Intro: This is a completely fictional story based off exaggerated history and Reign, the CW owns the characters but this is my own story.

Haven't you ever wondered what would've happened if Mary had staked her claim to England? This begins right after the beginning of s1ep21 Long Live the King. I will follow the plot of reign, though I will use the show and history as a guide, and roughly following the CW plot throughout while making it my own as much as possible.- long may she reign.

Chapter 1

Château de Fontainebleau, France 1569

- Francis, the dauphin of France, enters his chambers to find his wife, Queen Mary of Scotland, pacing back and forth in extreme concentration-

Francis sympathetically looked at his bride, enjoying admiring her for the first time in months. All he wants to do is throw her in bed and not leave for days but he knows he has to address the news that his father, in a single breath, declared: the English Queen Mary dead and his Queen was to take her claim as it's rightful heir, something she had always been weary of, "Mary about what my father said.."

Cutting him off abruptly, holding her hands up, Mary sighed "Francis I'm going to say something, it will surprise you but I hope you understand my decision….. I've decided to claim the English throne.."

"I..I don't understand.. Ever since you arrived back at court you've been determined to show Elizabeth your not a thre-"

"That's exactly the point, I realized after saving my mother that I will never truly be safe, we will never truly be safe," she looked at him with pleading eyes.

"What about the possibility of war? What of the bloodshed?"

"Francis, you and I both know that whether it's through war or assassin's people will spill blood over this. But if I don't we will live our lives on the edge of a blade, and worse any children we have will inherit these same problems. I hate it but Francis we have to do this, we have to take this risks for our countries and our futures. I have to claim England, can you still love me if I do?"

Rushing to hold his now crying wife, " Oh Mary, I told you I would support whatever you decided in terms of England and while I am still processing the impact but that hasn't changed. I will always love you. I do think we should keep this to ourselves for now. We need to decide who we can trust and what we want our strategy to be. I need to figure out how to convince my father to follow our lead, and see which countries I can count on to support you but I promise I will do whatever you need of me my Queen. Together we will rule over 3 countries."

Mary sighs breathing in his scent, she missed his scent and his safe arms. She felt silly for doubting their love, " I agree. Has your father seemed to get any better?"

There's a knock on the door and Francis admits the page who hands him a letter.

Francis reads the letter before responding, " I haven't spoken to him since we left for Calais so we can only hope. My parents wish to meet with us now, let's see how well we can deceive them and get some of our answers."

Mary and Francis enter the throne room to see a King raised by the ego of his victory and a very annoyed Queen who shoots her son and daughter-in-law a very concerned look.

King Henry sits forward on his throne towards the couple " Francis my son, I expect you two celebrated our victory in your own way by now. Mary are you pregnant yet? No, have you even slept together since your consummation? I could've chosen any brood mare for my son but I chose you, you haven't given me England, you haven't provided heirs, I should ship you back where you came from."

Francis steps forward assertively, " You can't speak to my wife that way!"

Henry bolstered, lifting himself out of his throne slightly, "I AM KING OF FRANCE I WILL SPEAK TO YOUR WHORE HOWEVER I PLEASE! YOU ARE LUCKY I HAVEN'T BEDDED HER TO SEE IF IT'S HER FERTILITY OR YOURS I SHOULD BE INSULTING"

Mary and Francis take a step back together, Francis pulling her closer and slightly behind him. Catherine leaned as far back in her throne as possible. Henry's throne gives a thud as he drops onto it and shakes his head, " ugh I need to think, Mary you will be the guest of honor for the festivities coming up due to the announcement. Everyone leave!"

They leave a raging Henry to ponder his demons. Catherine catches them in the hallway and leads them back to her chambers dismissing all the servants, not saying a word to the couple until everyone else left. " We have to do something I am worried Henry has lost all sense and I'm scared for us all."

Francis leaves Mary's side to step closer to his mother, not believing what he was currently hearing as well as trying to process the last conversation, and the one before that. "What do you mean?" He didn't realize his teeth were clenched. Taking an exasperated sigh he restarted, "What are you proposing mother?"

Mary and Catherine exchange knowing, scared looks before Catherine speaks, "There was a reason he brought up the possibility of it being your fault you and Mary aren't with child... He has asked the pope for an annulment again.." she didn't know how to finish.

Francis looked between the two women, Mary was pulling on her sleeves as she does when she's uncomfortable, his mother was waiting for the realization to come to him so she didn't have to say it out loud. Say that his father was planning to marry his wife, one way or another, and claim England for himself...as long as she provided heirs... " a coup then, I will see if I can rally generals. Do not let either of yourselves be alone with him, I will not be gone long." He rush out of the room and realized he had been holding his breath, neither woman followed and he was glad, he didn't want to argue the only other option. He headed straight to Mary's uncle, the Duke of Guise. He didn't trust the man but he had the promise of being his Lord Magistrate and he hoped he could help to rally support secretly here in court and protect Mary while Francis was out of the castle. When he reached his rooms though his father was exiting them laughing, making Francis rethink his whole plan.

Henry looked at his son as if their last conversation didn't happen. "Where are you headed son?"

