18th of March, 1536, Chateau of Blois
"Queen Madeleine!" announced the lackey who held the door open for Madeleine.
Catherine, reading in her audience room with her ladies-in-waiting, sprang from the chair she was sitting in to welcome Madeleine.
They all sank into a curtsy as Madeleine walked into the room. Madeleine smiled at Catherine when she saw that for the first time in days she hadn't been cooped up in the chapel.
"Please leave us alone." she said to Catherine's ladies-in-waiting. When Francoise de Sarrebruck walked past her, she stopped her briefly with her hand. "Francoise, I would like to ask you something."
"Of course, Your Majesty." she said admiringly. She had educated this girl when she was young and now she was a queen, a good one at that. This was one of her biggest ancomplishmemts, she thought.
"I am not pleased with the governesses of my younger siblings, the Queen and I both agree that you would best educate them for some time to come, I hope you do not feel too sorry to deprive your service to the duchess for the young prince and princess?" Madeleine said with a courteous smile.
"But of course not, I even think it's an honor to be able to raise the royal children again." She turned to Catherine and curtsied. "It has been an honor to serve you these last two years."
Catherine smiled at her. "And it was an honor to be served by you, Francoise. I wish you the best of luck in your new role."
Francoise bowed again to the two women and then left the room.
When they were alone Catherine started to laugh.
"You saved me from her terrible presence, I don't know how to thank you."
She had complained to Madeleine about Francoise often enough. She was too bossy in Catherine's opinion, something Madeleine recognized from Francoise.
She was better suited to raising young, opinionless children rather than almost-grown princesses.
"You can thank me by coming with me to the prom." Madeleine said with a smile.
Catherine stopped laughing. "Madeline no..."
"Catherine come on, you can't go on mourning forever, you've been in your self-confinement for over a month now. If you're not careful you'll be forgotten by everyone. Do you know what happens to forgotten women?" Madeleine asked sternly.
Catherine shook her head. "Their men take mistresses, and put them to shame in front of everyone as they parade their mistresses around. Just look at my father and Anne." Madeleine said.
Catherine looked at her in shock. "Do you think Henri could do that?"
Madeleine was silent for a moment. She wanted to say something but couldn't bring herself to say it. "Any man is possibly from that when they don't get the love and attention from their woman."
"And you Madeleine, do you give your husband the love and attention he needs?" She looked questioningly at Madeleine. Madeleine grimaced. "I must, that is my duty as a daughter of France."
Catherine looked at her with pity. "In any case, change your clothes and we will go to the ball that father has organized." Madeleine said indifferently.
༺༻
"Catherine, welcome!" cried King Francis as his daughter-in-law entered the hall.
He hadn't expected Catherine, who hadn't appeared since mid-January, to show up today at the ball he had organized.
She was no longer dressed in her usual dark clothing, which she had dressed in for the past few weeks, but was wearing light colors again, as before, that made her glow.
Her blond hair was loose over her shoulders, and although she still looked tired and sad, she looked much better than before.
Catherine curtsied to the king. She looked through her eyelashes at the chair next to him, where not the queen sat but Anne, the king's mistress.
Catherine considered whether she should say something about it but decided to be quiet. She took a seat next to Princess Louise and Prince Charles while Madeleine took a seat next to her husband.
"I'm so glad to see you again Catherine." Louise said happily. She hadn't seen Catherine since the last ball she attended. That was the day she lost her baby.
Louise and Charles had not been allowed to visit her when she was still bedridden and had only been given half a story about what had happened to their sister-in-law.
She thought it was odd not to see Catherine pregnant again, but decided not to say anything about it, knowing it was inappropriate.
Catherine smiled. "And me too, you both." She looked at Charles. "Where's the Queen?" she asked softly.
"Lady stepmother has a headache and is resting in her rooms." Replied Charles.
"Oh." Catherine nodded in understanding, then turned to the court.
She saw that some looked at her and whispered to each other. Catherine tried to ignore it and chatted a bit with the Louise and Charles and later also Francis who was sat down next to them.
Catherine looked around. She thought it was strange that she hadn't seen Henri in all that time. After all, she had been here for more than an hour.
Catherine bowed to Francis."Do you have any idea where your brother may be?" she asked him softly.
Francis felt his body stiffen and he quickly tried to come up with an excuse. When he turned to Catherine and saw her worried look, he couldn't bring himself to lie to her.
He swallowed. "You'll have to look at his rooms, maybe he's there." He said.
Catherine nodded and got up from her chair and walked out of the room.
She walked down the road to Henri's chambers in silence. She was engrossed in her thoughts.
It was time for her and Henri to become as before. She had held him off her for too long. She missed the presence of her husband.
She had to apologize for how she had behaved. She had decided that after Madeleine's stern words.
The lackeys at the doors of Henri's room stood over their heads as she walked in.
His audience room was empty, but there were two half-full goblets of wine. Something that gave Catherine a heavy feeling in her heart.
As she approached the bedroom door, she seemed to hear noises coming from the room. She kept her hand on the door handle, but was anxious to open the door.
She feared the worst.
She took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
I'm sure we all know what's going to happen.
But let me warn you, this is definitely not going to be the worst thing that will happen.
Don't forget to vote please!
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...
