Rebirth

Chapter 27

"I'm glad you had fun with your uncle," she smiled softly. "Now, go play with your aunt Kenna. We will be with you in a few minutes," she smiled.

"Okay, mama." the taller boy smiled, taking his companion by the arm and going to the children.

"James looks just like Francis," Greer commented. Mary smiled sadly.

"He does. He even wears the same clothes as Francis did. They both loved to wear gold buckles and velvet embroidery. And my little one rules over his country." Mary smiled softly, not humorlessly at all.

"You still miss him?" Greer asked softly.

"Of course I do. He is the love of my life, but I owe it to him to live my life and raise our son until we're reunited." she smiled softly. "And to Lola, too. She gave me John for a reason, after all."

"I still cannot fathom where you found the strength to take John, let alone raise him as one of your own." Greer commented.

"I know, I know. But, I said this the day I found out about his existence, and will say it until he and I leave this world. I resent his conception. I resent the choice Francis and Lola made that day, and what it nearly did cost me. But, John is innocent in all of this. He has no control over his conception and what he did to Francis and I's marriage. I resented his conception, but not him. He's the last piece of Lola we have, and she proved herself foolishly loyal until the end, it just so happens that he's Francis' child, too." she said, looking at her godson who she loved like her own.

"His presence doesn't hurt?"

"It did for a while. In France and endlessly being put underneath him on Francis' list of priorities, but John couldn't control that. But now, everything's different. His mother and father are dead, now. We're really all he has. The Valois-" Greer cut her off.

"Sorry, but did Francis' siblings or mother acknowledge him when they were alive?"

"They did not. Catherine took a long time to get used to the child, seeing as though history essentially repeated itself with Henry, herself, Diane and Bash. But, the remaining decedents and Francis' second youngest brother don't acknowledge him because of the legitimacy issue, even though Francis claimed him. Because he was claimed, Lola and the baby were disowned by the Flemming clan, so he has no real connection to his Scottish relations. Even though Stephan is his step father, he can't look at him without seeing Lola, even after all these years." she said gently.

"Do you wish he was yours, and not Lola's?"

"Of course. He'd have a future and power, the issue with Francis, Lola and I wouldn't have happened and all that shame could have been avoided. James wouldn't have been given a crown before he was even born, he could be free from his future responsibilities. And then, maybe, things would be different. They might be here, and all that pain from the past decade may have been spared, for all of us." 

"Things might have been different in the monarchy, as well. People may not have died, and you'd have the only man you'd ever loved back at your side. Ruling over France, Scotland, Ireland and England, all alone. It doesn't sound an easy task," Greer said, sipping on her tea.

"It is not," she agreed. "But, I manage with regent help, and the children's futures are secure, even with the slight wavers at times. James is King, and will rule when he's of age and ready, John's set up to be second in command when the time comes, all but the baby are betrothed with powerful alliances for the empire, my family is secure and all seems to be at peace with the countries. It isn't so bad right now."

"Stephane is the full regent of France, with Catherine declining in health?"

"He is."

"Who rules the others? I forget." Greer commented.

"My brother James rules over Scotland when I'm gone, Robert sits the English throne, and Damien the Irish."

"Robert Dudley?"

"Indeed."

"Why him?"

"He was loyal to Elizabeth until she died, so, when she did, he became loyal to me. It's only been since just before Edward was born, but we make it work, him and I."

"I forget how your cousin died."

"Elizabeth? She was assassinated after a Catholic radical saw the Catholic marriage of Darnley and I, my Catholic son and future son. And, she was the only one with a real claim to the throne before the English throne would naturally fall to my line, anyway. So, Darnley and I attained it for a few days. Before Bothwell and the whole ordeal of that horrid marriage. Obviously, I kept the throne and still do to this day, but he was only by my side for a matter of not even two weeks, before Bothwell killed him."

"And Damien is," Greer trailed off.

"I forget you don't travel to that little island with me. Damien is one of my closest advisers, has been ever since we came back home."

"And the four boys? When James rules France and the empire, will he have just John? Or the four boys? Many won't like a child out of wedlock in power."

"And the four boys. Edward, Henry, William and Francis. He'll attain everything else, my loyal advisers, loyal privy council and spies. But, they'll all help him rule. Maybe not so much France, as they don't have much of a claim to it, but when the time comes and I die, then they'll rule along with their brothers."

"Where's the little one?"

"Francis is still sleeping. His nanny's with him."

"No more marriages, then? With Stefan dead?"

"No more marriages. I don't need any more heirs, the throne is safe, all of them are."

"Did you ever want to marry him?"

"I did not. I wanted heirs. He wanted money and power. We got what we both wanted, but he grew sickly when we returned to France and died not long after in Germany. The boys are legitimate heirs, that was all we really married for. The children, he understood. His mistress -whom he was going to marry- was given a substantial pay and the children supplied with schooling and dowries. It seemed like a fair agreement,"

"Why couldn't you settle with the girls?"

"The girls carry the stain of my marriage to Bothwell. Although they are legitimate heirs should the boys not have any children, the people won't like it, due to the reception I had when Bothwell forced our marriage. I had to change the perception. Before I did what I did on that boat, my people were starting to get uneasy and would look to James to take yet another throne before his time. So, I had to marry a good and honest man to settle them. The further promise of stability, and to remove their minds from my sham of a marriage."