AN: I'm so sorry to have to bring Diane back into the story – I see that you guys are not happy! I wanted to keep it true to the plot as best I could (well, using my imagination), and sadly Diane was part of that story. :( This is not an easy time for Catherine, but at least she has Richard. I adore Cathry, but going from Reign episode 1x11, it seems that she loved Richard as well as loving Henry – not just a quick fling. She called him "my heart". Sometimes I feel torn writing that in, because of how much I love Cathry, but it's in keeping with the story so I did it anyway. Just to explain! :) This chapter is M, so if that's not your thing, you can avoid this one and I'll be posting the next one in a few days! ;)

Chapter 20

Henry continued to flaunt Diane in front of Catherine, and Richard continued to go to her in the evenings to hold her and comfort her, sometimes through the secret passages, especially if it was very late, to avoid suspicion. Slowly, after several nights of his arms around her, she began to seem more contented, as though perhaps her heartache was lessening. When Richard asked about it, she admitted that it still hurt her no less to see Henry with Diane, but that Richard's outpouring of love was having a very healing effect. He was so grateful that she allowed him to comfort her.

Catherine mostly avoided Henry, wherever she could. Richard had pleaded with her not to engage him in arguments any more, as he was concerned that she shouldn't stress herself unnecessarily now that she was quite a way into her pregnancy, especially the physician was unaware of it, and it must remain that way. Sometimes she seemed to rise above everything that Henry threw her way, and other times she struggled. This particular afternoon, she was indeed struggling. Henry was in a jovial mood, happy to spout mild insults about Catherine to his friends and advisors, and make vaguely entertaining jokes that did not reflect well on her, all whilst she sat in the room – albeit on the far side, playing cards with two other ladies. She could hear everything he was saying, as Henry knew perfectly well. Diane was seated comfortably in his lap, and the whole situation must have been very unpleasant for Catherine. Richard too, trapped near to Henry in the gathering of their circle of friends, could hardly bear it, not just for Catherine's sake, but because of his own feelings of disgust that he was forced to push down and keep hidden. In order not to draw attention to himself over it, he also had to show amusement occasionally, responding to Henry's jokes – although he would rather lose his head than give any encouragement to Henry regarding his insulting comments about Catherine, and did his best to ignore Henry completely at those moments. Once his best friend, Henry was now the man he despised the most in the whole world, and yet he had to hide the fact and pretend that all was as it always had been.

He watched Catherine across the room, hoping that his expression would pass as unfeeling or neutral, and not betray the intense devotion that he was feeling as he looked at her. The conversation constantly turned in her direction, so he wasn't the only one casting glances her way, and it didn't seem out of place.

She was keeping a very regal appearance, much to Richard's pride and adoration. She appeared impenetrable to the unkind remarks from Henry's end of the room, and the only time Richard could discern a hint of difficult emotion in Catherine's demeanour was in the lift of her chin or the carefully controlled breath when Diane's asinine sniggering was heard.

At one point, when Richard was gazing across at her, she looked up and caught his eye. Keeping his face as neutral as possible, he tried with all his might to make his eyes tell hers, "I love you". Her expression did not change at all, but he saw a momentary softening of her eyes before her lashes fluttered and she looked away again.

As usual, that evening after dinner, he made his way through the secret passageways to Catherine's chambers. Listening carefully at the panel behind her wall, he waited to see if anybody was with her. There were no sounds, so he used their pre-arranged signal of one knock and two scratches. Three sharp taps answered him from somewhere in the room, so he pushed the panel and stepped through into her chambers.

There she stood, looking particularly ravishing in a long silk nightgown that clung to her blossoming shape. Her hair was loose down her back, and she was waiting for him with a seductive little smile that made Richard's knees turn to water. Usually, they spent their late evenings into the early hours cuddling in front of the fire, or he would hold her while they lay in bed, and they'd talk until she fell asleep. Comfort and companionship was their occupation, and he could tell it was doing Catherine good.

Tonight, though. She didn't look ready to cuddle by the fire tonight. He went over and embraced her. She held him close and buried her face in his neck, her lips kissing his skin. When they pulled back from each other a little, her eyes shone and her face glowed. She was gazing deep into him, and he was transfixed by her beauty. She was radiant. She unconsciously flicked out her tongue a little, licking her bottom lip as though she was slightly nervous about something, a mannerism of hers that he found so endearing, and strangely enticing tonight, it seemed. Taking a steadying breath, he remembered the ordeal she had been put through earlier that day.

