The Bastards
Ch. 6
Maisie caught up with her friends as they walked behind Mary, headed to the throne room where they had all been summoned by the king. "Where have you been?" Greer asked her quietly as she fell in stride beside her.
"I…have an excuse, but I'll tell you about it later." Maisie answered.
"Does this excuse have pretty blue eyes?" Greer asked with a knowing smile.
"Possibly." Maisie answered and Greer laughed, making Maisie shush her before they walked into the throne room.
The king, with a silver goblet in his hand, rushed up onto the raised area where the thrones sat and grabbed Catherine's hand. "There is news sent to us by Cardinal Tesson, the papal emissary." he announced with a motion to the Cardinal who stood off to the side, dressed all in red with a gaudy cross around his neck and a goblet of his own in his hands. "In England, the Tudor Queen is dying."
"While she has not named her successor-" the Cardinal started.
But Henry interrupted, "Many suspect, and believe, the rightful heir to the English throne is you…Mary Stuart."
Maisie frowned and looked at her friends. She had always just assumed that Elizabeth would take the throne of England. The king walked over to Mary and took her hand. "The second England's queen dies, you will make your claim. Your marriage to my son will strengthen that claim, as it will show the world that you have the might of France at your side. France fulfills its promise to Scotland and to you." He let go of Mary's hand and looked at Francis. "It's time you and Francis are wed." Henry turned and walked back up to stand next to Catherine. He raised his cup, "We must Celebrate. It's God's will."
People started clapping before servants started walking around with platters of treats and wine. Maisie looked at Greer, Lola and Aylee. "Staking a claim on England could cost Mary her head." she told them and they all looked at her with wide, worried eyes.
"Mary will be at war with Elizabeth." Lola added.
"Catholics versus protestants." Greer agreed.
"This isn't good." Aylee added.
While Mary and Francis went with Henry and Catherine to talk about the news, Maisie and her friends stayed at the celebration taking place in the throne room. After a while Bash came over, "Take a walk with me?" he asked as he held out his hand.
"Of course." she replied as she took it. "Is everything alright?" she asked as they walked out of the throne room and took a left, headed for the exit.
"Yes." he answered. "I've spoken to my mother. Seeing as the Vatican is squashing a bastard's claim in England there's no way they can support a bastard's claim in France. She has no choice but to cease all attempts of getting me legitimized."
"Ah, well, at least their arrival at court brings some kind of good news." she sighed as they walked outside and started along a path that would overlook the sea wall. "That is good news right? You haven't changed your mind about taking Francis's crown?"
"Yes, it is good news." he answered before a comfortable silence fell over them as they followed the path. "In all honesty I don't think I'd make a good king. Do you?"
"Are you sure you want me to answer that question?" she asked, knowing her answer might hurt him. They stopped walking and Maisie leaned on the stone wall, to look out over the sea.
"Yes. I'll never ask you anything I don't want an honest answer to." he insisted as he moved to stand across from her.
"No. I don't think you'd be a good king." she answered. "Kings have to lie to people and smile as they placate nobles they'd much rather just punch in the face. They have to sit on a throne and hear their people's very boring and stupid so called grievances. You, my love, are too honest, too kind and too caring. Not to mention the fact that you have no measurable tolerance for stupidity." he chuckled at her. "Kings have to harden their hearts and put their country first, I never wish to see you like that." she placed her hand over his heart and he looked down at it then back at her. "Your soft heart is one of the many things I love about you."
"Speaking of matters of the heart." Bash sighed. "I had no idea when I proposed to you this morning that Mary and Francis would be walking down the aisle so soon. No one will like us announcing our engagement right after Father's announcement."
"So you want to keep it just between us?" Maisie asked. Bash made a face that suggested he didn't like it, but nodded. "Okay." She took her engagement ring off her left finger and put it in her right hand.
"I hope you can understand where I'm coming from." He said feeling bad for asking.
"I do. It's okay I promise " Maisie told him then stood on her toes and caught his bottom lip between hers.
After telling them that she had decided to go ahead with the wedding, Mary and her ladies lounged on the young queen's bed. "We're so happy for you." Greer told her.
Mary giggled happily. "Lola, what about you?" Mary asked Lola where she sat next to Aylee at the head of the bed.
"I'm pleased I…I just…I want you to be safe. I want you to be sure. England's an enormous risk." she answered and Mary moved to lay propped up by her forearm on the bed. "Are you taking that risk for us, your people, or for the man you love?"
"My duty is to Scotland and soon to France. I will make the decision that my conscience dictates. Francis knows that." Mary answered.
