Mary walked down several flights of stairs and through a couple of corridors, stepping on antique rugs and walking past family portraits that had hastily been put back up on the walls after the attack along the way.
She was retracing familiar footsteps, seeing and hearing similar things to those that she had seen and heard on the first day of the matchmaking show, when she had walked this same path to the Throne Room…and yet, everything felt different now; she was seeing the world around her, and the path ahead of her, in a whole new light.
Mary walked through the final corridor that led to the Throne Room, somehow not feeling as afraid as she had felt on the first day of the matchmaking show, when she had been waiting out in the corridor and feeling dizzy with nerves as she'd wondered who her parents were trying to set her up with, still in the dark about what was about to happen, while also thinking about the fearful look on her brother's face when he'd revealed to her that he knew exactly who was waiting for her on the other side of the door.
This time, Mary had walked towards the Throne Room alone, without James by her side.
This time, Mary did not hesitate. She took confident steps towards the Throne Room and pushed the door open.
The moment Mary stepped into the Throne Room, every single person in the audience rose to their feet. They did not need James to prompt them into action this time; Mary commanded their attention all on her own.
She could tell by the way that the people who were in the audience looked at her as she walked towards the stage that she had earned their respect after everything that she had been through during the attack, and in its aftermath.
The layout of the room was very similar to how it had been last time, with the seats positioned almost in a cross formation, with enough space for a small aisle in the middle of the room for Mary to walk down. This time however, there were less people in the audience, with Mary's family members present, along with only a few trusted friends and castle staff members, very few journalists, and a few guards stationed around the room for extra security who Mary tried not to focus on too much.
Mary had not wanted to make this episode of the matchmaking show into too much of a spectacle in light of recent events, and she was glad for a smaller audience, as she wanted most of her focus to be on one person in particular. However, it was more difficult to ignore the presence of the camera crew, who would be filming every moment of the show in the Throne Room for the audience watching at home.
Mary's speech would be filmed live, and a celebration of sorts had been organised to take place after the speech, with music and food and drinks planned in the ballroom…provided that Mary's speech went the way she wanted it to go, of course. As her heart beat even faster due to nerves, Mary said a silent prayer that there would be a reason to celebrate this evening.
Mary continued to walk down the aisle in the middle of the Throne Room. She looked at the raised platform in front of her as she approached it to see that it was empty, this time. There was nobody standing on it, waiting to greet her. There was no Aloysius waiting to interview her this time, in the way that he had been there during Mary's previous interviews for the matchmaking show.
She now knew that Aloysius was not the role model she had once thought him to be, but still Mary felt his absence on such an important day-it was strange, and rather sad, to know that he would not be here to present such a pivotal moment for the royal family, and for Scotland.
Finally, Mary stepped onto the raised platform, where all the microphones had already been set up, silently telling herself that she could not let herself get overwhelmed by upsetting thoughts, not on a day that she was hoping would be a happy occasion.
She turned to face her audience. She could see her mother and her brother sitting in the front row, and she felt a little calmer on seeing them there, although she had to blink back tears on not seeing her father sitting next to them. Mary could feel his absence more than ever today. She hoped more than anything that he was here in spirit, at least.
Mary's mother looked a little apprehensive, but she nodded at Mary as though silently letting her know that she trusted her to do things her way.
Mary noticed that Lola, Kenna and Greer were in the audience, too, and she felt grateful that they had come here to support her today. Mary knew that Kenna had gone to visit Bash in the local prison earlier in the day, as Kenna had asked her if it would be all right for her to go, and although feeling slightly apprehensive about the visit, Mary had told Kenna that she did not have any issues with her going to see Bash. Mary was a little curious to hear about how the visit had gone, and she hoped that it had not been too upsetting for Kenna, but she was determined that that conversation could wait until another day, as Mary had more important matters on her mind right now. She was just glad that Kenna had made it back to the castle on time to be in the audience.
