Dream Walking

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Previously:

He had made it half way down the corridor when he stopped dead in his tracks...what was that? He'd heard something crash from his rooms, bolting back to his chambers he threw the door open.

What met his eyes was entirely unexpected...Penelope stood in the middle of the room dagger in hand. His eyes darted to the bed where Catherine had been but she was there no longer. Instead she was huddled in a corner, too weak to move and shaking from pain. Penelope didn't seem to care that the King had arrived for she darted at Catherine nonetheless, dagger held high ready to run her through. Henry however had no intention of letting that happening and burst forward, grabbing Penelope around the waist.

The servant yelped and started to struggle, stabbing Henry in the hand causing him to let her go. She immediately went for Catherine who was grappling the wall in a weak attempt to get up and get out. However Penelope had seconds later pinned her to the wall, trying to stab her in the back only to scrap her shoulder bone. Catherine had given her last energy into driving her fist into the kitchen servant's nose. Henry had caught Catherine's stumbling person and held her up as she continued to shake. Penelope came at them again but only managed to graze Catherine's forearm and rip her dress before she'd been knocked out by a hit to the head.

"Henry...Henry my head...I can't..." She murmured, slumping into him even further.

He knew she was still immensely weak from the poison and hadn't been given a mere second to recover. Holding her up he escorted her barely conscious person back to the bed and helped her to lie down. She didn't even have the energy to question his motives or send a snappy remark his way. She just sighed deeply before going completely limp on the bed, her lips still partly open and a hand on her chest. He didn't know whether she had passed out again or if she was just exhausted but as he watched her he realized she had several wounds that needed tending to.

First though, he dragged Penelope's unconscious form out and left her in the hallway, locking the door so she couldn't reenter. Then he went over to a cabinet and retrieved some ointment for his wife's wounds. He walked to her side, moving the silk fabric of her dress just enough to see the gash on her collarbone. It wasn't too bad but it was still bleeding lightly, staining her pale skin burgundy. Taking a wet cloth he cleared to blood from the wound, watching her face intensely for any sign of response.

After the blood was cleared away he dabbed a bit of salve on her wound before moving to the one on her arm. However, as he attempted to clean this scrap she murmured, twisting her head to the side and peering down at him, "What are you doing?" She asked, voice a mere hoarse whisper.

"Just cleaning your wound...did I hurt you?"

Her head lolled back and forth slowly to indicant that he hadn't hurt her. Then he nodded and continued attending to her arm only this time he was very aware of her watching him through veiled vision.

She had never seen him care for her like this, not even when they were younger. The way he was so gentle and caring, almost scared to touch her reminded her not of himself but of her. She had been so shaky and afraid whenever she had to physically interact with him but he'd been patient, encouraging her but not rushing. Her brain went foggy again and she unconsciously twitched her fingers but he took notice. Drawing back he looked concerned again, "Did I hurt you?" He asked again.

"No..." She murmured.

He nodded again and finished his work before drawing back and looking at her, she looked weary. Wearier then he'd seen her in years, with heavy circles under her eyes and a far of gaze. "Catherine?" He whispered.

"Yes?" She opened her eyes a bit wider to see him.

"I'm sorry..."

She looked ready to shoot a snarling comment his way before her face ghosted into a small smile. She didn't say anything but she gazed at him silently. Her head turned into the pillow and she closed her eyes, letting silence lay on them like snow before saying, "I know..."

A/N you guysss the finale had me shook.

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