"Anna!" Bash shouted after Annabel as she walked fast paced down the corridors. Annabel had left abruptly after the meeting, not even giving Mary a chance to speak to her privately. "Anna!" Bash was now practically putting on a show for all the lords and ladies to see but he really didn't give a damn about his reputation as Kings Deputy at that moment.
Annabel was going past some guards so Bash signalled for them to stop her immediately.
"Guards, really?" Annabel sounded fierce but her eyes were shining with tears.
Bash just simply dismissed the guards and took her lightly by the arm to a room they could speak privately in without prying eyes which was significantly large now.
As soon as they reached a private quarter of the castle Annabel was quick to argue.
"Get off me!" Bash let her go with sympathetic eyes as she marched over to the other side of the room.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Bash asked.
"I've only known you for two days." Annabel scoffed.
"Well I like to think that you would be able to tell me this!" Bash was getting frustrated.
"Oh of course! I should have brought it up over afternoon tea!"
"Do you know how frustrating you're being?!" Bash shouted. "I care about you and am trying to talk to you about how you were abused by the English and you just push it off with sarcasm!"
"Maybe I don't want to talk about it or acknowledge it or even show it but I had to! And now you just won't stop pushing! The sooner I leave the better!" Annabel said with inflamed eyes, burning through Bash's soul. One million words unsaid.
"Better so you're away from me or because you don't want to face what happened to you?" Bash asked simply, only centimetres away from Annabel.
"Both" Annabel said looking into his eyes; tears brimming on her lids. Seconds felt like hours and time tortured them on what this all meant. "I'm scared to face up to it and talk about it…cause if I do then I will shatter and fall apart. I just can't deal with that. I just can't. I won't." Annabel had her head down while telling Bash the truth.
Bash lifted her chin to face him. "And me?"
"You?" Annabel smirked. "You're a whole new puzzle I haven't worked out yet and it scares me. I am used to knowing what to do and with you; I never know what it's going to be like. It excites me but fears me as well…"
Bash was baffled and the only way he could react was to pick her up and sit her on the table in the middle of the room; lips crashing down on hers. Legs tangled around his hips and arms weaved around bodies. "There is no way I'm letting you go now." Bash whispered between crushed lips.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Francis had noticed. The common sign of pregnancy was something he had been brought up to know through nurture by his father but also by his mother's pregnancies. The only thing that worried him was Mary's stability; they were in the middle of a war but he wouldn't let this cloud his feelings, either way he would let Mary tell him the news.
Knocking on the door to give signal warning, Francis entered his wife's chambers.
Mary sat in front of the fire in her silk night wear and blanket on her knees; obviously waiting for her maids to help her prepare for tonight's celebration. "Francis." Mary smiled at him snapping out of her contemplating mind set as she was in before.
"How are you feeling? I know you had a turn earlier…" Francis asked sitting down next to her.
"I'm well." Mary smiled. "I'm just concerned for Annabel."
"I will personally see to it that Annabel gets all the care she needs while traveling to Scotland and that my best men are sent with her." Francis reassured her.
"I know but that isn't what concerns me most." Mary's eyes stared down the flickering flames in front of her. "She suffered grievous pain and torture and no one sent word to me, I could've found her a safer nunnery or even brought her here. But instead she struggled on…"
"She survived Mary." Francis looked into her eyes. "We have all suffered at the hands of the English. You, I, Scotland, France…We have all made sacrifices for our countries."
"Francis you saw her skin! It's a wonder she's still walking in a straight line." Mary cried in her husband's arms.
"Annabel did what she had to for her Queen and country." Francis tried to keep a clear royal mind.
"She shouldn't have to though Francis. Neither should anyone else." Mary said defiantly.
"So we shall make sure no one else will have to." Francis held her tight. They sat in front of the fire for at least five minutes before Francis dared to ask the question that was sitting on his beating heart.
"Mary?"
"Francis?"
"Will you tell me what was wrong with you earlier?" Francis tried to supress the smile he had.
Mary lifted herself up out of his arms so she faced Francis and looked him in the eyes. A smile played on Mary's lips as well and as she smiled brightly at Francis, he mirrored her expression. Mary didn't know how to say the words, just in case it was all a dream. So Mary took his hand and put it on her slightly circular stomach. Francis couldn't believe it, he honestly couldn't. So he took the blanket off her stomach so then he could see his unborn child.
"Mary!" Francis said with glee. "We're going to have a child!"
"I know!" Mary cried. "I can't believe I didn't notice, Francis. I'm four months along already."
Realisation flooded Francis face and Mary now mirrored him, knowing exactly why their happiness had now turned into concern.
"Mary, you can't go to Scotland…The child…You have to realise that we aren't just risking a queen, we're now risking the heir to our countries." Francis caressed Mary's face.
"I have to go, Francis. We have gotten this far, all that it takes now is one more push after so many…" Mary pleaded she knew Francis was going to argue. "If it gets even the least bit too dangerous I shall leave immediately, I promise."
"I know you will because I'm going with you, Narcisse will have to take care of France for a little while because there is no way on Hell or Earth anything is hurting you and our child" Francis said with such defiance it scared Mary for his life and for France.
Hi Frary fans and any Banna fans out there! I know I have taken my time but I was stuggling to do this particular chapter justice….Next chapter we will see the celebration and Francis's fans to protect Mary.
Please review and let me know what you think!
Nancy345
