Author's Note: So I've fallen helplessly in love with "Reign" very recently! This story suddenly poured forth from my brain so I had to write it down. I know I have old stories that desperately need updating and I hope to get to them soon, in case any of my old readers are here! (Hi! And hi to new readers as well!) I just had to write this one right now... PS: MASH!

He looked at her as they rode, each keeping the swiftest pace possible for fear that the French guard would catch up to them. Bash wasn't sure how many hours they had been riding, not a word had been spoken between them since they left. It was clear that Mary was growing weary and so was he. He glanced down at their horses, both were shiny with sweat. They would need to stop soon.

Bash motioned for Mary to follow him through the thick of trees that veered away from the road. She rose her brows at him – he knew she was questioning the safety of straying off the path. He gave her a reassuring nod and she followed behind him, their silence still unbroken through this exchange. Their pace necessarily slowed as they made their way through the heavily wooded area.

"Soon," Bash began, the sound of his voice sounding strange and in near disrepair even though it had been less than a day since he had used it, "we'll come across a friendly cottage. I know the inhabitants well and it's not known to the guard. We can rest there for the night and be refreshed to continue on in the morning." He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. Mary didn't bother to return such false cheeriness, she only nodded instead. They rode on for a ways before Bash, once more, motioned to the left. This time they rode through a narrow pass speckled with overgrown trees and berry bushes. Mary squinted her eyes as she began to make out smoke billowing above the trees.

"We're here," Bash told her, this time his smile was genuine and Mary couldn't help but return it, at least a little. They slowed their horses as they neared the modest cottage. A young woman stepped out of the doorway, overly cautious until recognition lit her face.

"BASH?" She squealed and ran towards him. He jumped off his horse and caught her in a warm hug. Her long blond locks spilled over his hands.

"It's good to see you, Luce," he murmured into her hair as he half spun her around. He released her and held her at arm's length. "Well, now," he began teasingly, "the last year has been good to you. You've hardly gained more than a few wrinkles."

"Oh, you!" She swatted at his arm before she seemed to notice they weren't alone. Bash followed her line of sight and stepped towards Mary, who was still mounted.

"Yes, forgive me," Bash held his hand out to help her climb down from her horse. "This is my," he paused for only a fraction of a second, "good friend, Susan. Susan, this is another good friend, Lucy." He motioned between the two.

"Hello, Susan," Lucy smiled at Mary.

"Hello, Lucy," Mary muttered, trying to appear nonplussed as her mind caught up with Bash's sudden story of who she was. She hadn't thought of that, the fact that they would have to come up with a story whilst travelling. She had assumed everyone would recognize her, but they must be far enough away from the castle that they wouldn't come across anyone who may have actually seen her in person. Additionally, Mary noted sadly, the cottage obviously belonged to peasants, not the caste of people who would ever be invited to any function that would be held at the castle. She was grateful that she had thrown her crown into her satchel earlier.

"You both look tired. Please, come in. I just put some soup on the fire. I'll add more." Lucy winked at Bash, who looked pleased with the flirtation. Mary bristled. Bash must have sensed her unease so he stepped away from Lucy, who had already disappeared inside, so he could speak with Mary.

"Look, I know I took liberties with your identity," he told her in hushed tones, "but I didn't want her to know who you are. She knows me, knows who I am, but we'll just let her think you're someone else. The less she knows about this – mess – the better. For us all." Bash watched Mary as she nodded. "Lucy can be trusted. I've known her for a few years."

Mary quirked a brow. "Just how well do you know her?"

Bash couldn't, or didn't want to, help the smirk which split his face wide open. "Very well."

"I see," Mary answered in a clipped tone, causing Bash to grin further.

"You don't approve?"

"Does it matter?"

Bash's good humour faltered as his gaze grew steady. "Does it matter to you?"

Mary gulped. "I've lost track of what we were talking about.

"Soup's ready," Lucy called from within the cottage and poked her head out. "Are you two coming in?"

"You go in ahead," Bash told the two women, "I'll tend to the horses."

Mary watched Bash's retreating back before she followed Lucy inside. Lucy pointed to a rickety chair at one side of the table. "Please, sit down," Lucy requested as she plopped a bowl in front of her guest. She put two more down, one in front each of the other two empty chairs.

"Thank you." Mary smiled at Lucy before she scanned the home. It was small, but bigger than many peasant cottages. Most had only one large room where the occupants ate, slept, and did their work. This one had the one large room where they were seated, and then two small rooms attached to either side of the building. The fire was hot and made the room hazy with smoke, but it was still comfortable. There was an old writing desk shoved against the wall beneath a glassless window.

"You 'n' Bash, have you known each other long?" Lucy asked as she poured soup into one of the other bowls.

"Not particularly, no."

Lucy sighed, obviously not receiving the response she was looking for. "Are you two," she cleared her throat, "involved?"

Mary choked on nothing. "Me? And Bash? Involved?" she sputtered. "With each other, you mean?"

"Yes."

"What are you two lovely ladies gadding about?" Bash strode in at that moment and wasted no time in picking up the empty bowl, bringing it to the cauldron hanging over the fire, slopping liquid in, then seating himself with them at the table. He did all this with such ease of familiarly that Mary knew he had done exactly this many times before.

"I was just asking Susan here if she and you were involved together," Lucy told him boldly.

Bash laughed. "No, we're not. She's actually," he quirked a brow, "engaged to my closest friend."

Mary looked at him sharply, but Lucy didn't notice. "Oh, is that it, now? Well then, I feel much better." Lucy laughed. "I don't mind telling you now, miss, that when you and Bash first showed up, well, I reckon I was more 'n' green with envy thinking the two'a' you was sittin' pretty."

