Francis was walking through the hallways in search of Mary when he overheard her talking to Charles. He decided to hang back as not interrupt their conversation.
"Madeline is coming to visit next week," Charles told Mary.
"That's nice, are you looking forward to seeing her?" Mary asked.
"Yes, a little nervous though. It's been a while since I saw her. Will you come with me to greet her again? She likes you," Charles replied.
"Of course," Mary said.
Francis smiled remembering the first time they had gone to greet Madeline and how nervous both the children had been until him and Mary encouraged them.
"What if she doesn't want to be my friend anymore?" Charles asked.
"Why wouldn't she want to be your friend? You're going to be her husband one day and you're the nicest boy I know," Mary reassured him.
"Francis didn't want to be your friend anymore when you came back," Charles protested.
"Well, if she doesn't want to be your friend anymore you'll just have to win her over just like I did with Francis," Mary said with a laugh.
Francis almost laughed too, thinking of how quickly Mary had broken down any resolve he had to be indifferent to her.
"I want to be a good husband to Madeline," Charles said solemnly, "I won't kiss any other girls like father or Francis."
"Well that's very kind of you, I'm sure Madeline will appreciate that," Mary answered, "but Francis hasn't been kissing any other girls since we got married. He is a good husband."
Francis felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. It was once, had Charles seen?
"But I saw him kissing Lady Lola the other day," Charles replied, "Mary, why does Francis have a baby with Lola?"
Francis was frustrated with himself. What kind of example was he setting for his younger brother? He had kissed Lola the other day but it was spur of the moment and he felt horrible for it. It wasn't fair to play with her emotions or to be disloyal to his wife. He couldn't let himself turn into his Father. He should have told Mary about it, this was no way for her to find out. He wished he could see her face to know how she was responding but she couldn't be seen from where he was concealed.
"Umm well, maybe you should talk to Francis about that..." Mary replied falteringly.
"Mary does Francis not love you anymore? Is he going to ignore you like father did to mother? He's not going to behead you is he?" Charles asked clearly appalled at the idea, "I won't let him, you're too nice."
"Oh, well I certainly hope Francis doesn't want to behead me," Mary said, clearly trying to dismiss his other questions.
Francis was stunned at the maturity of his younger brother. Nothing must have slipped his notice about their parent's rocky relationship. He was also amazed at Mary's composure, he wondered how long it would last when he heard Charles say, "Don't cry Mary, I didn't mean to make you sad."
"It's alright, I think I'll just go back to my chambers for a bit," Mary responded.
"I'll escort you, I need to practice for when I'm older and I have fancy parties to take Madeline to," Charles said.
"But of course," Mary replied and Francis could hear the smile returning to her voice.
Francis peeked around the corner to see Charles offer an arm to Mary.
"Mary, do you still love Francis?" Charles asked after they had gotten further down the hallway.
Francis strained to hear Mary's reply.
"Of course, I will always love Francis," was what he heard faintly as they turned the corner.
He sighed in relief and started thinking of some way to show her that he still loved her as well. That his feelings for Lola were friendly but would never come close to what he felt for her.
Mary was sitting at her window seat when he walked in. She turned to him and it was clear that the tears had continued to flow long after Charles had left her.
"Hello," she said flatly.
He went over to sit across from her and reached for her hand. Francis could tell that she wanted to withhold it from him but she consented.
He took a deep breath before speaking, "I was wondering if you would join me for a special dinner tonight."
"Who will be there," she interrupted.
"Just you and me. I feel like I've barely seen you the last couple days-"
"Not my fault," he heard her mutter.
"You're right, it's not your fault. It's mine. I've been neglecting the most important person in my life and I'm sorry."
She lifted her big eyes to his and he saw sadness in them, "Francis, I can't do this."
"Do what?" he asked.
"I can't be always wondering if tomorrow night you'll be having a special dinner with Lola and telling her she's the most important woman in your life," she answered, "If you want to be with Lola, be with Lola. I'd rather have none of you at all then share your heart with another."
"Mary I don't understand-"
"I know you kissed her. Charles told me. Charles. Do you think I want your little brother asking me if you still love me because he's confused as to why you have a child with another woman?"
"No. The truth is I heard your conversation with Charles and-"
"Oh so now you're here to do damage control so your brother's image of you isn't tarnished?"
"No, I'm here because I never want you to be unsure of how to answer when asked if I love you!" Francis raised his voice and felt tears threatening to fall. This wasn't going at all how he had hoped. He composed himself before continuing, "Mary look at me."
She raised her eyes up to meet his again. "Mary, I'm yours. Please don't think that this has changed. I wish I could go back to that day with Lola and change things so we wouldn't be here now, but I can't. All I can do is keep on loving you and hope that you'll forgive me."
"I have forgiven you, but what about the kiss-"
"A mistake. It won't happen again, I promise."
She shook her head, "I thought we agreed to no more empty promises."
"This isn't an empty promise. I don't love Lola, Mary. I love the child we have together, but Lola could never be you. No one could ever replace you. You have the key to my heart, you always have," he said lifting her hand to his heart.
She sighed and he waited nervously for her next words.
"Fine, let me get dressed for dinner," he deflated, that's it? He had just poured out his heart to her and she wanted him to leave so she could get dressed for dinner?
"What?"
