Disclaimer : I don't own Reign, any of its affiliates, or anything I might choose to cross it over with. I only own my OC(s).

Note : This is an older story by several months. While it doesn't really feel up to par by my standards, I don't want to mess with it. I fear if I do, I'll ruin what is good about it. So that's why I'm more or less posting as is.


It was strange.

I felt like I was running from something.

I mean, I wasn't running. I walked briskly, with a purpose to my steps, stopping only long enough to slip my arms into the baggy sleeves of Sebastian's jacket, before walking off once more. We didn't speak as we walked, and I let the silence give me the peace I needed to think. Which was difficult at first, with how disoriented I felt, and the strange, woodsy, musky, spicy scent that seemed to come off the warm jacket I now wore.

This was Sebastian, the man in my...memories...or visions...or whatever they were, and somehow I felt safe with him. Safer with the man I'd seen chanting in a strange language and cutting his hand, and pushing a man off a horse, presumably to his death, than with the guards! And yet, I felt like I could trust him. It was a feeling that, until now, I hadn't really noticed. Or...I'd noticed it, but never really noticed it.

It was why I didn't run, despite seeing what I'd seen. It was why I didn't openly fear him.

A deep, ingrained trust that told me I was safe with him.

We walked in silence for a while, taking a long walk towards the infirmary. Truthfully, I wanted to talk to him, but at the same time, I knew it was only a matter of minutes, maybe, before I was sought out, so someone could get answers to what happened and why a boy was found in my room and detained in the dungeons.

"Mary?"

I looked over at Sebastian, who was watching me with a frown.

"You sounded as though you needed to talk."

I hummed. "I...just..." I looked forward, licking my lips once more. I felt thirsty. My throat felt gummy and dry. "I was attacked... Within an hour ago."

"Attacked?" He stiffed and turned sharply to me.

"I don't know... I mean, I was attacked... I woke up, and there was a man on top of me. He...nearly smothered me with his hand over my face, but I managed to kick him away and scream for my guards, but...he seemed quite frightened." I shook my head. "Not that, that excuses the attack. Truthfully, I feel safer with you than the guards." I admitted. It hit me as I stated the last statement that I was rambling a bit. Jumping around.

"Safer..." There was a brief sound, and I wasn't sure what it was, but when I turned my head to look, Bash was shaking his head and looking bemused. "That's not how it sounded earlier, when we spoke at the party." Then he paused. "The guards... Did they capture your attacker?"

I nodded.

"Are you injured?"

I shook my head, before wincing. "Just my head."

"Memories?"

I nodded once more. Then I paused and shook my head once more. "I don't know. I want to say yes, but they don't make sense. The last time I saw you was...how long ago?"

"Six years."

"I see." That meant that, if he was telling me the truth, and I had no reason to think otherwise, that what I'd seen couldn't have been memories. I frowned deeply. Then what were they? Illusions? Hallucinations?

"Mary?"

"Do you know what...'Lumenick dushkader. Et sprago faraha. Ay raynim doluchtai' means?" I asked, deciding not to bring up his presence in relation to those words. I'd ask innocently for now. I wasn't ready for him to know I knew or suspected his relation to the words, as if he did, that could be dangerous for me.

But as I spoke the words, his eyes widened, and a look of muffled horror crossed his features. He stared at me in open shock for a split second, paling considerably, before he looked around quickly and turned back, frowning deeply. He grabbed my arms, none too gently at that, and dragged me over near the wall, away from possibly prying words, before ripping his hands off me.

"You must never speak those words!" He hissed, immediately stepping closer and well into my personal space.

"Why not?" I frowned, leaning back a bit.

"Where did you hear those words?" His eyes darted about, as if examining me and looking for something.

My eyes narrowed. "In a vision. A memory, I suppose. I don't know. It was just a flash, but I clearly heard those words and they've been cycling around in my head over and over, along with their translation: 'Deep the root. Dark the night. Red the blood I will pay'. What is it?"

