The Scottish Princess

Nineteen

Francis' Point of View
I was practically jumping up and down awaiting Mary's arrival to French Court. I'm excited for my family to me home too of course, but if I'm being honest I'm most excited for her. I haven't seen Mary in nearly 3 months. I watched the all of the carriages come through the gates. The first one stopped and out came my siblings and Mother. "Francis!" Charlotte came running to me and jumped in my arms. "I missed you so much." She held onto me tight. "I missed you too, I promise I'm not leaving for a while." I said "What about your wedding tour?" She pouted "Don't worry about that right now." I said setting her down, she continued to pout. "Think about this," I bent down to her eye level "you're going to get a gift from every place Mary and I go." I said "I like that." She smiled "Yes I thought so, go get settled in I'll see you later." I kissed her cheek, she ran off with my brothers shooting past me to catch up with her. "Francis" My Mother came over to hug me with a big smile. "You look exhausted, have you been sleeping?"She asked holding my face in her hands. "It is a little hard to get proper rest in an army camp." I joked "Well now your home safe, go take a nap." She said "No I'm not going to take a nap I'm not a child." I said "Stop being stubborn. How is the proposal coming along?" She asked "Father and James just have to finalize things then we will announce our engagement to the court." I said "That's it? Not very romantic." She said "I asked her to marry me already, this is just a formality. I even gave her a place holder ring the day before I left. We are already engaged as far as i'm concerned." I said "And you didn't tell me? My own son didn't tell me he is engaged." She said "Mother it happened the day before we left, I wouldn't have had the time and you would be angry to find out through a letter." I said "We will speak about this later." She said as she walked off. I froze after I saw James getting out of the carriage, followed by Isla. Then I saw Mary pop her head out, she immediately locked eyes with me. "Francis." James cleared his throat. I looked away from Mary and at him. "King James, welcome to France. I hope your journey went well." I said, my eyes moving back and fourth from him to Mary. "It did thank you, but it was quite tiring. Could we be shown to our rooms?" He asked, I don't think he likes me. I think he respects me and knows I will be good for Mary, but he doesn't like me. "Yes, Marie would you mind showing King James and Lady Isla to their rooms." I said "Yes your grace." They followed behind Marie, he didn't question leaving Mary here with me. Maybe he does like me. It's killing me to not be able to kiss her right now. "Princess Mary," I extended my arm for her to hold on to "I would be honored to take you on a tour of the castle." I smiled "That would be lovely thank you." She took my arm. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you." I whispered as we walked inside. "I've missed you so much." She said, I held her hand up to my mouth and pressed it against my lips. "I missed you more." I looked to make sure we were out of sight. I pulled her down a hallway and pressed her against the wall. "I never stopped thinking about you, not for a single second." I said cupping her cheek in my hand. "Shh you wouldn't want your French girls to hear you talking like that." She giggled "Shut up." I smiled while leaning into kiss her. After kissing her very passionately I pulled away. "I love you so much. I couldn't bare to be with out you." She smiled "I love you too. Come on, I want to show you my hiding place." I said "Hmm I don't think that's proper." She stopped and let go of my arm. "You are supposed to be escorting on a tour of the castle, nothing more." She smiled "I am taking a you on a tour, up there." I laughed "No I don't think so." She put her hands on her hips. "If you won't move I'll carry you." I smirked "No you won't." She giggled, I went over and threw her over my shoulder. "Francis!" She squealed "I warned you." I patted her butt. "Where are you taking me?" She asked "I told you, to my hiding place." I said walking up the spiral staircase. "This is not the romantic reunion I imagined." She said "Patience is a a virtue Mary." I said as I got to the top, I set her down. She huffed and puffed and straightened out her dress. "Close your eyes." I smiled "No." She said with a straight face. "Did you just tell me no?" I raised my eyebrows, she started giggling. "Do you to see what's in there or not?" I smiled "I want to see." She held my hand, I took my free hand and opened the door. It revealed a bed with many blankets and the whole room covered in candles. "I know it is not much, but if we are up here no one will find us." I said, she held my other hand and looked up at me. "You did all this for me?" She smiled "Of course I did." I kissed her cheek. "What is this place?"She asked "It was the old observatory, I'm the only one who has come up here in at least a decade, come here." I pulled her over to the bed. "I want to hear everything about your journey and what you did when I was gone." I said "Well," she laid her head down on the pillow. "it's not that interesting." She smiled "Yes it is to me." I leaned over her "Well I spent a majority of my time with the dress maker and Charlotte because they both said I need get a new wardrobe more in tune with French fashion." She smiled "Yes I did notice your dress today was different than your usual ones." I said running my finger tips up and down her torso "Do you like it?" She asked "I always think you look beautiful, but I think you look more beautiful when you're in a dress you pick out. Not a dress my Mother very obviously picked for you. She isn't adept to the new styles." I said "I hate this dress, but I couldn't tell her no! And I don't know what they wear in France." She laughed "Oh I love you." I smiled then leaned in and kissed her. "Hmm I love you too," She said pulling away. "but I have to go. The ball tonight is in my honor and our Fathers are going to announce our engagement. So I need to look nice." She said "Okay well I always think you look perfect, and that is all that matters. So come kiss me a little longer." I said "How about this," She held my face in her hands. "Tonight we will dance the whole night, then our engagement will be announced and we will grab a bottle of whiskey then come back up here and celebrate all night long." She smiled "All night?" I placed a kiss on her breasts "Yes but I have to go now." She said standing up "Mary" I said as she walked out the door. "Yes Francis?" She asked "I love you." I smiled "I love you too Francis." She smiled as she left. I know I told her I loved her a lot since our reunion but hey I have to make up for lost time.