The Bastards
Ch. 5
Maisie was in the stables brushing down Hemera when a man came in and looked around spotting her alone since all the stable hands and the rest of able-bodied men in the castle had left with the king to put down some village unrest. Bash was supposed to go with them, but given recent events he didn't feel up to it. Instead he and Maisie made plans to go riding and have another private self defense lesson. "You there." the man in a uniform she didn't recognize snapped at her. "Who are you?"
"I'm one of Queen Mary's ladies in waiting." Maisie answered, taking a step back as he walked over to her.
"Put your horse away and come with me." he told her stiffly.
"You're not one of the palace guards. Who are you?" Maisie asked as she took another step back and petted Hemera's neck, calming the horse that could sense Maisie's tension.
"Count Vincent now controls the castle," he answered, "all women and children must return to their quarters until negotiations are complete."
"Negotiations?" She asked with a frown.
"Return your horse. Don't make me ask again." the man told her sternly. So she led Hemera back into her stall and closed the door then followed the man.
"Maisie, there you are. We were worried about you." Mary said as she took Maisie's hand and pulled her into her chambers and away from the man escorting her.
"Where have you been?" Kenna asked.
"I was in the stables, Bash and I were supposed to go riding." Maisie answered, then looked at Mary. "What is going on, who is Count Vincent and how did he gain control of the castle?"
"Not even a year ago King Henry was at war with the Italians. He held Count Vincent's son, Roberto, for ransom. After the count paid for Roberto he died before he made it home. Count Vincent has returned for restitution. And he wants all of us to join him for a feast this evening." Mary filled her in. "Have you seen Greer?"
"No." Maisie answered. "Have you seen Bash? He never arrived at the stables."
Mary shook her head no.
After waiting for hours to hear something a knock came from the door and one of the counts men let Greer inside. She was dressed in common clothes with her hair braided back out of her face. A tray of food was in her hands. She bowed before the door was shut and she set down the tray on the table by the door. "Greer, are you alright?" Lola asked.
"I can't stay long. I've been in the kitchen." Greer explained as Kenna and Maisie hugged her, relieved that she was okay.
"Why are you dressed like a servant?" Kenna asked.
"Servants are invisible. I thought I'd be safer as one of them so I borrowed some clothes." Greer explained as Kenna and Maisie let her go.
"So you're actually working in the kitchen?" Kenna asked.
"Trying to work. I'm making rather a mess of it." Greer answered. "What's going on up here? Are you alright?"
"For the moment." Lola answered. "All we can do is wait to find out if the queen and Francis will strike a bargain with the count."
"But I have never been good at waiting." Mary stepped in.
"Tell us something we don't know." Maisie mumbled, getting a smirk from Greer and Kenna.
"Stay here." Mary told her ladies then headed to her bed chamber.
"Where are you going?" Maisie asked as she followed after her.
"I know a safe way out of the castle through these tunnels." She explained. "I'm going to mark it with chalk and then I'm going to meet with Catherine and figure out how to get all of us out of here." she opened a secret door behind her dressing screen then disappeared inside.
After visiting Catherine, Mary returned and filled her ladies in. Catherine had offered the count Mary's hand so that he could have new, royal Ares, but Francis offered himself. It was clear after that, that Count Vincent aimed to end the Valois line. So the two queens devised a plan.
During the count's feast, after all the maids, servants, women and children had made it out through the passageways, Mary would make an excuse to get them all out of the dining room so they too could escape.
Maisie placed her hand over her stomach at the news of Count Vincent's intentions. Mary noticed. "Maisie, I know this is going to be difficult and that you're scared, but I assure you, we will all make it out safely."
"It's not myself I'm frightened for." Maisie argued. "If the count intends on ending the Valois line that includes Bash. What if they know his connection to the king, what if they've already-?" She couldn't make herself finish the sentence.
"I'm sure he's fine." Mary tried to comfort her friend. "He's probably hiding away somewhere."
A knock came from the door, it opened and one of the counts men stepped in. "I'm looking for Lady Maisie. I was told she would be with Queen Mary." Kenna, Lola, Maisie and Aylee grouped together, holding onto one another.
"Who sent you for her?" Mary asked.
"Is she here, or not?" the man snapped.
"That depends on what you want from her." Mary snapped back.
