Festina Lente

Chapter Eighty-Four: Assassination

22nd of July 1535 - Château de Fontainebleau, France

Clasping her hands in prayer, the Duchess of Orléans bowed her head trying to block out the blessings that were being reaped upon the Queen of France. 

Her lips moving quickly as she pleaded with the Lord to grant her an heir for her husband. Surely, he understood that if he wished for Henri to be King of France that he would need heirs. 

Catherine knew that there were those around her that whispered of having her marriage annulled and having her cast off to a nunnery much like the Spanish Infanta that had disgraced herself in England. 

Her ladies told her of those who whispered that the Duke had married the wrong Medici, that if he had married Clarice then perhaps, he would have as many children now as the Duke of Bedford. 

When the news that Clarice had finally been delivered of a son for her husband, Catherine had broken several vases in her rooms and screamed until she could no more. 

Now there had been another blow, one much closer to home that Catherine could not ignore even if she wished to. 

Opening her eyes and looking in front of her, Catherine glared at the back of the head that was seated before her; she gritted her teeth as she wondered why God would do this to her. 

There had been whispers for weeks that Elisabeth of Hesse was with child, her spies informing her that the Queen had not bled since she had arrived in France. 

Now there was no denying that Elisabeth was with child, her belly had rounded out in the last month or so and there was no hiding the expanding bump that was making itself known. 

The royal physicians guessed that the babe would arrived sometime before end of the year and there were high hopes that the child would be another son to further secure the line of succession. 

Catherine gritted her teeth, her hands forming into fists as she thought about how easily everyone else seemed to fall pregnant while she struggled especially with a husband who could barely look at her. 

Even now he was focused on his mistress who was seated not far from him despite the disparity in their rank.

Getting to her feet as the priest brought mass to an end, Elisabeth of Hesse could not contain her smile as she moved to thank him before she rested a hand on her growing bump and moved towards the back of the chapel. 

Her head held high as she moved and she was nodded her head at those that she recognised in the gathering, she had been working hard since her arrival to win the approval of the French people. 

If she was not doing charitable acts for those less fortunate that herself, then Elisabeth was learning the ropes from her beloved sister-in-law; she was so very grateful to Marguerite of Navarre for her help. 

The Queen of Navarre had taken the time to allow Elisabeth to grow into her position, she explained things carefully to her and showed great patience in allowing Elisabeth to shadow her while she attended council meetings. 

Marguerite followed behind her sister-in-law in the procession, her arm linked with her eldest nephew and she was relieved that Elisabeth had proven herself of fertile stock. 

The news of her pregnancy was given as another sign of God blessing the French cause in Italy, especially now with Charles expected to leave the line of succession when they took Naples. 

The Dauphin was still a very single man, although he was learning every day for the role that he would one day occupy while there was no sign of Catherine giving Henri an heir anytime soon.