The door slammed triumphantly, shaking the few delicate eau de toilette bottles Mary had on her dressing table, as well as her mirror. They both winced, Mary closing her eyes in reaction. Francis's hand went to his forehead as he leaned over the desk. For a few short moments, silence followed the tremor.
"It's your fault. You've spoiled her." Francis began, not bothering to look at his wife. His voice was filled with irritation. Mary couldn't help but let out a laugh albeit sarcastically.
"I've spoiled her? Don't be ridiculous." Francis watched her pace, hand on her hip, the other waving about. "She's been under your wing, in your shadow since you've laid eyes on her." Mary huffed crossing her arms in frustration. "You're the one who has spoiled her."
"Well, something must be done." He paused. "I'm trying to give her an opportunity to choose someone who she'll hopefully fall in love with. That's all I want for her – to be well-cared for, respected, and loved. She deserves to be loved." His face dropped as he considered the waves his daughter continuously made in her wake.
"I know." Mary agreed softly.
"But if she continues to fight, I'm afraid there won't be a choice. Anne will be forced to marry someone I choose." Francis watched Mary bite her lip, her eyes starting to water. She was sensitive, like he, to their second child's needs, probably more so than her first. Anne was different. They both knew a marriage of convenience was never easy and often never worked; neither of them wanted it for their daughter.
"I'll speak to her." Mary offered quietly. "Perhaps she'll finally listen." Francis tried to smile for encouragement, but he was afraid it didn't show. He was afraid of more than that – one being having to hand his daughter over to a man who would not love her. Anne had never been like her older brother, James, who was dutiful and understood his place as a prince and future king. Instead, she had fought every rule that came along with being a royal princess. He was afraid she would continue now.
Mary didn't bother knocking on the door of her daughter's chambers. She knew she would find her sulking and not dressing for dinner.
"Please leave me alone." That was her daughter's groaned response to her mother. Anne was lying on her side away from the door.
"I will not." Mary asserted. "You need to get dressed Anne." Another moan of disapproval and no movement to heed her mother's order. Mary made herself busy trying to find a gown. "How about the blue one? It matches your eyes."
"How about the black since I'm in mourning." Mary prevented the chuckle from coming out, but was glad she could smile without her daughter seeing her.
"Honestly, darling, you've become quite dramatic." Mary put the dress out on the bed. "Come on, ma chou..."
"Maman, please don't call me that. It's so childish!" Anne sneered. This time Mary laughed.
"So grown up, I never noticed with your behavior." Anne sent her mother a look, and Mary raised her eyebrows at her daughter. Knowing that look, Anne reluctantly started to drag her body up. "Come on, I'll help you dress."
"You? The Queen of France?" Anne said snidely. Mary folded her arms and straightened her back. "Dress me?" Anne pulled herself out of her bed.
"Of course. I've done it before." Mary replied.
"When?" Anne asked crossing her own arms across her chest challenging her mother.
"When you were a baby." Mary gestured to her daughter's dressing table, where Anne took a seat. She watched her mother pick up a brush and begin to brush her daughter's dark brown hair.
"Why?" Anne asked again. Mary paused and stopped the brush. She saw her daughter watch her expectantly in the mirror.
"So many questions my darling." She resumed brushing and started to tell the story. "Well, you came early; you were premature. And my labor with you was difficult, harder than with James. And then when you were born, you didn't cry, and for a moment," Mary stopped brushing, as she remembered the moment in which she held her own breath waiting her daughter's cry. "For a moment, I was worried you were not alive." Mary took a deep breath and resumed brushing, "But then you cried. And I finally held you to my chest." She patted her bosom. "You were so small and frail. The doctor wanted to take you away from me immediately and bring you to the wet nurse, but I refused."
"But why Maman? Everyone uses the wet nurse."
