Catherine was removing her makeup in front of her bedroom mirror. The wedding celebrations between her son and the Queen of Scots had recently ended and now the consummation ritual was taking place, which the queen had decided not to participate in so as not to stir up old memories. Not now that her relationship with Henry was so strained. Her heart sank at the thought of where her husband was. Probably in the bed of one of his mistresses. She shook her head. It was all right; everything had to go back to normal. A small tear threatened to fall as poor Richard came to mind. Those few words mimed with his lips as they carried him away, "Don't save me," they said. Sweet, romantic, good Richard was gone. Catherine buried her face in her hands trying not to lose control.
- What are you doing, dear, mourning your lover?- said a deep, cutting voice behind her. The queen turned: Henry was standing in the doorway, looking at her contemptuously.

- Why you are here?- asked the woman coldly.

- I don't need any permission to come to my wife's rooms. Have you forgotten already?- replied the king, approaching. /span/p

He had in one hand a bottle of wine and in the other two glasses. He placed the three objects on Catherine's vanity. This one slowly followed her husband's movements and then looked him straight in the eyes.

- I imagined you already in Lady Kenna's bed- she said.

- Yes, at the beginning I considered this - said Henry uncorking the bottle and pouring the drink in the glasses - Then I thought about it and since this is a special night - he looked mischievously at his wife - I thought it was good to have a chat-.
He handed one of the two glasses to the queen, who took it suspiciously. She brought it to her lips and, as she had been taught at the Medici Palace, checked for poison by smell. She took a small sip. It was not altered. In fact, it was excellent. Her husband stared at her with the clear intention of making her uncomfortable.

"Take off that expression of superiority, woman" he thought fiercely "Tonight I will give you a lesson so exemplary that you will no longer have the courage to look another man in the eye".

He decided to adopt a calm and ironic behavior, to enjoy the game longer. With cup in hand she sat comfortably in a chair, crossing her legs over Catherine's vanity.

- Tell me, dear- he began- When did you and Richard make love? Where, mostly. What occasions did you find for your intimate encounters?-

The woman remained in silence.
- How come you don't answer me?- her husband asked, grinning.

- Out of respect for the man you had killed!- exclaimed Catherine angrily.

Henry's free hand contracted into a fist. Inside it seethed like never before.

- Stand up- he ordered- I want you to let your hair down completely-.

The queen glared at him but stood up. It was useless to keep provoking him. She turned her back on him and began to remove the first hairpin. Her husband's voice interrupted her.

- As you did with him-

Catherine swallowed. Richard would have liked to follow the fall of each coppery curl on her neck, at a sensual slowness. And so the woman did. When all the hair had fallen back over her shoulders, the king enjoyed the sight for several seconds.

- Now go behind your partition, put on a robe and come back to me- he ordered after recovering from his trance.

Catherine was on the verge of retorting but decided not to anger her husband further. It was too dangerous when he got angry. She'd had proof of that recently. She sighed and headed behind the partition. As soon as she was free of her clothes, she noticed that her body was visibly trembling. But she had no intention of giving Henry that satisfaction as well. She donned a blood-red robe and returned to the