One person who was notably absent was Catherine. Mary knew that this absence would be rather surprising to most of the guests, and the media-Mary had been surprised herself-but Catherine had felt compelled to return to France yesterday evening in order to temporarily carry out royal duties there while Francis was away from his country and recovering from his injuries. Catherine had apparently been concerned that France would grow increasingly vulnerable, with the absence of any royals ruling the country on French soil.
Mary had understood Catherine's reasoning for wanting to return to France, but still she had felt a little shocked that Catherine had left before she had the chance to attend an important event that could have such a significant impact on her son's future, especially as she had clearly already worked out what Mary was going to ask today while she was on camera for the matchmaking show, and Catherine often liked to control everything...but Mary had taken Catherine's decision not to attend as her own unique way of giving her blessing for Francis to make his own decisions about his future. At the very least, it didn't look like Francis's mother was going to intervene or disrupt the filming of the matchmaking show today, or try to influence Francis's decision.
Besides, Mary couldn't help secretly feeling quite grateful, because Catherine's decision to return to France to carry out royal duties had bought Francis more time in Scotland.
A few members of staff who Mary had known since her childhood were also in the audience, and they gave Mary reassuring smiles. Mary felt more relaxed in the knowledge that she was at least amongst friends.
And of course, Francis was in the audience, too, as he had promised he would be. His golden hair shined brightly in the sun's reflected rays from where he was standing by the window. He stood tall, with his head held high and his eyes focused on Mary. His presence was commanding, and he looked every inch a king. He nodded slowly at Mary when she caught his eye, as something significant seemed to pass between the two of them in his gaze, and Mary sensed that although Francis did not yet comprehend exactly what Mary was about to do, he was still subtly letting her know that he was here for her; that they were in this together, as they always had been, in so many ways.
Mary had typed out extensive notes to help prompt her during her speech, but she had a feeling that she would mostly be speaking from the heart today. Taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, and with one final prayer that things would go her way, she began to address the assembled audience, as well as the audience who she hoped would be watching at home…
"People of Scotland," she began, trying her best to project her voice, as well as projecting an image of authority, "I stand before you today, not only as your second-born princess, but also as your future queen…"
As expected, there was a rumble of murmuring among the crowd, and Mary saw several pairs of eyes widening in surprise before she noticed a few people turning in their seats to whisper loudly to the people sitting next to and behind them. Then there was the flashing of several cameras while some of the journalists typed rapidly on their phones.
She glanced at Francis-the calm in the middle of the media storm-and he was nodding at her in encouragement, with fierce pride in his eyes. A pride that gave Mary the strength to continue.
Mary had to raise her voice as she resumed her speech so that she could bring the room back to order, trying to prevent people from falling into gossip and speculation…
"My brother, James, has asked me if I will assume the duties of the next in line to the throne, the future queen, after he made the decision to step away from the order of succession for personal reasons, and I have agreed. This is my first formal announcement of my intention to accept the duty, the responsibility, and the honour, of being the next in line to Scotland's throne, in the knowledge that I will one day be your queen, and with an understanding of what that entails. An official announcement will also be released to the press in due course, so that it can be shared in Scotland's newspapers, as well as an announcement which will be posted to the royal family's social media pages. There will also be interviews and official appearances that will soon take place as the announcement is shared."
Mary paused and took a deep breath before she continued, because she knew that the next point that she wanted to make was a very important one…
"I will strive to serve Scotland to the very best of my abilities," she said. "I will put my country first, and always aim to grow and improve and learn from past mistakes." Mary felt it was important to emphasise this point, even though she was aware that she could face criticism for referring to past mistakes in the first place. She wanted people to understand that she would always strive to improve and do her best. "It will be my duty and my honour to serve you," she told the people in the room, before she looked right into the camera, addressing all the people in Scotland who were watching the announcement on television.
Things would not always be easy when she ruled Scotland. Mary was already well aware of that-there would be times when she would make incorrect decisions, or a deal or a political proposal would be rejected by those around her. She would not get everything right every single time, and Mary wanted to acknowledge that now; she wanted people to see that she wasn't perfect; she needed her people to believe in her, even when things did not go perfectly.
