"When Francis returned from Paris, you were at his side." Mary said slowly, her face falling more and more, deeper with every word. Lola sniffled on the makeshift bed, tears steadily streaming down her face. She said nothing, her face pale.
She didn't need to say anything.
"Is that my husbands' child?" Mary demanded, her voice not angry, but devastated.
"Yes." Lola barely managed, breaking off into sobs, burying her face into her hands, tears streaming down onto the covers.
A similar sob threatened to choke the Lady as she stared into the mirror. What was she? Was she doomed to be the mother of the Kings' bastard all her life? Would she be married off to keep her silence on the subject, even though more and more courtiers figured out their secret by day? Within the month, word would spread to the Flemming's back home, then who would she be? They would disown her, her name was going to be more notorious than ever. They would have no choice, never wanting to disobey or anger their Queen. Where would that leave her? One mistake, one night, could -would- ruin her life. A disowned, penniless widow, forced to rely on Francis for the rest of her life?
Would people see her as his mistress?
Would Mary see her as his mistress?
There were no two ways around it. The now Empress terrified her now more than ever. Would she marry her off to some arrogant, young lord? Would she cast her aside to starve on the streets? Or, would she simply kill her? After all, sleeping with Francis and producing his bastard was high treason, one that was so obvious and so justified.
The look in her eye when their gases met, however, the look told her she was to experience something far worse than death, even more than being married off to somebody who she couldn't stand the sight of. Nostradamus may have been a seer, but Lola's fate was clear.
The Mary from years ago would do no such thing, but she had changed so much Lola didn't know what to expect. Mary held everything now. More power, a strong, male heir and five countries to do with as she will. Plus, those eyes, that imperious gaze that left nothing to the imagination.
So different.
So, so different.
"How could you?!" Mary cried. "You knew I loved him! You knew I didn't let him go because of feeling, emotions! You know about the prophecy!"
"It was a mistake! You were engaged to Bash!"
"And that makes it okay for you to sleep with the man I love and get pregnant?! No, it does not! How could you do this to me?!" she screamed. Lola was thankful they weren't at court, just in a simple snow covered woodland area whilst Bash went to check if the cost was clear in the blood wood.
"I didn't mean to hurt you! I had lost so much, and Francis was there. I-I tried to tell him it wasn't right, but he convinced me it was, that you weren't part of his life anymore and-"
"Don't you dare try and justify it!" Mary yelled. "Do you have any idea what this means?! You're having my husbands' bastard child! Before I conceived his heir! Do you know what that sounds like?!" she cried.
"We are not them!" Lola cried. "I am not Diane, you are not Catherine! Francis is not his father! I didn't mean to hurt you! It just happened!"
"Things like this!-" she cut herself off, pointing at Lola's abdomen. "do not just happen! It was a choice! You made the choice to sleep with him! You made the choice to get pregnant!"
"I didn't mean to get pregnant! It was just one time! One night!" Lola sobbed. "One night and nobody would have known!"
"Is that supposed to make it better?! That it was just once, that it only took once to get pregnant with his bastard?!" Mary yelled. "Oh, you didn't mean to hurt me, you didn't mean to get pregnant! Oh, that makes it all okay. I'll just forgive and forget that you betrayed me because you didn't mean to!" she screamed.
"Please, Mary, please understand that-"
"Understand? Understand?!" she shrieked. "How dare you ask empathy of me! I treated you like a sister, I tried to help your lover who tried to rape me! I accepted your verbal tirade against me the first night at court and I have helped you every step of the way, and you do this?! You ask empathy of me?!"
"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" Lola sobbed.
"Like that makes it okay!" Mary laughed, hands trembling having nothing to do with the snow and the coldness.
She swallowed. Mary did. They had lined up suitor after suitor, but it had been proved fruitless.
"Lola!" Mary hissed. "You cannot push men away like this, time is ticking! I cannot protect you and your secret for much longer. I will not," she glared.
"Please, just one more. One more try, and I promise that I'll marry him, and nobody will know that the child I carry is not his. Please. One more suitor, Mary. I beg of you."
Reluctant, slow footsteps. The woman in green slowly nodded to the tall, blonde woman in white, the woman who was so obviously Mary's pager.
