Replies to reviews:
elder 441 [chapter 73]: He really is! I'm loving the character he's turning out to be.
Guest (1) [chapter 73]: Yeah, I feel for them too - as the ones who understand most out of the children, it hits them harder as they feel helpless. She does and her mother-in-law doesn't help things sadly. The writer's block is getting there slowly. I've explained in my The Arrangement story chapter 2 why it came on. The chapters are pre-written and are spaced out for now or if I continue to write chapters, they'll return frequently. The chapters will vary in size and may turn out shorter so I can break them up into chunks to keep uploading regularly until otherwise. Thanks very much!
Maybe to help me get back to writing, I should go back to my previous chapters and stories I have up and retouch the chapters. I don't know, I see the errors and mark it down on my notes but never get around to it. I will try and the chapters will still keep coming for you amazing people. Stay safe, love you all. Oh and I posted the previous chapter less than 24hrs on April 7th, not 6th which is the one before that so go back and check it if you haven't. It should be chapter 73 :) It's being a little glitchy.
"She's acting like a complete-"
"What?" Anne snapped, turning to her handmaidens who cowered in the corner, busying themselves with her dresses. "Go on, tell me. What am I acting like?"
The handmaidens took her dirty linens and quickly curtseyed before leaving her bedchambers. Anne sighed heavily, throwing her brush onto her vanity before standing and heading to her bed to lay down.
Tears sprung to her eyes and she felt someone hold her.
"The handmaidens couldn't wait to get out of here," Rose said softly. "Anne, you mustn't act so-"
"Urgh-"
"Abrasive."
"Rose, I could care less, honestly," the elder princess replied, sitting up and turning to her sister. "You don't understand and I truly hope things will be easier for you at least."
Rose frowned. "However do you mean?"
"You will be the next Queen of Scotland just as I will be the Queen of Sweden as of next year," Anne told her. "Did Father and Mother not tell you about the change in the line of succession?"
Rose gaped, shaking her head. "I didn't know," she breathed out. "I can't be a queen!"
"Hush," Anne said softly. "You don't have to worry about that until Mama's old and grey."
Rose settled down and nodded shakily. "But the idea-"
"Is still terrifying?" Anne finished for her. "I know. John Philip will be one of my guards in my household when I go to Sweden next year. I hope I will be allowed to come home often. I will miss you all."
She started to cry and Rose hugged her tightly, stroking her sister's hair gently.
"Oh, Anne," she whispered. "I know it's scary but you can always write. I will be here to reply."
"And you will look after Little Cat?"
"Caterina and I will get on like a house on fire," Rose promised her. "We already do. She smiles a lot although that may just be-"
"Trapped wind."
They giggled, remembering their little inside joke and Rose hugged Anne tighter.
"You'll be just fine, Annie. I swear it."
Anne sighed against her sister's chest. "I hope so."
...
Mary yawned. She had woken up early, plagued by a nightmare and hurrying to her husband's bedside to make sure her dream wasn't true. To her relief, it wasn't and she settled herself in hers and her husband's bed, surprising the King when he woke up later in the morning.
Now, she ate breakfast with the family. Everyone was still worried and concerned but as Francis showed some signs of improvement, they realised they didn't need to hover over the King every waking second of the day and had time to themselves.
"How are your studies, girls?" Mary asked, briefly glancing at her daughters as she selected some fruits and some meats.
"Very well," Rose mumbled. "Perhaps you and Father can get me a Scottish Gaelic tutor?"
Mary was surprised and she smiled. "Of course," she replied. "In fact, my cousin Douglas is coming imminently with most of the Beatons. Either one of them can spend time and tutor you. I'd choose Douglas though, he has more patience."
Kenna chuckled. "I remember when we were girls. Robert kept losing his patience with us."
Mary laughed, nodding as she held her cup near her mouth. "He threatened to have us spanked a few times. As if he could spank me, a queen."
The women laughed and Rose smiled softly.
"Thank you, Mother," she said.
"You are most welcome, sweetling," Mary replied lovingly. "And Anne? Would you want a Swedish tutor?"
Anne looked up from her plate. "Yes, Mother," she mumbled, resting her head on her hand.