"More details about all of these plans will be released over the next few days," she added. "I will answer some initial questions during today's interviews, which are scheduled to take place after the filming for the matchmaking show has finished, and then I will schedule an official press conference to take place in a few days' time, where questions will be answered in more detail."
Mary could tell that the people watching her were eager to know much more about this shock announcement, and how this important decision had been made, and why James no longer wished to be the heir to the throne, and there was still a bit of whispering and typing on phones going on in the room, but Mary also knew that now was not the time or the place to go into too much detail. The people of Scotland might be disappointed on not hearing very much about the change in the line of succession today, but they needed some time to process this news, and to consider what it might mean for Scotland's future. If she tried to give too much information now, on live television, then that information could easily be misinterpreted.
Besides, Mary had another important matter to focus on right now…
"Circumstances might have changed from when I initially agreed to participate in the matchmaking show," she continued, a determined tone in her voice that she hoped would let people know that she should not be interrupted. "In many ways, I feel that I am a different person than I was on the day the opening ceremony took place, compared to who I am today, on the day of the closing ceremony. A lot might have changed, in Scotland, and in my personal life, and my options and my considerations might have changed, but I also had other duties that I accepted to fulfil as part of the matchmaking show, before I knew that my role was going to change, and I still intend to fulfil those duties."
Mary paused again, briefly, and she saw that she had the full attention of everyone in the room. Even the journalists had put their phones away.
"I understand that the people of Scotland have been following the progress of the matchmaking show, and I made a commitment at the start to see it through to the end. I know that viewers are waiting for a conclusion after watching and supporting the show for several weeks, and I understand that now, my decision about who to marry will have a much greater impact on Scotland's future, which I am sure viewers will be aware of, too. It is one of my duties to my country to marry the right person."
Mary kept glancing at Francis as she spoke, looking for reassurance that she was saying the right thing; that she was delivering this speech to the best of her abilities.
He was still watching her intently, nodding at her every now and again as though he were silently telling her that he was here for her, even though he did not know exactly where she was going with this speech; silently letting her know that he understood the importance of her words anyway.
"Honestly," Mary told the assembled audience, having decided to be as truthful as possible today after listening to so many lies for the past few weeks, "I was reluctant to enter the matchmaking show at first. Deep down, I did not believe that I could find my match through this process, and especially not a match based on true love."
Mary knew that she would not always be able to be this candid with the people of Scotland; that certain personal thoughts and feelings and vulnerabilities would have to be hidden when she had her duties as queen to consider, but in this present moment, she wanted people to see a glimpse of the young woman behind the future queen; she wanted them to see that she had experienced the same emotions as they had; she wanted them to understand the doubts and the uncertainties that she had been experiencing, so they could perhaps understand her behaviour, her thought process and her decisions during the show, and how much the past few weeks had transformed her, while also understanding just how important this next decision was going to be for her.
"On the first day of the matchmaking show, I was terrified when I first walked into the Throne Room, and I stepped up onto the stage," she said. "I was so afraid that I had made a mistake in signing up for the matchmaking process. I will not lie to you," she added, "the past few weeks have been incredibly difficult, and I have faced many challenges and obstacles and losses, but I know deep down that I would not have become the person I am today if I hadn't been through all that I have experienced. I have learnt so much about myself. Now, I feel like I am finally seeing my true reflection when I look in the mirror."
"Only a few weeks ago, I felt like I had very few options; I felt as though my whole life had been set out before me, and I only had one path to take. Over the course of the matchmaking show, I discovered that this simply isn't true. Ironically, I saw that I did in fact have other options, and that these were options that I did not necessarily want to take, when I was presented with everything I thought I wanted…the possibility of a political alliance; the chance of leading a life without royal duties; charm and flirtations without a deeper connection…"
Mary knew that some of the newspapers and gossip sites had reported on her 'other options' already, in an attempt to discredit her, and so she felt that she might as well acknowledge the rumours directly, in an attempt to take control of the narrative and give her side of the story, rather than trying to hide things and letting gossip and speculation take over.
