The Scottish Princess

Twenty-Four

Mary's Point of View
I woke up in a very familiar state, cuddled in Francis' arms. I moved my hand up from his chest to his head and ran my fingers through his hair. "Good morning" He yawned. I sat up, his arms shifted so they could still be around me. "Morning, what time did you wake up?" I wiped my eyes. "I didn't go to sleep" He said "What why not?" I said "I told you I would watch over you, so I did." He said, he looked down at the bruises on my wrist. "Francis you're insane, you need to sleep." I pulled my sleeves down so it covered my wrists. "Plus your arms were wrapped very tightly around me, nothing was going to happen." I said laying back down. "Well I would rather not take my chances. Are you okay?" He asked "I'm okay." I said "Are you sure? What happened was really scary." He said "I'm just glad you were there." I said "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked "No not right now." I said. I'm terrified it's going to happen again. I don't want to be alone w any man but Francis or my Father. "I promise you the first thing i'm going to do today is make sure that man leaves court." He said "I'm sure you tackling him will have had him packing his bags as soon as he ran off." I said "Yeah well I should have killed him." He said. I sighed and held his hand. "Why did you leave the ball? Were the people you were with" People meaning Olivia. "not upset you ran off?" I asked "I don't know, probably, but I don't really care. You're my main priority, all the time." He kissed my forehead. "Why did you run after me?" I asked "Well for one you know how jealous I can get, I was clenching my fists just watching you dance with him. But I just had a bad feeling, I figured there was no issue if I just followed behind to make sure nothing happened." He said "Quite protective for not speaking to me for days." I teased "Oh stop we can be in a fight but I still love you, a lot. And besides you would not talk to me or look at me, the blame isn't all on me." He said "Because I was, well I am, upset. You two were each other's first love, first time, first everything it feels like. I can't ever measure up to that." I said "Well yes you are correct she was my first time. But you're wrong in saying she was my first love, she wasn't. You are my first and only love. I thought I loved her for a while, but now I realize what happened between Olivia and I wasn't true love. Yes I had very strong feelings for her but it wasn't love, but those feelings are gone now. Olivia and I are only friends. Ever since I fell in love with you I can't view any other woman as anything but a friend." He said "You're going to make me cry." I said "No don't cry, come here love." He pulled me on top of him. "I trust you, but I don't trust her. I don't want to fight anymore but i'm not going to act like i'm comfortable with you two having such a close friendship." I said "I don't think she has feelings for me, but I don't want to fight either. I will talk to her and tell her now that I am getting married our friendship needs to be more of casual friends than really close friends." He said "Thank you Francis." I kissed his cheek "Guess what?" He asked "What?" I smiled at him. "We leave for our wedding in a few days." He kissed my forehead. "Yes we do." I kissed him "Do you want me to go get us some breakfast?" He asked tucking my hair behind my ear. "No please don't leave me, I still feel upset for last night I have no appetite." I said "Well we will have to go to dinner tonight." He said "I know, but let's just stay here until then." I said "Okay, whatever will make you feel comfortable. But would you mind scooting off me for just a second so I may use the bathroom?" He said "Hmm fine." I smiled rolling on my back. He got out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" I asked "Mary, it's Dad. Can I come in?" He asked "Yes you can." I said, the doors open and he walked inside. "Sweetheart I wanted to come check that you're okay. You left dinner with out saying goodnight, that's not like you." He said "I'm all right, i'm just really tired." I said "Are you feeling sick? If you are you shouldn't be traveling for the wedding." He said "Your attempts to stop the wedding are getting more and more obvious." I laughed "Stop that I am not trying to stop the wedding." He laughed "I'm fine to travel, but thank you for your concern." I said. God I'm hoping he leaves or Francis stays in the bathroom. "I hear all the final touches on your wedding dress are complete, I'd love to see it." He said "I don't want you to see until the wedding, I want to see your reaction the day of." I said "Mary it's the groom who has to wait to see the dress, not the father of the bride." He chuckled. "Well it's my wedding so I get to make the rules." I smiled "Okay fine," He laughed "I have to get going. But if you need me just have a servant call for me and I will be right at your side." He said "Thank you Dad, I love you." I reached to hug him. "I love you too, now get some rest." He hugged me. As he walked away he turned back around. "And if Francis comes to visit you, let him know I need to see him." He said "What? Why do you need to see him?" I asked "I just need to have a man to man talk with him, he is about to be my son in law after all. He needs to know my expectations for him as your husband." He said "Dad, you do not have to do that." I said "I'm not going to scare him off. Well I might that boy is damn terrified of me, whenever I speak to him all he does is nod and says yes sir." He said "Because you are so mean to him! His Father isn't like you." I said "I know Henry is very hard on him. I will be nice I promise." He said "Fine, but if there is a run away groom I will know who to blame." I joked "You are quite the jokester for being so tired." He smiled "What are you talking about? I'm already asleep." I smiled and closed my eyes. He laughed and made his way out. As soon as the door shut France peaked his head out. "That was a close one." He smiled coming back over to bed. "Pretty soon we won't have to worry about close ones, we can be in bed all day and no one will bat an eye." I said "I think all the princes and lords who had their eye on you will bat an eye." He  said "Yes maybe but who cares? I think it was really obvious from the first day I met you that you were going to be the man I would wed." I said "Yes it was, wasn't it?" He smiled and kissed me.