Hello readers! I have finally finished this next update. Thank you for your patience! This chapter is a little bit choppy. It starts off the day before the wedding and it covers the span of a couple of months. I just wanted to show you a glimpse of their life in France without delving in so deep that we get too far away from the main plot. I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Ten
The wedding was happening in a day. Mary had requested to help in the planning portion of it, but King Henry would not hear of it. There were servants at their disposal to handle such tasks and Queen Catherine had taken a special interest in heading the preparations. Once Mary had realized that Catherine had decided to take part in it, she changed her mind. Her and Francis would never get married if they were both involved. They disagreed on everything and would spend the entire time arguing. Yesterday, Mary had decided that getting married to Francis was a priority over planning the wedding.
She was beginning to regret that decision now. Mary had sent a letter to Elizabeth asking if there was anything that needed to be done, but Elizabeth had yet to reply. Even matters in Scotland seemed to have calmed down since her return to France. There was nothing for Mary to do, but think. Normally, she would have loved that. However, her insecurities regarding Francis were at the forefront of her mind. Her doubts resurfaced and she wondered if she was doing the right thing. Her friends had her best interests at heart, but did they truly know Francis? He had turned his back on her once, would he do it again?
"Now why are you standing in this corner all by yourself?" a familiar voice asked her and it was as if she was reliving the first ball where she had seen the sexual tension between Francis and Olivia all over again.
Mary turned around and smiled, "Bash, you should know better than to sneak up on a queen. I could have you executed. Executed men have done less to other queens, as I am sure you're aware. Now the better question is, what are you doing here?"
"I had a feeling I would find you here. You look like you need a friend," Bash said concerned, "Would you like to sit somewhere and talk about it?"
Mary gave him a quick nod and brought him to the library. This was her and Francis' place, but he was busy with his duties. It was either here or her chambers and she knew that Francis would prefer for her to use the library. When they both sat down, Bash waited for her to speak, but she found herself unable to. It was one thing to think about her insecurities, but another thing completely to voice them to someone else. Even if Bash was her greatest confidant and her future brother, it went against her instincts.
"Are we going to sit here all day or are you going to tell me why you look worried?" Bash asked as he leaned back into the couch.
"This isn't easy for me," Mary admitted as she played with her hands.
"I know it isn't, but I also know that it's eating you up inside. Mary, you are soon to be my family. You don't always have to act strong in front of me. Whatever it is, I won't think any differently of you," he told he gently.
With a deep breath, Mary found her courage, "I'm scared. I'm scared that tomorrow I am going to make the biggest mistake of my life and it will be too late to do anything about it."
"Why do you think marrying my brother will be a mistake?" Bash asked curiously.
"He has betrayed me once and I'm scared that he is going to do it again. I have had this conversation with Lola, Elizabeth, and Francis. They all say that it will never happen again. I just don't know if I believe it as strongly as they do," Mary admitted, "I haven't had anything to distract myself with since my arrival and so all I can do is think about this."
Bash adjusted his position so that he was sitting upright, "Mary, what am I going to do with you? Do you love Francis?"
"Of course I do," Mary answered.
"Try to put yourself in my brother's shoes. He made the biggest mistake he could have made when he chose Olivia over you. When you make a mistake like that, you lose everything and you realize what truly matters in your life and what doesn't. I have never seen Francis work so hard at trying to make things right before. What would you have done in his shoes?" he asked.
"Not made the mistake in the first place," Mary retorted, but apologized when she saw the look of annoyance on Bash's face, "I don't know. Probably what he has done. Try to win that person back."
"Then why do you still doubt him?" Bash prodded her.
"I don't know!" she exclaimed frustrated.
"What would you have him do to prove that he would never do it again?" he asked.
They sat staring at each other challengingly for minutes, before Mary finally looked away. She didn't want to say it. Mary was so scared of getting hurt again that Olivia was an excuse that she clung onto. If she truly opened up to Francis once again, what would protect her from getting hurt?
"Mary, we are the two people who know Francis the best. You know, just like I do, that he will keep his word. He is an honorable man who made one mistake. You don't think that I don't have my own fears with Lola?" Bash confided.
"What do you mean?" Mary asked him curiously, because she needed to decide now if she was doing the right thing or not.
"We all have fears in relationships. What if that person finds someone better? Someone who is more deserving? What if we start hating each other and regretting the choice we made to be with that person? Nothing in life is certain. Mary, we can only live day by day. It is okay to be scared as long as that fear doesn't rule us," he explained.
