Chapter 26

"Mi casa e su casa."
Was it just Catherine's imagination, or did Henry's voice sound more husky than usual? With watchful eyes she scrutinized her husband. Though he resisted her gaze, his posture seemed to get tenser under her intense stare.
"Is there anything else you might need? I could arrange a light dinner or order herbal tea for you." The insecurity in Henry's appearance combined with his desire to satisfy her every need, put a warm smile on the Queen of France's lips.
She enjoyed his attention, even though she would never openly admit it.
"No, thank you. I have already sent for my ladies and for some tea," she replied and watched her husband brushing his heavy boots off his feet.
"Well, let me know if there's anything else I can do for you."
"For a start you could open the window," Catherine said and placed her hands on the edge of the tub. Then she pushed herself up a bit in order to escape the hot water. She loved a long and hot soak in lavender-scented water, especially when she was with child. Today, however, the heat of the water affected her more than usual.

"Are you all right, Catherine?" Henry asked in alarm and hesitantly looked back and forth between the window and his wife.
"I'm okay, I just need some fresh air." At first he hesitated, but then Henry nodded in agreement and went over to the window. He did as he was told without letting her out of his sight as if fearing she still might suffer a sudden dizzy spell. A few seconds later a gentle breeze caressed Catherine's heated skin, prompting her to let out a sigh of relief. The cool air stroked over her damp skin and gave her goose bumps that were followed by a pleasant shiver.
"Are you sure you're okay? You had me worried for a second or two."
"The water is just a bit too hot. Henry, I'm not at death's door, I'm pregnant," she explained matter-of-factly while stroking her belly that had grown to a substantial size. Her movement involuntarily drew Henry's attention lower, to the middle of her body.

"I can see that," he whispered and only now did Catherine realize that she was presenting her husband with an unhindered view of her bare upper body. With a suppressed scream she let herself drop back into the tub, causing the water to spill over on both sides of the barrel.
"Catherine!" Henry cried in concern while Catherine was fighting hard against the desire to plunge into her bubble bath in hope of drowning her sense of shame by doing so. For the sake of her hair - she didn't want to get it wet mere minutes before going to bed - she resisted the urge and was content to make sure that the foam was covering her nakedness adequately.

Henry and she might have reconciled and decided to give their relationship a new – a last - try, but she feared that her body, bloated from her pregnancy, was a sight that would put his love to test.

"Are you feeling dizzy? Shall I send for Nostradamus?" There was a slight hint of panic in her husband's voice and she briefly considered actually sending Henry out in order to fetch her seer - just to get rid of him for the time being. But then she changed her mind and shook her head in denial. She did not want to worry him any more than he already was.
"No, that is not necessary. It's just the heat." Catherine decided to tell him a white lie and closed her eyes to escape her husband's worried eyes.
"Then I suggest we shall get you out of the hot water at this point. Come on, I will help you", she heard Henry's voice mere seconds later. Catherine opened her eyes in irritation and found him standing right beside the tub, staring down at her. He had taken a large bathing towel from the sideboard and was holding it out to her, an inviting smile on his handsome face.

"Henry, I have already sent for my maids and ladies. They should be here shortly. Why don't you see if..." She did not get a chance to finish her sentence for her husband interrupted her.
"I might as well assist you." Catherine stared at the towel he was offering her, then she let her gaze wander to Henry's dark eyes, eyes that were looking at her in an almost pleading way. And despite the concern, that was literally written all over his face, there also lay an expression of utmost determination on it.
"Alright, since you probably won't give it a rest… But turn around," she sighed and pointed towards the window. Now it was her husband who gave off a deep sigh. But after a moment's hesitation he complied with her request and turned his back on her.

When she was convinced that he was not spying on her through the reflection of the window, Catherine braced herself against the edge of the tub to pull herself up. But this time her arms could not support her weight. The heat must have affected her more than she originally thought. Her second attempt to get herself into an upright position by sheer willpower also failed. Her burgeoning frustration over her own inadequacy commingled with a feeling of helplessness. A feeling she loathed.
"Are you ready?" Henry asked her and his words goaded her to try again with all her might. This time she was able to push herself up at the edge of the tub, but when she tried to arise, her arms gave way under her full weight and with a splashing noise she fell back on her ass right in the middle of the tub.
"Catherine!" Despite her request to give her some privacy, Henry drove around and rushed to her side.
"I can't get out," she admitted in a fragile voice, trying to cover up her misery with the most dignified expression she could evoke in her position. The grin that fell on Henry's face while gaping at her, instantly enraged Catherine.

