England
After Catherine De Medici settled into her room, someone knocked on the door. She answered it and it was Lady Mary Grey."Sorry Lady Mary, Charles is outside."
"I am here to talk to you," Mary said to Catherine.
Catherine pulled Mary into her room," We cannot have them catching on to what we are up to. We must speak privately."
"Right, sorry," Mary said softly," I do not feel right about this plan."
Catherine rolled her eyes," Do not go noble on me now Lady Mary. This is the best way to assure the Lady Elizabeth is not a problem."
"But what if our plan backfires? This could help her more than hurt her," Lady Mary asked Catherine. This plan was risky.
"Her husband is in Spain, it will not help her. We will drug her, so she will fall into a sleep like death. I paid a boy to go in and, well have his way with her. If we are lucky she will get pregnant and be labeled a whore," Catherine said and started to look through her collection of poisons.
"That is still risky! What if she doesn't get pregnant? That is to much waiting! I advised you to rethink this!" Lady Mary said and sunk into the couch.
"Why are you so against this? What do you know that I do not?" Catherine said and sat down by Lady Mary on the couch.
Lady Mary," I do not know anything." She said and looked away from Catherine and to the window, to see Charles playing ball with the other boys. Seeing him out there was calming to her.
"Lady Mary tell me. You know what you get if Mary is queen again," Catherine said noticing the young girl looking out the window to Charles," He turns fourteen in June, the perfect age for marrying."
"You are using your son as a way of bribing me?" Lady Mary asked Catherine, still not looking her in the eyes.
"This marriage will benefit everyone, but Mary has to be queen, not my dear child please tell me what you know," Catherine pleaded to Mary.
"Elizabeth is already pregnant," Mary said and shot up from the couch, walking over to the window.
Catherine slowly rose from the couch," Is it with with king Philip, or someone else?"
"She doesn't know," Mary replied," She said that she and Philip did consummate their marriage, but also, she said she slept with The Lord Robert Dudley, however the timing makes it seem to be Philip's."
"She would not be stupid enough to let it be Dudley's. This does ruin everything! I have no idea what we could do now!" Catherine said and began pacing the floor."
"We just need to send troops in and retake England in the name of Queen Mary, it is the only logical solution we have," Lady Mary said," Perhaps a naval attack from France on England's southern coast, and Scottish and English loyal to Mary forces could come from the north, she could not stop it."
"To do that we would need my husband's approval and he cannot be trusted to make any good decision. He already thinks this alliance with Scotland is costing us to much," Catherine said trying to think of some plan.
"Perhaps we could appeal to King Philip. He is rumored to be returning soon. We could convince him that he is going against the Catholic Church by supporting Elizabeth," Lady Mary suggested," Then he would annul his marriage to Elizabeth."
Catherine nodded," Yes, then he can marry my daughter. That way we will have an alliance of Catholic nations against Elizabeth, but until then, we try not to attract any attention to ourselves."
Scotland
Mary was in her room at the estate, looking out over the countryside. It was snowing outside, but she loved seeing the snow fall. She had so much to think about, not only was she to be a queen, but now she was to be an expecting mother. Then her thought was interrupted as Francis entered."Word is that my mother is in England, could these be the French forces we were promised?"
"You and I both now how she can be, in a case like this, she would be more effective than one million soldiers," Mary said and smiled a bit.
"How are you feeling?" Francis asked," I know you've been getting sick with the baby and all."
"Today has been a good day," She replied and smiled at him," We haven't even discussed names yet. Perhaps we could start thinking."
"It needs to be a name that could unite our three countries, he is the future king you know!" Francis said happily.
"Are you just assuming its a boy?" Mary said and giggled.
"I hope it is a boy, so my father and the rest of Europe will stop pressuring you," Francis replied. It was true. Mary had to have a son. A girl could inherit the English and Scottish thrones, but not the French throne. She needed to have a boy to grow up and become king of all three nations.
"Perhaps Henry," Mary suggested," Henry could be in honor of my tudor heritage which put me on the throne, also it is the name of your father. Henry XI of England, Henry III of France, and Henry I of Scotland."
"That has a nice ring to it, but what if it is a girl?" Asked Francis.
"Perhaps Adelaide, it is french and English, the perfect name for a princess!" Mary said and smiled.
"Adelaide and Henry, two perfect names!" Francis smiled and walked up to Mary and place his hand on her baby bump." I cannot wait for the child join us." At that moment the baby kicked gently." Did you feel that?" Francis asked excitedly.
Mary chuckled and nodded," Yes it did, that is actually the first time the child has kicked, perhaps he liked hearing his father's voice."
Then there was a knock at the door." Your highness, it is me, Catherine Grey."
"By all means come in," Mary said and went to sit down on the sofa in her room," Is everything alright?"
Catherine looked down a bit disappointed," Word from my sister, she says that Elizabeth is pregnant with Philip's child."