"Please Mary, must we continue to delude ourselves of such a reality. That you deny you have feelings for me.."

"I don't deny it Bash..." I began to voice without fully realising what it is that I had just said. Trying to regain my thoughts, whilst understanding the appearance of tears may come rather soon, "But I love my husband, your brother. And if he were ever to find out it would break him beyond repair and I could not stand for it. To be unfaithful to someone I love and cherish, merely because I have feelings Bash..it would be unforgivable."

"Mary.." He sounded my name out slowly.

"I am aware of the possibility my husband may not continue to share my beliefs in our vows, but it is not a wife's place to also make such decisions. Least of all a Queen. You understand that I am fearful of my answer, because it is the answer you wish Bash. But to do such a thing to Francis wouldn't be right or justified. And I know you understand this as we have spoken of such things many a times before Bash, and yet you persist. You seek me out when I try to avoid you.."

"You only avoid because you are worried of what you might do Mary.."

"Of course I am worried!" I said, maybe a bit too loudly. "I don't fully comprehend what is going on. Rationally I try to persuade myself one way, but then you're near and all sense blows away."

"You have only ever spoken of the reasons why we should not, Mary, will you not consider the reason why you want to."

"There is little point Bash, and least you forget your own wife. My friend Kenna, as a bold reason you should not persist any further."

"Kenna has no interest in being married to me, and you understand this fully. We have already begun endeavors for an annulment. I have no interest in spending my time, no, wasting my short time here with someone I don't admire."

"If you only give it a little while longer Bash.." Maybe then he would develop feelings for her. This conversation was going nowhere, and so I stood spreading my hands across my skirt. Bash moved to stand in front of me, his hands resting on my shoulders.

"You need to listen to me Mary when I say that I persist, and will persist until you acknowledge your need for me."

"My need for you?" I asked in mockery. "You place yourself to such a high standard Bash, like you are some prize I need to win."

"You have only ever captured a glimpse of what I have to offer Mary..."

"You need to stop this Bash. You are clouding my brain with possibilities when I have more pressing things to consider then what your body is capable of." He smiled wistfully at this, before I scowled and his smile dropped quickly.

"I am not trying to be a burden Mary." He brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"But you are a burden Bash." I said, knocking his hand away. I moved past him to leave, but he grabbed my arm before I made it a few steps away.

"Let me just say this before you go..." I stopped struggling for release and waited for him to continue. "I understand completely what I am asking of you Mary. What this would do for all who found out, and how this would greatly impact upon your reputation. But I am a desperate man who has lost something so dear to his heart that when you gave me a glimmer of hope I turned into a careless fool. What I ask of you is what any other would ask of the one they are deeply and irrevocably in love with. And I know we aren't able to have what others so brashly have, but I can no longer let rules dictate my life. Why should we not embrace this connection between us? I do not believe I feel this way merely as a test to my sanity, because I would gladly go insane if you would allow me the chance to be with you completely."

Maybe it was the way Bash saw the world, or the way he masterfully created a picture of bliss. And I knew that there was absolutely no reason to, beside my desire to let my feelings overrule everything. But I moved so quickly that Bash took a step back in surprise. I desired to move fast, pulling at the strings on his shirt. Letting them open to see the expanse of his chest. Bash grabbed my hands between his, pulling them over his head, so they rested on behind his neck, slowing my movements. He spun us around so my back was against one of the many bookshelves and his lips found mine. They masterfully entwined with mine, changing pressure as his lips moved down my neck. His hands explored my sides, as his lips kissed further down my bodice. Pulling his face back to mine for the briefest of moments, before I managed to pull his shirt over his head. Bash's lips pushed against mine again with harshness, as his hands gripped behind my legs lifting me so they wrapped around his body.

He was pushing into me, and I could feel the bulge behind his pants. He removed my undergarments with a tare, and I found myself releasing him from his binds. Bash's lips left mine for the smallest of seconds as he moved into me, staring into the pools of my eyes.

I couldn't help but gasp at the sudden contact, and as he pulled back to push in further I found my body arching to allow more entrance. I was gripping his shoulders so tightly now, as his lips found mine with a groan of satisfaction whilst his hips rolled into mine. His movements were meaningfully slow, despite the rush to undress. And when my body clenched around his in pure release, his release came only moments later.

We didn't move from our positions until our breaths had returned to a steady pace. Bash removed his grip on my hips slowly, my legs slightly wobbly as they contacted the floor. His hand moved to rest on my chin, lifting my head towards his as he placed a soft kiss against my lips.

And in that moment I felt his love surround me, just for the briefest of seconds, before I comprehended the reality of what we has just done.