"What would I do without you?" Mary asked affectionately.
"You would become a bitter, old woman. Will I be welcoming a sister into the family tomorrow?" Bash asked smiling.
"Yes, you've made me see the error of my ways. You are going to be stuck with me as a sister," she joked.
"Well I couldn't ask for a better sister," he replied smiling as he got up and walked towards the door, "I better go report to Lola. She will be upset with me if I don't tell her about our conversation right away."
"Thank you. These doubts won't be shared with others, right?" Mary asked seriously.
"Of course not. Good night Mary," Bash said before he disappeared from her sight.
Mary collapsed on the couch she had been sitting on. Bash had truly given her a lot to think on and he had rightfully put her in her place. Her insecurities were always going to be there, but she had given them too much power in the past year. Bash was right. There was nothing that Francis could do that would prove his fidelity. Only time would be the judge of that. She had to take it one day at a time. Was Francis going to cheat on her today? No, she did not believe that. Mary had to trust that things had changed. With that in mind, she got up and left the library.
The winter sun had escaped from behind a cloud. The weak sunlight reminded her that spring was on its way. The thought gave her a chill. It wasn't long before she heard footsteps behind her. Turning to see who was following her, she was happy to see that it was Francis.
"I heard you were in the library, but you weren't there," Francis said as he walked in step with her.
"Why did you run all the way here? You know we would have ran into each other later," Mary asked curiously.
Francis led her towards an isolated section of the castle. He looked at her so seriously and she was almost scared to know why. He led her to an alcove, so they would not be spotted. At least, that was Mary's assumption. He put his forearm onto the wall so that he was partially leaning on it.
"What is it?" Mary asked worried.
"I wanted to have this conversation away from everyone else and before tomorrow. Are you having second thoughts about marrying me?" Francis asked her seriously.
"Why would you think that I was having second thoughts?" she asked as she reached up to touch his face, wanting to laugh that his thoughts were so similar to his brother's.
He gently removed her hand from his face and held it instead, "I could think of a million different reasons, but that isn't important right now. I just want to make sure that you've thought it over. I wanted to give you the opportunity to change your mind without my father and mother present. I know that we will be uniting our two countries together, but this is about us too."
"That's very thoughtful," Mary told him smiling, "I will admit that I had my doubts. After talking them over, I realized how ridiculous I have been. Francis, I love you. I can't picture my life without you in it. My mind has been so caught up in the past and the future that I haven't spend enough time in the present. I will marry you. Do you have any doubts or wishes to back out of the wedding?"
"No, I thought that I made myself clear before. You're the only woman that I want by my side. I love you too, Mary Stuart," Francis replied.
The rush she felt at his words was indescribable. Mary didn't think she would ever tire of hearing how he felt about her. She went on the tips of her toes and kissed him. His lips were soft as they moved against her own. She could feel the love and respect he had for her through his kisses and knew that she was doing the right thing.
Finally the end of the day arrived and Mary was beyond exhausted. It was an emotional and mental exhaustion, but at the same time, she was content. She snuggled into her blankets and knew that it would not be long before sleep would claim her. Then, she remembered that the wedding was tomorrow and her excitement and nerves came back. Lola had just finished putting everything away and came to sit on Mary's bed.
"What's on your mind?" Lola asked as she tucked a strand of Mary's long, dark hair behind her ear.
"It just doesn't seem real that tomorrow, at this time, I will be married," Mary admitted as she held Lola's hand.
"Are you having second thoughts?" she asked curiously.
"No, I'm not," Mary smiled, "Bash told you about our conversation. I know that I've been a little ridiculous lately. I've waited almost my entire life for this day and I'm having trouble believing that it will finally happen tomorrow. I'm afraid that this is all a dream and tomorrow, I will wake up in England."
Lola gave her hand a squeeze, "I can assure you that this isn't a dream. What else is troubling you?"
"I wish my father was able to give me away. I realized that I don't have any family left except for Elizabeth and some very distant cousins," she explained.
"Mary, don't be ridiculous. Francis is your family. Bash and I are your family. It's sad that your father won't be there, but there will be people that love you and consider you family that will attend," Lola said lightly.
"You're right as usual. It's the nerves, they're making me ridiculous," Mary said yawning.
