Spain

With the news that Phillip was planning a war with Francis and Mary, Catherine shot out of her seat. "How do you know this? I am his queen, certainly I would know before Catherine de Medici."

"My mother has ways of figuring things out, do not ask me how she does it, but she can," Elisabeth said, the whole situations mad her feel sick to her stomach, "Apparently it is known widely throughout court, and the Spanish nobility. Everyone knows, but they have strict orders not to tell you and me. He knows how we would react to this news, and he does not want to upset us."

Catherine balled her fists in pure anger, but remembered that it was unhealthy for her child if she was stressed. She was about four months along now, and her marriage with Phillip seemed great, she was excited to be having his child. However now things were different, if he was going after her family, Catherine could not love him. " I will talk to him about this, I cannot let him get away with it!"

Elisabeth rushed over to Catherine and grabbed her hands, "Please no, anything that happens could have dire consequences. Carlos and I are visiting France very soon, and I am going to talk to my mother, please do not speak to Phillip." Elisabeth pleaded, not wanting the situation to get worse.

Catherine raised her eyebrow, sensing something else was bothering Elisabeth that was making her act this way." Elisabeth is there something else you are not telling me?"

Elisabeth looked down, almost in tears from the news she was keeping a secret. This news she didn't hear from her mother. One of Elisabeth's ladies, and dear friend she brought from French court, had become Phillip's mistress. This friend overheard something horrible that Elisabeth could barely come to terms with, but she knew she must tell Catherine." Phillip is going to try and get Carlos declared mentally unstable. That means he won't be a prince, and my marriage to him will be annulled, with my reputation ruined."

Catherine's eyes widened as she heard this horrible news. She knew that Carlos did have slight mental instability, but Elisabeth was always able to calm him down, and after conversations with Elisabeth, neither of them thought he was mentally insane. After speaking about Carlos with Elisabeth, they were both convinced that the claims of mental illness were blown way out of proportion and that he only had rare fits of anger that Elisabeth could soothe. Catherine also knew that Elisabeth loved him." This is a power play, he knows you are loyal to France and he wants to get rid of you," Catherine said and suddenly she felt nervous about her own position as queen.

Elisabeth loved Carlos, and it seemed like the more she was married to him, the more she fell for him. She knew to look past the fits of anger and look at the man. Gossip would always over exaggerate even the smallest of flaws."We have to do something. Phillip is hoping you have a son, or will eventually so he does not need Carlos anymore, its a gamble but he's willing to risk it."

Catherine hugged Elisabeth tightly," Take your husband to France, nothing can happen with him there. Do not come back without developing a plan wth your mother. I pray you a safe journey." Catherine said, but she knew what Elisabeth's mother would say. Phillip must die.

Scotland

It had been a little over a week since James proposed to Elizabeth, and the two had not seen much of each other since. She knew she could not be around him if she could not be with him. Without the only thing making Scotland enjoyable, Elizabeth mostly sat in her chambers in read, finding no real reason to get out anymore. She was very close to giving birth, so the physicians say. Unlike most women who were having a king's child, Elizabeth was hoping for a girl. She prayed Mary would take her offer of marrying her daughter to Mary's son.

As she was reading a servant came into her room and announced," You have a visitor."

Elizabeth looked at the servant with a confused expression before marking her place in her book and setting it on the table. "A visitor? Who is it?" She asked. Most people native to Scottish court would not need to be announced.

"Princess Mary," The servant replied and Elizabeth gained another confused look. She did not know a princess Mary, and certainly no princess would be here to visit her.

Suddenly Elizabeth heard a familiar voice say," Oh enough of this just let me in." She then saw her cousin, Mary Grey, enter the library and Elizabeth's heart stopped."Lady Elizabeth would you like to go for a walk with me?"

The walk between the two cousins was mostly silent, in fact Elizabeth had not spoken a word to Mary the entire time. However, Mary kept trying to break the ice with various comments or questions. Elizabeth did not know how to feel about her cousin. Mary betrayed her, lied to her, and tricked her. For some reason though, Elizabeth still was drawn to her. As much as she felt betrayed by Mary, she also remembered the kind things Mary said to her. Mary Grey was one of the only people who treated Elizabeth like a human, not a political chess piece. After another while of silence, Elizabeth finally asked," Princess Mary?"

At this question Mary's face lit up and she nodded," Charles and I finally got married in a small ceremony in France, we are here on our honeymoon, but I also wanted to see you, its been so long. How is your baby?"

Elizabeth smiled, feeling happy that Mary and Charles got to be together. She gently rested her hands on her stomach," Well as can be expected. The midwives say I have another month, but I feel like it will be sooner."

Mary smiled a she walked with Elizabeth, "That is good, hopefully the baby will be born while I am here. So tell me, how do you like Scotland? Are the people good to you? What about Queen Mary's brother James?" Mary added the 'Queen Mary' bit to remind Elizabeth where her loyalties were.

"I hate this bloody country, I now understand why Mary fought so hard for my country. This place is positively despicable, and the Queen's brother..." she paused, thinking of how she turned down James' proposal," Is just as bad as everything else."

Mary sensed Elizabeth's pause and she knew something was being kept secret from her. Perhaps James and Elizabeth were closer than Elizabeth would be willing to admit. Mary made it her mission to find out.

France

It was late at night in French court so no one was awake. Francis, Mary, and Catherine would sometimes meet at this hour to discuss things they felt the nobles would be no help in. Most noble families were only concerned with their own rise to power. As Mary and Francis sat in their thrones, Catherine paced in front of them." Francis, did you hear of Mary's plan to betroth my grandson to that bastard's daughter?"

"Yes mother, and I think it is best for England and Scotland if the two lines were united, ending the bloody feud forever," Francis replied to his mother, he and Mary had already spoke of this topic and agreed upon it.

"But what about France? What do you think the rest of Europe will think when we have to marry our son to a bastard's daughter in order to end a feud we have already solved? We will look weak, France will look weak," Catherine said as she kept pacing.

"Elizabeth's child is a legitimate child of Philip, by special declaration from the Vatican, if she has a daughter, she will be a princess, and would further our alliance to Spain," Mary replied as she watched Catherine, after all Henry was her son so she and Francis would decide, not Catherine.

"Philip wants to destroy our family!" Catherine yelled, her voice echoed down the halls," He will disown that child as soon as the marriage is announced, he won't want his legitimate child married to the future king of France. I am sure he regrets having Carlos marry Elisabeth. But lets pretend for some reason your plan works perfectly in our favor, what are your plans for my granddaughter. Of what nation will she be queen?"

Mary had considered this question greatly, but never discussed it with Francis. Honestly she did not want her daughter to leave, much less be a queen. In Mary's eyes that was a life sentence to unhappiness. "I was thinking she could marry a French noble."

Catherine stopped pacing and just stared at Mary," You must be joking, you are smarter than this. Or I thought you were at least. Adelaide must be a queen, there is no way around it," Catherine took a deep breath," we must stop talking of this now, before the stupidity kills me. Any other news?"

"Your daughter Elisabeth and her husband are coming to visit," Mary replied, she had received a letter with that news just that morning and she knew Francis would be happy." Also, my cousin Mary should be landing in Scotland soon, finally I will have someone to spy on Elizabeth that I can actually trust." Lately Mary had felt that her brother James was not taking the situation seriously, so she sent Mary there as a spy.

"Good, that Mary is a smart girl, nice to know I have one daughter in law that matches me in wit," Catherine said with a sly smile," Now, I must be off to bed."