Lady Catherine de Valois's marriage to King Henry V of England is much more complicated than she had ever imagined. How will she navigate her loyalties, her life in a strange new land, and her blossoming feelings for a man she is supposed to hate?
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OMG I can't believe I have written 40 chapters of a book! This is the longest I have stuck with an idea or project, I really appreciate all who have supported this story with comments and votes and messages in my inbox. You have all helped motivate me to continue on!
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Hal waved the two guards standing in front of his wife's tent to the side so that he could enter, and saw Catherine sitting on her cot with her son, her face still white.
He strode across the length of the tent in only a few strides and knelt down so he was eye level with Catherine.
"Are you Ok?" he asked, out of breath. All she could do was nod yes.
"And our son?" He put his hand on Henry's head and inspected the baby who was beginning to fall asleep.
"He is fine." She answered.
"The Duke said that," he paused and looked at her with eyes full of concern, "that your dress was, hiked up around your waist when he found you, did..." His arm was protectively around them both as he looked to her for an answer.
"No, nothing happened. I had just been taking Henry in the water, that's why my skirt was up like that."
A sigh of relief left his body, releasing tension in his posture. He slowly got up and moved to sit in the chair in her tent, dropping his head into his hands.
The tension in the room was still high, she couldn't quite place her husband's emotions. Ever since their moment in his tent earlier, he had hardly said two words to her. He had refused to have lunch with her, and cooly explained he had a meeting with his advisors to attend. His mood had changed so many times since she arrived this morning, she was not sure what to expect next.
She placed Henry on a second cot right next to hers, adjusting pillows around him so he would not roll-off.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, Henry stood up from his chair, grabbed it, and threw it on the ground. "GOD DAMN IT, CATHERINE!"
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She flinched with shock at his volume and anger in his voice, sure that the guards outside, along with anyone in a close radius, could hear him.
"What?" She asked, still trying to find her bearings.
"Why are you always putting yourself in situations like this?" His face was red and stern, he spoke down at her- heat radiating from him.
"Excuse me?" She asked, offended, standing up to meet his gaze with a harsh one of her own. Hadn't she been the one that was almost attacked?
"You are always putting yourself in danger!" He was still yelling, not caring who heard, "You ventured into the mob ALONE at our palace when we were first married. The Duke told me how you went into the city WITHOUT a guard when you first arrived here, he told me you were almost attacked there as well,"
