War of Hearts || Reign || REWRITE

Chapter 3

May 1562, Château de Louvre, Paris

The next morning, Bianca allowed her maids to dress her. She had chosen a deep burgundy dress with golden-yellow accents. The gown featured a simple bodice with a modest square neckline and narrow, long sleeves adorned with subtle embroidery at the wrists. The skirt fell in soft pleats to the ground and was accented by a thin golden belt around her waist.

Her dark hair was styled in a low bun, secured with a single hairpin shaped like a golden flower. She wore a short necklace with a small locket and simple pearl earrings to complete her appearance.

Once dressed, she made her way to the courtyard, where dozens of carriages stood ready to transport the royal family and their guests to the Notre Dame Cathedral. There, the wedding between Princess Elisabeth and King Philip of Spain would take place.

Bianca scanned the courtyard, searching for a familiar face among the crowd gathered in the garden. She noticed the queen's ladies-in-waiting gathered near a carriage but hesitated to join them. Most of the women were older and often spoke only of marriages, household tasks, and other topics she found uninteresting.

She knew the royal family would leave later and, in any case, did not consider herself of high enough rank to travel with them to such a grand occasion.

"Bianca," a voice called from behind her. She turned and found herself face to face with Diane de Poitiers, Maximilian's mother, who walked arm in arm with her son. Following close behind were Diane's daughters, Louise and Françoise.

Bianca made a quick curtsey. "Madame," she greeted Diane with a smile. She glanced briefly at Maximilian. "Good morning, Max."

Diane smiled warmly at Bianca as she looked her over. "You look radiant, Bianca," she said approvingly.

Bianca smiled politely in return. "Compared to a beauty like yourself, I am plain, Madame. No one could rival your grace."

Despite being 62 years old, Diane still looked remarkably well. She was already a grandmother to sixteen grandchildren.

Diane chuckled softly. "Such a charming young lady. With whom are you traveling to the cathedral?" Bianca cast a glance at the ladies-in-waiting boarding their carriage. Diane followed her gaze and said: "You shall travel with me and my children. Come along."

Diane, with Maximilian on her arm, walked toward a black carriage adorned with the initials D and H, standing for Diane and Henri. Bianca followed behind.

The relationship between Diane and Henri had always intrigued Bianca. Diane had been present at Henri's birth as a lady-in-waiting to the late Queen Claude. She had been the one to bid Henri farewell when he and his older brother Francis were sent to Spain as hostages and had welcomed him back with open arms years later.

Diane had married at the age of fifteen to Louis de Brézé, with whom she was married for sixteen years until his death. The marriage had produced two daughters, Françoise and Louise. From the moment Catherine married Henri, Diane and Henri began a romantic relationship. To everyone's surprise, Diane became pregnant six years later, at the age of 42. This had been proof to Henri that he was not infertile, as his wife Catherine had still not conceived. Maximilian was born in 1542, and his birth was celebrated almost as grandly as that of a royal prince.

As the carriage began to move, Diane sighed. "It seems this is the year of marriages. First Princess Margaret to the Duke of Savoy, now Princess Elisabeth to the King of Spain. Princess Claude is also engaged to the son of the Duke of Lorraine and will marry this year as well. And today, Queen Mary of Scotland joins our court, meaning yet another wedding to look forward to."