disclaimer: I don't own Reign or Akatsuki no Yona

Queen Mary is sitting at a pond, collecting some stones with her dog sitting beside her. She just arrived back at the French court this day, after having spent the last years with nuns to escape the grabs of England, who wants her dead.

Her dog suddenly starts to bark and runs towards the woods surrounding the castle grounds and she chases after it.

"Queen Mary, you shouldn't be out here alone. The woods can be dangerous." Bash, illegitimate son of the king of France warns her, stopping her before she can enter the woods.

"But my dog..." Mary says worried.

"I will see to it that he's returned to you. In fact, I will go look for it right now. Hak would you be so kind bringing the Queen back to the castle." Bash says, motioning at Mary and then the castle.

The large man beside Bash nods, ushering Mary towards the castle respectfully.

"Hak is your name? How do you come to be at the French court?" Mary asks him, accepting his offer to go with her.

"He won't answer. He can speak some English, but not very much I'm afraid." Bash tells the Queen before entering the woods.

"Where are you from?" She asks the tall man, who has short spiky black hair and wears a blue long dress-like coat, closed by a black sash around his waist. Under the coat, which only extends to the middle of his arms be wears a long sleeved dark blue shirt.

"China." He replies.

"Oh, you must've traveled a long way then, I guess we are similar in that regard." Mary says.

"Sorry, I must be making you uncomfortable, talking so much when you have trouble understanding the language." Mary says a little embarrassed.

"No. You have a nice voice." He replies, taking his horses reins and pulls it along with him walking next to Mary.

"That is a unique looking weapon, where did you get that?" Mary asks, pointing at the differently styled glaive secured at a pouch on the horse's saddle.

"Prince Francis made this blade after my old one broke." Hak informs her.

"How did you end up here?" She asks, having the feeling he at least understands most of what she says.

"Met Bash and became friend." Hak tells her, before they arrive at the castle, where he bows respectfully and brings the horse to the barn.


"So, Bash just happened upon you? He has a terrible reputation with women. I'd be careful." Aylee advises, entering Mary's chambers as one of her ladies in waiting.

"Maybe it runs in the family." Mary replies upset.

"Did something happen with Francis?" Aylee questions.

"No. Really. It's nothing and we need to get ready for the wedding." Mary tells her.

"I'll tell the servants you're ready for them." Aylee says, leaving the Queen of Scotland alone. Mary goes to her dresser and sees the stones she found at the pond but dropped lying on it.

Hearing a creaking in her room she follows it and finds an old escape tunnel behind a hidden wall.


After the wedding ceremony Mary and her four ladies in waiting are all secretly watching the couple consummate the marriage for a bit, before they leave, splitting up to not get caught.

After splitting off from her friends Kenna, turned on by seeing the newlywed couple have sex enters a staircase she assumes to be empty and reaches underneath her dress, pleasuring herself, unaware of the King of France catching her and he embraces her from behind, asking "may I?" When she turns to him, recognizing him.

He then reaches underneath her dress and pleasures her with his hands, Kenna kissing him because she's aroused by the act.

The King pleasures Kenna for a few minutes before heading back to his throne room, walking past Hak, who bows to him as he passes him while Kenna is still leaning against a wall on the stairs, excited by the Kings actions and what new feelings he gave her.

Hak enters the staircase from an outside exit, wet with sweat, having his glaive resting on his shoulder, while walking up the stairs, the cold air not bothering him against his shirtless form.

Kenna hears heavy footsteps approach and asks "back for more already?" The excitement evident in her voice.

She then sees the person arriving however and quickly pulls her hand out from under her skirt embarrassed.

Hak looks at her, with her unable to read him, but worries he might spread rumors about her.

"You should be careful around the King. He's a powerful, but not an honorable man." Hak advises, continuing on his way to his room further up the stairs.

In the meantime, back at the ballroom Mary finds Francis and tries to get on common ground with him after their previous fight, when she surprised him at his chambers unannounced.

Francis informs her however that he's having doubts about the marriage, because France isn't that strong right now and might need allies, stronger ones than the weakened Scotland. He tells her that he has to think of his people above all else and Mary says she'll do the same, before retiring to her room upset.


Hours later, late in the night Mary awakes in shock when Colin, one of her ladies' beloved is kneeling above her, fumbling with his pants and apologizing.

"Ahh! Guards!" Mary manages to scream out before he can cover her mouth with his hand, shocked to see her awake, since he offered her a poisoned wine earlier that day which was supposed to leave her asleep for hours.

