Authors Note: So I decided I'd continue this one idk how long it'll be just yet but I think this one will be just young Cathry in love and learning about each other before the betrayals and all but if you want me to include shit going down hill and Diane's part in it all just let me know and I will do Xox
"Do you like to dance, mon petite?" Francois smiled affectionately after noticing the young Italian by his side had been starring at the couples dancing for quite sometime."Yes, your majesty" Catherine answered, returning his smile as she shifted her attention to the King. In truth she loved to dance, but it was only really worth while when she had her husband as a partner. "Ahh Catherine, you know better" The old man said with a playfully disapproving look.
"Yes, Papa" The dauphine corrected with a light chuckle, not even trying to hide from him how much she loved it. Since the moment she'd come to France her father-in-law had welcomed her with open arms, treating her like one of his own daughters, for which Catherine loved him beyond words. " Much better" He winked back, laughing along with her until they once again fell into a comfortable silence as they watched the festivities.
After a while though, Francois noticed her gaze was going beyond the dancers. She was watching the door. Waiting for him. The King gave a frustrated sigh as he called over a servant to refill his wine."Shame on this boy of mine, forcing his lady to wait on him for hours" he said angrily, growing wearier of Henry's antics by the week. To say it was common for his son to be late, or sometimes even completely absent for events at Court would be an understatement.
"I'm sure he just forgot, you know he hasn't much patients for these events. He's probably still out hunting" Catherine replied in his defence as was quickly becoming a habit. Half the time she hated going to these stupid balls as well, mostly because she knew it wasn't likely her husband wouldn't make an appearance, even though he had promised her a dance, but she didn't have it in her to hold it against him. In truth she had trouble holding anything against him. But her Henry had never been the sort of man that was good at keeping his true feelings hidden and many of these balls the King would throw required the crown Prince to smile and play nice with nobles he'd rather spit on.
"A poor excuse if ever there was one." Francois retorted irritably "How am I supposed to entrust my crown when he can't even handle simple responsibilities like showing up on time, or at all for that matter? What kind of King will he become if he continues to show such little care for anything other than his leisure activities?" He asked. In truth he trusted the young Medici more than most of his advisors and sharing with her his problems and concerns had become quite a regular occurrence, in fact she was one of the very few people that knew just how soon Henry may have to learn to act like a King. But talking about her husband with his father always made her just a little uncomfortable. "I'll tell you, my dear" He went on after a moment "if not for you by his side I would leave France to my cousin in Navarre before I gave it to my son."
"Henry cares about more than you might think, Papa. He may not be as punctual as he should but in time, as he grows older that will change. I think he has the potential to be a great King one day..perhaps if you spent more time with him you would see it too?" She countered, feeling her Henry was being unfairly written off. He may not be a social butterfly keen on making friends with those he despised but he had many redeeming qualities as a leader. He was strong willed, charismatic, intelligent, he had a great mind for strategy. He was also good hearted and cared about the welfare of his people and Catherine had no doubt that when the time came, he would do what was needed of him to ensure whatever was best for France and he'd have her right by his side ready to help in any way she could.
"If I could make you King, mon petite, I would do it in a heartbeat." Francois chuckled affectionately as he rested her hand on her cheek. Catherine had always been loyal, it was a quality he most admired about her and he knew her heart would serve France well. "My son is a lucky man to have you, may he never forget it" Smiling back at him, Catherine turned her head and kissed his palm, not knowing what more she could say but hoping he had taken her words to heart. Her Henry was much more than the King gave him credit for.
"Henry!" Catherine called as her husband entered the ball room, "you came" she added with an adoring smile as he came closer, hardly minding that he was still in his riding clothes, covered in dirt and sweat from his hunt.
"Of course, my love" Henry replied with his usual easy, charming smile "I couldn't leave my beautiful wife alone all night, someone might steal you away from me" he went on as he approached the dais to place a chaste kiss on his hand.
"What is the meaning of this boy?!" Francois spat venously, barely even trying to keep his voice down. The syphilis having done wonders for his temperament. "You are the dauphin of France, the heir to my legacy and yet you show up here covered in dirt like some sort of common man! Is your intention to make a mockery of me?! A mockery of my crown?!"
