AN: SINCE YOU ALL ASKED NICELY HERE'S A FAST UPDATE ;)
DISCLAIMER: i DON'T OWN REIGN AND NO PROFIT HAVE I MADE!
Mary walked primly through the corridor that led to Catherine's rooms. Catherine had asked that Mary visit her in her study. In truth, Mary hadn't wanted to speak to Catherine at all, and she certainly didn't want to see her for a good long while. Catherine was pregnant again and Mary couldn't even get pregnant once. She despised the conversation that was surely to come. She didn't need another lecture from her mother-in-law to know she needed to produce an heir. Every time someone spoke to her these days it was to present her with some new form for her waning fertility and Mary was sick to death of it. She was constantly surrounded by talk of how beautiful her husband's bastard child was, and now that her husband's mother was also bearing another child the pressure was even more intense.
She hated the bitterness that invaded her heart as she was announced to Catherine in her chambers. Hadn't the Queen that sat before Mary had enough blessed events to last her a lifetime? Couldn't God allow Mary one healthy male child with her husband? Mary let her eyes roll over Catherine's form. Although she wasn't visibly showing much at this point, her demeanor had already changed, and the sickness surely plagued her. Catherine's ivory skin was paler than usual and lips were drawn into a thin line as she sat sipping her cup of tea.
For Catherine, the sickness was getting worse instead of better as she entered her third month, whereas around this time it usually subsided. It really wasn't any wonder though, with Henry away and the realm being in her hands. Francis was allowed some duties but the biggest issues were left to Catherine as well as devising her plans to protect her family. Renou had arrived earlier that morning to inform her of Elizabeth and her sons being safely on their way to France. Catherine had breathed a small sigh of relief for the moment, knowing they were out of harm's reach comforting her like a warm blanket had been placed around her heart.
"Forgive me for not standing to greet you, Mary. I haven't felt the best this morning." Catherine said as she motioned for her to sit in the chair next to her.
"It's understandable, Catherine, for a woman in your condition and of your age." Mary said as she sat and smoothed out her dress.
"Mmhmm." Catherine mumbled as she shot Mary a deadly glance over her cup of tea before sipping it a bit and placing it back on its saucer. "So how are things between you and Francis since you returned with Lola and the baby?"
Mary exploded on Catherine immediately, "For Christ's sake is that all you people care about? I will get pregnant when I get pregnant. I can't help it if God hasn't blessed us as of yet and I'm dreadfully tired of talking about it! Maybe if he hadn't have been so fancy free with himself, I wouldn't have been so stressed over this all the time. How did you feel when your husband's mistress was carrying his child? Weren't you the least bit pissed over it? I am so angry over all of this, I dread when he touches me! I can't stand the thoughts of them together yet I have to see it every day. He's always doting over that bastard like she is the only thing that matters anymore." Mary said angrily as she waved her hands wildly in front of her as if trying to block out the images in her mind.
"Mary!" Catherine said, taking Mary's moving hand into her own, "I know exactly how you feel. I was so wrought Henry didn't touch me for six months after I found out. I was heavily pregnant with Francis at the time and blissfully happy, thinking we were finally at a good point. He wasn't dragging Diane around on his arm in front of everyone anymore and he was always sending me some type of new gown for my ever growing figure. Granted, he hadn't visited me since we found out I was pregnant, but I attributed that to his gentle nature." Catherine said as she smiled fondly at an image that was unseen to Mary entered her mind. "Henry wasn't always the ruffian he is today, you know? When he became King, he had to change to fill his role. The loss of his brother wounded him deeply, deeper than he ever wanted to show anyone." Catherine said hauntingly, the smile dropping from her lips as her face turned to stone, inwardly bracing herself for the onslaught of emotions that filled her being. "Anyways, I was devastated when I found out the news. Do you know who told me the news?" Catherine asked as she looked into Mary's now sympathetic gaze as Mary shook her head slightly in answer. "Francois, the King. My father-in-law was quite fond of me and knew I would take the news harshly. I found out later he had spoken to Henry to tell me, but you know Henry; stubborn as the day is long and never willing to admit his wrongs. To spare me the disgrace of hearing it from the castle gossips Francois visited me one day in the library. I was so angry I threw the book I was reading into the fire and attempted to march to go find Henry and tell him exactly what I thought." Catherine paused as tears filled her eyes before continuing. "Francois held me as I cried into his shoulder. He wasn't a King that day he was my father in every sense of the word. He didn't even mind that my makeup stained his shirt. He just listened as I poured out my sorrows of my deep love for his son and my fears of how I was sure it would never be returned." Catherine as she dabbed at the fresh tears that had fallen down her cheeks. "So you see, my dear, I know better than anyone how you feel. I wasn't asking out of your duties, I was asking because I don't want you to feel alone in your pain. I will always have an open ear and an open heart for you in this matter." Catherine said as she patted Mary's knee.