Hak and two guards enter and the tall Chinese warrior pulls the man off the Queen, throwing him against the floor harshly.

"Shall I end his life?" Hak asks, his glaive at the young man's throat, while he looks at Mary.

"Arrest him." Mary says in shock, knowing that someone must have made him assault her.

"As you wish your majesty." Hak says, releasing his foot from Colin's chest and takes away his glaive, letting the two guards drag the man away.

"Are you hurt?" Hak asks.

"No, I don't think so." Mary answers shook up.

"Do you want me to send for somebody?" Hak asks.

"No, thank you. I will deal with this in the morning." Mary tells him.

"Very well. I will wait outside your door until the guards return." Hak tells her, bowing.

"Wait. For someone Bash claims to have trouble understanding our language you speak it very well." Mary says.

"Do you know the best way to get information?" He asks her.

"What?" She asks confused why he's asking such a question right now.

"You let everyone else think you're unable to understand it." Hak tells her with a smirk and closes the door behind him as he leaves.


The next morning Mary is meeting with her ladies.

"Tell me what happened." Mary says, looking at Lola.

"I've spoken to him. I bribed a guard to let me see him. He said he was forced to do it. He wouldn't say by whom though. He only said powerful people gave him no choice." Lola explains.

"What people?" Kenna asks.

"Someone in the castle. He wouldn't say more. He was so afraid." Lola says.

"Do you believe him Mary?" Aylee asks.

"He looked so surprised to see me fight back and call for the guards."

Mary says.

"How's that possible? He attacked you." Kenna replies.

"The wine. I was told not to drink the wine." Mary says in realization, recalling a girl warning her not to drink wine at the wedding from the hidden passage in her room.

"I believe you. I believe Colin." Mary then tells Lola.

"Please help him." Lola says.

A few minutes later Mary is standing in front of the King and Queen of France.

"I thank you for your protection last night. I would like to speak to Colin." She tells them.

"Speak to your assailant?" The Queen asks in reply.

"He is the beloved of a dear friend of mine and I want to know why he attacked me. I am his Queen and demand to speak with him." Mary informs the rulers.

"Witnesses have come forward. The boy was part of an English plot to break the alliance between France and Scotland. You are aware that had he succeeded and sullied your purity the engagement between you and my son would be shattered." King Henry tells her.

"This was not an act of passion. It was treason." The Queen adds.

"It's all settled now. The boy was beheaded for his crime two hours ago." The King says.

Mary returns to her ladies with the sad news.

"There was nothing I could do. I was too late." Mary apologizes to Lola.

"Colin wasn't a traitor. He wasn't a rapist." Lola defends him, tears swelling in her eyes.

"They say he's involved in an English plot. I don't know who to trust. I'm so sorry Lola." Mary says.

"You are the reason he's dead. Anyone who's close to you lives in constant danger and is disposable." Lola tells her queen.

"You're not. I need you. You're my friends. I will protect you." Mary tells them.

"You can't even protect yourself." Lola replies.

"I will do better. I promise." Mary says, but is only met with silent and a sobbing Lola. She leaves her ladies and walks into the hallways, hearing two voices and the clattering of paws climbing up the stairs.

"I told you he'd be there." Bash tells Hak, the two walking up the stairs, Mary's dog in between them on a leash in Bash's hand.

"Stirling. You found him." Mary says relieved, hugging her dog, crying.

"I'm sorry. It's just been hard." Mary says.

"I know. But you are not alone here." Bash says.

"I mean, I want you to be well your grace." He adds, bowing respectfully upon seeing his mother wait for him around the corner and leaves.

"Thank you Sebastian." Mary replies as he walks away.

"Do you want some help?" Hak asks, motioning to the dog.

"Yes, sure. That'd be very kind of you." Mary thanks him and the two walk down the stairs, with Hak taking the leash.

"I'm wondering, why did you tell me your secret yesterday?" Mary asks.

"You asked and I thought you'd be more at ease knowing I'd understand if you called out for help." He replies.

"You are very forthcoming. Why were you at my chambers yesterday I'm wondering though." Mary says.

"Force of habit. I used to be guard for my King and Princess. And Bash is my only friend here so I'm doing my best to keep him save. His chambers simply are near yours." Hak answers.

"What happened that you aren't the royal guard anymore?" Mary asks curiously.

"I grew fond of the Princess and my grandfather asked me to leave and see the world, before I spend my entire life chasing after something impossible." Hak answers.

"Did she reciprocate your feelings? The Princess." Mary asks.

"No. To her I was a childhood friend and protector, nothing more." Hak answers.