He'd found her when her horse had died when she was six.
Her horse was the one thing she had from her old life.
Zak brought her pleasure and happiness. He was the means in which she could escape her life at the French court. And it also brought time for her and Bash. While Francis was off learning what it was to be the future King of France, Mary and Bash were out ridding, albeit only around the grounds at their tender age but still, they spent afternoons telling stories and racing and lounging near the water with their horse's.
They became best friends.
And when Mary's horse died, Bash was the one to find her. Not Francis her fiancé, nor Catherine, a woman who at the time adored the young girl, and not even Diane who in secret treated Mary like her own child, having been happy Bash had found someone who accepted him as him, but Bash, her best friend.
He knew where she had gone, and while everyone searched through the castle he ran the hidden passageway out to the water and toward the thick of trees on the other side. It was their secret place, a place for them both to let go from the prying eyes.
And that was where he found her, making a daisy chain with her head down, her long dark hair shielding her face. But he could tell by the way her shoulders shook and the slight gasp to her breath that she wasn't as okay as she had looked at first glance. He made quick work of striding over to her and dropping to his knees in front of her. He grasped her chin between his fingers pulling gently till her eyes; red and puffy meet his.
"Oh Mary," he whispered. His tone causing tears to well in her eyes. "Come here."
He grabbed her as she fell on him, her small arms wrapping around his neck as he moved his own arms to hold her tight to him. Neither of them said anything, only sat there and held each other as, around them, it began to darken.
"Come," Bash said helping the girl up before clasping his hand in hers, "I have something for you."
"What is it," she knew that he was trying to make her forget about her dear horse, and it was working.
"You'll just have to wait and see now won't you," the dark haired boy smiled, tapping her on the nose.
"Let's go then," Mary said and together they set off toward the castle, their hands still entwined.
And as they set foot inside the castle, Mary pulled Bash into a sudden hug.
"Thank you, my best friend," she whispered.
"For what? You haven't even seen your present yet," Bash replied, extremely flattered.
"For being you."
Bash only smiled at the young girl, pulling her along toward his room.
"Close your eyes," he told her leading her forward, further into his room, before seating her on his bed.
Moving quickly he crossed the room to his book shelf. He grabbed the box there, before making his way back to the little scot.
"Open your eyes," he told her placing the box in her lap.
She opened her dark eyes, looking at him before quickly moving them to the box.
It was beautiful, a dark mahogany with intricate designs covering it. She ran her hands over it, before slowly opening it, her eyes taking in the red lining. And what sat on said lining. A necklace of fine silver with a red lion pendant.
She gasped, it was beautiful.
"Turn it over," he commanded softly.
She did as she was told, flipping the beautiful necklace over. Engraved on the back in small writing were the words, Mary and Bash friends forever.
It brought tears to her eyes. Seeing the gift from her best friend.
"Oh Bash," she cried jumping into his arms, "it's beautiful. Thank you so much."
He laughed taking the necklace from her, as she turned and lifted her hair, motioning for him to put it on her. He did so quickly before smiling widely as she hurried to the mirror to look at herself and her new gift.
"I have a matching one, though mines a bit different," he told her pulling his own out from beneath his top.
It was practically the same, though the male version.
He found himself in a hug again. He could get used to this, his mind whispered before quickly she pulled back her face suddenly anxious.
"I have to go find Catherine, we were to spend time together," Mary said.
She placed an affectionate kiss on Bash's cheek before running off, the box clutched in her tiny hands, and a smile lighting up her already very pretty face. Her sorrows forgotten for the moment.