The man placed his hand on his sword and took a step forward. "Mary, it's fine, I'll go." Maisie said as she stepped out of her friends hold on her. The man motioned her out of the door so she did as asked. "May I please know what you want with me?" Maisie asked timidly as she followed the man.
He didn't answer until they entered the dungeons. "I was originally paid to imprison you with the king's bastard and insure that both of you stay safe, but seeing as you have been invited to the counts feast I can't keep you without alerting the count to my betrayal." the man explained.
"Paid? By who?" Maisie asked with a frown.
"Diane de Poitiers." He answered. "When I informed her that I could not fulfill that part of our bargain she paid me extra to show you that your love is and will be safe." he unlocked a door and opened it, revealing Bash, chained to the wall by a shackle around his neck.
"Maisie." Bash tried to rush to her, but got pulled back by the shackle. She rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Are you alright?" he asked as he grabbed her face and looked it over.
Maisie looked back at the man guarding them. "Would you give us a minute alone?" the man nodded and closed the door, putting them in darkness. The only light came from the small barred window of the door. Maisie looked out the window to see that the man had given them enough space to talk without being overheard. "I'm fine." she whispered. "Count Vincent, an Italian with revenge on his mind, has taken over the castle. Henry ended his family line so he wants to erase his…I feared the count knew about you and had already chopped off Diane's branch of Henry's tree."
Bash sighed and covered his face with his hands. "We can't let him hurt them. You've got to get me out of here."
"We're not going to let the count hurt them. Mary and Queen Catherine made a plan and if it goes accordingly we will all be fine."
"What plan?" Bash asked quietly.
"While Catherine, Mary and us ladies are at the feast the count is throwing tonight, Francis is going to escape and get everyone out of the castle. When the time is right Mary is going to come up with an excuse to get us out of the room so we can escape through the tunnels as well. Catherine is going to stay behind and keep the count distracted." Maisie explained.
"Catherine…the noble martyr? I can't believe it." Bash argued.
"I couldn't believe it either at first. But considering that not just Francis's life, but the life of all her sons, are on the line I can. She would throw herself into the flames before she'd let something happen to one of her children." Maisie pointed out. "Besides, the woman's a master of poisons, she may very well have a card up her sleeve for herself."
Bash grabbed her face in his hands. "You have to get me out of here."
"And how do you suggest I do that?" She asked.
"Did you pass many soldiers on your way here?" He asked.
"A few in the hallways, this man is the only one down here. I think a majority of them are getting ready for the feast." She answered, taking his hands in hers.
"Do you think you can knock this man out and get the keys?" He asked and she looked uncertain. "You've done well in training."
"I've been cooperative so far. I don't think he'll expect an attack from me, but what if I fail?" She asked, looking scared.
"You won't." He assured her with a pointed look into her eyes. "You can do it, I know you can."
A knock sounded at the door before it was unlocked and the man opened the door. "Times up."
Maisie stood on her toes and caught Bash's lips in a kiss, trying to gain the courage to do what needed to be done. When the kiss broke she turned and walked out of the cell. The man shut the door then looked at her so she motioned for him to lead the way. Thankfully he did and as soon as she was behind him she lifted her skirts a little and kicked him in the back of his leg. As soon as he fell to his knees she kicked between his shoulder blades as hard as she could and he fell face first into the stone floor. Straddling his back she grabbed his head and slammed his temple into the floor, knocking the man out cold.
With a shaking hand she unhooked the ring of keys from his belt and unlocked the door. As soon as she was close enough, Bash grabbed her face and gave her a celebratory kiss. "I knew you could do it." He laughed when the kiss broke.
"Don't celebrate yet. We still need to get you out of this before someone else shows up." She scolded as she started trying keys on the shackle around his neck. "When I do get you free, what will you do?" She asked.
"I'll go find Francis. Help him get everyone out then I'll come for you." Bash answered.
"No, Bash, you can't come back." She argued as she put a key into the hole. "The plan will only work if the count remains unaware that something is going on." She turned the key and the shackle popped open. "If you come back you will be outnumbered and I can't lose you."
Bash cupped her cheek in his hand. "I won't leave without you. If you don't make it to the tunnels I will come back for you. I can't lose you either." He left the cell and went to the still passed out man. He rolled him over, took his sword then grabbed him by his feet, dragged him into the cell then locked him in. "Go back to Mary and your friends, stay safe and remember what you're capable of. Don't let fear paralyze you."
