Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN REIGN AND PROFIT IN NO WAY EXCEPT IN MY LOVE!
When Catherine appeared through the open door of the cell where Henry had been, she found him arguing with two of her cousin's men.
"I am a King! I won't be seen by anyone being toted from here to there as if I were some piece of…" Henry's voice tapered off as he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye.
His heart fell when she walked into the light of the dim candles. Her usually perfect hair was now partially matted around her crown which sat askew on her head and was that blood on her face? Instead of her dress, she was covered by a cloak several sizes too large for her that Henry was sure had been worn by her guard. Seeing the man now only clad in his armor, Henry was sure something had happened to his wife. If her appearance alone wasn't already evidence enough, the closer Catherine came to him the colder her eyes appeared. It was almost as if she was closing herself off to the world around her. Had her guard made it in time?
Catherine's heart ached when she saw him still sitting there where she had been snatched from his arms. Marcel's men might have broken his body, but his spirit wouldn't ever be broken by those…animals. Of course that made her job harder. He would have to be carried and in her state she wasn't sure if she could convince him to be. She just hoped he didn't ask too many questions right now about what had happened. She didn't feel like sharing it with anyone. She just wanted to forget it had ever happened. She wanted to bathe so she could scrub every place they had touched her. She wanted the memory gone from her mind forever to never haunt her dreams. She didn't want to see them every time she closed her eyes. She didn't want to have to explain to Henry what they had done down to the last detail, and yet she knew he would want to know. She was sure he wouldn't miss her state of dress or the hollowness that had surrounded her features. He would know on some level and would be curious as to how far they had gotten. Would he still even want her? In her fragile state of mind, she recalled what Diane had said of Henry's feelings toward Catherine's inability to please him on their wedding night. Granted, they were the rants of a dying woman, but had Henry really turned to Diane because Catherine hadn't been untouched and pliable? If he had would he reject her now? What woman would he turn to? Catherine's breaths came slowly as fear flooded her mind. Had those animals destroyed everything they had accomplished. She wished she could believe that they would be happy as they were before he had left their castle, but she doubted things would simply return to how they had been. They had both been through hell in the last two months apart and trauma changes people.
"Give us a moment. We won't be long." Catherine said softly to the guards as her heart beat tiredly in her chest.
"Henry," Catherine said once the men had moved into the hallway, "We are still in very real danger. You can't walk on your own." Catherine said as she knelt beside him and gently took his hand. "Let them help you. For me?" She asked as she looked at him with big, pleading eyes.
Such a desperation in her depths he had never seen before. She was the strongest woman he had ever known, but he could see pieces of her breaking as she tried to hold herself together. Why did she always fear to show her pain to him? He loved her! He wanted to help her now more than ever and he knew that for her to heal from whatever happened she needed to speak of what had happened. Too often in her life she had been left alone to bury her pain. He didn't want her to ever do that again. There wasn't any reason for her to do that. He was here to help her. God had seen fit to rescue them from hell. He certainly wouldn't risk wasting this chance.
"Catherine," He began as he looked down at their intertwined fingers, not wanting to pressure her too much with his stares, "Did they…?"
Catherine's heart sank in her chest. Was that really all he cared about right now? Did he want her to tell him that the animal who carried her out of this very cell had cut her gown to shreds and had been only inches away from raping her? That those monsters had seen her naked and exposed as their hands had roamed over her body as she had wept, unable to save herself? She couldn't help the anger that raced through her body. She needed it! If she didn't hold onto that emotion she would fall apart here and now and there wasn't enough time for that.
"There isn't time now, Henry. We have to hurry!" She said coldly as she turned away from him.
She might have thought she was hiding very well behind that emotionless stare and hostile tone, but Henry heard the pain she was trying to hide. They had hurt her. How deeply he was unsure, but the pain was already eating away at her heart.
"I just want to help you, love." He said gently, placing his hand on her shoulder lightly and was surprised when she jumped at the contact.
"I can't speak of it." Catherine said trying to sound light before trying to appease him. "Not now, maybe later. Right now we have to go." She said as she stood and turned to face him once more and was met with anxiety in his features. She didn't mean to hurt him, but they really didn't have time for this. "As long as I have you back I'll be fine." She said gently with a forced smile. "Let's get you to a healer before I don't have you anymore." As she turned and called for the guards.
"You can't keep it all locked away inside yourself you know?" Henry said unrelenting. "It isn't good for you or our child."
"And I said there isn't time for me to fall all over you." Catherine hissed, her anger was boiling to the surface, becoming clearly written on her face when she turned back to him. "I can't and you aren't strong enough to handle it."
Seeing that he wouldn't win this battle, Henry relented and decided on a much different tactic. It wasn't good for her to be more upset than she already was, and arguing over it now would only infuriate her more.
"Promise me we will speak of it later and I'll go without another word." He bargained.
"I promise! Now will you please let Roman's men help you?" Catherine asked determinedly.
