AN : Here is another chapter for my lovely readers.
Let me know if you're still reading please :)
A special big thank to everyone you supports this story and to everyone who reviews it or contacts me on instagram 3
Yogurtime : I hope you still like this story :)
Disclaimer : I don't own « Reign », no plagiarism is intended and I don't make profit of this story.
Chapter 30
/Throwback/
Unbeknownst to the Royal couple of France, Kenna who had come to tell them that she would in fact be staying another day, had heard them making love and every bit of the conversation that followed.
What would I do without you had said the King.
Well, that could be arranged thought Kenna with an evil smile.
After the disinterest the King showed and now their love making and declaration, Kenna understood that she wouldn't be able to win him back. At least not with his wife around... the two monarchs were far too in love with each other. But Kenna wanted Henry back, she wanted the luxury of court back, his attentions, his gifts, his money...
It was not fair she thought. She was trapped in a marriage she had not desired. However Henry hadn't lied, Lord Robert was a kind man, but at heart he was still a boy, afraid to say or do the wrong thing. But that was not the kind of man she wanted, caring, attentive was good but she wanted more... She wanted a real man with all the loving qualities and the passion, the protectiveness, the fearlessness... All that the King was.
She desperately wanted him back but as she realised before, she couldn't manage that with his wife being here. That's when she saw the solution : If she desired to have the King back to herself, she'd have to get rid of the Queen. Once this Medici bitch was gone, the King would surely be in such pain and that would be the perfect moment to seduce him. Yes ! She thought, what a brilliant plan it was. Now she just had to find a way to kill the Queen of France, along with the baby she carried...
/-/-/-/-/
The next morning, the King and Queen of France woke up in each other's arms more happy in their love than ever. Henry slowly opened his eyes when he felt his wife's finger drawing little circles on his chest. The first thing he saw was a woman who appeared to come down from the sky with golden hair framing her face. She was propped up on one elbow and was looking at him with that smile of hers. The light coming from the window behind her made her hair look like a halo. Henry rubbed his eyes to be sure he was seeing correctly then asked : « Am I dreaming ? » Upon hearing his words her smile widened and she gave him a light peck on the lips « No, darling. » He rolled her gently on her back and now it was he that was propped up on one elbow looking down at her. « How is it possible that you could be so beautiful all the time ? »
Despite herself she blushed and her cheeks took a rosy colour. She tried to hide it by turning her head away from him, she knew he would laugh if he saw it. He was always such a tease...
Unfortunately for her, Henry saw her attempt to hide her blush, he grinned and bent down kissing her neck and licking the shell of her ear determined to make it worse. And it worked, her rosy cheek became nearly as red as wine.
« Having problems my darling ? » He asked mischievously.
Catherine playfully slapped his arm and tried but failed to hide her cheeks with her hands as discreetly as possible. They both laughed at her action and finally Henry succeeded to remove her hands to be able to kiss her still rosy cheeks.
Then he trailed his hands down to rest on her belly « How is our baby. » He immediately felt a kick against his hand as an answer to his question. He was still marvelled every time he felt that. « Okay okay. » He laughed causing Catherine to smile as well. How she loved feeling his hands on her ever growing bump. It was amazing to watch him feel their child... and it was so funny that every time he spoke to her belly, the baby seemed to answer with a kick.
/-/-/-/-/
Kenna was at the balcony of her room in the castle of the Duke of the Alps, watching her husband going away to make whatever deal he had to make. She watched him but her mind was elsewhere still thinking on how she could get rid of the Queen. The Queen... she thought, the Medici bitch was an artist with poison. Poison ! That was the solution ! Catherine is so blissfully happy with her husband and their re-found love that I could get her at her own game ! Thought Kenna.
She immediately returned to the inside of the room and got dressed to see the apothecary in the village.
Once dressed quite simply as to avoid arousing suspicion, she took a carriage and arrived very quickly to her intended destination.
« Are you the apothecary ? » Asked the young lady to an old man with a white beard.
« Yes my lady, Bernard Vernay at your service. » Answered the man.
Getting closer to him as not to be heard she whispered : « I'm looking for a poison that gives a slow and agonising death. »
« I see. » Answered the apothecary. The man led Kenna at the back of his shop and opened a hidden closet where were kept various vials of all colours.
« Slow and agonising you said... You want to cover your tracks yes ? » Deducted the old man. Kenna simply nodded.
« Then I have exactly what you need. » He said while taking a small vial with a transparent liquid inside. « This mixture will provoke sweating, fever, restlessness and nausea all the symptoms of a very serious cold... except that this one cannot be cured by any remedies. The person will die slowly and in pain. » Explained the seller. Kenna smiled, that's exactly what she needed. « It's perfect. » The man gave her a knowing smile and asked « Now I must ask you the measurements of the victim to be able to dose the poison properly. If the dose is not important enough, the person might recover. »
« A small woman. » answered Kenna, she purposefully quieted the fact that the said woman was also pregnant.