"I won't, as long as you promise to be careful." She replied.
"For you, always." Bash said as he put the strap of the sheathed sword over him then pecked her on the lips. "Go, the sooner you're back with Mary and your friends, the better."
She nodded and left.
"What was that about?" Kenna asked when Maisie came back into Mary's chambers.
"That man brought me to Bash. He was locked up in the dungeons." Maisie answered. "Diane paid him to insure his safety. But I freed him. He's going to find Francis and help him get everyone out."
"You freed him?" Lola asked disbelievingly.
"Bash has been teaching me to defend myself." Maisie shrugged. "And that man was the only one down there."
"That's what you two have been doing when you disappear together, fighting?" Aylee asked with raised brows.
"After the pagans marked me for sacrifice we both thought it a good idea." Maisie answered.
"We must start getting ready." Mary told them.
They were about to head to their chambers when Catherine was let into the room. They all just looked at her. She took a deep breath then let it out. "I know what you're thinking. It's what any woman would think. But I've come to tell you not to be afraid. I'll be there when you enter the room and I'll be there when you leave. Get through this night and these men will be gone from your lives."
"And suddenly you care about us?" Lola asked, stepping forward.
"Lola, she wants to help, to shield us from these evil men." Aylee defended.
"Please, when has the French court not been full of evil men…and women?" Lola said with glare at Catherine, who sighed and looked down at the floor. "Since we've gotten here we've been lied to by people who smile and say pretty things as they stab us in the back. At least these men don't pretend to be our friends."
"I agree with Lola." Kenna spoke up. "You come in here mouthing platitudes, but you have no idea what it's like, to have a target on your back."
"Seriously?" Maisie spoke up with a look at Kenna that suggested she was being foolish. "She's a queen. The target on her back is big enough for the world to see." Catherine gave her a look that said she was surprised she was defending her. "Am I wrong?" Maisie defended.
"She's right. I know exactly what this is like." Catherine walked closer to them and Lola took a step back. "When I was eight years old, rebels stormed the Florentine palace. Both my parents were already dead, but my name and my family's fortunes made me a target."
"At eight years old?" Kenna asked.
"War doesn't spare children." Catherine answered with a scoff. "I was held hostage for years. Until finally they had to decide what to do with this Medici girl. Many of the soldiers, men just like these, demanded that I be turned over to them so that they would-" she cut herself off and sighed before she finished, "so that I would be shared." Maisie dropped her eyes and placed her hand over her stomach, upset by the thought. "And I can still hear their laughter outside the convent. That sickening laughter."
"What happened?" Aylee asked, none of them really wanted to know, but they needed to.
"The nuns and I prayed. We prayed for God to send the pope and his armies to retake the city and rescue me in time. And then one day the laughter stopped. It grew quiet and I stepped out into the sunlight over their bodies and Pope Clement welcomed me into his arms." Maisie looked up at Catherine. "I emerged intact and so will you if you have faith."
At the feast Count Vincent sat at the center of one side of the table and had a queen on each side of him. Catherine on his left and Mary on his right. Kenna and Aylee sat beside Mary. Maisie and Lola sat beside Catherine. Before Catherine took her seat, she put a chest on one end of the table and opened it revealing that it was packed with gold coins. "Gentlemen, please, my gift to you." she said as she motioned to the chest and set down.
The count gave his nine men that sat on the opposite side of the table a wave and they eagerly stood and dug into the chest of gold.
Maisie noticed that as Catherine sat down she turned over an hourglass that sat at her place setting. She thought about that hourglass as food was passed around and wine was poured. Wine that Count Vincent had provided himself to insure it was untouched by Catherine's hands that were so skilled with poisons.
Maisie tried her best not to pay too much attention to Greer as she sat a tray of rolls down in the middle of the table near her. A fourth of the hour glass had run down when Mary leaned over to the count and complained about her corset being too tight. The uncomfortable count gave her permission to go fix it. "It's so difficult without servants. My ladies will tend to me." Mary said as she and her four ladies stood.
"Four ladies for one corset? Seems a bit overkill to me." The man that had been sitting across from Maisie spoke up, stopping the ladies. "Why doesn't the red head stay here and keep us company?" He asked the count.
