I DO NOT OWN REIGN. SHOUTOUT TO THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT THIS STORY.

Eventually, the dancing came to an end as the bride and groom went off to conduct the consummation of their wedding. Mary and her ladies were going to eavesdrop which gave me time to plot my next move. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to run this Fix Reign campaign on my own forever. Sooner or later, I was either going to need help or get caught. The only option was to bring someone on board and there was only 1 dude in mind: Sebastian de Poitiers. Bash had proven himself time and time again to be a vital ally to both Francis and Mary. If I had to let someone in on my secret, there was no one better than him. I made my way over to Bash and motioned for him to have a private conversation.

"Something troubling you brother?" Bash inquired as I took a deep breath before addressing the King's bastard.

"Bash…I know that what I am about to say sounds like pure madness…but I am not Francis Valois." I said quietly as Bash got a smirk on his face. He clearly thought I was screwing with him and understandably so.

"All right then, who are you?" He asked in teasing.

"My name is Nolan, I am a commoner from from Paris. Somehow, my soul has been transferred into the Dauphin's body." I lied, as I knew that I had to water my story down to make it somewhat believable. If I told him that i was an American dude who watched his life play out on a television show, it would have been overwhelming for him.

"I see, it's an intriguing premise, I'll give you that." Bash said, still disbelieving.

"Bash, I swear to you, I am not lying. Look me in the eye and call me a liar!" I demanded as Bash looked deep into my eyes for a few moments before stepping back with almost stunned silence. Clearly, whatever he saw convinced him of my truth.

"You…are not jesting with me?" Bash asked quietly.

"I truly wish that I was. I'm sorry Bash, but I had to tell someone." I pleaded as I grabbed his shirt. "I've managed to pass for Francis thus far, but there will be things that I don't know that your brother is expected to know. Eventually, I'm going to slip up and when that happens, I'll need your help." Bash nodded as patted my shoulders in sympathy.

"All right…Nolan, I'll help you however I can. I've been around Francis his whole life, no one knows him better than me." Bash vowed as I embraced him with thankfulness.

"Thank you Bash, I don't know how this happened or if I will ever get back to my old life, but while I'm here, I'll try to do right by France."

"I suppose that is all anyone can truly ask of you." He shrugged as we both heard a clearing of the throat. We turned to see Mary waiting to speak with me.

"Your Grace, I assume you wish to speak to my…brother." Bash said, still reeling from what I told him.

"Yes please." Mary replied with a simple smile on her face.

"I'll leave you be…but our conversation is not over." Bash cautioned me as he gave us some space. I knew that I was going to have to give him more details eventually and now that I had started down the pauper to prince storyline, I couldn't backtrack.

"Is something troubling Bash?" Mary inquired.

"Nothing that concerns us…but I need to speak with you about something important." I insisted as I took Mary aside. I knew that Mary was still naive about French Court and I needed to prepare her as best I could for the trials and tribulations that Catherine would throw her way.

"What is the matter Francis?" Mary asked as she stroked my hands.

"Mary…I care for you deeply and I want to marry you; not just for the alliance, but for me personally. I hope that is what you want as well." I explained as the Scottish Queen blushed at me.

"It is Francis, I care for you too." She promised as she raised her hand to my cheek. I let it linger there a moment, to feel her touch before lowering it.

"We want to be wed to each other, but…we must accept that it may not be on our timetable." I continued as her smile fell.

"What do you mean?" She asked nervously.

"You possess a winter coat, yes?"

"Of course I do, I have a few strong winter coats."

"Do you wear them all the time or only when it's cold; and when it's warm, you put them in the closet, yes?" I asked, trying to explain Henry's thinking.

"Francis please, where are you going with this?" Mary asked anxiously.

"My father sees you and Scotland as a winter coat. He bought you with the offer of marriage because he believes that he may need you if England turns its sword on us, but he doesn't want to commit to you until he knows for sure that France needs Scotland." I finished as Mary caught into my reasoning.

"So he's brought me to court only to hang me up in a closet until he danes to wear me?" She asked bitterly.

"I tried Mary, I begged him to set a date for our wedding…but he reminded me that I am not yet King and that our marriage will only happen when and if he says so." I added as I could see the joy go out of her like a candle extinguished.

"Where does that leave us, Francis?" She asked in fear.

"As soon as my father gives the word, I will be yours. But for now…we have to be patient." I said as I took her close. Mary let me hold her for a moment before pulling away.

"France has all the time in the world…Scotland doesn't." Mary reminded me as she walked away with her head bowed in sorrow. I cursed myself as I was already breaking her heart. But the fact was that Henry had me by the balls and we both knew it. I tried to put the heartache from my mind as I prepared myself for the next phase of Operation Save Frary.


Later that night.

My nerves were up to 11 as I snuck throughout the castle. I knew that Lola's main squeeze was on his way to rape what he assumed would be a drugged Mary. If I couldn't get there in time to stop him, the Scot would die for Catherine's sins and that was intolerable to me. I refused to let that mythic bitch kill another innocent if I had a say in the matter. I found my way to Mary's bedchambers, which was surprisingly devoid of guards. I kept a hand on my dagger as I gently opened the door. As I peeked in, I saw Colin heading over to Mary, prepared to do Catherine's bidding. I pulled out my dagger as Colin slowly climbed onto the bed. Before he could start to unbuckle his trousers, I pressed my blade to his neck and my hand to his mouth.

"If anyone screams, the guards will

Come in and you are a dead man. If I let you speak, will you scream?" I asked as Colin shook his head with fright while I removed my hand.

"Now listen to me. I know why you are here and that you were put up to this. I can get you to safety, but you have to trust me. If not, I can alert the guards and have you beheaded for the attempted rape of your Queen. You can come with me or go with them; you make your choice and you make it now." I demanded as I pressed on the blade to show Colin that I wasn't fucking around.

"I'll go with you, your highness." Coin whisper as I let him up so he could get out of Mary's bed.

"Smart boy." I teased as I motioned him to follow me out into the hall.

"Please your highness, I didn't want to hurt Queen Mary…" Colin said as he started to beg for his life.

"But Catherine de' Medici commanded you to, probably threatened to harm you and your intended if you refused, right?" I asked as we walked.

"How did you know that?" Colin asked in shock as he struggled to keep up.

"That doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is getting your ass out of here alive." I insisted as I grabbed his hand to make him keep up.

"And leave Lola?" Colin asked in disbelief.

"If you stay here, if you reach out to her in anyway, you're giving Catherine a way to control you." I pointed out as I led him out of the castle. Our next stop was the stables where I had a horse saddled and ready.

"Here's a horse and here is 300 Livres that I swiped from the treasury to buy you passage." I replied as I shoved a sack of coins into his hands.

"Passage to where?" Colin asked as he climbed onto the horse.

"Anywhere that isn't France. You must leave this country and never return or else Catherine will kill you to cover her ass." I reminded him as I felt such pity for the boy, losing everyone he cared for. "Returning to your people in Aberdeen would be ill advised. That is the first place that she'd look for you. Good luck Colin and Godspeed."

"I am forever in your debt, dauphin." Colin said with a nod of gratitude.

"Then repay me by not getting killed." I commanded as Colin rode to the gates which opened to let him out. As I went back into the castle, I knew that Lola would be heartbroken, but at least Colin was alive and out of Catherine's reach. It was a better ending then most of her pawns got.

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