"And then the attack happened," said Mary, as she resumed her speech, "and we were all fighting for our lives, and it was as though everything that wasn't really important went up in flames, leaving only what truly mattered, and I realised after the attack that I had changed for the better...and everything I used to want, I did not want anymore. Throughout the process of the show, I discovered so many things that I hadn't even known I wanted, and, more importantly, needed. Over the past few weeks, I have really had to consider what a marriage should be, both in terms of what I want personally in a marriage, and the type of marriage that would best suit my country. And all of this is in much clearer focus now that I am truly starting to understand who I am as a person."
Mary took a few more deep breaths, all too aware that she was getting ever closer to the final part of her speech, and the important question that she was going to ask.
"When considering the qualities in a husband that would be perfect for helping to rule Scotland, there were several that I came to realise would be important, such as a reassuring presence by my side for public appearances; somebody to talk to about politics and royal policies; somebody who can listen and offer good advice; someone who is not afraid to tell me honestly when I am about to make a wrong decision, or when they believe I have been given bad advice from others; somebody who can give me a supportive look during speeches or difficult moments, to motivate me to keep going; a person who is a good judge of character, and who will not be fooled by false charm and manipulation. There are so many more qualities I could mention," Mary admitted, "but then we would be here for hours, so for today, I will only mention several more…I believe it is important to have somebody by my side who is aware that there will be difficult moments, and tough decisions to make, because he has also faced difficult moments of his own in his own role, and despite the difficulties, he would be prepared to face them all over again, because he understands the importance of duty, and justice; a man who can fight by my side during a battle while also being there for the quieter, every day moments; a man who understands what it means to sit on a throne and accept all the duties and responsibilities that go with it. A man who embodies all the qualities that I wish to emulate."
"And then, on a personal level," Mary continued, "I have seen so many qualities over the past few weeks that are important to me, such as a person who will hold my hand during a long journey; someone who I can talk to in the middle of the night when I can't sleep; somebody who will drink tea with me in the library and comfort me on the rooftop on the more difficult days; someone I can enjoy spending time with, whether we are in a café in Paris, or under a tree in a clearing. All those moments that the public won't usually see, but they are so important all the same. All those moments meant so much to me during the matchmaking show, and I hope I can now offer the same support and comfort in return."
Francis was watching Mary even more attentively now.
"I know how important this decision will be," said Mary. "I knew it at the start of the matchmaking show, but I am even more aware of it now, and I want to do what is right for my country, and for my family, but I must also consider what is right for me. I will after all be the person who spends the most time with my husband behind closed doors. My marriage will not only have an impact on my public life, but also my personal and private life."
Mary's heart was starting to beat faster now, both from being so vulnerable in front of so many people, and due to nerves about what she was about to ask.
"So now, I am going to ask an important question, taking into consideration both what will be best for Scotland, and who I would rule best with as queen, but also what my heart wants as well, as I have always believed in the importance of finding true love, and it is my hope and my wish that more royals can have an opportunity to find true love, and live their lives with the person they truly want to be with. I honestly believe that a king or a queen can be happier and more fulfilled, and that some of the burdens of their role can be eased, with the person they truly love by their side. I am also going to ask this question in full understanding that the answer may be no, for a variety of reasons, and with the knowledge that I must face the outcome either way and be brave if the answer is not in my favour. With all of that in mind…"
Mary allowed herself one last pause to gather her strength before she asked the most important question she had ever asked. The sense of anticipation was heavy in the room around her as the audience seemed to watch her with bated breath.
"Francis Valois, will you marry me?" Mary asked in conclusion to her speech.
She kept her voice steady, even though her hands were shaking, and her heart was still pounding against her chest.
Mary looked Francis in the eye and held his gaze, her focus entirely on him, even in a room full of spectators. His answer would decide her future, the rest of her life. In this moment, Mary felt as though her life were in his hands.