"Can I speak to her Imperial Majesty? The Earl of Moray sent word that she wished to speak with me." Lola said, voice so quiet. The tall blonde gave her a long look, before giving her a once over, before nodding once.
"Wait here, my lady." she said, voice not kind nor unkind, but Lola could clearly make out the teetering venom in the woman's voice.
"Your Imperial Majesty," the blonde said, opening the door after four knocks.
"What is it?" even Mary's voice sounded different. More pronounced, more regal and far more superior than the last time she'd heard it, all those years ago.
"The Lady Lola, your Imperial Majesty. She wishes to speak with you."
A long pause.
"I suppose the day of judgement has come," she humorlessly chuckled. "Let the Lady in," Mary said, but Lola could hear the distain clear. She gulped audibly, biting her lip as the blonde permitted her entry.
Once inside, Lola jumped as the door closed loudly. Slowly turning to face Mary, Lola inhaled deeply at the vision of grace in front of her.
Mary stood with her back to her, her figure illuminated by the sun present in the large, open window of the balcony. Her cream and golden ball gown brushed backwards with the wind, Lola could see her hair brush gently back against her bare shoulders, a tall crown on her head.
A silent reminded of who was actually in control here. Of who literally wore the crown. Of who would always be in control.
Mary said nothing for many minutes, just looked over at the French countryside as it showed itself to it's Queen in all it's late Spring golden glory.
"Why have you come?" Mary asked, her tone not kind nor unkind.
"You asked for me, your Majesty?" Lola said quietly.
"I did no such thing. My bastard brother requests that you speak with me,"
"I will go if it pleases you, Majesty." Lola almost whimpered at the sound of her soft chuckle. Mary had almost always produced melodic laughs, but this was different. A regal, cold, humourless laugh that almost mocked her very existence.
"No. I wish for you to stay. I suppose today is the day for judgement, is it not? For all of us?" again, that chuckle.
"If you wish it to be, my Qu-"
"Empress." Mary interrupted sharply, not entirely turning her face to look at her. "I am an Empress. I am still an Empress." this tone was sharp and piercing, but it held undertones of the fear even Mary felt. This day could not only bring Lola's head from her shoulders, but Mary's also. However, the fear couldn't be detected by the sinned woman. But, she could distinguish the fact that she tried to convince both her and herself that she still held an Empire at her fingertips. As if the title could save her from her husbands' mistakes.
"Of course. Forgive me, your Imperial Majesty. You are and always will be an Empress." Lola replied.
"How long have you been gone for?" Mary asked. "Do you know?" she finished.
"Two years, my Empress." Lola said, ever so quietly. "I have been gone for two years."
"Two years, three months, one week and four days." Mary corrected. "Eight hundred and thirty two days, you have been gone. For eight hundred and thirty eight days, you have been playing house with my husband and your bastard son. Why?"
"Why, your Imperial Majesty?"
"Why? Why did you do it, Lola?" Mary asked quietly. "Give me an honest answer. I deserve that." she said, the anger, venom and superiority now gone. It seemed like the old Mary, but Lola had been at court again long enough to know that the Queen Regent of France was like a viper. She could strike and lash out at any time. The bruises on Kenna, Greer and any servants who stepped out of line proved it.
"I left with him because my son and I had nowhere else to go. The house I was residing in with my husband burned down, my husband dead with it. And,-"
"Do not lie to me. I know about the fiasco. You married a man who wasn't who he said he was." Mary replied, now in monotone. Somehow, that frightened Lola more than if she had drawn a blade to her. Not what she said, how she said it. "The actual Lord is dead, Remy roaming the lands. He was captured and confessed to everything. He now lives in Wales with his actual wife." Mary finished. She heard Lola breathe in deeply. "Now, you have one final chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." she hissed.
"I had found out about my husbands' betrayal and we pretended he'd died to stop the real lord Julian's family finding out about Remy's betrayal. And, I tried to return to court, like I know I should have, but I went into labour and-" she trialled off.
"And?"
"and the woman I was with told me that I was do die. That I wasn't going to survive, nor the baby. I know if we had both died, it would have been simpler, better, for all of us." Lola trailed off.
