5th of September 1535
Chateau de Fontainebleau, France
Henri looked at the group gathered in the courtyard of the chateau de Fontainebleau.
His father, Eleanor, his siblings and his wife stood in front of the large group. He could see his sister Louise waving at him before he had even entered the courtyard.
Shortly after his fifteenth birthday, Henri had left for Navarre where he would stay for six months. His aunt and her husband had treated him as if he were the king of France and he had learned enough at the foreign court.
Henri had traveled to Italy after his months in Navarre, where he stayed for another six months. He enjoyed living the free life, without his father's stern eyes that kept looking down on him.
He had visited the various courts of the Italian nobles including Alessandro, the Duke of Florence, the Orsinis and the Estes.
After his six months in Italy, Henry decided to travel for a few more months. He traveled to the Scandinavian countries where he visited Kings Erik of Sweden and Christian of Denmark and Norway. And to Poland where he visited the court of King Sigismund.
He had made several contacts with the nobles of the countries he had visited and with the women at court.
Henri hadn't been able to resist taking a woman to his bed here and there, although he had waited a while to do so.
His first experience with a woman had been with Catherine, and it couldn't be described as pleasant. He had felt insecure about himself and his manhood. An insecurity that the foreign ladies helped him remedy that.
He had forgotten his wife. He had no reason to think about her anymore. He had only a vague image of his wife; the then fourteen-year-old Italian with a mouth too big for her own good. He despised her.
Or at least that's what he thought until he saw her again.
Now, a year and a half later, his wife looked different. She was now a woman nearly seventeen years old, just like him. Her childlike appearance had now given way to a woman's appearance, and as she stood, dressed in a pale blue dress, she looked almost angelic.
Henri walked towards his father and knelt in front of him. "Your Majesty, your son, the Duke of Orleans, greets you." he said. Francis smiled at the sight of his son. he had sorely missed his presence.
"Rise, my son." Francis said smiling, when Henri got up again he pulled his son into an embrace. "You have grown into a real man." His father whispered proudly.
"Yes, father." Henri simply said. He got loose of the hug and made a mocking bow to his brother. "Dauphin." He greeted him.
"Get up, you fool." Francis said laughing, he pulled Henri into an embrace. "I've missed you brother, you've left me alone for far too long."
"I'm sorry, but the freedom was too good to come back again." Henry joked. He walked on to the queen.
"Your Majesty, my dearest stepmother." He greeted her with a kiss on her hand.
Eleanor kissed Henri on the cheeks. "Henri, how glad I am to see you again. How great you have grown." she said with a smile. She looked out of the corner of her eye at Catherine, who stood quietly beside her.
"And you even more beautiful than before." Henry complimented her. He followed Eleanor's gaze, which was no longer on him, and saw his wife looking down, as if trying to avoid his gaze.
He walked over to her. He was about to bend down to kiss her cheek, but Catherine was already falling into a curtsey.
It looked strange, Henri bent over Catherine and Catherine on the floor.
She got up uncomfortably and smiled faintly. "Husband." She greeted him, this time leaning forward to kiss him. "My lady wife." He greeted her.
There was a short awkward silence. "You have been missed." Catherine said. "I've missed you all very much, especially you three." He turned to his sisters and brothers standing next to Catherine. "Didn't you greet your older brother?" he said to them.
Madeleine rolled her eyes but still walked towards Henri. "Of course we want to greet you, but only after you have greeted your wife, of course." She kissed her older brother on the cheek.
His sister Louise and brother Charles also greeted him.
Henri was happy to see his family again after almost two years. Only now did he realize how much he had missed his family.
His sisters, like Catherine, looked more mature now. Madeleine, fifteen, more than Louise, twelve. His brother was now thirteen years old.
King Francis clapped his hands. "Shall we go in, the duke must be exhausted after his long journey." he suggested.
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...