"He has a point." The count told Mary then looked at Maisie. "You," he turned his eyes to Kenna, "and you, stay." He waved for Mary, Aylee and Lola to leave and they had no choice but to leave Maisie and Kenna behind.
Maisie's eyes returned to the hourglass as she ate, watching as the granules of sand slipped through the tiny opening, counting down to something. Nervous that Bash would come for her and be overthrown by the ten men in the room, her leg started bouncing under the table.
She jumped when Catherine's hand slipped over her knee, stopping the action. The count didn't notice, lost in thought while his men gambled for the coins they'd gathered from the chest. Maisie looked at the queen who discreetly looked at the hour glass, then the still open chest.
Just as she put two and two together the man across the table threw his dice too hard and they stopped next to her plate where he couldn't reach them. All she could do was watch as he stood and walked around the table leaning over her left shoulder as he picked up the dice. "Come sit with me, be my good luck charm." His lips, too close to her ear, made her cringe. Not knowing what to do she looked across her shoulder at Catherine who gave her a nod. With a sickening stomach she stood and the man grabbed her upper arm as they walked around the table. He sat down then pulled her to sit in his lap. "A blow of the dice from lady luck?" he asked as he held his hand in front of her face with the dice in his palm.
Afraid of what would happen if she disobeyed she blew on the dice. The man hummed at the sight of her pursed lips then after rolling the dice, told the man he was playing against that he was done and turned all of his attention to Maisie. His hand found her calf and started slipping up her leg. Tears stung the backs of her eyes as his nose brushed her neck. Her heart was pounding as she looked at the hourglass then Count Vincent who stared off into the distance. From there she found Kenna, walking around the table to be pulled down into the lap of a man who instantly went for her neck, being just as aggressive as the man whose lips pressed to Maisie's neck, just below her ear, and started kissing down over her shoulder. Her chest was thankfully covered by the high halter top of her dress.
His hand was slipping up her inner thigh under her skirts, silent tears slipping down her cheeks, when Mary, Lola and Aylee walked back into the room. Catherine stood up and moved to stand behind the chest of coins. "Count Vincent, isn't this enough?" She asked, pulling the count out of his thoughts and the man's hand stilled. When the count didn't reply Catherine slammed the chest lid closed. "You know the king will go to war for his heirs."
"What of it? Can Henry give me the life I had a year ago?" The Count asked. Catherine sighed in response. "Then let the heavens fall. Enough." The count stood and thankfully his men did as well, but the man kept his arm around Maisie's waist. "Thank you for this generous feast. Now we will be on our way."
"Please." Catherine pleaded as she grabbed the counts arm. "Please do not take my children. What else can I give you?" The count just looked at her flatly then looked away. Catherine looked at Mary and her ladies then back at the count. "Do you want women? Take them, take their virtue."
"Catherine no." Mary said taken a step toward Catherine.
"You liar!" Lola yelled. While Maisie was sure that the gold had been poisoned and the hourglass counted down to the moment it would hopefully kick in, she didn't know exactly how long it would take the sand to run out or what could happen in the moments before it did.
"They won't dare say a word about it. They'd be ruined, you can have them. You can have anything you-"
"Give me your heart then." The count cut her off as he drew a dagger from a sheath on his hip. "Carve it out and hand it to me so we might understand one another. That!" He slammed the dagger into the table, "is diplomacy. To understand my loss. To carry the weight of your dead heart with you every night a day until you find your grave." He paused for a moment. "Roberto. Give me Roberto and I will let your children live." When Catherine didn't say anything because there was nothing she could say, the count walked around her to stand by Mary. "Forgive me Mary, for I am not a gentle man." Count Vincent jerked Mary out of Aylee's arms.
The man holding Maisie shoved her back against the wall holding her there with his hand on her neck and his hips pressed against hers. Other men grabbed Lola and Aylee. Kenna was thrown to the floor, her screams filled the air as three men started beating and kicking her.
The man holding Maisie to the wall kept his hand on her neck while his other hand grabbed her leg and pulled it up around him. In that moment Bash's words filled her mind: Don't let fear paralize you.
