I'M STILL ALIVE!

Sorry for the long wait. I've been so busy with college that my stress level is beyond the charts.

The only good thing is that I passed my midterms and my grades improved!

So, yay for locking myself in my room for days just to study.


Chapter 14

The thing about Catherine de Medici was that, no one could ever truly read her face. It was a sick kind of game – guessing her every thought. A game that as of the moment, Mary knew she was losing.

Checkmate. Catherine's smile read.

"Olivia," Francis greeted, his hand grasping Mary's in a tight hold.

"Francis," Olivia smiled brightly but for Mary, there was something more in that smile. Something more dangerous.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Your father asked her to be a consultant for ValoisCom." Catherine answered, with a tight lipped smile. It was like she was harboring of a secret.

"ValoisCom?" Mary questioned.

"It's a communications company that father wants to expand," Francis answered, turning to her. She could see the reassurance in his eyes.

"In Italy!" Catherine added with a grin. "Don't you think that's just wonderful? And who else better than the D'Amencourt's to be the company's partner."

Olive gave them a closed-lip smile.

"Well, I hope you enjoy your stay back here," Francis smiled brightly at her, his grip on Mary's hand never loosening. "Will you be staying at your old house?"

The D'Amencourt's had a vacation house near the city but as far as Francis knew, they haven't been back there in years.

"Here, at our home." Catherine answered, a mischievous tone in her voice. "I didn't want her to be alone at a big house like that, and besides, she's welcome here. Isn't she?"

The question was directed at Mary.

"Of course," It was Francis.

Xxx

"What the hell?" Mary's voice raised several octaves when the door to Francis' room closed. "What is she doing here?"

Francis didn't need to know who she meant.

"Like mother said, she's here for business."

"Oh for God's sake, Francis." She said exasperated. "We both know that your father wasn't the one who invited her here."

"Hey, calm down," He tried to soothe her. He took her in his arms in a tight hug.

It was a hug that made her recklessly crave for more. It made her feel different—he made her feel different. Like everything was more than a promise.

"Hey," Her voice was small, muffled in his chest. "Are we okay? You know, since she's back… Any change of plans?"

Her stomach dropped at the thought of Francis and Olivia. All of the memories so long ago rushed back to her. The pain in her chest that made her realize that even with a million words, everything is temporary.

When she looked up to his eyes, she felt silly thinking that he could ever feel anything for Olivia because all she could see in his eyes were love and passion for her and only her.

"We're okay," He reassured her; she could feel his heart beat in his chest. It resonated against her whole being. His voice was tender and true. "You are my forever,"

He leaned down and kissed her, softly and sweetly, over and over again. She loved the taste when they kiss but she still trembled at the thought of losing him.

"I love you," She breathed.

Loving Francis was complicated yet simple. Loving him was like giving a rainbow to a blind man and expecting him to tell you the colors. Give him everything but don't expect him to return it, but she still loved him because she'd rather have uncertainty with him than hope anywhere else.

Xxx

"I'm glad you decided to accept my offer," Catherine said to Olivia as the both sat in her room.

"I'm happy too," Olivia smiled.

"Now that you're back, maybe Francis can dismiss the foolish idea for marrying Mary from his mind," She mused.

Olivia didn't know why Catherine didn't want Francis to marry Mary but if that meant she could have him back, she would do anything Catherine wanted. But she was still curious.

"If you don't mind me asking," She began, "Why don't you want them to get married?"

Catherine rolled her eyes, "I detest Mary Stuart." She answered.

"I thought you hated me," After what happened between her and Francis, Catherine had voiced out her complete and utter anger towards Olivia and the events of that night.

"There are consequences to every action, my dear." Catherine acknowledged, however, she was never a person to explain herself to other people. "I'd rather have you than a Stuart in my family."

Olivia thought best not to question her farther and just nod.

