An Imperial Match: Anne Boleyn marries Charles V
- Thread starter pandizzy
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Catherine was suspecting him in past chapters of harbouring such ambitions.
23rd of May, 1530.
Milan, Milan. 23rd of May, 1530.
It took two days before Caterina was finally able to see her husband. Francesco was laying on his bed, surrounded by physicians who had saved his life. He had a pale and green look to his face, eyes sunken in and her heart twisted inside her chest as she came inside, holding her rosaries tightly in her hand. Ever since he collapsed at dinner, she had done little else but pray for his health and swift recovery. She cared for him too much to lose him less than ten years after they were wed.
When he noticed her approach, Francesco waved the physicians away, grunting in pain as he did so. “Leave,” he ordered in a rough and tired voice. “Leave, there is nothing else for you to do.”
Caterina walked to him as fast as she could, well aware of the pain deep inside of her that she had ignored in favour of him. His eyes lit up when he saw her by his side and she placed a hand over his forehead, feeling it clammy and hot to the touch. His sleeves had been pulled and she saw the long cuts made by the doctors to bleed him, leeches attached to his skin. Francesco let out a relieved breath, eyes shuddering close and when they were truly alone, Caterina felt safe to press her lips to his face.
“It will be alright,” she murmured. “You will recover, I know it so.”
Francesco shook his head and looked up at her, brown eyes glinting. “I won’t,” he responded. “The physicians said I will live and survive this attempt, but my health will never be the same.”
“Then we will find other physicians,” she told him. “I shall write to my sister in Portugal, my brothers and find experts to heal you.” Caterina always thought that a doctor’s diagnosis were simply suggestions that could be ignored and she would not let anyone say her husband would not recover without doing something about it.
“My proud Spanish wife,” said Francesco with a smile. It was at that moment that he noticed her flat stomach, how she had stopped wearing the large-panelled clothings of a woman expecting. “And our child? How is he?”
Caterina took a deep breath, remembering how some of the physicians available in the city had to be assigned to her own care. They had told her that she should stay in bed and rest, but with her husband trapped in bed and her son still so young, someone ought to rule over Milan.
“Our son did not live past the exit of my womb,” said Caterina, trying to stay strong. “The shock was too much for him.”
Francesco’s eyes moved around her face, trying to read her expression, but he must have seen that she wasn’t lying. Caterina leaned forward to take his hands, pressing a gentle kiss to his knuckles. He turned his hand to caress her cheek and she let out a breath, pulling a chair to sit down.
“There will be others,” she murmured. “He’s with our Lord now.”
“I know, but the pain is still here,” said Francesco. She nodded, tears burning into her eyes and pressed a kiss to his hand and face, wanting nothing else than to enter his bed and embrace him tightly. She was terrified of losing him, of becoming a widow when their children were still so young and needed a father still. “Who poisoned me?”
“The captain of your guard is investigating,” said Caterina. “He thinks it was a Visconti.”
Francesco shook his head. “Bonifacio Visconti is the final heir to the family,” he said with a poisonous tone to his voice. “Have the order for his arrest be sent out.” Caterina nodded and placed a hand to his face, stroking his skin as gently as she could.
“I will care for everything. Just… Don’t strain yourself,” she murmured. “Please, I-- I can’t lose you.” It hurt to admit it, to place her heart on the palm of his hand. Her mother had allowed herself to love her husband and Caterina was witness to what happened to her when he died for her entire childhood, trapped in that horrible convent.
But Francesco only smiled and opened his arms. She didn’t hesitate to burrow into his embrace, pulling her legs and body over to the bed. Caterina placed the side of her face against his chest, feeling the beating of his heart. Ever so often, it would skip a beat, then go slow.
It wouldn’t beat strongly again.
Oh noooo, not Caterina's child!!! I had initially suspected that perhaps the child would live and Francesco would die, but it would seem I was wrong. At least it seems that Francesco lives for now, and they know who is responsible, though I fear perhaps he only has another decade or so left to live.
Caterina certainly won't, though they are attempted killers, if anything.
To be fair, I thought he was already dead, so I had lost hope. I do stand by what I said though
*Waves hand* Five dozen flags over here, please! Five dozen flags, friend!
You, mister are in no position to argue in defence of babies with all the ones you have killed in our collaborative timelines.😀😀😀😀
They become quite annoying when you cannot keep track of them! Though, in my defense, I always killed them off for a reason.
At least two reasons, and one was to annoy me. 🤣🤣🤣 Just kidding.