"Run away with me."
His words ghosted over her skin, lips brushing across the flat plane of her stomach, his palms holding fast to her hips. "We needn't stay here." He went on, blue eyes finding her dark, the flicker of a smile teasing her lips. "We could go anywhere." His hands slid higher, the rush of skin against skin sending chills down her spine. Every moment brought his lips closer to hers and it was but a moment later that his had captured hers, the kiss long and slow, quite unlike all the others they'd been sharing this last hour. A laugh escaped her lips when they broke the kiss and she laid both of her hands against his cheeks, giving her magnificant head a little shake.
"Yes, a little quiet house in the country..." She grinned back at him, recalling the dream she'd always spoke of in this fantasy of theirs. To be free from all duty, from all obligations. To be free to do as she pleased with the man she truly loved. A moment later, she gave wistful smile at the look upon his face, realizing then that it was not a dream he spoke of, but of reality. "Bash..." She murmured, smile fading as she gazed into his eyes. "I would give anything to be with you always, you know that." Sebastian's gaze darkened and he tried to pull free from her, though she kept hold. "We can go nowhere without fear of shame." She murmured, still gripping his face between her palms, the remnants of a smile on her face. "I would never do that to you."
"I'd go to the ends of the earth to be with you, Mary." Bash pulled back then, giving her the space to sit up, clutching a blanket to her chest. "I'd live in the poorest of villages, if it meant I could be with you." Her lips curved into a smile and she took his hands into hers, giving them the gentlest of squeezes. "We could go back to Scotland."
Was it really so simple?
Mary knew that she could indeed pull herself from Francis without much trouble- what worried her would be the loss of France itself. King Henry certainly favored Sebastian, but enough to allow him to marry the Queen of Scots instead of his heir? There would still be a marriage, it would benefit France and Scotland in all the same ways, regardless of who she was married to. And more than that... Sebastian had nearly been legitimitized just a few short weeks before, what was stopping his father from doing it again , allowing them to marry without worry? It could work, she supposed, if only they might convince Henry...
"My love... Have you found a solution?" Bash's teasing banter brought her back and she could not help but to chuckle in spite of herself. "I am certain you've got it all figured out now." He leaned in, tipping his forehead against hers, hand still yet tangled with hers. "That's why I love you." She made a little noise and he chuckled, shifting so he could rub noses with her. "You always find a way to make things work in your favor." Mary's laughter was soft, but sweet like music to his ears and Bash couldn't stop himself from kissing her again. "I should go..." He finally said, slipping out of her bed to begin tugging his clothes back on. "I shall see you in court, my queen." He reached for her hand then, pressing her knuckles to his lips like a true courtier might.
And then he was gone, out the back door that led to the staircase down to Francis' chambers, where he could slip in undetected, to be prepared to join his brother for his morning rituals. Mary sighed when he'd gone, rolling onto her back in the great grand bed, suddenly feeling lost and alone without Bash in her bed. It had not taken her long for these very real feelings to develop for Bash, loving him was easier than anything she had ever done in all her life. And in a life such as hers, there was not much that she could choose for herself. Especially not a husband. But what she had with Bash... It was so very different from what she had with Francis. Her betrothed who disappeared for days on end, who shirked his princely duties; Francis was a man quite unlike Bash, who stood behind everything he believed in. Who protected those weaker than him and those who might have snubbed their noses at him. He, the King's favorite son, despite his status as a bastard, would be ten times the King Francis ever would, should he ever be given the chance. Stranger things had happened in the world of royalty, had it not? Was a King's bastard not sitting upon the English throne right then and there? Was not another bastard upon the throne only a few years before that? Mary rubbed a hand across her face, wishing as she always did that she were not a queen but a lady to one, so she might run off with Bash without fear.
But that was not the case and indeed, she was an annointed queen, and queen's did not run when they were scared. They stood strong and true, no matter what they faced- had she not proven that already this year? A knock sounded on her door and a moment later her rooms were buzzing with maids and her ladies, ready to dress her for the day ahead, though part of her wished to merely lay abed for an afternoon or two.
Once dressed, Mary led her ladies down the hall towards the grand hall, where she stood a moment before the dais, dipping a quick curtsy to King Henry, who already sat upon his throne within the room. "Good morning, Mary." His tenor vocals greeted her good naturedly, the man who was as good as her father, considering how long she'd resided within his palaces. He spoke to her more like a daughter than a visiting queen, for which she appreciated him a whole lot more. She knew that part of Henry wanted her around for her claim to England, but the relationship they had developed was a bit stronger than that.
