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

Ch 30 - A Woman's Touch, a Woman's Tears

The ferocity in Catherine's tone gave Munro pause. She and Henry had both shown more resistance than anticipated in giving Mary over to him. Their resistance unto itself was not what gave him pause. In their minds she was their daughter and they would protect her, possibly even to their deaths.

Although he personally had no problem killing to get what he wanted, he did not delight in causing a slaughter.

Seeing Francis and Bash spar earlier, hearing these parents now defend their own. No if he was going to be victorious he would need to go about it another way.

Their insistence of the newlyweds not consummating the marriage was a possibility. If he could steal Mary away afterwards he could force an annulment, perhaps suggest that she simply be married as a Protestant to a more suitable husband once she had been delivered to his employer.

'Fine,' he though, 'We will do this their way.'

"I will agree to this," he said out loud, "so long as it is done quickly, I am losing my patience as this trip has proven to take longer than expected."

Surprised at his seemingly easy acquiescent, Henry nodded his assent.

"But I still desire to speak with Mary alone to ensure that she does not feel threatened into answering one way or the other."

"You may speak with her outside of our presence, but not alone," Henry insisted.

Waving his hand in the direction of the priest who had stayed silent during much of the later part of the conversation, "Catherine and I will go tell the other children and you may discuss this in the presence of the good father here."

That still left Bash and Nostradamus undesignated, but Henry had already thought that through. "Bash if you would go see to their horses and make sure they are well and Nostradamus if you would please see that the traditional drink is readied for the couple once they have said their vows.

Bash was noticeably displeased by this turn of events, but did as he was asked. 'Always ordered about it seemed, and never much of a say in the matter,' he thought grumpily.

Nostradamus simply nodded and stood to return to the pantry to do as he was asked.

Catherine and Henry meanwhile called Mary and Francis out to alert them as to what was to happen. Francis looked at the men warily but after a short exchange with his parents returned to his own room to change into better clothes.

Mary looked decidedly less certain of the plan and seemed to be pleading with her mother.

Munro noticed her distress and spoke from across the room, " "We will not hurt you lass, I assure you."

Still clearly disbelieving his claim she looked again at a Catherine who gave her a reassuring nod. "We will not be far if something should go wrong, and you will not be alone."

Catherine reached up to stroke her cheek tenderly, "Bash and Nostradamus will also be able to help if need be."

Mary began to protest, but Catherine once more interrupted her, this time gently cradling her head and stroking both cheeks with her thimbs. "It will be fine, we will all be fine." Leaning in to kiss her daughter's forehead Catherine finished, "Trust you mother."

And trust Catherine she did, but she still did not like this one bit.

-/-/-/-

Catherine, Claude, and Elisabeth were all in the girls room preparing Mary for the ceremony.

They had scrambled what they could on short notice but for the most part were pleased with what they were able to find.

The dress that was set aside was of a deep burgundy with an empire waist and puff sleeves. It was sitting off to the side, and Mary just in her chemise for now as they finished everything else.

Catherine and Mary were both on the quiet side while Claude and Elisabeth were gushing and floating about, primping this and mending that. Claude had gone out to pick wildflowers to weave into a crown while Elisabeth found some lace tucked away for a rainy day and stitched it into a makeshift veil.

Catherine had taken to styling Mary's hair, but though the two quietest were the closest together, the silence was more so one of comfort and not of sorrow. Catherine tried to instill in her daughter, soon to be her daughter by law and not just by choice, a peace about this.

She truly did believe that this was the right choice, and the she and Francis could be happy together.

As she began to secure the crown into Mary's hair she thought back to her wedding, her real wedding as it involved the town that she and Henry had made their home and not just a room full of drunken men.

Thanks to Henry's family owning a farm, he had learned the basic skills of carpentry and masonry.

He rarely used them when they were young and the first time Catherine ever saw him use them was ten years into their marriage when he decided that they were settled enough and he was fairly confident that she did indeed like him that he decided to plan a surprise for her.