"Father, I hadn't meant to-"
"You're a disgrace boy!" His father boomed, cutting off any defence his son may have tried to offer. Catherine's attention never left Henry as her father-in-law continued to berate him and so she caught the slight glint in his eyes that most others would've missed. The look that said his scars were far from just skin deep. "You're irresponsible and unworthy, an embarrassment to the Valois line. Leave my sight, I can't bare to look at my failures a moment longer."
"Gladly" he sneered with poorly masked hatred before turning and storming out, leaving his wife and his King without another word.
Catherine was quick to follow though, despite protests from Francois that she had only half heard as all but ran after her husband out the large ornate ballroom doors and down the main hall.
"Henry!" She cried as she tried to catch up to him, which with his head start and long legs was no easy feat "Henry, wait please-"
"Why?! Did he forget something?!" He yelled as he turned to face her, blinded by anger Henry let his rage for his father spill over to her, his mind condemning her guilty by association because of how famously they got along and because she happened to be sitting by his side at the time. "Has he sent you to tell me the rest of it? Let me guess, it goes something along the lines of: I'm a failure and also irresponsible, ungrateful, unworthy of being King and a monumental disappointment. Is that all?" he went on, getting himself more worked up with every word. "Was there anything I've missed? Anything you'd like to add before you run back to sit by your master? I'm sure you don't want to stay to long, the sight of me no doubt offends you as well"
"Henry.." She replied softly, taken aback by his venom. Catherine had never experienced so much of his anger being directed at her before and the hurt in her voice was clear as she looked at him with confusion "I'm here for you not him"
Cursing himself for his outburst, the future King took a moment to calm down before slowly walking towards her and taking her hands in his. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take it out on you." He apologised, hating himself for the hitch he'd heard in her voice. "It's just- He doesn't know the first thing about me, he's never bothered to care - what right does he have to call me a disappointment?!" he went on, his frustration rising again.
"I know, my love." She sighed, glad that his anger toward her at least had faded. Catherine wanted more than anything for Henry and Francois to be able to reconcile and have some sort of relationship, knowing how much love was between them hidden beneath the overwhelming resentment, and though she knew it was unlikely that such a miracle would ever happen, especially with the King getting weaker by the day, she couldn't help but try. "I know how he comes across, but he doesn't mean it the way it sounds. He loves you, Henry. But he's sick and he's worried that-"
"I knew you were taking his side!" He interrupted, trying to pull his hand away as he stepped back. Having been hurt to much by his fathers actions to even allow himself to hear her out. Though Catherine had no intention of letting him walk away so easily.
"I am not!" She replied, her grip on his hand tightening as he tried to pull away. "I am your wife. I will always be on your side." The dauphine informed forcefully as she stepped closer to him, leaving very little space between them. "I only meant to try and explain his reasons" She added more quietly, suddenly feeling unsure of herself. She wasn't used to being to forward with him.
Softening as he always did when faced his fiery Medici bride, Henry wrapped his arms around her to banish the uncertainty he saw in her beautiful hazel eyes, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I don't want to speak of this any longer" He whispered tiredly, never one to want to discuss anything with even a vague relation to his father.
"Then we won't." Catherine replied, resting her head against his chest as she wrapped her arms around him in return. Moments flew past as the two held each other in peaceful silence in the empty hall way until eventually the blonde asked "..how was your hunt?"
"Fine" her husband responded, breathing in the smell of her hair "..I made you something" He added almost nervously before taking her gift from his pocket and sliding it on her wrist. Lifting it up to see, Catherine smiled in surprise when she found it was a bracelet woven out of a few lavender branches. She'd never thought Henry the weaving type.
"It's beautiful" She smiled, leaning into his embrace. "As are you, my dear" he replied easily, kissing the top of her head, relieved that she had liked his present, though that was nothing compared to the gifts he had the jeweller working on.
He didn't give the lady long to admire her new floral bangle though before, spurred on by the faint sound of music that could be heard from the ballroom, he began twirling her through the hall. "Now what are you doing?" she questioned in amusement as she let herself be lead closer to the music.
"I promised I'd dance with you tonight" He grinned playfully before spinning her again. "And if nothing else, your husband is a man of his word"