"But the king's orders." Aylee argued.
"What the king doesn't know won't hurt him." Mary replied.
"He'd defy his father for you?" Greer asked.
Mary looked at her over her shoulder then back at Aylee. "For us, for his people." she argued. "He's a good man and I'm going to marry him tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow?" Greer asked, "But wha- what will you wear?"
The girls giggled. "What about your mother? She won't be here." Aylee asked.
"Well, I have all of you." Mary answered as she sat up and grabbed Aylee's hand. "You're my real family."
Greer left the bed and came back with a brush in her hand. "Mary come, let's try different things with your hair."
Mary laughed and scooted to the edge of the bed. "Up or down, what do you think?" Aylee asked.
"Depends on the veil." Lola answered with a smile at Mary.
"Maisie." Mary said, getting her attention where she sat beside her at the foot of the bed leaning back against the pole of the footboard. "Are you alright? You've been quiet."
"Yes, I'm fine." Maisie answered, blinking out of her thoughts. "I'm just worried is all. About what Henry might do if you marry Francis then refuse to lay claim to England."
"Let me worry about that." Mary told her as she reached out and touched her hand.
"How are things with you and Bash?" Lola asked.
"Good, as usual." Maisie answered.
"I hear he stayed in your rooms last night." Aylee said.
"How did you hear that?" Maisie asked.
"My maid saw him leave your chambers this morning." Aylee answered.
"Maisie, you didn't." Greer said with a look that danced somewhere between worried and judgmental as she brushed Mary's hair.
"No, we didn't. I just couldn't be alone after what happened. So he stayed." Maisie answered.
"Is he ever going to ask you to marry him?" Lola asked. "You've been courting for months now."
"As I've said before, we're not rushing it." Maisie brushed it off even though she was aching to tell them that he had asked her to marry him.
"I never understand why you're wasting your time on a bastard like him." Aylee's words made Maisie's nostril's flare. "It's not like he can provide for you without lands or a title. You're dowry, while substantial enough to rival my own, won't last forever. What kind of life would you have if you were to wed him? God forbid you have children without a way to put food in their mouths. There's a reason women never marry below their station."
Greer and Lola both knew from the look in Maisie's eyes and the flair of her nostrils that Aylee was about to get a serious tongue lashing. And this time, no one had any intention of stopping it. "You're a shallow bitch, you know that?"
"Maisie." Mary scolded.
"No, it needs to be said." Maisie argued. "You think you're so much better than everyone else just because your family is one of the richest in Scotland. But titles and lands do not make a man, what lies in his heart does, and Bash's heart is selfless and pure. It beats just like everyone else's. We are all human and we all have feelings and every time you demean the man I love you may as well be stomping me into the ground right along with him. Why can't you just be my friend…be happy that I'm happy?" Aylee's green eyes pooled with tears. Maisie paused, giving her time to speak, but she didn't. Maisie scoffed at her then turned her eyes to Mary. "If you will excuse me there's somewhere I need to be."
Mary gave her a nod and waved her to the door. So she left, making a b line to the stables where she grabbed a brush and went to Hemera.
She had calmed down and was leading Hemera back into her stall when Bash walked into the stable's. He walked over and leaned on the support beam of Hemera's stall. "What's wrong?"
"Does something have to be wrong for me to want to spend time with my horse?" she asked back.
"No, but it is odd that you'd choose to spend time with Hemera instead of helping Mary make decisions regarding her wedding tomorrow night." he answered.
Maisie sighed and looked down at Hemera's lead rope in her hands. "Aylee started talking bad about you again. She just kept going on and on and I snapped. I called her a shallow bitch." She unhooked the lead rope from Hemera's bridal, then shut the door of the stall and hung the rope over the door. "After that I told Mary there was somewhere I needed to be even though there wasn't. I just couldn't stay in the same room with Aylee anymore."
"You know, once we're married you're going to have to get used to backhanded comments from judgmental women." he pointed out as she placed her hands on his chest and slid them up over his shoulders to the back of his neck.
"I can take the comments from other women who don't know you or me." she replied, loving the feel of his hands on her sides. "But Aylee is supposed to be my friend, she's supposed to support me, not shove my face in the dirt." Maisie sighed and rested her head on his chest. "I take all her comments personally not just because she's taking stabs at you, but because I can only imagine what she'd have to say if she knew about my true parentage."
"Have you thought about telling them?" he asked as he pulled her a little closer.
