Rebirth

Chapter 10

"You are in grave danger." Bothwell said. Mary looked up from her son and stepson to Bothwell.

"What?"

"I just received word from one of my spies that your privy council is planning to overthrow you, with your worthless traitor of a husband helping. Darnley means to remove you from power. I've asked Rizzio to keep watch, but everybody is a potential conspirator."

"Oh, God," she said, getting up and starting to pace. "The act of a desperate man." she started. "I've stopped all of Darnley's attempts at getting the Crown Matrimonial. Knox and the privy council must have promised him my throne!" she said, outraged.

"Which means the man isn't above taking it by force."

"Mary, we must leave now! We must protect your child at all costs!" Bothwell started to pull her over to the secret doors. He'd heard word of the privy council's plan to eliminate Mary once and for all, and would have none of it.

"No! I must show strength and the treasonous privy council that I am Scotland's only and legitimate ruler. You go, they'll more than likely want you too. Get to safety, gather those who are loyal to me." She pushed him to the doors, before stopping and handing him the drowsy tiny King of France and the future King's deputy. " Take them. Take them to safety, i'll meet you later."

Rizzio came in. 

"Your Majesty, Bothwell, Darnley and Lord Ruthven are headed this way."

"Are you certain it was him?"

"It was, Bothwell. I swear."

"I'll take them to Dunbar, I have friends there, unwavering royalists."

"Good, go, now." She turned to David. "David, what are you doing? You have to go too!"

"No, I won't let harm come to you. I'll be a witness for whatever happens next."

"It's a good plan. I will wait in Dunbar. If I don't hear from you by tomorrow night, we'll attack the castle and kill them ourselves."

"Do that. Keep them safe. They mean just as much as my country." Mary nodded quickly, pushing him out the door and closing it, rushing to sit at the table with David. He pulled up a pack of cards and quickly dealed them out, looking up as Darnley and the privy council appeared, slamming open the door.

"Where's Bothwell?! Show yourself, coward!"

"Is that your plan, to accuse me of adultery with Bothwell?" she laughed. Darnley pushed Rizzio up against the wall, until she took his attention from her dear friend and to herself, standing up.

Darnley grabbed his collar and got in his face. "Did you warn him? Let him slither out of here like the snake that he is?" he asked.

"The Queen and I have been alone here for the past hour!" Rizzio lied.

"I have no idea where he is, like I reminded you earlier, I have remained faithful to our vows. I am innocent!" she said, her voice strong, but fear and adrenaline burned through her veins. She placed a hand to her growing stomach, trying to calm the child that resided within her.

"No, you're not. We're here to bring you to justice."

"How dare you barge in here with an empty claim! If you stand down now, I will pardon you all due to this high treason. The punishment of which is death!"

"We cannot back out now."

"Are you blind? Without Bothwell, we have no proof."

"We have found the Queen alone with a man! The Italian will serve our purpose!"

Mary gasped as David was shoved into the wide circle of privy council members.

"Nobody will believe you, and you know why." Rizzio hissed.

"What is he talking about?" one of the men said.

"Lies, no doubt." Ruthven shook it off.

"What's the matter? This is our opportunity to rid ourselves of this French imposter, this whore of a Queen like we've wanted!" was directed at Darnley, who seemed to be having second thoughts.

"There can be no backing down!" Ruthven said, his voice loud. Mary inhaled, her body tensing, catching a glimpse of the blade in his hand, greatful that Kenna and Greer were long gone by this time. They were at the Flemming estate, and Mary was never more happy to not see her friends. She couldn't put them in danger like how she was in currently. "We kill the Italian!" he suddenly yelled. Mary paled. "We do it together! No one person to blame!" he yelled, the look of a madman in his eye.

Mary stood up, gripping Darnley. "You can't let them murder an innocent man!" she cried.

"Ruthven, this was never the plan!" Darnley said, appearing to be conflicted. Mary was never more grateful that she married an easily manipulated fool than she was now. Maybe she could fix this.

"This is not the time for fear or weakness. Tonight, we make history! Tonight we take back Scotland from the woman who stole the throne!" he shrieked.

"This is my final warning!" Mary snapped. "Stand down!" she yelled.

"Stand up, I say, to her tyranny. We've come too far now to back down! We must act as one for Scotland!"

"Please." David begged. Mary's lips parted, but they opened in a scream as a blade was suddenly sunk into his chest.

"No! David!" she screamed. "No!" she cried. "No, no, no!" she screamed as more shots ran through him.

"Are we in this together or aren't we?!" Ruthven shrieked.

"No! No!" Mary begged. "you can't just let them murder him!" she begged Darnley, who did nothing but hold her back, as if protecting her from them.

"For Scotland!"

"No!"

"For Scotland!"

"No! No!"

"Scotland!"

"David, no!" No! No! No! David! No!" she screamed as they gathered upon him and started butchering. Mary sobbed openly, loudly.

They finally let up.

"Let me go!" Mary screamed at Darnley, but he did nothing.

"No, no!" she cried as Ruthven picked up Darnley's blade and stabbed it into David's chest one more time. "No!" she sobbed, falling to the floor.

"What have you done?"