Bash was reading quietly with his mother in her chambers when Catherine de Medici burst through the doors. She marched up to Bash and hissed, "Did you ruin her?"
"Ruin who?" Diane said defensively, rising and placing a hand protectively on her son's shoulders.
"Mary." Both Bash and Catherine responded in unison.
"No, I did not ruin her. I have never even kissed or nor will I ever kiss her." Bash replied, his heart hurting with every word.
"Bash would never betray his brother like that." Diane said.
"He shouldn't dare, if you both would like to keep your heads. You better stay away from Mary, even the King cannot pardon you for ruining her." Catherine looked at the de Poitiers with a finale, menacing look before storming out.
"What was that all about? I thought you said there was nothing to worry about!" Diane cried.
"There is nothing to worry about, Mother! I don't know why Catherine would accuse me, I haven't done anything." Bash fired back.
"Has Mary said anything?"
Bash was quiet for a moment. "Not to me, no. But if she has expressed feelings for me to someone else… I mean, Catherine has spies everywhere…" He could not contain his excitement. Had Mary spoken of him? Romantically? He quickly arose. "Mother, I need to take care of something."
…
Later that night, Mary heard a tap at her door. She opened it to find Bash.
"Bash? It's late, is everything alright?" She asked.
Bash had a sneaky smile on his face.
"Everything is wonderful, Mary. I just wanted to see you."
Mary, taken aback, always enjoyed Bash's company. She decided that a walk with a friend was harmless.
"Would you like to take a walk with me?" She asked.
"I would love to." He said happily.
Bash and Mary quietly crept through the halls until they made it to the back door of the castle and into the garden. Bash offered his arm to Mary, which to his pleasure, she accepted.
"France has its own haunting charm at night." She observed. "It's wonderful and scary at the same time."
"There are a lot of secrets in this castle that make it seem that way." He replied.
"Tell me one. Tell me a secret of this castle." Mary said playfully.
Bash stopped and looked at her, his heart pounding in his chest. This is your moment, he thought. Mary's face was so beautiful in the moonlight.
"I am secretly falling in love with you, Mary Stuart." He whispered before leaning down and kissing her gently on her lips.
Mary stood, frozen in shock. Suddenly, she began to tear up. She felt as though the one friend she had in France had betrayed her. Bash was not her friend. He was in love with her.
"I thought you were my friend, Sebastian." She cried, before running back towards the castle.
Bash was left alone in the garden, hurt and alone.
I just ruined everything, he thought.
Francis watched from his bedroom window overlooking the garden, overcome with fury.
I am going to kill him, he thought.