She lifted her head to look at him. "Once, and then I remembered how impulsive all of my friends can be and I can't risk putting this secret in the wrong hands." Maisie answered. "Though I probably should tell Mary at some point." she said then sighed and rested her forehead on his chest.
Things were quiet for a moment before he said, "You, my lovely fiancée, need to relax." as he gave her waist a gentle push turning her around before he pulled her back against him.
"What are you doing?" she asked as he gathered her hair that was draped over her shoulders and pulled it away from her face to fall down her back. A sigh filled the air when he pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. "Bash, anyone could walk in-"
He shushed her before he placed his hands on her shoulders, covered by the sheer, loose, button down shirt she wore that was held in place by a beaded belt. When his thumbs dug into the tight muscles of her shoulders a quiet hum left her lips making him chuckle. "I like that sound."
He couldn't see the blush that colored her cheeks at the comment. She let him continue for a while, involuntary hums leaving her lips when he hit a particularly tight spot. "Bash, if you keep doing that I'm going to fall asleep."
She felt him place a kiss to the back of her head as he grabbed her waist and pulled her back against him. His breath in her ear sent a shiver through her, "Then maybe we should sneak back to my chambers."
"That is very tempting." She replied as her eyes slipped closed, feeling his length pressed against her backside. She placed her hands over his that slipped around to her stomach, holding her close as he started kissing her neck. A sigh slipped from her lips. "But...I don't want to be together in your chambers until after the wedding."
"Why not?" he whispered in her ear, still kissing her neck.
"This may sound silly, but when we are wed, your chambers will become ours. Being in your chambers before they are officially ours feels like bad luck or something." She said with a wrinkle of her nose and a shake of her head.
"It's not silly." Bash said between kisses. "It actually makes sense."
"Instead, why don't you come to my chambers tonight?" she asked as she turned in his arms to look at him. "Now that I know what it's like to fall asleep in your arms, I'm not sure I can go back to sleeping alone." she admitted as she moved her arms to rest on his shoulders, her wrists crossed behind his head. Bash smiled before pulling her closer and catching her lips with his.
They were lost in one another when Mary's voice pulled them back down to earth. "Maisie, are you in here?"
Bash took a few steps back and Maisie was wiping her lips when Mary came into sight. "Over here." Maisie said, making Mary turn to see her and Bash.
"Ah, you're both here. Good." Mary said as she walked over to them. "Bash, may I have a moment of your time?" she asked with a look at Bash who gave her a nod so Mary looked at Maisie. "Would you be willing to speak with Aylee? I think you both owe one another an apology."
"Of course." Maisie answered. If Aylee was willing to talk, then Maisie would attempt to meet her half way.
"She's in my quarters with the rest of our friends." Mary told her.
Maisie turned to Bash, "I'll see you later?" she asked since he hadn't exactly agreed to come to her chambers tonight. He hummed a positive answer so Maisie stood on her toes and pecked him on the cheek.
Maisie found Aylee, Greer and Lola in Mary's chambers. Seeing her, Lola and Greer left them to work things out. Aylee stood from where she had been sitting in the window nook. "I'm sorry." both of them said at the same time.
"You can go first." Maisie said with a motion to her as she walked over to the window and sat down on the padded, built-in seat, leaning her back against the wall with her feet tucked to the side.
"I know I come off as judgmental and shallow. For that I am sorry. But I didn't know until Greer told me, just moments ago, that your uncle has granted you permission to marry for love." Aylee said as she joined her, mirroring her sitting position at the opposite end of the bench. "And I know you love Bash, I just worry that if you wed him, you'll realize that marrying for love isn't all it's cracked up to be. Marrying below your station will be hard, financially and socially. I fear that the woes that come with marrying Bash will overshadow how happy his love makes you. I worry because I am your friend, just like you worry about Mary and she worries about all of us."
"There's something else you don't know about me. A secret that I can't tell anyone. I haven't even told Mary, though I do plan to. This secret changed me and how I see the role that wealth will play in my life." Maisie started.
"Is this secret dangerous?" Aylee asked with a concerned frown.
"Only for me and not in a life or death kind of way. It could just make me fall in station sooner than desired. I promise I'll tell you and the others after I'm married, but until then I can't say more than I already have." Maisie answered and Aylee nodded, but still looked concerned. "Anyway, this secret made me see that there is more to happiness than money, that I truly don't need it to be happy. Yes, I love Bash, truly and deeply, but that's not the only reason I'll marry him. We're perfect for one another in so many different ways. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the one man God created specifically for me and I am damn lucky to have found him. I won't throw that away for material reasons. I appreciate your friendship and that you worry about my happiness, I do, but I will marry him one day, regardless of anyone's opinions on the matter. So do you think you can accept that and simply be happy for me?"