The apothecary took an empty vile and filled it with a small amount of poison. « This should be enough then. »
Kenna payed the man and went away with her deadly concoction.
/-/-/-/-/
After lunch, the King and Queen spent the afternoon in their rooms as the weather outside was not allowing anyone to go outside.
Henry was settled on a couch facing a window with Catherine's back against his chest. Their legs where sprawled before them, laying on the soft cushions of the couch. Catherine's head was under Henry's chin and her husband's hands were protectively resting above their child. They both watched the raindrops gliding over the glass of the window.
« Humm » Catherine moaned, closing her eyes and relaxing under her King's expert hands.
The room was quite dark due to the heavy grey clouds in the sky and the rain was making an appeasing sound outside.
« Try to sleep, love » Henry suggested after kissing the top of her head. He knew she needed her rest and that a little nap would do her great good. She hummed approvingly. After a few moments she knew that the soothing sound of the raindrops would not be enough for her to doze off. « Would you be bothered by reading to me ? » She asked her husband, unsure of how would be met her request. « It'll be my privilege Catherine. » Answered Henry. Didn't she knew that he would give her the moon if she asked ? He felt Catherine smiling against his chest when he reached for the book on a nearby table. Opening it, he began to read the story. The Queen closed her eyes when he read the first words. How she loved his voice. From when he whispered his love in her ear to when he screamed mad with fury. But what she loved most about it was the calming vibrato in it. She fell in love with his voice so many years ago and today, she still adored it as much as the first time she heard it. It was what had kept her warm on many cold nights, the memory of his voice. And now to be able once more to feel the rumble in his chest with every word he pronounced combined with the feeling of his light caresses to her belly was enough for her to fall in a peaceful sleep, knowing she was being protected by the man she loved more than anything.
After a moment, when Henry noticed that his Queen was sleeping, he put down the book quietly on the table, brought both of his hand once more around her and fell asleep with the love of his life safely resting in his arms.
The King was the first to wake from their little nap. He opened his eyes slowly and saw that the sun had returned in the sky. Looking at the sun more intently, he noticed that it was time for their little afternoon collation. He knew his wife would be hungry soon, she always was when she was pregnant and it was still a mystery to him how a woman her size could eat so much.
He looked down at her, she seemed relaxed in his embrace. Such a way they had gone through... From a little more than strangers to the other's best friend, confident and lover. He was happy, the happiest he had been during all his life. Catherine was what he had needed during all his life. She was perfect in so many ways. He was so glad that he finally realised that... late... but not too late it seemed. As he thought about it, he had always loved her, in his own way... but now, now she was his life, she had always been in secret and deep in his heart, but now it was all so clear to him. He didn't know what he would do if he lost her... He couldn't and wouldn't lose her. She was his greatest treasure along with the children born out of their love.
As if summoned by his thoughts, Catherine began to stir and to open her eyes. She felt perfect, her sleep was restful and her husband's warm hands still working their magic on her. When Henry kissed her hair, she knew he was awake. She placed her hand on both of his larger ones and squeezed them tenderly.
Turning her head around, she gave him a loving and slow kiss. Then she started to get up from the comfortable couch so that Henry could do the same.
« Shall we go to have a collation ? » He offered.
She smiled and added with sincerity « I know you must think that my only thought is food and that I'm becoming so fat but... » She was cut off by his finger on her lips. « That's not what I think Catherine. You're pregnant not fat. And you've always enjoyed food and I've always enjoyed your enthusiasm for it. »
She smiled, it appears that he always knew what to say to reassure her. « Maybe we could take it outside as the sun has returned ? » He suggested. « That's a marvellous idea. » She answered. She knew he preferred to be outside. And who could blame him, back at court he was forced to stay inside and listen to speeches and boring advisors all day long. And to be completely honest, she too always loved being outdoor.
With that thought, the couple walked towards the garden, hand in hand, after instructing a servant of their plan to have their collation outside.
When they arrived, they sat on a stone bench near a stone table beneath an amazingly big tree. The ground was still a little bit wet from the rain and the weather was actually perfect, not too cold and not too hot... just the light breeze that often came after the rain when the sun returned.
Soon after, a servant arrived and asked them what they desired to drink along with the pastries they had ordered.
Henry took a lemonade and Catherine hesitated between taking the same thing as her husband or a hot dark chocolate.
« So ? What do you want darling ? » asked the King lovingly after a moment.
« I think I'll take the chocolate. » She answered finally deciding which she desired the most at the moment.
The servant nodded and went back to the kitchens to bring back the drinks.