Lola slowly got up and kissed Mary's forehead, "I will let you rest. You have a big day tomorrow. Good night, Mary."
"Good night Lola, and thank you for everything," Mary said as she felt sleep slowly claim her.
Everyone around the castle was in a frenzy. Today, the Dauphin would finally marry the Queen of Scots! Servants were running in every direction trying to complete the tasks they were given. Highborn lords and ladies were getting dressed in their finest clothes. Every French subject had the day off to celebrate this joyous day.
In Mary's room, the frenzy continued. Dresses were being tossed back and forth between her ladies-in-waiting as well as different veils and ribbons. Mary and her friends had decided on a dress, a veil, and shoes a couple of days ago, but now they were second guessing their decision and making last minute changes. There was tension in the air from everyone's nerves and no matter how much they tried; they could not get rid of it. Today was an important day. Not only was Mary marrying Francis, but Scotland would gain another ally.
The war had been on her people's minds and she knew that they would wonder how this marriage would affect the war against Spain. Mary was aware that her friends wanted to ask her, but couldn't find the courage to. In a way, Mary was relieved. After everything with Lady Kenna, Mary wanted to keep her friendships as far away from politics as she could. She also didn't want her people's morale to suffer when they found out that France would not come to their aid this time. Shaking her head, she returned to her reflection.
Mary combed her fingers through her curly hair and pinched her cheeks so that they appeared rosy. The white dress that they had chosen was perfect. It was the best dress that Mary owned and this was the first time that she would wear it. Looking around, she felt blessed to be surrounded by her friends. She smiled sadly at the thought that her biological family wouldn't be present today. It was the most important day of her life, but she would have to make do. Mary was going to enter a new family today and from now on, Francis would be by her side.
When she was pronounced ready, Mary was guided towards the carriage that would bring her to the church. Everyone was already there as it was customary for the bride to arrive last. She stepped out of the carriage and walked towards the church doors at a slow pace. Mary felt everyone's eyes on her, but she didn't show how much it unnerved her. If she had a choice, she would marry Francis in a private ceremony. Unfortunately, their stations didn't allow that. She had hoped that although their wedding was announced previously, that no one would show up.
Those thoughts disappeared once she saw Francis. Her body relaxed and she calmed down. It only took a glance from him for her to know deep down that she was doing the right thing. The rest of the walk felt like she floated down the aisle and before she knew it she was standing on Francis' left side.
The priest looked at the briefly before speaking to the crowd, "We are gathered here today for the union of François II de Valois Angoulême, le Dauphin de France, and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. If anyone would like to object to this union, please speak now or forever hold your peace."
When he was met with silence, the priest continued, "François II de Valois Angoulême, le Dauphin de France, wilt though have this woman to thy wedded wife, wilt the love her, and honor her, keep her and guard her, in health and in sickness, as a husband should a wife, and forsaking all others on account of her, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live? (Amt, 1993, p.84)"
"I will," Francis said in a voice so serious that she felt her insides melt.
"Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, wilt though have this man to thy wedded husband, wilt the love him, and honor him, keep him and guard him, in health and in sickness, as a wife should a husband, and forsaking all others on account of him, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live? (Amt, 1993, p.84)" the priest asked as he turned towards Mary.
"I will," Mary said as she snuck a look at Francis to find that his gaze was already on her.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the priest proclaimed.
Mary turned towards Francis and was surprised that her left hand was shaking. Francis gave her one of his charming smiles, grabbed it and gently slid his family ring on her finger. She felt like a blushing lady-in-waiting, but a look from Francis told her that no one except for them noticed. After the priest finished talking, they were led into the church for the bridal mass where she would be blessed followed by communion. Even though she knew that this was occurring, it still felt like a dream. Mary was surprised to admit that Catherine had made her wedding day perfect. With a deep breath, she focused her attention on the priest.
Once the wedding feast was over, the wedding party found Mary. Her friends freshened her before they joined Bash and a few of Francis' friends. Mary clutched at the white fabric of her skirt that was trimmed with blue as she was being led to the new bedchambers that she would now share with Francis. Her heart was beating so fast that she swore that her companions could hear it. Her palm was starting to get sweaty and her breathing quickened as they turned the corner and arrived at the chambers. Mary stood in front of the door for a minute and the man behind her nudged her. With a deep breath, she opened the door and left her companions behind.