"You must never speak those words within the castle walls, or around anyone!"

"Why not?" It was like deja vu.

He frowned at me. "You saw nothing?"

I shook my head, gritting my teeth against the single word that threatened to give way the images dancing around in my head. You.

He nodded, though his eyes narrowed. "They're Pagan. Heresy."

"What do they mean?"

Immediately, he pulled back, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. You're best to forget them entirely. This is one memory that will cause you nothing but pain if you speak of it to others."

"And yet...you won't accuse me of heresy for speaking them?"

"Were you the one to speak them in your head?"

I shook my head again, catching that he was easily deflecting my questions. "It was a man's voice, and I don't sound like a man... That I'm aware of, anyways."

The small, reluctant smile curved the edge of his lips. "You don't, Mary. Listen, I apologize for being so blunt, but France is a Christian nation. Paganism isn't tolerated. It's considered heresy by all. If you are heard uttering those words, unless you can give someone a face to go with them, it could be you accused of this betrayal."

"I am Christian!" I hissed quietly.

He nodded. "As am I. Yet you spoke the words fluently, and I know their meaning. In the wrong hands, this could be damning information."

I shivered, pulling the heavy leather coat around me tighter, and nodded back. "I see."

"Is that all you've remembered?"

"No." I frowned. "I..." Well, telling him of the chanting would mean nothing. I couldn't make out the words to give him something to go by, nor could I tell him of his face in that one. At the same time, I wasn't sure if I could tell him of witnessing him pushing a man off his horse. That was the most confusing and concerning image I'd seen. Was the man a monster? An innocent? Shaking my head, I decided to go with something else. "I saw three women sitting at a table. Aylee, Greer and a woman I've never seen before, with long, brown hair and brown eyes. She was dressed fancy, but I don't recognize her."

"You have a young woman in your group with brown hair, do you not?"

"Lola has blue eyes. This woman had brown."

"Did you hear anything?"

I nodded, mind tossed back into that...vision...or memory, or whatever it was. "Nostradamus' voice. He said 'the lion shall fight the dragon on a field of poppies' to the unfamiliar girl, 'you will fall in love with a man with a white mark on his face' to Greer and-" Now I frowned deeply. "'You will never go home' to Aylee."

"Greer and Aylee? Two more of your ladies, if I recall correctly. Nostradamus has met them?"

"That's the most confusing part. They look as they do now. As if this has happened very recently, but I have only been here a day so far. I am not aware of him speaking with them, and if he has, it should not be a 'memory' because I have not witnessed it." I couldn't help but look out the nearby window. "Like you..." He looked the same...

"Me?"

I looked back and realized my mistake immediately. It took a second to gather myself, before I shook my head. "I saw you. A fleeting image. You, in the woods, at night, with what...looked like blood smeared across your cheek. You looked the same age you are now. Or at least very close to it, and yet you said we have not seen each other in six years."

"I see. This is...highly confusing...and intriguing."

The combination of something low and grim, and a hint of amusement at the end, caught my attention, and I noted the very slight touch of an almost wry smirk tugging at his lips, before it faded. Then, as the ache in my head made itself known again, I winced sharply, putting my free hand to my temple as another throb broke me out of my memories. The pain seemed to linger, not fading or increasing. It was a constant. A painful, confusing constant.

"Come. Let us go see if Nostradamus has anything to help you with the pain." There was a light touch on my arm.

I looked up at Sebastian.

His expression was still grim, but had lessened. Now, however, the look was mingled with curiosity and confusion. No doubt the little I'd told him had left a mark. Judging by his expression, he was intrigued, which probably meant he'd be checking up on me often to see if I had any other strange 'memories' popping out of nowhere. Funnily enough, I couldn't bring myself to mind.