"Yes, it would have been." she answered, a little slowly. "I and many others will forever wonder what life would be like if you were dead. Actually, truly, dead." she finished.
Lola silenced, looking down at the flooring, her hands knotted together.
"Tell me, Lady Lola, tell my why you ran away with my husband for over two years." Mary said, stoically. She still hadn't turned around, choosing to stare out into the French countryside as it danced in the wind in a routine all of it's own making, her Queen Regent observing every minuscule movement.
"I swear to you, your Imperial Majesty, I had no intention of doing that. I sent word to you the day after Henry's death in a last ditch effort to save the life of my son. He is innocent, I pray that you acknowledge that. I left with Francis after he came for us, simply due to the fact one of the present boys we were with showed signs of the illness. Neither of us wished to expose him to the illness, so we ran. We ran so far from the plague that we couldn't return. It only took so long because Francis had to find employment and a roof over our heads before we could earn our share back again. And, now, here we are." Lola finished, her voice not quite as strong as she would have liked. It wavered in the presence of this ominous, intimidating siren that could quite easily take her life from her.
"He made the wrong choice that day, I hope you know that." Mary's voice was calm, bordering on emotionless. The words stung worse than Lola thought they would, but even she couldn't deny the truth underlying in those dozen words. In reflection, knowing all the harm and controversy one choice -two choices- made, Francis coming to the rescue like some foolish, Romanic martyr was the worst decision he could have made. It had -and still could- cost him everything.
"Many others feel the same way, I am sure." she said softly.
Then, Mary turned to face her. Wordlessly, she maneuvered herself from the balcony and stared at the woman who had betrayed her in the worst possible way.
"Tell me, those months, did you sleep with him?" she asked, anger cleverly disguised as a tone that Lola couldn't quite distinguish. "You've been gone for years, any trust I once held for the two of you long dead. It wouldn't surprise me." Mary shrugged a shoulder a little.
"No, no!" Lola almost cried. "The only time Francis and I were intimate was that night in Paris! I didn't do it again, I couldn't!" she spoke louder than intended, but her words held little comfort to her Empress. They didn't seem to have any positive effect at all. Lola was certain Mary didn't believe her. But, why would she?
"One part of me aches to believe you, but the other can see through your lie as one can see through a veil." Mary chuckled, a cold, humourless chuckle. "You may not have shared his body in those two years, but the man has a hard time understanding the words fidelity and monogamy. If you didn't sleep with him. Who did?"
"Maybe a few women on a few drunken nights, but he is devoted to you." Lola tried to explain.
"If he spent money on alcohol that should have been used to make him be a king again, he couldn't have wanted to come back to me again." Mary laughed. "Even if you didn't to it, you cannot tell me that there is no deeper connection between you, no mutual understanding or agreement?" Mary asked.
"I will admit, he and I share a mutual understanding as parents, but-" Lola cut herself off as Mary scoffed, starting to pace the royal chambers. "I swear to you, nothing more. If I could take back that night, I would! My son would be Julian's, this wouldn't have happened and you would be happy!"
"Happy? Please," Mary chuckled. "Happiness is the one thing that Queen's, Empress's, can never have. As a woman who's actions have changed the courses of nations, you should know that!" Mary replied.
A few moments of silence passed.
"That night, like it or not, you changed the course of an empire. By choosing to whore yourself out for a few moments of relief, you destroyed so many and so much!" she finally yelled. "You betrayed me! You betrayed me, you whore! What on earth were you thinking!" she yelled. "That's not even the worst of it! You got pregnant with my husband's bastard! You and he will know nothing but lives of scorn and neglect because of one night of foolishness and pathetic intimacy!" Mary yelled. "You had a choice! A choice to respect me and yourself! But no, you took advantage of his pain and weakness and whored yourself out for a few moments of relief!" she yelled. Mary noticed tears slipping down Lola's face, it gave her savage pleasure to watch it. "Was it forth it? Those few moments of repulsive ecstacy, was it worth it?! The moment your bastard calls Francis his father, the world will know and you will be imprisoned in a cage of your own making!" Mary finally screamed. "You will be labelled his whore, which honestly isn't too far off the mark, you will know nothing but scorn and neglect and you deserve it! Imagine my humiliation to know that my husband slept with my friend, my lady, and got her pregnant! If I hadn't had James I would have been the laughing stock of Europe! Because of you! Because of your betrayal!" she screamed.