She was surprised at the grandeur of the room. The bed was covered with a beige cover that was trimmed with grey. There were sheer grey curtains that fell softly around the bed. Red rose petals covered the floor and made a trail to the bed. There were few candles lit in the room giving the room an intimate air. Mary's eyes finally met Francis blue ones and her nervousness returned at full force. He walked towards her and enveloped her in a hug.
"Their goal is to make us feel uncomfortable and to make us feel like what we are doing is wrong," Francis whispered softly in her ear, "Don't let them win. As far as I'm concerned, they don't exist."
Mary was at a loss for words, so Francis gently grabbed her hand and led her towards the bed. It reminded her of all those times they had snuck into each other's room when they had been younger, but it seemed more serious now. It was more serious. Mary was going to lose the gift that she had treasured dearly for all of these years. She sat down beside Francis and looked at him with uncertainly.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a little scared. You have a lot more experience with this than I do and I don't know what to expect or do," Mary admitted quietly.
Francis smiled before softly kissing her, "Mary, you have nothing to be scared of. We will figure this out together. If you want me to stop, tell me."
"But then your father will know," Mary said as he adjusted them so that he was on top of her.
"Mary, the wedding was for them and our marriage helps our countries. What happens in here is between the two of us. We will only go as far as you are comfortable with," Francis said as he started kissing her neck and collarbone.
Mary returned his kisses with equal fervor and quickly forgot the other people in the room. She forgot about everything except for Francis. She could never forget Francis, not even if she tried. When their eyes met, brown and blue, Mary was surprised to see the amount of love and desire in his eyes.
"Don't stop," Mary whispered, "I want this. I want you."
He replied with a kiss unlike any she had received from him. The rest of the night was spent exploring the new sides to each other that they had discovered. Mary was so preoccupied with Francis, she failed to notice the men from court leave their bedchambers.
The sunlight slowly woke Mary up. She snuggled deeper into her bed when she realized that she was sleeping on something hard. Slowly she opened her eyes and the first thing she saw were blue eyes staring at her. Mary blinked the sleep out of her eyes and smiled at him. It hadn't been a dream after all. They had finally gotten married yesterday. His hand gently caressed her face. She grabbed it and peppered kisses on his palm.
"How did you sleep?" Francis asked in a hoarse voice.
"Were you aware that you snore?" Mary replied amused.
He brought her body closer to him so that she was pulled flushed against him. Mary wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. He was warm and felt like home. Francis was finally hers. She couldn't stop the smile from appearing on her face after that thought.
"You're lying," he replied sounding a little offended.
"I'm sorry to be the one to break it to you. If I had known you snored, I might have called off our wedding. A lifetime without sleep? That is a lot to give up even for you, Francis," she said jokingly.
"I don't believe you," Francis said as he trailed his fingers up and down her spine causing her to shiver.
"I'm not lying," she said giggling, "Maybe calling off the wedding is going too far. I could just move back into my old chambers."
Mary had been trying to ignore what his hand was doing, but it was starting to affect her. Grabbing his face and bringing it closer to her, she kissed him. It started off gentle, but it became more demanding. Francis rolled them so that she was straddling him. His eyes darkened as his eyes caught hers and Mary had never felt more wanted than she did in that moment.
"I love you," Francis said as his hands slowly rubbed up and down her thighs.
"I love you too," Mary replied right before he kissed her again.
They spent the rest of the morning together and Mary was happy that the King had offered to give them a day off from their duties. She had never felt so content, loved, and wanted. She wished that she could somehow freeze this morning in time and live in it forever.
Mary had been walking down the corridor when she saw that she was about to pass the King. She stopped walking and bowed. He returned her bow and just as she was about to leave, King Henry gently grabbed her arm. She looked up at him in confusion, but was relieved and surprised to find a smile on his face.
"I know that things between us have been tense in the past and that my wife hates you for some reason, but I was wondering if we could start anew. You're my daughter-in-law and I would prefer it if we got along. I know that you never had the opportunity to know your father and I am not asking to replace him. I just wanted you to know that if you ever need anything, I will be here," King Henry told her warmly.
Mary looked up at him in shock, "Thank you for your offer, your Grace. I will remember that in the future."
"Call me Henry. I am late for an audience. Have a good day, Mary," Henry said before leaving with his guards.
