Everything has been hectic! Had relatives over and went over to relatives as well. Ate a lot, drank a lot, partied a lot, watched a lot of films and basically tired myself out. I will also need to dedicate time to studying for exams as well as my wonderful birthday in less than two weeks or so, so updates may be scarce for now! Until then, enjoy this update! Oh, and Happy New Year depending when this goes out! In advance or otherwise.

I am doing this chapter's day in two parts, A Trip To The Orphanage With The Queen and A Trip To Town With The Queen.

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After visiting a closer waterfall, Mary settled into their bed, sighing wistfully. As much as she adored the fresh smell of spring water in the Winter, she missed life's little luxuries.

A good, comfortable bed was included.

"Are you not coming to bed?"

Francis smirked. "Let me prepare my clothes for the morning. We are going to the orphanage," Francis explained, placing his shirt on the chaise. "After, I will follow Bash out the castle. We're going into town."

"What for?"

"To feed those who didn't have a single bite for Christmas," Francis replied. "I couldn't help but think about all the food we were eating as families starved. The leftovers from the Christmas dinner, we'll have them served to the homeless and the starved."

Mary sat up. "You might as well put out an outfit for me."

"You want to come?"

"Of course," Mary replied. "I believe that we should leave the girls here. They would not understand and we wouldn't want the people to be bombarded by questions from curious girls about how they live how they do. If at all."

"Understandable," Francis said, finally getting into their bed. He pressed a kiss on her lips and pulled the covers over them.

"I want to sleep," Mary said, giggling when he attacked her skin with chaste kisses. "We've already had an adventurous night. Or morning... We'll have to wake up in a few hours."

Francis grumbled but admitted defeat. "How could I resist a body like yours?"

"Behave!"

"I don't want to!"

"You sound like a child."

Francis smirked. "Is that so?"

"Go to sleep, Francis," Mary muttered lightly, turning away from him and closing her eyes happily. "Before I hit you on the arm."

"Any hit from you is like Heaven's touch," Francis replied, pressing a kiss on her exposed shoulder. "I'd want that every-"

"Dear God," Mary breathed out. Out of frustration, she didn't even know. "You are insatiable!"

Francis laid back on his side of the bed. "It's Christmas, Mary."

"And so?"

"You didn't exactly give me anything," Francis told her.

Mary grinned to herself. Sleep be damned.

She turned around and shuffled closer to him, placing a teasing kiss on his lips and then on his neck before pulling away. She cupped his cheeks and stared into his eyes.

"Don't blame me when you're falling asleep whilst giving children presents," she said before he kissed her.

...

At the orphanage, Anne opened up a trunk full of toys and turned towards the nervous but curious children that huddled behind her. She clapped her hands together and held her head high, like a queen - like her mother when she needed to gain the attention of a full room. Rose stood beside her, less confident than her older sister.

"My sister and I have come bearing gifts for you all," Anne announced happily. "You can decide which one you like."

Rose reached in and collected a football. "Does anyone like to play ball?"

A boy raised his hand, nervously shying into an older girl's arm. It made Rose beam and she walked up to him, taking one of his hands and placing the ball securely onto it.

"I hope you enjoy this," she told him before returning to the trunk.

Anne lifted a hand-stitched doll from the trunk and held it up. "It is made from the best hands," she said, eyeing the girls. "Anyone like to claim it?"

A girl stood closer and she eyed Francis and Mary who wore warm smiles and nodded encouragingly. She collected the doll and one by one, other kids became brave enough to take as they please as Rose and Anne happily handed them out, wishing them all a Merry Belated Christmas. They also promised to return for the New Year with more gifts and food much to their parents' surprise.

After sharing the gifts, the girls offered food to the children and even asked their parents if they could give them the sweets that the cooks made for them. Mary bent down to reach their ears.

"You only have five between you and there are at least twenty children here. It is better not to offer them something that can't be given to all of them," she said gently.

The girls nodded sadly and put their sweets away before going over to play with the other kids. They didn't mind the tattered clothes, asking their royal aide now and then to sew things up.

Anne even attempted to sew up a boy's shoe but failed, prickling her fingers full of bloody holes. She had stopped then, her parents covering her fingers up with salve to heal them.

"Your Majesties, we must return to the castle before your next appointment," their advisor whispered under his breath.

Francis nodded once and joined the girls who were now singing songs in French with the older children. "Anne, Rose, it is time to go."

"But Papa..." Anne whined. "We have to sing!"

Francis smiled, eyeing the orphaned children. "We can return very soon, but your mother and I have other business to attend to."

"Alright," Rose mumbled, hugging a girl 'goodbye'.

As the girls bid their farewells, Francis walked back to his wife who was speaking to the woman who ran the orphanage.

"You do not have any idea how much this meant to the children," she was saying. "Your girls will make wonderful queens, Your Majesties. They should not settle for any less than kings who will worship the ground they walk on. Their gentle hearts are needed for this harsh, cruel world... We lost so many children to the plague, so many bright minds who could have been more than the children who lost their parents... You are raising them splendidly, I pray that God continues to bless you both and your sons as well."

Mary smiled brightly. "I pray that God gives you the resources to keep taking on children. I am sorry that you have had to turn children away."

"Well, it is all God's plan. We will find a way to solve this."

"Mama!" Anne called her, coming to stand in front of them. "You know how we do a queen for a day?"

"Yes..." She said, sharing a wary glance with Francis. It was something they couldn't shake off, especially after the Penelope business with Henry.

Anne grinned. "Can we do a prince and princess for a day?"

Francis sighed. "Well, we need to be sensitive about the situation, but we will talk about it and see."

"Thank you!" The girl said, joining her sister.

"It is an idea," Mary said. "Or we could bring them all for a wonderful royal sleepover for two weeks."

"I bet many kings host orphaned children in their homes," Francis muttered. "But... I do quite like the idea. I always wanted the castle full of little, joyous feet. Children bring such joy and you do not age quicker because they make you feel young."

Mary smiled. "Then, we'll think about it."