"Thank you, Catherine. I appreciate that. I've kept everything in so long I…" Mary started to say before being interrupted by a knock on the door.
Catherine bade whomever it was to enter. Renou entered with a message from the rider Henry had sent three days prior. Catherine told him to leave the message on the table in front of her and leave. Catherine tried to hide the visible shake of her hand as she reached for the letter, trying to still her racing heart.
Mary saw however, and tried to encourage her. "Catherine, it surely must be good news if he was able to get a message through to you safely." Mary said her voice full of hope.
Catherine prayed to God that the nausea filling her throat was only her anxious nerves from not hearing of his safety for so long. Catherine reached for the note with the King's seal. As her fingers brushed the smooth paper, her heart raced faster as a scream ripped from her throat. Her vision became dark as she was transported into another place.
She could feel the dampness of the room tighten around her throat as the dripping of water above her landed at her feet. The room was pitch black except for the small sliver of light that crept in from the window high above her head with steel bars eluding any chance of escape. From the corner of her eye, Catherine caught a glimpse of movement that caused her to jump. Turning defensive toward it, she saw a man laying with his back to her as a rat crawled across his badly bruised leg. His back was torn and bleeding. Catherine wailed as she walked closer to his still form. Her beloved lay at her feet, unconscious of her presence. Henry! This couldn't be her Henry. He looked too frail and thin, his lips drawn tightly together as he labored to breathe. Catherine sank to her knees beside his body. She called his name, her voice echoing off the stone walls of the dungeon, his body seeming to stir at her voice. All too quickly, she felt her body being dragged backwards and suddenly her vision changed. She could now see where he was being held. The small stone castle held no beauty about it in the moonlight as crows gathered upon its sides.A dead tree lay to the left of the huge gate that blocked her viewing of the inside of its courtyards as soldiers clothed in red patrolled the walls. Wait! Catherine knew this place. If she could only recall its name.
Catherine gasped as she came out of her vision, surging upright and knocking her tea cup and the letter in front of her to the floor.
"Catherine, what on earth is wrong? You were turning blue!" Mary cried "Shall I get Nostradamus? Is it the baby? You really should lie down! All this strain can't be a good thing!?" Mary said as she grasped Catherine by her arm and helped her to her bedroom.
"I can't! Mary, don't leave me! Not yet…Have Renou to bring Nostradamus, but…don't leave me. I can't be alone right now!" Catherine ordered her eyes wild as Mary helped her lay down on her bed.
"I'll be right back Catherine. I…"Mary started to say as Catherine still clung to her hand with an iron grip.
Bursting through the door, Renou bowed quickly before uttering "M'lady, I heard the noise. I'm sorry for interrupting, my Queen, but are you quite alright?"
"Bring Nostradamus quick as you can!" Mary ordered as Catherine gripped her tighter, Catherine's fear evading her every sense.
Renou rushed for the wizard as Mary tried to comfort Catherine unsuccessfully. Catherine rambled on and on about how she had failed Henry miserably, of how she couldn't save him from his fate until Mary was sure she had gone mad until Catherine suddenly straightened as a light of hope shown from her face.
"The castle of..." Catherine said hurriedly as she tried to get out of her bed.
Mary, quite shocked by her changed state blocked her from moving off the bed.
"Catherine, you can't go anywhere! You've just had a serious spell. Nostradamus is on his way. You need to wait until he examines you. Think of your child!"
"I am thinking of all my children! My husband is captured! I must save him!" Catherine said with fire in her eyes.
"save him from what? Catherine you aren't going anywhere until you explain yourself!"
Relenting, Catherine sat back and began to do something she hadn't for a long while. Trust someone besides herself with her secrets of her gift.
