Chapter 15
Mary wakes up as the warm sunlight touches her cheek; she was surprised that she wasn't woken up by her son's cry today. She reaches for her husband but was disappointed when she realized that he wasn't there. He might have started his day early by meeting with his court advisers, he's now King of France as Henry died because of a jousting accident nearly a month ago, a lot has happened since then and their family is busier than ever, they rarely get a morning that isn't disturb by urgent matters of the state, her son James is now a year old and she is yet to tell Francis the great news. She lies on their bed for a few moments before getting up and putting on her robe.
Her servant entered a few seconds later "Your grace, may I be of service?"
"no thank you, but… have you seen my husband?" Mary asked the servant
"He went to the garden with James, your grace" she replied
"oh, thank you, you may leave" Mary said as the servant bowed her head before leaving
*castle grounds*
"There are my husband and son" Mary said while approaching Francis and her child
"Oh look James, your mother's awake" Francis said as he passes his son to his wife
"did you sleep well, darling?" Francis added
"I did, but I was quite disappointed when I woke up and you weren't by my side" Mary said as she touches Francis' cheeks while holding James in her left hand
"I'm sorry, I just thought that it would be good for James to go outside, my mother said that early morning sunrays are good for our baby" Francis said caressing his son's back. Mary leans to Francis and gives him a quick yet tender kiss on the lips, Francis can't help but smile when they pull apart
"What was that for?" He said clearly delighted by his wife's sweet gesture
"nothing… I'm just thankful that we get to share this morning together, with no one else present, just our little family" Mary said as James slowly tugs her long hair, his hands tangled with it
"I know darling, I've just been so busy lately and I don't want to miss our son growing, I can't believe it's been almost a year since you gave birth to him—do you remember our sleepless nights when James was about a month old and he kept on crying all night long?" Francis said with a chuckle as he carefully removes his son's hand that is tightly gripping Mary's hair
Mary smiled as she relieved those memories, those were the times when being a parent was still a shock to both of them, they don't just have to be responsible for their people but more importantly for their own child, but although they were both restless and stressed for the first few months, all their hardships were worth it when she looks at the child on her chest, his tiny brown curls now covers his forehead while his bright blue eyes stares at her playfully, he's basically a little Francis except for the color of his hair, Mary adjusts him to her side as she slowly feels his weight, Catherine said he's pretty heavy for a one year old baby and though he can now walk by himself, Mary still enjoys carrying him whenever they walk around the castle.
"I remember it quite clearly, you look so tired during those nights that I actually thought you'd pass out the next morning" Mary laughed as she teased her husband but her tone grew a little more serious when she spoke
"but I hope you wouldn't mind having dark circles below your eyes again for the coming months?" Mary said as she touches his chest
"wha—wait, are you—?" Francis said his eyes a mix of confusion and excitement, he looks from Mary's hopeful face down to her abdomen
"I am with child, our second child—" Mary said but wasn't able to complete what she's going to say as Francis brought his lips to hers
"I love you" Francis uttered as he kissed her forehead and then caressed his son's cheeks
"you're going to have a sibling, little James. Our family's getting bigger and soon enough you'll have someone to play with" Francis said with excitement in his voice
"Nostradamus said I'm 2 months pregnant and soon enough we'll have another little royal in the castle" Mary said as she touched her belly
" a castle full of little royals, remember?" Francis said as he kneels down to Mary and talks to the baby inside her
"hey there little one, I'm your father—" Francis said but was interrupted by James' little whimpers, he tries to shove his brown curls out of his eyes but failed miserably
"he's already competing with his sibling for your attention" Mary said to Francis jokingly as she tacks James' stray hair behind his ear, clearing his view
"come here" Francis said to James as he slowly lowers him to the ground, James stands quite steadily but still clutches Mary's dress to his fist, he eyes his father oddly as Francis continues to lean on Mary's belly
"this is your brother James, and we're all very excited to meet you… you might as well get used to my voice now because you'll be hearing my annoying voice every single day, I'll never leave your mother side and I'll be right beside her when you come into this world" Francis said and then kissed her wife's abdomen
"is that a promise?" Mary said when Francis stands again and lifted James up with him
"yes, I'll do right by our second child, I wasn't there with you when you were pregnant with James, I've missed all those chances because I was too occupied here in France while you're alone in Scotland"
"Mary, I'm sorry, I really am… I—I don't want to be a bad father" Francis said
"Francis" Mary said as she pressed her forehead to his
"you are not a bad father… you never were and you never will be" Mary said trying to convince Francis
"I hope so… I'm afraid I'll be like my father… I want you to know that I will put our family first…always" Francis said as his arms traveled to the back of her neck, pulling her closer. James on the other hand eyes his parents confusingly, he stares at his father then to his mother, Francis holds him close and James grips his father's curls in return, he then traced the embroidered patterns on his fathers' vest as he feels slightly uncomfortable as he's being squashed as his parents pull each other closer
"I know" Mary caressed her husband's cheek and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, she noticed James reaching for his father's buttons and tries to pull it out of the cloth
"we better go inside and I'll feed James before he confuse one of your buttons with candy" Mary said with a chuckle, the light atmosphere between them returning, she reached for James to go with her but Francis refused
"Mary, you're pregnant—I think I should hold James from now on, he's quite heavy and you'll get tired if you carry him all day" Francis said with concern, Mary tried to protest but then agreed with Francis later on, although she still thinks that she should be allowed to carry James from time to time (maybe when Francis is not looking) she's overwhelmed by Francis' concern for her and their baby, for the next months it will be like this… Mary being stubborn as usual, Francis being overly concerned all the time and James just being James, carefree and jolly without any reason, together they are a perfect little family and in a few months they will welcome another baby… maybe this time he or she will have Francis' blond curls and Mary's dark eyes or maybe a blend of them both.