Disclaimer: I neither own Reign, nor profit from this story.

Ch 3 - Running towards a Precipice

Following Henry's declaration, Catherine's uncle seemed was shocked, but all he did was smile a toothy grin.

"That desperate to find out your fate boy, hmmm? To prove yourself?"

"Perhaps I can see more than you think, perhaps I am more than you know," Henry answered, hoping that the man didn't pick up that he was speaking of the girl in question, of Catherine.

Looking at him with a keen eye, and clearer head than he seemed to have just a few seconds before, the man nodded laying down his cards. Henry pretended to look worried for a moment, then solemnly laid his cards down.

The man across the table chuckled to himself, folding his arms.

"I will be glad to be rid of her. To small for a real man to want her, and quiet as a mouse at all the wrong times she is."

Reaching into his pocket the man fished out a key and threw it at Henry. "Well go and be done with it boy, we will complete this transaction tonight and you can wed her properly once I am gone."

To this Henry was stunned, take care of this tonight but…

Then he realized, he was being told to bed her, before they were even properly wed! To prove his what…claim on her?

"I am leaving tomorrow and I want to make sure of your intentions. You will make her your bride in the natural order of things or she is coming with me, bet or no bet. I always preferred it that way anyway. It used to be that man would make a woman his wife by his actions above his words."

Swallowing at his conditions, Henry could not believe what he was hearing.

"I will give you an hour before coming to make sure it has been done, or you will never see her again."

Looking hard at the man now Henry knew he needed to choose his words carefully.

"What if I found a priest now and brought him here?"

Stunned at the audacity of the teen, her uncle froze for a moment before letting out a loud belly laugh.

"So he's a romantic is he, a sentimental romantic." Her uncle sneered. "Fine, go find your priest, but you still have only an hour…I am not a patient man."

Nearly bolting out the door Henry ran back to the blacksmith's shop where his stallion was. He could get to the church and back if he was fast about it, but he would have to hurry.

Belatedly he hoped the priest didn't mind a brisk ride.

And then he still had to convince Catherine that this was a good idea.

-/-/-/-/-

Mounting his horse Henry made quick work of getting on his way. He had never been the most religious man but he tried to be respectful of the father and everything he stood for. He made it to most weekly masses and hoped that he might have bought just enough good grace to pull this off.

The thought of Catherine's uncle's demand made him shudder.

That she would have so little value to him, that he could care so little…

Making it to the door of the parsonage he tried to calm himself from the ride and the adrenaline but likely failed miserably. Knocking on the door he prayed that the man would answer soon.

It was late enough that he was probably beginning to get ready for bed, but Henry thought he might just catch him in time.

Sure enough a candlelight illuminated the cracks around the door and the portal was soon open. Understandably surprised the man just stood there as Henry recounted what he had done and what he needed.

Frowning he was met with the resistance of a normal and reasonable man, despite these unreasonable circumstances.

"Please Father, her uncle cares for her so little that it was his suggestion that I bed her to make her my wife, a transaction to be completed with no care for her feelings or her virtue."

"And you do."

"I bet my stallion on her Father, I want to get her away from that man, and this is the only way I can see to do it."

Crossing one arm over his stomach and resting his other arm on top to support his chin. the man considered his answer.

"And you are ready to be to her a husband? To care for her as you would yourself, to care for her in body, and mind, and soul? To support her and be her strength, and at times admit that you will need her to support you as well?

"I will learn Father. I want her to be happy, to have a chance of happiness that I do not see happening if she remains with her uncle."

Sighing the man nodded. "Very well then, and he said that I must be brought there?"

"Yes father and…quickly. He said that if I have not known her within the hour, wedding or no wedding that she will be lost to me."

Turning to grab his cloak and collar he returned to the doorway gesturing for Henry to lead the way.

"I assume you have a way to get us there in time?"

"I do if you can ride."

-/-/-/-/-

Striding back into the tavern Henry was met with many a raised eyebrow. Clearly most in attendance did not think he could pull it off. Turning the key over to find out which room she was in he strode there purposefully, hoping to portray far more courage than he felt.

Once he was out of sight Henry leaned back against the wall to catch his breath and collect his thoughts. He had less than an hour to convince a near stranger that even though he had just purchased her, that he would be a safe bet and an honorable man.

Running his fingers over the ridges of the key, the sharpness of the grooves he may well have made himself, he took one last breath before finding her room and inserting the key.

Opening the door slowly he was not sure what he would find. Taking in the whole room he finally found her sitting on a chair in the corner reading a book by an ever shrinking candle. Walking farther into the room he realized that she must not have realized anything was amiss and thought he was her uncle.

"Ummmm, pardon me but I believe we need to talk."