Apologies for the late update, but I was writing another story and my mind was elsewhere. I hope you enjoy it!
The corridors of the dungeon smelled closed. The darkness was pitch black, barely illuminated by flashlight fire. They stopped in front of a wrought-wood door. Suddenly Catherine no longer wanted to know her husband's dark secret.
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- What more do you want? - repeated the queen, annoyed. Henry held out his hand.
- Come - he only said. Catherine rolled her eyes and stepped out of the room. She looked carefully at her husband, who seemed lost between two worlds.
- Well? - she asked.
- During Richard's interrogation - the man said without looking at her - I asked him how much he loved you so much that he betrayed his best friend.
Catherine brought a hand to her chest. Henry looked at her.
- He told me that it was second only to the love of God.
The queen turned her back on him, stifling a sob.
- Did you love him that way too? - the king asked in a low voice.
The woman shook her head. She thought she heard Henry exhale sharply.
- But you loved him enough to betray your husband- she said.
- Please, Henry!- Catherine exclaimed, turning around - you know where this conversation will end.
- But I don't understand - continued the king - I don't understand if it was hatred for me or love for Richard that drove you into his arms!
- Maybe both! - snapped the woman - Maybe, I say, because it may seem absurd in your pride and stupidity, but I had not stopped loving you!
There was a second of silence.
- But was it him you loved the most? - Henry asked undaunted.
Catherine cried out in frustration.
- What is the meaning of this question? - she asked openly - But don't you hear the tone in which you demand answers? The world is not black and white, Henry, even I can't explain everything!
She shook her head and sat down on the bed.
- I hate you when you do this - she said - I hate you when you pretend that everything is at your command, I hate you when you believe that the world belongs to you, I... I can't take it anymore -
Henry was stunned. The queen looked at him, then slipped a ring off her right ring finger and handed it to her husband.
- There are things that I am not able to deal with- he said- and in this period has been a part of you one of these things. A part that I'm not going to suffer anymore-.
- I refuse to take it- said the king taking a step back.
- Please- the queen begged him- You never considered me a wife in any sense of the word anyway. Give it to someone you really care about.
- No - the man refused - Put it back on your finger.
- I don't intend to- Catherine said, placing the wedding ring on the bed - I've taken it off a few times, and neither you nor the court have noticed, so what's the point of wearing it?
Henry's eyes sparkled.
- I want to show you something- he said.
- Henry, please...-
- No, listen to me - the king insisted - Trust me, it's something you want to see.
He went to a point of the wall and opened a secret passage, then held out his hand to his wife. Catherine stood up hesitantly and put on her robe, then took Henry's hand and together they entered the tunnel.
The corridors of the dungeon smelled closed. The darkness was pitch black, barely illuminated by the fire of the flashlight. They stopped in front of a wrought-wood door. Suddenly Catherine no longer wanted to know her husband's dark secret.
The king knocked three times. A guard opened the door, bowed and let them pass. The queen could hardly stifle a scream: battered, bleeding, dirty; attached with chains to the wall was Richard.