We're in March now (hopefully I've got that right, if not, oh well hehe). I've lost conception of time, haha. I'd imagine Mary and Kenna turning 31 in January around James' 7th birthday, Francis's birthday in February where Ana turns 7, and Lawrence (Claude's son) turning six. We're nearing Bash's 34th birthday, the end of March (by which John would have turned 14 by then).

Want to focus on LAF a little bit so this story may be delayed at times, that and uni days go from 9 AM to 6 PM so they drain the life out of me, haha. I hope you are all enjoying both stories!

Replies to reviews:

BlerBlerBler [chapter 60]: Yep, haha!

elder441 [chapter 60]: Hehe, it is ;)

Guest (1) [chapter 60]: Indeed it is! They will be toned down a little as more family time is coming up but parents do need some time to themselves ;) Yeah, now that Anne and Rose know all about sex, they're more aware of mummy and daddy time! Baby's coming in September (in the story)! We will finally have an Autumn baby after all of the Winter/Spring/Summer babies. I'm so glad!

FeliLuna13 [chapter 60]: Thanks so much! And you will just have to wait and see ;) Here's the next chapter, we won't see baby number 6/7 for a while yet as Frary need to show TLC to their current children. Oh, thanks so much! I love writing it, it's my favourite Frary story to right. I'm great with writing them in the normal universe, and terrible when in terms of modern AU so I'm glad you love it! Your English is perfect and understandable!


"God, no."

Mary nodded at her eldest. "Annie, you're going to have another-"

"Don't say it again. Doesn't make this any easier," Anne said, gagging. "I give up."

Mary chuckled, cupping her beloved girl's cheeks. "Darling, you and your siblings mean the world to your father and me. No matter how many children we have, each and every one of you holds a piece of our hearts. We'd do anything for you, my sweet. I'm sorry but-"

"Don't be," Anne said softly. "I'm happy for you both."

Mary sighed in relief. "We told your sister, she was going to town with Auntie Kenna and Ana."

"Right," Anne said, kissing her mother's cheek. "Make sure it's a girl. There are too many boys in the family for my liking."

Mary gasped but grinned. "Don't say that, darling. We need the sons."

"If we really do..." Anne trailed off teasingly. "Now, go and let the rest of the castle know. It would be a relief to see the vein disappear from Papa's forehead every time the subject of more children comes up. As if he's dying to tell the whole world and beyond that, his wife is having his seventh child. Is he really that fertile in his old age?"

Mary smacked her daughter lightly. "Your father and I are not old, you..." She giggled. "We're thirty-one. Don't make us out to be so middle-aged! I'll have you know, that is still quite young."

"Of course," Anne drawled out as her mother stood. "See you soon, Mama."

"See you soon," Mary replied. "Don't forget your lute lessons."

The girl rolled her eyes, falling back onto her bed with a dramatic sigh. "How could I?"

...

Francis handed John some cloth to wipe the wine from his lips. "Don't tell your mothers."

"I won't," he promised with a grin. Lola and Mary were very protective of their children, not wanting any to be grown beyond their time.

Francis leaned back on his hands, watching as Bash and Robin tried to catch some fish in their makeshift nets. They were successful and every so often, the young Earl will rush over to their crate box and trap a jumping fish inside.

"John..."

"Yes, Father?"

Francis turned to him. "Mary and I are expecting another child."

John's eyes fell a little until he glanced over at where his uncle was, splashing water at Robin who shrieked but laughed and returned the gesture. John then turned back to his father with a small smile.

"If Uncle Bash survived having all of your siblings, I can survive with having six," he said firmly.

Francis beamed, pressing a kiss onto the boy's head. "I do love you, John Philip. It's just hard..."

"I understand. You don't have to explain," John told him. "I know what you did for me."

"What did I do?"

"You had Uncle Bash kill the man who hurt me," John replied. "It wasn't necessary, but thank you."

Francis sighed heavily. He didn't want his children to think he was reliant on spilling blood. "It was a bad idea."

"Do you regret it?"

"No. Never. My child was hurt and I had to hurt the person who caused him pain," Francis said to him, his jaw clenching. "I'm sorry."

John smiled wryly. "No, don't be, Father. It shows you do care about me. The other day, Anne asked me for a dance. In front of all those nobles and she asked her bastard brother for a dance."

Francis smiled proudly at the idea of his defiant daughter ignoring all those looks and stares in order to make her brother smile. "I remember," he said. "Let's go and help them, shall we? The box is starting to leap everywhere."

...

That evening, Bash studied himself in the mirror.

"Am I getting... fat?"

"What are you on about?" Kenna asked, putting her earrings on.

"Answer the question."

"Give me context."

Bash rolled his eyes. "I've been enjoying retirement for five years or so now and I've let myself go. I have, haven't I?"

