Love at Second Sight

Down On My Head

Catherine stormed back into her own rooms, finally. She wouldn't dare allow herself to spend another night in a cave, in cot, or in any other cold damp hole they could find for her. As if she hadn't enough problems, now her daughter Leeza shows up to cause more. The audacity. Making her own brother look a fool in front of the whole court, making her look weak and useless.

Bash and Claude were the only ones left behind after the throne room cleared. Claude ran to him and hugged him.

"It is good to see a face I can trust around here." she said.

"You have your mother." he said. She rolled her eyes as she let go of him.

"Not entirely sure I can trust her, after all she's done." she told him.

"I can't say I would trust her with just anything, but I'm sure you can at least trust her to keep you safe."  he said.

"Since when? The last thing you did before you left here was to warn us about her." Claude reminded him. Bash sighed and shook his head.

"I never meant...I never meant for this. I only meant for you to be aware, not to let her use you, not to treat her like...like nothing. She's your mother." he explained as he looked away.

"What's changed? You tried to kill her. Why do you care?" Claude wondered.

"It's one thing for me to hate her, it's another thing for you to." he said in a flat tone. He looked at her a moment, took a deep breath, and then left. Claude paused a moment to ponder what he said and then yelled after him, without turning.

"That didn't answer my question!"

After Catherine had cooled off a bit and gathered her injured pride, she remembered the look in Leeza's eyes. She knew that look. Her daughter was up to something more than just slinging insults. She had no idea what it was, but whatever it was she wasn't going to let her get away with it.

Leeza was watching the servants unpack her things when Catherine burst in, still a bit wobbly from her injuries, but she pushed through it out of anger.

"Why are you here!" Catherine demanded. Leeza looked around at her servants who had stopped all they were doing when Catherine shouted.

"Leave us." she told them. They all dispersed, bowing as they left the room. "How dare you burst into my chambers that way."

"How dare I...you didn't mind bursting into the throne room, insulting the king and the entire court. So again I ask, why are you here?" Catherine persisted.

"To attend my little sister's wedding of course." she said.

"We both know you could give a rats behind about your sister's wedding." Catherine spat.

"Well, that's true...unless..." she began.

"And there it is...unless what?" Catherine wondered through gritted teeth.

"Unless it were a different groom." she said.

"And what exactly is wrong with the Duke of Lorraine? He's a perfectly good match." Catherine told her.

"Perfectly good isn't enough, she needs to marry someone with more power. Someone who can help the Valois rise brighter and stronger. Not just someone...perfectly good." Leeza explained.

"He's a Duke. He's one of the wealthiest men in..." Catherine began.

"I said more power, not more money." she interrupted.

"Money is power!" Catherine bellowed.

"Not on it's own, you need to know how to use it." she clarified.

"And who, may I ask, in your opinion, has more power than the Duke of Lorraine?" she inquired.

"The Duke of Guise." she revealed.

"You want her to marry Martel?" Catherine shook her head. "No. I won't allow it. My daughter will never marry that...filth."

"Yes, yes. We all know how you hate the de Guise. But it's high time you put aside your distaste of them." Leeza said.

"This is not only about my personal feelings toward them. Martel is not fit to marry Claude. She will marry someone else...anyone else." Catherine said.

"How is he not fit? He's the from one of the most powerful houses in France." Leeza asked. Catherine pursed her lips.

"I cannot prove it, but he is a murderer. I don't have the evidence, but I know it's true." she told her.

"And who is it you believe he murdered?" Leeza wondered.

"Why does that matter? A killer is a killer. And I'm not letting Claude marry a killer." Catherine said.

"Find me some proof...or she will marry who I tell her to marry." Leeza said.

"You have no right to tell her anything. She's my daughter. I decide..." Catherine started.

"You decide nothing, your king decides who his sister marries. And he will do as I ask, or he will have Spain to deal with." Leeza informed as she opened the door and ushered Catherine out. "You can go now mother, you really should get some rest."Catherine stormed out. She knew this was not a game she could play at face value. Leeza held the cards. She needed to find her tell, and make her fold. There was a bigger picture here.

When she got back to her room Bash was waiting for her.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked. He closed the door behind her.

"I saw the fire again." he said quietly.

"And..." she urged him to say more.

"I saw. I saw Martel. He was setting the fire." Bash said. Catherine sat.

"Then there's only one way to fix this, Martel needs to die." she said.

"We can't just murder him for something he hasn't actually done yet. I don't even know if what i saw is..." he started.

"It doesn't matter." she stopped him. "He murdered Leith. I don't have the proof, but I know that he did. I never told Claude I suspected him, because I wasn't sure of what she would do...If he killed him, there's no telling what else he would do. We cannot take a chance after that vision...Especially not now that Leeza want's him to marry Claude."

"What?" He asked in shock. She nodded.

"And I can't stop it. I can't stop Spain from retaliating if we decline. There is only one way." she said. "Now you understand? This is how I make all my decisions, without a choice. My hands are tied. Will I have your help?"

"I will help you." he said. "I won't let that man lay a hand on Claude. I promise."

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