Aylee gave her a nod and a small smile. "I think I can do that. And I won't tell the others you're keeping a secret from us."
Maisie gave her a small smile in return. "Thank you." Hearing a creak outside the door to Mary's chambers Maisie raised her voice, "You can come in now. We're done talking."
Lola and Greer came back inside and joined them in the window nook. "Is everything okay now?" Lola asked as she sat down. Maisie and Aylee nodded.
"No more hard feelings?" Greer added.
"None." Maisie answered while Aylee just shook her head no. A few silent moments passed before Maisie asked, "Do any of you know what Mary wanted to speak with Bash about?"
"Catherine and Nostradamus have Mary convinced that if she marries Francis it will cost him his life. Mary thinks that everything Catherine has done to her, forcing Colin to try and take her virtue, letting that English envoy torture her with a fake poisoned dress, and I'm sure Olivia's arrival at court was her doing as well…All if it was to save Francis from this prophecy." Greer explained, causing Maisie to frown at her as her stomach sickened.
"And, as if that wasn't enough, Nostradamus has predicted that one among us, a girl, would be dead in a day's time. He said he saw Mary's ladies circled around, he didn't know who, but one among us would die before the next frost melts." Lola added.
Maisie took in a deep breath then let it out with a frown. "So Mary wanted to talk to Bash about this prophecy?" Maisie asked.
"No, she's asking him about the whole, 'the lion will fight the dragon on a field of poppies' prophecy." Greer answered.
"The lion being the English and the dragon being the ships Tomás sent to protect Scotland." Aylee added.
"The lion was Bash." Maisie spoke up. "As a bastard he belongs to no one and can choose his own symbol. Just like Tomas chose an obnoxious dragon. Nostradamus's prophecy was talking about the fight Tomas lost against Bash and Francis in the woods. Bash mentioned that there were Poppies everywhere."
"That's an odd thing to mention." Lola said.
"Not really. He mentioned it during one of our training sessions. He was trying to help me understand how the mind works when involved in a dangerous fight." Maisie replied. "He said the mind focuses on small things when faced with the larger horror of taking a life. And he's right." Her friends noticed the distant look in her eyes before she blinked out of it and shook her head. "Nostradamus also predicted that my love would be taken from me, but that hasn't happened." Maisie pointed out. "Perhaps he is losing his touch when it comes to interpreting his visions."
"So you believe that someone can predict the future?" Greer asked.
"I believe that there are things in this world that can't be explained with logic." Maisie shrugged. "But I hope and pray that Nostradamus is wrong and we will all be standing after the frost melts."
The girls got lost in their thoughts for a while.
Eventually Greer blinked out of her thoughts and looked at Maisie. "So, Maisie, tell us the latest with you and Bash." she said, trying to start up a lighter conversation.
"There's not much to tell." she brushed it off, wishing more than anything that she could tell the that Bash proposed this morning.
"You never tell us much about you and Bash." Aylee pointed out.
"I don't remember him from before. I never even knew the two of you played together." Greer added. "I guess my parents didn't want me to pay with the king's bastard." she thought out loud. "Come on, share your history with us." she said, giving Maisie's knee a nudge from where she sat on the padded floor beside her.
"Do you remember the first time you met him?" Lola asked curiously from where she sat across from Greer.
"I do." Maisie answered. "My parents had sent my brothers and I to Diane's quarters to ask if Bash could come out and play. So she called him to the door and asked him if he wanted to. He didn't look interested at first. Looking back on it now he probably knew our parents were forcing us to play with him and that we would probably just leave him behind or be mean to him once we were away from adults. But when he saw me, something in his eyes changed and he agreed." she answered and the other girls in the room smiled. "Once we were outside my brothers, naturally, ignored us, playing their own game while Bash and I just stood there. I couldn't help staring at him and when he asked me why I kept staring I admitted that I thought his eyes were pretty."
"Well, he does have pretty eyes." Lola agreed with a small laugh.
Maisie laughed. "That seemed to break the ice and I ended up asking him if he would teach me how to climb a tree like my brothers did. I thought he was going to tell me that girls shouldn't do such things, but he agreed. From then on out when I wasn't playing with all of you I was out with Bash on another adventure."
"Why haven't you ever told us any of this before?" Aylee asked curiously.
"I don't know. I've never really stopped to think about it." Maisie answered.
"I've wondered the same." Lola said. "In all those nine years we were home, you never even mentioned him."
