Tampered Beauty

Captivation

Mary, where have you been? I haven't seen you in days." Francis smiled, entering the large chambers where Mary and Hames lay on the bed, eating from a box of chocolates and strawberries. Barely moving her head to greet her husband as he came close, Mary turned her head away again as he attempted to kiss her.

"What is it?" Francis frowned. "What's the matter?" the King questioned, watching as Mary untangle herself from the sheets, blankets and furs to stand from the bed, on the opposite side of him.

She didn't say a word.

Francis extended his arms to James, as if to grab him, but the boy did something he hadn't ever done, kicked his fathers hand away with a displeased squeal, before scrambling to his mother.

Mary wrapped her arms around her son, still perched upon the bed, staring hard at Francis.

"What is it?" Francis frowned. "What's going on?"

"Are you really that ignorant that you do not know what you've done to us?" she asked.

"What? Mary, I have no idea what you're talking about." Francis said.

"Really?" Mary chuckled. But it wasn't the happy, pleasures chuckle that she'd let out previously in this pregnancy, but the cold, Queenly chuckle that she only did while entertaining stubborn courtiers. "Judging by our children and the acts of their respective pregnancies, I know you're not the smartest in the world. But are you really that stupid?" she questioned harshly.

Francis blinked in surprise. But he did nothing. He said nothing.

"Ever since your bastard has been at my palace, you've completely neglected our son. So much so that he runs to me crying many days ago, and still, you do nothing." she spat. "You've abandoned him once before, and you do it the moment that child comes back into your life." she shook her head, looking down at him. "Do you love him that much? That you're willing to dissolve your marriage, your rule, your legitimate son's childhood just so John will be happy? Does he have that much of a hold over you? Do you favour him that much because of those two years? That you're willing to hurt this innocent boy, this innocent unborn baby, just to please him? Hint that could bring down so much and so many? Or are you simply desensitized to your heirs cries because he misses his papa and wonders what is so wrong with him that you would leave him!" she almost yelled.

"Mary, I-" he tried, but she cut him off.

"No! Not a word! I won't stand by and watch this any more! I will not let you harm my child, my baby any longer!" she snapped. "I thought you proved yourself, I thought you changed! That you'd be a good husband and a good father and a good King, a good Emperor! But you are not! You haven't changed one bit from that playboy prince I met years ago! So sentimental and selfish that you would burn others to raise yourself up! Truly, you are the son of Catherine de Medici. I see that now." she chuckled humourlessly. "You are still that stupid boy who ran off into plague like a knight in shining armour like you did four years ago. You told me you knew it was wrong! You told me you wouldn't do it again, but you practically have! I was so stupid to trust you again, so stupid to think that you changed for the better. So stupid that I thought you'd be a good father to our son, our unborn baby! But I was wrong! You favour your bastard and you always will." she hissed. All this time, he had been trying to interrupt, but she talked over him each time. Just like she did now. "Why won't you think like a King? Just for once, think like your father! He may have loved Bash more but Henry always knew that you were more important! You say you don't want to be like him, but be a damned King!" she snapped.

She saw his face burn red, but talked over him once more. All this time, James had been clinging to her. She held him tight. Mary knew it was wrong to argue in front of her baby, but it needed to be said. They couldn't keep going like this.