Disclaimer: I don't own Reign
Catherine sighed as she nervously clenched her hands under the table. It had been two weeks since Catherine had found out the plot against her family and she had waited until more information had come available before she felt it safe enough to share what she had found with her oldest children and Mary. Catherine had decided to call them together for a late dinner in her chambers and now sat waiting for them to arrive as she rolled the words of how to delicately explain the ledge of destruction they teetered on. She had already dismissed her servants. No one must find out what they spoke of.
The door opened and her most trusted guard, Renou, announced the presence of Francis, Mary, Claude and Elizabeth. Each of her children kissed her on the cheek before seating themselves. Catherine was at the head of the table, Francis on her right with Mary beside him and Elizabeth on Catherine's left with Claude next to her.
"It was so nice of you, Mother, to have a private dinner with just us. I shall miss these times the most when I return home tomorrow. I do so wish Father was with us." Elizabeth said politely before sipping on her soup.
"I am sure we all wish he was here, safe." Catherine uttered before thinking, leaving her food untouched.
Francis quickly noticed his mother's fallen countenance, "He will be back soon, Mother. The rebels won't win against the greatest army France has ever had." He said to her, trying to cheer her up a bit.
"Yes, well that is what I need to speak to you all about, after we have eaten." Catherine said seriously.
"What is it, Mother? Have you received troubling news? Is it of Father?" Claude asked worriedly putting her spoon down.
"I am afraid the reason I called you all here tonight is of an unpleasant nature." Catherine said as she nervously glanced at their faces, seeing their apprehension. "Please eat first. It will spoil your appetite." Catherine bid them all.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly eat now. If it is of Father, please tell us!" Claude entreated.
"Claude, honestly! I don't have the time or the patience for your dramatics. Won't you ever do as you are told?" Catherine replied, harsher than she had intended as she rolled her eyes at her youngest daughter. Her nerves were on edge and she felt jumpy from the pressure she was under, both physically and mentally. She was tired of Claude's incessant defiance of every simple thing she asked her to do.
Claude stood in a huff. "If it involves my father, I have a right to be dramatic, Mother."
"You can be as dramatic as you wish, after dinner! Sit down." Catherine commanded.
"No, you always treat me like a child, Mother, unable to handle situations. I am sixteen. You were already married at my age. Maybe I should go back to the nursery with my brothers since you distrust me so!" Claude said as she moved from her seat to the door.
"Claude, wait!" Catherine ordered as she now stood and moved after her. Claude flung the door closest to her open which led into Catherine's sitting room as she now made for the hall door. "Stop this instant, young lady, or I shall have you confined to your rooms! If you must be so unreasonable, we will speak now. It is time you learned how in control of things you really are! Just because you are a princess doesn't mean you are exempt from trouble. It is, in fact, closer than you realize!" At the outburst of Claude and the exit of Catherine, Mary, Francis and Elizabeth had followed their retreating forms.
"If you want to be treated as an adult, I will oblige you." Catherine said coldly. "Have you any idea what your flirtatious nature has gotten us? At this very moment, your old suitor, Marcel Philippe, leads the rebels as he plots to have your Father and brothers killed so he can be the right hand of the man they will place on the throne. You know what his greatest reward for killing all of us will be, Claude? You, my dear! You enticed him so badly he would kill us all to have you." Catherine said infuriated as she looked at her daughter's now stunned face. "Your father is off fighting the goddamn rebels, and you stand here throwing a temper tantrum like a two year old child and still expect me to treat you as an adult? Well, here is your chance, daughter." Catherine said as she turned her full anger upon Claude. "Tell us all what your sixteen years of life would have us do! Shall we throw a tantrum and run away, or shall we just whine incessantly about it all?!" Catherine said as she stared into Claude's eyes that were now filled with tears. "Or, better yet, shall we crumble into a ball and cry ourselves to sleep, hmm? I assure you, that won't save your father. He would be safely here with us for all the tears I have cried in the past two weeks if it would make it so." Catherine said as she ended her rant, voice cracking, tears also in her eyes.
"Mother, are you sure?" Francis asked with concern in his strained voice.
"My informants were quite clear." Catherine answered as she turned to him. "They wish for the Valois line to end and to place a King of their choosing on the throne. One who shall have a claim to France, Scotland, and England when he weds Mary."
"This usurper plans to kill me and marry my wife?" Francis said bewildered as Francis reached for Mary's hand needing her support.
"Catherine, who is he? You surely must know already." Mary said, worry present in her voice.