"Good morning, your grace," she replied with a smile, her hands clasped before her, each of her ladies curtsying to the king behind her. "I had thought you might join Francis on his hunt today." She noticed the absence of a few young men in the court, including Bash, and wondered what could keep their king at court. He enjoyed the hunt as much as any of the men, so it was a surprise to see him there on his throne.
"Indeed, I had thought I might. But this blasted leg-" he gestured down at his left leg, reminding Mary of an old war injury he'd received years before. "Francis and Sebastian have gone on without me, though I suppose it is a thing young brothers should do together." Henry waved her along then for Diane had arrived behind Mary and her ladies and so they moved along towards the dining hall, where they might break their fast with the remaining court.
It was as she strode between tables that a familiar pair of eyes caught her attention and Mary felt her heart flutter as Bash's smile lit up his face. "My queen," he spoke as he approached, offering her a low bow over her hand, lips pressed to the back of her hand as it had been in her chamber a few short hours ago. "As always my morning is brighter with your presence." Mary felt a warmth rushing to her cheeks and she smiled, dipping a little curtsy to the man she respected as her bethrothed's brother and closest confidante. And a whole lot more, not that she could admit that aloud before all these people. The court would talk and she dared not do anything to bring harm to his reputation.
"Good morning, Bash. I am suprised to see you for I thought you were with Francis on his hunt." She took the elbow offered to her and allowed Bash to sweep her towards the head table, which was empty, telling Mary that Catherine had not yet come down to join them in court. Which was not much of a surprise- the French queen seemed to remain locked within her own chambers more often than not lately, usually with few but Nostradamus to attend her.
As Bash deposited her into her usual chair, he offered another smile and shook his head. "I begged leave of my brother for I have... More important duties to attend to, today." His smile was mischievous and Mary could not help but return the smile with one of her own. "Perhaps if my duties allow it, I shall join you for a quiet hour this afternoon. Should you like to have me, of course." To anyone listening is, as the courtiers so often did, they would hear nothing more than the banter between a man and his queen, nothing more. But Mary knew the truth that hid between the lines he spoke and she felt her heart quicken its pace in her chest. She could not trust her voice to speak and so she nodded, giving him the permission to join her later that day. "Until then." He bowed one last time before escaping down to the floor, where he joined a few of the remaining men of the court, though throughout breakfast she could feel his eyes upon her a few different times.
When breakfast had ended, Mary bid her ladies to enjoy an afternoon to themselves- with most of the men of court out on the hunt, she need not worry about any of them, and they would not suspect a thing for her offering them time alone. It was not the first and certainly not the last time that she would give them a bit of personal time. And so, she was alone in her privy chamber when the chamberlain announced Bash's arrival, bowing as the King's bastard son slipped in past him. Mary rose to her feet as he crossed the threshold of her chambers and she felt her heart skip a beat as he smiled upon her. "Mary," his use of her given name sent chills down her spine and it was a moment later that he had crossed the room and drew her into his arms. "I have missed holding you like this," he whispered, his breath warm against the shell of her ear.
Mary could not help but to laugh, drawing back as he slid a hand into her dark hair, its long waves hanging down her back. "It has only been but a few hours since we were last together," she chuckled, reaching up a hand to tenderly cup his cheek into her palm, lost in his beautiful blue eyes.
"And those hours felt like an eternity," Bash went on, running his hand through her silken tresses, reminding himself again just how lucky he was to be able to hold her like this. A queen, so far above his station, loved him for him. He was the luckiest man in the world. Even if they had to hide their love from the world forever. Even if she had to marry Francis and leave him behind... He would still be the luckiest man for he knew he had her love and she would always have his. "I love you, Mary... You do know that, right?" Her brown eyes widened slightly but then she smiled, giving him a single nod. Leaning down, Bash brushed his lips across hers before capturing them completely, his hand sliding further up into her hair as she melted against his chest. When he pulled back a few moments later, he was met with her shining face, her perfecr lips curved into a wide smile.
It was in that moment that Mary knew she could not be without him, not ever. And so she made a silent vow to herself- she would find a way to make this work with him. She was a queen, after all. "Run away with me." She whispered the words he had said to her early that morning, watching in delight as his surprise took root. "We could go anywhere we wanted. We could live in the poorest of villages... We could go back to Scotland." Bash's smile was the only answer she needed and a moment later, he was crushing her against his chest, holding onto her like his life depended upon it.
When he drew back a few moments later, it was to nod, to cup her cheeks between his palms and meet her gaze with a smile on his lips. "I am yours to command." He whispered before kissing her again, as if this alone sealed the deal between them, and it certainly was enough for her. Mary knew that the path ahead would be rough, damn near impossible, but she would have given anything to be with Bash. Anything. Life was not worth living if he wasn't hers and so, she would fight with all she had to hold him like this for the rest of her life.
