The Serpent Queen

40. Betrayal

18th of March, 1536, Chateau of Blois

"How could you!" cried Catherine as she watched Henri make love with a shape.  "Henri, how could you!" she called again.  Her voice sounded shrill through the initially silent room.

Henri was startled by his wife's voice and pushed himself out of Diane who was lying below him. He covered himself with a sheet and turned to his wife who stood in the doorway with tears in her eyes.

"Catherine..." he stammered.

"While I was mourning our son you were here whoring with..." Catherine walked over to the bed to see who Henri just made love to. At the sight of Diane's face, Catherine let out a scream. "With this old woman."

She glared at Diane. "Your daughters are older than him, are you not ashamed?"  she yelled at her. Diana didn't answer. She pulled the sheet over herself.

Catherine turned back to Henri, supporting herself on her hips. She had become short of breath from screaming.

She gasped and gasped but she kept getting angrier and angrier.

She couldn't understand why Henri did this to her. She thought he loved her.

"You promised to be faithful to me! You promised to be faithful to me twice and you broke both vows! What kind of man are you!"  Catherine cried.  "While I was mourning our poor boy, you were here fucking Diane. Did you not love our child at all?"

"At least Diana was there to comfort me, you weren't there! You were preoccupied with your own grief!"

Just after Henry uttered those words, he felt a hard blow on his cheek. "How dare you!" cried Catherine.

Diane squealed and tried to run to Henri but was soon stopped by Catherine.

Henri placed his hand where Catherine had just touched it. It burned terribly and it had already turned red.

"I love you Henry! I love you! And this is how you thank me for the love I have for you?" Catherine ran her hands through her hair as she considered who to attack first: Henri or Diane.

Henri looked at Diane who was still standing at the back of the room. "Leave us Diane. Let me be alone with my wife."

Diane nodded and curtsied before leaving the room with her clothes in her arms.

"Yes, go away you old spinster!" called Catherine after it. She tried to attack Diane but Henri stopped her and pressed Catherine against him.

"Catherine, Catherine." He tried to soothe her. He looked at Catherine. Her eyes were red with anger and crying.

She struggled in Henri's arms, but after a while she gave up and let herself be attacked against Henri.

"You promised it. Henry." she sobbed.  "You have promised to be true to me, and you have betrayed me for her."

Henry felt bad. He had seen Catherine cry like so many in the last days, but this time she was crying for him.

"I'm so sorry Catherine. I swear to you, on everything I value and on our poor boy who is now resting with God, I will betray you no more." Henri swore to her as he kissed her on the top of her head.

Catherine rested her face on his shoulders as he led them to one of the pews.

They sat down in silence. Neither of them said a word, but looked at the fire.

"I'm sorry, Henry." Catherine broke the silence. "If I had never pushed you away from me, you would never have had to go with that spinster." Catherine felt disgusted at the thought of Henri and Diane.

Henri stroked her hair. "I understand why you did it. You think it's my fault that our son is dead."

Catherine sat up and looked gravely at Henri.  "I never thought that Henry. Our son's death was because I accepted the wine from the Boleyn whore. Not even you could predict that." She grabbed his hand.  "Let us forget what happened, let us have a new heir. a healthy living son, so that our little one's soul might finally rest in peace."

Henry nodded. "Let's rest Catherine." he offered. Catherine shook her head. "Not in this bed, I'd rather die. We will leave for my chambers."

With this chapter I close Act II.  Act III will start in drama and in tragedy but will end with a super happy ending (I hope).

My loyal readers know how my story goes when I warn them ; ).

What do you think will happen? And which character did you hate the most in this part?