He'd found her when girls at court picked on her for being different, when she was eight.
…
The young girl sighed running a hand through her long unruly black hair as she faced the mirror in her room. Her dress was muddy and her face dirt smeared, her shoes ruined and her eyes brimming with tears, she tried to hold in. But the burning was too much and she had to finally release it, allowing the warm salty tears to run down her face, leaving silver tracks.
She turned and rushed to the bathroom, stopping long enough, only to throw off her clothes before jumping into the tub with little to no grace.
"Now tell me what's wrong little one," Patricia her 30 year old maid said soothingly running her hand over the girls hair.
"The other girls don't like me, they say I'm weird and they laugh at me as I walk by," the young Queen cried turning to look at the older woman.
"Well they're just stupid," Sebastian said from the doorway.
"I don't think you should be here," the new maid Vivian said looking at Bash.
"Oh let him, he wouldn't listen to us anyhow," Patricia said with an affectionate smile to the young boy who was already making himself comfy on the edge of the tub beside his best friend who gave him a watery smile.
"I don't know why you bother with them Mary," Bash said looking down at the girl.
"Because I, oh I don't know," Mary said playing absentmindedly with the lion pendant round her neck.
"You have me, why would you need any of those snivelling idiots," Bash said cockily raising his chin jokingly.
"Oh, I wonder," Mary said before laughter escaped her.
"Now hurry with your bath. I want to go play," Bash told her affectionately, leaning down to place a quick kiss on her forehead, as he grabbed a hand full of water, with which he dumbed over her head, before turning and running off a smile on his face.
She laughs her worries behind her as she rises from the tube taking the towel from Vivian who gives her a pretty smile.
"Your very lucky," she tells Mary before moving off, allowing the young soon to be ruler to dress in privacy.
…
"Now climb," Bash commands playfully his vibrant blue eyes catching Marys as they grin at each other.
"Gladly," she says before hoisting herself up onto the first branch with Bash's help.
"Hurry up," she calls climbing rapidly, Bash's old clothes aiding her in her adventure.
"Right behind you," she hears her best friend call from right below her, his stronger body helping him catch up to her.
She giggles, as finally they reach the only branch at the top that would hold their combined weight.
"See isn't that so much better then stuffy dress's and boring gossip," Bash says smirking at the girl. Over the past few months he'd taken up smirking. It suited him, Mary decided then.
"Yes, but only because of you," Mary replied.
They sat there in silence for minutes, just watching the world pass by before finally Mary opened her mouth.
"They told me that, though I'm to marry Francis, no one could ever love me, like the love your Mother and Father share."
Bash just looked at her, his mouth slightly a gape. Before he shook his head.
"They lied Mary. Francis will love you so much, how could he not. And know this, if you weren't the Queen, I would marry you when you came of age," Bash merely put his arm around her, allowing her time to think.
"I wish I could marry you," she whispered in his ear with cheeks red.
He looked across at her before slowly leaning in and pressing his lips to hers in a childish kiss that left them both red and laughing.
"Well now you know that you hold another thing over them," Bash said suddenly, the red to his cheeks lessening.
She giggled throwing an arm around his waist as she settled her head on his shoulder looking back out at the green world.
"Mary. Mary. Mary," Francis' voice echoed pulling Mary and Bash from their time together.
They shared a look before climbing from the tree, to find Francis looking at them both, with annoyance on his face.
"Come Mary, I have something to show you," Francis said reaching for her hand but she only stepped forward pulling Bash into a quick hug, "See you soon," she whispered before starting off, leaving Francis to follow her like the lost puppy he already was.