No one has to know

Chapter 49

They were all on their way back to the castle. They'd been on the road awhile and they were starting to get bored so Catherine and Bash started to come up with baby names again.

"Thomas." Said Catherine without any indication to the others as to what they were talking about.

"No...Robert?" Said Bash.

"Ugg. Helen." Said Catherine.

"Rosalie." Said Bash. Catherine sighed. Mary and Francis looked at them strangely.

"What exactly is happening here?" Mary asked, pointing back and forth between them, a bit amused.

"We're trying to come up with names for the baby." Catherine said simply.

"This has been going on for weeks, only we can't seem to agree on any." Bash added.

"How hard could it be to pick a name?" Mary questioned.

"Harder than you'd think." Catherine said glaring at Bash.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. You've turned down just as many suggestions as I have." He said.

"Why not just use Sebastian for a boy and..." Mary began.

"Oh, don't even get her started on that." Bash said. Mary raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Right. Well, I'm sure you'll come up with something." Mary said, suddenly not wanting to get sucked into their craziness.

"Jerome." Catherine said ignoring her. Bash let his head fall back, exasperated.

When they arrived back at the castle, Catherine and Bash went right to their room. Catherine laid down on the bed.

"I am never leaving this bed again." She said.

"Never?" Bash asked.

"Never." She repeated.

"That seems like an awfully boring existence." He said, sitting down next to her.

"After the last few months, I could do with a little boring." She answered, reaching for his hand. "As long as I have you to be bored with."

The next day Conde stood for his sentence to be carried out. The court stood outside waiting in cruel anticipation to see him hang.

"There's always such a turn out to see a man hang isn't there? It's disgusting how they revel in death to such a degree." Catherine said to no one in particular.

"I thought you wanted him dead." Said Mary.

"That doesn't mean I take joy in it. The people seem to think it cause for celebration. And it's not just because they hate him, this happens with every execution. They just want to see someone die. It's appalling." She explained.

"Is it really always like this?" She asked. Catherine nodded.

"It's even worse when it's a public execution." Said Bash. "Then there's usually shouting and sometimes they throw things. It can get ugly."

"That's awful." Said Mary.

"We are here today to see that justice is carried out. Louis de Bourbon you have been sentenced to death by hanging. Do you have any last words?" Said Francis.

Just as he was about to speak, the gates opened and a man rode through.

"Halt. Do not execute that man." He said.

"Chancellor? What's the meaning of this?" Said Francis.

"A petition to stay this execution until such a time as more evidence is found." He said handing him a piece of paper.

"He has already been found guilty." Said Francis.

"By combat? That is no proof of his guilt." He said.

"That may or may not be, but it's legal and he requested it himself." Francis said.

"No matter," replied the chancellor. "There's enough signatures to say otherwise. The Vatican will insist you comply." Francis read the paper.

"Throw him back in the dungeon." He told the guards.

"This man just keeps finding ways to postpone the inevitable. What, does he think if he waits long enough we'll just forget?" Catherine said and exchanged a look with Bash. The crowd whispered amongst themselves for a few moments before dispersing and going back inside the castle. Catherine and Bash went back to their room and Catherine immediately went to her desk and started rufflung through papers.

"What are you doing?" Bash asked.

"I am going to write a letter, proposing we replace that fool of a chancellor. I know just who to replace him with too. Where does he get off stopping an execution that the council and the King already determined was necessary? So what, now people can just go around committing treason and get away with it? We could've all been killed." she said angrily.

"Catherine calm down, it's not your place to find a new chancellor. Let Francis handle it." he said trying to gently take the papers out of her hand.

"Francis wouldn't even know where to begin. I know these people, he dosen't. Besides, I don't think he would even try to. He dosen't want to overstep his bounds. If they don't like the decision, they can blame it on me. If someone is going to make decisions for my son let it be his mother and not some chancellor with a need for control." she said as she started scribbling down words furiously. Bash knew when it was time to stop arguing. There were times when there was no changing her mind and this was one of them.

"Is there anyway I can help?" he said. Catherine looked at him curiously. "Well if I can't stop you at least I can try to make it easier for you."

"I thank you for the offer, but there's really not much you can do...on second thought, go talk to Mary for me, tell her to talk to Francis. If we bring him this suggestion, he'll just shoot it down outright, if she does it at least he'll attempt to listen. I'd do it myself but I'm far to irritated at the moment." she said.

"Of course." he kissed her on the top of the head. "I know asking is probably pointless but, please try not to work yourself up too much."

"I make no promises." she said wrinkling up the paper she was just writing on, throwing it across the room and starting over. Bash started to leave, but then turned back and stuck his head in the door.

"Corrine?" he said. A wrinkled up paper hit him in the chest and he pursed his lips. "I'll take that as a no." he said and left. "So much for never leaving your bed again." he muttered to himself after closing the door.