Disclaimer: I neither own Reign, nor profit from this story.
Ch 5 - Enjoying the Present, Remembering the Past
Back in the present, Henry once again began finishing the journey back towards his wife and two of his younger children, his eldest by his side. Watching her there, the early morning rays illuminating her skin and almost golden hair, he continued to think how lucky he was.
Their little boys had begun coming up to show them what they had found. Since the boys had decided that digging up the garden was their newest game Catherine had found a way to make it useful instead of destructive. Posing the garden as the sea, the rocks and weeds as buried treasure, and the plants as mermaids who could not be disturbed, she had trained up two very eager gardeners who never knew any better of it.
It was usually Catherine who came up with the more clever ways around and through situations.
Watching her now as she knelt down to see what their boys had brought her more closely, he fell just a little more in love with her.
Instructing Francis to bring in some fresh wood for the day he made his way over to his wife who had just set the boys off on another treasure hunt. Offering his hand he helped her up as she swiped the dirt off her skirts.
"You never cease to amaze me my love," Henry said, smiling and kissing his wife on the lips.
"Mmmmm, and to what do I owe this pleasure my love?"
Caressing her cheek he replied first with a smile. "Do I need a specific reason my queen?"
"Your queen?" She asked with an amused but questioning look.
"The dream may have disturbed me, but I rather like the idea of being married to my very own royal."
Humming in response she caressed his chest looking deeply into his eyes. "Well then I accept, but only if you will agree to be my king." Indulging him further with a smile she continued, "I hear that the life of a monarch can be quite lonely."
"If it pleases you, than your wish is my command…my queen."
Henry bowed slightly, grasping her hand to kiss it at he descended. He had happily spent much of his life striving to please her, though his only true acclaim was when he had pried Catherine from her oily uncle.
Getting lost in his memories for a moment, it took Catherine's voice to bring him back to the present.
Catherine inquired with her eyes what had distracted him so.
"I was simply remembering my love, remembering the first night we finally met."
"Ahhh, you mean the night you spirited me away?"
"Indeed my queen," he smiled, running his finger over the iron ring still adorning her finger.
The ceremony had been absolutely horrible.
The priest was kindly and Henry was sweet, but the 'guests' were all so drunk that she felt degraded, especially by her uncle.
And the worse wasn't even over yet.
She and Henry had retreated to her room to the sound of catcalls and grunts. She wanted to crawl beneath the floorboards.
Henry walked her over to the side of the bed where she had previously sat while considering his offer. Once there he disengaged the key off of the ring and knelt down on one knee. Raising her hand from her side up her hand he placed the makeshift ring on her thumb, the only finger it wouldn't fall off of, before squeezing her fingers slightly.
"Little as it may seem, this is my promise to you."
Nodding she quirked a smile before looking down at the bed. Her smile fading as the realization of what was to come next began to sink in.
Drawing her gaze back to his with a finger crooked under her chin he tried to calm her fears.
"Trust me," he pleaded before tipping her face upward gently and leaning down to kiss her.
-/-/-/-/-
Both of them were blushing from head to toe on their way out of the Tavern. Between the whole ordeal and the looks they were receiving on their way, Henry was sure they would be the talk of the town for quite some time.
In deference to Catherine's inexperience with riding, he decided they should walk the horse back. It was one skill he hoped to teach her someday and he thought it to be useful…though as he understood it, a woman's attire might make riding securely a bit tricky.
Entering the shop, Henry was startled to see his master sitting in the corner far later than was usual.
Nodding he placed his whittling project aside and rose to greet them as they entered from the front.
"So you managed to do it, boy. You pried her from his grasp."
Blushing anew Henry ducked his head as Catherine turned her head to look at him fully now.
Looking up and catching her eye, he shrugged sheepishly, "I may have been considering this for a time." Squeezing her hand he admitted. "I wasn't even sure I could do it."
Smiling at his admission her heart melted a little more, her trust beginning to build.
"I assume she will be staying with me tonight, no sense in beginning your union with a tarnished reputation."
Catherine turned now away from his gaze, clearly still upset at the events of the night.
Squaring himself off, Henry replied in as sure a voice as he could muster.
"There is no sense in that, as we were already married, a stipulation made by her uncle, and the evidence of which he confirmed to the entire tavern before we were allowed to leave this evening.
Frowning at the spectacle this poor girl was made to go through, the blacksmith felt of the young woman, but was equally glad that she was no longer under the thumb of such a man. To even consider such a demand was…
Well what was done was done.
Smiling softly the old man moved closer to the door and reached both hands out, shaking Henry's hand before grabbing his head affectionally and kissing him. Taking Catherine's hand gently mirrored his actions with her as appropriate for her gender.
He looked them each in turn in the eye before finishing "Well then I suppose I will leave you two to the rest of your evening."
Moving just past them he turned around and looked directly at Catherine.
"And if he misbehaves or treats, you even a little badly be sure you come to me about it. A man has no business knocking around his wife and I'll be sure to see to it that this one knows it." He finished with a mostly playful smile, but with a serious look in his eye.
Slowly Catherine began feeling more comfortable, more sure in her decision to take this chance.
As the old man closed the door behind him, there remained an awkward pause between them for a moment before Henry began stuttering again and gestured her back toward his room.
Nodding her consent she allowed him to lead her into her new home, and her new life.
What it would hold she was uncertain, but she had never shied away from a challenge before, and didn't intend to now.