*Author's Note: Things are moving along quite quickly here in the story. I admit I like to keep a fast pace. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 9

The first night of the journey was the only one Bash spent in his own cabin. Mary's was much more spacious, and they indulged themselves in her quarters as much as possible. He knew that their relationship would change when they arrived in Scotland, but for now they were thoroughly enjoying being alone together.

Today, they were spending a rare day strolling the deck of the ship, enjoying the salt breeze as the sails billowed above them. Mary sighed and looked out into the horizon, squinting in the sun. "I don't see any sign of land yet, but I heard one of the crew say we will most likely spot the coastline before they day is out."

Bash nodded, "The captain told me we might make landfall as early as tomorrow if the weather holds."

"I'm not sure I want to land. I think I'd just rather keep sailing forever." Mary leaned against the rail of the deck and stared down into the dark, churning water. Bash put his arms around her and looked out into the horizon.

"I know you've been enjoying our time on the ship, away from the world."

Mary turned in his arms and buried her head in his chest. "I don't want things to change between us."

He gripped her tightly to him. "I told you Mary, I'm here and I will love you any way I can, even if I can't be with you the way I want to be."

"I don't want to think about that right now. Please, let's just go below decks. I want to enjoy our time together as much as we can."


Land appeared on the horizon much faster than Mary would have liked. She bit her lip as she watched the coast of Scotland loom larger and larger by the second. She knew that returning to Scotland was the right thing to do. They were her people. It was her country, her crown, but none of that meant she wasn't somewhat terrified. Most of all she was afraid of how things would change with Bash.

The time they had spent together on board the ship made her realize just how much she cared for him. He'd always been in her heart, but now he completely consumed it. She couldn't go back to just being friends with him. Was there even a possibility that she could avoid a political marriage? And that was just one of the many hurdles facing a relationship with Bash! She didn't even know if he would want to marry her. Once upon a time he would have, but she knew he had still been reluctant to take on royal duties. She had seen him rise to the occasion when he had been appointed as the King's Deputy by Francis, but that role had been much more man-of-action than the role she wanted him to play now.

Mary took a deep breath of salty air. She and Bash needed to have a serious conversation before they departed the ship.


Bash stood in the middle of Mary's chambers, listening to the crew above decks bellow back and forth as the ship slid closer and closer to Scotland's shores. By the third night of their voyage, he had given up the ruse of actually using his quarters. Bash was going to miss this room, simply for the moments he shared with Mary in it. Leaving this room and this ship meant facing the real world again and Bash wasn't quite sure what that world looked like for him anymore. He knew without a doubt what he wanted that world to be, but that decision was not really up to him. He would tell Mary what he wanted, though. He refused to miss his opportunity to tell her, once and for all, that it had always been her. She was his choice, always.

He heard a noise behind him and he turned to see Mary enter the room, a serious look on her face.

"Mary, I…" "Bash, I…" They both began speaking at the same time.

Bash laughed softly. "Ladies first."

Suddenly, Mary didn't know exactly where to begin. She smiled nervously before deciding to just forge ahead. "I need to know what your plans are for when we land?"

Bash looked at Mary, confused by her question. "Was I supposed to have some strategy ready for you? I apologize if that was the case, I didn't realize."

"No, that's not what I mean at all." She stepped closer to him. "I mean what are your plans ? What do you want for us, for our relationship?"

A smile graced Bash's face. "I see your thoughts have been in the same place as mine. That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about."

"I'm glad to know you've put some thought into this."

Bash sat on the bed and invited Mary to sit beside him. "I don't want to make things more difficult for you, but Mary, I can't deny that I truly want to be with you." Bash took a deep breath and laid his heart bare to her. "I want you to be my wife."

Mary's answering smile was radiant. "I want that, too. I don't want to be forced into a political marriage. I want to be in love with my husband and I want Scotland to stand on its own, to not be beholden to anyone."

Mary took Bash's hand in her own. "I don't know how to go about convincing the Scottish nobles to accept you. I know they won't want us to be married."

Bash grinned mischievously. "What if they didn't have a choice?"

"Well, I am Queen, but it doesn't mean they won't try to change my mind."

Bash shook his head. "No, I mean, what if it was already done? What if we arrived already married?"

Mary's eyes lit up with understanding. "The captain?"

Bash nodded, "The captain."

Mary and Bash laughed as they dashed up the stairs to the deck. Bash stopped the first sailor he saw. "Where is the captain?"

The man seemed flustered and stared at Bash and Mary with wide eyes. "Sir, I mean, My Lord. He just went to his quarters."

Bash nodded as the sailor ran off as if on fire. "What was that about? Why was he so nervous?" Mary asked.

Bash laughed. "I rather think being in the presence of a queen was a bit too much for his constitution."

Mary rolled her eyes. "I cannot possibly be that intimidating."

"You underestimate yourself. You are strong and powerful and everyone knows it." Bash pulled Mary against him and kissed her passionately before quickly releasing her. "Let's get that captain, shall we?"

The captain laughed when he heard their request, but agreed nonetheless.

The ceremony was quick, with very little fanfare, but Mary didn't care. As the crew cheered and Bash kissed her for the first time as his wife, all she cared about in that moment was how happy she was being held by a man who truly loved her.