"Go fetch my maids, will you! They will help me", she urged him in an icy tone.
"That's not necessary," Henry said in exhilaration and stepped behind her. Suddenly his hands touched her shoulders, softly caressing her wet skin. Then she felt them move down and grabbing her from under her armpits. "On three."
And before Catherine could think too much about his intentions, did her husband count out loud and on three he pulled her into an upright position with a gentle tug.
His hands, that felt big, warm and powerful - embraced her body from behind and held her tightly in place once she was standing.
Just when Catherine was about to free herself, did Henry's right hand stroke down her body and lay itself on her swollen belly as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Henry... you can let go of me now." This was an order, not a request, although spoken with a slightly trembling voice.

Henry's presence triggered an inner conflict in her. She longed for his touch, loved how safe and secure she felt in his arms, but on the other hand she was afraid of discovering a sign of repulse or even disgust in his eyes. When the time would come for Henry and her to become lovers again, she wanted to feel beautiful and desirable. Not like a bloated whale who couldn't even get out of the bathtub without help. His fascination with her baby bump still irritated her, but she had accepted it in the meantime and in secret she even enjoyed his caresses. But usually she was wearing clothes and it made her feel deeply ashamed that this was the first time since what felt like an eternity that Henry saw her naked. Why now of all times? In fact, he had never - at any point in their marriage - seen her naked while being pregnant.

"How beautiful you are," Henry whispered in her ear and his breath tickled her wet skin.
"More likely fat," she contradicted and her reaction caused Henry to gently turn her around. As soon as she was facing him, Henry placed his fingers around her chin and with gentle pressure he forced her to look him right in the eyes.
"You're not fat. You're pregnant. With my child," he corrected her, "I don't think that I've enjoyed a more beautiful sight ever before. You are carrying the life the two of us have created. Looking at you makes me grateful, proud and extremely happy." To give his words more meaning, Henry drew her closer and placed a kiss on her trembling lips while wrapping his arms around her body, giving her support on the slippery ground she was standing on.

Catherine closed her eyes and surrendered to his kiss. She loved kissing Henry, loved the way his tongue always teased hers and how good it felt to be held by him. When he finally released her again, Catherine's breathing was heavy and fast and despite the fact that she was standing here before her husband - soaking wet and butt naked - heat started to rise in her. A completely different kind of heat than the one she had experienced mere minutes ago. One that made the blood in her veins boil and that set her in a state of sensual frenzy.
Henry grasped her face with his fingers and with a smile on his lips, he bent down to kiss her one more time before wrapping her in the towel and carefully lifting her out of the tub.
"Are you cold, shall I close the window? I don't want you to catch a cold." Once again, worry had taken over her husband and Catherine shook her head in denial. She was rather afraid of bursting into flames if Henry continued to kiss her.

Instead of setting her down right where he was standing, Henry carried her over to the back of his chamber. There, beside his bed, he set her down and with meticulous precision he started to dry off every inch of her heated skin. Paying special attention to her breasts and her swollen belly. When - instead of the towel - his fingers brushed over her sensitive nipples, a soft gasp escaped Catherine's lips. By the smile on Henry's face she could tell that it hadn't escaped his attention, but he continued his work without acknowledging her reaction. And when he reached her legs, he asked her to sit on the edge of the bed. Once she was sitting, her husband got down on his knees in front of her. He grabbed her right foot and let his fingertips dance over the sole of her foot in a teasing way. In any other situation the gentle tickling sensation would have provoked a giggle, but now his touch only caused a wave of burning desire to wash all over her body.

Caught between shame and lust, Catherine watched her husband first dry off her right, then her left leg. His eyes remained firmly fixed on hers. And though she knew that mainly care, not sexual desire was dictating his touches, she could not help but excessively enjoy it. She had always longed to be treated in such a loving way by Henry, had wished for his hands on her naked skin during long and sleepless nights, caressing her body until she was finally able to fall asleep and at the same time driving away the demons of her past that were still haunting her.

And after last week's reconciliation Henry had started doing exactly this. Night after night. He had held her and given her the warmth and love that she had had to renounce for far too long.
But all of a sudden, that wasn't enough. Not anymore. She had to feel him, touch him, absorb his closeness in order to feel alive again.
"Love me," These words burst out of her so unexpectedly that Henry just stared at her in confusion.
"I do love you, sweetheart," he assured her and slid towards her on his knees, gently kissing her forehead. His reaction prompted her to shake her head. She grabbed his face and directed it lower until her nose touched his and she could feel Henry's warm breath against her lips.
"No," she determinedly said and kissed her husband. Her passion unbalanced her husband slightly, but he did not disappoint, for he returned her kiss with comparable passion.

When their mouths parted, both Catherine and Henry were out of breath.
"That's not what I mean. I want you to make love to me," she whispered against his lips. Upon hearing these clear words, Henry put some distance between them, observing her thoroughly.
"You are pregnant, darling," he unnecessarily reminded her and seemed unsure about how to react to her request.
"Yes, with your child. Or are you telling me that you don't remember how our little prince has been conceived?" Catherine knew that she was provoking Henry. And that was her intention.

