So this is based on the promo for episode 4 Hearts and Minds. This the first one I'm going to do. Every week, probably on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I'll post the next one I've written. I hope I'm going to be able to get each one done before the actual episode comes out, but if I don't, I won't post it. Enjoy!

HEARTS AND MINDS

Tomas stood in front of Queen Catherine and King Henry.

"Why have you called this gathering, Tomas?" the king asked.

"My father is dying and all he has is his grandson to take the throne. I have ben declared legitimate and I am to take the throne as soon as I return to Portugal."

"Congratulations," Henry responded, "But why have you called this meeting? It can't just be to share this happy announcement."

Tomas took a deep breath and glanced at her. "After hearing Queen Mary's plight when you wouldn't send men to help Scotland, I made her an offer. I would give her all the men she needed…if I could have her hand in marriage."

There was a gasp from everyone in the room. Mary flinched, and Francis, who already knew, looked heart-broken. It was official now. King Henry rose from his throne in anger.

She was the only one who noticed the small smile that graced Catherine's lips and then was gone.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Henry shouted turning towards the Mary, "You went behind our backs! You broke a decade long alliance!"

"You left me no choice," despite the king's fury, she responded calmly, "Scotland needed men. You were not willing to spare any. But Tomas made me an offer. He was willing to give me as many men as I needed. I had to do what was right for my country."

She was speaking to Henry, but Mary found myself looking across the room at Francis. Until she had to accept Tomas's offer, she hadn't realized how much she truly loved him. And how much she would die inside when she had to leave.

As angry as Henry was, he grudgingly agreed with the argument. He sat down.

"And what of your engagement to Francis?"

There was no answer. Henry sighed and ran a held his head in his hand.

All of a sudden, Francis stepped forward.

"I have a proposal," he stated.

His father gestured for him to explain. Tomas glared and Mary held my breath.

"We should have a competition," Francis continued, "with different areas for which the two of us will compete. Whoever wins the most competitions will get Mary's hand in marriage."

Mary saw Tomas consider. Apparently he was confident enough in his own abilities that he didn't refuse.

"Very well," he said in his distinctive accent, "I accept."

Henry nodded. "The first competition will be archery and will be at noon tomorrow. There will be two other competitions in the following days: jousting and a duel."

The two competitors nodded and the meeting was adjourned.

Later that night, Francis was sitting by Bash's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright." Bash replied, "I'll be better soon."

Francis then proceeded to explain about the competition.

"Definite win for you then. Then Mary can stay."

"But you don't understand," Francis glanced around before leaning closer, "there are rumors that he murdered his first wife."

Mary lay tossing and turning in her bed. She couldn't get Francis out of her head. She was so nervous for the competition the next day. What if this plan didn't work? They had no idea how good an archer Tomas was. Or how good he was at any of the other competitions.

Soon, despite her thoughts, she fell into a fitful sleep.

Men and women from the castle sat in the stands next to a field. The king and queen of France sat in a special box, Bash sitting in a chair behind his father. A target was set up in the field. Mary sat in a chair beneath the box, her waiting girls on either side of her.

Francis glanced at her before raising his bow.

He aimed carefully and released the string. His first arrow was in the second black ring.

His second landed on the outside of the center circle.

He took longer to aim for his third shot. It landed dead center. Mary released a breath he didn't know she'd been holding.

Now it was Tomas's turn. He took the bow from Francis and knocked his first arrow. He didn't even take time to aim before releasing the arrow. It landed on the outside of the center circle, but on the opposite side from Francis's.

Again, he didn't wait to aim before shooting with deadly skill. He placed his arrow right next to Francis's bulls-eye.

And his final arrow…split Francis's in half.

There was no question about who won that round.

Tomas shoved the bow to a dumbstruck Francis, before the prince of Portugal made his way to Mary.

"Will you accept my favor?" he asked, holding out a flower.

The Queen of Scotland didn't answer, simply took the flower and held it in her hands, staring down at the white petals.