"Marie Anne, that is no such way a queen acts," Catherine snapped, making the girl sit up straighter.
"Catherine, it's fine," Mary said, a frown playing on her lips. "Anne, you may sit however you wish-"
"If we do not break bad behaviours now, perhaps she will be like her mother and have her own husband killed for her actions," Catherine hissed.
Mary's eyes widened. She placed her drink down and turned to Catherine once again, her face red as if she had been slapped instead of verbally abused. She swallowed hard and dismissed everyone but Catherine from the table.
"Catherine, you need to remember that the only Queen of France in this castle is me," Mary said firmly. "You are only Dowager Queen, or Queen Mother if we want to be nice. Not that it matters as you are only here on Francis's favour." She swallowed hard. "I know that things have been difficult of late but once, we agreed to put aside our differences for Francis's sake-"
"You mean Francis who is dying?" Catherine roared. "My golden child, my sweet cherub, my son. He may be your husband but he is my blood!"
"His blood runs in our children's veins!" Mary retorted. "I will always be the first woman in his life, the woman who gave him many children, a kingdom and more. You will only ever be the woman who birthed him."
Catherine laughed bitterly. "At least that is better than being the woman who killed him."
The older woman rose from her seat and left, swinging her dress as she turned out the doors.
Mary shook and she covered her lips, tears springing to her eyes. "I'm fine," she croaked out to Kenna.
Kenna shook her head. "Mary..."
"Just go, Kenna," Mary said quietly. "Everyone leaves me anyway."
Kenna blinked back tears. "You know I will never leave my queen willingly. Let me be there for you if that wretched Italian bitch won't. We're family."
"Well, 'family' doesn't really mean much, does it?" Mary asked, scoffing. "I mean, my own cousin murdered my half-brother and now, he's killing my husband."
"Mary-"
"'Family' at the end of the day means nothing. At least blood family," she said. "How could I make a better life with Francis than my mother ever could for me?"
Kenna shrugged helplessly, coming to sit back down. "Francis is your happiness and I know what it will do to you when he dies. That's why we will all do our very best to make sure he lives. If not for your sake, but for your children's and the countries you both rule. We have all been through so much, we deserve a damn break."
Mary let out a sob. "I'm tired of fighting everyone and everything. I just want peace, now and forevermore but... There's always something or someone around the corner to send everything we've worked for tumbling back down."
"Then," Kenna began, taking Mary's hands. "We will do this together."
...
Francis placed down his sketching book and pencil, looking up to face Robin. "You came."
"I wasn't going to," Robin admitted. "Grandmama Catherine and Aunt Mary got into an argument."
Francis sighed heavily, gesturing for the boy to take a seat. He knew his mother was hurting but picking fights with his wife was not going to solve any matters or better yet, make him better.
"Can you try and identify the one who did this to me through your powers?" Francis asked quietly.
Robin frowned. "I thought we had figured it out to be Lord Darnley. Aunt Mary's and my mother's distant cousin?"
"I need to be sure," Francis said. "I need confirmation, evidence."
"Oh, I see," Robin said, realisation dawning in his eyes. "Written evidence, secret coded messages between poisoner and executioner..."
"Yes, exactly," Francis said, smiling a little. Robin was just as quick-thinking and smart as his father. "I know I can count on you."
Robin nodded. "Anything, Uncle," he said eagerly.
"Right," Francis muttered, about to leave the bed but he thought better of it. In fact, he remembered something else. "If I die, don't..."
"Bring you back?" Robin asked carefully.
"I don't know who will die in my place," Francis explained. "I do not wish to tempt fate."
Robin sighed heavily. "I guess that is reasonable. But you will not die in the first place, Uncle."
He made himself comfortable by Francis's covered feet and held out a hand. He will try and find something, anything.
Francis put his hand in Robin's hand and gripped it as Robin's hold tightened and the boy closed his eyes. Francis studied him intently, watching as Robin pulled faces and sort-of looked constipated? He frowned.
Robin sighed and opened his eyes. "Nothing. It doesn't work like that. I have to be asleep for this."
Francis clicked his fingers and retrieved a vial. "Sleeping oil. One drop under the tongue."
