Tampered Beauty

Savage

"Stop it! Stop it now!" Francis snapped, gripping his eldest by the shoulders. "You need to stop acting like this. You know I love you and I always will but you need to stop this foolish behaviour and like someone befitting your station." he tried to speak calmer but it was a losing effort. He wouldn't stand for this child acting out any longer, especially when he directed anger at his eldest half brother.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this, brother?" