A beating heart

Chapter 32

Sorry for the longer wait, I took a Christmas break, enjoying too much food and not nearly enough time on the slopes (not really enough snow for skiing sadly). But I'm back and will hopefully upload the next chapters very soon :)

If you haven't noticed yet, I publish a Christmas story, 'A very French Christmas'. Basically just a really fluffy Christmas one-shot of all our favorite characters at French court (does not really have anything to do with 'A beating heart' though). So I'd really appreciate if you could check it out :)

32.

„Mary" Kenna was visibly out of breath.

„I am sorry, your Majesty. I tried to tell Lady Kenna that you are indisposed. But she ..." Mary's page was nervously fidgeting with his hands and Kenna shot him a icy look.

„Mary, you need to hear this!" she huffed.

Mary gave herself a moment to take in the scene unfolding before her. Her page's look had turned into one of terror at facing Kenna's fierce spirit. She bit her lip, trying to hold back a laugh. Kenna could truly behave like an unruly lioness, but that fire was the reason she was such a dear friend. She would do whatever it took for her Queen and Kenna had saved her countless times. Still, seeing the young boy visibly trembling before them was humorous to behold.

„It's alright, she can stay." Mary chuckled.

„Thank you, your Majesty." Kenna rolled her eyes in annoyance.

„You gave that boy quite the scare." she sank back down on the stool perched before her dressing table.

Lately, or at least the day since her talk with Francis, she had been in a measurably better mood. Her worries were still present and lurking behind ever corner but somehow that didn't really bother her. She had found a way to walk past them, pushing them into the forgotten darkness of her mind. Sure, danger was all encompassing but at some point, one's body and mind seemed to adapt to the circumstances at hand.

She let her fingers trace over a beautiful necklace, crafted from delicate golden links and tiny rubies. It would go marvelously well with the cream coloured dress she had chosen for the day. Normally she would prefer wearing blacks and darker, more sinister, shades for her gowns. The darker tone made her feel save, a shield of fabric to hide behind. But today she had experienced a sudden urge to dress in something lighter, a piece of clothing that would further lift her spirits, rather than weigh them down again. She smiled to herself, the mental image of spinning in many layered dress with the light catching in the blood clouded jewels vivid in her mind.

Meanwhile Kenna had grabbed the nearest stool herself and thumped down on it next to Mary. She looked slightly disheveled which was not a usual assurance for her normally always careful friend.

„Well, tell me already. What required you to burst in her at this hour?" she smiled at Kenna through the mirror, adjusting some locks of hair.

„Haven't you heard yet?" Kenna still sounded out of breath, which meant she had covered quite the distance coming here.

„Haven't I heard what?" Mary turned, letting the earring, she was just about to put in, slide back onto its velvet cushion.

The high pitched tone in Kenna's voice, alluding to some kind of emergency, had caught her attention. She let out a breath, trying to convincer herself that it was probably nothing, a minor incident most likely. She would not allow this to ruin her exceptionally good mood, not today.

„Cathrine was released yesterday." Kenna sounded appalled by her own words.

Mary's heart seemed to still for a split second and it took her several seconds to actual make sense of what Kenna had just said. She must have not heard correctly. It couldn't be true, it simply couldn't be.