AN : Here is another chapter for all the lovers of this story :), hope you'll like it ;)
Disclaimer : I don't own « Reign », no plagiarism is intended and I don't make profit of this story.
Yogurtime : Haha :) well, I'm on holidays so I take advantage of the free time I have to write fanfictions :) I really want to thank you for loving this story since the beginning and for being patient with the chapters update. Thank you, really.
Chapter 32
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Hours later,
Paul Vernay returned with his brother, the apothecary but found the King and Queen sleeping in each other's arms.
Nonetheless, he decided that the King's illness was so dire that he couldn't afford to lose one second of time. So, he decided to wake the Queen.
« Your Majesty, » he called her and her sleep was so light from worry that she woke up directly.
« Yes ? What is it ? » She asked.
« My brother, Bernard Vernay, the apothecary is here. » he answered.
The Queen got out of bed to leave the room to the men. « Please tell me you know what is affecting him... » she was so desperate to see her husband better...
Bernard smiled at her and examined the King while speaking : « My brother told me that you thought it could be poison ? »
« Yes » Catherine answered « I've been with him all day long if it was an illness in the air, I certainly would have caught it as well especially since he never catches anything... » she explained.
« I see » answered the apothecary before going on with his examination.
A few long minutes later, he rendered his diagnosis : « I do believe the King has been poisoned. »
Catherine breathed hard : « Do you know what poison it is ? I have never seen one with these effects. »
« Well, to be honest, it looks a lot like a new poison I know, a poison that copies the effects of a very serious cold so it would go unnoticed... a poison that cannot be cured. » Announced the man.
The Queen breath caught in her throat, *no... it couldn't be...* she thought.
Before the pregnant woman before him could dissolve in tears, he added : « But, it appears that the dose the King was given was not sufficient to kill him. »
« What do you mean ? » she asked, a silver of hope flourishing in her again.
Bernard hesitated before revealing that he was the creator of this poison by telling to Catherine that he had sold it… it was a well-known fact that it was bad form to sell poisons, knowing that it would kill people… but it was his job, the thing that allowed him to bring food to his family. He hesitated a little but he remembered who was the woman before him : Catherine de Medici, Queen of France, he had to answer her, even if it cost him his life…
« I believe your husband will live. The dose of this poison has to be calculated with the measurements of the victim... and, in the recent days, I have only sold one vial of it... and it was meant for a small woman. » he explained further.
Catherine didn't even calculate that he was the author of this toxic potion.
A tear of utmost relief rolled down her cheek. « A small woman ? » her mind began to work again and she rapidly came to the conclusion : « Me ? Maybe the poison was meant for me and somehow handed in my husband's hands ? »
« It's possible, your Grace. If that is the case, you have been lucky in your infortune. Had it been you, you would have lost your baby if not died yourself...» Bernard agreed.
The Queen placed a protective hand on her belly. *She would have lost her baby, their baby* she thought while looking at the laying form of the man she loved.
« Is there anything that can be done for the King ? » she asked.
« Sadly, no your Majesty. The poison has to dissipate by itself. Nonetheless, I advise having him drink a lot of water and he has to rest as well, of course. »
« Very well. Do you remember who bought it to you ? » She wanted to know, and to destroy the person who dared to do this.
« She didn't gave me a name... but she was young, with dark hair, dark eyes. Very slim and quite beautiful... » He began to describe Kenna.
The Queen was thinking, *if it was a woman who wanted to kill her, she must be jealous one... maybe one of Henry's late conquests ?* but then, Bernard added an information and it became clear in her mind.
« From her accent, I would say she was a foreigner, a Scottish woman I would think. »
Catherine's eyes widened in understanding... « Kenna... she is behind it. » her eyes darkened with rage.
« Have you got another vial of this poison ? » she asked Bernard. He nodded understanding what she wanted to do.
« Very well, thank you for your service mister Vernay. Oh, and have me brought that vial... » she said... she was thankful for his help but was thirsty of revenge. A thirst only made greater when she saw her still pale husband struggling to stay alive.
Before leaving, the apothecary thought good to add another thing : « Your Majesty, I swear to you I had no idea that the poison was meant for you or the King. I would never have sold it to the woman if I had known. »
« I know » answered the Queen « or you wouldn't be leaving this room alive. That woman well prepared her plan... but she failed... and trust me, she will pay. »
He bowed to his Queen and muttered his thanks' before leaving the royal couple alone.
Catherine went to order the guards that they were not to be disturbed unless it was a physician who came to treat her husband further. She also asked one of them to look for Kenna's whereabouts.
Then, she undressed herself and remained in her shift before climbing into bed again.
She went closer to her husband who was once again as cold as ice. Henry sighed at the contact of her warm and soft flesh against his own. « Catherine »
« Yes, darling. I'm here. » She answered and wrapped her arms around him. He only sighed and relaxed further into her arms.
« The doctor said you are going to be better, my love » She added softly and kissed his lips lovingly, that's when she noticed how dry they were.