The next day was the jousting tournament. Mary sat down in her chair, wringing her hands. She hadn't slept much the previous night and she was probably more nervous than the competitors. Francis had to win today's jousting tournament and the duel tomorrow if she was to stay in France.

She looked across to the joisting lane. Francis and Tomas were already mounting their horses.

Tomas raised his visor and looked over at Mary. There was a hard glint in his eyes that she had never seen there before. It sent shivers down her spine.

Aylee leaned towards her queen, "Does Tomas seem different to you recently?"

"So it's not just me?" Mary responded, but didn't take her eyes of the competitors.

The joust started. The first round, neither fell from their horse.

Please win, Francis, she thought to herself, for me. Please win.

The second round, Francis hit Tomas, but the Portuguese prince didn't fall.

Mary held her breath. The third round, Francis got his lance right in the center of Tomas's breastplate. He tumbled from his horse.

Mary grinned in joy, but quickly concealed it as Tomas rose from the ground. This time, Francis came close to her with a red rose extended.

"Will you accept my favor?" he asked, a smile gracing his perfect lips.

She raised her eyebrow and quirked the corner of her mouth. She accepted the flower.

Later that day, there was a knock on her door. Mary opened it. It was Francis. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her room.

"Francis, what -?" she started to ask.

Francis placed his finger against her lips to keep her quiet. "I'm taking you somewhere," he whispered before whisking her out of the castle.

When they got to the stables, Francis hopped up on a white stallion. He held a hand down to her. She smiled as she took it and mounted behind him.

As he tore out of the stables, she wrapped her arms around his strong torso and let the wind blow through her hair.

What neither of them realized was the horse following, mounted by a darkly clothed rider.

Soon, they arrived at the ruins of an old building. "I believe this used to be a pagan shrine," Francis said as he helped Mary dismount. "It was destroyed centuries ago."

Laid out among the grass of the ruins was a picnic blanket, laden with bread, cheese, fruit, and wine. Red flower petals were strewn across the blanket.

"It's beautiful," she said, "But you shouldn't have. We could get caught."

"We won't," Francis smiled back.

Mary couldn't help but return the smile.

They sat down on the blanket, Francis pouring them both a goblet of wine. Mary pulled out an apple and bit into the juicy fruit.

"I wish I didn't," Francis said when they were done eating, "but I do?"

"You do what?" Mary responded.

"Love you," he looked into her beautiful hazel eyes. "I love you."

He leaned close to Mary, who was leaning on her elbows. He pressed his lips to hers.

He raised his fingers to her cheek as she parted her lips. He pushed her down onto her back and he leaned over her.

When their lips parted, they both breathed heavily.

"I love you, too," Mary responded. "Which is why you have to win the duel tomorrow."

"I'm an excellent swordsman," Francis replied, "Unless he's amazing, he won't have a chance."

He lowered his lips again.

All of a sudden, there was a loud noise. They pulled apart quickly and looked around, but there was no one there.

Mary woke up the next morning at the crack of dawn. Aylee was already preparing a dress for the day. After putting it on, Mary stood looking out her window.

"You can't marry him," Aylee said. Even though she didn't say it, Mary knew what her friend meant.

"If there was any other option, don't you think I would take it?" the Queen of Scotts responded. Aylee didn't reply. They made their way down to the final competition.

Francis's silver armor was decorated with the crest of France. Tomas's, on the other hand, was all black.

They drew their swords.

Tomas attacked first. He was ruthless. It was all Francis could do to parry and block his blows, but he couldn't get in any of his own.

Tomas drew the first blood. His sword grazed Francis's thigh, tearing his black pants.

Mary watched them on the edge of her seat.

Ten agonizing minutes later, Francis was on his back, Tomas's sword at his throat.

Henry grudgingly stood from his throne. "Congratulations, Tomas. You have won Mary's hand in marriage."