"I think I kept it to myself at first because I knew there was a reason none of you ever played with us." she answered, a contemplative look on her face. "Then as I grew older I feared you all would talk me out of waiting for him. That you'd think giving my heart to someone I may never see again was silly."
"Did you ever think about giving up and giving in to someone else?" Greer asked.
"Once. When I was fourteen." Maisie answered. "Though, when I first arrived I told Bash that there had never been anyone else because I didn't want to hurt him. Of course that was before he told me that he had been with other women." she said with a roll of her eyes.
"Who was it?" Aylee asked. "That made you consider giving up on Bash."
"Keelan." Maisie answered and the girls made faces that suggested they should have known. "I told Bash that I had a friend back home that some people believed I was more than friends with and that we let them believe it to protect him from how ugly things could get if people knew he preferred men." She explained. "I left out how we figured out his preferences."
"Do you plan on telling him?" Lola asked.
"Do you think he'll get mad if you do?" Aylee added.
"I don't think he'll get mad and I do plan on telling him, I just haven't found the right time." Maisie answered.
Things were quiet for a short moment before Lola curiously said, "So," Maisie looked at her, knowing from the smile on her face that she was going to ask something personal, "is he a good kisser?"
Maisie laughed. "Yes."
"Have you gone further?" Aylee asked.
"No." Maisie answered with a shake of her head.
"Even when he spent the night with you last night?" Lola asked.
"No. We might've done more this morning, but my maid interrupted telling me about the meeting at noon." Maisie replied, letting her aggravation show on her face.
"So if you weren't late because you were fooling around in your chambers with Bash, why were you late?" Greer asked. "You said you tell me later, but you never did."
"Oh, we just went riding and lost track of time." she lied even though she desperately wanted to tell them that Bash had proposed.
"Oh." Greer said looking a little disappointed, but she believed her.
"Has anyone checked in on Kenna?" Maisie asked to change the subject.
"No, Mary said she needs rest." Lola answered.
"We should go to her in the morning, surprise her with some treats for breakfast." Maisie suggested and they all agreed.
That night Bash and Maisie sat on her bed, sharing a bottle of wine. "Did Mary talk to you about Nostradamus's prophecy concerning Francis's life?" Maisie asked.
Bash shook his head no as he swallowed his wine. "No, she just asked me about the lion fighting the dragon in the field of poppies. I confirmed that Nostradamus was right. I, the lion, fought Tomas, the dragon, in a field of Poppies." he answered with a frown. "Who's threatening Francis's life?"
"Mary, apparently." Maisie answered as she took the bottle from him. "Nostradamus says that if Mary weds Francis it will cause his death." She took a drink then rested the bottle on her bent knee. "A part of me believes he can see the future, but at the same time, the prediction about you and Tomas fighting is the only prophecy I've seen come true."
"Don't discredit him. I've seen it take years before what he's seen comes to pass." Bash cautioned her.
"So you truly believe that you'll be taken from me?" she asked as he held his hand out for the bottle and she handed it to him. "That Aylee will never go home again, Greer will fall in love with a man with a white mark on his face and, worst and most recent, that one of Mary's ladies will die before the next frost melts?"
Bash frowned as he swallowed a swig of wine. "Wait, what?"
"According to what the girls have told me, Nostradamus predicted that one among us, a girl, would be dead in a day's time. He said he saw Mary's ladies circled around someone, but didn't know who". Maisie explained. Bash sighed and rested the bottom of the bottle on the bed as his shoulders fell. "You believe him, don't you?"
"Unfortunately, I do." he answered, his eyes on the crumpled up blanket they sat on.
"Even though I don't want to, I do too." She said and Bash tried to hand her the bottle, but she shook her head no. "I know myself and how I react to too much wine. My stomach is already upset from thinking about these bloody prophecies and with my mind in this dark of a place if I don't stop drinking now I'll be in tears before the night is over."
Bash sighed and leaned back, setting the bottle on the floor before he set up and moved to sit beside her, leaning back on her headboard as he pulled her into his side. "You're not going to die." he assured her.
"No, but one of my friends will." she replied with a look up at him seeing a curious look on his face. "It can't be me. If I die you can't be taken from me as he predicted." she explained. "Seems as if I worry for everyone but myself. You could be taken from me, one of my friends will die and if Mary weds your brother he too could die. Does Nostradamus ever predict anything good? Like babies being born or rain to end a long drought? Or is the poor man plagued with darkness?"
"There have been bright predictions, but it does seem his specialty is darkness." Bash answered flatly.