The Empress paced a few times, before swiping a glass vase off one of the mantle piece, watching as it collapsed in smithies.
"Treasonous whore!" Mary suddenly screamed. "You think that night was just friendship betrayal?! It is treason! I could have your head for this! Trust me, it is tempting!" Mary yelled. "You think because he and I weren't together at the time, it makes it okay?! No, it does not! You foolish harlot, you coukd have ruined everything! If I hadn't had a son, you could have cost me my life! I could have been executed! Do you not undersand that?! You could have ruined me!" Mary screamed. "How could you?! I trusted you! I trusted you both! And you do that to me?! Why? Why?!" Mary screamed. "I gave everything to you! I tried to save your lover who tried to assault me! I protected you! I kept your secret from my husband! I tried to find you a match to give you a chance at life! You threw all that away, Lola! My love, my trust, your future, all for a night of pitiful, repulsive and sickening few moments of empty ecstacy!" Mary yelled. "You've betrayed me time and time again! With Collen, with Francis, with Bash! What is wrong with you, harlot?! Is it that hard to be loyal? No, you don't understand that word, always so quick to point out faults in others but cannot admit own sins! Always so sweet and innocent, oh poor little Lola! And every single time, you betray my love and my trust! Time and again! When everybody wanted you dead, it was my who kept you alive! When you had nothing, I gave you everything! Is this how you repay my love?! 'oh Francis, I want to'" Mary mocked, tears of velvet anger in her eyes. "'Mary is no longer a part of my life'" she mocked again. "What about now?! Huh?! Do you want him now? Am I part of your life now? Of course I am, you've destroyed mine! You ran away with him for over two years, making everybody believe he was dead! Because of the two of you, my son doesn't know his own father! I remarried thinking my husband was dead, but he was playing happy families with my former friend! I remarried to save my country! Because of your foolishness, your weakness, your sentimentality, I could be executed! How dare you do this to me! My son! I should take your head and make you suffer like you made me!" Mary screamed, pacing around like a madwoman.
All this time, Lola had been sobbing into her own hands. But, Mary finally came towards her and ripped her hands away from her reddening face
"I am humiliated in my own home, and you stand by and say nothing," Mary spat. Lola gulped. "I face what could be my downfall brought about by you and you stand by and say nothing!"
"I'm so sorry." was all she said, sobbing and choking the words out. Mary laughed.
"Sorry? You're sorry?" she mocked. "Will sorry allow me to keep my head? Will sorry stop my country from turning on me? Will sorry stop John Knox from destroying me? But you're sorry. That makes it all okay," she laughed. Lola winced as if she'd hit her.
"I know our situation is painful," she started. "but if I could go back and change that night, I would. But, I can't. All I can do is apologize." Lola cried.
"Why didn't you leave? We both know that's what you wanted." she said coldly.
"I tried to go to the Netherlands with my son, Francis' cousin was going to take us both. But, Francis couldn't." Lola choked.
"So now, I get to experience the pain and anguish. That's such a noble gesture." she mocked. "Of all the people you could have had comfort from that night, did it have to be Francis? Did he have to sleep with you?" she spat. "Did you have to jeopardize my throne? My life? My son's life? For a moment of comfort and a bastard child?" she spat. "I hope that child makes you happy. I hope your happy with your position as his mistress, now. Because if I cannot undo your mistakes, I will loose my throne and my head."
"Mary, I-" she stopped when Mary narrowed her eyes at her. Lola gulped audibly. It was like the was seeing an incarnation of Catherine. "Your majesty, if i could soften the blow and make this situation any less painful and stressful for you, please tell me how to do so. If not, i will gladly stay out of your way," she curtseyed, before trying to say more, but she was cut off.
"Words cannot describe how much I wish you dead right now, and I could even bring it by my own hand! It is so, so tempting. But you, you treasonous whore, you will know that there are some fates far worse than death."