I DO NOT OWN REIGN

2 days Later.

After Mary and I had recommitted ourselves to our relationship, I had done my best to avoid temptation AKA Olivia. Luckily, I had plenty of distractions provided by King Henry. Kenna had told Mary that he was going to Paris to break off his affair with Bash's mom, but he wasn't. On that note, I'd also been avoiding Bash like the COVID. I was still pissed that he'd made a pass at my future wife. Mary had been drunk and pissed because I was listing after another woman; so I was willing to give her a pass on the kiss, but what was his excuse?

On the day that Henry was sent to return from "dumping" Diane de Poitiers, my luck finally ran out. A bunch of advisers were grilling me about new sewage issues in Paris when Francis's former flame finally found me.

"Francis!" She called out to me.

"Excuse me." I told the advisors as I went to greet her.

"I've been looking everywhere for you." She said with a smile as she walked alongside me.

"Well, you found me." I said, earning a chuckle.

"Where were you hurrying to?" Olivia inquired.

"My father's returning from Paris, his carriage is arriving." I explained.

"May I join you?" Olivia offered as I felt compelled to allow it, lest Catherine throw a bitch fit.

"Please." I answered as I tried to keep my longing at bay while offering my arm.

"How are you?" She asked as we promenaded together. "I've barely seen you lately."

"Whenever my father's away, courtiers swarm me." I said, which was not exactly a lie. Those losers had been pestering the Hell out of me. "Seeking approval of the next King, in case the current one doesn't return."

"And that awful business with the butcher boy." Olivia commented. To be honest, I wasn't too overly concerned with the Pagans, because I trusted that Bash and I be able to protect Mary, just like they did in the show.

"Yes, we're trying to find his family, to return his effects." I replied, although the show never said if he had family outside of his pagan pals.

"That's not why I've barely seen you." Olivia countered as I groaned inwardly, knowing that she could tell how uncomfortable I was. "Are you feeling bad about the moments we shared? I felt I had to be honest with you about my feelings."

"To be honest, it has weighed heavy on me...but I appreciated your honesty." I assured Olivia as I squeezed her hand, earning a smile. "I could use more of the same from others in my life."

"If she's to be your wife, you need to trust her." Olivia replied as I could sense her trying to see seeds of doubt.

"I do trust Mary, she's been...incredibly patient, regarding my...adultery." I admitted as Olivia looked confused.

"What adultery have you committed?" Olivia asked, assuming that the kiss didn't count.

"The church says that if I've looked at another woman with lust in my heart, I've already committed adultery." I explained. In my old life, I'd been raised Catholic, but after my sister became a meth head, I kind of stopped subscribing to religion.

"Francis...I'm sorry..." Olivia said as she looked as guilty as I felt.

"It's not your fault, I just have to exercise self control." I said as I held her hand. "Anyway, I can trust Mary. It's my brother that's lacking trust."

"Sebastian, what has he done?" She inquired.

"Let's just say that I'm not the only one breaking commandments." I replied, not wanting Catherine to know about the kiss between Mary and Bash.

"That sounds complicated." Olivia replied as she kissed my hand. "If you're ever yearning for someone you can be sure of; someone who wants only you, you know where to find me." Olivia then gave me a kiss on the lips before she walked off as I needed to find Mary. Putting Olivia out of my mind was going to be an uphill battle.

Later on, everyone gathered outside to greet King Henry. A part of me wanted to be there to see Diane wipe the smirk off of Kenna's face. I knew that she was Mary's friend and all, but that girl was too obsessed with her own pleasure and she needed a dose of reality. Luckily, Mary approached me as I stood in the line of greeters.

"Francis, are you well?" She asked as I quickly held her hand.

"I'm just really glad you're here." I replied as she could tell that I wasn't here. She looked at Olivia, who was standing in the other side of the Medici bitch and she figured that I was having another lust attack. Mary quickly began to stroke my hand with her thumb, trying to calm me down.

"Francis, look at me." Mary whispered as I looked into her beautiful brown eyes.

"I'm sorry that I'm struggling with this, you shouldn't have to be competing with a woman I don't even love." I said as she shook her head.

"You said that you only love me, if that's true, then I am not competing with Olivia." Mary assured me with a small smile as I leaned in and kissed her deeply. Neither Francis, nor I deserved her. She was so strong and so kind. Why couldn't she get a break? Eventually, the carriage arrived and Henry emerged from it with Bash's mom. My spirits were lifted by seeing Kenna's shit eating grin evaporate into thin air. They were then promptly deflated when my bastard brother walked over.

"Francis, Mary, we need to talk." Bash said with seriousness in his voice. "It's important, follow me."

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