I beg of you, take me back. I am no longer blinded.

Confessions

The queen of France in question had retired to her chambers after taking a short walk in the palaces private gardens. She made her way to the furthest end of the room where her bed was situated. She took the top layer of her dress of and placed it beside her so that she was now only left in the bodice and skirt of it, ridding herself of the high neck and sleeves. The dressing on her arms were beginning to itch and so she began unwrapping them. She had extra bandages and salve in her room and was certain she could redo her dressings almost as well as the physician. She prepared a small basin of water before she undid the layers of fabric and gritted her teeth as the last layer came of, taking some of the skin with it, she reached for a wet cloth to wipe some of the blood as a voice sounded behind her.

"Let me do that."

The king of France had waited only half an hour before following his wife. He had gotten to his chambers and found all of her servants and guards had been dismisses which trouble him deeply. After an attack on the castle he would have thought her guards would've been doubled. He had made his way quietly into her chambers. Looking around, he had found her on her bed at the opposite end of the room in only her bodice and skirt. There was a bandage on her shoulder and he could see she was taking similar dressings of her arms. He hadn't meant to, but as she reached for the cloth he had spoken. She was startled, he could see it. She hadn't thought he was there and he felt a little guilty at having invaded her privacy.

"What?"

The queen watched as he took the cloth out of her hands.

"So you didn't come out of it unharmed."

"Henry what are you doing? Why are you here?"

"I was worried."

"Of course you were."

Her scathing tone stung as she took her wrist away from his hands.

"Look Henry,  I know you're upset but could you please just leave the bloody scolding until tomorrow."

"I'm not upset, let me help you."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes and reaching for the cloth in his hands.

"Well if you're going to wait until tomorrow, perhaps so that you can embarrass me infront of the court then you have no business here so you can leave."

He held the cloth away from him so that she couldn't reach it and took her arm back in his hands.

"If you are so certain that I am waiting until tomorrow then you might aswell make use of me now."

He wet the cloth again and dabbed it gently onto her skin, it looked as though a knife had been torn through it. 

"What happened?"

He put the cloth down and stroked his thumb softly over the damaged tissue. His wife had been hurt and the feeling of guilt mixed with rage washed over him. How dare someone hurt her? Who had that count thought he was, going after his children before injuring his wife? He could feel her tensing at his question.

"It doesn't matter."

She didn't trust him. 

"Please Henry."

She sighed, he could tell she was to tired to fight and that made him worry even more.

"Catherine. What happened?"

He kissed her wrist. 

"Please Catherine."

She looked down at him, meeting his gaze, as she had done so many times when they had been so happy. She was exhausted, her head hurt, her wrists hurt, her shoulder hurt, her side wound hurt, and her husband acting as he once had was starting to make her barriers break down. She could let them crumble couldn't she?  Every part of her felt broken, maybe, just maybe, this once, she could let her walls drop. It would go back to normal tomorrow, but tonight it could be different. Just for a few moments. She could fool herself for that long couldn't she?

"Florentine."

The queen barely recognised her own voice. It was sounded quiet and strained, not regal and proud as she had taught herself. She sounded exactly how she felt. Broken.

"So count Vincent did this to you? He hurt you?"

She nodded her head slowly.

"Did he... go... all the way?"

"No."

She choked out the denial, shaking her head. Her husband didn't say anything, he just reached for the bandages and starting re-doing her dressings. Once he had finished he motioned towards her should, indicating that he wanted to check that wound over aswell. He moved so that he sat behind her and unwrapped the layers of cloth before cleaning the deep cut. Anger boiled inside him once again, as Catherine flinched at his touch. How could he have let this happen? He had once promised to protect her, promised to keep her safe from this type of harm happening to her ever again, yet he had ridden of for a hunt with his men, leaving her behind. He tucked a strand of hair behind the queens ear and leaned against her uninjured shoulder, breathing in the scent of her perfume that clung to her skin. 

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I..."

Catherine placed her hand on her side and immediately the king understood. She didn't want to undress.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before, but we can leave it for the physician."

Once again her head dipped in understanding and approval. He pressed a kiss to her neck and slowly snaked his arms around her waist, being sure not to cause her any more harm and giving her every opportunity to pull away. However, to his surprise she didn't object, and so they sat there. A husband comforting his wife. 

At one point the queen yawned and shifted in his grasp. She unwrapped his arms from around her waist and stood up, facing him. She cupped his face in her hands and stared into his eyes.

"It is time to go my love."

And while he wanted to protest, Henry could see that Catherine, soft as she may be speaking, had her mind firmly made up. She was tired and confused and he couldn't, wouldn't put more stress on her tonight by arguing with her, and so he left.