Tu Es Ma Lumière

176 - Entanglement

"King Henry! King Henry, we must stop!" the young man on horseback cried. Their guide to that year's new years party -held by Mistress de Portiers was a marvellous chance for the French people to see their King and Queen and future King and Queen. Upon the orders of Queen Catherine, the latter's had been safely locked away at Court. The reason being that the young Dauphin had only just gotten over his weakness and friality. And the young future Dauphine had only just arrived from her homeland that spring. And Queen Catherine couldn't bare to think of the duo being hurt outside the castle walls - was not a competent man. He easily lost his way because of the several inches of now covering the French mountains in which they rid upon.

Upon his brown, tall mare, sat astride the King of France. He was bundled into a shapeless clump of brown fur, red velvet and gold embroidery. Henri yelled back at the young man.

"We only have one more day!" he yelled, his voice a mere whisper in comparison to the horrid snowstorm covering them. "I am not stopping!" he yelled once again, turning to squint, trying to find the chateaux that he had gifted his favourite mistress and the mother of his favourite son. But, it was fruitless.

"What about the Queen?!" the guide yelled. He had been trying to get the stubborn king to turn around with their entourage for miles now. But, that was fruitless as well. "She's been astride her horse for hours now! She is exhausted!" he tried. Henry huffed in annoyance, turning around, his love for his wife long since soured into hatred. "Think of your child!" he yelled. That made Henry stop. Whilst he would allow Catherine to suffer, he would not when she grew with his child. And, the Medici Queen was heavily pregnant again, a much desired pregnancy seeing as she had given him two daughters after her favourite child, not two more sons as the king would have liked. And the Consort prayed for another son, not a useless daughter whom she -although fiercely loved- resented simply because of their sex- almost as much as she did her future daughter in law. Whom she simply disliked from the first moment they met over a year and a half ago.

Aforementioned Scottish Queen sat astride her favourite white stallion. A gift from her late father, the blonde haired, blue eyed intelligent and protective horse rode calmly through the snow. Clearly, this weather reminded mistress and horse of their homeland, for this weather was common in Scotland. The duo took to it instantly, but it was hard to enjoy after days of riding, their carriages unable to go up the steep hills. He was heavily covered in blankets and furs, along with the saddle that held the future of France and Scotland.

Mary was donned in a heavy Scarlett chiffon ball gown, the skirt puffy and train long, waist tight and sleeves sheer. On top, her thickest house coat and at least three blankets, before the biggest sleeved cape was placed on her shoulders. It dwarfed the tall child, the black fur cape with thick sleeves keeping her body from the snow and the wind. The hood almost covered her eyes, the sleeves having the ability to run well past her arms, the actual cape able to wrap around her at least twice. It was thick enough to muffle the sound of the howls of the wind and the crunches of the snow.

In front of her sat her pretty Dauphin. Bundled up even thicker than she was, the six year old sat back against his future wife. He held onto the reigns of their horses, gloved hands covered by Mary's own. His usual leather trousers and boots were covered by a black tunic, a high necked red velvet waistcoat and a thick doublet of red and black leather, silver embellishments drowned in the four blankets Catherine had forced upon his little shoulders. A thick cape of red velvet backed with brown fur covered him, the hood up, hiding his long blonde curls and deep blue eyes. He held her close, bringing her forward by his grip on her hands. Although he was in front, Mary was in control.

"Think of the Prince and the Queen!" the man yelled once more. Henry's eyes fell to his son and future daughter in law, huddled together close, both mere lumps that didn't resemble children at all, due to the many layers they wore. "They are your heirs, the future! They are mere children, they won't be able to last in this weather much longer!" he yelled.