October 21st, 1533
Marseille, France
"Caterina, stay out the window, your cheeks will turn red and your hair will get messy." Laura said, she looked sternly at Catherine.
Catherine grinned and closed the window of her carriage. They had been on their way to France for more than a day.
The Holy Father had brought with him a procession of more than two hundred men, some of them cardinals and bishops, members of his own household, his own cooks, the new members of Catherine's household, and dozens of guards.
The procession had been welcomed everywhere they passed by dozens of peasants who wanted to catch a glimpse of the Holy Father and ask for his blessing.
The Holy Father himself had refused to even open the windows of his carriage for fear that he would catch some illness from the peasants. And although he had advised Catherine the same, she still opened her window and greeted the peasant as the future princess of France would have served.
They had spent the first night, on the same day of their departure that afternoon, in Pavia where they had been welcomed by the Duke of Milan, Francesco Sforza, who had prepared a banquet for them.
The procession had left early the next morning before sunrise and Catherine had already had to get ready and dress in the designated outfit she'd chosen to meet her future one.
Her dress was in the Italian style and colored blue with golden details. Her long hair was braided in a long braid and gassed with a gold net.
"I hope I don't look too messy, I don't want to scare my husband-to-be." Catherine said with a smile to Laura and Camilla sitting opposite her. "You still look neat, Madam." Camilla assured her. She looked at her mistress who beamed with happiness. She could see that Catherine was looking forward to being married and she was happy to see her mistress so radiant.
Laura, like Alessandro, thought that fourteen-year-old Catherine was too young to marry, especially one of the French princess. Alessandro had hoped his sister could have gotten an Italian match, but the over-ambitious pope had reached beyond his hands.
Laura knew that if Catherine's poor parents were still alive they wouldn't accept their daughter getting married yet.
Laura had been her lady-in-waiting from the moment Madeleine de la tour auvergne arrived in Italy. She'd been there when Catherine was born and had been honored when Madeleine named her Catherine's governess.
It had grieved laura terribly when Madeleine passed away, she had only been able to serve her for a few years but had deeply respected the woman who was kind to everyone and had done so much good for the poor.
She had sworn on Madeleine's deathbed to raise her daughter so she could be like her mother and so far laura had managed to bring up Catherine well.
She had protected Catherine when their palace in Florence was stormed and when they were living in exile in monasteries. She just couldn't have protected her from her marriage.
The carriage came to a sudden stop and the three ladies looked at each other.
"We have arrived." Camilla reported, looking out of the carriage window, as they drove into the chateau courtyard.
YOU ARE READING
The Serpent Queen
Historical Fiction"I am Catherine di Medici; queen of France and mother of kings." At a time when women are taught to be quiet and obedient, never to live her own life but to follow the path men have written for her, Catherine is challenged to be more and make her o...
