My Life As The Dauphin

Gàrradh Octopus

I DO NOT OWN REIGN. I ALSO DO NOT OWN OCTOPUS'S GARDEN. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO RINGO STARR.

Craigmillar Castle. Edinburgh, Kingdom of Scotland. 3 weeks later.

I'm not going to lie, I settled into the routine of being King Consort rather quickly. I had all the prestige and authority of being the King of Scots, but Mary held all of the political power; which took a lot of pressure off of me. I knew next to nothing about what it took to actually run a nation. I know it makes me sound like a lazy ass, but I was probably better off as a figurehead. I could handle charities and offer support to my Queen, because that was basically all I felt like I was able to do at this point. I was better off just letting Mary and her privy council handle matters of government since they seemed to know what they were actually doing.

Thankfully, I had David Rizzio to keep me company during this time. He had all sorts of interesting stories from his traveled through the Italian Peninsula. Not only that, his music skills were not understated. David was skilled to the point where all you had to do was hum the song you wanted to hear and he could play it like a pro. I had taught him how to play a few Beatles songs on his lute and the words to sing. My hand to God, Rizzio could have put the fab 4 to bitter shame. I had just finished teaching him the words and lyrics to Octopus's Garden when Mary came into my chambers.

"The servants said you and David were in here." Mary said as she looked a bit worn out from the latest Privy Council meeting where all of Scotland's mounting problems were dumped on her.

"Mary, come sit down, you need to hear this." I said as I took my wife's hand and led her to a chair.

"Has David been playing his lute for you?" She inquired.

"I heard this wonderful song from some fishermen and taught it to David." I lied as I couldn't very well explain to her who The Beatles would be. I motioned for Rizzio to play the song for her and he just launched right into it.

I'd like to be, under the sea. In an octopus's garden, in the shade.

He'd let us in, knows where we've been. In his octopus's garden in the shade.

I'd ask my friends to come and see, an octopus's garden with me.

I'd like to be, under the sea. In an octopus's garden, in the shade.

We would be warm, below the storm. In our little hideaway beneath the waves.

Resting our head, on the seabed. In an octopus's garden, near a cave.

We would sing and dance around, because we know, we can't be found.

I'd like to be, under the sea. In an octopus's garden, in the shade.

We would shout and swim about. The coral that lies beneath the waves.

Oh, what joy for every girl and boy; knowing they're happy, and they're safe.

We would be so happy, you and me. No one there to tell us what to do.

I'd like to be under the sea. In an octopus's garden, with you.

I watched as Mary couldn't help but be transfixed by the song and after David had finished, she had a wide grin on her face as she clapped enthusiastically.

"David, that was absolutely wonderful!" Mary exclaimed with glee as Rizzio took a bow before the Queen of Scots. As I saw the joy on my wife's face, I was thankful that I was able to give this to her. Mary had gone through so much pain in her life and to be honest, I'd probably aided in that.

A few hours after David's concert, he came running to find me as I was practicing my archery in the courtyard. He seemed as though he'd sprinted through the castle.

"Is everything all right David?" I asked as I offered him a mug of ale, which he eagerly accepted.

"There is a lady Lola Fleming who has just arrived from France, she insists upon seeing you." He answered as I dropped my bow and quickly ran inside the castle. Lola hadn't sent any letters in a while and I had been a bit worried. I made it into the foyer where I found Lola, looking disheveled, but still pretty.

"Francis!" She exclaimed as we embraced in a bear hug. We stayed like that for a couple minutes before I looked in her eyes.

"What are you doing here Lola, where's Lord Julien?" I asked, fearful that I might know the answer.

"Lord Julien has been dead for the past few years. The man we knew as Lord Julien, Remy, has been impersonating him." Lola replied as I tried to act surprised. "His family found out and he was forced to flee before the law could catch up to him."

"Lola...I'm so sorry." I said as I took her hands in mine.

"Francis...I know that we have a complicated history, but I have nowhere else to go and French court has spiraled down into Hell since you and Mary left." Lola explained as she squeezed my hands tightly. "I want to be here with people I trust, I want to be here with you."

"Lola...I know you still hold me in your heart, but I can offer you nothing more than friendship." I insisted as I looked in her eyes. Despite the horrible act she'd done, I still felt lust in my heart for her. Maybe part of it was a need to protect her, from the world, from the angry Frary shippers, even from herself.

"I understand that and I've made my peace with it." Lola assured me as she raised her hand to my cheek. "As painful as being around you and unable to touch you is, I fear that benign apart from you would be painful still. I can love you and still let you go." I embraced Lola again as I felt so guilty for hurting her by being unable to return her love; but my heart belonged to Mary and I could not give her up.

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