The terror in her eyes morphed into pure rage. The man saw the change in her, but he didn't have time to react before Maisie grabbed his face and dug her thumbs into his eyes. He screamed and stumbled back. Spotting the dagger on his side she grabbed it and stabbed him in the neck, making him fall to the floor.
She made a run for Kenna, but another man saw that she was free and charged at her. His clumsy wide steps left him open so she kicked, landing her shin, only covered with three loose layers of chiffon, right between his legs. He made a sound that suggested the air had been stolen from his lungs and grabbed his groin. The dagger in her hand was stabbed into the side of his neck before a man grabbed her from behind and shoved her face first into the stone wall, using his body to pin her there. The pressure of his hand on the back of her head caused the rough stone to dig into her cheek, drawing blood. She tried to blindly stab him with the dagger, but he grabbed her hand and slammed it into the wall, making her drop it.
Catherine threw the rundown hourglass, shattering it over the floor as she yelled, "Count Vincent!" All movement in the room ceased including that of the count who had Mary pinned beneath him on the dining table. "Do you know why your son is dead? Because of you! Because unlike me you aren't willing to pay the necessary price. So I'll make you a new offer. Take your hands off of Mary and I'll let you leave this castle with your life."
"Milord." One of the men said, getting the count's attention and Maisie could see blood running feely from the nose of one of the men before they all started dropping like flies.
When the man holding her in place fell, Maisie scrambled to Kenna. Lola grabbed Aylee and pulled her close. Kenna squeezed her eyes closed, not looking at Maisie who kneeled down and brushed her hair out of her bruised face.
"No…we…we ate the same food, we drank my wine." The count said, looking around.
"Poison is an art." Catherine replied. "And the essence of art is surprise."
"The gold." Mary whispered as Maisie helped Kenna stand.
The count looked at the gold spilled across the floor then back at Catherine. "I never touched your gold," he grabbed his dagger from the table, "Medici bitch." He took a step toward Catherine, but Mary grabbed one of the two pronged forks from the table and stabbed Count Vincent in the neck. As he collapsed she pushed him off of her and backed away from the table, watching as he laid on it, fruitlessly attempting to pull the fork out of his artery with one hand while the other still grasped his dagger.
Francis rushed in and sliced off his hand before he could hurt anyone with the dagger. "Your son awaits you." Francis told the dying man with a sneer.
Bash, stepping over dead bodies, rushed to Maisie, and grabbed her face, looking at the bleeding scrapes on her cheekbone. "Are you alright?" she just nodded as he grabbed her hands, seeing the blood on her knuckles that had been busted when the man slammed her hand into the wall to get her to drop the knife. Though she knew it should hurt she couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel anything really. "You fought."
"She did." Lola spoke up as she and Aylee walked over to Kenna. "The rest of us were too frightened."
Bash looked back at Maisie. "I didn't let it paralyze me." she told him, looking on the verge of tears.
Bash grabbed her face and pressed his forehead to hers. "I am so…proud of you."
She gave him a weak smile before she turned to face Lola, Aylee and Kenna. "Why didn't you go to the tunnels?" Maisie asked with a look at Lola.
"We knocked, but no one opened the door." Aylee answered.
"I assume Olivia abandoned us." Lola added.
While Francis rushed to Mary, Catherine went to the four ladies who were now huddled together around Kenna. "Why didn't you tell us about the gold?" Aylee asked as Catherine reached out and touched poor Kenna's face, the most compassionate thing she'd ever seen Catherine do.
"I learned long ago that only a secret known by one person remains a secret." Catherine answered. "And…of course I…I wasn't sure it would work. Though I did try to tell Maisie after the count insisted the two of you stay." She looked at Maisie. "You're a very observant girl. You were trying to figure out the purpose of the hourglass and I didn't want your face to give it away when you did."
Mary rushed over and hugged Kenna. "Kenna, I'm so sorry."
"I'll be alright." Kenna sobbed.
"I'll take her to the infirmary." Francis said as he came over to them. "Here, come with me. Take my arm." He told Kenna as he wrapped her arm around his shoulders and his around her waist.
"You should go too and let Nostradamus look at you." Bash tried, but she shook her head.
"It's just scraps. I'll be fine." Maisie insisted. Bash put his hand on her lower back as they walked out of the dining room.