"Catherine, I'm sorry you had to endure such terrible behaviour from the devil you're married to and his snake."

She gave a little huff of annoyance at the memory. "Yes, it was not something I would ever wish to repeat. If it hadn't been for the fact that I had an ally in the room…" she looked up at him, her eyes soft and loving, "the unhappy isolation would have been too much to bear."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, allowing his lips to linger there for a moment as he held her.

"You're dressed for bed," he pointed out. "Would you prefer to relax there rather than in front of the fire tonight? I don't mind, either way."

She placed a small hand on his chest, pausing thoughtfully, playing with the edge of his neckline where his shirt dipped down to his chest. Allowing her fingers to slip off the fabric and stroke his skin up towards his neck, she finally spoke softly. "I was thinking of a different kind of comfort tonight."

Richard looked down at her in surprise, realising what she meant. "You were?"

"Mmm-hmm…" Catherine kissed lightly at the exposed skin at the dip between his collar bones, and then stopped, pulling back a bit. "Unless you mind, of course." She seemed unconfident for a moment.

"Oh, I'll have to think about it," teased Richard playfully, lifting her chin to allow him to kiss her the way he'd been longing to kiss her for many weeks now. She sighed into the kiss and let her hands wander up his back and over his shoulders. This was definitely a side of Catherine that he hadn't seen in a while, and he was thrilled about it.

As their lips parted, Richard remembered the last time he had been intimate with Catherine in her chambers, and glanced nervously at the door.

"Shouldn't we - "

"I've already locked the door," she purred, kissing at his neck again.

"Catherine," he smiled, shedding his waistcoat at her encouragement, "What has brought this about?! I mean, I'm not complaining at all, but… it's quite the change."

She smiled, working at the fastenings on his shirt. "Pregnancy is turning out to be quite surprising in some ways," she revealed. "There are times of exhaustion, but then come these - " she broke off, searching for the words she wanted, "these surges - of carnal desire, like nothing I've known before." She gave a little giggle as she pushed his shirt from his body. "I'm sure an attentive husband would be very useful at times like this, but as it is…"

Richard swallowed hastily. She was bewitching him, and he found her undressing him rather arousing. "I'm – uh - so glad to be here for you in your – time of need!" he managed.

Now she laughed properly, the lovely sound ringing off the stone walls of her chambers. Laughing with her, he pulled her close against him and looked into her eyes. So many emotions he had seen in those eyes – tear-filled sadness, worry, anger, confusion, lack of confidence, joy, surprise, and mischief. How he loved those eyes of hers. At this moment, they were lust-filled and he had never seen them quite like it before. It took his breath away with desire for her, as her eyes communicated to him how much she wanted him. He was quite sure that even at her most lustful, her desire for him could not compare with how much he wanted her.

He let his hands run down her back, smoothing her hips down as he took her rear in both hands and squeezed her through the silky fabric. She hummed her approval, and he loved the way the firm curve of her belly pressed against him – the fruit of their passion. Kneading gently at her backside, his fingertips stroked at the softest curve where her bottom joined her thighs at the insides of her legs. He knew she was sensitive here, and he loved the feel of her, and the way she tipped her hips, pushing her rear back against his hand to encourage him.

Catherine leaned into him slightly, pushing him in the direction of her bed, as she kissed him passionately. She had already removed his belt, and was in the process of undoing his trousers. Richard grunted with pleasure as her hand slipped down the front of his trousers and took hold of him. Meeting her lusty gaze, he smiled down at her.

"My, my," he chuckled, "Pregnancy really suits you, Catherine."

Keeping her hand where it was, she leaned in, taking his lips fervently in a passionate kiss that left them both breathless. "And who do I have to thank for that?!" she murmured with amused sarcasm.