Mary watched him walk away and tried to register what he had told her. She knew what he was offering, but she was shocked. He wanted to be a father figure for her. Although they had a tense past, Mary had always respected Henry because she understood the rationale behind his decisions. Even if those decisions did nothing to help Scotland. She didn't know what to think about his offer, but she could not have hoped for a better situation with him. Mary knew that others would question whether he was trying to steal his son's wife, but she knew that was not the case. There was something warm and fatherly in his gaze when he looked at her. Shaking her head, Mary continued walking. She would have to give this new development some thought.
Days turned into weeks and finally, Mary's head returned to matters in Scotland. Since her wedding, her and Francis had been busy attending dinners and parties thrown by influential French men. Francis was the only thing that made those social and political engagements bearable. Finally, those invitations had dwindled and they were able to return to matters regarding Scotland.
"Now that we are officially married, I need to fill you in on the situation in England," Mary told him seriously, "You know a little bit about what happened, but I should tell you the full story."
Their desks in their bedroom were placed side by side so that they could face each other while they worked. Mary was surprised at how efficient they were at working together. She had imagined he would be too distracting and that they would never get any work done. Since their wedding night, they had become more physical with each other. Their conversations would often end with them in bed together. Not that Mary was complaining, but she was relieved that Francis took their duties seriously. Even now, he was giving her his full attention. Francis was her co-ruler in this moment, not her husband.
"I'm a little bit jealous of Elizabeth, because she has England. England is a powerful country and with her influence, I imagine that it will become one of the most powerful countries in the world. I know that Scotland can never hope to be strong on its own. Where Elizabeth can choose not to marry, I needed to find an alliance to strengthen Scotland. Realistically to compete with Elizabeth for power, I needed to ally myself with either France or Spain.
"When things between us were strained and our engagement broken, King Philip quickly came to visit me in England. As you are aware, he trusted me too quickly and told me of his and my mother's involvement in an assassination plot targeting Elizabeth and I. King Philip had underestimated my relationship with Elizabeth and together, we quickly took matters into our own hands.
"We didn't talk about it, but Elizabeth and I had an understanding. Until the Pope accepted her as a ruler, he would be an enemy and by extension, King Philip. I knew how King Philip would perceive my mother's execution, but Elizabeth and I had always planned on going to war against Spain as soon as we figured out he was behind everything.
"We have spies in Spain and we have a good idea on what we are up against. Apparently King Philip had expected to go to war as well, because he has been building war ships for the past year that we are aware of. He currently commands the world's largest fleet," Mary explained hoping that she wasn't confusing her husband.
Francis took a few minutes to let the information absorb. Mary also had a feeling that he was feeling nervous. He had gone from being the Dauphin to being the King Consort of Scotland and she knew from experience how big of a jump it was. It really put everything into perspective. As to not hurt his pride, Mary would discreetly help him with the transition. This was good for France, because it gave Francis the opportunity to rule another country before his own. Mary also trusted him with Scotland.
"You don't sound worried about the large fleet. What is your plan?" Francis asked her curiously.
"I'm still trying to determine what Scotland's plan is, but the plan Elizabeth and I came up with is that we will meet him on the water instead of letting him get to England. We have a war council that is currently devising strategies on how best to attack this fleet. We know that if the ships stay together in the formation King Philip has determined, they will be unstoppable. If we find a way to separate them or cause them to lose formation, we can attack effectively," she explained, "We don't have as many warships as he does, but we will have a variety of ships that might be able to maneuver better than the big warships that King Philip has."
"Why are you uncertain about Scotland's role?" he asked as he thought on what she told him.
Mary took a deep breath, "We know that King Philip's plan is to attack England. We ruined his plan when we executed my mother. They would have gotten married and without me there to challenge her, she would have Scotland's throne and they would share England's throne. There are two things he can do: either force me into marriage or kill me. King Philip also has to make that decision with Elizabeth as well. Now we know that he's attacking England, so what should I do with m-our men? Should we send all of our soldiers to help defend England, should we separate them in half, or should we only send a few men to England?"
"I think that we should send most of our men to England and leave the remainder in Scotland. Elizabeth will understand the need to protect Scotland, but the English won't resent Scotland for not contributing to the cause. I didn't expect war to be like this," Francis admitted ruffling his hair embarrassed.
"It's very different from the stories we were taught," Mary agreed, "I like your plan. I will let Elizabeth know. When should we leave?"
"Soon. The sun is rising earlier and setting later these days. It won't be long before Spain attacks." Francis replied.
