A.N.: Hi. I am going to start with typical Author's note... Firstly I am not a native English speaker so I am very sorry for all grammar and spelling errors. I am looking for a beta though... it would make my writing much better. Then... I am not so sure about the story, read it and tell me if it is interesting enough and if I should continue. Thank you. (Oh.. and a first few chapters will be shorter but as the story progresses they will get longer)

Chapter one

Mary was riding a carriage to French curt. She hasn't been there since she was a little girl but she was happy she will get to see her friends from Scotland. She still had Rose's words on her mind about the ghosts hunting around the castle. She wasn't sure if she could believe not because she was still a little girl it was the fact that ghosts couldn't possibly exist.

When her carriage stopped she took few deep breaths in and then exited the carriage. At first she was greeted with the sight of her four dear friends. She was so happy to see them that she forgot about Rose's words about the ghosts and embraced her friends.

Then she turned around and saw the crowd that came to greet her and a moment later the king was announced. He came with his mistress Diane and stopped on the half way towards Mary. Soon after that Sebastian joined them and moved on his mother's side.

For a split second Mary thought she saw someone standing behind Sebastian. A woman looking almost transparent, her skin was unnaturally pale her light blonde hair was one big mess and it looked like she hadn't brushed in a while. But what caught Mary's attention where the woman's sad grey eyes. When the young Queen blinked the woman was gone.

Mary convinced herself that she must had been imagining things because of the long journey and all the excitement and she forgot about the woman when she laid her eyes upon Francis. He was better-looking that she remembered and he even smiled at her.

When the night came and Mary was almost ready to go to the weeding she heard a silent whisper,

"Mary…"

Her head snapped up and she carefully looked around her chambers but she didn't see anything out of the order. Frowning she brushed her hair again ignoring the whisper thinking it was just the wind.

"Mary…"

There it was again only that this time it was louder and more determined. Mary's eyes glanced at the mirror and she almost screamed and dropped her brush when she saw the woman from the reception standing behind her only that this time she was much closer to her. Queen could see that she was beautiful and around her age. She had dark circles under her eyes and she seemed tired and weak. On her cheeks were small cuts and bruises were even more pronounced because of the paleness of her skin.

Young Queen was frozen on her place and did not dare to move a muscle. She could not even open her mouth let alone say something out laud.

"Help me…" came the quiet plea from the women before she was gone and the air got warmer again. Mary let out a shaky breath and put down her brush. If the ghost really existed she was sure she had just met one but somehow she knew that the woman did not want to harm her.

She left sorry for the lost soul and decided to help her as best as she could but she had no idea where to start looking. She knew that first she had to rekindle her friendship with Francis and that was coming along poorly but she was glad that his brother seemed a bit more interested in her friendship than Francis.

Whenever she was around Sebastian she got the same feeling of misery and pain as she did when she saw the pale woman. She wasn't even sure if they were connected or even lived in the same time period but both of them needed help.

Few nights after her first encounter with the apparition Mary was alone in her room again. She had no idea how to communicate with the ghost and a part of her wanted to leave the things be but her curiosity won at the end.

"I know that you are here somewhere" Mary started talking to the empty room "and I also know that you have visited me before, can you do it again because I would like to talk to you?"

For few moments nothing happened and then Mary felt the familiar chill in the air. Instantly she knew that the ghost heard her and did as she asked. Queen turned around and found herself face to face with the nameless ghost. Her grey eyes were staring directly into hers only this time the ghost was quiet. Mary swallowed and started talking,

"You said that you needed my help. I can help you but I don't know anything about you" she stopped and after a short moment added "Maybe you can tell me your name since you already know mine"

Ghost started at her for some time and Mary had begun to wonder if her decision was a smart one but her thoughts were interrupted by the distant and sad whisper,

"Kathleen"

"Your name is Kathleen?" Mary asked just to clarify things. You can't be too careful around ghost. When Kathleen nodded Mary continued "My name is Mary as you already know. You said you needed help?"

"Mary…" she whispered again "You are in the same danger as I once was."

"What do you mean?"

"The Queen doesn't like the people she can't control" Kathleen replied with the tone that sent chills down Mary's spine.

"You mean Queen Catherine?" Kathleen nodded shortly and turned to leave when Mary hurried after her "Wait don't go I still don't know how to help you"

"There isn't anything you can do to help me yet" Kathleen replied "Just don't drink the wine"

"You are the second person who said this to me today" Mary said quickly getting frustrated with the cryptic ghost but it was in vain because Kathleen was already gone.

