I couldn't wait to write some more. Oh and the name Ara has two meanings, King or bringer of rain.
Ara pov
Being introduced into court life is a blur, one moment I'm stood outside behind Mary and the next I'm ushered into a room, my room, to be dressed in something 'appropriate'. Mary enters my room moments after the servants draw a bath for me "Ara, I've missed you" she says after everyone has left, I know what she means, even though Mary was the one to leave Scotland and I remained with our mother, I still felt the loneliness and empty void only Mary's presence could fill, that my twin could fill.
Looking at Mary now I can almost see our differences, not the physical differences but the differences in how we were raised. Mary has been sheltered almost all her life since coming to France, yes she has been groomed to be a Queen but she has not seen life fully. I on the other hand have had a certain freedom that could never been bestowed upon Mary, our brother James taught me how to handle a sword and blades - the excuse to my mother being that it was for self defence and would only be used as a last resort - While Mary was raised at court then the convent, she would've never have been allowed to even touch a blade let alone a sword.
Thinking of our differences brings forth thoughts of our similarities, we have both had attempts to our lives, her more than I being the Queen, however I, being her heir until she weds and produces a child, makes any plan the English have at destroying Scotland and killing Mary null until my death.
"Oh Mary, I have missed you more" I reply, she strides towards a table picking up a hairbrush and then walking up behind me, "Your hair is worse than mine, what have you done?" she asks while sighing and attempting to work out all the tangles and knots, I shrug one shoulder and reply "I haven't bathed in over a week". She makes a noise in horror and turns me towards her, her face is pinched in a grimace, her eyebrows furrowed and her lips thin "Why not?" she demands, wincing I answer "Because I wanted to reach court on time, when you arrived", she tuts, sounding just like our mother before I continue to explain "Mother only caved and allowed me to come less than a month ago, I couldn't have reached court if we stopped any longer".
She sighs before speaking "Disregarding the circumstances, I am glad you are here. I..uh..just, where is the rest of your host? You can't have only come with one guard". Smiling while clasping her hand I tell her that we left them a couple of towns back when we heard that she was just ahead of us, and that they will be arriving within two days.
She accepts my explanation and tells me to hurry before the water cools. I start to unstrap the blades concealed along my body and clothes, Mary raises an eyebrow when she sees the amount of blades I place down on the drawer, there are only five blades, a gift from my brother, I have used them many times in practice but never against a living person, however you can never be sure that you are safe when you are royalty.
Mary turns to leave, but before she does she asks that I join her and her ladies later today, after she takes her leave. I undress and slide into the bath, scrubbing at my sink until it is clean and slightly pink, grime quickly fills the tub so I hurry out and dry my skin, pulling on a long tunic until the maids return to dress me suitably. I hate dresses, no matter how beautiful they may look they are designed to bring discomfort and pain to the wearer, especially the dresses that require corsets, mother has always struggled to keep me wearing them until she gave up and allowed me to wear the same clothes that James wears.
However now, being here at French court, I know I will have to endure the torture that is a dress, I will not embarrass Mary, my mother or my country by fighting against the expectations held for a royal. The maids rush in with a blue dress, it has sheer arms and golden stitched spirals running along it.
Looking at myself in the mirror, I see the girl I am meant to be, a perfectly poised princess, ready to stride into court life but within I see myself, the real me who wishes for a life, any life other that of a royals, a royal is meant to marry for an alliance - like Mary, a royal is supposed to give up the notion of love for the notion of stability and a royal can never be free.
Okay, I hope the OC character is believable, I have never wrote an OC or a Reign Fic before. Creative criticism is appreciated but please be nice if you don't like it.
Liya xx