The walk to her chaimbers was quiet. Bash opened the door for her and she walked inside. But when the quietness and emptiness of her room stared back at her she turned to Bash and grabbed the door before he could shut it. "Stay with me tonight?" tears stung the back of her eyes. "I don't care if the servants talk in the morning. I'll deal with it, but I'm not sure I can handle being alone right now."
Bash walked in and shut the door behind him. "Of course I'll stay. If I had it my way I'd never leave your side again." he cupped her cheek in his hand.
The intimate touch reminded her that she truly was safe now and the reality of the day's events came crashing down on her. It suddenly felt as if a boulder rested on her chest. "I ca…I can't breathe." She gasped, pulling at the neck of the halter corseted dress she wore. "Help me..out of this…please." Bash quickly untitled the laces at the back and unhooked the clasp at the neck.
While she tugged it off he grabbed her nightgown from the nearby wardrobe and slipped it over her head, keeping her covered as her dress pooled at her feet. "Look at me."
She looked up at his face. "I don't…understand what's…happening. I…I was fine."
He grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest. "Breathe with me. Match my pace and focus on my voice." She nodded and did as he said. "You've been holding everything at bay all day. Fighting," he threaded his fingers through her hair rubbing her forehead with his thumb, "up here, before you even raised a fist." Her eyes slipped closed when her breathing evened out. "Now that the fighting is done it's catching up to you. That's all."
She took a deep breath, let it out and opened her eyes "I'm sorry." she told him quietly, as she placed both her shaking hands on his chest and looked up at him.
"Whatever for?" he asked.
"I don't know. Letting that man get his hands on me…not fighting sooner. I feel like I should have…somehow." she squeezed her eyes shut. "And poor Kenna, I tried to get to her but I was grabbed from behind and I didn't know what to do, I couldn't get away. I couldn't-"
He cupped her cheeks in his hand and shushed her. "Look at me." She opened her eyes and looked into his. "You fought. You fought…the best you could and that's what matters. Do you hear me?" she nodded. "We will keep training and you'll get better." She nodded then grabbed his hand and led him to her bed. She laid down and Bash took off the leather vest he was wearing then followed. They laid on their sides facing one another, Bash holding her close. "I'm sorry I didn't meet you at the stables this morning. I was delayed by my mother. I told her I had plans, but she insisted that she had important news."
"Is she alright?" She asked, worrying that Diane might be ill.
"Yes, but if anyone finds out the treasonous things she's planning, both she and I could be in grave danger." He answered. "It could take me away from you."
"Bash, you're scaring me." She replied instantly thinking of Nostradamus's prediction. "What is your mother planning?"
"She's been corresponding with a cardinal. She wants to have me legitimized. To change the line of succession and make me the next king and you the queen." He explained.
Maisie's eyes grew wide as her brows rose. "Do you want to be king?"
"No, I've never wanted Francis's job." He answered with a shake of his head. "All I've ever wanted is to marry you, buy a small house somewhere and have a quiet life."
"That sounds lovely." She replied with a small smile.
"Would you want to be queen?" He asked.
"Lord no. I've seen what that has done to Mary and her relationship with Francis." She answered. "Did you tell your mother that you don't want your brother's throne?"
"Yes and I thought she heard me, but…" he sighed and shook his head. "The count's men who stormed into my room and took my mother and I prisoner were oddly gentle with us, before my mother even had the chance to bribe them."
"What are you saying?" She asked with a frown.
"I believe my mother told Count Vincent when my father and his men would be out of the castle." Bash answered. "That she wanted him to take Francis and my little brothers, leaving me to be next in line for the throne."
"Do you truly think your mother would do that?" She asked.
"Yes. You haven't seen the temper tantrums she's thrown when it comes to my father. I have. And she was recently displaced, yet again. Having me be next in line for the throne would give Father reason enough to annul his marriage to Catherine and make Mother queen. She'd have a permanent place at Father's side."
"Permanent until someone assassinates her or you." Maisie added. "Your mother's thirst for power will cause a title wave. Nobles will revolt."
"Her plans with the count were all for not. And I will never take my brother's job." He assured her. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to his chest. "You should try to get some sleep."
She nodded and cuddled into him, but sleep didn't come, instead images she didn't want to see filled her mind's eye and she opened them, seeing that Bash was still watching her closely. "I can't sleep. All I can see is the look on those men's faces before I stabbed them."
