Replies to reviews:

elder441 [chapter 22]: Thanks! Enjoy the next chapter!

Guest (1) [chapter 22]: Catherine always comes back with a bang! Here's the next chapter.

Guest (2) [chapter 22]: I definitely need to feature a chapter with Mary and her 'Flying Squad', we'll have the girls back together soon!

Mary sighed heavily, placing the book she was reading on her lap. She could barely leave her bedchamber let alone her bed. Hers because she had to kick Francis out due to him not being able to sleep properly because of her vomiting every other hour.

She tried some drinks after drinks, tonic after tonic - nothing helped.

Mary missed Francis. She had hoped they could do more than what they did on the journey here. She knew her friend was enjoying the book for sure, Kenna coyly admitting everything she did because of that book.

She prayed that God would give her a break and let her enjoy the rest of her time here. She was a queen, not an ailing person.

The door opened and Francis stepped through. "How are you doing?"

"Not so well," she replied, giving him a sad smile. "Come, join me."

"I have plans," he told her, opening the other door so that servants could bring items inside. "Remember when we were little and had that puppet show presented to us? About the little princess and the little king?"

"Reversed roles," Mary teased, nodding. "I do."

"Well, I have managed to employ some actors to show us that very story."

Mary frowned. "But the original actors would be in their old age-"

"Their children, Mary," her husband happily said. "They stuck to their ancestors' trade and became actors themselves. They're downstairs."

"Francis, that is so sweet," Mary said, smiling brightly. "Thank you."

Francis waved her off and gestured for a handmaiden to come. "Get the queen dressed." He then walked over to a guard. "The thrones downstairs, bring them up."

Mary watched as her husband ordered people around, his blue eyes bright and happy as she could see the excitement in them. He looked like a boy again and she felt like a girl, getting up from the bed to follow the handmaiden behind the screen.

"Hurry, Mary!" Her husband's voice came out. "They're nearly done with the tour."

...

"...We can be just a girl and just a boy. Forget our titles!"

"...But I can't. I am a king and one day I will be married to another - I am promised to an-"

The female actress pressed her lips against the male actor's lips, both of them settling into a soft sigh. Soft and happy.

It made Mary's eyes tear up and she blamed her pregnancy, reaching over to grab Francis's hand and squeeze it tightly.

"Very well, we will be just a girl and just a boy. Tomorrow, we go back to as we were and I will wave you 'goodbye'."

Mary gasped softly. She remembered the last time she and Francis saw each other before she was sent back to Scotland and to a convent. Before her life was made simple with simple food and simple people all around her. No delicate, expensive dresses or jewellery present.

It felt like a lifetime ago, the earrings weighing heavy on her ears and her dress suddenly feeling too tight. She never remembered this story being sadder than it was when she was a child.

Of course, they'd found each other and got married, having many little princes and princesses, but this version seemed hellbent on keeping the princess and king apart.

She was the princess of a small country and he was the boy king of a bigger country and kingdom, there was no hope for them.

Unless...

"What do you mean, Marie? Your father conquered the neighbouring countries?"

"Yes, Fran!"

"Dear God, perhaps I can make things work and talk to my advisors. You are almost as big as me!"

"My love, nothing can keep us apart. Not even the sea or our parents, dead and gone. When my father passes in the next few days, I will be queen and I will make you my husband for life."

Mary silently begged for the couple to get together.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to be and before she was crowned queen, Marie died and her younger sister, only six years of age became queen. The poor girl queen was quickly betrothed to another king and Fran refused to marry, declaring his brother as his heir. He was betrayed by his cousins and their family became the ruling family.

All of this made Mary cry and she loved the spin the new actors made on this story, her childhood favourite.

"Your Majesty - we are so sorry, we did not mean to make you cry," the male actor said as Francis handed his wife a handkerchief.

"No," Mary said, sniffling. "It was beautiful. Excuse me, I just was surprised."

The female actress laughed nervously. "It is the first time we've made it our own. We are in modern ages, Your Majesties."

"Of course," Francis replied. "Wonderful. In fact, why don't you both join us for dinner? We must reward you more than coin for your wonderful effort."

"Yes," Mary said in agreement. "We must."

Over dinner, the performing couple acted casually for Kenna and Bash, Kenna gasping at every twist and turn, her husband taking it all in over his wine. Mary even began mouthing the words, now learnt off by heart as some were instilled into her brain since she was a girl.

"Do you have plays that end happily?" Kenna asked teasingly when the performance was done.

Joy, the woman replied, "Well, what is your story? I see that you and your husband have not taken your hands off each other's knees for the past two hours."

Kenna chuckled, sipping her wine. "Well, surely you have heard our story. It was the talk of the French Court for years."

"We do not take to idle gossip," Xavier replied, eyeing her curiously. "May I guess freely, under Their Majesties' presence?"

"You may," Francis told him, smirking. "You'll never guess it."

Bash remained silent, the obvious sign of his embarrassment from the tips of his ears, stained pink. His face was calm and collected, his eyes almost daring as to let them say one word out of place.

Joy studied them. "It was a marriage alliance, as usual, and you both hated each other from your childhood. That obviously turned into sexual aggression and you couldn't help but fall in love after all."

Kenna giggled, clapping her hands. "You are wrong, but that does sound very exciting!"

"Kenna, darling," Bash said softly. "Why are we humouring this?"

"It's fun," Mary replied. "They know our story." She gestured to her and Francis. "What is wrong with them knowing yours?"

Bash sighed. "Well, go ahead then."

Xavier took a long sip of his wine before saying, "Not an alliance, but forced. I do not even need to continue, it's in your eyes. It's also a painful memory."

"Yes," Kenna said quietly, sipping her wine and planting a smile on her face. "I can read people and, well you can too."

"Then, let's leave it at-"

"A king forced his illegitimate son and his mistress to wed, years later they are a happy and loving couple with children," Joy quickly said. "You are right, I do listen to gossip."

Mary cleared her throat, the awkwardness lifting as she talked about England.

"Do you have any plays in England?"

"We do, for the Queen of England," Xavier said. "Can we just say that you and King Francis make for better audiences. She ignored our masterpieces every event she hired us for. Some people just do not understand art."

"Being an actor must pay well," Francis said. "For showing us such a wonderful performance, we'd like you to perform for our children. Just as your mother," he looked at Joy. "And your father..." He turned to Xavier. "Did for us."

Mary turned to her husband and gave him a wide smile. It must have been a childhood dream, to have her children blessed with the things she experienced when she was their age.

She was glad she had a happy ending.