Festina Lente

Chapter One Hundred & Fourteen: The Dauphine's Success

19th of January 1538 - Château de Fontainebleau

Walking down the halls of the palace, the Dauphine held her head high as she proudly displayed her bump, her hand resting protectively on the growing bump that she knew would soon bare fruit and she prayed it was a son. 

Her husband often ignored her these days, favouring his mistress or spending time learning the ropes of governance from his father; there was no time it seemed for Catherine nor their daughter. 

Catherine refused to allow it to bother her, she knew that he would dispose of her and attempt to marry Diane if she failed this time; Henri had made his intentions clear to her on that fact alone when she had birthed Elisabeth. 

Catherine ignored the looks that some courtiers offered her, ignored the whispers that followed her as she walked down the hall before the Duke of Guise stepped into her path. 

"My Lord," Catherine greeted stiffly, she eyed the man that dared step into her way as she made her way towards the Queen's chambers where she was expected to dine with Her Majesty. 

The Duke himself looked surprised by the move, quickly glancing to who he had been speaking with in a moment of panic; he quickly looked back at Catherine who attempted to walk around him. 

"May I introduce my sister, the Duchess of Longueville. She has recently come to court," the Duke said signalling for his older sister to approach, she curtseyed to the Dauphine before casting her eyes down to where the Duke seemed to be watching something in the distance. 

Mary of Guise knew exactly what her brother had been thinking when he had stepped into Catherine's path and she did not blame him for doing so; the display was an upsetting one indeed. 

"It is an honour Your Grace," Mary greeted with a smile, it felt like such a long time since she had been at court since she had married the Duke of Longueville and had spent most of her time at his estates. 

It felt like such a long time ago, she had made her first entrance into court upon the wedding of King Francis and his second wife Eleanor of Austria and had established a friendship with the Princesses Madeleine and Margaret. 

It was with great sadness that she hadn't been able to travel for Madeleine's wedding to King James, she had been with child and the sudden death of her own husband had not helped matters.

"I am sorry to hear about your husband," Catherine noted softly, she recalled hearing that the Duke of Longueville had passed away leaving his young wife a widow with a young child and one on the way. 

Catherine couldn't imagine herself in that position, she prayed that she and Henri would live long lives and would be blessed with any grandchildren; that she would get to see her children rule over a French empire. 

"We must have supper sometime, I'm afraid that I can't keep the Queen waiting," Catherine said nodding to Mary, she refused to be late and she turned on her heel to continue walking as the Duke of Guise looked alarmed and attempted to stop her. 

Mary opened her mouth to speak up, her eyes widening in alarm as she watched the Dauphine continue on her way to the Queen's apartments. 

"If I may, Your Grace... perhaps a position in your household for my sister," the Duke started to ramble, desperate to stop what was about to happen knowing that it would only harm the baby that Catherine was carrying. 

It was then that Catherine spotted the reason why the Duke of Guise had tried to stop her, she came to an abrupt halt as her eyes locked on the pair of lovers. 

There at the end of the corridor stood Henri and Diane, the two of them standing too close to be proper and Catherine could only feel sick as she watched Henri reach down and caress his mistress' belly.