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

Ch 12 - To Dance, to Dream

The next several weeks went on as usual, except for Bash and Francis's new lessons.

At first Catherine scolded Henry for the additional risk of injury to the boys and himself, but when he told her what Bash saw she reluctantly agreed.

It certainly helped that both of the boys seemed to have an affinity for the sport and were progressing quite well with the wooden swords Henry made for training them.

The boys friendship easily turned into a friendly rivalry, urging each other to work harder and longer. Generally Henry would teach them a skill and train them individually until they began to achieve mastery. Then they would spar with each other and finally with Henry to task their skill and receive additional correction.

Henry had learned when he was younger from a retired soldier. The man lived alone and generally kept to himself but Henry was able to convince him to train him in exchange for helping him keep up his small farm house.

The man fought in the Italian Wars and had seen enough bloodshed that he desired nothing more than to keep to himself and live a quiet life.

It took quite a while for Henry to convince him, but as far as the then young man could determine he had nothing to lose in trying. He had little direction in life except to follow in his father's footsteps and there was something that drew him to this man, that made him want to draw nearer and learn from him.

Henry found that he enjoyed the exertion, and it allowed him to find release from tension that built up over .

The morning after his parents died the old man found him outside of his house, sitting on the stoop, presumably waiting for another lesson but unusually silent.

The man did nothing but sit down next to him and sit silently until Henry said or did anything at all.

Eventually dinnertime rolled around, the two of them still sitting there and the old man got up to make them something to eat.

When he returned, Henry was still sitting there so the man handed him a bowl of what passed as soup. He was glad when Henry accepted it and even more so when the boy's hands began to tremble and then began to cry into his bowl.

Removing the bowl from Henry's hands the man put his arm around Henry who almost immediately turned into the embrace and began to cry in earnest.

This was when Henry learned it was ok for a man to cry, to feel.

When he eventually stopped, he apologized immediately to the old man trying to pull away as fast as he could and began to stand.

The old man yanked him back down and told him in no uncertain words that a man who did not cry, was not a man at all. That the anger, and resentment, and sadness that would accumulate out of sheer pride would eventually burn him up inside, poisoning him from the inside out.

That night Henry slept in the man's house, settled in front of the fire.

It was not long after that he sought his apprenticeship with the blacksmith and saw the man far less frequently after that, but he would never forget that lesson.

Now watching these boys he decided he was glad he had the opportunity to teach them this skill.

He knew that Bash had partly agreed to the lessons as an excuse to continue keeping an eye out for the strangers.

He had reported no new sightings but that did not concern Henry any less.

They lived in a quiet area. There was noting of particularly great value, and the closest main road was at least a half a day's ride away, but that didn't mean they never saw any trouble and the world they lived in could be cruel.

As the boys continued to spar a little longer Henry decided to head inside for a rest and to check on his wife.

It took a lot for her need any assistance, ever, never mind to admit to needing it.

Although she seemed to have recovered Henry still worried.

Walking into their kitchen to homey smell of dinner on the way he smiled as he observed the sight. Several of Mary's friends were over and the gaggle of girls, including his own, were chatting away while keeping an eye on the young ones. Little Henry and Charles were apparently hiding under the kitchen table from the cooing coddling mass of females.

Catherine stood slightly apart from the younger ones as she finished preparing their meal. Smiling at the sight and occasionally answering questions that were directed her way, Henry admired his wife's ability to continue amidst the chaos.

She was well respected by Mary's friends and they often seemed to see her as a second mother.

Each coming from various backgrounds, the girls would get together as they were able, usually meeting at their house when they were not off with the rest of their peers on afternoon outings.

Not long ago one of the girls asked about Catherine's wedding, to which she paused for a moment before answering.

At the time Henry could see the conflicted emotions clearly in her eyes in deciding how to answer.

Neither of them believed that lying to the children in their 'best interest' was truly beneficial, but there were some things in life they did try to protect them from for a time.

Her answer was simple but true.

"We married when we were just fourteen. It was arranged marriage, though Henry did at least do me the courtesy of asking before we said our vows."

Pausing and looking at him before she continued, Henry had walked over to his wife and wrapped one arm around her in an act of comfort. "It would not have been my choice, but I do not regret agreeing to marry him, and learned to love him along way."

The girls looked at her with varying reactions.

Mary had heard different parts of this story before, and knew she had not told them everything.

Kenna looked disinterested, though when Catherine had spoken of the age when she was married her reaction was far less indifferent. Her family had few designs on what her marriage might look like or bring them. They were comfortable enough in their lifestyle, and had far more interest in how to make the best mead then who she was to marry.

Greer and Ailee both had far more to lose when it came to their marriage prospects. Greer because her family often struggled to make ends meet, and Ailee because she didn't but her family intended to use her marriage to further bolster their own position in the world.

Once again, Mary found herself grateful for the family that had adopted her not so long ago.

Squeezing Catherine tighter, Henry decided to try and lighten the mood. "All it took for me to fall in love was this woman's pretty face and her hearty stew."

Shaking her head Catherine replied, "Well then I'm sure any of these young ladies would make a perfectly suitable substitute should you tire of me. I will be…"

But Henry didn't let her finish.

He knew she was partially joking, but she joked often enough about it that he never fully believed that she said it in jest.

The arm that had previously rested around her shoulder descended in concert with his other arm reached for her waist while his fingers did quick work of dispersing her words.

"Henry!" She shouted before bending in half as he tickled her to halt her words.

The girls were amused but tried to stifle their giggles behind their hands.

Henry waited until he could hear Catherine panting slightly from his jovial assault before letting her up. Glaring at him she once again began to scold him, but he barely let her catch her breath before returning his hands to her waist drawing her impossibly close and kissing her senseless.

To this the girls fully turned away, still giggling until they heard Catherine announce.

"Henry you are incorrigible."

Laying one more peck on her nose Henry responded, "And don't I know it."