The inner struggle that was taking place between Henry's mind and his libido was clearly written all over his handsome face. Therefore, Catherine grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and forcefully ripped it off his shoulders until the sound of tearing fabric could be heard. With the most contented smile on her lips, the Queen let her hands slide over his muscular chest.
"Catherine, I don't think that this is a good idea." Henry's objection was drowned out by a groan when his wife leaned over and encircled his right nipple with the tip of her tongue.
"I beg to differ. This is actually a brilliant idea," she whispered against his chest and ran her teeth over his skin, eliciting another moan.
"Darling..." All Henry could utter was a hoarse rasping sound while Catherine increased her efforts.

"You said I'm beautiful," she whispered.
"Beautiful indeed, but..."
"No but. Do you think I'm desirable?" Catherine pressed herself against her husband's chest until he could feel her breasts and the curve of her belly against his body.
"Of course, that's completely out of question, Catherine." A veil of lust lay itself over Henry's dilated eyes, even though he still seemed to be lost in a futile struggle against reason.
"Then I do not know what's stopping you, my love." Her right hand wrapped itself around his neck to pull him down for another kiss.
"I don't want to hurt you. Or the little one," Henry finally admitted and his objection let her pause. Slowly she lowered her head until her forehead rested against his.
"You won't hurt us, Henry," she assured him. Then she reached for his hand and guided it to her left breast. "You can touch me."

Hesitant at first, his fingertips glided over her swollen breasts until her nipples rose to firm little buds. Now it was up to Catherine to moan. Spurred on by her reaction, Henry gradually put his aloofness aside. His touch became more demanding and the way he kneaded her breasts got firmer.
"They are very sensitive," Catherine explained without a trace of reproach, whereupon Henry's grip loosened and his touch became softer.
"Does it feel good?", he asked her after a few minutes of tenderly caressing her upper body.
Catherine wasn't able to bring more than an ecstatic "Mhmmm" over her lips, but this sound answered Henry's question well enough. His lips found hers again, warm and soft. Their tongues played together, teasingly dueling each other until Catherine feared she might burst from tension.

When Henry finally let go of her and stared at her with the expression of naked lust in his eyes, her body started to vibrate in joyful anticipation. His wonderful masculine flavor still lingered on her lips and when Catherine provocatively ran her tongue over her lower lip , a deep growl escapes Henry's throat that made her shiver. With erratic movements they stripped his clothes off his body and mere seconds later Henry stood before her in his birthday suit.

But when he looked up at her she saw indecision flashing up in his gaze.
"Dear me, Henry, if you ...", Catherine did not get a chance to carry on with her protest, for Henry placed his hand in a loving gesture on her swollen belly to stop her.
"It's not the "if" but rather the "how", that I'm wondering about." His appeasement sparked a soft smile on Catherine's lips. Until now she hadn't even wasted a thought about the "how".
But Henry was right, he for sure would not be able to lie on top of her.

"I think I have an idea" her husband said after a moment's consideration and tenderly stroked her cheek. Then he climbed on the mattress behind her and beckoned her to move over to the upper part of the bed with him. With his back against the wooden headboard and his legs slightly spread, Henry held out his arms for her. "Come here," he lured her over.
Irritated by the position he had chosen, she let her husband pull her into his arms nevertheless and trustingly leaned against his strong chest.
"This feels nice, but I don't see how this position... oh." Henry had placed his left hand on her baby bump. His other hand, however, pushed her legs apart and slid down between her thighs, touching her in the most intimate and sinful way. And while his expert fingers slowly but surely drove her crazy, Henry took turns in either kissing her neck or nibbling on her earlobe. And she could feel his throbbing manhood poking against her lower back.

Caught up in a state of absolute bliss, Catherine closed her eyes and gave herself over to her husband's touch. Quivering with desire, she pressed her body against Henry and when a massive wave of pleasure finally washed her away, her fingernails dug themselves into his thighs. Panting heavily, Catherine gasped for air while Henry's hands kept on caressing her swollen breasts.

"Darling, move forward," Henry whispered against her neck once her breathing had become normal again. Sighting blissfully, Catherine did as she was told and turned her head in his direction. She blushed at the sight of the self-satisfied grin that lightened up his entire face. But before she could worry too much about his reaction, Henry grabbed her neck and pulled her near to steal another kiss. This kiss lasted several minutes while their mouths merged together. Meanwhile, Henry's hands tampered with her pinned-up hair, freeing her curls from the needles until they fell over her shoulders in gentle waves.

