Tampered Beauty

Imminence

The King and Queen of France stood silently staring at each other. The only sound that could be heard was the whistling wind outside, the crackling of the fire in the harth and the harsh breaths of the still married couple.

Francis stayed where he stood. He didn't step forwards and gather her into his arms, although he clearly wanted to. All he did was stare at is wife, the Queen of France doing the same. She kept distance between them, a great deal of physical space as if it would make this conversation better for them. 

He saw the pain in her eyes, the shock of seeing him alive clear in her eyes, but the hatred and fury of the Empress deterred any emotions that he could turn into positive ones.

Finally, she shook her head at him and sunk down into a near chaise. She pulled up her lace covered feet and tucked them behind the sea of black tulle skirts, reaching for a goblet and filling it with wine. She gulped down the dark red liquid, taking her eyes off him, instead staring at the dancing flames in the harth. 

"Mary, I-" Francis started, the minutes of uneasy silence making him choke out the words, but a harsh look stiffed the romantic speech he had planned.

Although she had barely changed in the past two years, things had changed. Her breasts and hips larger from baring their child, waist smaller and generally thinner, clearly attributing to the stress that all her power bought. Her face was thinner, features sharper, than before, cheekbones more prominent and nose thinner. Her hair was still dark, now a dark raven rather than the shiny brunette that he remembered. Those dark orbs almost onyx with a small ring of glittering golden around them, the last remains of the girl she once was.

He left a girl, but here before him sat a woman. A woman he had abandoned and neglected for almost all of their marriage, the child she had carried, borne and raised her only tie of becoming who she was once more.

"Don't speak." Mary finally spoke, her voice soft, still not looking at him.

"I have to. I have to tell you-" he trialled off at another harsh look, features looking sharper than before because of it.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say to me. Go to the throne room, let your people adore you, then leave me to my fate." she said, voice deceptively light.

"Your fate? What do you mean, Mary? Your fate is right beside me," he tried to lessen the anger, but seemed to only stoke it.

"My fate is undecided because of your foolishness!" She suddenly shot up from the chair, threw down the wine goblet and walked some feet from him. "Your weakness and sentimentality could bring my death!"

"I will travel to Rome, explain why I did what I did, the Pope cannot punish you or Henry," he swallowed down the bile. "you did what you did because I was supposed to be dead. But now-" he walked forwards, a hand extended, as if he was trying to hold her hand. She shook her head, walking further away.

"Do not." Mary demanded. He stilled, but continued to talk.

"Now everything's changed, Mary. I will go to Rome, explain my actions, and ensure you and Henry don't suffer because of it! It was lawful, me being declared dead proved it. But I'm alive, your marriage to him must be annulled and after-"

"What?" she interrupted, glaring at him. "You think I will just come back to you? Play happy families like nothing ever happened between us? Are you that foolish?" Mary asked.

"No, I just meant that-"

"That's what you want. A happy reunion and for me to forget everything that's happened between us." she continued as if he hadn't spoken. "And then introduce you to our child for the first time and play house. Is that it? Or, is it not us you want? Lola and your bastard. Do you want to play family with them? After all, it is the least you could do, if they stay here, people will talk and they will know eventually. You're the father of her child, and all they'll know is scorn and neglect. Is that what you want?"