Xxx

"I'll give you anything," Kenna gasped as Bash pushed her against a wall of his apartment in the city. Her eyes closed, and she inhaled roughly as he traced a hundred open-mouthed kisses on her neck.

Soon enough both were ripping each other's closed off and the sounds that she was making were enough for him to go overboard.

They had been seeing each other since Kenna arrived at France. They were no means a couple or dating but stolen moments where they only bathed in the bliss of passion and lust were what they both needed.

"Well, this isn't surprising." A voice said from the front door of the apartment.

Bash pushed away from Kenna and quickly grabbed his pants as he recognized the voice.

"Mother," He breathed out as Kenna covered herself before reaching over to her discarded clothing.

"Mother?" She asked – eyeing the woman in front of them. Her dark brown hair and eyes matched Bash's except, where her eyes were hazel; Bash's were a mixture of shades of blue and green. But they still held that look in them that Kenna instantly dismissed any doubts on who the woman in front of her was. "Diane de Poitiers?"

Diane raised an eyebrow at her, "You know who I am?"

Kenna nodded and before she could form any other thoughts, a sudden gush of wind made her remember her current state of clothing – or lack therefore.

She scrambled to pick up the rest of her clothes and quickly put them on.

"What are you doing here?" Bash hissed from Kenna's side with a frown on his face.

His mother pouted in a way that made him roll his eyes, "Can't a mother just visit her son?" She said.

"Mother, please."

"Please?" She repeated with mock surprise. "My son using that word is something I never thought I'd hear." She turned to Kenna, eyeing her, "You must be something special if you got him to say such words."

"Enough!" Bash growled.

"Who are you?" Diane asked, ignoring her son's threating tone.

"Kenna Fleming," She answered.

"What do you want?" Bash asked, his tone exasperated and exhausted.

A smile formed on Diane's lips, "I was going to tell you that I'm going on vacation in Blois."

"Why?" He asked, probably already knowing the answer.

"I'm just stressed, is all." She answered, a closed-lip smile on her face.

Translation: She was going shopping. Meaning, she and Henry had a fight. This meant, Catherine was involved.

"Is that all, mother?"

"Yes," She nodded, before her eyes wandering over to Kenna who still stood next to Bash. Dian observed her for a moment before smiling once again and giving her son a hug. "I'll go now and let you two return to what you were doing." She smirked, "Nice meeting you, Kenna."

Kenna smiled and nodded.

Before Bash could say anything else, Diane was already out the door.

Silence covered the air for a moment before Kenna let out a breathy fake laugh.

"I just met Dian de Poitiers." She said. "And she saw me in my underwear."

She heard Bash sigh and she turned to him, "Can we not talk about it?" He asked and the tired look on his face made Kenna nod and reach out to kiss him on his cheek.

"Of course,"

Xxx

"What are you doing here?" The familiar voice asked from behind. Olivia turned to see Francis standing by the door frame.

"What are you talking about?" She countered, innocently. "Catherine has explained –"

"The truth." He hissed.

Olivia strolled her way to Francis with a swing to her hips, a movement that was not unnoticed by Francis. He took a step backward when she got too close.

"Why? Afraid that you might do you something you'd regret?" She asked with a smirk. "I'm here because I wanted something for myself. I don't consider that a crime."

"Whatever it is, I want you to know that Mary and I are getting married," He stated firmly. No matter what Olivia or her mother was planning, he would be at Mary's side.

Olivia didn't look unfazed by the declaration.

"We used to have fun, when we were young," She reminded him with a smile that he hasn't seen in years. It was a smile that could melt any guy into a puddle.

That was before. Now, all that Francis wanted was to return to Mary.

Francis looked at her before turning to walk out the door, not saying a word.

A pain pulsed through Olivia's chest at the sight.

"Isn't it strange how you can become just a memory so quickly…" Her voice soft and small. "And then be forgotten faster?"

He stopped in his tracks and bit his tongue. She wasn't worth it. She wasn't Mary.

