his siblings, but it didn't work.
Slowly, Catherine eyes flutered open. She noticed Henry was under her, and that brought a good sense of hapinness. The next thing she saw were her children and Mary looking at them.
"Hello there pumpkins. What are you doing here?" Catherine openned the sheets to let Charles and litle Henry in.
"I don't know. Mary and Francis were after you and father." Charles rested his head against her shoulder.
"We were worried, mama. You didn't show up for dinner and then there was that story about the... the thing with Penelope." Francis walked to is mother and placed a babling Hercule down, receiving a kiss in the forhead.
"Oh, don't think about that dear." Catherine waved her hand as if it didn't matter. She ended up accidently hitting Henry (the big one), making her kids gigle and him to wake up.
"Uh... What's going on...? Why are there so many little people on top of me?" Henry rubbed his eyes, clearly confused.
Catherine strecthed herself and softly kissed him on the lips.
"Seems like we made everyone worry about us."
"Oh. Sorry." Henry kissed on the forhead and motioned for Mary to place Margarer on the bed with them. "Hey there, little princess."
The young girl gigled, laying next to her siblings in the midle of their parents.
Mary was in paradise. That intaraction, the kiss, the way the King called Catherine 'little people'... It was so lovely!
"Well, I guess we should go. If you don't need anything, that is." Mary steped back and leaned into Francis.
"No,we're quite alright, thank you." Henry said.
"Can we sleep in here with you, mama? Pleeeaaaase!?" little Henry propped himself on his elbows.
"Uhmm... Fine, but just tonight." all of the four kids smiled brightly and started to get more confortable.
"Well, I guess I should..." the King wasn't sure how Catherine felt about sleeping in the same bed.
"You can stay. That is, if you want to. I'm sure they-" Catherine nodded to her kids "- would like you to."
Seeing that as Catherine way of telling him she wanted him there, he leaned back against the pillows and smiled.
They bid goodnight to both Mary and Francis, and soon were back to sleep. The King, the Queen, and four of their children between them.
Once in their own bed, Mary turned to Francis.
"Your parents are cute together."
"I guess so."
"No, I mean, the way they interact and those cute moments they have... It's amazing! They seem so happy together and after everything they've been through they really deserve a chance."
"Now you're scaring me Mary. They're just acting normal." Francis turned to look at her, an eyebrow raised.
"I know, but just when they're being them they have something... I don't know... I guess I just want them to end up together." Mary shrugged, as if that was the most normal thing ever.
Francis blinked once, twice, before kissing his wife. No matter what, Mary allways found a way to surprise him.
"Uhm... I love you so much..." he rubbed his nose on hers, making her gigle.
"And I you, my prince..."
They kissed passionatly,their lips crashing together. Francis slowly liked her lower lip, bitting slightly. The brunete moaned, openning her mouth to give him entrance. The dauphin of France slide his toungue, entangling it with his wife's.
He pulled her closer with a hand on her neck and an arm around her waist. Mary cupped his face when she felt Francis hard member against her belly and pushed them apart.
"Not today, my love." She rested their foreheads together.
"Why not? I thou-" Francis looked surprised.
"Shhhhhh... it has nothing to do with you. I'm just in one of those days."
"Those days?"
"Those days."
"Oooohhh, those days." he smiled lovingly. "I guess we'll have to cudle than."
Mary smiled wickedly. She started kissing his chest, over and over, going lower and lower, until she was kissing his tights. Francis let out a moan, confused.Didn't she say they could not have sex? Mary slide his pants down, revealing his pulsing shaft. She took it in her hand, strocking it up down.
Moans escaped Francis as he felt his wife caressing is member. When he felt her toungue licking it up and down, he couldn't help to place a hand her head. It wasn't just what Mary was doing, it was the idea of having Mary doing it.
Mary kissed the tip of his hard member, before taking it her mouth. Her moan sent vribrations through all his body, making him gasp. It felt so good to have her there, around him. Mary started to move, locking her eyes with his.
Not used to this, it didn't take long for him to come. Wipping the corner of her mouth, Mary layed next to him, and they fell assleep, happy with their lives.
The only person not so happy was Diane. Alone in her bed, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about that stupid kitchen servant. They had been lucky Catherine hadn't thrown her in the dungeon, otherwise their plan would be over. Even worst, they might have found the danm stamp and then she would be the one screwed.
But for Catherine to let Penelope walk away she might have a plan. And she needed to find out quickly, otherwise things would get worst and worst for them. All of them...
To be continued...
A.N.: Hey everyone!I'm back! As you can see, this chapter is bigger than usual, so tell me if this length is okay. As you might have noticed, I decided to make Mary a Cathry shipper. Anyway, tell me what you think and any sugestions are welcome. See you soon. Adeus.