Chapter 1 – Olivia's Arrival

There was everything that Mary wantend until Olivia's arrival. She already knew that she was an ex-girlfriend of Francis and she knew that he has declared yourself oh her but… that situation changes everything. The mutual trade of accusations only served that her state of spirit went worst. She was completely alter when she kissed Bash and knew that wasn't right! But she was so upset with Francis and really wants to see Olivia gone of the French court quickly as possible. Despite being wrong… that kissed touched her, she really liked the sensation and she put her small fingers in her lips.

The door of her room opens and she gets up of the bed looking at Greer comes in.

- I'm sorry; I didn't wanted to scare you. – Greer says sitting in one of the benches. Looking at Mary, Greer realizes that somethings going on with her. – What happened? – She asks her when Mary look away, staring at the floor in an embarrassed gesture.

- I kissed Bash. – She says quickly in a whispering. Greer eyes opened up and she look at Mary really surprised.

- Why? – She asks confused completely taken by surprise.

- I drank too much and I fight with Francis… because he's keeping Olivia in the castle. – Mary explains looking at her in the eyes. – I was so upset and Bash were comforting me and I… just kiss him. – Mary told her getting up of the bed. – I am so regretful. I just put myself in a worse situation. – She confesses holding her friends hands. – Olivia stays here, he spend his time free with her… What I am going to do? – She asks looking up to see Greer's face, looking at her in the eyes hoping that she had the answer.

- And what about talking to him? – Greer suggest squeezing her hand gently. – It seems the most wisdom decision.

- I tried to talk to him already, Greer… he just ignores me and let me there to went somewhere else with her. You saw it. – She points out completely in despair. – But I… - When she was preparing to finished her thought, Lola gets in the room. Both get really quiet with her entry.

- What's going on? – Lola asks looking at Mary and then at Greer.

- Nothing… nothing of matter actually, we were just talking. – Mary responds automatically looking at her and give her a small smile. – I should go try to find Francis. – She announces and left the room walking through the cold and big castle corridors. And once more, Mary find herself in that tower when she played with Francis when both were just children.

- How everything was so much easier when we were just children. – Mary whispers passing her small and gently fingers through the table. After a very long sigh, she walks away step down the staircase and she bumps with Bash.

- Bash. – She says in a low tune looking at him in his eyes and she looks away. This was really awkward and she didn't know how to act.

- Mary. – he says greeting her and then Mary look him in the eyes. – I don't want that what happened between us… pull us away. – He admits trying to sustain the temptation of touching her in her face. He pull his hands away of his body completely in a fight with himself.

- I'm so sorry Bash. – Mary says and starts approaching him. – I was impulsive and I hurt you, and that was never my intention… I… - he grabbed her hand when she tried to look somewhere else but he puts her hand into his chin to made her look at him.

- It's alright, Mary. – He guarantees when she look at their hands and then to his face. – Let's forget about everything, ok? – She asks really embarrassed. He took deep breath. He dropped his hand of her face and let go of her hand.

- I know you love Francis, Mary but… I just can't pretend that nothing happened because I like you. Maybe that will be a perfect solution for you but not for me… - He faces her completely displeased with her solution. He let her alone in the long corridor walking away quickly with a violent gait.

After being upset the last thing I need was hurt Bash. I lean back into the cold wall near to the window, watching the day turns into night. I was sad and disappointed with myself, I just walk into my chambers. I walk elegantly but with my head lay down, knowing that I had so many chances to have another unpleasant meeting.

Mary arrived to her room without any other unpleasant meeting in the castle corridors. She will write to her mother about a few things that were happening at the French court. She didn't have to know about everything and that things with Francis weren't in a good place at the moment and she had a country to rule and worry about it. As I have it too. And it was about I should care about it now even if it wasn't any danger of enemies attacks. I lay down in my bed and she fall asleep letting draw in in the world of dreams.

Her dreams become colorful and dark… she was stuck in the middle of Francis and Bash with the terrible choice of can save only one. She Francis trying to reach her hand and Bash with that deep expression in his eyes just waiting that she chooses his brother over him.

- No, no, no… NOOOOO! – Mary says in a stir sleep where she was moving frenetically in her bed. She wakes up startled and screams at the top of her lungs when saw a dead head of a deer above her bed, right in front of her. – AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! – She screams out loud, getting up of the bed and lean down at the wall. The guards hurry up into her bedroom surprised with what they seen. The general give orders to wake up the prince and the king.

One of the guards approaches slowly of Mary, extending his hand to reach me and took me of that place. She give her hand without hesitate and let him walk her into a couch, putting her back in a way she couldn't see that bloody head.

Francis gets in her room quickly walking towards her. Even behind him was Bash and last one to enter calmly in her room was the king. The king were spoke in a low voice at the guards commanding them to get the deer head off her room and questioning how such thing could just happened in his castle. In her guest bedchambers!

