Pulling Darnley to a more secluded area where little can hear their conversation, Mary felt a headache creep up on her.
"How do I know that you're not the real cause of this damage? We both know that you're more than capable with your wealth to buy a army and your political immunity in several nations," Mary whispered harshly through gritted teeth. "How do I know that you're not set in a mission to start a global war with the greatest power in Europe—two Scotland's greatest allies—in a scheme to get the throne, to crown yourself?" it was, after all, in his favor should a war between Scotland and her greatest supporters, the Catholic lords and the money and the men the Vatican would lend her when France could not.
However, Darnley was barely impressed with her accusations as if something was so obvious, that it was in front of her and yet she couldn't grasp the concept. "If I wanted to start a revolution and take over Scotland—the gruesome last resort which implies your death on my hands—then I would have seized Stirling Castle and took control already, after all, we both know that I'm more than capable with my wealth and political immunity," there was a smug tone to his voice that made Mary see red as he used her words against her.
There was a moment of silence between them and strained look on Darnley's face gave Mary this odd feeling.
Pacing around, the English-Scottish merchant nobleman took Mary's had in an attempt to convince her. From the tightness of his grip, Mary could feel the desperation and she could feel his pulse against her skin weakly. "Listen, we are from the same blood—we're family—and the last thing I want to do is to harm my Queen and my cousin, and for what? To take over a throne and the power it holds, things I've resented almost my whole life for framing my father? To deliberately destroy the country I love, a land I've recently reconciled and returned to after such a long time?" there, Mary could see it that the man in front of her was not an Englishman rather a Scot who was forced to England by her mother.
Taking a step backwards to access the situation, what did Darnley truly have against her that could motivate him to scheme and act towards the throne? Other than the framing of his father, what could possibly fuel aggression? What evidence could she hold against her cousin to say that he's lying?
"You know, it's quite difficult for me to admit this but it's true, you're Scotland and everything you do represents Scotland—even the blood that pounds in your veins screams Scotland—and you are actually a far better ruler than Knox and his group of fanatics would ever be," in that respect, Mary agreed with Darnley. "That man's mind lives through each day as if the Vikings were still rampaging, but even those ghastly men knew better; it's the new age, Mary, and women are proving themselves to be the architects," despite the compliment, the genuine commendation, Mary felt like there was something missing.
"But. . ?" she trailed off, in efforts of encouraging something next or an explanation to clarify everything that's happened.
The look on Darnley's face was strained. "While I know that you're a ruler whose intentions are only meant to improve the conditions in your kingdom, you rule with your heart and because of that, you couldn't see everything that has come to happen," looking across a window to see the sight of the bodies and injured people, Mary felt her breathing come to a stop. "And before you say anything, I understand that France has stood strong by your side as an ally after all these years but you need to see for yourself the destructive relationship you have with France," in the courtyard, she sees the guards carrying the bleeding children, leaving a trail of blood in the ground.
Confused, Mary stared at Darnley, as if his face and its entirety would give her an answer. "But I thought that this was caused by my decision to ally myself with Elizabeth, the queen of a Protestant country that is England," in Mary's mind, it all made sense that should everything Darnley mentioned to her was true, then her newly-made alliance with Elizabeth is to blame. Surely, her Catholic lords and King Philip aren't pleased with her decision but to blame this on her alliance with France, her marriage with Francis?
"While your decision to give up your birthright sparked the light of the actual alliance, it's the French government who secured the alliance, your husband who reached out to Elizabeth to finalize the deal and your signature only empowered Francis' word, not the other way around," in a way, Mary blamed Knox and in another, she blamed the patriarchal society. The world was progressing into an advanced society and yet the men were still dominant and she still lived in a world where she couldn't act without her husband.
Slowly digesting the words offered to her, Mary caught on to his implications. "You want me to end my alliance with France, my marriage with Francis," it all made sense to her suddenly. Darnley had been hinting at it for so long, his hatred directed at her was suddenly clearly intended for her association with the French, his hidden anger was so exposed and Mary could see that he hated the way the alliance that Francis had secured affected Scotland.
It all made sense, how Darnley would often require and request for her audience without Francis—of how Darnley approached her at the ball after Francis left to talk with Bash—and that conversation they had. . .ever memory in her mind suddenly was suddenly fixed into this bigger picture where it all made sense, where it all pointed towards one thing and while Mary desperately tried to remove the thought from her mind, while she was trying to convince herself that he was hinting at another thing.
With a heavy sigh, the look on Darnley's face was all she required to know what he would say.
"Yes, you need to end your alliance, but above all, you need to end your marriage to Francis."