"Is it bad that I don't ever want to leave France?" she admitted as she looked through the papers on her desk.
"I don't want to leave either, but the sooner we are finished with this war, the sooner we can return or visit Scotland," he answered as he handed her a report on the weather conditions at sea.
"You would be willing to visit Scotland?" Mary asked looking up at him surprised.
Francis placed the piece of paper on her desk, "Of course. It is your home and it has been a long time since you've returned."
"Won't your father disagree?" she asked nervously.
"If I had told him that the reason we are going is because you're homesick, he would have refused it. I have been giving it a lot of though, especially because I have to keep Scotland's best interests at heart. Your people have not seen you since you were a little girl. I think it would be beneficial to our reign to spend some time there. That way you-our people will have a face to put to our names. I am a stranger and you have been gone for your entire life. I fear that if we don't go, our people could be influenced into a civil war because they won't know us. I'm having a difficult time explaining myself. Let me try to put it simply. It is easier to believe rumors about someone if you don't know them. If our people know us and like us as rulers, they might be harder to manipulate into turning against us," Francis tried to explain.
" I do understand and I had never given it any thought," Mary admitted, "I do agree with you. We should go after the war. It is naïve to believe that not one Scottish man will be killed. That would be the best time for them to get manipulated or to turn against us, but if we are there, we can show them that we do have their best interests at heart."
After Francis revealed his idea, they spent the rest of the night planning their return to Scotland and how they would ensure the Scottish's loyalty to them. They decided that a tour of Scotland was the best way to approach this, so that more subjects would be able to see them. It would increase the chances that an assassination could be attempted, but if they brought a large guard, Mary didn't see why they wouldn't be safe.
Mary paced outside of the throne room. The guards had long given up on asking her if she was okay, which was fine by her. She needed to think and to think, she needed the silence. It had been two months since she had gotten married to Francis and it had been a great two months. King Henry had taken to treating her like a real daughter, much to her and Francis' delight, and Queen Catherine seemed resigned to the fact that her and Francis were now married. Instead of being hostile, Catherine had decided to ignore her since the wedding. It was fine by Mary. She would take a cold Catherine to an angry one any day. Everything was going so well and she should be grateful for it. Mary should have been grateful, but something was still bothering her.
She had often thought of Lady Kenna's situation since her arrival in France. King Henry was still in the process of deciding what to do with her. Mary knew that he held off on it to ease any potential that could arise between their countries if they disagreed on a punishment. It was thoughtful of him, but Mary decided that they needed to talk about it. Lady Kenna had been her friend and because of their history, Mary needed to at least try to convince King Henry to decide against execution. At least Mary could say that she tried. She would rest easier knowing that.
With a deep breath, Mary entered the throne room. King Henry was looking over a contract and seemed to be absorbed it its content. She stood in front of him for five minutes before he realized that she was there.
"Leave us," King Henry commanded as he handed a guard the contract.
Everyone in the room bowed or curtsied before leaving to complete other duties.
"What brings you here, Mary?" he asked kindly once everyone had left the room.
Mary suddenly felt unsure. She had grown a lot closer to King Henry since the wedding and Mary was scared to jeopardize it. She had entered the room and committed to a decision, so Mary couldn't back out now.
"I wanted to know if you had made a decision regarding Lady Kenna's punishment?" Mary asked nervously, watching his reaction.
King Henry's smile vanished and he looked indifferent, "I have an idea, but I haven't made a final judgment yet. Why?"
"I admit that I've heard rumors you plan on executing her. I thought that another option would be more advantageous to our situation," Mary said gently.
"I'm listening," he allowed and she knew she had to tread lightly.
"I am not here to defend Lady Kenna nor defend her actions. She committed treason and deserves punishment. I come here as the future Queen Consort of France. Kenna has unveiled a web of traitors among French Court. If you kill her, the names die with her and you will forever wonder who will betray you. However, if you tell Lady Kenna that in exchange for exile, she must provide information, you will uncover whose loyalties at court lie elsewhere. What you do with that information is up to you," Mary explained.
"What would stop me from killing Kenna once she has provided me with this information?" Henry asked raising an eyebrow.
"You're an honorable man," she said bluntly, "You keep your promises and Lady Kenna will not give you this information without one. Without the title of being your mistress, Lady Kenna hold no power."
"Thank you for your thoughts. I will think on what you have shared with me today," he replied before rising from the throne and leaving the room swiftly.
