Chapter 21

Later that night, Bash and Mary lay snuggled in her bed. Their chambers still had not been completed, but they didn't mind as long as they were together. Bash ran his hand through Mary's hair as she rested her head on his chest, sobbing over the events of the afternoon.

"This is all my fault," she said as she cried.

"It's not," Bash whispered as he continued his caress down her bare arm. "Mary, if he truly loved you, he would only want you to be happy. Francis wants to possess you, but he doesn't love you the way I do."

Mary seemed to calm a little as she thought over Bash's words. It was several minutes before she spoke again.

"Do you think your father will have him executed?"

Bash paused before he spoke.

"Yes," he said finally. "My father does not forgive easily, and anything that puts his power in danger, he cuts down swiftly. In his eyes Francis is a threat to his chance of ruling England, so he will have him removed as he once planned to remove me."

"You're right," Mary said. "Your father was willing to execute you, and you have always been his favorite. I just wish Francis had not become so lost."

"I know, sweetheart, I know."

Bash continued to hold Mary as she cried for the loss of her childhood friend, for that was who she truly mourned, not the bitter man he had become.

King Henry knew that a trial for Francis was rather a moot point. He had not even tried to deny his guilt in the throne room, but Henry knew that a trial was necessary to placate the nobles and peasants alike. He had to give the impression that justice had been properly served. Still, he saw no reason to rush things and set Francis's trial for a month after his arrest.

Henry wanted to announce the impending arrival of Sebastian's heir before sentencing his other son to die. Most of the court reacted favorably to the news that Sebastian and Mary were expecting their first child, but as the king expected, there were those who did not favor the legitimization and had hoped that Sebastian's line would end with him. Still, King Henry was happy to announce the news to his subjects as well as plans for a celebration. There was to be a grand party, and as a special treat for the men at court, a boar hunt.

Bash couldn't count the number of times he and his father had hunted together. It was something they both enjoyed doing and the king had always been eager to take Bash along with him. Bash had always been happy to go, but this time he would have preferred to stay behind.

He did not like the thought of leaving Mary in the castle, but both Mary and his mother had insisted he join the other men on the hunt. Queen Diane had promised to look after Mary's safety while Bash was out of the castle.

The men rode their horses into the forest, following a hunting trail deep into the thick trees. An enormous boar had been spotted in this part of the forest less than a week ago, and King Henry was anxious to claim the trophy for himself.

The party reached a clearing and the men dismounted, letting their horses rest while they made a plan. King Henry sent a few men to scout the area, hoping to come across the boar's trail.

"You should have sent me to scout, Father, you know I'm the best tracker in the castle."

King Henry clapped Bash roughly on the shoulder.

"That is true enough, but now that you are my heir, we can't have you traipsing off alone in the woods; it's too dangerous."

"I could have stayed at the castle. That would have been much less dangerous."

"Nonsense! This hunt is a celebration for you and your future heir. We could not have you absent from this hunt!"

Bash looked around as servants scurried about, setting up the hunting camp. He sighed and followed his father as he began ordering people about the encampment, hoping that the hunt would be a swift one.

Bash and his father sat by the fire passing a skin of wine between them when one of the scouts ran into the encampment, his excitement evident.

"Did you find a trail?" The king asked as he stood.

"Yes, Your Grace, but more than that. We spotted the animal itself!"

King Henry drained the wineskin and called for his horse. He clapped Bash on the back.

"You may be back by your wife's side before the day is out, son. Let us kill the beast!"

The men and horses trekked through the forest quietly, following the scout who had located the beast. The scout held up his hand to stop the party. King Henry dismounted and strode up to the young man.

"Your Grace, the boar was spotted just over this rise." The scout pointed to a hill in the distance.

The king nodded. "I will lead from here." King Henry stated, dismissing the young scout with a wave of his hand.

Bash sighed at his father's obvious play to be the hero. King Henry loved nothing more than to prove how strong and mighty he was.

King Henry began moving quietly towards the hill. Bash followed him, listening for sounds of the beast. The king peered over the hill as he lay flat against the ground. He turned to grin at Bash.

"He's here," he mouthed, barely whispering.

Bash watched as his father motioned for one of the long spears. The king gripped the spear firmly and rose up to charge over the hill. Bash cursed under his breath at his father's foolishness and scrambled up the hill behind him with several men at his heels. He topped the hill just in time to see his father plunge the spear into the beast. King Henry roared in triumph and turned to Bash and the men with a grin.

"Not as tough as he looked!"

The men began to cheer as King Henry took a step toward them. Bash saw his father suddenly falter as he coughed and a red smear appeared around his mouth. The men's cheers turned into gasps of horror as the boar's tusks broke through the king's shirt front.

Bash lept forward and stabbed the creature again, watching horrified as blood bloomed on his father's chest. Two servants pulled the king free of the boar's tusks and laid his limp form on the forest floor.

"We must get him back to the castle!"

Bash knew that there was nothing that could be done for his father, but he would not be the one who said it.

"I'm the fastest rider. I'll take him," Bash said, moving to pick King Henry up.

"I'll ride with you, Your Grace." Bash nodded at the servant, barely registering the title.

They moved to the horses and draped King Henry over Bash's mount. As they rode hard toward the castle, Bash's mind raced along with the horse's hooves.

He knew what this meant. His father's wounds were undoubtedly fatal. Bash knew that by sunrise, he would be King of France.