They held each other in silence for a moment before Maisie took in a deep breath and sat up. "This isn't what I had in mind when I invited you to my chambers." she sighed then moved around to look at Bash. "I don't know about you, but I refuse to let all of this darkness shroud our happiness." she threw her leg over him, straddling his lap as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "We're engaged and I can't be excited about it around others, but I can be while I'm with you." she grabbed his face and looked pointedly into his eyes. "And I am excited and eager to fully become yours in every conceivable way."
He laughed as he took her hands from his face and kissed them. "And until then, where do we draw the line?" he asked. "I know you said you can't go too far, but we never established precisely how far that is."
"Well," she started, "I've learned a few things from the books I've read in secret over the years, but I'd still categorize myself as extremely inexperienced. So if I draw the line right above actual sex, I don't know exactly what all that leaves.'' She reached behind her back and pulled the tie of the beaded belt she wore to hide the meeting point of her navy blue skirts and the light blue sheer, button down shirt she wore over a navy blue strapless bustier. After she tossed the belt to the side she started to work on the buttons, but Bash grabbed her hands stopping her. She frowned before he smiled and started undoing the buttons himself. "I trust you, and I want more than simple kisses as I'm sure you do too." She grabbed the hem of the white shirt he'd been wearing under his black leather tunic, and pulled it over his head. As she tossed it to the side with her belt he resumed his work on the last few buttons of her top. "So, why don't I draw the line at sex and let you take the lead. If I feel uncomfortable with something I'll simply say so. And if I do something wrong, correct me."
She watched his face as he pushed the shirt down her arms. She smiled at the lust in his eyes as they moved up to meet hers. "Sounds good to me." he leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled back.
"Hold on." she said and he sighed in aggravation, making her smile as she slipped from the bed. "Was that a complaint I just heard?" She asked as she pulled the ties of her skirts and let them fall to the floor in a pile of satin and tulle. The sight of her in nothing but short, scalloped edged knicker shorts and the short waisted bustier that left half of her flat stomach uncovered stole his breath. She crawled onto the bed and over to straddle his lap.
"You're hearing things." he finally replied as he wrapped his arms around her, caught her lips with his, stood on his knees and laid her back. He supported his weight on one forearm while his other hand slid down her leg, pulling it to wrap around his waist and her other leg followed. Her breathing quickened and her heart pounded as his hand moved from her leg to hold her bare waist. Her hands explored his bare back before they slipped down over his trousers to grab his butt, pulling a hum from him.
One hand slid up, grabbing onto his belt while the other continued up his back to hook under his arm and hold his shoulder. When he adjusted his hips, pressing into her, only the layers of her knickers and the leather of his trousers between them she broke their passionate, lip bruising kiss to suck in a sharp breath and arch her back, pressing her head back into the bed with her eyes closed as her grip on his belt and shoulder tightened.
Realizing her nails were digging into his shoulder she loosened her grip and opened her eyes. "Sorry."
"It's fine." he replied through his own heavy breaths. "Truly, I don't mind." she gave him a nod then bit her lip as she tightened her legs around him, silently telling him what she wanted. He laughed breathily and caught her lips with his again before pressing into her again, once again pulling a hum from her that was followed by a sigh.
He kissed down her neck and over her chest as he rocked into her, pushing her closer and closer to the edge and just when he thought she was going to give in to ecstasy she gave his shoulder a push. So he rolled over taking her with him. She sat up, slipping her hands over his torso as she did, admiring the view before she leaned down and caught his bottom lip between hers. The kiss didn't last long before she worked her way to his earlobe, down his neck and over his shoulder. Her fingers played with the bit of hair in the center of his chest as she kissed down, taking a moment to swirl her tongue around his left nipple. She knew he liked it when his hum of pleasure filled the air around them. As she slowly kissed down his stomach, she scooted down his legs then sat up, sitting on his thighs. Her eyes found his as she hooked her finger under the loop of his belt that was tucked through the buckle. "May I?"
He gave her a nod so she kept her eyes on his as she worked on his belt then the buttons of his trousers. The lust in them brought a blush to her cheeks as she scooted back and stood on her knees, looking down. As he pushed his trousers down his hips he watched her face, wanting to see her reaction. He smiled when her eyes grew wide, her brows furrowed and she bit her lips closed. "What is that face about?"
"You're…bigger, than I'd imagined." She answered.
"I appreciate the compliment." He laughed as he sat up, grabbed the back of her head and kissed her. She reveled in it for a moment before she gave his shoulder a gentle push and he laid back, keeping his eyes on her. She moved to sit on her knees between his legs then leaned down. A timid kiss was placed to his hip bone as she cautiously hooked her fingers around him. She looked up into his eyes as she licked up his length.
