Chapter Three
Nimble fingers deftly twisted and coiled silken hair the colour of the sunrise that shone in long bars across the Queen's chambers. Catherine sat at her vanity, freshly dressed for the day in a silver gown with gold and black accents, skirts rustling softly as she adjusted her legs to sit more comfortably. She bent her neck slightly, tucking her chin a little more towards her chest, giving Charlotte a better angle to arrange her hair for the day ahead. She wished she had not risen so early in the day, with so many hours ahead to get through, knowing how tired she would be by the evening. But it could not be helped. Though the hailstorm had passed, and left the sky fresh and clean with the promise of a new day, her night had been restless since the dream. She felt unrested, and unsettled, and after tossing and turning for a few hours, and managing to doze a little, she gave up and began to ready herself for the day.
She felt the smooth tug of a hair pin sliding through an intricate knot of swirled hair on the back of her head, before Charlotte stepped back and dropped her hands to her sides.
"Will that be all, your Majesty?"
The Queen gave a slight nod. "Thank you, Charlotte." She reached for her jewelry box as her lady-in-waiting curtsied and quietly left the room. Pausing to select her accessories for her outfit, her fingers absently traced over colourful gems and twisted gold, loops of silver and smooth pearls, while her thoughts wandered. Uneasiness had settled in her stomach long before it was light that morning, and she didn't like it. Her own reaction to her dream had surprised her. She hadn't cried so in years, and instead of the usual feeling of relief at the release of emotional tension, she was left with the same heaviness of heart and unsteadiness that she had gone to bed with the night before. Catherine did not like to feel out of control, especially regarding her emotions. A queen must be able to rule over herself if she is to rule over a country, she reminded herself.
She sighed, remembering how vivid her dream had been – as though she had been there, living it all over again with Henry. She almost wished that the hail hadn't broken through her sleep and disturbed her. What a night they'd had all those years ago, on her 18th birthday. She felt so detached from it now, with all that had passed in the time since, that it almost seemed like she was remembering different people from a different lifetime. And yet at the same time it seemed like only yesterday, something she could almost reach out and touch. She closed her eyes, hand stilling on a piece of jewelry, as she reminisced once more.
After the fireworks, Henry had produced a wrapped box, which Catherine had opened to reveal an elegant necklace. She instinctively traced her fingers lightly over her collar bone as she remembered, sweeping down over the exposed skin of her chest below, and up over her other collar bone.
Henry had cradled her back and shoulders into his chest, reaching around her body as she held the beautiful gift, so that he could touch it and point to each of the features he had commissioned especially for her. The coils and swirls of silver in such intricate detailed designs, which he said was to depict the enchanting enigma that was his Catherine. The swirls were studded with glittering diamonds, several of them larger and more centrally positioned, and little strings of tiny ones encrusting the sweeping edges of the coiled design. He said that she sparkled. That diamonds catching the light reminded him of her smile, her eyes, her hair when the sun shone on it and the wind blew it loose. He said that she was more beautiful than anything he could have had made for her to wear. He had swept her hair from the nape of her neck, kissing it softly, before gently lifting the necklace into place and fastening it for her. She had never felt so precious, so wanted.
After the years had passed and Diane had become the object of her husband's affections, she had put the necklace away, at the bottom of her jewelry box. It pained her to see it and be reminded of what she had lost, so although it was too precious to part with, she kept it out of sight.
Rousing suddenly from her daydream, Catherine searched the box for the necklace. Bittersweet though it was, she thought she would like to see it again, and perhaps to wear it that day. It would match perfectly with her gown, and she had a crown that would partner it well too. Her brow furrowed as she searched deeper, the unique design absent amongst her other necklaces. After carefully looking over each one again, she sat back, biting her lip in confusion over the matter. Had she passed the jewelry to somebody else? It had been many years… perhaps she had, but she couldn't imagine she would ever part with that particular piece. After a pause, she shook herself slightly, selected a necklace of pearls and diamonds, and a simple crown, and readied herself to leave her chambers.