I apologise for the long delay! This story had been constantly uploaded since August 2019 and I got writer's block with it, terrible writer's block. So, I ended up writing chapters sporadically and then when it was time, I'd upload them whenever I could. I had this particular chapter sitting in my folder for a while as well as the next one but I keep editing and getting upset with what the product came out to be. But I'm finally happy with it after inspiration from your wonderful reviews. I adore this story, it's my favourite one, my hopes and dreams of what Frary should have been if Reign hadn't taken their own paths so I hope you enjoy this next stage of their story. It gets real dramatic and we follow badarse females in the coming chapters. It's all about girl power right now, haha.
We have reached 300 reviews! Woop! Thanks, guys, I love you! Now, onto your Christmas gift, Merry Christmas everyone!
Replies to reviews:
elder441 [chapter 82]: Mary always does know better and in this chapter, it definitely shows! Merry Christmas, wonderful!
Curtis255 [chapter 82]: I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, haha! Here's another ;) Yeah, I'm giving the people what the Reign writers couldn't, haha. Enjoy and thanks for kicking my butt to actually finally upload this chapter. Merry Christmas!
As Francis and a few nobles talked over dinner, the royal food taster selected a bite from Mary's plate as Mary listened on intently to her husband's conversation as well as her daughter's complains about the lack of friends to make here with her French accent being so thick.
When she heard the sound of choking, everyone stood in shock as the taster clutched at his throat and sank to the ground. Everyone's eyes were wide and Rose screamed as her father shielded her away from the dead man's swollen neck.
"Your Majesty!"
Mary turned to the guard in shock, watching as he retrieved the poisoned food and she backed shakily into Francis's other arm as the other guards moved to take the deceased out of the room. She felt her husband's arm wrapped securely around her waist as her daughter covered her eyes.
"Take the Queen and Princess away from here, we will make sure we get to the bottom of this," the guard said as three flanked the trio and led them out.
When they were in Rose's bedchambers, coaxing their daughter to settle with the promise of unpoisoned food when she awoken from the shock, Mary and Francis shifted towards the other end of the room, turned slightly so they still watched over her but were free to speak without the worry of Rose listening in.
"I told you, Francis," Mary whispered.
"It was your plate," Francis mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I think Darnley is closer than we believe, he is out of hiding after all of this time."
"This is the second time he's managed to sneak poison into our..." She stopped sharply, shaking her head in anger. "Question all of the guards, leave no stone unturned. Even the cooks, I want them questioned and if they dare lie to me, their Queen, they will pay. With their lives."
Francis's brows raised and he placed calming hands on his wife's arms, feeling her shake and it was not from anger but from fear. "We will go home."
"But what about the issues in the government? Leith is not equipped to handle it alone," Mary told her husband. "One of us must stay."
Francis nodded. "I will. You take Rose-"
"Let her remain, she has to learn about how the government works. She will one day be queen," Mary cut him off. "It's not safe but she'll be safer with you. We must all travel separately, so they do not kill us all at once."
Francis sighed heavily. "You are right, you will go first," he said before pressing a kiss on her forehead. "I will make sure Rose learns enough to return home to France soon after you. I received word from Lord Lennox, he's eager to see his wife. God, it's still so strange to consider our two little daughters as married women."
"We were barely fifteen or sixteen when we wedded," his wife replied, cupping his cheek. "I love you, Francis."
"I love you too," he replied, kissing her. "I'll make arrangements to have you return home. For now, eat and get some rest."
Mary nodded with a soft smile, hugging him tightly. "I think I'll rest first. Enough excitement for tonight. And I'm not quite sure I trust what is to offer."
Francis smiled wryly, curling a lock of her hair around his finger in concern. "Aren't you hungry? I could have guards overlook your dinner-"
"Maybe later," she whispered before letting go of him to go and lay beside their daughter. She brushed Rose's hair from her face and smiled, pressing a long kiss on her daughter's forehead. She almost died, almost left her children without a mother, almost made Rose a queen before her time. "I love you, my sweet."
Rose shifted in her sleep, her hand resting on her mother's hip as a soft smile played on her lips along with some worry lines. She was too young for worry lines and Mary smoothed them out as Francis watched.
"I'll leave you be," Francis mumbled, leaving. He couldn't help but look at his wife and daughter one more time before heading off to deal with business.
...
Mary sensed that something was wrong. That something was really wrong. She was an hour into her journey back to France and the driver stopped, her eyes darting side to side.
Then she heard the thump and the yelling and she jumped when something banged against the carriage. Remembering Catherine's sneaky tactics from all of those years ago, she unlatched the trap door at the bottom of the carriage, retrieved her thin dagger and jumped out quickly and quietly.
She placed the trapdoor back and looked left and right, hearing the noises of her guards fighting their assailants. Seeing that the fight was to her left, she huddled to the right and stealthily hid behind a tree once she was safe somewhat.
Her heart was beating so hard and so fast, she believed the men killing her guards and household staff to hear it. She blinked back tears at the sound of her handmaiden's screams as she was slaughtered. Poor girl, she will give her family some money to tide them through the funeral arrangements. Damn, she wouldn't even be able to retrieve the body if...
