I was overwhelmed by the response I received! Hopefully this story is a nice break from the love triangle drama that is currently Reign!
I feel like Francis needs to get his wits together, and Bash needs to back off, I love him, but Mary cannot afford to risk her alliance with France anymore. I feel like their relationship only brings pain to both Mary and Francis.
Let me know what you guys think of the show and/or the story so far! I love talking to you guys! Hope you like this chapter, things will begin heating up soon!
what a way to love
part 2
eight through eleven
Mary is his best friend by the time he turns nine, he tells her everything, and she tells him everything. They like to talk to their friend Clarissa, who hides in the walls, but he can't help but get jealous that she visits Mary more.
They explore the castle and play hide and seek, tease the servants, and steal food from the kitchens to make their own picnic.
Francis never questions that Mary is safe in France, and would never think that she didn't belong
That is until one day when Francis is hiding from Mary in his parents' throne room for a game of hide and seek when he hears them enter.
"Someone tried to poison her, do you really think she's safe here?" the sharp voice of his mother states fiercely.
In return he can almost hear the resolution in his father's voice "It'd break the boy if we move her, you say you want the best for our son, and if she stays here, he'll love her, do you want him to have a marriage like ours?"
"No, just, we have to be careful." The Queen says.
His father scoffs "You just find the girl annoying, you can't stand the fact that she's the one he runs to, although personally I think it's good for him."
The Queen scoffs "You know I love that girl like my own, I want the best for her and sometimes I doubt it is here.
The King lets out a sigh, enacting a response from the Queen "Fine, but if she is killed, it will be your fault, not just the English." He can hear the swishing of his mother's skirts as she exits the room.
He feels the relief swell through him, he can't lose Mary, he won't lose her.
As soon as his parents leave he rushes out of the throne room, quickly going to find Mary, who finds him in the hallway, her eyes alight "You didn't do a very good job hiding Francis!" she exclaims, batting him on the arm, he just shrugs in response "We all know you're better anyway."
She smiles in response, startling when he reaches out to give her a hug, she's short compared to him, only up to his shoulders, but he likes it, it makes him feel like they belong together.
When he releases her she shakes her head "What was that for?" she asks, giving him a shy smile.
Francis looks down at his shoes, scuffing them together "I don't know, I just don't want to lose you."
"Why would that ever happen? You're so silly Francis, we're going to be together forever, remember?" Mary reminds him.
He nods, "Yeah, thank goodness."
They both smile at each other and he takes her hand, pulling her along behind him as they run around the castle.
Maybe she's all strong opinions, and always chasing adventure, but he doesn't know what he'd do without her.
Francis has one brother, who is a baby, one sister, who has been in Spain engaged to the King since before Mary arrived, and a half-brother. Who Francis realizes when he's eleven is his father's favorite.
He gets all the freedom, all the respect and all the love Francis only receives from his mother. While he and Bash are friends, because Bash is cool and Francis sometimes really wants to be like him, it's unspoken that he never gets close to Mary. While Francis may get the crown, Bash gets everything else, except Mary, she's his, both best friend and his future wife.
Still Mary knows who Bash is and one day when she asks Francis if they can go to seek Bash out, his brother who is almost three years his senior, he feels somewhat threatened.
"Come on, maybe he'll go exploring with us!" Mary encourages, her arm wrapped around his. Letting out a deep sigh he knows he'll cave when Mary looks at him with her big eyes, "Fine, but Bash isn't any fun, he'll probably just tell us to go play somewhere else!" Francis exclaims.
She shrugs "Well it never hurts to ask!" she amends, studying Francis, "He should be in the stables, we can catch him if we go now." He offers, to which she nods.
The two walk at a brisk pace to the stables, and Francis takes Mary's small hand in his, it fits so perfectly in his he doesn't know why he even questions whether or not things will work out for them.
Bash doesn't hesitate to tell them that no, no way in hell will he go with them into the forest, and that they shouldn't go there at all. Correction, they can't go in there at all.
Mary's eyebrows furrow, and he can feel one of her tantrums coming on, Francis took pride that he was one of the people who hardly experienced them, since he always tried to make sure Mary got what she wanted.
Mary glared at him "Why can't we go in there? You better at least give us a reason!" Mary demands.
Bash sighs in response "Things happen in the woods Mary, it's a bad place, I don't want either of you getting hurt."
Mary scowls at him "I'm not a baby, you treat me like I'm five years younger than you, when in fact I'm only four years younger!"
Sighing Bash sends Francis a look, the small curly haired boy giving him a shrug, but getting the idea nonetheless.
Leaning close to Mary he whispers in her ear "I think he's right, maybe we can go riding instead?" Francis offers.
Watching Mary try to stop herself from smiling and trying to look disappointed makes him laugh. "Okay, she sighs, but you know I'm not very good, don't go ahead of me!" she demands.
Francis tries to nod seriously, but his laugh breaks through, causing Mary to give him a quizzical look.
"It's just you….." Francis offers, Mary rolls her eyes, but smiles as well "Just me, well then what can we say about you Francis!"
Bash scoffs, interrupting their banter "Well, I best be going. See you two around."
The two wave goodbye as Bash heads back to the castle.
When Francis turns eleven, at a time when Mary is almost ten, the two begin to spend less time running about the castle and more time learning about their studies, especially in the area of politics.
It's confusing to both of them sometimes, there is so much war, and famine in the world that sometimes Francis feels so helpless, when he confides this to Mary she easily agrees with him.
"The world is scary, I think so at least. And we'll be in charge of both France and Scotland one day."
Francis runs a hand through his hair "Do you think I'll be a good ruler?" he asks her, his eyes wide.
"Of course you will! You're kind and just, I'm sure you'll be loved by all your people." Mary says.
Taking a pause she studies the chess board in front of her, the two had recently been taught to play chess, and much to Mary's chagrin Francis was much better at the game.
"Being royal, I don't know, I just worry…." Mary sighs, lying back on the couch in her chambers after she decides to move her knight.
Francis' eyebrows rise in concern "What do you mean?"
Picking at a loose thread on the sleeve of her dress, in which she looks beautiful, as always, she lets out a scoff "It's silly, sometimes I worry we won't be happy, and I want to be happy with you like I am now. I know it will be different because we'll be married and King and Queen one day. It's just scary."
Nodding, he comes to sit next to her on the couch "I know. But you know I'll love you forever. It's going to be me and you, and I'll always be here."
Looking up at him, Mary gives him a smile, her cheeks pink "You love me?"
"Of course I love you. How could I not?"
Mary smiles "I love you too." She curls up against him and he wraps her arm around her.
"When I'm with you the world doesn't feel so scary anymore." Francis states, wrapping his arm around her as they lay on the couch, the both of them are growing from the gangly children they were. Mary is blossoming, and Francis looks less like a boy every day.
"I feel the same way." Mary agrees, her brown eyes meeting his blue ones.
They are a team in a world of unknowns.
I hope you guys are enjoying it so far!
Let me know what you think, I've gotten quite a bit of the next chapter so hopefully I'll be able to post it in the next couple days!
Feel free to chat with me on tumblr at stilescavanaugh!The more response I receive, the more motivated I am to update quicker!