The servant was walking down the corridors that led to the kitchen while muttering to himself « Lemonade for the King and hot chocolate for the Queen » in order not to forget the order and displease his rulers.
But what he didn't know was that someone heard his words. Kenna heard is words... and saw her chance to get rid of the Queen. Silently following the man to the kitchens, once he had momentarily gone to fetch lemons for the King's lemonade, she introduced herself into the room and poured the poisonous vile into the already waiting hot dark chocolate.
She smirked « I'll finally be rid of this bitch and of the baby she carries. » and exited the kitchens, satisfied of her actions.
The servant, having seen nothing of Kenna, brought the drinks to the Royals, completely unaware of the poisoned chocolate...
A little while later the servant was standing before the King and Queen with the two drinks. He first served Henry his lemonade and then gave Catherine her chocolate. But once she had the cup in her hands, she smelled spices and especially cinnamon and as it happens, since the beginning of her pregnancy, she couldn't stand the taste or even the smell of cinnamon. The Queen instantly put the cup away from her and gazed coldly at the servant.
« What did you put in there ? Cinnamon ? » She asked severely.
Rapidly getting scared of the pregnant woman sitting before him the man answered : « Yes, my Queen. » while lowering his head.
Catherine sighed « Don't you know that I can't stand it ?! »
« I'm sorry, your Majesty. I didn't know... » He answered justifying himself quickly.
Seeing that his wife was angering herself over nothing, a fact that was surely due to her pregnancy and her hormones, the King intervened : « Go away. » He said calmly at the servant. The man gave him a grateful look for having saved him a very serious tongue lashing, took a deep bow and left the rulers alone.
« Henry ! What am I to drink now ? » She scolded him rather harshly. Keeping is calm, the King put his hand above hers and said in a soft voice and smiled : « Catherine, it's nothing. This poor man didn't know you didn't like cinnamon... as for the matter of what you are going to drink, I'll happily give you my drink and take the cinnamon chocolate. And... I promise you tonight I'll get you a hot dark chocolate without cinnamon. »
She immediately relaxed and softened and a smile started to form on her lips.
« Thank you Henry. I'm sorry. » She said.
Handing her the lemonade and taking the cup filled with brown liquid he answered : « You're welcome. » And he gave her a warm smile, silently telling her that it was nothing.
Then, the couple happily chatted while sipping their drinks. Unbeknownst to them, the King was currently drinking poison...
When they finished, they took a stroll around the gardens, smelling flowers and caressing bushes, and made their way back to their rooms.
The King and Queen were walking down the corridors arm in arm when they came across Kenna. Both were very surprised to see her here... still.
It was Catherine that spotted the young lady first and when Henry felt the muscles in her arm tightening, he looked up to see what had her tense suddenly and he too, saw Kenna.
The young woman on the contrary wasn't so surprised to see her rulers and held a proud expression on her face.
Henry was angry, why was she still here ?! She should be gone !
Unable to control his temper any longer he said firmly : « What in God's name are you doing here ?! You have some nerve, coming here knowing that your King and Queen are in the same place after I have clearly expressed that I didn't want to see you EVER AGAIN ! »
With each words the King was more in fury that with the previous. Catherine saw that and tried to calm him by placing her hand against his chest. This stupid girl wasn't worth his anger. She should never have come here... stupid brat.
« My husband wanted to meet you, how could I explain the situation ?! » she dared to rise her voice.
« Don't try to argue with me ! With all the things you managed to invent with your fool's mind back at court, surely you could have made an excuse not to come ! » Henry answered. Catherine stayed silent, observing.
Kenna gaped, not finding anything to answer.
« You came here for a reason. What is it ?! » The King quickly understood and asked while getting closer to Kenna, trying to read in her eyes.
But the girl remained silent.
« ANSWER ME ! » he shouted, exasperated with her.
« I...I... » Kenna started, afraid of the man, the King standing before her, sending daggers with his eyes. But she couldn't manage to tell him right now why she really came, it was not the good time, not yet. When his wife was dead and he was in pain, she would try to get him back but not now... not yet... the poison still had to effect.
As she was not able to craft another answer so quickly, she simply ran off as fast as she could.
« Pfff... silly girl » muttered the King while taking back his Queen's arm.
« Henry » said Catherine while turning him towards her. The King complied and looked at her.
Placing both her hands on his chest she added gently : « Henry, she's not worth it. That's what she came for, first destroy our marriage and to anger us. Don't let her win, she'll get tired of it soon enough if her game isn't working and we do not respond to her presence here. »
Henry softened upon hearing her words, she was right, as always...
He put his hands on her hips and kissed her cheek lovingly. « You're right. Let's not lose any more time with her. »
She smiled, hearing his voice had come back to normal.
They continued their way back to their chambers.
AN : Next chapter soon ! Let me know what you think please 3
Stay safe ;)
Laura.D