"Yes, well," Mary looked all around the room, anywhere other than at Bash, "I am engaged, as Bash said." Mary stumbled on the words since they were no longer true. She had broken her engagement with Francis just earlier that day. She finally allowed her gaze to wander towards Bash; her breath caught when she realized he must have been watching her the entire time.

"One thing, though," Lucy trod on, "if you're engaged to another man, then why are the two of you travelling alone together?"

Bash cleared his throat. "Haven't you turned into the inquisitive goose, Lucy?" He twinkled his eyes at her.

"Forever curious, you know me." Lucy batted her lashes so hard, it made Mary roll her own eyes at the flirtation.

"Yes, I do," Bash drew the three words out in such a tone, with such a smile, that it made Mary very uncomfortable.

Mary rested her elbow on the table, her cheek on her palm, and sighed. She was trying not to fall asleep, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Lucy and Bash spent most of the last hour flirting, half of which contained thinly veiled euphemisms of their previous encounters. Mary wasn't jealous, of course she wasn't, she was irritated that she was stuck here with them whilst they reignited an old spark when she was trying to breathe through a gaping wound of an abruptly severed relationship.

"Susan?" . . . "Susan?"

Lucy called the name one more time before Mary remembered that was supposed to be her. She let her palm fall to the table as she straightened in her chair. Her regal body was not used to being so relaxed in company and she felt oddly stiff from slouching. "Yes?"

"I was just telling you you may sleep in my sister's room tonight."

"I meant to ask where Sarah was." Bash tilted his head towards Lucy.

"She's gone to town for the big market with Eliza. She left early this morning, won't return till tomorrow evening."

"Sarah is your sister?" Mary blinked a few times, trying to wake herself up. She was exhausted. Lucy nodded.

"Since our parents passed, four years ago, my sister and I keep this place alive by selling what little we can make. We can barter most of our sewing at the farm for food and things." Lucy cast a tentative smile towards Bash, who smiled wider in return. "That's where I met Bash a couple of years ago. He was getting some food there and ..." Lucy's smile turned coy, "he wanted to sample my wares."

Bash laughed out loud. Mary crossed her arms tightly across her chest. There was something about Lucy she didn't quite like. She was bolder than any of the other girls and women she knew. That must be what it was, Mary thought. Then Bash turned his eyes onto Mary and she couldn't help but smile at the way they turned much brighter when they looked at her.

"Well, it's getting late," Lucy stood from the table and lit two tapers, each one in a rusted holder, from the large candle in the middle of the table. She placed one in front of Mary. "Susan, I trust you'll find any nightclothes you'll be needing in my sister's trunk at the foot of the bed. She's a little bigger than you, but it should work for tonight." Mary and Bash both stood as well.

"Thank you, Lucy." Mary picked up the lit candle. Wax had dripped and dried its way down on all sides of the candle, so the taper was little more than a stump. She looked at Bash expectantly, not sure what she was waiting for him to say, but waiting nonetheless.

"Goodnight, Susan," Lucy said and began to take the few steps to her room before she stopped midway, and turned to look at Bash. "Aren't you coming to bed, silly man?" She winked at him. Mary stiffened.

Strips of messy hair drifted in front of Bash's eyes as he nodded once and turned to Mary. "Goodnight, Susan," he told her cheekily.

Mary flicked her gaze at Lucy's triumphant one before she turned it back on Bash, and then away again. "Goodnight, Sebastian." Mary turned around and went into the other room, shutting the door behind her without another glance at Bash. She placed the candle on the little bed stand and slumped onto the uneven straw bed. She felt tears near the surface but she forced them away.

Bash closed Lucy's door. He watched Lucy as she placed the candle on her dresser and slowly turned around to face him. She sauntered her way towards him, clearly trying to be seductive, but she froze a foot away from him with a sudden frown.

"You don't want this tonight, do you?" Lucy tried not to pout.

"Lucy, darling," Bash smiled fondly at her, "I care for you, you know that."

"Yes," Lucy agreed, her frown deepening.

"I just," Bash sighed, rubbing a hand tiredly across his face, "things are complicated for me right now."

"Because of Mary, you mean," Lucy whispered.

Bash's eyes snapped wide open. "What did you say?"

Lucy smiled now. "Relax, Bash. Your secret's safe with me. I figured it out awhile ago."

Bash furrowed his brows. "How? You've never seen her before."

"It was something you said. You said she was engaged to your closest friend. You told me, more than once, that your brother, the future King of France, is your closest friend. I put two and two together."

Bash let out the deep breath he had been holding. "I'm sorry for deceiving you. I did it to protect you as much as us."

Lucy smiled. "I know. I won't ever tell a soul. You can trust me, Bash."

Bash palmed her cheek. "I know I can."

"You're in love with her, aren't you?"

He let his hand fall away and snorted softly. "Am I really that obvious?"

"Yes." She didn't hesitate in her answer. "You would feel more comfortable sleeping in the other room, wouldn't you?"

Bash widened his eyes again. "There's nothing going on between me and M– "

"I meant in the main room, not hers." Lucy rolled her eyes. "Though, to be honest, I don't think she'd mind if you were in with her."

Bash looked at her in surprise. "Nothing's happened with Mary and I."

Lucy looked at him doubtfully. "Nothing?"

"Well," Bash shrugged, "practically nothing."

"What does that mean?"

"A few kisses." he brought his gaze to the floor, lost in the memory. "I doubt they meant much to her. She's in love with my brother," he sighed, "of course. Why wouldn't she be?"

"And yet, she's here with you."

Bash looked at Lucy before he turned his gaze to the closed door.

Please review if you have a chance. I'd love to hear your thoughts! I'll update very soon because this story is just dying to come out!