Mary released a breath once he had passed the doorway. She had planned on saying more to him, but she could tell that bringing this subject was already testing her father-in-law's patience. Mary had done all that she could do regarding Lady Kenna's situation. It was up to Henry now. With that final thought, she left so that she could fill Francis in on their conversation.
Another week went by until Henry told her that he agreed with her idea. She told him that she didn't want Lady Kenna to know her role in his decision. Instead of questioning her like she thought he would, he accepted her terms. Now Mary stood in the shadows at the back of the room. Henry was going to make his offer to Lady Kenna and she had requested to watch. The only people in the room were the guards, herself, and Henry. When Lady Kenna entered the room, her eyes scanned the room and a smile broke out on her face when she realized that, minus the guards, she was alone with King Henry.
"Henr-" Kenna started before she was interrupted.
"Silence!" Henry bellowed, "After some time, I have finally decided on a punishment."
She looked at him challengingly, "Well, tell me what punishment I am to receive. Is it an execution?"
"If you were not a woman, I would have hit you for your disrespect. My initial plan was to have you executed, but someone has convinced me of your usefulness. In return for information, you will be exiled," Henry told her.
"And if I refuse?" Lady Kenna asked her face carefully devoid of emotion.
"You will be executed at first light," he replied coldly, "Think hard on your decision. Guards, take her to the dungeons."
She looked up with fear in her eyes and Mary was relieved that Lady Kenna had stopped treating this situation like a joke. The guards grabbed an arm each and almost carried her out of the room. When the doors shut behind them, Mary walked out of her hiding place.
"Were having the guards manhandle her necessary?" Mary replied annoyed,
Henry turned towards her and she could tell his patience was wearing thin, "Mary, I respect you as a ruler, but I have been a king longer than you have been a queen. She was not taking the situation seriously and the only way to change that is to scare her. She just realized that having been my mistress will not help her in this situation or will lighten her punishment."
"How long do you think it will take her to decide?" she asked.
"It's hard to say. Her pride will make her wait in the dungeon longer. She is probably running each situation through her head right now. I will let you know when she makes her decision," he said dismissing her.
Mary walked back towards her chambers at a leisurely pace. Although things with Lady Kenna had gone as planned, she couldn't help but think that something was wrong. She couldn't put her finger on it, but that feeling was very real. She picked up her pace so that she was almost running back to her chambers. The people she passed in the hallway looked at her strangely, but she paid them no mind. She had to make sure that Francis was okay. That would be the only way this feeling would leave her.
When she entered her chambers, she sighed in relief when she saw that Francis was at his desk working. Nothing was amiss. She walked over to him and embraced him from behind. She kissed his neck a few times before he turned around and softly kissed her.
"What's wrong?" Francis asked her confused.
"I just had the worst feeling in my stomach and I thought something might have happened to you," Mary revealed, relieved that it had not been the case.
"Everything is okay, how did Lady Kenna take my father's ruling?" Francis asked as she settled into her own desk.
"I think she's finally taking it seriously," Mary said and then noticed a letter on her desk, "Where did this come from?"
"One of the servants delivered it. It was addressed to you. I didn't open it," Francis told her, "Who is it from?"
Mary waved him off while she opened the letter. Suddenly, her terrible feeling made sense. Spain had finally set sail and the ships were on their way to England. Elizabeth had requested her presence immediately so that they could start preparing for battle. They would have to leave as soon as possible. There were still many hours of daylight left in the day. She passed the letter to Francis and summoned a servant. After giving the servant instructions to pack food, clothes, and everything else she had planned to take to England, she started to pace. It was finally happening. She would have to let Henry take care of Lady Kenna's situation and hope that all turned out well. She was startled out of her thoughts by Francis.
"I will go tell my father of our departure immediately," Francis said as soon as he finished reading the letter.
"What are you talking about? You're staying here," Mary commanded.
He walked towards her and grabbed her hands in his, "I'm going with you. Scotland is my country now and I will fight at your side."
"No, you will stay here. It is too dangerous, I will not allow it," Mary said releasing his hands.
"You will not allow it?" Francis replied his voice raising a little, "What happened to having an equal partnership in our marriage? Who are you to think that you can command me?"
"I'm the Queen of Scotland. You're the Dauphin of France. If your safety is in question, I will command you to stay here. I will not lose you to this war with Spain!" she exclaimed, her voice matching his in volume.
