Disclaimer: I neither own Reign, nor profit from this story.
News of Catherine's attempt on Mary's life had finally trickled down to Henry. She had already been removed to the tower and restrained so there was really nothing more to be done.
Did that woman really not know when to quit?
Mary had been seen to by Nostradamus and was now resting comfortably in her room, under watch by Henry's personal guards. Bash meanwhile came to tell him of the night's events himself. Henry guessed he would be returning to Mary's rooms to maintain a vigil along with her ladies as soon as his current task was completed.
Henry had inquired about Bash's health but his concern was waved off. According to Nostradamus, any poison that Catherine might have used was effectively removed by the open window Bash had found upon entering the room. When Bash mentioned the discrepancy to Nostradamus he only mumbled something about ghosts and bitter wayward waifs.
He supposed it was just one more mystery that would likely never be solved.
Henry sighed as Bash took his leave to retire and he was left to his own thoughts.
Kenna had already left upon hearing of Mary's plight but Henry was not likely to find the respite of sleep anytime soon. He decided instead to go find his Queen. At the very least it would bring him some small measure of pleasure to see her humbled, it happened so rarely.
Stuffing his night shirt into a pair of pants, Henry took a candle with him on his way out.
Catherine de Medici had been his greatest ally, his greatest foe, and above all this greatest frustration for the last twenty five years. She was absolutely unmatched in her determination, ingenuity, and loyalty to whatever cause she dedicated herself. He only wished that he could have been on the receiving end of her better qualities more often.
Entering her cell, there was no escaping the fact that she would have known her was there, but when she didn't even look up he took a moment to observe her.
She looked…broken. Sitting with her hands cradled in her lap on the edge of the cot she partially faced the one window in the small room. There was little to observe, especially at this hour, but he supposed it was a better alternative to the monotony of the stone walls.
Eventually deciding that he would receive no further answers from his observations Henry finally spoke. "Well you have really gone and done it this time."
Finally looking in his direction, though her gaze was still cast downward, she didn't even pretend to play along, "What do you want Henry, have you come to mock me one final time?"
"No Catherine, in fact I…I just…why?"
"Why what Henry? Why did I try to kill the child queen? Why can't I just leave well enough alone? Why not just accept my fate?"
"No, I already know the answer to all of this questions…I…I don't even know." Sitting down opposite her he sighed heavily resting his head in one hand.
"Where…how did this, all of this go so very wrong?"
Looking up just a little more she answered his question with one of her own, "Do you honestly want me to answer that Henry?"
Scoffing, he shook his head, "Never a straight answer from you Catherine…"
"Well what do you want Henry, a confession? Remorse? You and I both know how this will end if Mary continues with her plan…if you allow her…" Sounding equal parts tired and angry she continued, "I am as good as dead anyway, so what have I to lose?"
"Yes well, now that you've done my job for me, I suppose I should thank you."
"Henry please, if you've come to gloat…do me just one final kindness and don't. You have what you wanted. I will finally be gone, you will have the Queen you always desired, you will have Scotland and eventually England. Just leave me to the misery of my last moments. Don't worry there is not an ounce of pleasure I will derive from…"
Frustrated Henry stood and moved around the cot, grabbing her by the shackles on her wrists and forcing her to stand, "If you want this so badly, to live and continue to be my Queen,then prove it Catherine!"
When she looked up at him it was with eyes that were sadder than he had seen in a long while. He released her with such force that she fell back to the mattress, crying out as the metal bit into her skin.
Once the initial sting from her unexpected decent subsided, she decided to make one last bid to him figuring she had nothing else to lose, "What do you want Henry?" Emotion vibrating off of every syllable it physically hurt Henry to hear her speak.
"What do I want? I want a Queen who will not question and undermine me at every turn, I want a wife who actually wants to be with me, I want to be with someone that I can trust and who will at least try to trust me in return."
"Well then Henry, I suppose you should just kill me now, I…"
"Are you really so indifferent, Catherine? No, that I can answer too. I know you better than any man, possibly any person who has ever lived."