"Well I can't exactly wear this if you're treating me to a special dinner," she replied looking down at her simple day dress she must have put on when she came to her room.
Oh right. Special dinner, that's why he had come here in the first place.
"And you have to leave because if you're here when I start taking my clothes off we won't make it to dinner."
She leaned over to kiss him and he smiled, "Would that be such a bad thing?"
"Off you go," she insisted.
"I'll be back in an hour," he said as he walked out the door.
Francis was on his way to pick up Mary when he encountered Lola.
"Francis, I've been looking all over for you! I have news to share with you."
"Umm Lola can it wait. I have to go pick up Mary for dinner."
"Oh. Well I can tell you at dinner."
"Actually, we're eating alone..."
Lola grabbed his arm, "Look Francis. Julien didn't die. Julien actually wasn't Julien. It's a long story but the point is he had to go into hiding for a bit. Now he's started a new life for himself and is ready for me to rejoin him. I'm planning on leaving tomorrow but I wanted to make sure you didn't want me to stay. I thought for sure you wouldn't but then after that kiss I didn't know what your feelings were and-"
"Lola, you should go. Be with Julien or whoever he is. You deserve to be with someone who loves you completely and that is something I cannot offer you. Please just give me one last chance to see my daughter before you leave."
Lola nodded her head, "Of course Francis."
She walked past him down the hallway and he felt a huge burden lift from his shoulders. He would be sad to not be a part of his daughter's life, but this was for the best.
He had almost made it to Mary's room when he met Charles.
"Where are you going Francis?" He asked as he turned around to walk with him.
"I'm going to pick up Mary for a special dinner," Francis answered.
"Oh. She was really sad today. I hope this cheers her up," Charles replied.
"Me too. Lesson for the day Charles, if you ever make Madeline sad, make sure you always apologize," Francis advised.
"You sound like father. He always said lesson for the day. Although I don't think he cared much about saying sorry to mother..." Charles commented.
"Well that's why we have to try and be good husbands and not be like father. He was a good man in many respects but he wasn't exactly a role model for how you should treat women. Do you understand?"
"Yes, but what about Lola?"
"Lola is going back to live with her husband because I already have a wife that I love very much."
The brothers had arrived at Mary's door and Charles told him to have a nice time and be nice before he went off in search of little Henry to play with.
The door opened and Francis took in the sight of his beautiful wife. She was wearing one of his favorite dresses, black and gold and perfectly accentuating her figure. It was going to take a lot of self control to patiently sit through dinner. He offered her his hand and she intertwined her fingers in his. He led her through the hallways to a terrace where he had everything arranged for dinner. At least a hundred candles shimmered in the fading daylight and their table was ornately set.
"Oh Francis it's beautiful!" she exclaimed as he led her to her seat.
"Only the best for my Queen," he said as he took his seat across from her.
"I really appreciate you taking the time to put this all together. I know you're so busy with meetings and such. Not to mention you have a child and really it's ridiculous for me to get upset about you not spending more time with me I mean I should be more understanding I have a country to run too and well you help a lot with that so yeah and... I'm rambling aren't I?"
Francis smiled, he liked when she rambled. She had gotten so tightly wound lately and she didn't seem to speak her mind quite so freely as she used to. "A little, but I don't mind."
They spent the rest of their dinner talking about anything but politics. It seemed like that was all they talked about lately and some time as just a boy and just a girl was much needed.
When the were finished eating Francis asked, "Care for a dance?"
He had arranged for some of the court musicians to be there and they played a song for dancing at his request. Mary stood up and followed him over to the small clear area. He wound his arms around her waist and drew her into him. They slowly moved along to the music almost as if in a trance. He loved every moment he spent with her but it was moments like this, where they could pretend they were the only people in the world, that he cherished the most. There wasn't Scotland and France, it was just her. His Mary.
A knock at the door woke them the next morning. A servant walked in and informed them that Lady Lola was eager to leave and was requesting Francis. Francis had forgotten all about Lola leaving and his request to say goodbye to his daughter. He had never gotten around to telling Mary about it last night.
Mary quickly untangled herself from him and gave him a hurt look, "Where are you going?"
He reached up to stroke her hair, "I'm not going anywhere. Lola is leaving and I wanted to see my daughter for what might be the last time."
Mary's face softened, "Oh. Where is she going?"
"Well apparently Julien isn't dead, there's some complicated story that she didn't feel like sharing and now she's going back to him."
"And you're okay with that?"
Francis wondered why she would even have to ask that? Hadn't he made it clear to her last night that he only wanted her? He supposed she was mostly thinking about the fact that his daughter would be leaving with her.
"Yes. It's for the best. She deserves to be with someone who loves her and I'm sure Julien will be a good father. I'll be right back okay?"
Mary nodded and lied back down. He gathered up his clothes that were scattered throughout the room and got dressed quickly.
"How'd that go?" Mary asked as he walked back into the room.
"Fine. I'm glad she's leaving now versus later when I would have had more time to get attached to my daughter. And if isn't fair to keep her here, basically alone, when she can go be with a husband of her own," he answered, taking off his shirt as he walked back over to there bed, "The good news is, we aren't needed by anyone else for a few more hours."
"Oh? And how do you propose we spend that time?" she asked with an innocent smile.
"I have a few ideas," he replied as he pulled her into him for a kiss.
Thank you for taking the time to read this story, I hope you enjoyed!