"It's that demon of an uncle of yours, the duke!" Catherine answered anger stirring inside her chest as her eyes stared betwixt Mary and Francis as she stepped towards them. "I warned you both of his treachery when you invited him back to court. That swine's lust for power is only eclipsed by his hatred for me! Now he has stirred up this rebellion and, if he has his way, would take away everything I hold dear to my heart. I can't allow it to happen. That is another reason why I waited. I sent word to Roman, my cousin, through four riders just to be sure at least one would make it if the others somehow failed. I couldn't be sure if my guards were somehow involved. It seems that we were lucky as they all arrived safely. I received word earlier of his help. Since we are defenseless without the army and the Duke has quite a large regiment at his disposal, I needed to know if we could fight if we had to. Roman left immediately and they are camped on our shores. They came as quietly as they could. Let us pray the element of surprise is in our favour."
"Why have you waited so long to tell us?" Elizabeth asked as she took her mother's hands in her own. "It is quite a burden to carry alone, Mother, and especially in your condition."
"Preparations had to be made in secret and I had to be sure. Worry and sleepless nights are old friends of mine, Elizabeth, but they tend to cause my mind to be sharper." Catherine answered as she patted her daughter's cheek.
"How shall I ever leave in the morning knowing of the danger that lurks in the shadows within these castle walls? I can't just abandon you." Elizabeth said tearily. What if she never saw her mother and father again?
"You won't be abandoning your mother. You will be helping to save her greatest treasures. I need you to take your younger brothers and Claude to Spain with you. We will sneak them out through the secret passageways tonight. Renou will accompany them to the boat and you shall leave as planned at first light." Catherine said as she explained some of her plan.
"I will not go." Claude finally spoke up from the other side of the room.
"Little sister, why must you always be so disagreeable?" Francis asked Claude, tired of her antics for the evening.
"Francis," Catherine said, stopping him as she put a hand up to shush him. "Can you give Claude and I a moment."
When they were alone, Catherine walked closer to Claude. "Why would you want to stay? Please tell me it isn't because of this Philippe fellow?"
"Of course, you would think that, Mother! Now I'm plotting my own family's demise with my lover that is old enough to be my father, huh? What type of a demon child did you give birth to? I bet you curse the day you lay having me!" Claude said as her whipping tongue lashed her mother's heart.
"Claude, I simply asked you a question. I needed to see your answer on your face. Whether you like it or not, I am your mother and a mother knows her child better than anyone else. I never thought you would ever plot to kill your father, I just thought you might still be in love with this bastard. I see now you aren't, but I had to be sure. Darling," Catherine said as she gently turned Claude's downturned face up to meet her eyes. "I never gave birth to a demon child and I bless the day that I gave birth to you. Sweetheart, you were the most beautiful baby. When I held you for the first time, I fell madly and completely in love with you for forever. That has never and will never change and no one will ever love you more than I do. I know we have our differences but how could I not love you? You're my baby."
"Mother," Claude said as Catherine pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry. I'm just so scared." Claude wept.
"I am as well." Catherine said as she patted Claude's hair soothingly. "But we can't allow our fear to rule us. We are Medici women," Catherine said as she pulled back and flicked away a tear as it rolled down Claude's face. "And we can't allow the enemy to win, even in our minds. Now why do you insist on staying?" Catherine asked soothingly.
"I believe I can help. What if you need me here? I, after all, can get close to Marcel as you won't be able to." Claude said thoughtfully. "I really don't want to leave you, Mother. Please, let me stay."
"If you stay, you must stay close and be careful at all times, and you must hold your tongue. We must play our hand well the first time, for we shan't get another." Catherine said, relenting. She might have use of Philippe's interest in Claude.
"I promise! I'll be as cunning as a serpent." Claude said as she hugged Catherine once more.
"Just like your mother, hmm? Your father will be proud." Catherine said sadly as she thought of Henry. Would he ever know? "Now, we must be fast." Catherine said as she moved towards the door and invited Mary, Francis, and Elizabeth back in before calling for her guard, Renou, to come in as well.
"I am sure I don't have to instruct you all to speak of this to no one. Go about your business as normal and try to act as if nothing is amiss and for the sake of us all don't discuss what I have told you to anyone not even amongst yourselves. We can't know who to trust. Are we in agreement?" Catherine asked them all as they each one shook their heads. "I must go and ready the boys." At Catherine's last words, her children scattered to their rooms, Mary with Francis of course, and locking her doors behind them she proceeded with Renou leading the way to her boys rooms. Entering, she found her boys playing with the blocks on the floor.
"Mummy," Little Henry cheered as he ran and hugged her legs and Charles almost knocked Catherine over as he crashed into her side. He was becoming so tall, just like his father, Catherine mused.
