The Serpent Queen

46. The depart

May 27th, 1536, Fontainebleau

Madeleine looked at herself in the small hand mirror. Her maids had combed her dark hair neatly and tucked it into her French cap, similar in green to her dress. Her dress was thick velvet, a material inappropriate for the kind of season they were having, but it kept her warm enough that she wouldn't catch a cold.

"My Queen."said her Scottish lady-in-waiting Jean."Everyone is waiting for you outside to say goodbye." she reported. Madeleine nodded and placed the mirror back on the table. "Then let's go."

She and her retinue walked out of the room where she had been but a short time. She had left her own room after her marriage and moved to another wing of the palace where her husband was also.

It had been strange to leave the rooms she had lived in for most of her life for another one, but she had to. it was impossible that she, as queen, should remain in the same wing as her siblings.

Madeleine looked at the paintings she passed and stopped briefly at her mother Claude's painting. "I hope you're proud of me, maman." she whispered softly before walking outside.

The court awaited her in the courtyard. Her family was standing at the front and her husband, James, was already at the carriage.

Madeleine walked over to her father and stepmother and fell into a final curtsy. "I ask for your blessing father." she said with downcast eyes. her father placed his hands briefly on her head and gave his blessing.

"My daughter, my star in heaven." Her father said emotionally. "I love you dearly, I hope you find endless joy in Scotland. And remember, we shall meet again my daughter." He pulled Madeleine into a hug and kissed her on the top of her head. "I will miss you too, my father. I am eternally grateful for the love you have shown me." she looked at her stepmother. "and I am also grateful to you. You have been a mother to me when my own mother was gone. I will not know how to thank you."

Eleanor smiled at Madeleine. "It's not hard to love a child like you. I've always thought of you as my own daughter." she took Madeleine in her arms and kissed her cheeks.

Madeleine walked over to her older brothers. "Brothers." she said with a sad smile. Before she could say anything more, Francis and Henri had pulled her into a hug. It wasn't long before her younger brother Charles and younger sister Louise mingled in the embrace.

"We will miss you, little honey sister of mine." Francis said as he stroked Madeleine's dark hair. Henry nodded. "I'm sure you'll forget us once you're in Scotland, but know that you'll always be in our hearts." he smiled.

"I will never be able to forget you. Not you and Francis and certainly not my dear little brother and sister." she kissed Charles and Louise on the cheek and then her older brothers.

Breaking free from the embrace, she walked over to Catherine, who looked at her younger sister-in-law with a sad look. "I will miss you so much." she said with a sob. She tried to collect herself, but it was difficult. Madeleine had been one of her first real friends in France and they had supported each other through thick and thin.

Now that Madeleine went to Scotland and Catherine's divorce was being finalized, she knew they would no longer be in close contact.

"I will miss you too Catherine." she smiled emotionally. "Promise me that we will write to each other every week."

Catherine nodded and broke away from the embrace and stood next to Henri. she watched Madeleine walk towards the carriage.

Madeleine looked back one more time and waved to her family. She felt sad, but also excited about what the future held. She turned and walked to the carriage where her James was already waiting. He smiled at her and held out his hand to help her get in.

Madeleine felt safe and secure with James. She knew he respected her and would do anything to protect her. She felt grateful that she had been allowed to marry him and that he was taking her to Scotland so that she could exercise her title as queen.

The carriage drove slowly out of the courtyard. Madeleine looked out the window and saw the beautiful gardens of the Chateau. She felt emotional and a tear rolled down her cheek. She thought of her family and her home, but she knew she was now on her way to a new adventure, one in which she could prove herself worthy of her title of Queen of Scotland.