She gasped when she felt something press into her neck and she swallowed, looking to the left. "We meet again, Cousin," she breathed out shakily.
"Mary," Darnley whispered. "As beautiful as ever..."
He yanked her off the tree and she stumbled before he struck her against her face and she fell onto the ground. She spat blood out and glared up at him.
"You dare strike your Qu-" She was cut off by another strike, and she blinked back tears. "What do you want, Darnley?!"
"How does my son fare these days?" He asked as if they were having a normal conversation where he wasn't hurting her.
"You'll never get to him," Mary told him, grinning. "And you will never take Scotland or England from me."
Darnley raised his brows. "Do it."
Mary's brows furrowed. "Do wh-"
Her mouth was covered by something, and she struggled against her attacker but soon she began to feel dazed and her vision started to darken. She soon was unconscious, slipping away into the darkness as her body slumped against the forest ground.
The last things on her mind were her husband and children.
...
"Your Majesty!"
"What? What is it?" Francis asked, turning to face the flustered messenger. "Speak, boy!"
The messenger swallowed hard. "The Queen never made it to the checkpoint, Y-Your Grace."
Francis almost keeled over but he kept his hands on the desk steady as he glowered at the messenger. "How do you mean?"
"The head guard, he ordered that you were to both be informed of the Queen's-"
"I know that! That was my order, yes," Francis snapped.
"Well, the Queen n-never made it t-to the-"
A guard helped a wounded soldier stumble inside and Francis's eyes darted towards them, the soldier gripping tightly onto a bloodied cloak. A woman's cloak. A high born woman's cloak with gold and blue adorned into the stitching. A queen's cloak.
Mary's cloak.
"Sh-She tried to escape with the t-trapdoor," he rasped out. "I played dead after they knocked me out and killed the others, including the household staff. But then the injuries became too much and I passed out as they knocked her unconscious and he took her. Henry Darnley."
Francis's hands gripped onto the paper underneath them and as if they could sense his anger, they all flinched before he let out a yell.
"Get me word on those armies," he ordered. "Someone in this castle will die today for their sins. And get me the Regent."
The guard by the door hurried out as the one holding the soldier up, brought the man back up and led him out to the doctor.
Soon after, the word that the forces from the Netherlands were to be expected within the day and that there was a search for the Queen's whereabouts with only the best going out, including scouts.
"Father?"
Francis looked up from his seat, his eyes landing on Rose. "Darling..."
"What is going on? Everyone is quite-"
"I'm here, Your Majesty," Leith cut her off before his eyes widened and he quickly bowed to the princess before turning back to her father. "Claude has agreed to return to France with Rose and Lawrence."
Rose furrowed her brows. "Aren't I meant to stay here? Does that mean we're to catch up with Mama for the ship back home?"
Francis swallowed hard, standing up and rounding the desk to reach his daughter. He cupped her delicate cheeks, brushing her hair from her left eye. "My sweet Rose... Y-Your mother was taken by men on her way home-"
"What?!" Rose cried out, eyes wide. "First the poisoned dinner, now her kidnapping?" She held a hand against her mouth to stifle a sob. "Who wants to do her harm?!"
Francis shook his head. "I will find her, Rose. I swear it."
"Father..." She cried out, sobbing into his arms. "I hate it here. I'm terrified. They'll hurt us-"
"Rose, no one will hurt you," Francis told her, gripping onto her shoulders. "I wish to go with you but I must remain here and look for your mother. I will bring her home, I swear it."
Rose sniffled, nodding. "B-But-"
"No, my sweet," he breathed out. "I will find her. Go home and stay calm. We have men, so many men at our disposal to protect you."
"Then why didn't you do the same with Mama?" She croaked out, bowing her head. "If I lose Mother... I won't be able to do it." Her eyes widened. "I can't be Queen. I can't do it. I'm not ready, Papa, I'm not ready." She was hysterical, and Francis met Leith's eyes desperately as her breathing began to quicken. She seemed to leave the room mentally.
His poor daughter had been through so much. Her kidnapping as a child, her grief through his almost death, her arranged marriage when she loved no more than a simple cook's son...
"Rose, look at me," Francis said softly, her wide blue eyes turning to him. "You are a Valois, the daughter of a powerful king and a powerful queen. God forbid something happens to your mother, I have no doubt that you will be a great queen, a strong queen and you ought to have more faith in yourself as you have carried yourself with the utmost sophistication and elegance during our trip here. You are well-learned, beautiful, kind... The embodiment of a future queen. Now, calm down, eat something and don't worry. You are too young to worry."
Rose's eyes glistened with tears but she nodded. "I feel faint."
"Right this way, Your Highness," Leith muttered, leading her away with the promise to return to Francis.
Sinking into his seat, Francis dragged his hands down his face and stared at the letters to France on his table. He didn't want anyone to worry, he will fix this. This will be over and Darnley will hang for his crimes.
...
"Rose!"
Rose hurried into her sister's arms, hugging her tightly as she stifled her sobs with her sister's shoulder. "Oh, Anne..."
