Reign (with a new queen)

Trapped part 3

Faridah joins Mary at her chambers. Mary told faridah of her and Catherine's plan of leave through the secret passageway. It was the time for the feast and Mary, her ladies, Catherine, and faridah are at the table with the count and his men. Catherine offers them gold and starts her hourglass. After a while, Mary looks at faridah, and they great ready to leave.

"Count may we excuse us," Mary asked

"Why?" Count said

"Our corset is um..." faridah said giving the count a discomforting look.

"Say no more." Count response uncomfortably

"My ladies must join us, it's hard to without servants." Mary gets up with her ladies and faridah and they leave. Mary takes them to the panel that leads to the secret passageway. She knocks, but nothing happens. Everyone starts to panic. One of the count's men bumps into them,

"The Count wants your return."

They return to the table, Catherine surprise they're still in the castle.

"Count Vincent" Catherine walks to the chest of gold on the table. "Isn't this enough?"

The count rolls his eyes and looks away. Catherine closes the chest,

"You know the king will go to war over his heirs."

"What of it? Can Henry give me the life I had a year ago? Then let the heavens fall." The count stands up,

"Enough of this. Thank you for this generous feast. Now we will be on our way."

Catherine pleads with the count,

"Please. Do not take my children. What else can I give you?"

The count quickly looks over at Faridah and Mary. Catherine sees this and see an opportunity.

"Do you want women?" Catherine stares the count down. Mary and her ladies look shock, while Faridah looks confused. "Take them. Take the virtue." Faridah walks to Catherine and whispers to her

"What are you doing? Stop."

"Catherine no!" Mary demands

"Lair!" Lola shouts at Catherine, but Catherine does not move her eye off the count.

"They won't dare say a word about it. They'd be ruined! You can have them. You can have anything." Catherine desperately tries to convince him.

"Give me your heart then!" He pulls out a knife and bangs it on the table making everyone jump, "carve it out and hand it to me. So that we might understand on another. That is diplomacy," he bangs his knife again getting closer to Catherine with each word.

"To understand my loss. To carry the weight of your dead heart with you every night and day until you find your grave!" The count takes a deep breath, "Roberto. Give me Roberto and I will let your children live." He walks pass Catherine and to Faridah. She looks at Catherine with genuine fear.

"I apologize, but I lied to you. Faridah." Count smells her hair, "You look just like your mother."

She looks at him, "What? Why would you-"

The count grabs her and forces her on the wall while his men grab the others. The count kisses her neck, "you feel like her too." He drags her to the table and pushes the chest of the table. He lays her down the table and pins her down. He tightens his grip around her wrist Faridah tries to free herself, but can't. Catherine throws the hourglass,

"Count Vincent!" Catherine yells, "Do you know why your son is dead? Because of you. Because, unlike me, you aren't willing to pay the necessary price. So I will make you a new offer. Take your hands off of Amice and I will let you leave the castle with your life." She threatens him. He laughs at her threat, but his men start to fall.

"My lord!" One of the men calls for the count; blood pours out of his nose before falling. When the count looks at his men they were all of them were bleeding and falling one by one. He looks confused while he is watching all of this he loosen his grip.

"No! We-We at the same food. We drank my wine." The count stands next to Faridah.

"Poison is an art. And the essence of art surprises."

Faridah slowly gets up and looks down at the gold. "The gold."

The count looks at the gold then at Catherine.

"I never touched your gold, Medici bitch!" The count draws out his knife. Before he can stab Catherine with it Faridah quickly grabs a fork nearby and stabs the count in the neck. He falls on the table and faridah gets off the table and into Catherine's arms. He tries to move the knife, but his hand was cut off by Francis.

"Your son awaits you," Francis said looking at the count's bleeding body. Everyone comforts each other. Francis runs to Mary, her ladies comfort each other, and Faridah had Catherine. Faridah cries in her arms,

"Everything is fine now." Catherine rubs her back.

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Kenna is in the infirmary with Mary and her ladies. Francis and Faridah free everyone in the dungeon. Faridah goes back to her room to rest. But she can't sleep, after everything that happens that day she could not sleep. Her hands would not stop shaking and her head keeps replaying everything that happened during the feast. She hears a knock at her door that stops her from thinking.

"Come in." She yells. Bash walks in he sees she's sitting next to the fireplace and joins her.

"How are you feeling?" He asks

"I should be the one asking you." She smiles at him.

"I was fine, my mother is a master when it comes to bribes." They both chuckle. He looks down at her hands and sees that her wrists are bruised. Her hands won't stop shaking he looks at her and ask again,

"How are you feeling?"

She looks at him and nods her head with a small smile. Bash gently grabs her hands,

"Stop lying to me. Tell me."

Tears fall right out, she rests her forehead on his shoulders. She finally sees the bruises on her wrist causing her to cry even more. Her body moves up and down from her crying and bash hugs her to make her feel better.

"Francis told me what happened in the diner hall. Killing someone is never easy."

"I-I was so scared. I thought he was-was going to..."

"I wish I could have protected you. You wouldn't have been in that situation if I was there." He takes a deep breath and sighs. She looks up at him and kisses his cheek.

"Stay." She asks him,

"...Of course."