Forever...

First Dance

(MARY'S POV)

I have my old chambers back of coarse they have been redecorated because the decor was a little passed it's days shall we say. Catherine has decided to throw a celebration for my return so I have to be ready within the hour which is a little short notice but I have my ladies to help me.

"What colour dress would you like tonight Mary?" Lola asks while her and Kenna browse through my wardrobe of the finest french dresses, a gift from the King even though I brought my own.

"Well I quite like the plum colour but I feel it's too dull so I shall have the the peach and gold with the red corset and the white fur cape" i inform them while Greer helps undress me from my travel clothes and Aylee gets the bath prepared for me.

"Your bath is prepared Mary, so is your clothes and undergarments send for us when you are ready" Kenna says as the four of them leave the room and close the door.

I bathe myself then send for the ladies to come back in to help me get dressed because these dresses are so complicated I don't know why anyone thought this would be a good idea for a design even though it's beautiful they could of made it much more simple to work with.

There is a knock on the door.

"Come in!" I shout and the door is swung open.

"Francis the dauphin, your grace" the guard informs me and Francis steps in the room with his hands behind his back.

"Leave us" he asks and everyone leaves the room, the guard closing the door.

"Is there something I can help you with?" I ask as I look down at my jewellery box looking for something to match my dress.

"I need to talk to you about our engagement" he says in a soft tone as he walks closer to me.

"What about it?"

"Let's be honest okay, I don't want this marriage and I'm only doing this for my country as I guess you are" I turn to face him with my eyebrows furrowed.

"Excuse me? Am I not a good enough bride for you?" I raise my eyebrows and my voice at him.

"I just don't think there will be affections between us is all" he calmly shrugs his shoulders as if it's nothing.

"Oh so I've been here less than one day and you've already decided you won't love me through our marriage? Is that it?" My voice is getting louder and I'm almost screaming at him.

"Love is irrelevant to people like us Mary, you should know that, look at my mother and father. We don't get to have love don't you understand that"

"I am not your mother and you are not your father Francis, don't talk down to me as if I'm a child I'm very much aware of the situation we've been put in and I don't need you or anyone else to educate me on the life of a royal!"

"All I am saying is it's likely I will take mistresses after we wed Mary"

"Oh I'm pretty sure you've already got that covered am I right, you clearly aren't a virgin because it seems I'm the only one here dedicated to making this engagement work aren't I Francis"

"Let's just go and try to look happy" he opens the door and we leave arm in arm pretending as if we haven't just hit our very first bump in the road of this clearly unmatched engagement.

(FRANCIS' POV)

I don't really understand what she was expecting like of coarse I'm glad she's returned she will always be welcome here but this marriage it wasn't a choice so how does she expect it to work like a normal marriage. This marriage, this whole engagement is just political, an alliance that we had no choice or voice in the matter we were kids and it was my father and her mother deciding on this.

She should have known how royal marriages work, they all end up the same way.

We walk into the main hall where there must be at least 100 people in the same room.

"Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and Francis Valois the Dauphin of France" the music stops and we are announced as we walk in through the doors and everyone's eyes dart towards us, they applaud and the music continues.

She walks towards her ladies as soon as possible, she is clearly annoyed with me. I roll my eyes and walk over to bash who of coarse is pouring himself some wine.

"Brother can you pour me some wine while your at it?" I smile at him while handing him a glass.

"I've told you I'm your half brother, remember I'm the bastard son" he chuckles and pours me some wine.

"Ah well brother, half brother you're still a brother to me bastard or not Bash you know that" he hands me the glass while smiling at me.

"To brothers then" he raises his glass and we clash them gently together.

"To brothers" I nod my head and I take a sip of wine.

"I saw Mary didn't hesitate to leave your side" he raises his eyebrow at me and I roll my eyes.

"I just explained to her how our marriage will be and it's not out of love it's just political and she got upset" I explain and he laughs while drinking his wine.

"Well you never know maybe she'll grow on you...literally" he winks at me and I push him jokingly while laughing.

"Very funny, actually I may ask her to dance maybe it will cheer her up" I hand him my glass and walk over to Mary and her ladies.

"Your grace, my ladies" I bow while smiling and Mary rolls her eyes at me.

"Francis" she bows her head.

"Would you like to dance with me?" I stretch out my arm and hand with a half smile.

"That depends if you would like to dance with me, because you certainly don't want to marry me" she tilts her head with a smug smile.

"Just dance with me" she takes my hand and I lead her to the middle of the room.

"Well aren't you just the prince every girl dreams of" she puts her hand on mine and we walk into a circle then switch hands.

"I certainly was to you when we were young" I raise my eyebrows at her while smiling.

"We've changed quite abit since we were children incase you haven't noticed"

"Yes I know, you are much more beautiful with both of your front teeth" I smirk and twirl her with one hand behind my back.

"If I'm so beautiful why are you so reluctant to marry me" she turns back into my arms and we take a step backwards.

"Looks can be deceiving your grace...but I apologise it was rude of me to talk to you about our marriage so soon, maybe things will be different for us" I place my hand on her waist and lead her through the dance.

"Id like that very much" our faces just centimetres apart as the dance comes to an end.

"Thanks for the dance, Mary" I bow and kiss her hand keeping eye contact as the music comes to a stop.

"We shall dance again..."