Eventually Henry turned Catherine into a sideward position. Then he dropped down onto the mattress, sweeping her along. She instantaneously felt his hot body wrap her up from behind. With one hand on her hip, Henry pulled her pelvis back until she could feel his erect penis gently poking her behind. She would only have to slightly spread her thighs in order to accept his member, without her belly getting in the way of their lovemaking.
"You'll tell me if anything feels uncomfortable, yes?" Henry instructed her and simultaneously caressed her hip in the most affectionate way averting Catherine from blaming him for his exaggerated concern. Slowly his hand wandered to her midsection to gently rub her swollen belly.

Then his hand slid lower until it disappeared between her thighs, prompting her to lift her upper leg and with her back arched, Catherine pressed herself against his lower body. Henry took her reaction as an invitation and a few seconds later she felt the head of his penis at her opening. With nerve-wracking slowness, Henry penetrated her. Once his shaft was buried inside her body to the hilt, Henry paused. Only his left hand was moving, tenderly stroking her chest.
"Henry," Catherine whispered in despair. She could no longer bear this sweet agony, thus she stuck her lower body towards his direction, wordlessly begging him to start moving. At her urging, her husband slowly withdrew from her, only to re-enter her a second later. In a slow, sensual rhythm, Henry started to make love to her and with a moist trail he ran his tongue across her throat. His hand was fondling her right breast by first kneading her delicate flesh. Then he encircled her erect nipple with his fingertips, rubbing it with light pressure.

His caresses, each sensual touch, triggered a new heat wave that rolled over her burning body. Catherine closed her eyes and surrendered to his hands and his body. He played her like a delicate instrument and made strings resound from deep inside her that had been silenced for too long. Never before had she felt such an intense connection between them, never had Henry been more tender or gentle with her. And yet his thrusts were steady and powerful, making her forget who she was.
The world around her lost its meaning, declined to the King's bedchamber, to Henry's bed, and to the two of them - merging together in perfect harmony.

When his fingers rubbed her nipple in a particularly nifty way, she could feel a few drops of milk starting to leak out. They were slowly running down her breast and all over his fingers. To her surprise, Henry released her and brought his fingers to his mouth.
"Mm." His reaction was nothing more than a hoarse whisper.
After tasting her, Henry's penis slipped out of her body. But before Catherine could protest, her husband grabbed her by the hip and rolled her onto her back.
"I want to see you," he explained, kneeling above her and staring at her with hungry eyes. Then he bent down, and his hot mouth clasped around her left nipple. Without hesitation, Henry started sucking on it in all eagerness. Feeling his lips and teeth on her nipple, gently tugging and nibbling, increased her excitement to infinity and beyond. But it were his fingers, that sent her over the verge of ecstasy once again. They grasped her vulva in a possessive way, mercilessly teasing her swollen clitoris. Twitching wildly, Catherine came a second time while Henry's fingers kept on fucking her.

Even before she could recover from her orgasm, Henry straightened up and pushed her legs up. Then he slid into her once again. His upper body was holding Catherine in position, keeping her legs up in the air. Slowly, he increased the speed of his thrusts, loving her with deep strokes that were accompanied by a loud groan when Catherine tightly clenched the inner walls of her tunnel. Henry's dark eyes, veiled with lust, were fixed on hers, sending her messages of love, a testimonial of the arousal she was able to evoke.

And yet she knew that Henry was still holding back. She could tell by the way he tried to avoid penetrating her too forcefully or putting too much pressure on her belly. This consideration he showed even in a moment of greatest pleasure, opened her heart even more for her husband until she thought she would burst with the intensity of her emotions.

"I love you", Catherine confessed and the way his face lightened up upon hearing her words flooded her innermost with warmth.
"I love you, too, Catherine."
Their gazes merged the same way their bodies did, and when Catherine felt Henry's imminent climax, she squeezed her vaginal muscles one last time. With a low groan from deep inside his throat, Henry pounded into her a few more times, then he howled as his body jerked with the force of his orgasm and he emptied himself into her.

But instead of collapsing on top of her, as Henry usually did, did he roll over. He pulled Catherine along, embracing her from behind as he had done earlier during their lovemaking. His warm breath tickled the sensitive skin of her neck and she listened to the beat of his racing heart. Only minutes later did his heartrate calm down a bit.
"Are you all right, my love?" Henry's baritone broke the silence and as if to substantiate his question, one of his hands lay itself over her belly to pet their child.
"I've never felt better," Catherine replied truthfully, enjoying their emotional intimacy, the warmth of his body and his caresses.

Apologies for the waiting time. Due to the fact that I'm juggling with 6 stories at the same time, some updates may take longer than others. But I hope that this long and steamy chapter will make up for the waiting time.

Many thanks for reading and for your reviews! Take care and stay safe, my dears.