Francis looked furious, "I am not the Prince Consort of Scotland. You made me the King Consort of Scotland, which means that you cannot command me to stay behind. I can command you to stay behind. Do you think I want us to go to war? That I like the thought of losing you? If I had my way, we would have traveled far away from here so that you would be safe. But I understand your duty to your country, the desire you have to participate at the forefront of this war. I would never have tried to stop you and I cannot believe you would try to stop me. I will see you in the carriage."
Francis stormed out of their chambers and Mary couldn't believe what had just happened. She was ashamed and regretted her actions as soon as she realized that Francis was right. He had never tried to stop her from doing her duty. Why had she tried to stop him? Because recently her dreams were filled with war. Not only war, but also Francis' death. She had kept those dreams from him as to not worry him, but she knew that was her greatest fear. She feared that he would die and she couldn't fathom the possibility of living without him. With a sigh, she continued organizing their departure. She was almost finished when she heard a knock at her door.
"Enter," Mary commanded before sighing; commanding others was what had gotten her into this mess in the first place.
To her surprise and relief, Bash and Lola entered her room. Lola ran towards her and enveloped her in a huge. She was surprised when Bash joined and hugged them both. They must have known that she was leaving and wondered how the word had traveled so fast.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Bash asked as they pulled away from each other, "My father won't mind. He's gotten strangely fond of you."
Mary laughed as her tears threatened to fall, "No, Bash. Your place is at French Court. I need you here in case anything goes wrong here."
"You'll be careful?" Lola asked as she started to get teary.
"Of course, I will be. I am so sorry that I am going to miss your wedding. That was one of the reasons why I had come to France," Mary said upset.
Bash smiled at her and tried to lighten the mood, "We understand and we expect an incredible wedding gift in exchange for your absence. Be safe and come back to France when you can."
"I will. I'm afraid that it's time for me to leave. I love you both. Please take care of each other," Mary requested and after another round of hugs, she finally left.
She was not looking forward to the carriage ride. It was as if the fates were taunting her as she arrived at the carriage sooner than she had expected. After talking to the servants and the men that would guard them, Mary knew that it was time for them to leave. King Henry walked out of the castle with Francis. She could tell from Francis' posture that he was still angry with her and she couldn't blame him. She had been unreasonable.
When they had finally reached her, Mary was surprised when the King enveloped her into a hug. They had grown closer since the wedding, but this seemed out of character for him. Before she could register what was happening, Henry took a step back.
"Be safe, Mary. I know that you like to rule with your emotions, but this is war. Only logic will help you and England win. You and Francis are capable of being great rulers. Don't disappoint me," he said before turning around and walking back to the castle.
She was about tell Francis how surprised she was by his father's actions, but he angrily brushed past her and entered the carriage. Taking a deep breath, she followed him and realized that this would be a difficult journey. He sat across from her but refused to look at her. Usually, their roles were reversed. Francis knew how to coax her out of her anger, but Mary had no idea how to coax him out of his. It took a lot to anger Francis, which is why she had so little practice with it. Her heart hurt at the thought of his anger and she knew that she had to try and make things right with him.
"Francis, I'm so sorry," she said as she reached for his hand, surprised when he pulled his hand away from her.
"I was wrong, but I wanted to protect you," Mary started but then heard a strange noise, "What was that?"
Francis snapped up his head and looked around, "Mary, keep your head down."
"Why what's happening?" she asked frightened.
"We are getting ambushed and are about to be abducted. Stay strong. I will find a way to get you out of this," Francis whispered, "I love you."
"I love you too," Mary whispered, but then screamed when someone opened the carriage door and hit Francis over the head causing him to pass out.
Before Mary could think about protecting herself, the world went black.
I can not even begin to tell you how much I struggled with this chapter. I have re-written it a million times and although I'm still not completely happy with it, I thought it was unfair to keep you waiting any longer. I'll let you in on a secret. This story wasn't pre-planned. It was supposed to be a place for me to release some stress. I did not plan for it to become what it is today and I am delightfully surprised at the result. It has grown on its own and the characters have taken over to tell their stories.
The ending is nearing. It's taking me longer to write and update the story, because I've never before written an ending. I want to finish this story in a way that does it justice. I will not post something that I have written half-heartedly. That is my promise to you. I hope that you enjoy this chapter and I look forward to hearing from you.
Please review and let me know what you think :).