Mary had partly decided to ask Francis to marry her in this way, at an official event, because something like this would have been expected at the closing ceremony of the matchmaking show, as part of the show's official format, which had been agreed on during the planning stages of the show. This way, Mary could still deliver something similar to how the show would have been if there hadn't been the added complications of the attack, and a change in the line of succession.
But there was more to it than that. Mary had also wanted to be vulnerable in this moment; to put herself out there live in front of an audience, and to ask with no expectation of a definite yes; to ask while knowing that she could be rejected, for personal or political reasons, or both. She hoped that taking such a risk would show Francis just how much she truly did love him; that she would always love him, no matter what happened now; that she was prepared to be vulnerable and to face a potential rejection from him, even though it would break her heart, so that she could show him, and the rest of the world, just how much she cared about him; that she was prepared to take such a risk just so they could have a chance of being together.
But it was more than that, too. Mary had decided to be brave and take a calculated risk by asking Francis to marry her in such a public way to show the people of Scotland that she was prepared to take a chance in the hope of achieving something wonderful, while also being prepared to face the consequences if things did not work out the way she planned. As much as she desperately hoped that Francis would say yes, Mary had to show the people of Scotland that she could be strong and make a comeback if he said no.
And still, the young woman behind the future queen who had recently realised that she was in love with Francis longed for him to say yes. And that part of herself was currently terrified.
She found herself holding her breath in her anticipation as she waited for Francis's response, the tension thick in the air.
She had dropped heavy hints to Francis yesterday that this was what she was planning on doing, trying to let him know in not so many words that she had a very important question to ask him, so he had the opportunity to voice his opinion on the matter before the cameras started rolling; the chance to advise her that doing this would be a bad idea, if that was the way he truly felt.
Francis might not have voiced any objections on the rooftop yesterday when Mary had hinted about a possible proposal, but still that was no guarantee that he was going to say yes today, or that he had even understood exactly what Mary had been trying to hint to him.
Mary had done some research in advance of course, checking whether it would be possible for a queen and a king of two separate countries to marry. James had provided very useful support in Mary's research, too, helping her to go through files, documents and old history books in the castle's library.
Mary and James had established through their research that a marriage between a king and a queen from different countries would be permitted, especially if there were plans to unite both kingdoms in the future, and such a union had of course already happened historically, between Scotland and England.
But knowing that such a marriage was possible had still been no guarantee that Francis would say yes to what Mary was asking him. After all, her proposal was more personal than political. She was not just offering an alliance between their countries, but she was also offering her heart. She was asking Francis out of love, rather than ambition for their countries.
Mary wanted a marriage that was not only based on her and her husband's abilities to reign together, but also based on how much they loved each other. More than anything, Mary wanted to marry for love, as well as hoping that she could enter into a marriage that would strengthen Scotland.
A whole world full of emotions seemed to cross Francis's face as he looked back at her…
There was a look of shock in the widening of his eyes; surprise in the raising of an eyebrow; contemplation in the furrow of his brow; a million thoughts seeming to hide behind his expressive eyes.
And finally, there was a look of joy there as Francis's eyes seemed to light up, and his lips turned upwards into a smile.
There must only have been a minute or two of silence while Mary waited for a response, but for Mary, those minutes felt like a lifetime.
"Yes," said Francis in barely more than a whisper, apparently still in a state of shock. "Yes," he repeated, a little louder this time as he found his voice. "Yes, yes, yes!"
The sound of applause coming from the audience in the room was almost thunderous, but to Mary, the noise seemed to be coming from a great distance, as all she could really hear at first was a ringing in her ears as her focus remained on Francis.
Mary staggered backwards a little in her shock, holding onto the nearest wooden chair on the raised platform for support. Steadying herself, she looked at Francis again, taking in his bright smile.
His response echoed in her mind, and Mary felt a sense of elation as her mind, body and soul finally caught up with what had just happened…
Francis had accepted her proposal!
