I DO NOT OWN REIGN. SHOUTOUT TO THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO REVIEWS THIS STORY. THIS CHAPTER INTRODUCES THE VIRGIN QUEEN HERSELF.

London, Kingdom of England. a week later.

My seasickness was coming back with a fucking vengeance as I sat in the brig of the English Man o' War. After the battle had ended, I came around just in time to see a couple of English soldiers binding me hand and foot and carrying me to their dinghy. As they carried me, I saw Lord Stephane Narcisse being stabbed to death by a pack of English troops.

Now, I know that it is going to sound truly fucked up, but to be honest, I felt a twinge of joy as I watched Narcisse meet his brutal end. It was his blackmail of Francis that eventually led to Mary's rape. If his life had been in my hands, I can promise you that I would have done far worse to the motherfucker and that's a fact.

I struggled as best I could as I was taken aboard the English vessel. It would be over a fortnight before I learned that many Scots and French had fallen to English cannon fire. While Bash and Leith had managed to make good their escape, Sir Kian Duffy had managed to slay 5 English before he was cut down. Many Scottish and French stragglers were cut down by archers before the English finally cast off with me as their prize.

If you have never been sent to the brig, I don't recommend it. It was dark and damp and wet. Plus, the seas were not kind and rocked the ship back and forth like a child playing with a toy boat in his bathtub. I could get moderately sea sick during relatively calm waters, so to be in a violent storm on the ocean made things thrice as bad for me. Thankfully, I was hardly given any food or drink; since I wouldn't have been able to keep it down anyway. I was puking so much that by the time we finally docked in the port city of Sowthende, there was a thick layer of vomit covering the floor of my cell. After replenishing and having men clean up my puke, (and gave me a beating as thanks), we took the river Thames west to London. Once we finally made land, I was greeted by the sight of more soldiers and a foreboding looking carriage. My ankles were eventually untied and I was led down the gang plank to an official looking man.

"King Francis, I am Sir Robert Oxenbridge, Constable of the Tower of London prison. It is the wish of her majesty, Queen Elizabeth, 1st of her name...that you be sent to the tower." He greeted me as I tried to look as kingly as I could under the circumstances. I heard all the stories about the tower and I knew damn well that it weren't going to be an enjoyable experience, but I refused to give the English any sign of discomfort.

"Will my wife know that I am alive?" I inquired as I was taken into the carriage.

"That is for her majesty to decide." Oxenbridge replied as he got in with me and motioned the drive to speed away.

Tower of London prison, Kingdom of England. 3 days later.

After spending 3 bitter days in the Tower, the Constable told me that I had a visitor. He failed to tell me that the visitor was Queen Elizabeth herself. I had seen pictures, read books, watched TV shows and movies, but when I came face to face with the virgin queen in the constable's study (she refused to sully herself by coming to my cell), I had to remind myself not to be star struck by her. She may be a sexy bad ass with the face of Rachel Skarsten, but she was still my enemy.

"So...here he is, King Consort Francis Valois. I must admit I was expecting more from Mary Stuart's bitch." Elizbeth said with a smirk on her face.

"First you betray me, then you insult me, real classy." I replied, letting her know that I was not amused.

"I did not betray you, I didnt agree to any sort of alliance with Scotland. You presented me with the oppertunity to weaken my 2 greatest rivals and I took advantage of it." Elizabeth countered.

"So you used an offer of good will as a way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone?" I asked angrily.

"Thanks to your battle of Inchkeith, Scotland's forces are too weak to invade England and Henry has lost his remaining loyal troops." The Virgin Queen replied with a gleam in her eye. "News from France tells is that Henry achieved victory over the Duke of Guise, but that it cost his almost all of his current forces."

"What of Lord Tanneguy and Prince Louis of Condé?" I asked anxiously, wanting to know how my friend was faring.

"Tanneguy dropped his claim to the throne and joined forces with Condé in exchange for a place on his privy council and for marrying his sister." Elizabeth answered with a wide grin. "The Bourbon and Carrouges forces are now marching on Paris and soon, Louis will be King. I must say i'm surprised: you doomed your own family and toppled the Valois dynasty."

"I had to, Henry would have destroyed France." I argued.

"Save your patriotism, we both you did it to save Mary from losing her throne." Elizabeth snapped as her eyes pierced into me. "That's actually why i'm here: I sent word to Mary that you've become my..."

"Hostage?"

"guest...and that if she wants you back, all she has to do is abandon her designs on my throne."

"Seriously?" I asked as I couldn't help but burst out laughing at Elizabeth's hair brained Scheme. Let me tell you, Elizabeth Tudor loathed being ridiculed more than anything.

"Did I say something amusing?" She growled as her patience with me seemed to be thinning.

"Even if Mary would abandon her claim to England for me; which she wouldn't, her privy council wouldn't let her." I explained once i calmed myself. "Her people are turing more to protestantism and they think that she's too foreign. If she drops her claim to your throne, they'll turn on her. Mary will always put Scotland above me and that's the truth."

"The sad part is I believe you. Even still, my privy council has assured me that you're more valuable to me dead that alive." Elizabeth explained as she leaned in close to me. "So if you want to keep your head, I suggest that you don't outlive your usefulness...guards, take the consort back to his cell."

As the guards walked me back, I started to worry that I had lost Mary and our children for good. I knew that Mary would never weaken her hold on Scotland for anything and that with Bothwell close by, he would encourage her to sacrifice me. I tried to put on a brave face, but my talk with Elizabeth made me realize that for the 1st time, j was utterly alone.

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