Kenna gave him a look, crossing her arms. "Do you really think someone as beautiful as me would sleep beside a fat man?"

"Kenna!"

"You're lucky you're handsome and gorgeous and the thought of your eyes on me right now makes me-"

"Are you both ready for supper?" Robin asked, waltzing into their bedchambers without knocking.

"Robert," Bash said sharply, picking up a pillow from the chaise to hide a certain something.

Robin frowned. "Father, have you gained some weight?"

"Get out!"

The boy laughed, leaving the chambers and closing the door behind him.

Bash whined, taking a seat on the bed. "In the morning, I'll ask Francis for a spar. Or perhaps Leith. I will get back into exercise."

"Don't mind Ro-"

"Am I getting old?"

"Old?"

"Kenna, I turn thirty-four at the end of the month. I'm old!"

"If you were old," his wife began, taking a seat beside him. "I'd be wedded to a younger man by now."

"What?!"

"I'm joking!" She quickly said, laughing when she saw the fear and jealousy of a non-existent man in his eyes. "We're growing old together. But we're not old right now. We're very young and ageless."

Bash sighed. "You're sweet-talking me. I'm getting old."

"For Christ's sake-"

"Perhaps I should have spent more time indoors than outdoors. It ages a man, you know?"

Kenna scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You are ridiculous, my love."

Bash laid his head on her lap, crossing his arms. "I don't want to go to supper."

"What's brought all of this on?"

"I overheard Francis telling John that he and Mary are expecting again."

Kenna didn't react. "Mary told me..."

Bash nodded. "Thought as much."

"Well?"

"Francis is barely just turned thirty-one and he has seven children. Here I am, almost midway to forty with three children and a back that hurts all the time," he bemoaned.

Kenna gaped. "That's why I have been on top lately."

"Don't be too happy. I've got some remedies from Nostradamus, I should be fighting fit-"

"Like my good little horsey?"

"Kenna!"

"What?" She giggled. "My big, old stallion."

"You called me 'old'," he cried out, sitting up to glare at her. "So I am old?!"

Kenna let out a scream. "Oh, you're so unbearable!" She told him, getting up and leaving their chambers.

Bash slumped back onto the bed.

...

"Cancel the party," Kenna told Francis as she took a seat, sending her daughter a bright smile.

Francis frowned. "Why?"

"Your brother doesn't want to age apparently," she told him. "Said something about a new addition to the family making him rethink his life."

Francis began to laugh, taking a sip from his wine. "Mid-life crisis," he stated. "He'll get over it."

"After the fourteenth horse that he'll buy under our name?" Kenna asked rhetorically. Not that she'd ever let him buy that many on her watch.

Mary giggled from her seat. "Just tell him that it's fine to age. That or you'll never give him what he wants if he keeps complaining."

Kenna understood what her friend and cousin meant. "He's a remarkable creature, so demanding yet so childish at the same time." She turned to the eldest child they'd made from their love. "Don't end up like your father. Your wife will be frustrated with your incapability to talk and penance to suffer from your ridiculous riddles and questions."

"Yes, Mother," Robin said, grinning.

Eventually, the man himself entered the dining room and took a seat between Francis and Kenna, picking up some bread before thinking better of it.

"I'll just have the carrot and leek soup," he mumbled.

Kenna scoffed, lifting a large quail from her plate and placing it on his. "If you don't eat, you'll be skin and bones and then I won't sleep with you!" She said into his ear.

He began to eat the quail.

Satisfied, Kenna shrugged when she saw faces staring at her. "What? I didn't sign up for four children!" She nudged Bash's shoulder. "Stop looking so sullen and acting like a child."

Mary pursed her lips in thought. Her birthday celebrations had gone really well, but now thinking about Bash's blue day, she figured that maybe ageing was scary to think about.

Not having as much fertility or stamina as before. Not looking as beautiful and young as before. Not-

"My beautiful queen," Francis whispered, pressing a kiss onto the back of her hand.

Mary grinned. Maybe ageing with the love of your life kept things young.

She turned to Bash and said, "Be happy your wife's a spirited hare. That's sure to make you feel young."

The adults choked on their food or drink as the children stared at her in confusion.

"Nevermind, children. Eat up now," she told them, giggling when Francis sent her a coy smirk.

...

Mary tutted, undoing her laces. "God, my dresses are already starting to feel snug," she told Kenna.

Kenna smirked. "Need help?"

"Please," Mary said as her friend stood to help her reach the laces she couldn't. "Feels like old times."

Kenna beamed. "Bash and I have been talking about that. We stayed beyond Christmas and New Year's, it's time to return to Avon. The children miss their school."

"We can have them privately tutored, you know?" Mary asked, sighing in relief as her dress began to fall, one by one.

Kenna shrugged a little. "The normalcy is kind to us," she said.