He told both Thomas and Brigitte his plans so that they could help to cover for him as he worked.

He wanted to give Catherine a proper wedding but they had little in the way of possessions or resources. Instead he decided to build her an arbor to stand under for the ceremony.

In order to put his plan into motion Thomas informed the ladies that they would need to stay later than usual for a week's time to work on some additional projects. Brigitte meanwhile had insisted that Catherine needed to get a new dress and that she wanted to pay for it to thank Catherine for all of her help around the house over the last several years.

Catherine protested of course but Brigitte made sure to bring it up near the end of dinner when she would have extra support from her husband at ready notice.

Thomas too insisted and between the two of them she conceded.

Normally Brigitte and Catherine kept an ongoing list of clothing items that needed repair or replacing but Brigitte absolutely insisted that they visit the dressmaker on this occasion.

Catherine came home a little extra distraught that night as the woman kept commenting on short she was. She had not been feeling well lately so Henry had a bit of a mess on his hands once they were alone together.

She had been more quiet than usual at dinner so he already knew she was not quite right.

As soon as she walked through the door she began tidying up but her manner was rough and bothered. Henry tried to give her space but she was moving so rapidly that he couldn't seem to stay out of her way no matter where he stood.

Finally she bumped into him so brusquely that she nearly sent them both flying.

He caught her about the waist to which she began to flail against him.

Henry tried to calm her down, but in the end the best he could do was to pick her up and sit her in a chair, a choice that only made her more upset, but at least she was more contained.

"Catherine, what is going on?" He asked, clasping her hands between his,

She turned her face away from him and mumbled something so quietly he barely even realized she had said anything at all.

"My love, could you please repeat yourself…"

Turning to face him sharply she answered brusquely, "Don't you dare call me that Henry, not when you no longer…when you've been…"

Catherine bit her lip and closed her eyes tightly against the onslaught of tears she could feel coming.

Now thoroughly confused Henry gently stroked her cheek and spoke gently to her, "Catherine, Caterina."

He only ever used her given name in private, and almost exclusively when he wanted to be with her alone, together as husband and wife.

"Henry, don't call me that, not when you've been spending every spare moment you have in town and away from me.

He knew she sometimes got fearful of his commitment to her, particular as related to the freedom of inducing in carnal pleasures their society afforded him. It was one of the hardest things to convince her of no matter now many times he came home to her and her alone.

Daring to kiss her, he did so gently,. First on the lips, then on the nose, then showering her face and neck with the featherlight touch of his lips, before returning to her mouth and as he tried to deepen the kiss.

Shaking her head suddenly she disengaged and turned away.

Sighing he stood, and watched as her lips began to tremble.

"Catherine please come with me." He requested, firmly but without any hint of demand in his voice. He extended his arm to punctuate the request, and hopefully begin to reconnect what had been lost between them.

Surprised and a little suspicious of his request, Catherine turned to eye him warily but extended her own arm and allowed him to help her up.

Henry led her out the door and onto the blacksmith's shop.

Catherine had remained silent the whole way until he brought her around back.

When she finally looked up what she saw made her gasp.

A curved wooden structure with just enough room for two people to stand under it…but this was used for only one thing that Catherine knew of.

Turning back to Henry she was confused at first until she noticed he had dropped on his knees before her.

"Henry what…"

"While I had hoped this would be a surprise, I suppose you are far too insightful to not know that something is going on." Reaching for her left hand Henry removed the iron ring she had worn all these years as a symbol of their love and replaced it with another, this one with a tiny sliver of copper snaked around the circlet and a smooth white stone secured in the center.

Catherine was stunned. But he couldn't possibly be proposing again, they were already married.

Waiting until her now tear laden eyes raised from where he held her newly adorned finger Henry continued.

"I know that it is unusual, that once married most couples play it no further mind, but if you would allow it I would like to pledge myself to you again, this time in front of all we have called friends and neighbors these past years. To recommit myself to you as husband, and to give you a proper wedding after all this time."