"Scorn and Neglect" ch 11
Rating: K
Summary: Catherine escapes the castle to clear her head.
Disclaimer: I own nothing about "Reign."
AN: For my "Basherine" fans. Because our Queen deserves all of our fictional happiness that we have made for her :) CHEERS!
Back against the wall, hearing footsteps and voices subside, Catherine closed her eyes in sheer relief at not being caught. She had found her destination. The smell of fresh hay assaulted her senses as she turned inwards toward the vast stables and spotted her horse in her stall. She smiled ruefully. She'd effectively ditched her guards, and made it past several others. The strain of the Lord Burley situation was getting to her; the past night's events with Bash left her reeling and in a state of fitful slumber all night.
Dawn had stretched its golden fingers across her bedroom, and she made out in a simple garment, hair cascading in soft layers across her body without being bound tightly back for the first time in ages. She felt like a teenager upon waking this morning. Maybe it was the lingering feeling of the bastard's lips on her own? Maybe it was the rebellion stirring in her belly from the threat of Lord Burley being ever present? Whatever it was, she didn't want to think. She didn't want to analyze. She didn't want to sit idly by and wait for impending certainties. She wanted freedom. This was as close as she could get.
She softly entered the stall with Aurelia. The animal noticed it's owner instantly. Catherine brought her long snout to her own lips and kissed her softly while whispering "good girls" and "hello's." She'd always had a deep understanding of horses. Perhaps she recognized a bit of her own harnessed fire within such animals.
She searched and found a saddle, glancing around for a stable boy or some other intruder on her plans. None were found, so she continued hastily. Pulling the final belly strap on the mare's hind parts, she walked the animal out of her stall and towards the opening of the stables. Catherine peeked around the corners, seeing no one through the thick northern France fog she stuck one shapely leg in a stirrup and the animal sensed her rider's anticipation and eagerness and quickly moved forward. Catherine moved expertly into the other stirrup as the creature beneath her jolted into a full speed gallop quickly.
Riding into the thickness of the woods on a well-known trail, she smiled as she closed her eyes against the brisk, morning, wind. Her copper locks flew behind her in a blaze of fire. Her skirts bunched against her toned thighs as she rode the less appreciated masculine way. Something that was definitely not fitting of a Queen. She didn't care. The further Chenonceau faded into the distance the lesser the weight in her chest seemed. Low-lying branches scraped against her arms, bare thighs, and her face. She continued her pace.
After having Aurelia in a full gallop for several miles, she slowed the animal breathing heavy as the sun began to peek from behind the fog and warm her chilled skin. She had come to an opening. A grove of sorts. In the summer months, sunflowers graced this field. Now it lay barren except for tall grass that tickled her legs as she moved from atop her horse and walked forward. A small shade tree caught her eye and she felt herself blush at the site of it. When she and Henry were first married, he had roused her at dawn on a day much like today and they had rode out to this very place. She smiled as she remembered gasping at the site of the tall sunflowers flooding the field, seeing so clearly how Henry took her hand and walked her towards the tree.
"It's beautiful." She had said breathlessly.
The way he looked at her when he said, "Not nearly beautiful as you, my lovely," had made her knees buckle.
Catherine ran her hand against the thick trunk as she lowered herself into the intruding grass, remembering how after that small exchange, he'd laid her down amongst the Sunflowers and made passionate love to her for hours.
She, presently, laid down allowing the sun to warm her skin as she thought back to that time. How happy they'd been. How she'd held on so tightly to that time believing that they could be that happy again. How foolish she had been.
Aurelia pulled thick bunches of the grass into her mouth and chewed generously as Catherine drifted off into a light sleep.
TBC.
AN: Sorry it's been so darn long since my last update! Happy to have some time to update. Hope you enjoyed, like it or hate it, let me know! I write for YOU!