After only a few short months of living in the French Court, i was beginning to understand why people described it as such a dismal place. One by one my ladies in waiting met other noblemen and married them, until i was left with just Naya, who insisted on sacrificing her happiness and desire to have a family of her own so that i would not be alone in this sombre castle. I insisted on her going her own way, that it was time to grow up and become a true woman, but to no avail. Naya claimed that her home was with her queen. Part of me was angry with her, the noble and selfless part. The other part of me, the greedy, isolated and selfish part, was glad that she insisted on staying.
In a matter of months, my life here in French Court had come crashing down. My beloved husband, Charles, had discovered of my affair with Bash. Thankfully, he decided he would not have us executed for treason, more for his benefit than ours. He did not want to be made a fool out of in front of his own people and instead sent Bash to be a diplomat in the Spanish court, leaving me in misery. My friends had been taken away, as was my lover. Charles came across as though he did not care, but i could tell that his eyes held heartfelt sympathy. Neither of us had signed up for an arranged marriage and we both knew it was a matter of time before one of us met someone who changed it all.
My beloved brother in law, Francis, had suddenly fallen ill and he had been in his chambers for days, i had only seen him once to offer my prayers and love. Francis was truly a great king and his memory would surely live on in the essence of France, should he have passed a young death at the hands of nature.
But that was not what happened.
Francis recovered, strong enough to not succumb to the poison that nature had infiltrated into his mind, only to be brutally attacked and murdered in a gruesome coup days later.
No one could fathom the pain i was in after seeing someone i cherish so deeply slaughtered, before my very eyes. Mary's Deafening screams pierced the air as it happened as she, Catherine and i fell to our knees in shock.
Our soldiers filed the room and massacred the remaining rebels who killed our king. Charles entered the room and took in the scene before him, his mother, sister in law and wife, sat around his dear brother. He stood there in anguish amongst the guards and noble men who followed him into the room.
The castle was in mourning, everywhere i turned i saw black. Black dresses, black gloves, black veils.
The day of Francis' funeral was even more solemn and heart-wrenching. We said our final goodbye to him as we saw his dull casket leave the courtyard.
After that eventful two weeks, all hell broke loose.
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