Tampered Beauty

Termination

Lola. Lola Flemming. Lola Flemming knelt at her feet. The mother of her husbands' bastard was kneeling at her feet. After so long, she was here. The woman who always would cause her problems now knelt before her. What on earth was happening?! Just this morning, everything had been perfect! Although there was still anger and resentment between she and her husband -Mary suspected there would be for a while- things had seemed to progress! He'd been so sweet and kind over the past month! Hell, the two had even shared laughs at breakfast with James! And now, this happens?!

Thoughts like these span across Mary's mind as she stared down into Lola's eyes, her own getting darker and darker with every passing second. Lola was pale, her eyes wide with something not too dissimilar to fright or fear. However, it was uncertainty and anger that burned through the Empress' gut. Why was she here? She'd been locked up in Fontainebleau for seven months, her and her son hadn't left the castle for over a year! And, somehow, the woman escaped to Edinburgh Castle, the exact same one that housed the Empress who could -quite justifiably- kill her?! What on earth? 

Irrationally, Mary thought that Francis would have something to do with this. But, that was impossible. His correspondence with Catherine -the regent in his absence- was intercepted, and no letters had been sent to Lola. Just a few to those who cared for his son, asking for updates on his bastard. It was innocent enough, but, the mother of his child was here. He hadn't spoken with her in over a month and a half, at least. But, that opened another suspicion. Could she have read his letters, and returned for him? Is that why she came here? For Francis?

I really need to check Aimee's authenticity. Mary thought on an offbeat. She told her that the ruined Lady had taken to her chambers and had not left the castle ever since her return over a year ago! There were no possible marriages, no nothing! So, how on earth could she have escaped her self made imprisonment and come to her court? Her country?

Catherine. Mary thought, the realisation to suddenly self explanatory that it made her want to laugh aloud. Of course, it had to be Catherine. The devious little Italian had wished Mary's ruin ever since Francis' return, so quickly slipping back into the calculating snake who had once plotted Mary's death, after having spent two years as her undivided ally! What had changed?! Did she think that sacrificing one -true- family for one of sin would make Francis happy? Did she think sending Lola here to ruin the little bit of happiness happiness that they had somehow found, just to have Francis under her thumb more than he already was? It did sound like something Catherine would do. Take Olivia, for example. Mary thought, rolling her eyes again.

She sighed and focused on her kneeling pray, who had looked down in something like fear once the guards had pulled out their swords, clearly not knowing who this woman was.

"Why are you here?" Mary asked, her voice deceptively monotone. A far cry to the storm of emotions burning through her blood. Uncertainty blistered through her veins, lurching her stomach. Mary swallowed down the familiar bile and nausea, leaning her chin up a little higher.

"I-I needed-"

"You will not address the Empress in such an informal manner." James -the Earl of Moray and Mary's half brother, her most trusted Scottish adviser- snapped from a few feet away from his younger, half sister and Empress. Mary gained strength from him, squaring her shoulder back. "Address her Imperial Majesty with respect." he finished, stepping a pace closer. Mary bit back a smirk, silently adoring how protective he could -and usually did- get of her.

"Yes. You are right. Forgive me." Lola whispered, bowing back down. "Your Imperial Majesty, I beg of you. I require your assistance." she said, as formally as possible.