A beating heart

Chapter 4

The majority of chapters will be from Mary's POV, but whenever it serves the plot I will sprinkle in chapter from different peoples' POV as well. Please review and enjoy! :)

4.

The liquor burned his throat, filling his stomach. He could feel his body reacting to the rush of alcohol entering his bloodstream. On unsteady legs he swayed on the spot, his drunken laughter echoing throughout the room.

Father wouldn't be pleased if he saw him in such a state of drunkenness. A hoarse laugh escaped his throat, the liquor only seaming to emphasize the weight of the betrayal. His father no longer cared what he did. He had denounced him, had degraded the dauphin, his once so golden son.

He could still hear his mother's words ringing in his head. „He is legitimizing the Bastard!" She had been furious, broken porcelain had scattered the floor and the daggers in her eyes had been ready to kill. He was certain that if the king's guards hadn't restrained her, she might have actually strangled Henry right then and there.

He had always envied his elder brother for his freedom, to go and do as he pleased. Wasn't that supposed to be his role now? The king definitely disagreed. With his first words directed towards Francis, he had ordered him to stay at the castle.

He was to attend the royal wedding of the dauphin of France to the young queen of Scots, an alliance that would change Europe for centuries to come. Forcing him to witness Mary finding her happiness in the arms of his brother. Of course Henry wouldn't want to wast any time securing his claim to the English throne after Mary had so graciously presented it to him on a silver platter. And if denouncing Francis' birthright was the price, Henry wouldn't even flinch. Who cared about family when you have power, not that he had ever had much of a family to begin with. His father had had a new mistress in his bed every week and his mother would, in her fury, come up with new ways to rid herself of the girls, only further fueling Henry's rage.

In a way he now actually felt petty for his big brother. His mother would find away to kill him or die trying, he was certain. But that was none of his concern anymore. Father would have to find a way to tame his queen and caging her up like a wild beast was only a temporary fix.

They could all go to hell, for all that he was concerned, his dearest brother, an usurper, his loving father, a parent no more. And her, he had given her everything, had entrusted her with his heart and where had that gotten him. She had thrown it all away in the blink of an eye.

His face grimaced at the thought of her betrayal. He shook his head, sending his messy golden curls flying around him. Pictures of her beautiful face, her big brown eyes looking directly at him swam before his eyes. Suddenly she was riding away with Bash by her side and the sound of her telling him that she didn't love him anymore drowned out even the sound of his own pulse.

The tears welled in his eyes. Simultaneously the anger brewing in the depths of his stomach threatened to spill over. Confused over the fury and hurt he was feeling, he took another long sip, the liquor trickling down his throat, and once more the burning sensation, it left behind, drowned out any other feelings, numbing his mind.

He would never be able to stop loving her but the alcohol certainly helped dull the pain of his broken heart. Wasn't that supposed to be his job, the shining dauphin, breaking girls' hearts by the dozen. But here he was, an insignificant heartbroken prince. The only girl he had ever loved, every truly longed for, had broken him. He could practically hear the gods laughing.

The alcohol in his system making it increasingly harder to form a coherent thought, he stumbled back on his bed, still clutching his bottle in one hand. A small part of him was disgusted at how pathetic he must look. There where tears falling from his red eyes, their salty taste mixing with the burning liquor on his tongue.