18th of February 1531 - Paris, France

Stepping out of the carriage, Catherine de' Medici dressed in her finery couldn't help but feel nervous as she took in the French court that had gathered to greet her upon her arrival from Rome alongside Pope Clement. 

It had come as a great surprise to her when he had surged forward in arranging her marriage to Prince Henri; he had insisted that it was for her own good but she didn't quite believe him. 

Clarice's extended absence had been hard not to notice and Catherine found herself wishing that she had been able to travel with her cousin to England; she had hated being left behind with Clement. 

The two cousins had always been close and Catherine didn't have to guess to know why Clement had asked Clarice to go to England; she was also not surprised when Clarice had failed to do that. 

One of the many things that Catherine admired about Clarice was her kindness, she didn't have it in her to be any man's mistress nor would she be able to seduce a King from his lover. 

The news that Katherine of Aragon had been found to be a liar and traitor to the English crown and the Archbishop of Canterbury had annulled the marriage when Clement returned to his watch and see habit. 

Watching Clement introduce himself to King Francis, Catherine lingered just behind him allowing her eyes to scan the Princes that were stood behind King Francis. 

One of them was to be her husband and Catherine was sure that he was just as pleased as she was with the match; they were both being pushed into this especially considering the expensive dowry that Clement had promised the French King for her hand. 

"May I present Catherine de' Medici," Clement stated stepping back to show her off, a forced smile on his face knowing that all his best laid plans had gone out of the window once Ippolito and Clarice had betrayed him to the English King. 

With each passing day he got reports that King Henry was pulling away from Rome and towards the teaching of the heretic Martin Luthor. 

A man that had once defended the Catholic Faith, now was turning against it and it's teachings; King Henry had been heard loudly stating that he found the Catholic church to be corrupt and was ordering investigations into the clergy.

"Your Majesty," Catherine said curtsying to Francis, she recalled the last time that she visited the French Court having come with Clarice as her guest; she had been treated with respect and had enjoyed how unstifling the court was compared to Rome. 

Now things felt very different and Catherine was under no illusion that things for her were going to change; she would be the Duchess of Orléans. 

"It is a pleasure to have you here with us, Madam de' Medici. I trust you shall be most comfortable here," King Francis told her, he stepped forward to take her hand and offered her a reassuring smile. 

There was no denying that his son had been far from pleased to hear that he was to marry Catherine, he had hoped for a more adventitious marriage especially since he had little hope of becoming King. 

"Allow me to introduce my son, Prince Henri the Duke of Orléans," King Francis said introducing Catherine to the man that would become her husband in two years' time. 

She had been brought to France to adjust to the court and if possible, to secure an even better alliance with England now that King Henry had Ippolito as an advisor and Clarice was set to marry into the Boleyn family. 

A part of King Francis had regretted his actions in agreeing to stripe Clarice of her birth right at Clement's orders for disobeying him but he was proud of what his dear cousin had accomplished while she was in England. 

She was a Countess in her own right and she had made a fine match in the new Duke of Bedford, she was set for life especially when Anne Boleyn assumed the throne. 

The duchy had been gifted to his uncle, Philip who he had married to Charlotte of Orleans; dealing with his own issues with support especially from his mother's side of the family. 

"Your Highness," Catherine greeted offering a curtsy to her future husband, she hoped that she pleased him and she prayed that their marriage would be a happy one. 

Prince Henri eyed his bride, he couldn't believe his father would do this to him especially when he knew how Henri felt about Diane.

***

"I must say I am surprised that you made such a trip, Your Holiness," Francis stated sitting back in his chair and eyeing Clement wondering just what his next ploy would be now that he had officially lost control of Ippolito and Clarice. 

There was no denying that how Clement had acted in regards to King Henry's annulment proceedings had led to the issues that the man was now facing. 

It had blown up in his face once the truth about Katherine of Aragon had been discovered, the evidence against her was damning and no one could deny that King Henry had been more than fair to her. 

By doing what he had, King Henry had ensured that the Emperor could not call foul and invade England to but Lady Mary on the throne as his puppet married to one of his sons in the name of his aunt. 

Katherine was a prisoner in all but name, she was kept comfortable and out of sight allowing King Henry to marry Anne Boleyn and from there things, Francis hoped, would work out the way his brother in arms wanted. 

"You think I had much of a choice, I am the embarrassment of Europe because of that woman," Clement spat shaking his head, he had been a hostage of the Emperor and had done everything that the man had asked of him. 

Only for it to fall apart when Ippolito had given evidence to the King of England that not only proved that Katherine was a liar but a traitor to the man's crown. 

Ippolito could have been Pope, he could have been rich and the matter of his birth would not have mattered to anyone; he could have taken a mistress and fathered children for all Clement cared. 

Instead Clement was left with a tarnished reputation and Ippolito had found himself a Duke in England; he had the King of England's ear and he would use it against Clement who he deemed as taking everything that he had wanted from him. 

"And now she is no longer Queen, instead the woman that you deemed a harlot will take the crown," Francis mused almost amused by this, he had never thought that Anne Boleyn would reach such heights and soon she would come to France along with the King to seek his support on their marriage. 

He'd already decided that he would give it, anything to upset the Emperor more after what the man had done to him and his eldest sons; it aggrieved Francis that he could not heal the hurt that his sons had suffered.

"I would ask you to deny your support on the King's marriage and that of Clarice," Clement stated stepping closer to Francis, his real reason for coming with Catherine being revealed; he wished to stall the marriages for as long as possible. 

He doubted that it would do much to disway King Henry from his path but Clarice was more likely to be upset that her cousin, the King of France, would not give such a blessing to her. 

For betraying him, Clement wanted to cause her pain and the idea that her marriage may result in her title never being returned was more than enough for him especially if the marriage to the Boleyn heir was against Francis's will. 

"I am much in favour of a Queen that will boost my support to her King and the Countess is no longer my subject at your doing," King Francis reminded him smugly. 

It was no secret that Anne was very much a supporter of France, something that meant that she would be greatly opposed to any alliance with the Emperor in the future. 

Then there was the matter of Clarice, she was no longer his to command now that she was an English Countess instead of a French Duchess; he had acted on Clement's orders and had lost any control he had over her. 

"Then we must bring them and England back into the fold before it is too late," Clement decided knowing that this could not be how he was remembered in history. 

The Pope that lost England was not how he wished to be remembered nor was he pleased with the fact that as main line descendants Ippolito and Clarice were no longer on his side on certain matters. 

There was no doubt that Ippolito would wish to take back Florence and become its ruler again, a title that he had lost when Clement had replaced him with his nephew, Alessandro. 

Leaning back in his chair, King Francis didn't respond doubting that anything that Clement did would change things; the damage had been done and from what he knew personally of King Henry he wouldn't change his course now. 

There was no telling how far his English counterpart would go but King Francis had no doubts that things would never be the same in England.