War of Hearts || Reign || REWRITE

51- Louis

June 28th, 1566

I slumped to the floor, blood soaking my dress.

The two nannies lay dead on the floor next to Louis' bed. Like she was trying to protect him from the person who killed them.

"Where is my son?" I screamed "Where's Louis?"

Francis looked frantically around. He stood by the empty bed. "Close all the gates and doors of the palace. No one gets in or out until my son is found, understand!" Francis yelled at the two guards who had come with us. "Every guard in the palace must now look for my son!"

He walked over to me and tried to hug me but I knocked him off me.

"This is all your fault. I told you you were endangering Louis by declaring him your heir, but you thought your ego was too important." I got up from the ground, staggeringly. "If anything happens to Louis, it's your fault Francis! Your fault!" I shouted.

I walked out of the room towards the chapel and knelt before the altar with tears in my eyes.

"Why? Why god? Why are you doing this to me? My poor son, he is still so young. Why?" I cried.

"I know I haven't always been a good Catholic. I have committed sins and betrayed you. I have wished people death and went against your rules. Punish me! Punish me and not my son! He is innocent of all my doings." I stared at the crucifix that had been hung.

"I beg you, let my son return safely to my arms. Take my life instead of my son's. I beg you, I beg you." I felt myself weaken and before I knew it I fell unconscious on the hard tiles of the chapel.

~
June 28th, 1566

I woke up in my own bed again and breathed a sigh of relief. Everything had been just a bad dream.

"My lady, you are finally awake, thank God." said Joan, my lady-in-waiting. She was surrounded by my maid and a doctor.

"Bring Louis to me." I said weakened. I saw that she looked doubtfully at Alice, one of the chambermaids. "Madam, he still hasn't been found." Alice said softly.

I immediately sat up straight. The sun was shining through the windows of my room which meant it was the next day.

I climbed out of bed and put a robe over my nightgown and my slippers.

"My lady you must rest, your baby!" Joan shouted but I ignored her and went to the nursery.

They'd taken the nannies' bodies and tried to clean up the pool of blood, but you could still clearly see it had been there once.

Louis's bed was still unmade and I buried my face in his pillow as I started to cry again.

My poor son. If he were alive, he must be terrified by now.

The door opened but I didn't look up. The person sat down next to me and put his arms around me.

"You're right, this is all my fault."

It was Francis.

"I was thinking of my own reputation and not my son. If something happened to him I will never be able to forgive myself." He said.

I looked up from the pillow and looked at him.

His eyes were bright red from crying and he had dark circles under his eyes. Like me, I saw concern in his eyes.

"Our boy Francis. I am so afraid." I started to cry again. "I know, I know." He sounded scared.

~

"Is it done?"

"Yes."