"You stabbed them?" He asked.
Maisie nodded and dropped her eyes to his chest. "When I remembered what you told me, not to let fear paralyze me, it was like…my brain stopped working, save two thoughts…survive and save my friends at all costs. So I did. It was just like the time I punched that guy for grabbing my rear. I had no control over myself, no idea what I was doing until I had already done it." She lifted her eyes to look into his. "I killed two men tonight."
"I know taking a life isn't easy, but better them than you." he told her quietly. "I truly am proud of you. Most women in that situation aren't as brave." He took his hand from where it had been resting on her hip to slip the backs of his fingers over her cheek.
She took it and kissed his busted knuckles. "I'm only brave because you give me the strength to be."
A soft fleeting smile graced his lips. "You give me too much credit. You've always been a fighter. I've known it since we were children."
"What simpler times those were." She sighed as she slipped her pointer finger over the scar on his palm. "When I was…eleven, maybe, I noticed mine had started to fade." He flipped her hand around to look at it, still clear as day, just like his. "I feared that if it faded, so would my memories of you."
"So you cut it again." He said, making her look up at him to give him a nod. "Mine started fading as well. I knew I could never forget you, but I reopened the wound regardless."
She gave him a soft smile. "I love you."
He smiled and cupped her face in his hand, slipping his thumb over her scratched cheek and her eyes slipped closed. "I love you too." He noticed when she opened her eyes that she was fighting to keep them that way. So he grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed and pulled it over them. "Sleep. I'm not going anywhere." He kissed her forehead as she scooted closer, tucking her hand under her chin as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
Morning light shone through the window beside Maisie's bed, illuminating the couple sleeping in the same position they'd fallen asleep in. Maisie woke up first, feeling Bash's arm still around her waist and her arms still tucked between them. She opened her eyes to see his still closed, his lips parted as soft, barely audible snores filled the air. She couldn't help smiling at the sight.
It brought her back to a moment from their childhood. They had snuck out late one night to stargaze. Bash ended up falling asleep. To wake him, thinking it would tickle, she placed her pointer finger between his brows and lightly slipped it down the bridge of his nose. When he woke up, he crossed his eyes looking at her finger on his face and she giggled. From then on he used the face to make her laugh every time he had an excuse to.
Looking at him now and not feeling like waiting patiently for him to wake up, she bit her smiling lips closed, raised her hand and slipped her finger down his nose with a feather light touch. After a few passes he took in a deep breath, but didn't open his eyes. She knew he was awake when she slipped her finger down his nose again and a closed lipped smile appeared on his face. "Are you going to open your eyes?" She asked. He hummed a negative answer. "Why not?" She asked, sounding a little pouty as she dropped her hand to rest on his chest.
"Because I'm not sure I can still do what I think you're wanting me to do." He answered.
"You remember?" She asked, sounding surprised.
He finally opened his eyes, gracing her with their pastel blue presence. "Of course I remember. It was my favorite way to make you laugh." She smiled. "I haven't done it since you left." She gave him a look, silently begging him to try. He heaved out a sigh. "Alright, but you have to promise not to be disappointed if I can't do it."
"I promise." She answered then watched as he put on a mock serious face, glared at her then crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue biting it between his lips. She burst out laughing and he stopped making the funny face to laugh with her. "I didn't realize how much I've missed that." She slipped her hand over his cheek. "The face and the laugh. Things have been so tense lately."
He let things fall quiet for a moment as he moved his hand from where it had been resting on her waist to slide up and down her upper arm. "I'm just glad you woke up in a good mood, I feared you'd have a restless sleep."
"I fell asleep and woke up in your arms. It's a good morning." She replied as she slipped her fingertips into the untied v of his shirt. "I can think of something to make it even better." She replied and gave his shoulder a gentle push.
So he turned on to his back then watched as she threw her leg over him, straddling his hips. Lust veiled his eyes as she leaned down and caught his bottom lip between hers. As they kissed his arms wrapped around her waist, his hand sliding up her silk covered back to press between her shoulder blades. A sigh left his lips as she worked her way to his neck, kissing the soft skin just below his ear before working her way down to kiss his chest that his shirt revealed.