"Is something wrong?"

"Not at all-"

"Kenna."

Kenna sighed, standing back to let Mary do the rest for herself. "I never said but last Christmas, Bash and I were grieving."

Mary turned to her in surprise. "A relative?"

"No," Kenna quickly said. "Well, yes but not one of my siblings or anything. O-Our fourth or what would have been our fourth child."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Mary said sadly. "And here I am, expecting my sixth child."

Kenna watched as the queen placed a hand on her small bump. "We're not upset," Kenna said, smiling fondly. "We're really happy, actually and Avon's flourishing. France is flourishing. I'm just sad that we have a home and it's not here with you, Francis and the children."

"It can be-"

"As girls, we were taught to rely on our husbands and no one else. We got too dependent on each other that when we were married, we expected the bond to be stronger as our husbands were brothers. But all along, we didn't need each other as much as we did fifteen years ago."

Mary pouted. "But we love having you here. I love talking to you, Lola gets on my nerves at times but she minds her own and keeps away mostly. Greer's not here so, I only have you."

Kenna began to laugh softly. "You have my son as your husband's ward, yet you still want the main attraction?"

"I do," Mary said, giggling.

"Well, unless you can build a school here, it would be best if Bash and I-"

"Done," Mary said. "Now the children can spend more time with their cousins and you, Bash, Francis and I can too."

Kenna gasped, a smile taking over her face. "You are one demanding queen!"

"You are my subject, I order you to remain by my side for all of eternity," Mary said, giggles leaving her lips.

"And if I object?"

"I'll lock you and your husband in your bedchambers," Mary said, crossing her arms.

"Not a bad idea actually," Kenna said, making Mary choke.

Mary rolled her eyes playfully. "On serious terms, I will support you both. No matter your decision, Duchess."

Kenna bowed her head. "Thank you, Your Majesty. It really has been an honour to serve you."

Mary nodded, tears springing to her eyes. "Damn, I did not miss the hysterics."

"Come here," Kenna said, chuckling as she hugged Mary tightly.

"See you in another five years?"

"Yes," Kenna breathed out, laughing softly. "But before then, we must celebrate my husband getting older."

Mary burst into laughter, tightening her grip onto Kenna as tears streamed down her cheeks.

...

The day after Bash's party, Mary and Francis waved the couple and their two youngest out of the gates. Mary could see Kenna bury her face into Bash's shoulder, tears in her dear cousin's eyes.

She couldn't be selfish, she kept reminding herself. They had their own lives, they couldn't only live to serve her and Francis. These people were family, with children and business and lives of their own.

She took a sharp intake of breath when the carriage was no longer in view and turned to Robin who turned away from her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," he mumbled.

"You'll see them soon enough."

Robin sighed. "I know," he replied, heading back inside behind Francis.

Mary stayed outside a little longer, Lola joining her side. "When are you leaving for John's barony?"

Lola smiled sadly. "Tomorrow."

Mary nodded. Her determination not to let anyone see her crumble inside meant that she kept her emotions at bay, remaining stone-cold in her exterior. "Very well."

"Look after John for me."

"I always do," Mary said firmly.

She walked back into the castle and headed to hers and Francis's bedchambers where she laid on the bed and started to cry. She wished that she wasn't ending up like Catherine, no friends with only her children and spouse to rely on.

"Mary?"

"Am I too needy, Francis?" She asked her husband.

Francis laid down beside her, turning on his side to face her as his hand laid on her hip. "You've known these women most of your whole life as I have with Bash. Sometimes, adulthood means that we must adapt and lose the things we're comfortable with."

Mary sniffled. "I wish we were children again. Or innocent teenagers, mixed up-"

"In love and drama?"

She giggled. "Yes... I guess. Definitely no love triangles between brothers, too stressful."

Francis chuckled, pressing a kiss on her cheek. "We'll be fine, Mary. We have each other and our children."

She brought his hand to her stomach. "Yes, and that is all we need."

"If you really miss them, we can visit during the Summer," Francis promised her.

"That will be nice although I might be a bloated whale by then," Mary replied. "Let's think positively."

Francis sat up. "Like what?"

Mary grinned. "I overheard the older children talking about a surprise."

"For who?" Francis asked with a small smile.

"The twins. Joseph and Peter are almost six already," Mary said with a slight whine of disbelief. "I understand how Bash feels now!"

Francis laughed, pressing a kiss on her forehead. "We are not old!"

"Maybe we are..." Mary mumbled before she was attacked with kisses, laughter erupting from her lips. "Alright, alright!"

Francis got on top of her and grinned, pressing a kiss down on her nose. "You are ageless, my angel," he whispered, his blue eyes sparkling as she became flushed.

"Am I really?"

"You are," he breathed out. "And I am the luckiest man on Earth because of you."

Mary brought him down for a kiss.