"Father will find Mama, we do not have to worry," Anne assured her. "You are home now. We are safe and Father will not allow anything to happen to our mother."
Rose nodded, swallowing hard. "It was awful. I have no fond memories of Scotland and now England. Oh, now look. You've even had to cut your honeymoon tour so short."
"I'd rather you and Mother safe than a silly romantical trip away," Anne told her sister firmly, cupping her cheeks. "Oskar and I have other days to be together." She waved over a servant. "Take my sister to her rooms to rest and have the cooks bring her-"
"I'm not hungry-"
"Rose, you will eat," Anne ordered gently, turning back to the servant. "Some bread and soup will do it. Have the royal tasters try it."
The servant nodded, curtsied and led a baffled Rose away to her rooms. It surprised Rose how much of a queen her sister was already acting like, ordering people about and being firm with it. Will she be as firm and stable as Anne and their mother are?
"Right this way, Your Highness," the servant said, grabbing her thoughts once more.
On her way to the hall to ease the worried courtiers and nobles, Anne bumped into her uncle, bringing him to a private corner.
"Has my father come back with any word of where my mother is?" She asked him.
Bash shook his head. "I have your aunt, Elisabeth, sending support to France should anyone try their luck here. I took the liberty in sending more men to England and there are uprisings in Scotland with men for Darnley fighting against your mother's allies."
Anne clicked her tongue in an understanding of the situation at present. "Thank you for being frank with me, Uncle Bash. If it was Mama or Papa, they'd tell me not to worry."
"You are a queen now, Anne. You must be well equipped with all the potential occurrences that can rise in Sweden with your husband," Bash replied. "Do you wish to know anymore before you take over and speak to Court?"
"Do you think... we're safe, Uncle Bash?" She asked softly. "My parents have built years of a Golden Era, I don't ever wish to see it fail."
"I have faith in your parents, Anne. Especially my brother," Bash replied, turning to leave as she followed with a slow step. "How is Rose?"
Anne shook her head sadly. "I think she's overwhelmed. We don't really have fond memories of Scotland and England. But she must overcome it if she is to be Queen of Scotland one day."
"She will get there," he promised, leading her into the throne hall where everyone silenced at once, either bowing or curtseying. They took their seats on the thrones, Bash giving Anne a nod.
"People of France, I know you are all worried about what it means of my mother's disappearance and the fact that her cousin, Henry Darnley, orchestrated it," Anne began, her voice cool. "But worry not, my father has everyone from multiple countries searching for her and we will put an end to the Darnley revolution fight in Scotland, showing them exactly who leads them - my mother. France will have her Queen returned to her very soon and we will continue to live in the Golden Era of King Francis II and Mary, Queen of Scots. Thank you."
As everyone seemingly calmed, chattering about that, Anne's eyes met James' and she felt guilty and awful for him. This was his father's doing and the man was probably searching for him, leading to this whole affair. Was bringing him to France the smartest idea?
With a firm nod her way, showing her that there were no hard feelings between boy and sister-in-law, he left the hall. She turned to her uncle and he also gave her an approving nod before standing and grabbing her aunt's hand for them to leave the hall as well.
France was strong and she would fight with all of her might.
...
"I will kill you, Darnley. I swear it," Mary said, swallowing. Her throat was dry and hoarse from all the yelling and cursing she gave him. And from the thirst. It had been ages since she had last eaten or drank water. She really should have eaten before she left for France. "I will kill you..."
Something slammed against the bars of her cell and awoken her fully from her growing unconsciousness. "I'd like to see you try," Darnley said, showing her a thin blade with a ruby-encrusted handle. "Let me guess, the King gave his little wife this?"
"Wedding anniversary gift," Mary replied with a weak smirk. "We like to give each other gifts we'd use to kill our enemies. It would be so fitting, seeing rubies sparkle as your blood spills from you."
"Mary, I have nothing against you," Darnley said, switching topic. "Truly. In another life, we would have been the best of friends."
"Doubt it-"
"Husband and wife even-"
"Lord, help me," Mary muttered, rolling her eyes.
"In fact, why wait for another life?" Darnley asked, her eyes landing on him again. "We could arrange a marriage between us. Have the one between our children annulled, have children of our own after we dispose of the brats you have with the French fake-king."
Mary glared at him. "You will never touch my children nor my husband. I will take so much pleasure in slitting your throat," she hissed, gathering the strength to meet his face with her hands tightly gripped onto the bars. "You will never have Scotland, you will be burned to death. I won't even give you the satisfaction of having your head sliced from your neck. I will slit your throat and throw you to the flames as you die, unable to scream."
Through the bars, she choked when his hand gripped onto her neck tightly and she clawed his hand off, wheezing as she took in gulps of air in.
"Women must be seen, not heard at times," Darnley spat, rubbing at a bloody scratch she left him on his wrist. "Bitch." The last part was under his breath as he walked away.
If he ever touches a hair on my family's heads, he'll pay for it, Mary swore to herself, tears springing to her eyes. Save me, Francis...
Save me.