Francis had said yes!
It was more than Mary could ever had dreamed of; her dreams were finally coming true!
There had been so much sadness in her life recently, but Mary allowed herself to feel the joy of the moment.
Francis was taking steps towards her now.
Mary's smile turned to joyous laughter, and she could feel tears forming in her eyes as she felt overcome with emotion.
She was going to be Scotland's next queen, and Francis had said yes to her proposal. He was going to rule alongside her. Mary still felt almost dizzy at the thought of it all; at the idea that it was all really happening.
Francis was running up to the raised platform, climbing it in one easy step, and taking determined steps towards Mary.
Mary reached out for him, desperate for him to be closer to her.
And then Francis was in her arms, and Mary beamed at him as she became fully aware of the sound of loud applause all around her. Everyone in the room was up on their feet, and the sound of their cheers could be heard all around the room. Mary could see and hear Lola, Kenna and Greer shrieking in delight as the three women jumped up and down and hugged each other.
Mary and Francis smiled at each other with tears in their eyes. Mary still felt giddy with happiness, at having Francis so close to her, and knowing that he wanted to marry her.
They both looked into each other's eyes, silently communicating their joy, their elation, their surprise, and all the other emotions they had experienced over the past few minutes as they had both realised that their lives were about to change, and for the better, too.
They moved closer at the exact same moment, and Francis's lips were on Mary's, the two of them sharing a passionate kiss that was perhaps a bit inappropriate for two royals to share on camera, but in that moment, Mary was too happy to care.
Mary was still vaguely aware of the sound of cheering and applause, but it was like she and Francis were the only two people in the room. The Throne Room around her slipped out of focus as she continued to kiss Francis; everything was nothing more than a blur mixed in with a few bright flashes of light. Francis's lips, and the feeling of his hands on her waist became her entire focus; he was the most important thing in her world.
Finally, they broke apart from their kiss, although they continued to hold each other close.
They both looked up to see a cloud of golden confetti falling from the ceiling, no doubt organised by the matchmaking television show crew as part of the celebrations.
Mary and Francis looked at each other and laughed as the golden confetti continued to gently fall on their heads and all around them, the two of them finally finding joy amid the tragedy they had experienced.
Only weeks ago, Mary would never have thought that she would have chosen this path, but this was where her journey had taken her; she understood now that this had been her destiny all along, and she felt at peace with that.
She couldn't help glancing at her mother, who looked a bit shocked that Mary had made this decision about her future. Mary could almost read her mother's thoughts in her facial expression-she was surprised that after all of Mary's complaining about her role throughout her teenage years, and years of being seen as the rebellious royal child, her daughter had actually chosen to do what her parents had always wished for her to do, and of her own accord, too.
It was strange, Mary thought, how James had often been regarded by the public as the 'perfect prince', always on his best behaviour and never seeming to put a foot out of line, and yet, he had been the one to break away from royal tradition, giving up the throne and refusing an arranged marriage so the he could follow his own path, while Mary was now the one following royal protocol and putting Scotland and her royal duties first. She would never have predicted such a role reversal. She also would never have predicted just how right choosing this surprising path would have felt to her.
Later that evening, Mary stood on the balcony in her room, looking out on the castle's gardens.
She looked up at the night sky, which had been lit up by fireworks in many bright colours. Mary guessed that the fireworks were being set off in the local village nearby, in celebration of recent announcements.
Mary and her family had requested more low key celebrations in the castle, as a mark of respect after recent tragic events that everyone in the castle had experienced. The people who lived in the nearby village however seemed to be determined to enjoy extravagant celebrations of their own, and along with the fireworks, Mary had heard that loud music was being played there, and apparently there was plenty of food and drink on offer in the village while people danced in the streets, where there were Scottish and French flags on display, in recognition of the upcoming union. She had also been told that the local pub and restaurants were planning on staying open late so that the people in the village could party into the night.