Mary look at Francis and Bash in a hurry to be hugged. The devastation and the fear were well visible in her eyes. Greer approaches her in a hurry with a glass of water.

- Drink, it will help you to calm down. – She says extending the glass to her. Mary grabbed it and drinks all in one sip. Mary extends the glass to her and Greer walks out of the room and Mary follow her with the eyes, trying not to collapse in tears. Mary couldn't handle the distance and the coldness that were between both of them and in moment of weakness, she gets up and hugs Francis.

Bash just look away and move away approaching his father. He gets in the discussion that he was having with the royal guards.

- How are you? – Francis asks with a tang of bitterness in his voice but, deep down, that were only concern with her.

- Well. – She responds in a soft whisper. He tries so hard against the impulse of hugging her back! But that was Mary! The person that got in his nerves and the person who was supposed to share his life, and above all, she was the person that he tries so desperately to not bind and not tries not felling that overwhelming's feelings about her. So, he hugged her and kissed his forehead trying to comfort her. After a while in his arms she was better, she moves away with fear of confront his face but she do it. – Thank you. – She thanks him looking at his deep blue eyes. She could drown into them only for staring them. That hug was the close contact that she had of him but she knew that they weren't in a good spot at the moment. Still he has here for her. She realizes that only Bash, Francis and the king were and she walks toward them.

- No one seen who enter in your bedchambers. I command more vigilance and you'll be fine. – Mary do a small reverence to the king.

- Thank you, your highness, I will appreciate that. – She says really thankful. He wave his head in a masculine way and walks out of her room with their sons.

Mary took a deep breath and walk into Greer room. She knocks on the door waiting for her response to gets in.

- You can come in. – Greer says opening her bedroom door and let Mary get inside. – How are you? – She asks really concern.

- Better but… I can't sleep in my room and I thought we could share ours like we did in the convent. I know we will not be very comfortable… - Mary suggests and Greer opening a big smile on her face.

- Of course you can stay here. – She says grabbing Mary hand and drove at her own bed. She was happy about helping her queen and mostly her friend. – You should try to sleep because a long day awaits you tomorrow. – Greer advices. She put her pillow in a comfortable way lay down in the bed closing her eyes.

Mary just looks up at the celling. She didn't want to close her eyes because every single time that she do it she saw the blood in her sheets. But yet she was a very strong woman and she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Mary woke up a little bit later than usual but anyone really except her to do it after what happened last night. She is in a rush and asks her friends help for what dress she would use. She want to be pretty, she really need to get into good terms with Francis again. Not only because it was important to her country, but because she wanted to reconcile with him too. So for the first time she took her breakfast with Francis family. She was nervous and her nerves blew up when she saw Olivia sitting there. That made her get angrier but even with that unpleasant person there, she behaves like a queen. She eats her bread calmly with milk and when she finished the breakfast asked cordially to go away. She couldn't stand her anymore and her being there just made her feel worse! What should her do.

So she walks angrily into the grass and stops by the lake. She knew that she has strong and powerful enemies but how that deer head get in into her room?

- What are you doing here? – Bash asks to Mary. – You are in danger!

- I will not stay close in that castle walls! – Mary says face him angry.

- But you should until this is resolved. – He points out really caring about her safety.

- Well and when is that? I am the Queen of Scots, I have powerful enemies everywhere. – She made her point in a low voice completely angry. And then she softens her face realizing that he knew more that were saying. – You know who put that thing in my room, don't you? – She asks grabbing his pulse and looking at him right in the eyeball.

- Let's say that… - when he was about to complete his sentence Francis appeared out of nowhere. She takes her hand off and look at both of them. Francis look angry looking at his brother.

- Let's say that Bash stopped a pagan ritual and they thought that chosen you was the best way to get him in the place that they wanted to. – Bash look at Francis angrily and face him in the eyes.

– I will solve this. – He guarantees and start walking into the castle in a decide gait left them alone. Mary followed Bash with her eyes.

- We have to talk. – Francis says picking up Mary's attention.

- Indeed we have. – She admits. – Look I'm sorry… I…

- If you are telling me that you kissed Bash, don't need to. I saw you. By the lake. –He reveals taking her by surprise. – I just excepted that you could be honest with me like I was with since Olivia's arrival. – He admits upset. – A king can't have the luxury to reign by his feelings so I will free you to meet another person's and accept an alliance that could be good for Scotland.

- Francis. – She just says name and when he prepares to walk way maybe to meet Olivia's her heart broke. Mary grabs his arm trying to get his attention, she wanted to explain and tell him how sorry she was. – My decision is made. – And just with that resolution, he left her alone to meet Olivia.