I DO NOT OWN REIGN.

French Court, Kingdom of France. Later that day.

After waiting a couple hours, I figured that now was as good a time as any to check up on Francis's former flame. As I made my way into the infirmary, a cleaned up Olivia in a white gown looked up and was clearly happy to see me.

"I hear you're feeling better." I said as i pulled up a chair to sit next to her.

Yes, much, Thank you." Olivia said quietly as I took her hand in mine.

"Are you up to talking about what happened?" I inquired as if I didn't already know the answers. "Why did your driver cut through the woods?"

"The Kingsroad was flooded, a young man told us." Olivia remarked as the memories came flooding back to her. "Francis, the bandits they came out of nowhere and they spoke in this strange tongue."

"Do you remember any of it?" I asked.

"Lumenick...Lumenick dush...something guttural and foreign; I couldn't identify it." She answered as I squeezed her hand. We needed to get her shame out of the way.

"Look Olivia...I know this isn't the best time, but..." I started to say.

"You're wondering why I'm here." She finished for me.

"When you left to marry another, you gave me the distinct impression that you would not return." I pointed out.

I know, but things have changed since then." Olivia replied as she grew quiet. "It was discovered that you and I were intimate."

"How?" I asked in surprise, even though I knew it was Catherine's latest scheme.

"I don't know, perhaps a servant whispered to another; but the source hardly matters." She insisted. Once it got in the air, I was ruined. "I'm so ashamed to come here this way but I had nowhere else to go."

"I promise Olivia, I'll find someway to fix what I've broken." I vowed as I planted a kiss on her hand, which made her smile. "I never meant to cause you shame."

"I know that." She assured me as she raised a hand to caress my cheek. I was the one in shame at that moment for feeling attracted to a girl who wasn't Mary.


Things only got more complicated when I went back to my chambers to gather my thoughts, only to find Mary already waiting for me.

"Mary...I wasn't expecting to see you here." I lied as she stood up from her seat.

"Francis...I know about you and Olivia." Mary replied as I groaned, knowing that the bastard had outed me.

"Let me guess, my brother told you?" I asked pointedly.

"Please don't blame Bash for telling me about Olivia. I pressed him unmercifully." Mary insisted as I sat down on my bed while she joined me.

"So, why did she leave?" She asked.

"An offer of marriage." I answered. "Not to mention the fact that my mother made her life absolutely miserable."

"Honing her skills on your first love." Mary reasoned with a look of annoyance directed at Catherine. "What didn't she like about her?"

"There was an incident In the boathouse." I explained as gently as I could. "An incident where we were found in the boathouse."

"I see...and, um, Olivia is married now?" Mary asked as the subject of Francis being intimate with anyone besides her was clearly uncomfortable.

"No, the offer fell through once people learned of our relationship." I recited.

"Oh." Mary said as I put my hand in her cheek and made her face me.

"Mary, I'm I'm sorry that my my past has come back, but know that it is in the past." I tried to assure her, even though I felt uneasy about it myself. "What I feel for Olivia now is a sense of responsibility. I took her maidenhood and I put her into this situation."

"It's not all on you Francis." Mary insisted as she held my hand. "She would've known what she was entering into. We've been engaged since you were a child. Obviously you couldn't offer marriage. Which is not to say that I don't understand why you want to help her. Of course, I do..." I silenced her with a kiss before looking into her big brown eyes.

"Thank you." I said with a smile. "It might take some time, but with my support, Olivia will regain her credibility and find a match. One that ensures her happiness and her well-being. So we can all move on." Mary grinned at me as we shared a kiss and an embrace as I tried desperately to put the blonde haired beauty out of my mind and focus on the beautiful and strong Scottish Queen in my arms.


Later that day.

After Mary had been temporarily pacified, I went to give Bash a much needed ass chewing.

"Well, hello there!" He declared as I found him walking through the castle grounds.

"What exactly did you tell Mary about Olivia?" I asked as if I didn't already know.

"Just that she was Francis's first." He said with a smile. "I never said of how many."

"Don't be an ass and keep your opinions to yourself." I snapped in frustration. "This whole thing is turning into a mess."

"Well, forgive me if I overstepped." Bash shrugged with indifference. "Is that all?"

"No, I have reason to believe that Olivia's carriage was attacked by Pagans." I replied as I needed an excuse since Bash had never spoken the words that he knew when he and Francis found Colin's body. "She heard words that sounded like something a pagan would say: Lumenick gush...whatever?"

"Well, what were they even doing driving through the Blood Wood?" Bash asked.

"Olivia's driver was told that the Kingsroad was flooded; which it ain't." I answered as I leaned in close. "Bash, the Pagans aren't just picking off fools who wander where they ought not...they're luring people in."

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