Chapter 1 – Stayed awake and stared at you

A warm ray of light fell over Mary's eyes the next morning, waking her up. With an eye squinted open, she noticed the bright light just barely shining through the gap between her velvet curtains. She craned her neck to look at the clock on her bedside table. It was five past eight in the morning which was earlier that what she had expected to wake up to. Tugging her duvet closer to her, Mary was on the verge of falling back asleep when she noticed the light from the window settling on a familiar face.

She beamed, hugging her pillow closer to herself as she studied the way the light fell onto only half of his face because he had his head tilted from sleeping. She observed the way the light painted shadows and highlights on his chiseled jaw that even the little scars he had from the mild scratches he must have gotten from the woods were visible. He had his arms crossed and his legs stretched out on a foot rest as he sat on an armchair by her bed. He still had the same outfit on from last night—an off-white peasant shirt with the strings by his neck untied and russet riding pants— except his boots were off and tucked away in a corner. Even though his chestnut brown hair was unkempt and his face, grimy from not being washed all night, Mary loved the way the sun gave his visage a golden glow that made her feel all warm inside as she continued to stare.

His head slipped, causing him to jerk upright and awaken. His weary eyes took in the sight of the room for a while and were about to close when he noticed her awake.

"Mary—"

"You stayed," she smiled, squeezing the pillow beneath her head.

"Of course," it came out barely as a whisper so he cleared his throat and gave her a lethargic smile. "I didn't want to risk anything happening to you without me being there." He watched as color rushed up to her face when she beamed, giving her plump red lips, dark eyes and dark hair life again. "How are you, Mary?"

"I'm better now." She told him truthfully as he looked at her with half-opened eyes. "Now that I've woken up to this." She added, watching one corner of his lips etch up into an awry smile. "I could wake up to this every day."

"You wouldn't want to," he chuckled, unfolding his arms to rub the back of his stiff neck. "I tried really hard all night to sleep beautifully. That doesn't happen often." He joked, dodging a pillow Mary aimed at him.

"What are you doing? I'm giving that to you for comfort," she laughed, watching him bend down to pick it up when he realized it hadn't been a form of a playful attack. "How does that feel now?" she asked watching him tuck the pillow behind his neck and adjusting his body to find a comfortable position.

"Much better," he smiled with his jaw slightly tilted upwards.

"I want to though, Bash," Mary went on, pressing her lips together. "Wake up knowing you'll always be beside me that is."

Warmth rushed through his veins when she said it. His lips cracked into a smile as his mind involuntarily envisioned himself waking up to her as well. He wondered how it felt like to see Mary every morning in her silk night gown with her wavy, dark brown hair hanging loosely over her face instead of being pulled back in small braids. He imagined the feeling of having her dewy skin against his rugged one if their faces were to brush whenever one of them changed sleeping positions. It would be a dream. Never did he imagine his life with Mary in it any further than having her as his sister-in-law. Now, she was nearly his wife.

"You will," he told her, finding the light in her eyes return again after vanishing last night. "Once we're married."

"You're so noble," she beamed, watching as he got off the armchair to draw the curtains open.

"I've killed men before, Mary." He mumbled, opening the windows and looking out at the green meadows that stretched across the French court. "I don't think that justifies my nobility," his eyes darted to the blood woods just beyond the stream that separated it from the meadows. Then he turned around to see her propped on both arms with a more serious look on her face.

"So have I," she muttered, thinking of how she had stabbed Tomás the night she was supposed to escape from the castle. "But we didn't do it on purpose." She continued as Bash returned to his armchair to pull his boots on.

"Let's not talk about this shall we," he looked up at her, letting out a small smile, while he tied the laces of his boots. "It's supposed to be a relaxing day for you. You're supposed to be recovering." He asserted, taking a seat by her on her bed when Mary motioned him to do so.

"Can I just ask one last thing then?" She asked, fixing her night gown while she sat cross-legged. When he nodded, she went on, "What happened, or is going to happen, to Catherine?"

"I had a feeling you were going to ask me that," he spoke lowly, tearing his gaze away from her for a moment. "Truth is I don't know," he went on after a moment and looked back up at her. "I was planning to see my father after this to get the full details on things. He told me last night a death sentence had been agreed upon by court." Then, after contemplating, he added, "Francis is coming back today."

Mary's eyes widened, just as Bash had expected them to. "Francis is coming back to court?"

He nodded, unsure of how to feel. Of course he was happy his younger brother would be coming back. Before things got complicated, they had been best friends with Francis usually looking for him whenever he was overwhelmed by the politics. Then together they would do things like ride their horses by the countryside or make marks in large oak trees with their swords just to blow off steam. And whenever they returned to court, Bash would involuntarily take the blame because they both knew their father's punishment on him would be less dreadful than if it had been on Francis. But now…now things were different.