Mary tried to conceal her crestfallen face.

She met Francis on the edge of the field. "I did everything I could to help Scotland so you would stay," he said to her, "It was almost enough."

Tomas held his arm out to her. "Allow me escort you back to the castle."

Mary's new fiancé escorted her to her rooms. But he didn't stop there. He followed her inside. She poured him a glass of wine and he sat in a chair.

"We should start planning the trip to my castle in Portugal. My coronation is in a month."

Mary nodded, absent and resigning herself to her fate.

There was a knock on the door. Mary opened it. There was Francis, who looked heartbroken. A bandage was wrapped around his thigh.

She opened the door wider, accepting him inside.

"Can I help you?" Tomas snapped. Mary flinched.

"I just wanted to.." Francis swallowed hard and forced himself to spit out his next words, "congratulate you on your hard-won victory. I hope the two of you will be happy together. "

Tomas nodded callously.

Francis turned towards Mary. The two shared a look that set Tomas's blood boiling.

"I will miss you after you leave," he said sadly, "Please send me an invitation to the wedding and do visit us here at French court."

She nodded, but didn't trust herself to speak.

The French prince took Mary's hand and kissed it.

Tomas pushed him away and stood between the two.

"She's my property now," he snarled, his accent thicker than ever, "No matter touches you steal."

"I'm no one's property!" Mary exclaimed in outrage.

Tomas turned his anger on her. "You shut up!" Suddenly, he grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip and pushed Francis out of the way. As he stumbled, he hit his head on the side of a table and was knocked unconscious.

"Francis!" Mary shouted, but Tomas whisked her out of the room. She was lead briskly through the castle. Mary cried out but no one came to her aid. She was shoved in a carriage.

"To the ship!" Tomas shouted at the driver. The carriage lurched to a start.

"What are you doing?!" Mary cried.

"Taking you away from here," Tomas growled, looking out the window.

"But my things! My friends!"

"You can have more of those in Portugal."

Mary was about to protest more, but a glare from the Portuguese man silenced here.

Francis groggily sat up. He couldn't have been out for more than a few minutes, but Mary and Tomas had disappeared. He found one of Mary's waiting girls, Lola.

"Have you seen Mary and Tomas?" he asked her clutching his head.

She hadn't. "What's wrong?"

"Go to the guards. Get them to send twenty men to the coast, where Tomas's ship is anchored. Go quickly!"

Lola dashed off and Francis ran to the stables, hopping bareback onto the first horse he saw.

Faster than he had ever ridden before, he came to the ragged cliff, underneath which there was a white beach. He looked over it.

Tomas was clutching Mary's arm as a rowboat made its way to them. Mary looked terrified.

As quickly as he could, Francis made his way down the cliff-face.

"Mary!" he shouted as his feet touched the white sand. He dashed over to them.

When Tomas saw him, the vile man drew and knife and pulled Mary against him, pushing the deadly blade against her pale throat.

Both Mary and Francis immediately fell still.

"Please don't," Francis begged.

"Let us go in peace," Tomas responded. "I wish no harm to her either. But I will do whatever is necessary to secure what is mine."

"Is it true then?"

"Is what true?" Tomas snapped.

"Is it true that you murdered your first wife?"

This made even Tomas pause. Mary gasped and her face grew paler than before.

But Tomas didn't have a chance to answer, as the castle guards had snuck up behind him and knocked him unconscious.

As soon as she disentangled herself from his arms, Mary ran towards him.

"Francis," she whispered as she embraced him. "Thank you."

For there would be no marrying Tomas now. Not after what he had done.

And there you go dearies. TOMAS IS GONE! WOHOO! at least in my version anyway. I hope you all enjoyed it. I can't watch the episode until tomorrow, so no one spoil it if you review. I don't intend for it to be exactly like its going to be in the episode. I'm not a seer after all. Oh and please do. Review that is. Anyways, the next one will be based on the preview for Chosen.

-Sasha