Wanting to feel her kiss elsewhere Bash sat up, taking her with him, then took his shirt off and fell backwards. She was taking in the view when a knock came from her door pulling them back down to reality. "Hide." She whispered to Bash then yelled, "one moment!" At the door as she scrambled from bed and pulled on a robe. After making sure Bash couldn't be seen she opened the door to see her ladies maid. "Good morning, Bernadette."
"Good morning, Milady. Sorry to interrupt-" Maisie held her hand up, cutting her off.
She went to the writing desk in her room, grabbed a few gold coins then returned to Bernadette. She showed them to the blond girl who couldn't have been older than herself then closed her hand. "Would you like to try that sentence again?"
"Good morning, Milady. Sorry to wake you," she paused and Maisie gave her an approving nod "but your presence is requested in the throne room at noon."
"Okay. Thank you, and please keep in mind that discretion is of the utmost importance to me." Maisie replied as she opened her hand.
"My lips are sealed." Bernadette replied as she took the coins, curtsied then walked away.
Maisie closed the door and when she turned around Bash stepped out from behind the dressing screen. "Paying for silence. You've been at court for too long." He said as he walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist as she rested hers on his shoulders.
"If I have to divvy out some coins to keep them silent so we can do this again then I will." She replied and he smiled.
"We still have quite a bit of time before you have to be in the throne room." Bash pointed out. "Are you feeling up for a ride?"
"Why go for a ride when we can continue what Bernadette interrupted?" she asked with a lustful look.
"There's somewhere I'd like to take you…to remind you of simpler times." he answered.
"Okay." she answered with a little smile. "I'll meet you at the stables?"
He nodded and pecked her on the lips then snuck out of the room.
"Where are you taking me?" Maisie asked as they rode through the woods, not on any trail, ducking under branches on occasion.
"You'll just have to wait and see." he answered from where he rode ahead of her, leading the way.
"Can't you just tell me?" she asked, ducking under another branch.
"Maisie." he sighed, getting aggravated with her.
"Sorry." she answered with a smile.
After a few more minutes of riding they finally came to a stop, facing a large French oak tree. Its branches grew almost horizontally. Staring at it, Maisie rode closer, then dismounted. Bash did the same then followed her to the tree, watching as she touched it then walked around the fat trunk trailing her fingers over it until she found what she was looking for. A staggered trail of notches in the tree, makeshift stairs that Bash had carved for her feet to fit into so that she could climb the tree. "You remember." He observed with a smile.
"I don't know why, but I didn't think this tree would still be standing." she replied as she turned toward him. "I guess I thought it may have gotten cut down for timber or destroyed in a storm."
"Would you like to climb it?" he asked with a soft smile.
"I don't think we have enough time for you to carve new steps." she told him with a smirk.
Bash just walked over to his horse and took a rope ladder out of his saddle bag. After he'd secured it to the tree he helped her climb up. They sat on the thick limb, straddling it facing each other. "Feels like just yesterday we sat here like this, two kids…kindred spirits making a blood oath to one day wed despite all the things that could have pulled us apart."
"It's still just as beautiful as ever." She replied with a soft smile. While she was looking off in the distance he reached into his pocket and pulled out a box carved of oak. Seeing the movement out of the corner of her eye she looked at him. "The little carved box." she whispered.
"Our love, like this tree, has stood strong through the time we spent apart and through every storm life has thrown its way since your return." He paused and Maisie smiled, waiting for him to continue. "The moments we've shared have been the happiest of my life and I know now that in spite of my station, I can make you happy as well." Her stomach filled with nervous butterflies and something else shot through her chest as he opened the box and took out a ring. "Will you grant the wish I made when we were children and stay true to our oath by becoming my wife?"
The look in his pastel blue eyes suggested that if she said no, he would shatter. A tear slipped down her cheek as a little laugh left her smiling face. "Yes."
"Yes?" He asked with a smile brighter than the sun and a raise of his brows.
She laughed, "Yes, of course I will marry you." She sniffled.
He leaned forward, catching her lips in a joyful kiss before he pulled back and grabbed her left hand. "This ring belonged to my grandmother." he slipped it on her finger and she held her hand up looking at the gold rose with a little rounded ruby sitting in the center of it. "Its modest, I know, but-"
"I love it." She cut him off. "More than I could ever love something new."
He gave her a soft smile. "Good."