Castles That Crumble

twenty

"Good morning, Mary." Harry says as he's walking out the kitchen with a muffin in his hand. Harry was always an early bird and he loves to take little strolls around the castle before everyone else wakes up.

"Will you be coming with us to Scotland today?" I ask, hoping he will say yes. I never got the chance to apologize to Nicolas for snapping at him last night, so if Harry comes, it'll save me from the awkwardness.

"Unfortunately, no." Harry bows his head and walks the other way. "Oh." I mutter under my breath. I really wanted him to come.

♡

"Mary, you haven't talked for the whole hour we've been in this carriage." Nicolas looks at me, pleading for me to say something but I just keep looking out the window.

"We have another two hours left, it's going to go by slow if we don't talk." Nicolas continues looking at me, slowly I turn my head.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you last night, I don't know why I snap at you so much." That was the truthful answer, everything has been so stressful lately.

Nicolas rests his shoulders, a relief I was talking. "It's okay." Nicolas nods his head to let me know he was telling the truth.

Nicolas reaches into his pocket and pulls out a heart shaped pendant. Once he pulls it out and looks at it for a moment, he offers the necklace to me. "What is this?" I ask.

"It was my mothers, my real mother." Nicolas mutters. I couldn't help but smile. "Thank you." I say, grabbing his hand.

Nicolas sits next to me and puts the necklace around my neck, he was so gentle with it.

"Thank you." I repeat. Nicolas stays silent but nods. A couple of seconds go by of us just staring at each other and suddenly, I go in to kiss him.

I didn't know what I was doing because I had gotten lost in the moment but when I finally pulled away, Nicolas was grinning. "Oh, shut up." I say, lightly smacking his shoulder.

"Are you excited to meet you mother in law?" Nicolas asks playfully. I slowly grin at him. "Oh, also you have a meeting with my father once we get there."

My grin turns into a frown. "What?" I ask. Nicolas looks at me with saddened eyes. Did he think I'd be glad about this?

I straighten up my posture and look the other way, out the window. "Well, I suppose I shall go to this meeting, what is it about?" I ask curiously.

"Our wedding, my parents want to make sure everything is in check." Of course his parents want to secure his rule on the English throne, they'll want him to behead me next so they can put England and Scotland together as one.

"Mary, you know I'd never do anything to hurt you, right?" Nicolas grabs my hand. I want to believe him, but I just can't, not right now at least.

"Your parents want to do everything in their power to secure the Scots to the English throne." I state, still looking out the window.

"I'd always protect you, no matter what." Nicolas looks down at our hands. "Mary, you come before my parents now."

I didn't know what to say to this. What could I say? I turn towards Nicolas and give him a warning smile.

This was my future husband, I've come to terms with it and I knew I'd have a happy future.