Francis had to think quick on his feet " I was headed to visit the wounded of Calais father, I was seeing if the duke would like to join me."

"What about the joust and feast?" Henry inquired.

"Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the joust but I should be back for the feast." Francis replied.

Satisfied with the answer Henry nodded and walked off. The duke looked at the dauphin weary, not sure if he should inform of the conversation he and the king had just had, but he knew if should if he wanted Francis to trust him as his right hand. " Shall we go into my chambers your grace, I must speak with you," he whispered as soon as Henry was out of earshot.

"Please," answered Francis noting the look of fear in the dukes eyes. Once they were safely in his rooms with the door shut he inquired, "What can I help you with?"

"It's how we can help each other. Your father just me some very troubling news and depending on what you have to say we could be deciding fates right now." replied the duke.

"Please, continue." Francis said wearly.

As he left the castle with his brother he couldn't believe his life. A few months ago he was just happily married, practicing to be king, waiting for an heir….now he was fresh from war and it seemed he would be spending the next few years at war..that is if he can usurp his father. It all happened so fast; Mary's declaration, his father's nail-in-the-coffin outburst, their conspiracy and sin..he couldn't think like that there's too much to do…

-back in Catherine's chambers-

Mary and Catherine watched Francis leave knowing arguing with him would be pointless. Once he left the queens turned to each other. After some silence Catherine spoke first, "It seems we're going back to hell together, this time against a king...should be interesting"

"I told Francis that I want to lay claim to England."

Silence. Pure silence.

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Catherine was flabbergasted, she didn't know what to do. France was going to war no matter what she did. War was expensive.

Mary expected she'd react this way. "Elizabeth will always be a threat to Francis and I, any children we have will live in fear of her, people will spend the next 30 years dying trying to kill one or the other. This is a risk I have to take for both Scotland and France, something I thought you'd understand. Plus I figured this is something you'd be happy about, the more Francis and I are in Scotland and England, the more you get to be regent."

"I guess there is no convincing you one way or the other, I just hope you don't cost me my Francis on your path to glory. But for now we have a task to manage and manage it we will." Catherine glared at her daughter-in-law, hiding her secret pride she felt. Mary had come along way under her care, growing from the naive young Queen she was to the formidable one before her, ready to take on the world. But what was to come would test them both in ways she wasn't prepared for, "You know the coupe will not work correct? We don't have the time to rally real support. If we don't do something Francis will be dead by morning."

Just then there is a knock on the door, the page announces the Duke of Guise at the door. The women tell the page to let him in as the gather themselves. Not wanting to give any suspicion to anyone, especially not one so dangerous.

"Your majesties," he bows, "such a pleasure." When the door shuts he continues, "especially considering the conversation Francis and I just had."

"He knows," Catherine states, setting her shoulders back. "So are you with us or just coming to warn us, out of the tiny amount of care for your niece, that you're about to betray her,"

"I am here to help. I must warn you though, I don't think this will work. I will do what I can but Mary I need something from you for your husbands plan to work fully….."

- The joust, everyone but Mary is seated. King Henry decided to joust and is preparing to go first. Mary arrives in a stiff red, lace gown bearing the English coat of arms. A sign she is their rightful heir. Everyone cheers as she walks to her seat. -

"PEOPLE OF FRANCE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT" she sits down and Catherine looks at her with worry.

"Here we go," whispers Catherine as she holds her hand….

The King lines up with his opponent, the horns bellow around them signaling the start, the horses took off charging at one another. Then in a blink of an eye it all happened. The king was knocked off his horse, blood was everywhere, dripping off his white stallion, filling the ground around him as he hit the ground with a thud. Then there was Catherine's ear splitting scream, no one in the stadium would ever forget the sight as they carried the glorious King Henry II to the castle. The lance pierced through his eye and it took him hours to die, Catherine wouldn't let his long-time mistress Dianne near him, but he did pradon his opponent. Francis made it back just in time to say goodbye and then everyone went to bed. Mary was waiting for him in their chambers, eyes heavy with tears.

"Francis, I am so sorry. I know he was mad, I know you were going to try to overthrow him, but he was still your fath.." Mary started.

"I did it."

"What?" she looked stunned.

"I killed my father Mary. I went to see the Duke of Guise and ran into my father. He was planning to poison me tonight- he was so concerned I'd be back for the feast, and send soldiers into England by the end of the week. We aren't ready, what he was going to do to us.. I couldn't let him. I'm a traitor, a usurper, and I put you in the place to lose your head. I am so sorry." He couldn't help it, he was balling by the end. He somehow ended up on the floor.

"Oh Francis," she ran over wrapping her arms around him, "I'm so sorry you had to do that. I know it's horrible but you did the right thing. He was going to bring this entire country down and take both Scotland and England with him. I love you so much, thank you for being honest with me."

"I just don't know if I can face my court knowing he should still be on the throne." He sobbed.

She slowly pulled him off the floor, " tonight honey you just grieve. You grieve for your father and your innocence. We will worry about facing the court together, tomorrow."

He kisses her forehead, "you are right my love."

They both let their servants in to prepare them for bed and fell asleep in each others arms crying, listening to the anthem "the king is dead, long live the king."