October 21st, 1533
Marseille, France
Hours later, Catherine looked at herself in the large mirror of her dressing table. Camilla had just finished putting her long hair up.
They had spent hours dressing and haircutting Catherine to perfection. She was dressed in a ruby red dress decorated with gold thread. Around her neck she wore a gold chain with a cross on it. Pearl studs hung in her ears and pearls were tucked into her updo for decoration.
Camilla standing right behind Catherine looked at her admiringly. "You look beautiful my Lady." She complimented her mistress.
"And so do you." Catherine said with a smile. Camilla herself was dressed in an emerald green dress. Her hair was put up in a half updo, leaving her straight red hair falling down her back.
Camilla looked beautiful and Catherine was assured that many eyes would be on her tonight. At the age of sixteen, she would be a sought-after marriage partner.
"Thank you, Your Grace."
"Please Camilla, how many times do I have to tell you. I see you as a friend, one of my confidantes. I hope you will see me in this way too: as a friend. Friends don't call each other by titles but by their first names; so Catherine it shall be or else I will send you back to Italy." She grinned.
Camilla grinned too. "Very well then..Catherine."
Laura walked into the room and looked across the room. The maids were busy cleaning up the mess they'd created while preparing Catherine.
"Laura, should we go?" Catherine asked who saw Laura standing at the doorway from her mirror.
"His holiness calls you to himself." Laura announced. Catherine sighed but got up from her chair and went to her uncle's rooms, followed by Laura and Catherine, who was a little further down the hall.
"Uncle, you summoned me?" she said as she walked into the room. Her uncle was sitting on a large chair next to the fire, one of his grooms putting on his velvet slippers on his feet.
The Holy Father looked up at Catherine and narrowed his eyes briefly. "Come closer, let me see you well." He said. Catherine stepped forward and turned on her ashes to give that holy father a good look at her attire.
"The Marquise of Mantua has done her job well; your wardrobe is made with utmost perfection." he said with satisfaction. "I'm grateful to her grace for it too, uncle." said Catherine with slight suspicion. The holy father wouldn't call her just to compliment her on her dress, he wanted something from her.
"The king and the prince will certainly compliment you on it." The Holy Father continued.
Catherine sighed. "Uncle, you want to tell me something I assume?"
Clement chuckled at his cousin's impatience. "Your marriage to the Prince will bind you to the House of Valois and thereby the Royal Family of France and France itself. You will be the Duchess of Angouleme next to the Princess of France and your children will one day take that title... "
"'Yes, what about it, uncle?"
"You will have to be loyal to your new home: the house of Valois, and your husband and children. At least that is the intention, in reality you will be loyal to the Medicis, you will be my eyes and ears at the French court. I want to know everything that is said by the king, all the decisions he makes and the alliances he secretly tries to form. We must protect ourselves from everything and everyone, Caterina, Festina lente, always and forever."
Festina Lente: Hurry slowly, their family motto.
What the holy father asked of her was high treason, how could he voluntarily endanger his own niece for his own cause?
YOU ARE READING
The Serpent Queen
Historical Fiction"I am Catherine di Medici; queen of France and mother of kings." At a time when women are taught to be quiet and obedient, never to live her own life but to follow the path men have written for her, Catherine is challenged to be more and make her o...