"I know, I know darling. But like I said, you were tiny and your father was away, and I thought having you with me, close to my body would help you grow. So I nursed you myself. For days, I refused to let anyone near you; I thought they would make you ill." Mary put the brush down and sat next to her daughter. She gazed at her daughter's blue eyes, identical to her father's and her chestnut hair identical to hers. She delicately touched a braid in her daughter's hair. "Then your father came home and you perked up. It was like you knew we were both there. Together we helped you become stronger. We kept you right with us in bed, night after night. You father was a King during the day and your papa at night."
"Maman, I never knew." Anne said softly. Mary smiled and kissed the top of her daughter's head, standing up.
"Perhaps, it is why we never sent you away in an alliance. Neither of us wanted to see you go." Mary felt tears start and quickly wiped them away. She held her hand out for her daughter, which Anne now took easily. "Let's get you dressed for this evening." Anne smiled, but then quickly threw her arms around her mother, hugging her tightly.
"I love you Maman."
"I love you too ma chou." She replied kissing her daughter's cheek.
When Anne was dressed and ready, her mother finishing up her daughter's hair, there was a soft knock at the door. It opened to reveal her father offering a smile of surrender.
"May I interrupt?" He asked shutting the door behind him. He could see his wife and daughter smile in the mirror as he approached them. It was a beautiful thing to see Mary, the mother of his children, tending to his daughter. He wondered how much more of these scenes he would see. "Darling." He said kissing his wife on the cheek squeezing her arm. "Anne, you look beautiful." Anne beamed. "Mary, may we have a moment." He gestured to his daughter. Mary nodded and exited quietly leaving her husband and daughter to talk. "Anne, come sit with me." They found a seat on her chaise.
"Papa, I'm sorry, for slamming the door, for raising my voice at you." Anne was wringing her hands in her apology. "I shouldn't have acted so childish."
"Shhh darling, I understand. I remember being quite opposed to marrying your mother at one point. I probably hurt her more than she'd dare say."
"Papa?" Anne asked. "But you and Maman you knew each other for so long I thought –"
"True. But I didn't want to love her or anyone for that matter. But your mother, she is resilient. She captured my heart." Anne smiled. "I want you to know your mother and I have been working diligently to find you someone who will be a good match. It isn't easy, but we want you to be happy."
"I know." Anne said.
"Anne, you have to try. Otherwise you may be a bargaining chip for France I may not be able to stop." She nodded. "Just keep an open mind." Anne nodded again.
"Papa, I know you're trying your best." He smiled.
"You've grown up to be so much more than I ever expected Anne. You're so much like you're mother you have no idea – headstrong, stubborn, fierce with others. I do hope you can rule a country someday, you will be wonderful at it." Anne leaned over and kissed her father sweetly on the cheek.
"I love you Papa." She said with a smile.
"I love you too, my Anne." He said back. He stood and raised his arm for her to take. "Now come along, there is a handsome young man for you to meet." Anne rolled her eyes, but gladly took her father's hand. They exited her chambers headed for the throne room.
Later that evening, Francis and Mary strolled through the well-lit gardens away from the din of the party on the castle's back lawn. He was deep in thought and Mary gently squeezed his hand, forcing him to look at her.
"Are you alright?" She asked concerned. He sighed deeply but nodded.
"I will always worry about that child, my Anne. I remember the moment I saw her, walking through that door, exhausted and fearful for you, especially after my mother claimed that you were struggling, and there she was, laid out on your breast, tiny and delicate. Remember the first time she scraped her knees? She was running so quickly toward me, and she fell. I can still see the look of pain on her face." He paused. "And when she hit the nobleman's son in the nose? The blood was everywhere." Mary laughed.
"It was almost a diplomatic incident."
"Yes!" Francis agreed. He was silent. Mary squeezed his hand again.
"She'll be alright, darling."
"I don't know Mary, she is strong and stubborn and willful, so very willful – "
"Like me." Mary jutted in. She stopped them and looked adoringly at Francis. "She's like me, and so much like you. And that is why she'll be alright." Francis conceded with a nod. He turned to search for his young daughter and spotted her walking closely to the German prince. He felt a grin tug at his lips and he muttered softly, "Yes, she will be alright."
A/N: I do not own Reign or anything associated with it. Reviews are always welcome.