Henry drew his lips into a thin line before nodding his approval. Catherine bid them to carry her husband carefully. Henry bit his lip till it bled as they lifted him and placed an arm around each of their shoulders. With Renou leading the way to watch out for rebels that hadn't been disposed of yet, Catherine followed with Henry and the two men who carried him bringing up the rear. Catherine still worried over Claude. She prayed Roman had found her unharmed. Their passage through the corridors of the castle went slowly, but was uneventful. Bodies of dead men littered the halls and the stench of death was in the air along with screams of dying men from somewhere around them put Catherine on edge and in a hurry to exit this hell that had almost devoured her. When they finally entered the courtyard she inhaled the night air, vanquishing the rank odor from her nostrils thankful to be outside again. Roman's men had opened the gates wide and Catherine's guards had filled the courtyard and had engaged more of the rebels here. The small skirmish was now over and they all stepped carefully around the dead men while they made their way to the gate. Catherine was startled and filled with relief when she heard the familiar voice of Claude call out to her from behind her. She was even more pleased and overtaken to the point of tears when she turned quickly enough to be caught up in a warm hug by her daughter.
"Mother, I'm so glad you are safe." Claude said as she clung to Catherine for dear life as she quickly gasped out her words. "Marcel…he said he was going to have you,"
"Shh, my darling," Catherine soothed as she patted Claude's hair reassuringly. "We are alive. That is what is important now."
"It certainly is." Roman spoke up as he appeared behind Claude. "All three of you still need to hurry though. There are still rebels who have fled and it isn't safe out in the open. Your carriage I assume is still outside the gates. I've instructed your guards to accompany you to the inn that is located in the village over those hills. It isn't a long ride and you should be comfortable there for rest of the night. I didn't think traveling that distance with the King in his condition would have been wise. I also took the liberty of sending my personal physician there earlier in the day. I thought he might be of use." Roman said kindly as he stared after his men who helped the King through the gates and into the carriage.
"Thank you, cousin." Catherine said as he kissed the hand she presented him. She wouldn't be leaving these gates again if it hadn't been for his assisting her and her family. She was extremely thankful to be alive.
"Gratitude isn't necessary. I am just thankful you are alive." Roman replied with a grim look as his eyes followed Claude as she disappeared inside the carriage behind her father. "It was a close call for all three of you. Watch over Claude carefully. She will need understanding in the days to come."
"Did he…" Catherine asked as dread filled her voice.
"No, I don't believe so. She killed him before he had the chance."
"But the poison wasn't supposed to kill him. It was only supposed to put him into a deep sleep." Catherine said as she furrowed her brow. "I didn't want her to have to deal with the guilt of taking a life."
"It wasn't the poison. She stabbed him through with a poker." Roman answered lowly.
"I'll speak to her of it later then. I can't say I blame her for her actions. If I could get my hands on that animal I would make him suffer much longer before releasing him to death." Catherine said bitterly. "At least he is dead though. He certainly won't be able to hurt any of us again."
Bidding him farewell and saying he and his men were gladly welcome at the castle, Catherine hurried along to the carriage so they could make for the Inn. It was already late and the sun had been gone from the sky for more than a few hours and weariness surrounded their journey. They all sat in the uneasy silence, neither of them ready to talk of their individual terrors during their short ride.
As soon as they reached the inn, Henry was ushered to one of the rooms Roman had reserved for them and was immediately seen by the healer. It was quite the painful process as the man poked and prodded every open wound as he tried to extract as much of the infection from his body as possible. Catherine sat and held his hand the entire time, unwillingly to leave him in such a state and halfway through the process Henry's body succumbed to the pain and he passed out cold.
When the healer was finished tending to Henry's wounds as best as he could, Catherine bid him to examine her as well. She hadn't voiced her concern, but she was dreadfully worried about the baby. Those ruffians hadn't handled her in the gentlest nature, and Catherine was sore from head to foot from their attack. What if she lost their child? She couldn't risk not being examined even if the thought of anyone seeing and touching her caused her heart to beat in fright. She knew this man didn't have the intentions of hurting her, but every touch made her want to flee yet she endured. Without anyone to support her, Catherine lay as still as possible enduring her examination and reminding herself this was for her child. She desperately tried not to let the tears in her eyes fall to her cheeks and screwed her eyes shut when he lifted her shift to examine her. Thankfully the man finished as quickly as possible and informed her that everything was fine as much as he could see but that she should take care for the next few weeks to rest as much as possible. No strenuous activity and as little stress as possible. He also informed her that he would be back to check on Henry the next morning before their departure. Thanking him before dismissing the healer, Catherine was about to call for a bath to be drawn before Claude knocked and entered.
"Mother, I hope you don't mind, but I had a bath drawn for you in my room. I thought you might need some time to recover after…everything."
"Will you sit with your father? I don't want him waking up alone." Catherine asked tiredly.
"I'll wait with him." Claude answered with a nod before Catherine left the room without another word.
Time alone was what Catherine needed. She had been on the verge of collapse since her attack and she could feel her mask slipping from her. One thing she would not do would be to break in front of others.