fair » stuart

vii.

...

isabelle de valois sat at her desk, looking down at her travel routes for her departure from scotland. two months had passed since she confronted james, and the princess was now eight months pregnant.

she and james were only friendly on political terms. isabelle was made aware that her father's reign is coming to an end, and she must be prepared to take the french throne.

she decided that she would pull the alliance with scotland until mary took the scottish throne.

the doors to her private room opened and she looked up. duke arthur walked into the room, looking upset.

"duke arthur, how are you?" she asked. the attractive man looked at the princess.
"not so well, your grace. i've just discovered that my wife was bedding another. in fact, she was bedding your husband." arthur stated.

isabelle motioned towards the seat in front of her fireplace. the two sat next to each other.
"what are you going to do?" isabelle asked.
"i love her too much to destroy her title. i'm catholic, so i cannot request a divorce." arthur looked towards isabelle.

"i could grant you one anyways, well, james could. james is protestant." she informed.
"would he do that?" arthur asked.

"he owes it to me." isabelle smiled at the duke. however, the duke still had questions for isabelle.

"are you two seeking a divorce?" duke arthur asked.
"no. we've discussed it and we came to agree that if either of us reached out for a divorce, people would suspect that it would be about our child's legitimacy. besides, james says that he has stopped bedding marlene. he says that he still loves me, but i'm not sure." isabelle said, looking up at arthur.

"do you want a divorce?" the duke asked. isabelle shook her head.
"as much as the situation hurt me, i'll always love james. he was my first love and he will be the father of my child. you cannot replace someone like that. and after it all, he treated me as his equal, not as some figurehead of a queen regent." isabelle responded.

arthur understood her reasoning. he and marlene were in love at the beginning of their marriage as well. his family adored her and she brought out a joy in him that everyone loved. however, the situation crushed him and he couldn't forgive her for what she did.

the doors to isabelle's room opened again, and a guard walked in.
"its a letter, your grace." the guard said, handing the princess a letter. the guard left the room as soon as belle grabbed the letter.

she looked down at it with furrowed eyebrows.
"what's wrong?" arthur asked.
"it's francis's seal. he never writes me." she stated.

the princess opened the letter and her eyes read over the parchment. her mouth dropped opened as a gasp fell out of her mouth. the princess soon felt tears in her eyes.

"isabelle? what did it say?" arthur looked at the sobbing princess.
"my father—he has passed away." she informed, looking at arthur.