He turned to face her, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Welcome back, Olivia." He said, holding back any emotion. "I hope you enjoy yourself."

Olivia watched his lips move and she could feel the coldness emitting from him, but she dismissed the icy stare with a smile of confidence tinged with something quiet and uncertain. "I will."

Xxx

After the somewhat pointless conversation with Olivia, Francis decided to find his mother. What he found when he neared the door to her room were voice screaming at each other.

"Let's stop pretending for a minute that you can just wish me away," He recognized Mary's voice immediately. "I love Francis and he loves me! Nothing will change that."

The declaration made Francis' heart swell.

Francis heard his mother laugh. "Mary, my dear," He could hear the bitterness in her voice, "After a while you have to stop learning to love, and learn how to defend, because if you don't, you're never going to make it in this business – in this world."

Mary's edges were like clay – easy to mold and easy to break but there was a toughness in her like ivory; sturdy and solid.

"I am nothing like you, Catherine," She spat, "Francis and I will never be like you and Henry."

Catherine snorted, "Just wait in five years." She smirked.

"I know you don't like me," Mary said, "But won't you just let Francis be happy. With me." Her voice softened with her last words.

It was in that moment Francis decided to let his presence be known.

"Mother," He opened the door to the room.

The look on Catherine's face was nothing but shock but it was quickly covered by her disguising her emotions with a poker face. She has mastered the look for years now.

"Francis," She said, her voice wary.

"Mother, please stop terrorizing my fiancée." He addressed.

"I can't help but worry about you."

"I won't let you decide who I will marry," Francis declared. "Mary is my future."

Catherine was silent for a moment, seeming to take his words into mind. "Is the pull so strong?"

Her words were timid and her tone was still but her implementations were clear.

Before Francis could say anything, Mary spoke up.

"Enough!" Both turned to her, almost like they forgot she was in the room. "I am not just a piece in a board game. Don't talk about me like I'm not even in the room. I'm more than just a business trade!" Her eyes reflected her anger. She turned to stare at Catherine, "Don't forget I also have a say in this. My family may want this just as much as Henry but, I'm still the master of my own fate, I don't need anyone's approval."

She turned to look at Francis and her heart expanded. The look on his face was lucid. Anticipation and apprehension was plastered on his face.

Francis was like the sky above, wandering clouds calling out to the earth – beautiful –but for Mary, her thoughts were still laced with bitterness from the way he had spoken about her. He looked like he was haunted to her.

Without saying anything else, she stomped her way out of the room.

Xxx

Mary was like a thousand mirrors, reflecting everything Francis ever wanted in his life.

She sat on the love seat in his – their – room. Both of them had been sleeping together in his room ever since they returned from Scotland and he felt like the sun whenever he woke up with Mary in his arms.

Her face seemed troubled yet indifferent.

"I love you, " Her words were soft but there was a passion to them that made him want to just hear her speak. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of saying that, but I hope you know that I'm more than just a girl who was basically sold by her father for a business partnership. I will not be bullied into doing something that I don't want to do."

"No one's bullying you," He said immediately. He felt vile in his guts for making her feel that way.

"I just want an escape from it all," She breathed.

"Then we'll go away," He said, making his way to stand in front of her before kneeling. "Let's go to Santorini. We can even have the wedding there!"

A small and gentle smile appeared on Mary's face but the look of doubt was still visible, "What about your parents?"

"Who cares?" He smiled and pulled her into his arms. "It's our wedding; we can do whatever we want."

The look of hope and aspiration on his face was enough for Mary to feel the same. She nodded and hugged him tight.

While they were in the arms of one another, Mary couldn't help but feel how empty his words were. He was a million stories yet to be told.

And yet, she knew deep inside, this was how she feel in love, and this was how he rose like the center of the Solar System.


Ayie! Sparks!

We got some Bash and Kenna actions!

Not sure when I'll post the next chapter but hopefully it'll be soon.