War of Hearts || Reign || REWRITE

01- The Start

June 17, 1562

Queen Catherine whispered heatedly to her husband, King Henry, "Mary should be protected. Hidden. As you said before." King Henry rolled his eyes in boredom. "You also claimed she had to stay in a monastery for her education, but we all know you simply wanted to get rid of her."

Bianca got up from her chair and walked over to Elisabeth, who was being helped into her wedding dress. She didn't feel like listening to the king and queen's bickering. "It would upstage our daughter's wedding," Queen Catherine lamented. "Mary's arrival would show all ambassadors how strong we are as a country. With Scotland as our ally, we are stronger than ever," Henry contradicted her.

Bianca curtsied and whispered, "If you will excuse me." She left the room, unnoticed by the royals. As she walked down the hallway, Maximilian appeared, standing against the banister. "Bianca, why the irritated expression on your beautiful face?" he asked teasingly.

Bianca rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here, Max?"

Maximilian was known for his flirty demeanor. He was the bastard son of King Henry and his mistress, Diane De Poitiers. The king loved Max, perhaps because of his love for his mother.

Bianca, too, was a bastard, but unlike Max, she was not so loved by her father. Her father was Cosimo, the Duke of Florence. When she was born, her father was already married to her stepmother, Eleanor, and they already had several children. Her mother had been one of Eleanor's maids when she caught the eye of her master.

She was born in 1546, and her father gave her his last name, making her his legitimate daughter, even though she was still known as a bastard. Six months after she was born, her stepmother sent her mother out of the house. She kept seeing her mother a few days a week until she turned three, then her stepmother forbade her mother to even step in the house.

She was raised with her half-siblings by her stepmother, who never liked her. When her father went to visit France, her stepmother insisted that she stay in France for her education.

At the age of nine, she entered the French court and was welcomed by Queen Catherine of Medici, a distant relative of her father. Catherine raised her with her oldest children. She received the same studies as the princesses and was treated with the same respect as a relative of the Queen.

She had a good relationship with the royal children, especially the eldest son, Prince Francis. With only a two-year age difference, they turned out to have more in common than they thought, and they became the very best of friends and more than that.

Francis came up the stairs putting on his coat. His blonde hair was in all directions, making Max and her laugh. "Oh Francis, look at the way you look," she said, adjusting his hair. "Where were you? Your parents were looking for you." Francis smiled gratefully. "I was riding." "Really? who?" Max and she said at the same time. They burst out laughing as Francis looked away in embarrassment.

Francis turned to Bianca and asked, "Why did you say my parents were looking for me?" Bianca smirked and said, "Don't you know? Your fiancé is returning to court today." Both Max and Francis exclaimed, "Mary?" Francis replied, "Who else? I didn't know you had another fiancé." She rolled her eyes and said, "Anyway, I'll leave you. I've got a lot to do." She curtsied and walked to her own rooms.

Ages-

Bianca- 16
Francis- 18
Maximilian- 20
Mary- 18