Mary felt a steady hand wrap gently around her waist as she took a deep breath and leaned back a little into the touch, reaching back to take hold of Francis's other hand in hers. She held his hand over her heart.
Mary let out a contented sigh as she held Francis's hand in hers and he stood behind her, holding her, grounding her, his presence reassuring as the two of them silently shared in all the emotions that they had experienced with everything that had happened that day.
In the comfortable silence, Mary reflected on the past few hours…
She remembered the cheers and the applause in the Throne Room when Francis said yes to Mary's proposal; the golden confetti; being congratulated by everyone in the room; the repeated congratulations from Lola, Kenna and Greer; the interviews with the press; the food and drink in the ballroom for all the guests while a live band played music; Mary and Francis sharing their first dance together as an engaged couple.
And then Mary had retreated to her room for a little privacy, asking Francis to accompany her.
The evening's celebrations had been wonderful, but also a bit overwhelming at times, after everything that Mary and her family had recently faced, with their grief still raw. The celebrations had also been so busy and hectic, with a lot of people wanting to offer their congratulations, and Mary had not had much of a chance to talk to Francis. She was more than ready for a little alone time with him.
She had been all too aware of her royal duties, and she had done her best to fulfil them throughout the evening, speaking to guests and giving interviews and posing for official photographs for the media, and she was sure that the people in the castle would understand why she had left the party early for some time to herself; time for her and Francis.
Mary took another deep breath and exhaled as she finished reflecting on the evening and returned her focus to Francis…her fiancé. She could still hardly believe it.
"Are you happy, with the way that things turned out?" Mary asked Francis, still feeling a bit worried that Francis might have been put on the spot a little, due to the way that Mary had proposed. She supposed it would take her a while to overcome some of her worries, after everything that she had experienced, and after coming so worryingly close to losing Francis only recently.
"Mary," said Francis, after a few moments' pause, "you have always been my dream-my light. But never in my wildest dreams did I think that you would feel the same way; that you could love me in return…and now, knowing that my feelings are reciprocated, that you want to marry me; that you have faith that the two of us can rule our kingdoms together, united…it is all a dream come true; it is all I could ever have wished for."
Mary blinked back a few tears, suddenly overcome with emotion on hearing Francis's words, his reassurance that he wanted this, too, and she held onto Francis a little tighter. She did not ever want to let him go.
"There's nobody else I want," she told Francis. "Nobody who could compare to you. I'm so grateful that the matchmaking show revealed that to me. Without the show, I could so easily have lived my life without ever knowing true love."
She briefly let go of Francis's hand to place her hand around the key on the ribbon that she had been wearing around her neck during her speech, and her proposal. The key was now the only item left on Mary's homemade necklace.
"I am under no illusions that the future will be a perfect fairy tale," Francis added gently. "I know that there will be difficult times, and we will have ups and downs in the ruling of our kingdoms, and there will always be obstacles to face, but now I know that we will be facing all of that together, and that brings me a great sense of peace and contentment. You always have been, and you always will be, my light in the darkness, Mary, and from now on, the knowledge that I can rule by your side will make the journey, and any struggles we may face along the way, worthwhile.
Mary let out a breath that she hadn't even realised she had been holding as she leaned back a little to place a gentle kiss to Francis's lips.
"Together," she repeated, feeling an incredible sense of inner peace as she said the word out loud. It felt right.
"We are getting married," Mary said after another brief, contented silence. She felt like saying the words out loud made her future with Francis even more real, somehow, and she felt a rush of excitement at the very thought of their upcoming wedding.
Only a few months ago, she would never have believed any of this to be possible.
"We are getting married," Francis repeated, bringing a smile to Mary's face.
The fireworks continued to light up the night sky, and Mary finally felt like she was truly seeing the light after so much darkness.
"After everything we have been through," Francis added, with a smile of his own, "it is nothing short of a miracle…a wonderful miracle."
Mary nodded in agreement. Their journey to finding each other, and rediscovering their love for one another, truly was a miracle.
