I DO NOT OWN REIGN.

I sat as I watched Charles and Henry play together. True to script, when Count Vincent had stopped in to make sure I was still under guard, he had actually taken some time to play with Francis's little brother and true to form, it didn't seem to affect him. The good news was that he didn't stay long, the bad news was that he added a new stipend to our deal. In addition to me, the count also announced that he would be taking Charles and Henry as well. I didn't even bother protesting because for 1, it would do no good and for 2, it wasn't going to happen anyway; Catherine would see to that. Thankfully, Mary eventually cam into my room and she embraced me tightly.

"Catherine told me what happened. Why would you sacrifice yourself?" Mary asked anxiously as I leaned against a chair.

"She was offering you up as a bride, it was the only card I had to play." I insisted as i breathed deeply. "It wasn't enough though; he's taking Charles and Henry with me."

"Francis, no...not your brothers, too." Mary replied in sympathy.

"The count was in here earlier, he actually played with Charles for a few minutes." I said with a wistful chuckle. "You'd think that someone who played with a child would enjoy it, but his eyes were dead. Mary, Count Vincent doesn't give a damn about gold or title. He's lost his line, he's gonna take my father's in return."

"This is why you must agree to our plan." Mary commanded as i rolled my eyes at the idea of leaving her in the hands of the Medici bitch.

"The plan is madness, maybe you haven't seen the way the count looks at you, but I have. Even if he didn't lust for you, leaving you alone with Catherine? You know she'd sell you out for a dozen livres!"

"Francis..." Mary started to say before I stopper her.

"No, if I get out of this room, the first thing I'll do is come for you." I promised as i held her face.

"If you come for me, they will kill you, and your brothers will be lost."

"I am not afraid of that bastard Mary, I am afraid of losing you, I won't leave you and that's all there is to say about that." I vowed as she held my face in return. It felt so good to feel her hands on me, to look in her eyes? I had sorely missed being in her presence and my emotions got the better of me.

"Mary..." I gasped as my voice broke while my eyes started tearing up

"I know..." She replied with the ghost of a smile, as if she read my mind.

"I'm so sorry about Tomas...I just wanted to keep you safe." I swore as she shook her head.

"I was never angry with you, I was just worried that having blood on your hands...it would change you; but it hasn't." She told me with a tearful smile. "You are still the man I love. Your brothers, the others who are trapped here, they are our people now. If we are to rule as king and queen, we must trust each other to do what is necessary. I believe that you can lead them to safety; believe that I can get myself out of that room."

"You're the only good thing in my life Mary, you're my everything!" I exclaimed as I took my future bride and kissed her passionately. She returned my kiss as we enjoyed a moment with each other before an Italian guard came in for her.

"Promise me you won't come back." Mary demanded as she went to ready herself for Count Vincent's feast.

As I waited with my brothers, we developed the plan. Charles would let out a cry as if he was being attacked. When the guard came to investigate, I would take his ass out. At the appointed time, Charles let out a shriek and sure enough, a guard burst in. I was ready with an empty candle holder with a sharpened edge and I plunged it into his took a few minutes for him to bleed out, but bleed out he did. I quickly took the sword that he had on him and waited for the 2nd guard. When he came, I pulled off the same move and he too bled out from a stomach wound.

"Ok, I need to be quick and quiet boys...follow me." I commanded quietly as I led Francis's brothers out of the room. We then went to the servant's quarters where everyone was gathered.

"Ok, Leith is staying here, the rest of you stay behind me." I ordered as we all began moving towards the secret passage. A 3rd guard was standing between us and it, but a good sword thrust made short work of him. I did the secret knock and Olivia opened the wall for us.

"Come on, quickly, down the stairs, wait for me at the bottom The right passageways are marked with chalk." I ordered the servants and my brothers as they all headed down, offering words of gratitude as they did so. As I prepared to head down, Olivia grabbed my arm.

"Please, take me with you." she begged anxiously. "I hear the guards walking by, I know they'll find me."

"Olivia, you need to wait here for Mary and her ladies, or they'll be trapped." I reminded her as she gave me a bitter look.

"So I must stay for the woman you really love?" she asked as i'd had about enough of the whole situation.

"Well, Yes!" I shot back as she shot daggers at me.

"I'm nothing to you or your mother but a game piece to move back and forth at your will!" Olivia growled in anger. "She crushed my reputation like you crush an insect and you're just as bad!"

"I've had my fill of that serpent coming between me and Mary!" I exclaimed as I got in Olivia's face. "I'm only gonna say this once: I don't love you, i'm not gonna marry you, you are just another of my mother's schemes. Leave me alone!" By the candlelight, I saw tears roll down Olivia's face as she struck me.

"To Hell with you Francis!" She shrieked in rage. "If you love Mary so, you open the door for her!"

"I will!" I shouted back as she followed the group through the tunnels. I knew that I should be leading them out, but as long as they followed the chalk, they would be ok. Plus, now that Olivia was leaving with the group, she wouldn't get snatched by the Darkness. I waited for what felt like a half hour, but eventually, I heard the secret knock. I opened the door and Mary and her ladies were relieved and shocked to see me.

"Francis, what are you doing here?" Mary asked in surprise.

"Making sure you all get out safely, hurry!" I whispered as the ladies made their way down the stairs as I followed suit. As I led Mary and her ladies out, a small part of me was worried for Catherine alone with Vincent and his men, but I assured myself that a serpent like her was too stubborn to die.

The Next Day.

Count Vincent's men were poisoned by the gold and the count himself was slain by Catherine's own hand, paired with a fancy fork. Olivia D'Amencourt had also managed to make it out without running into the Darkness. She had also left French Court immediately and Catherine didn't seem concerned enough to stop her. Perhaps a small part of her knew that we had been trying to pull a fast one. Truthfully, I felt bad about the last conversation that i'd had with her, but I was thankful that she was gone and now I could focus on Mary.

Speaking of Mary, she came into my room the next morning and started pounding on me half halfheartedly.

"Why did you come back, you could have been caught?" Mary cried as I pulled her close.

"I told you that I wasn't gonna leave you and I never will." I reminded the woman I loved as she held me tightly.

"Francis, I don't want to be away from you ever again!" Mary insisted as she looked into my eyes.

"Then don't, I am yours." I promised her as I kissed her deeply. Mary wrapped her arms around me as I held her close and kissed her neck. As I did this, Mary made the sweetest sounds that I had ever heard or am ever likely to hear in my life. I lifted her off of her feet as I carried her to the bed. Mary was so breathtakingly beautiful as I laid her down on my bed. My hands slowly moved over her body as I looked into her eyes.

"Do you want me to stop?" I asked as I rested my hand on her upper left leg. I didn't want to force Mary into something she wasn't ready for.

"Never Francis, never." Mary declared as she kissed me deeply while she wrapped her legs around me as I lowered my trousers and we made passionate love.

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