Catching what used to be an elegantly placed curl with one of his fingers he drew it to its end before continuing, "I know what you are like, how you feel…how you capture moments of joy like a melting snowflake in your hand and face sorrow with a strength and resolve like no other. I know that when you came to my chambers and we…that was real Catherine. You came to me and what we shared was real," he finished, almost breathless.
Pausing in contemplation, then giving himself a moment to collect his thoughts he continued. "Cold then, consumed by your black Medici heart?"
"Running out of insults are we? Back to using my family as fodder for your grievances?" She huffed and turned her head to hide the tears that were threatening to spill over. She was tired, so tired of fighting and now this.
Sitting back on the cot, Henry laid out one final challenge "Well if you truly want to live Catherine you can start by being more of a wife to your husband." Gripping her chin and tipping her face upward he made his request plain to her, "Kiss me Cate."
He knew she hated when he called her that. Instead of complying she fired back, "So my penance is a romp in your bed, or is it to be several?"
Dropping his hand from her face with a frustrated sigh, she continued anyway, "Shall we agree on how many it will take to pay the debt in exchange for my life, or am I simply to be chained to your bed until you are satisfied?
Turning away from her he decided to indulge her a little. She hadn't flat out refused him, and that in and of itself was encouraging. "When you told me this afternoon that you had sent Diane away you looked pleased…like it was some great feat discovering all her flaws to seal her fate, but did you ever think that the only reason I went to her was to get what I never could from you?"
"That's right Henry, after degrading me and ignoring me in all other matters, I was always so overjoyed to offer you my body as well."
"No Catherine, that was never all that I wanted…although a little more willingness there would have gone a long way. But as you have said, it's a little late for regrets. No matter, if you want this, if you want me to keep you alive then for now you will do as I ask and you will not try to scheme your way out of it."
"Have I your word that I and the children shall be spared?"
"No, but nothing in life ever is guaranteed…you of all people know that."
Sighing and closing her eyes, Catherine offered her bound wrists to him as affirmation of her agreement.
Wrapping her two hands in one of his he pulled them down to his lap and with the other cradled her cheek, bringing her toward him again for a kiss.
Knowing that this was the language that Henry most clearly understood she acquiesced to the wordless request, responding enough that he could't complain that she wasn't doing anything to aid her cause…even now.
But she also didn't stop the tears from flowing down her face.
Feeling them trickle over his hand, Henry broke the kiss and stared into her eyes.
Pulling back, Henry cupped her chin with just two fingers to hold her gaze. "I won't make you any guarantees, but I also won't force you into this Catherine."
Rising, he walked around the cot and made it almost all the way to the door before turning around to give his final ultimatum. "Come to me and I will consider rescinding my judgement. I make no guarantees, but if you want to live, to continue as my Queen I require that you be willing to try and be more than you…than we have a chance to be since our early years. Heed this one request and I will consider letting you live. "
Henry finally turned and left Catherine to her own thoughts. Dropping her head in her hands, she shifted again and curled up on the cot.
She was still feeling ill from the effects of the poison, and Henry's proposition only added a weighted dread to her already taxed emotions. She knew what she would do…had to do, but she wasn't entirely certain that she could survive the dance yet again. To save her life she would have to release her battered heart to Henry's tender once more.
To save her life, she would have to sacrifice everything. To willingly submit to the pain that would eventually come.
A scream worked its way up her throat and it was all she could do to let it out nearly silently. She was not alone, and she would not let Henry's guards hear her anguish. She was defeated, but she still had her pride.
Once she had calmed the rage that Henry's ultimatum brought on she sat up and began to put herself back in order.
Eventually rising, ready to walk to the execution of her soul, she schooled her expression and made her request to the guard.
When the door opened she tipped her chin up defiantly and prepared to face her fate…funny how she had had similar thoughts on the night of her wedding. There was at least a small measure of symmetry in that she supposed.