Morning Glory-Francis (Reign)

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Today was the day. I was getting married today. And everything was going to be perfect. The ceremony was scheduled to take place that day at noon. Exactly.

Anfisa and the rest of my council had arrived two days ago, and the last thirty-six hours had been spent hammering out the last details of my marriage contract. Henry was ecstatic that I was willing to give Francis the Crown Matrimonial of Russia, and even more pleased that I had refused to take the same from France.

I was woken up early that day. My room was full of hustle and bustle before the sun was up, as servants prepared a bath, and my ladies paced the room. Anfisa had insisted she help me while she was here; I appreciated the help, and my three ladies had an interesting, though entertaining dynamic. At the same time, it was nice to have an extra set of hands, especially since Natasha was often sneaking off to see a certain someone. Not that I minded. Feliks had a particularly wide smile when he and Nat saw each other.

To add to the organized chaos, Liesel, Alice, Breelyn, Millie and Isabella had arrived early that morning, carrying my dress concealed beneath a large swath of grey linen. I had seen them the day before when I went to deliver Francis's tunic, we had arranged to have all of them join me in my chambers to prepare for the festivities.

I had never had any sisters, but for today, it felt like I did. We all sat around in nice chairs, and snacked on cheese and bread as we discussed who would wear what. We giggled over applying small bits of rouge and kohl to our faces. I was reminded of the days when I wasn't Tsaritsa, or even before I knew what it meant to be the Tsesarevna. Like those days when I was Anna the seamstress or the days even before that when I was just Anya, the little girl who ran around the big empty halls of the palace at Moscow.

"Are you excited, Anya?" Anfisa's voice startled me out of my reverie.

"Of course I am," I answered with a smile, though slightly confused by her raised eyebrow. "I'm marrying a man I love. How much more could I ask for?" I cocked my own eyebrow back at her, as I bit into a slice of cheese. My hair had been pulled back into an elegant twisted updo, and I was wearing my new silken slip, but I had yet to put on my dress. I had a few hours.

The other girls erupted into laughter.

"That's not what she meant, Anya." Millie said with a small giggle before turning to the other girls. "She's already dreaming."

"What do you mean?" I laughed a little myself.

"Oh, Anfisa, you weren't here for it!" Elisa nearly shouted.

"Here for what?" I asked loudly at the same time Anfisa gasped. "No!"

"She was so shy about it." Natasha laughed. Liesel and her girls had been shocked into their own silence, and the topic of conversation clicked in my head.

"Excuse me!" I stood up from my chair, cheeks flaring bright red. "I have a reputation to uphold!" Still, I couldn't help but laugh a little bit.

"Did you think we would never ask you about it?" Elisa tilted her head slightly as she asked her question.

"I was hoping to avoid it." I shrugged, sitting back down in my chair.

"Well you're not getting out of it now." Alice sat forward in her seat. "Was it nice?" A shocked gasp escaped Liesel's lips and she quickly slapped Alice's knee. "What?" She looked at her mentor. "I'm just curious."

"I can't believe this is happening right now." I ran a hand over my face sighing. The other girls continued to laugh as a knock sounded on the door. Isabella went to go answer it.

"One hour until showtime ladies." She announced, closing the door.

Perfect timing.

My pride was saved to some extent as everyone flew into motion. We all helped each other lace up the dresses they had selected for the occasion, and Natasha helped settle a tiara of pearls on my head, created specifically for this occasion.

In no time, we were all ready, and my eyes filled with tears upon seeing my eight closest friends standing in a line beside me. They all looked beautiful. I almost felt guilty that for Liesel and her girls, this day would only happen once.

I hoped one day I would be able to take them all to Russia. Give them at least a holiday where they could live the lives of the nobility that they deserved.

Unfortunately, there wasn't time to lament the lives of my friends, because the door to my chamber swung open to reveal the guards sent to lead me to the chapel along with Catherine. Anfisa walked in front, as a representative of Russian diplomacy. Then Liesel and Catherine walked side by side, as stand-ins for the place my mother should have taken. Behind them walked Natasha and Elisa.

Then me. Breelyn, Alice, Isabella, and Millie walked behind me, guiding my train through the long hallways. I suppose it was rather strange that besides the guards, my entourage was entirely women. But I had no father left, and only one brother. Aleks had arrived to Fontainebleau, while in good health, extremely weak, pale. He sat with the rest of my council, already in the chapel.

The halls of Fontainebleau were supposed to be completely silent as the bride made her way to the church. And I guess inside they were. But rattling through the windows, I could hear the shouts of the crowds. It seemed all of France had gathered around to watch me marry their Dauphin. While it felt like a triumph, it also seemed a little strange. Still, I had to thank them. Without them, I may never have been able to walk down these halls in a white dress.

The doors to the chapel swung open, my eyes only saw Francis. Even though he couldn't see me yet, he was facing the Cardinal who had come from Rome to officiate, I was instantly connected to him.

I could feel my fingers running over the threads that now covered his back, and I could make out each of the little details I had stitched to the fabric. Just for him.

Slowly, my entourage peeled off to their seats in the pews. Once I made it to the front of the room, the Cardinal gestured for the two of us to kneel. As we did so, I felt Francis's eyes flick over to me.

Quickly, I turned my head to the side, to look at him, and blue met blue.