Recently watched Reign and I've finally managed to finish the entire series when it occurred to me that I have left this fanfiction unfinished and unresolved. I plan to remedy this.
Here's a new and improved version of "A Different Course", no longer being written by my idiotic younger self during 2016. I was truly blown away by how awful my writing was. It was really bad. Hopefully, here's an improvement.
Right, I don't own Reign or any of the characters. Some of the dialogue from the show were used. Anyways, happy reading!
PROLOGUE
Francis stood at the edge of the cell, his palm against the cold metal bars that separated him from his wife. "This is not how I imagined our trip to Paris, Mary."
It was only a soft whisper, but Francis knew that his wife heard her. She sat on a wooden block. Strands of her dark hair would gently sway across her face as the wind from her small—and only— window gushed inside. Her face was illuminated by a single torch, but even then, in such deplorable conditions, Francis' impression of her did not change.
She still looked like the most beautiful woman he's met. A dull ache made itself known in his chest when he's reminded that he's going to lose her.
"Say something. Please, Mary." Francis' fingers began to fidget. It's nearly morning, and he needed to leave the tower before sunrise. There's only so much that money can buy, after all.
But, even with his pleas, Mary remained silent.
"Why?" he asked, as if speaking to a wall, not even expecting an answer anymore. "Mary, if you hadn't been such a martyr, we wouldn't be in this situation. Why desire to be a different kind of ruler when it would cost you your head?"
There was only silence, muffled by a silent cry and a swallowed sob. Francis shook his head. He couldn't take it anymore. He turned around to leave when a voice stopped him.
"Love." Mary finally spoke, her voice just barely above a whisper. "My actions, Francis, has been fueled by my love for my country, my people, my kingdom. . .my love for you and for our child."