"You never visit us this late. Candace told us you were coming. We aren't even in our night clothes yet and it's already dark. Is something wrong?" Charles asked. The child obviously had his mother's intuitive nature. Catherine had informed Candace to dress them in their simplest of clothes. No one would question a mother, father, and their two sons if they happened to be spotted on the road.
"My darlings, how would you like to go on an adventure all the way to Spain with your sister, Elizabeth? You would get to ride a big ship with huge, white sails that cuts into the sea faster than any other." Catherine said lightly as she kissed both of them on the crown of their heads and brought them to the couch sitting Henry in her lap and hugging Charles to her side.
"Oh, I would love to go with Lizzie!" Little Henry exclaimed happily.
"It does sound wonderful, Mother," Charles said sweetly before thoughtfully saying, "But only if you come with us. I would miss you dreadfully."
"Well, what would France do without her Queen? With her King off fighting for her, she would be lost without me. Besides, Lizzie would take good care of you and you would get to visit somewhere I have never been. You must remember to tell me everything."
"No, I don't want to go," Little Henry said sadly as his eyes filled with tears.
"Why do we have to go? Mother, shouldn't we wait until Father returns?" Charles asked.
"You know your sister leaves in the morning. Your father won't mind." Catherine answered Charles as she brushed the tears from little Henry's face. "He will see you when you have returned, and you can tell him of your adventures. You must leave tonight and you must be brave, my gems. Renou will protect you with his life." Catherine said as she stood placing her baby boy on the floor. "I need you to obey him in everything. You will be good for mother, won't you?" Catherine said soothingly as she rubbed their backs.
"Mummy, I don't want to leave." Little Henry cried as he grasped her around her legs as tightly as possible, wailing now. Charles's lip just trembled as he tried to be brave for his little brother's sake.
"Now, now, we mustn't have any more tears. I have a gift for you both before you must go." Catherine said as she made sure she hid her grief. She knew if they saw hers, it would increase theirs. She motioned for Renou to hand her the bag he carried for her. Sitting back down on the couch, Catherine took out two soft brown teddy bears for her littlest princes.
"I want you both to take these with you on your travels. Keep them with you always and every time you are scared or lonely for home give them a little hug. Every time you hug them, imagine I am hugging you back and you won't feel lonely anymore or frightened anymore." Catherine said before she hugged both of the bears and handed one to Charles and one to Little Henry.
"Have Candace come in now and bring their bags and thickest cloaks." Catherine commanded Renou, as she pulled both boys into her arms, silently weeping with them both as she kissed them on their cheeks. Renou brought Candace in and Catherine placed the coats around each of her beloved sons.
"Be safe and be as quiet as possible unless Renou bids you to speak. Don't speak to strangers and until you are safely on the boat with Lizzie headed for Spain, do not reveal who you are." Catherine commanded them before Renou opened the secret door to the passageway behind the bureau. Candace entered first holding Little Henry's hand with Charles following them.
"Protect them, Renou. Don't leave the boat until they are safely set for Spain and then hurry back as fast as you can. I have few people I can trust and will need your assistance." Catherine said lowly so the boys wouldn't hear her.
"I promise with my life, My Queen." Renou replied as he bowed and disappeared behind them into the tunnel.
Catherine sealed the tunnel behind them and made her way back to her room through the corridors meeting no one. She surely wouldn't sleep this night. Entering her bedroom, she blew out the candles and sat on her windowsill. She knew she couldn't see her sons leaving from here, but she couldn't help to look. As she sat there staring at the darkness of the night, Catherine finally let all of her fear and sorrow overflow from her heart, allowing herself this moment of weakness, as wet, hot tears burned her cheeks as they marked their path. She wept for her children, praying she would see them again. She wept for Henry, and she wept for herself. Would they ever hold each other again? Catherine pulled her knees up to her chest and rocked back and forth as she broke down. She couldn't stop herself. Everything was crashing down around her and she couldn't handle it in these moments. Making her sobs stop momentarily, Catherine walked to her bed and crawled into the center of the bed. She didn't have the strength to undress herself nor did she care. Here she was pregnant, alone without her husband, and death surrounded her family as it nipped at their heels. Catherine pulled her pillow to her, curling herself around it and cried harder than before. Sometime in the early morning hours sleep took her in its arms. Maybe she would find some solace in her dreams?
OOH POOR PREGGO RENBAE! IS YOUR HEART AS BROKEN AS MINE?! WE WILL SEE HENRY AGAIN IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. HE WON'T RETURN HOME JUST YET BUT I HAVE A SPECIAL INTERRACTION OF THE TWO PLANNED ;) STAY TUNED!