Mary thought that it was her fault that they had executed Colin and she was feeling horrible because of it and on the top of that Lola hated her. She was her best friend and now she didn't even want to see Mary who tried her hardest to sort things out.

"I see you remembered not to drink the wine"

Mary jumped and turned around to see Kathleen looking at her with familiar sad expression.

"You knew about the sleeping potion, how?"

"I see many things" Kathleen said "But most of all I know French Queen and I can guess what she will do next. Beware of her and her allies that are still to come"

Mary thought about her words but once again they didn't give her anything concrete and Kathleen confused her more by seconds that passed.

"You are really secretive you know"

"So I have been told many times" ghost agreed with distant pain in her eyes. Mary wanted to know more about her but she didn't want to seem too pushy on the subject "I almost forgot how I miss having these conversations"

"You don't speak with other people?" Mary asked and Kathleen shook her head "Why?"

"Why don't you tell me? I know that you are smart enough to figure it out on your own"

Mary did as the ghost suggested and after few seconds she was pretty sure why Kathleen didn't speak with people often.

"They don't see you, do they?"

Kathleen nodded and her expression got even sadder if that was even possible. Mary felt the lump in her throat when she asked, "But how come that I see you?"

"You are different" Kathleen answered before Mary could take offence of her words she added "You and I are similar and I think that our paths are intertwined though I wish I could speak with… other people"

She said other people with such misery that shook Mary from head to toes. She had no idea how a ghost can have such an impact on a human being. Carefully the Queen suggested,

"Maybe I can speak with whomever you want to talk to"

Kathleen's lips turned downwards and she shook her head and then replied with simple,

"No" awkward silence followed. Mary didn't know what to say to make her new friend feel better and Kathleen looked lost in her thoughts but at the end she broke the silence "It is bad enough to watch him be so sad all the time. I do not wish to bring him more saddens. He has to move on if he possibly can maybe it is too late for…"

"To late for what?"

Kathleen's eyes focused back on Mary. There was something else in her grey eyes this time. Along the pain there was maybe a spark of hope? Mary wasn't entirely sure.

"It is no time for you to know"

"Kathleen… I want to help you" Mary insisted but the ghost shook her head once again.

"No. You will get the chance to help me but not now. Right now is my job to keep you alive and well"

"I am sorry for my bluntness but you are a ghost and how can I know that I am not going crazy because I am the only one who can see you"

Kathleen raised her eyebrow and sounded little offended when she replied,

"I wouldn't doubt in my abilities if I were you. I am the only one who you can completely trust right now and friendly advice for the future, there is almost nothing you can hide from me I know that you are blaming yourself for the death of that boy. You shouldn't"

Mary was looking at her with wide eyes having absolutely no idea how on the world Kathleen knew what she did.

"His name was Colin…"

For a split second there was a trace of compassion on Kathleen's face but it was gone as fast as it came,

"And he was also your best friend's boyfriend and you think she hates you now?" when Mary nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek Kathleen continued "Lola doesn't hate you she is just sad though that word is an understatement of the feeling she is feeling right now"

Once again Mary had the feeling that Kathleen spoke of first had experience but the Queen didn't bother to ask about it because she knew that Kathleen wouldn't answer her question.

"Give her some time to heal and she will come around. Friendship like this is hard to destroy or throw away"

"Thank you" Mary smiled feeling much better than at the start of their conversation. Then she remembered the other person who warned her about the wine "Kathleen, you weren't the only one who knew about the wine"

"Clarissa" Kathleen breathed quietly.

"You know her? Is she like you?"

"She is… different than me but if she helps you this can only mean one thing. You are just the person I was looking for now I am certain of it"

"Does this mean you are going to tell me more?"

"Sadly no. My plan is staying the same" Kathleen rejected her with softer tone "You should go to bed your grace. You have busy weeks waiting for you"

Kathleen wanted to leave but Mary stopped her just in time, "No don't leave yet. I feel so alone here do you think you can stay with me for a little while more?"

With hesitation Kathleen agreed,

"I can stay if you promise to go to bed and try to get some sleep. I will watch over you I promise you that"

"I believe you" Mary replied with complete sincerity "And thank you for staying"

Mary got in her bed after she blew out the candles in her room. Kathleen was now sitting next to her bed and she was surrounded by the dim light and looked more like a ghost than with the lights lit up. Kathleen brushed over her hair and it felt like a cold breeze which gave are a sense of safety. While she was looking over her Kathleen hummed old lullabies with the most beautiful voice Mary had the chance to hear.

Thank you for reading and I hope you liked it... tell me if I should continue.

P.S.: Looking for beta (PM me or something)