"When?"

"He's supposed to arrive before noon," he told her, watching as Mary pulled her gaze away from him and got lost in her thoughts. He exhaled, secretly wishing he had told her later. "Okay," he muttered after five minutes of silence. "I'm going to get you some breakfast."

Mary looked back at him, "What?" she giggled. "You're going to what?"

"I want to get you breakfast," he repeated, feeling slightly relieved that Mary seemed less serious and pensive now. "What's wrong with getting you breakfast?"

"Nothing," she beamed, feeling the color rush up to her cheeks when he wouldn't tear his gaze away from her. "Bash stop staring please, you're making me really uncomfortable."

"I thought you were used to people staring at you?" he chuckled, watching as she draped her blanket over her shoulders.

"Yes, when I'm properly dressed with my hair and makeup done." She argued as he continued to chuckle. It must have been very amusing to him since she noticed the smile reached his eyes. "You have dimples," she spoke, noticing the dark dents by his lips that disappeared too quickly.

"Yes, I got them from my mother," he told her, regaining composure. "Mary, you look great. I promise you."

She rolled her eyes as he stood up to leave. "Wait, Bash,"

He turned around and found her lips on his.


"What are you doing down here?" Kenna wondered, looking at Bash, who was dressed elegantly in a black doublet with regal golden embroidery, sitting by the kitchen stairway on a sack of grains. Not too far away from him stood a servant kneading dough but Bash didn't seem the least bothered by the flour that was slowly turning his black leather boots grey. "Looking rather over-dressed, may I add."

Bash angled his sword to look at the person talking to him through its reflection and saw Kenna walking down the wooden steps looking puzzled. The sound of her slippers made the floorboards creek.

"Is there someone important coming to court today?" She asked while he resumed polishing the blade to his sword.

"If by important you mean my brother, then yes." He was on the verge of standing to offer Kenna the seat when she quickly shook her head as though reading his mind.

"Francis is coming home?"

Bash nodded. "Didn't Mary tell you?"

"I hadn't seen her since last night. When is he arriving?" She wondered but all she received from him was a shrug.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, looking at Kenna who was surprisingly only dressed in a robe over her nightgown. Perhaps men did rise earlier in court, he thought as Kenna reached for his sword. He was baffled at first and reluctant to release it until she told him she could use a mirror. "So you came down to the kitchen to use a mirror?" He raised an eyebrow, half chuckling, after she didn't give him an answer.

"What? No. I'm looking for Greer. She's always around here for some reason." She brushed her eyebrows with her little finger and returned the sword. "What are you doing here?"

"Tray is all set, my lord," came one servant carrying a tray of food. Kenna craned her neck to take a look at it.

"Is breakfast not served today in the hall?" she asked the ginger-haired servant as she handed Bash the tray.

"Oh it is, my lady. It's just his highness requested to have it in his room. He also wanted to carry it himself," explained the servant before excusing herself from them.

"You either have a large appetite, Bash, or that's breakfast for two," she grinned slyly, narrowing her eyes at him as he thanked all the servants in the kitchen.

"Alright, Kenna," He pursed his lips, trying to hide a smile. "Now are you going to help me with the door or not?" he motioned the wooden kitchen door after receiving a full minute of a mocking stare from her.

"Of course, my lord," she giggled shutting the door behind them.


"Thank you, Kenna." Bash exhaled when they finally reached Mary's bedroom door. But instead of pushing the door open, she stopped and twirled around to face him.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course,"

"I didn't like the idea of Mary falling for you at first," she told him truthfully, seeing no change in his facial expression as if he already knew. "Because that meant—"

"My dad would have to marry my mum," Bash finished for her before she could do so.

"Yes," she nodded, biting her lip. "But now I'm glad she has you." She went on, finding a tiny smile at the edge of his lips. "I know you'll take good care of her."

"Thank you," Bash replied in a tone that made him come across to her as more of a friend and less as a king. "I want to."

Suddenly the sound of marching boots against the castle's wooden floor echoed through the hallway, and Bash noticed two bodyguards approaching them. He was about to ask if there was anything going on but then someone pushed through them and headed straight for Mary's bedroom door. Without knocking, he burst through them, leaving the door opened wide enough for both Bash and Kenna to see the interior of Mary's room.

"Mary, are you alright?"

Bash watched as the blonde-haired male dressed in a similar doublet as he had on clasp both his hands on Mary's startled face. However, before she could respond, he already had her in a tight hug.

"Excuse me my Lord," Bash heard the two guards say to him but he was too distracted staring at Mary and his younger brother.

"I guess that's breakfast for three then…" Kenna mumbled, watching as Mary reciprocated Francis' hug.


THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH for the R&R, follows and favorites. They mean so much to me! It makes me so happy knowing my story is being read and appreciated :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! Feedback appreciated!