Okay, it has been years, YEARS, since I've written any fics, so go easy on me. I'm completely obsessed with Reign, and with so few fanfics out there for it, I figured it was time to start my own. I'm also using this in my submission for NaNoWriMo this year (and I'm doing terribly so far, only ~600 words and we are already on day 5! Then again, I did start late). Words of encouragement are welcome! Enjoy!
...
Since Mary, Queen of Scotland, was a child, the English have wanted her country and her crown. She is sent to France to wed it's next King, to save herself and her people: a bond that should protect her. But there are forces that conspire, forces of darkness, forces of the heart.
Long may she reign...
...
She was so young, and already she was onto her second fiancé. Tomas was not nearly her first choice, but Mary had a duty to her country. Immediately after he is deemed legitimate, she would secure an alliance with Portugal and protect the country she loved, the country she serves.
Ever since Francis, her dear Francis, told Mary to wed Tomas, she knew that she had no choice. She did not hold the love she thought he felt for her. Francis loves his country. Francis loves his family. But Mary? He did not love Mary. Not in the way she hoped he might. She was merely a possession, a bridge to an alliance, a bridge to more power, a bridge to more power for France. Mary would now hesitate before trusting someone so fully again. She knew that she had to put the love she held for her country above the love she thought she had for the prince. Scotland needed help from someone, anyone, so that she could save her country from the British invasion.
And really, perhaps all she felt was lust. Perhaps it was just the knowledge that they were to be married, perhaps it was just the knowledge that they had been engaged since they were merely six years old. Perhaps what she thought she felt for the prince was actually nothing at all.
Mary had never once felt so helpless before. Sure, she has been threatened by the English her entire life, but this was different. Most times the things she does in her life are best for her country, and she knew that. But for whatever reason, the thought of patriotism did not comfort her now. She wanted love, and no matter how frequently people told her it was not possible with her status guarding the way, her heart refused to believe it to be true.
That was how Mary knew that it was not merely lust she felt for her prince. She simply had to find a way to get out of this arrangement she made. One way or another, she would get out of this engagement; she just needed someone's help to get what she truly wanted: a relationship and marriage with a man whom she was in love with. Mary already knew who that was, and whether he agreed or not, she knew Francis was wrong in telling her to marry Tomas.
...
As soon as the King of France heard of Mary's engagement to Tomas, the castle went into a frenzy. Mary was still Henry's guest, but now there was an edge to any interaction; she was no longer future family. Queen Catherine was thrilled, of course. The love of her life, her one and only son, was no longer in danger of Mary and his certain death that would be caused by their betrothal and later their marriage.
Aylee, Greer, Kenna, and Lola were understanding. The four friends of Queen Mary knew that she needed to put her country first. As much as they wanted her to be able to love and marry and be with whomever she wanted, they knew that it was not a possibility for a queen, especially one who had so much riding on her marriage to a country that had strength. As it had been said previously, she was marrying a country, not a man.
Out of courtesy, King Henry (upon the insistence of the downright giddy Queen Catherine) planned to throw a ball for the newly engaged couple. "It will be good for their coming out," Catherine claimed. "It will show good spirits, perhaps keep the alliance somewhat in tact." King Henry had no choice but to bitterly agree with her.
Even though Francis was the one to tell Mary to accept Tomas' proposal, he regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Where he once at least had a part of Mary's affection, he now had none of her at all.
"Father," he told Henry, "you can't allow this. We had an alliance, an engagement, and she's throwing it all away!"
"Really, son, is that how you feel about it?" King Henry was not in the mood to be reminded of this fact. "From what I understand, you are the one who told Mary to accept, encouraged it even! As a future king, risk will always be in the way, and you risked the French-Scottish alliance when you encouraged her marrying that man. In the future perhaps you will know better than to risk without properly thinking things through."
Francis was about to retaliate, but Henry merely raised his hand to dismiss his next in line. "I don't have time for this, Francis. Your mother," the King said spitefully, "is insisting I help her with the upcoming party. If you feel so strongly about it, find a way to fix this yourself."
Francis sulked away with disappointment. He knew he shouldn't have expected anything less from his father, but it was still disappointing to know that the King was not willing to do anything. How could he expect to get anywhere now?
That was when he got an idea. It was a deliciously-wonderful, yet awful idea. If anything, Francis would convince Mary that his initial words were wrong. If there was anything he could do to convince her that marrying Tomas was not the answer, it was finding dirt, any small smear or crumb, that would tarnish the Portuguese's name.
With that enlightening thought in mind, the future King of France (and hopefully Scotland) marched away to begin his search for Bash, perhaps the only person Francis trusted to help him with this task.