Hey guys. My first fanfic in a while. I hope you will enjoy it! :)

Disclaimer: None of the characters from Reign is owned by me. Some of the dialogue in the two first chapters are taken from the show, because it's just great writing, none of which I can take credit for. The story is following the TV show from 2x05.

Chapter 1: The Butterfly

Lola found herself staring at him. The talk they had had the night before, was appearing in her mind. She had found him with his late wife's body. At first, she didn't feel comfortable talking to him, but as he kept talking about his earlier wives and his marriage to them, she felt him opening up to her. She knew he could be lying, but he had seemed so honest, so genuinely sad for the wives he had married, but never loved. Lord Narcisse suddenly met her gaze, and she quickly looked away. She spotted Kenna, and ushered her to come talk with her.

"Have you found out who the mystery lover with the butterfly mark is yet?" She asked Kenna as soon she was in hearing range, and no others could hear what she was saying.

"Not yet, but I'm working on it," she said while sipping on her goblet with wine. The sex journal had been circling the French court for some time, and Kenna had found it. The descriptions in it was like nothing Lola had ever seen before. She was quite taken aback by it, but Kenna enjoyed it so much it nearly made her laugh. One description in particular made both their curiosities spark. A man with a butterfly shaped birth mark on his right wrist. He was described numerous times in the book to be a great lover.

"How is it going with you and Bash?"

"Oh, great. But it's not him. I checked." Lola laughed by Kenna's persistence in having the man found. "Besides some of the things described in that book has never happened in our bedroom." Lola looked over at her friend and felt an uneasiness.

"Is something the matter?"

"No, but he's away all the time. On the king's business," she said rolling her eyes. "I barely see him."

"I see. The tension between the protestants and the Catholics is worse than ever. I'm sure he will be more available to you when things get more settled."

"If they ever be," Kenna said.

The court had really outdone itself this time. The great hall was overflowing with people, food and wine, while the tension between Catholics and protestants where rising, the lords and ladies of the court didn't seem to be affected at all. Lola didn't like it, and if she could be leaving without being noticed, she would have done so, but that wasn't possible. She found Lord Aris making his way through the crowd towards her. Lola shifted her stance, and rolled her eyes inwardly. "Oh, good luck," Kenna mumbled just as he reached them, and slipped away into the crowd.

"Lady Lola, I'm pleased to see you here tonight."

"I'm glad to see you too, Lord Aris," Lola said and smiled. Lord Aris was unmistakably handsome. Tall, lean and with just the right amount of stubble to his chin. They exchanged pleasantries, but Lola found his company utterly dull. Yes, he was handsome, but there was something in his manner that had her disinterested right away. It didn't matter if the subject of which they spoke if was interesting or not, she would talk to anyone but him. On the other side he was a catholic noble, and could possibly be a good match for her. She listened to him with respect and tried her utmost to participate in the conversation with the energy and flirting that it deserved.

"Lady Lola! I've been meaning to congratulate you. A magnificent christening of your son, Baron John Phillip. The King was beaming, so proud of his son." Lola stared at Lord Narcisse, who had just plunged right into the conversation. How dared he-

"Oh, I didn't realise. You are the mother of the new baron?" Lord Aris said with a frown.

"That's me, yes. One and the same." Lola shot Narcisse a deadly look. His eyes sparked with amusement.

"Let me offer my congratulations as well. I must apologize. It slipped my memory, but I'm leaving at first light. I should retire." He made a quick bow, and left quickly.

"What was that piece of theatre?" Lola said fuming. "You deliberately drove him away."

"I deliberately saved you time and energy. The fact that you are the mother of the king's son, didn't please him. He and other men would be afraid to get close to you because they see you as the king's property."

"I am no one's property," Lola said immediately.

"Oh, I don't see it like that. But unlike most men, I'm not afraid of the king. In fact," He said while leaning forward just a little. "I suspect our king is somewhat afraid of me." His mouth twitched upwards in a wolfish grin, and she felt a surge deep in her belly from something she couldn't quite identify.

"Well, so am I," she said without thinking.

"And men are afraid of you. So, we're both feared," he said pausing. "Can be quite isolating, can't it. It can leave one lonely..."

"That's presumptuous of you." Lola said shifting uncomfortable under the gaze of his intense blue eyes.

"And yet, it's true." She didn't quite understand where he was going with this. He had never given her this much attention before.

"So, why don't we get to know one another?"

"What?" Lola managed to say, utterly puzzled. That was not going to happen.

"I have always admired the castle gardens, but I rarely get to see them. Why don't you join me for a walk?"

"A walk?"

"You don't like to go for walks?"

"I don't like you."

"You don't know me."

"I know a little."

"That's more than most."

"Well, it's a very odd, but kind gesture, but regrettably I must decline."

"Well, it's an open invitation." He said, and as to underline the sentence, he stretched out his hands in a gesture. The movement made the arms of his doublet stretch just enough, that she spotted something on his right wrist.

It was a birthmark. A butterfly shaped birthmark!

She gasped inwardly, but he was already gone in the crowd. Her curiosity was sparked. She couldn't believe it. Was Lord Narcisse really the supreme lover from the sex journal? Her skin went hot from the images already playing in her mind. She shook her head by the idea, and laughed while taking a sip of her wine. She saw Mary just a few feet away just ending a conversation with one of the nobles. Lola waited patiently, and after he'd gone, she went to talk to her friend.

"How are you, Lola. You look feverish. Are you quite well?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just a little warm inside these days."

"Yes, indeed. It is." Mary stared with empty eyes to the crowd that was her court, and remained silent for a while. Her skin was pale, and she looked tired.

"The case between the protestants and the Catholics is not going well, Lola." Lola looked up, and inspected her face thoroughly. Mary didn't often discuss matters of state with her, or the rest of her ladies, but now she looked like she needed to talk with someone. Someone she could trust. Mary took hold of her arm, and they went out of the great hall, to the dimly lit hallway. "This morning Francis executed three protestants on pressure from the nobles. This will not end well. It was a mistake. I tried to reason with him, to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen. It's like I can't reach him anymore, Lola." For the first time in ages Mary revealed her true feelings for her. She wasn't happy anymore, and she was afraid. "This could mean the start of a civil war."