Disclaimer: I neither own Reign, nor profit from this story.
Ch 2 - Perseverance, Character, Hope
As the sun peeked more strongly above the horizon, the couple could hear their children begin to move about their small house. Catherine heard Mary in the kitchen already beginning to prepare their breakfast and she could see Francis walking out towards Catherine who had just finished retrieving the morning's eggs already gathered from their two hens. Catherine decided to go in while Francis helped Henry finish up with milking their goat.
She and Henry had always dreamed from the time they had begun this journey together of what their family might look like, though never would they have imagined this particular version.
Passing Francis along the way she reached for him and kissed him on the forehead bidding him good morning. Smoothing his golden curls back she smiled. It was a good day when mornings started like this…calm on a bright spring morning.
"Go help your father, I will take these in."
Looking up to her, Francis smiled. Her sweet boy would soon be surpassing her in height, her golden boy was growing up.
After allowing her a moment Francis eventually called to her hoping to bring her back out of her sentimentality so he could get on his way. "Mother…mother," Francis called softly.
Her focus returning to the present, Catherine quirked a smile, reached down to squeeze his hand and walked back to the house.
She passed Charles and Little Henry on the way, playing near their small garden…and well out of the way of Mary making breakfast in the kitchen. If Mary had everything in hand Catherine decided she would come out and join them for a time.
Entering the kitchen and placing the eggs off to the side for later Mary was working and turned in place. Catherine's grin deepened as she watched Mary, and Claude nearby watching Margot and Hercule.
Walking over to one and the other she bid them good morning as well with a kiss to their cheeks, then went over to pick up Hercule. "And how did my sweet girls sleep last night," she asked, dancing gently around in a circle.
Margot had never been a cuddly child, but Hercule certainly was.
"Fine mother," Claude answered, walking coming near and looking up at her. Claude always liked to please her mother. The classic middle child, and unfortunately probably overlooked more than the others due in part to her mild temperament and lack of getting into trouble.
Kneeling down she hugged Claude to her, and smiled as Margot kept playing with her doll.
Mary looked over from stirring their porridge with a smile, catching Catherine's eye.
There were many things in this life that Mary was glad of, and this family was one of them. They had taken her in out of the goodness of their heart, and she had never felt less than any of their other children.
Turning quickly as she heard the pops and spits of the porridge boiling, Mary went to grab the hook to pull the pot farther from fire.
Letting go of Claude and gently placing Hercule back down on the floor she went over to help Mary. The pot could be heavy and the fire sometimes spit, but that never stopped Mary from facing a challenge head on.
Once done Catherine left the girls to their own tasks. Mary would call them in when the meal was served and Francis and Henry should be coming in shortly.
Walking outside once again Catherine admired what she saw.
When she and Henry were first married, they lived in one room attached to the blacksmith's shop he apprenticed in. The old man to which he was bonded was kindly and granted them the room nearly for free. In exchange they made sure to give it a good cleaning each night so that it was more seemly for customers.
It constantly smelled of labor form the day and was noisy late into the night as it was not far off of the main street. Then one day he had surprised her…blindfold and all with this little cottage, not too far from town, but far enough that it felt like they had a small patch of heaven on earth all their own.
They only had Francis and Elisabeth at the time, though even with just two little ones it was a welcome relief.
It was a small cottage and so as their family grew they had to make additions. The original two-room dwelling had expanded to a larger kitchen where the family gathered whenever they were inside, a small walk in pantry to which Catherine had been particularly appreciative of and three bedrooms, one for the girls, one for the boys, and one for Catherine and Henry.
Hercule was currently sleeping in their room and Henry was in the process of building a fourth bedroom…another thing their neighbors thought to be odd.
'Children should be seen and not heard, and any place to rest their head should be reason enough to be thankful.'
As the head of the household Henry was usually more so on the receiving end of these comments, but he just laughed them off and would joke that the more rooms they had to sleep in, the more sleep they everyone would have.
He was glad to be able to show he cared for his family in this way.
He and Francis has indeed begin to return with the animals taken care of and fresh milk in hand. Seeing Catherine at the doorway with a faraway look on her face he considered how lucky he was. For a woman such as this that he could call his own, and that she would even consider calling him hers.
His wife was his pride and joy, and never ceased to amaze him…her care for their children, her passions for life, and her mind…yes her mind. It had been one of the strongest attributed that attracted him in the first place.
Not unlike Mary, Catherine had been visiting the village where he grew up. The daughter of a merchant herself she was certainly better off than he in resources, but on the few occasions that he would see her around town she seemed sad.
Then he met her uncle.
A wealthy man looking to unload his niece to the right suitor, he cared for Catherine as well as was needed, and to most that meant clothing and food and a husband.
Henry saw beyond that, saw a lonely and scared girl just looking for something to hold onto.
He still wasn't sure how he managed to do it. Her uncle never would have given him heed had he been thinking clearly, but somehow he'd managed to encourage the man to drink enough at the local tavern and goad him into a game of cards.
Working his way up to his intended goal Henry bet cautiously and slowly and then edged in about the topic of the man's niece.
He could have slapped the man, the tone of his voice and the words he used to describe her!
Henry bided his time and after losing several hands on purpose payed the part of the desperate fool when he was sure he had the man beat.
He had just bought himself a stallion, as the apprentice of a blacksmith he made a modest salary and decided that it might be just the thing to begin attracting the young ladies. Nothing serious for now, he wanted to enjoy his youth.
And then he saw Catherine.
She was well shrouded from the likes of him, but he would watch her from afar as he worked.
And now he was certain he would be able to free her from the clutches of her carless and heartless uncle.
Knowing that the man had well spent much of his coin that evening, Henry grinned as the man had emptied the last of his purse onto the table not long before. Pretending to be nervous he had offered his Stallion as leverage.
The man raised his eyebrow at that, thinking this a gusty move by one so young…fourteen by his estimation,
"Alright then, I certainly don't have enough to match that but I think you are bluffing. What would you have me offer in exchange? I am due to leave town and have not done well here in business." Pausing to gauge his adversary's reaction the man continued, "Would you take my wares off of me or have you something else in mind?"
Pausing as if to consider this Henry sat back in his chair and casually found the man's eye.
"Your niece would do."