Francis was packing when he heard the door open. He sighed, "Mother, please, do not bother trying to 'grace me' with your presence and leave me alone. You know what I have to do." A pang of jealousy ran through the young mans chest. He had to get away from his ex-fiancée Mary and his half brother, Bash, before his head exploded. Since Mary's return, he had felt nothing but confusion and sadness, and then heart ache.

Catherine walked into Francis' chambers in the middle of the afternoon. "Francis, son." She said, walking through the threshold and into the room. "I have to tell you something - I fear that you will not like it.." She cleared her throat, "Are you even listening to me?" Her eyes narrowed into slits.

"No, I am simply too involved with my own thoughts to be bothered with you. You've probably just come to sprout some ridiculous lies about Mary." Francis was smiling broadly and looking over his balcony out at the world below. "This will be mine and hers one day mother." His smile widened. "Our glorious kingdom."

"Actually Francis.. That is what I have come to speak to you about.." Catherine chose her words carefully. "Mary Queen of Scots has just proposed to your half brother. Bash. Your father is more than happy enough to go to Rome and get Sebastian legitimized-"

"Mother, enough with the lies." Francis shook his head. "Mary loves me. I love her. We will be rulers together."

Even though it had only been a matter of hours since he and his mother had had that conversation, it felt like years had passed since. There was a clicking of a females shoes coming towards him, "Mother what did I-"

"It's me." Francis shrank back slightly, "It's Mary." He closed his eyes and turned to her, a distraught look on his face. "Oh Francis.." Mary's soft brown eyes scanned his face as she extended her hand.

"Don't touch me." He whispered. Pain coursed through his body at the sight of her. A girl he could now never have. A girl his brother would always have. Bash would always be the lucky bastard, even when the tables had turned. "Your marrying my brother, you took away my titles and yet you claim you do not want to be the cause of my death." Francis knew he had crossed a line when he said this. Mary's face crumpled, her petite hands shaking at her sides. "Mary.. I have to leave. Just for a little while."

Mary opened her mouth a few times before nodding slightly, "Just for a little while.." She walked over to Francis and kissed his cheek lightly. "Please be safe Francis, and remember I love you." Her voice broke on the word love. Before Francis had a chance to react, Mary had pulled away and was heading towards the door.

"I love you too.." He mumbled as she left. He put a hand to his cheek and swallowed. "I love you Mary."

A few hours later Francis was packed and was on the road with nothing but a horse, a weeks supply of food and enough money to get him a safe passage to Scotland. He had always been curious as to where the Queen Of Scots had been brought up, so he decided to swoop the opportunity and go there for a little while. Francis knew there was a ship on the coast about to set sail to Scotland, and he knew it would be a race against time to get on that ship in time.