A heavy sigh left his parted lips, his eyes slipped closed and his head tilted back. His reaction gave her the confidence to take him into her mouth. This pulled a moan from him that sent the butterflies in the pit of her stomach into a frenzy and spurred her enthusiasm as she slowly bobbed her head. After a few long moments and swirls of her tongue he whispered, "Maisie…" and cupped her cheek in his hand, "My Love, stop, look at me." Wondering if she'd done something wrong, both flattered and worried by his use of a pet name, she did as asked and sat up, taking his hand from her cheek to hold it in hers. "I'm close. Do you know what I mean by that?"
"I know what happens when a man reaches the peak of passion." she answered. "If it's alright with you I'd like to taste it."
"Really?" he asked, clearly pleasantly surprised as he sat up. "You want me to finish in your mouth?"
She hummed a positive answer. "Is that an odd request?" she asked, getting worried again.
"Odd no, surprising yes." he answered. "Most women are grossed out by the thought." seeing that she looked discouraged he took his hand from hers, caressed her cheek then lifted her chin. "I find the fact that you want to taste me extremely arousing."
Her eyes finally found his again. "Really?" she asked quietly. "You're not just saying that to make me feel better?" He lifted his brows with a smirk and looked down. She followed his gaze to see that he was, in fact, still turned on. She bit her smiling lips closed as she lifted her eyes back to his.
He moved his hand to rest on her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek. "I suggest you close off your throat, so your gag reflex isn't triggered." She gave him a nod before he caught her lips with his. After his kisses had pulled her back into the right headspace, she gave his chest a little push and he laid back, letting her lean back down and take him back into her mouth. The swirl of her tongue around his tip pulled a heavy sigh from him before she took him further into her mouth. A few moments later he touched her cheek and sighed, "Prepare yourself." She closed off her throat and grabbed his hand from her cheek. He threaded their fingers together. Her other hand slipped up from his thigh to his side and a choked sigh filled the air right before he started pulsing between her lips, filling her mouth. When she was sure he was done she swallowed and sat up. Bash took a moment to catch his breath, smiling when he saw her wipe a spot of white from the corner of her lips, look at it, then suck it off her thumb. Had he not just reached completion the sight would have gotten him rock hard. Not knowing how long they were going to carry on as they were, and not feeling like being cooped up in clothes he took his legs out from under her and slipped from the bed. Maisie watched as he removed his pants then noticed her watching closely. "Tell me what's going through that beautiful mind of yours."
"I'm wondering if it's humanly possible for a man to be more perfect than you." she answered.
He simply smiled as he got back into bed, stood on his knees across from her and loosely wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands resting on her rear. "So, you've imagined it have you?" he asked with a glance down before he looked at her with a smirk. She just hummed a positive answer with a small smile of her own. "And what, pray tell, were you doing while imagining it?"
"Finish undressing me and I'll show you." she replied, once again surprising him.
She reached back to untie her bustier, but he grabbed her forearms, stopping her. "The corset stays." she gave him a curious frown. "If we're both completely naked it will be too tempting to go too far." Understanding, she gave him a nod. He leaned down and kissed her as his hands slipped down her sides and over her hips, pushing the dark blue knickers down to her knees. As she laid back he followed, not breaking the kiss until he had to sit up in order to pull the damp fabric from around her ankles. It was tossed in to the pile of clothes on the floor beside the bed.
She kept her eyes on him as she slipped one hand up over her breast and the other further down, slipping a finger between her slick lips. Bash watched as her finger circled her clit a few times, then dipped down into her core. He couldn't resist reaching down and stroking himself. The sight pulled a hum that verged on a whimper from her lips. Bash treated her to the sight as long as he could, but eventually he caved and moved to hover over her from the side, capturing her lips in a hard, hungry kiss.
Soon his lips left hers trailing wet noisy kisses over her chest and down her stomach as he moved to lay between her legs. Pulling hums and shaky sighs from her as he teased her with kisses to her inner thighs. "Bash, please, I need you." she begged and he chuckled right before his tongue slipped between her lips, pulling a gasp from her as her hands fisted the blanket at her sides. His tongue, circling her clit with just the right amount of pressure, had her trembling. When he slipped a finger inside her, curling it instead of moving it in and out like she'd always done, she managed to say," Bash...I'm…"
"Let go, My Love." His breath on her as he spoke combined with his use of his new name for her pushed her over the edge and a whimper left her lips as she started pulsing around his finger. He didn't stop until she reached down and grabbed his wrist. Knowing she'd had all she could take he moved to the side and kissed his way up to her lips.
