Hey! I'm new to this fandom but I am totally hooked, So excited that it has been renewed for a second series. Love the creative way they have took Mary, Queen of Scots history (One close to my heart because I live in the Queen's birthplace). Anyway, did this 'wee' story as I had to do something as Reign is what I constantly think about. Hope you enjoy.
Francis was happy, truly happy. After the long wait he was finally married to Mary, his childhood friend and the love of his life. He couldn't put down in words what rushed through his head when he saw her walk down the aisle toward him when a week ago he would have thought the idea is impossible, Mary would never choose him.
But here the heir was, queen in arms, draped across the four poster bed. "I still mean it; I will stand by you in everything. I love you, always have and always will"
Mary kissed him and smiled. She loved how Francis always reminded her of his love; she knew she made the right choice in marrying him, not only for her people but for herself as well. "I love you." She whispered into the kiss, a whisper intense as it roared from the bottom of her heart.
They stayed wrapped into one another's arms for a while until Mary, reluctantly, had to go.
"I can't stay in bed, as much as I would love to. I need to talk to your father, considering that the Queen of England isn't actually dead," she explained to the pleading dauphine.
"I should tell my father how improper I find it that he should steal my bride on the morning after to speak about politics," Francis finally relented
Mary laughed "Yes, you do that as I call on my ladies."
Francis's easy mood plummeted at the word of 'her ladies'. A constant reminder of what he had done a few days previous or to be more exact, who he had done.
It was just after the announcement that the marriage between the two royals when Lola sought out an audience with Francis, begging him not to tell the Queen of Scots the truth about their travels. Although the guilt continued to simmer at the pit of his stomach, he promised the young woman. He knew the news could ruin Lola. Mary would never forgive them, Lola would be sent home disgraced and without a friend or any standing in society as the loss of her virtue came to light. Francis has still remained true to his word, trying to convince his conscious why what he did wasn't so terrible. They were both alone, he never thought he would ever see Mary again, or even Lola. Besides, Mary was with his brother.
So, he was surprised that day when Lola came to his chambers, a couple of weeks or so after the wedding. She looked nervous and couldn't look him in the eye.
"Lola, what's the matter? Are you ill?" Francis and Lola were always friends, and she was still dear to him now, only strictly platonic. He was worried.
She shook her head and looked at him, a wet blanket glistening her eyes.
"I'm not ill, I'm with child."
Her quiet words where contrasted with the loud harsh cry that followed. Francis held her in his arms, trying to sooth his friend.
"Is the child mine?" He whispered into her hair after Lola had calmed down. No thought was running through his head, he wasn't sure at all what to think.
"I don't know, I was with Colin not but six months back before-" A fresh load of tears erupted. "I'm a whore."
"You're not, don't speak such language." He starts to pace the room, hands in his hair, trying to make sense of all this.
"We shall only find out once the baby is born and the dates adds up to who's it is," Francis started when I thought and realisation startled him "Mary.." He whispered.
"Mary knows that I am pregnant, I told her it was Colin's"
"But it might not be! And you can't have an infant with a dead man!" desperation starting to seep from Francis. He couldn't believe that he might be having a bastard only weeks into his wedding. "No, Mary must know about us." He stated calmly
"NO! My lord, you can't! You mustn't! I shall be ruined."
"You will be worse off when the baby comes and we shall have to explain, the lie would have grown and there will not be the slightest of chance of Mary's forgiveness. I must tell her, there is no way of avoiding this. You might be having my child."
Lola said nothing but continued to stand, sobbing. Francis's thoughts were all on Mary, and his love for her. He couldn't bear to lose her, not again, not when they were finally happily married. He knew Mary loved him back, that was undeniable but fear ran cold in his veins when he thought if it was enough. Francis didn't know how deep her fondness for him ran and if it was enough to stay with him through it and forgive him for bedding one of her greatest and longest friend.
He wanted to scream when he compared his marriage to the one of his parents and dreaded the day that his would ever come to that. He could bear being with his wife only for politics and heirs but not love.
After Lola gathered herself, she left Francis to his thought but only promising that she would let Francis tell Mary, after all it something that should be told by her husband. He couldn't escape them or the dread in his stomach. This isn't how he should be feeling once hearing he may be a father, he dreamed of having a son and maybe a daughter also but that dream also showed Mary as their mother, not her friend.
It was later that night that he found her; she was sitting at the table reading a letter. She didn't greet him, didn't even turn his way.
"Mary, I must speak with you." Francis started, he decided that the best method was to get it out quickly and deal with the consequences.
"And I, with you" She replied as she rose and faced him. She knows Francis's mind raced, Lola must have told her before he had the chance too. He couldn't stand it, he must make it right. The simmer in his stomach had gone to full boil, burning his insides. He damned that loneliness made him do regrettable things and prayed that Mary would understand.
"Did you send your guards to kill Bash?"
That is not what he was expecting.
"B-B-Bash?" He didn't try to mask the confusion that was written in his face "Bash is dead?"
"No thankfully not, he safe and well. But my trust in you is," She stated factually.
"You promised me you would keep him safe, that no harm would come to him as I was scared of what people may do. I should have been scared of you."
A mixture of relief and hurt washed over Francis. Relief, that his brother was still alive, even though he never wanted to see him again after his attempt to the woman that he loved Sebastian was still his brother. Hurt, at his wife's words and what she was accusing him of.
"Mary, I promise you. No matter what I may of said in the past I would never wish death on my-"He stops as he spots the letter in his wife's hand "How long have you been corresponding with him?"
"That is beside the point Francis," She looks down guilty for a second before regaining her pride.
That horrid jealous rage that always makes an appearance when it comes to Mary and Sebastian became of Francis.
"I wasn't the one that sent the guards." His voice was raised "but I certainly had a reason too."
"What? Nothing is happening with me and Bash and nothing ever has. I was with him to save your life-"
"Do you love him?" The heir curtly interrupted
Mary didn't reply.
"Tell me!"
"I did, I do." Mary looked him in the eye "As a brother, as your brother and I would want to protect him as my brother just as you should!"
"He is not my brother."
Francis just left the room, he saw that there was something more than her 'just a brother' speech and couldn't keep calm.
He needed to know who was behind the attack on Bash, the cause of his wife sudden detest towards him.
The news about his affair with Lola and his probable unborn child will have to be news another day.
I know I left it a bit weird but I am thinking of adding a few more chapters, I like the idea of multi-chapters stories. I am also thinking about playing with the idea of using Scottish dialect and words for the Scottish ladies, although I am sure it would be a bit like a foreign language at times haha. Anyway please review, I love hearing your thoughts.