« Henry ? » she called a little stronger. When he heard her, he opened his eyes with difficulty.
« The doctor said you needed to drink often. » she said and reached for the glass of water, standing on the bedside table. She then tenderly held it for him so that he could drink.
After, the Queen went back into her King's arms and held him to her. « You're going to live Henry. » she said with determination. Upon hearing her, the weakened King couldn't help the small smile that formed on his lips. Not having the strength to do more, he fell into sleep once again.
Catherine stayed where she was and guarded him in his sleep, all the while thinking about how she should make Kenna suffer...
During the next days, Henry's condition was slowly getting better, he was now able to sit in the bed and to talk normally, but the doctors said he still needed to rest. Catherine had put the duke and duchess in the confidence of her husband's health. It would have been difficult to hide it for so long anyway.
Arnaud was now at Henry's side, sitting on a nearby chair while Catherine was forcing herself to go outside of their room and to get a little bit of fresh hair with Carolina.
« How are you feeling today ? » Arnaud asked Henry when he woke up.
« Better, really. » answered the King, surprised to see his friend here.
« I'm glad. » Arnaud said before explaining the situation « You must be surprised to see me here, instead of your wife but... with Carolina, we thought it would do her great good if she went outside a little. She has not left this room in days and... »
Henry gently cut his friend's explanation : « You were right to do this Arnaud, and I thank you for it. »
The duke smiled. « Since when has Catherine left ? » Henry asked.
« Well, she went with Carolina to take a stroll around the gardens and it's been nearly an hour... really I'm surprised, at first I thought the moment she would pass these doors she would storm back inside. » answered Arnaud honestly.
The King chuckled, his Catherine has always been like this... always fussing over him, when he was ill or injured, and making sure all his desires were met even before he realized he needed them.
« I know, she's quite the caring wife. » Henry smiled at the thought of her.
« She loves you, Henry, really. » Stated the duke.
« I know, I love her too. » smiled the King.
The two men were still smiling when their wives entered the chambers.
« Henry » Catherine smiled when she saw him awake.
He returned that smile.
Both of the rulers thanked their hosts for their company before turning to each other. Catherine when to lay beside him.
« How was this little stroll darling ? » he asked his wife.
« Very relaxing but I missed you. » she answered.
« You missed me ? Already ? » he smiled.
« I always miss you, the second I'm not with you. Don't you know this by now ? » she said gently but honestly.
« I've missed you too, Caterina » The Queen closed her eyes when she heard him pronouncing her name the Italian way... how she had missed this too.
They laid against each other for a little while before Catherine decided to reveal the truth to her husband now that he was better.
Lifting her head from his chest, she looked him in the eyes : "Henry ?"
"Yes, darling" he answered her.
"Henry, there's… there is something that I need to tell you." She clarified.
The King's face took lines of worry when he heard her.
"Henry, you've been poisoned" she answered his unasked question.
His mind worked to make sense of what she was telling him : "Poisoned ? By whom ?"
"Yes, Henry, you were poisoned… by Kenna. The potion she used was a very discreet one, meant to mimic the effects of a very serious cold. Fortunately, the quantity of the poison has to be calculated with the measurements of the victim. I think, in her plans, this victim was to be me and not you… that's why it failed and we are both still alive." Catherine hesitated before continuing, knowing that what she was about to reveal would bring him even more out of himself "Henry, if it had been me, the apothecary who created and sold the poison to Kenna said that I would have lost our baby and I certainly would have died as well." She explained everything to him.
Henry's face was betraying his anger the more her story progressed. He was beyond furious, this slut has tried to kill his wife and him by the same occasion ? "I will kill her" he said coldly through gritted teeth.
She ran a soothing hand across his chest, knowing it wouldn't do for him to overexert himself.
"She is already taken care of…" she announced and then answered his questioning stare "I asked the apothecary to bring me another vial of the poison and I had it delivered into Kenna's wine with a special note from me.
She is now in the same condition as you were except that she will not recover." She finished coldly.
Her hand succeeded in calming him a little and when she explained her revenge, a wicked smile appeared on his lips. He caressed her cheek and said "My wicked wife, and what did that note say ?"
She returned his wicked smile, leaning in his hand that was warm once again and answered : "If you want to destroy me, aim well, because if you miss me, I won't miss you…"
He smiled even wider, "How I love you." And he kissed her.
She returned his kiss, "You didn't think that I would let her live knowing that she has almost taken what I cherish the most."
"No, and had it not been you, I would have killed her myself for threatening you, our child and me…" He said, took her again in his arms and petted their baby. Catherine immediately put her much smaller hand above his and caressed it tenderly.
"Maybe now we will be able to live… without threats and worry for a while." She muttered sleepily.
"Humm… I hope darling." Henry whispered back.
Maybe now, they could have the tranquillity they were hoping for…
AN : Here it is, a little shorter than the others chapters but well… I hope you still like it :)
Laura D.