Without thinking she turned onto her side and he pulled her leg up over her hip. They both froze when he slipped between her folds, so very close to entering her. It took every ounce of will power they had to pull away from one another. While she slipped from the bed Bash covered his hips with the sheet then watched as she gathered some clothes and disappeared behind the dressing screen.
When she came back out she was dressed in a short, white, cotton nightgown with spaghetti straps and matching knickers. Content to just be together she laid on her side beside him where he laid on his back and snuggled into his side with her arm resting on his stomach. Her hand absentmindedly fiddled with the hair in the center of his chest while his played with her hair.
After a while her hand stilled. "Are you asleep?" He asked quietly.
"No." She answered, sounding distant.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"Yes, just thinking." She answered.
"About?" He prompted.
"Earlier today, Greer asked if there was ever a time in my nine years away from you that I considered opening my heart to another." She started and she felt him shift to look down at her.
"Was there?" He asked, worried.
She didn't look up at him, but instead, at her hand that now rested on his stomach. "I know I told you when I first arrived that there had never been another, but I lied because I didn't want to hurt you or make you think I'd given up on you."
"Maisie, look at me." She could tell by his tone that he was upset. So she moved around to lay on her stomach so she could look at him comfortably. "Are you telling me you still have feelings for another?"
"No, I love you and only you. But I don't want to go into our marriage with secrets, even if they are small. Because secrets no matter the size have a way of circling back around to bite you like a rabid dog." She explained. "Telling you that there had never been another man was a lie and one that has been slowly eating away at me considering that Francis told me you'd never let any of the girls you bedded into your heart."
Bash got silent for a moment before he sighed and seemed to simmer down a bit. "So, who was my competition?"
"Keelan." She answered.
"Your best friend who prefers men?" He asked with a frown.
"Yes." She answered. "When we were fourteen we realized we loved one another. Courting was the normal and sensible next step. But when we kissed it was just a kiss. A touch was just a touch. There was no…excitement." she explained as she saw his worry lift a little. "After a month or so we realized love doesn't necessarily have to be romantic. He was so afraid his rejection would hurt me and that we wouldn't be able to return to simply being friends, but we'd always been open and trusting with one another. So when he confessed that he wasn't attracted to me the same way he was attracted to boys and I confessed that I couldn't stop thinking about you, we didn't get mad at one another or hurt that it didn't work out for us."
Bash was quiet for a moment before he asked, "Do you still love him?"
"Yes." Maisie answered. "Just as I love all of my friends. But even though it's platonic, he and I made a promise to one another."
"I don't like the sound of that." he sighed with a pointed look.
"I know, but I have to tell you." she replied. "We promised that if I still hadn't returned to France and if you didn't come to find me by the time we both turned thirty, that we would wed. He would have to eventually marry to quiet the rumors, and he knew I could never truly love anyone but you…But he didn't want me to be a sad, lonely old maid. He promised that, while it would be more out of love and duty than passion, he could give me a family."
"He was your backup plan." Bash summarized and she nodded.
"One I prayed I'd never have to resort to." She placed a kiss on his shoulder. "Thank God for answering my prayers. I can't imagine my life without you."
"Nor I you." he replied as he cupped her cheek in his hand and leaned up, pressing a soft slow kiss to her lips. When the kiss broke she turned to her side, her head resting on his shoulder as her hand absentmindedly drew invisible swirls over his chest and stomach. After a few moments Bash broke the silence. "I'm glad you had him." surprised by his words she looked up at him. "Sounds like he looked out for you when I couldn't."
"He did." she said quietly.
"Do you think I'll ever get to meet him?" he asked.
"He has mentioned in his letters that he's thinking about visiting me." she answered. "He wants to escape his family and the pressure they've been putting on him to find a wife and continue the family line."
"He writes you?" he asked, not jealous, just interested.
"He's the only person in Scotland that does." she answered. "I write him too, keeping him updated on my…eventful, life at French court."
"Do you ever miss your home?" he asked, absentmindedly playing with her hair.
"I miss how tranquil it was, and the parties. Those were fun…lively, much like my first night here." she answered then looked up at him. "Scotland will always be my country, but you are my home now."
Bash gave her a soft smile. "You're mine as well. Wherever your duties to Mary take you, I will follow, for the moon cannot shine without the sun." His words brought a bright smile to her face.
"I love you too." she replied before they met each other halfway for a light kiss.