I felt his hand at my back as he gently guided me off the wall, and I lightly tugged Sterling's leash, bringing him with us. We walked in silence. No doubt, I'd given him a lot to think about. I'd given myself a lot to think about! Of course, with the feel of his hand lingering on my arm as he led me down a side hall, towards the infirmary, it was difficult to focus on much else but how much I...enjoyed the touch.

And his presence!

I could feel the heat pooling in my cheeks, and cursed myself for it, even as I stared straight ahead. As we neared the doors, I frowned to myself as my mind flashed back to the very reason I was up and about at this late in the evening.

Colin.

He...was attacking me...wasn't he? His movements were harsh and dangerous, and coupled with the mysterious warning earlier led me to believe they were connected somehow, but truthfully, the most frightening aspect of the whole damn incident was when his hand was over my mouth, hindering my breathing, and that could easily have been seen as an accident.

Was he attacking me?

Instinct screamed yes, but somewhere in my head, something else screamed no.

Was he perhaps trying to awaken me so he could warn me of an attack? Then why not blurt it all out before he was pulled away, on the off chance I'd order the guards to stop and hear him out? Why not awaken me more gently and hurry to say it all? Why not sneak in earlier when I was awake to speak, or steal a dance during the party to impart the warning verbally?

Feeling the hand on my arm tighten until I was pulled to a stop, gently of course, I turned to find Sebastian looking at me once more.

"You said earlier you were attacked. I apologize. I fear I allowed my curiosity about your...condition cloud my mind. You aren't hurt...?"

I shook my head, offering a small smile.

He returned it, ever so slightly, before inclining his head. "Is my family aware?"

"You're the first I saw. After the incident I just... I wanted out of my room, so I dressed and fled." I blushed at admitting it. "I suspect it won't be long before I'm hunted, but truthfully, the incident is...confusing. He did not try to kill me. I believe, if he'd truly intended to take my life, he could have with ease. I was half asleep. A dagger to the heart was all it would have taken. Instead he awoke me by all but ripping my blankets off me." I frowned.

"Is it possible he sought to take your virtue?"

The idea made me blush horribly!

Granted, the idea had flit through my mind, but was immediately dismissed. "He is betrothed to my friend! To Lola! I am his queen! Surely he wouldn't attempt-"

"You said it yourself, if he'd wanted you dead, he could have. If he didn't want to kill you..."

Swallowing thickly, I found myself looking away, resting my free hand against my stomach. Rape. He wanted my virtue? "If he'd succeeded, I wouldn't be fit to wed Francis. The alliance with France would have been..." Now I frowned deeply. "I've asked the guards to hold him and keep him alive. I want to question him, myself."

"Are you certain that's wise?"

"No, but I want answers. I'm tired of having nothing but questions!"

Sebastian nodded at me with a surprisingly understanding look, before he frowned at me. "Mary... What we discussed before... Those words... You must promise me you won't say them again."

Hadn't I already done so?

I looked at him, looking into his eyes, and I could see that same unease. Those words meant something to him. I had no idea what, but they clearly struck something inside him that must have bothered him a great deal for him to be insisting this.

"Mary!"

Jerking a bit, I turned to find Francis back down the hall, back the way we'd come. He wore a simple white-ish shirt and leather pants as he walked briskly our direction.

Feeling Sebastian's hand fall away from my arm, I struggled to bite back the faint but noticeable sense of disappointment, even as I turned to him. "Thank you, Bash. I promise." I told him quietly, smiling at him as I carefully slipped out of his jacket and handed it back.

He bowed briefly, offering me a small smile, before straightening.

"Ah, brother! I see you're still awake. I thought for certain you'd have gotten so sauced at Elizabeth's wedding, that you'd have passed out in some random hall long ago!"

I found myself smiling ever so slightly at the light banter as Francis gave his brother an amused look, before the amusement faded and he turned my way.

"I heard of the attack. Are you all right?"


Written : Feb 5, 2014

Hope you like it.

R+R please.

Thank you.

Kitten