The King pipetted some and dropped it into Robin's opened mouth, under his tongue. The boy soon fell asleep and Francis returned the vial back to its 'usual' spot in his drawers by the bed. He then held Robin's hand and watched on expectantly.
...
"...This is why we never trust women-"
"Henry, this is treason!"
"The bitch should have married me," Darnley hissed. "Should have kept the bloodline strong. We would have taken the English throne even before that Lutheran bitch took it from her half-sister's cold hands. But she married the French and the French took our beloved country away from us. Our children sing French nursery tales-"
David Rizzo, Mary's private secretary who remained in Scotland slammed his hands on the desk. "You should speak no such words of our Queen and King."
"I thought you were my friend."
"I was your friend before you become a drunkard! Vain, narcissist of a man. Your son had to be taken away from you. What thirteen-year-old boy wants to see his father make a fool of himself?!" Rizzo replied.
Darnley scoffed. "I couldn't care less about what that boy thinks. His new mother will be the Queen once the King of France is dead."
"You will have to find him first," Rizzo warned Darnley. "Now, who did you have poison the King of France?"
Darnley beamed, a mad look laced in his eyes. "Why, myself, of course! I disguised myself as a serving boy. He was none the wiser... If you saw him, laughing with his bastard son and his bastard brother's son... The French disgust me."
"Their mothers are Scottish," Rizzo argued weakly.
"Scottish or not, they have French blood in them and they needed to be wiped out too!"
Rizzo gasped, eyes wide. The man had poisoned the boys too? "How can you do such a thing, Darnley? What have those boys ever done to you? What has King Francis, our true king done to you?! What has Queen Mary done to you?!" He was a fireball of questions, tears threatening to erupt at the chance of a child dying. He felt sick.
"Scotland has been in shambles since that woman switched alliances! She's half-French, now it had dominated her mind. Everything she did was for her damned husband's sake! She has to be taught a lesson. Reminded that staying within the bloodline, the true bloodline is the way to go. I should have been king. As the only male legitimate heir and blood relation to the English throne, it should be me sitting in those thrones!" Darnley roared. "If you won't help me with the next steps of my plan, I will call upon my dear friend John Knox."
"You leave that zealot out of this!"
Darnley grinned. "Well, you don't have to worry about that."
"What-"
Rizzo gasped as Darnley stabbed him. He glanced down and the blade inside him and it was quickly pulled out before shoved into his chest again.
Fifty-six times.
The smell of the blood was sickening.
...
"Aunt Mary's secretary is dead," Robin gasped out, waking up.
Francis frowned. "David Rizzo?"
"Yes. Darnley killed him. H-He stabbed him, fifty-six times," Robin quickly got out. "He's mad. The man's mad, he wants to.."
"Deep breaths," Francis said, cupping Robin's cheeks. "Now tell me everything you saw and heard."
Robin met his eyes. "He pretended to be your ward and he was the one poisoning you."
"Damn it."
"Now, he's turning to the Protestant Reformists leader, John Knox, to help him with his next plans."
Francis's eyes widened. "You need to tell Mary right away! Do not stop, do not do anything else other than delivering everything you know to her now."
Robin nodded quickly and leapt off the bed, running out of the bedchambers where the guards helped closed the doors behind him. He was a sight, running through hallways, searching in rooms and chambers and coming up unsuccessful.
Robin finally found her, watching as James, Joseph and Peter were being taught their horseriding lessons. He quickly bowed and pulled her away from earshot, apologising profusely for his behaviour.
"Your private secretary in Scotland has been murdered," he whispered breathlessly.
Mary gasped. "Darnley?"
"Yes. He will go to John-John Knox and he'll... he'll..." Robin trailed off, his vision suddenly becoming blurry and he fell, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.
"Robin!" Mary cried out, catching him and looking around mortified at the sight happening before her. "Guards! Guards, come quick!" She looked down and gasped when she saw blood dripping down his nose. "Quickly!"
The horseriding tutor halted in his work and sounded the alarm, but not before carefully helping each prince down to head to their governess.
Mary's attention returned to Robin. "You're going to be fine, Robin," she whispered, stroking his hair. "You're going to be fine. I've got you."
