Mary's Sister

Going Back to French Court

Mary throws the slightly muddy ball back into the game, into my direction.

The ball lands in the mud before my feet, causing it to splash onto my white dress, but I don't care. I redirect the ball with my left foot to the hardly protected goal before I kick it hard with my right foot and it streaks into the goal, winning the game for Mary and I and our team.

Mary smiles widely as she runs for me. Seeing her smile, I smile as well as she embraces me tightly.

"Good job, Belle." she compliments me on the win.

"And to you as well, Mary." I say to her as we pull apart.

"Breakfast!" Sister Margaret calls for all of the girls playing from the table.

We all run up the small incline up to the table that has a huge pot of porridge, a breakfast we get regularly, not that I'm complaining; it's not really that bad.

I sit by Mary at the end of the table. We both are really hungry from the earlier game. But, then something catches my eye.

Sister Helen... staring at me and Mary with a mixed expression of emotions.

And all of the sudden, she starts fiercely coughing... BLOOD! Then, her eyes roll into the back of her head as her head falls into her bowl of porridge.

"Poison!!" Sister Margaret shouts as all the sisters panic and run to me and Mary. "Get the food away from Mary and Belle!"

Two sisters come, pull us up from the bench we're sitting on, and drags us away from the table.

What is happening? What is going on?

Sister Margaret, Mary, and I run inside the convent and start to run to our room. I look over at Mary and she looks panicked as well, so I reach my hand over and take hers.

"You two have to leave immediately. This was an assassination attempt. You two were nearly poisoned." Sister Margaret says to us as we still slightly run.

"By who?" I ask her, firmly.

"Someone who has ties to the Protestant Throne of England, no doubt. They'll be found and dealt with." she answers me quickly.

"Poor Sister Helen," Mary says, sadly. "I didn't know-"

"That she was the taster of the two of you?" Sister Margaret interrupts Mary. "Every meal you two have eaten has been tasted for poison since the two of you left your mother's breast. Mary, you are the Queen of Scotland. And you, Belle, are the crowned Princess of Scotland."

Mary and I nod as we all run to me and Mary's room. I close the door as Sister Margaret comes in.

Sister Margaret opens a wooden chest and indicates the dresses and other things for Mary and I.

"I'll be outside when the two of you are finished." Sister Margaret says, leaving the room.

Mary pulls out a pale blue green dress and blood red cloak. I help her put the dress on and she puts on black flat shoes. Then, I brush her hair and loosely braid a small strand in the front with a silver band before putting on a small silver tiara on top of her hairline.