Stripped of his clothes, Richard was fairly propelled by his lady onto the bed, where he watched entranced as she climbed up beside him and began to wriggle her silk nightgown up to her hips. She looked at him with fire in her eyes, holding the fabric bunched in her fingers, and climbed on top of him, her curls falling around her shoulders as she leaned forwards, straddling him with her thighs. Richard laid his hands upon them, and caressed her skin up their length towards her hips. A seductive smile curled at the corners of her lips, and she shed her nightgown up and over her head. Richard took a deep breath, staring at the goddess sitting astride him. Every curve of her body was absolute perfection. Her skin glowed soft in the golden light from the fire, which caught as sparkles in her honeyed eyes.

This was the first time he had actually seen her pregnant belly. He had seen her clothing change, and knew she must be growing, because her dresses allowed no glimpse of her shape below the chest. Catherine saw his gaze resting on it, and took his hands, gently laying them on the place where their child was.

"The baby moves often now," she said softly. "Given the situation, I really haven't been able to allow myself any joy over it, but it's hard to maintain a lack of feeling when I feel those tiny kicks."

At that moment, the skin fairly rolled beneath his fingers, and he felt a pop, like a little shock to his palm, softened by Catherine's supple flesh. He gasped his amazement, feeling surprisingly emotional at the sensation.

"It's miraculous!" he breathed, looking into her eyes. She nodded, smiling.

"What will happen," Richard asked, "after…"

"I will send the baby to an orphanage." Catherine spoke resolutely. "There is no way to reconcile things with the child at the castle, in our lives. I wish I didn't have to, but – there is no other way. This pregnancy is hidden, our affair is hidden. The child, too, must be hidden."

She looked so downcast suddenly, that Richard sat up, bringing himself flush with her body as she sat astride him. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her skin to his, making contact as closely as possible. He kissed her neck, nibbling her collar bone on his way to her breasts. She responded, wrapping her arms around his neck and running her fingers into his hair.

"I love you," he whispered, "I love you."

Catherine threw back her head and let him love her, as he worked her breasts with his lips and tongue, gasping and sighing her enjoyment of his efforts. She seemed so aroused, so quickly, that it wasn't long before she lifted her hips to reposition herself, pushing him back down on the bed, and slowly lowered herself down onto him. Firelight lit her form as she rode him, gently at first, and then increasingly vigorously. Her sounds of passion and pleasure fuelled the fire within him, as she gasped, moaned and even whimpered with the waves building inside her. As she approached her release, she made so much noise that Richard grew afraid of somebody overhearing, and shushed her softly. It was like a dream – the pleasure she was building in him, and the sight of her. Watching her from his position, straddling his hips with her beautiful thighs, ripe with his child, he felt as though the moment could not be real. For a second his memory flashed back to the early months when he first knew Catherine, when she had stolen his heart and he could barely breathe in her presence. How untouchable she seemed, and how impossible it felt to him that he might ever manage to hold a relaxed conversation with her, or survive an accidental brush against her! And now, here she was, his child in her womb conceived through their mutual passion, and she was riding him like a wild thing. She tossed her head back and moaned as her hips rolled against him. He watched her breasts bounce as she thrust down on him, and her back arch with the tension building in her body. He hoped that he could hold off for her, because she was torturing him to the brink like this.

Hushing her again as she cried out, he felt her begin to shudder. Her release triggered his own, and she collapsed onto him, his name falling from her lips in pleasure for the first time, as they clung to each other, gasping for breath. Catherine kissed at his chest, her arms holding him fervently.

"Richard," she whispered, almost in reply to his earlier statement, "I love you."

This time, they held each other all night, safe in each other's arms with the door locked. Richard stirred sometime before dawn and woke his beloved gently. He helped her into her nightgown, and dressed himself while she watched drowsily from her bed, her left cheek pink from having been pressed against his chest for hours as they slept. She looked so adorable to him in the dim light. He returned to her bed and kissed her languidly, laying her head back onto her pillow and brushing the loose curls from her face, before looking into her eyes and telling her, "I love you, Catherine de Medici."

She smiled up at him, stroking his face. "Thank you for loving me so," she whispered.

He kissed her again. "I'll see you later."

He stroked her treasured face, and turned, crossing the room to unlock the doors to her chambers, so that her lady in waiting would not find it locked when she came to attend to Catherine that morning. Then he left quietly through the secret passageway, heading for his own chambers to finish his night's sleep there.