Ignition♱ ∞ ℝeign.

Snakes in the garden.

'You will be loved'

"Let's agree it's a brilliant match, Madeline's French so there's no question of her family's loyalty.Very wealthy."my mother negotiated to my father.

"But not royal,so they're hungry for power."my dad shot back, uneasy about the girl that could soon be engaged to my younger brother.

"They'll pay for it."

"It's only right to accept the support of ones loyal subjects."and there it is, you could easily win an argument with my father when money is mentioned.

I felt bad for my brother Charles he's only 8, he looked nervous so I tried my best to make him smile.

"And she has a giraffe."all heads turned to me as I stepped forward and crouched next to Charles his face lighting up.
"Well madelines widely travelled , She's come from far away, by ship."

"Do I get a giraffe too?"

"The moment she's your bride."I smiled ruffling his hair.

"Francis, to show our respect, I want you to accompany your little brother to the landing."my father told my older brother which received a light nod in return.

"Can Y/n and Bash come too?"Charles queried.

"Charlie!You know that Bash isn't really your brother.He's just your fathers son.His presence is disrespectful."my mother snapped.

Bash raised an eyebrow at me and Francis, he didn't mind it now because he knows we love him ,we all joke about it now.

"And as for Y/n she has preparations to attend to."

And then they were off, Charles,Francis and Y/n.

[time skip.]
"Bash!come here."my father bellowed from the throne room.

"Coming father!"

"Madeleines ship has taken on water it sent a distress signal out and an English warship was nearby and helped them I need you to ride and tell Francis."

"How do we know this?" I interjected whilst leaning over the 'war table'

"They sent an emissary on ahead to the castle, we're holding him, if they're lying we'll have his head."

"I'll leave now!"And just like that Bash was off on another one of his riding adventures.

[time skip.]
People drank,ate,danced in rows whilst Charles and Madeline ran around people , in,out,in,out, wearing matching gold and white outfits.

Henry and Catherine stood together,
Discussing English fighters.
"And there's simon, the English envoy.Ive put him up in a guest suite while he's at court."Henry informed Catherine whilst watching Simon eat grapes and walk past Bash and y/n who were also eating grapes and standing there watching him.

"Along with the captain of the ship and some of his officers."

"There's plenty of English to go around."Catherine smirked. "Some of England's finest warriors that just happened to be aboard that ship.Aren't you the kind host.?"

"Treat then as friends until they present themselves as foes.They'll be gone in a few days."

Y/n saw Henry and Kenna eye each other as he walked past. She would have to ask someone about them, they are acting weird around each other.

— — — — —
It was time for the festival and Y/n wore a beautiful light blue and white lace dress similar to the one worn by Mary.
She stood around a blindfolded Charles in a circle with other girls or all ages along with Madeline and called
"Charles."
And he was supposed to find his true love:Madeline although she was getting impatient because he was walking towards the other girls and not her.
"How is he supposed to find his true love of She's so quiet." Y/n heard Kenna say, she turned around and laughed at Kenna's comment which was very true.
The game ended when Madeline walked up to Charles and pulled his blindfold off with some force looking very grumpy.
—-
[y/n]
"I know. I didn't tell anyone.don't worry"I heard Charles whisper.
"Charles?" I asked walking towards him .
"Charles, Madeline feels like your ignoring her.Who are you talking to?"
"No one"he said ever so quickly and turned away from the little concrete tunnel/doorway thing.

"Oh is that quite so?"

"Alright.I was talking to my friend."Charles said sheepishly.
"But she wants me to play with her too,she gets jealous.She says that when I'm older, I won't even remember her."Charles was beginning to frighten me.
I turned around and looked at the door, about to walk in.

"Don't go in there."Charles said abruptly.
"She decides when you see her."

"Well that doesn't sound very friendly." I said trying to sound calm.

"But she knows things, because she goes where she wants, and she sees everything, and she knows peoples secrets."

"This friend, that likes to hide— I think she visited me once."it was true, I was sad when Claude got sent away and I was sad that my parents would send me away and make me marry someone I didn't love, she told me I would find someone I truly love at a happy place and will work hard for that love.
Still waiting on it.

"Your lucky then.She doesn't like people, most of the time she doesn't really speak but I bribe her with things she likes or play guessing games with her to learn things"

"—this friend , does she have a name?"

"Clarissa , but don't say I told you!"
"Please don't go in there!"

I ignored him anyway and wandered in.

"Clarissa?"I called.
I saw a pretty marble on the floor so I picked it up and kept it .

——
I caught up with Mary and she said she saw a servant girl wearing her dress and then she started dying and the dress was apparently poisoned, she ran to get the guards then the girl was gone, I kind of suspected Simon so I urged Mary to come to his chambers to question him with me.

[knock,knock]
Mary opened the door to see Simon putting his shirt on, he had a girl in his bed.
"Simon"Mary spat bluntly, she adverted her eyes toward the girl in the bed and she looked confused.
"But you were poisoned."

"There you go my dear."Simon chucked her clothes as she ran out of the door no word spoken.
"Her carriage back to Orleans was delayed.My hope was to keep her out of sight."

"So you admit it"I declared "that you staged her poisoning to terrorize Mary!Why would you do such a thing, to show us what your capable of?You showed Mary that at the convent.England shows us that every time you attack Scotland's borders,France's borders!We're allowing you to stay as a guest in MY home !"

"You need to fear us here, at French court , because your being here angers us very much."

"You threaten me but it is the English who are afraid.There are rumours, that your queen is ill...and my cousin Elizabeth is next in line for the throne, but many say she's illegitimate, bastard born."Mary fired back.

"And say the next rightful heir to the English throne is you."

"But what if I don't want it?what if all I want is for England to leave Scotland in peace?"

"Show is your not a threat.That you are not here to wed the next king of France for his armies."

"Armies I need against you!"

"We need to crush Scotland so we're certain it won't rise against us!"

"You'll never leave me in peace"Mary uttered barely above a whisper , I felt heartbroken for her, she sounded so sad.

"Someone has to make the first move."
....
I was walking back to my chambers when I heard heavy breathing and moaning I held my dress up and hid bensons a wall.
"Think about that too."Thats my dads voice.
He's having another affair.
Diane's away and my mother's chambers are much further away from here.
I sunk down onto the wall and cried.
I cried for myself.
I cried for Bash.
I cried for Claude.
I cried for Mary.
I cried for Francis.
I have been working hard my whole life in politics, trying to please everyone.I just wanted to be loved.Loved like Francis loves Mary.
"You will be loved."
A croaky voice said from behind me in the shadows.
"Clarissa?"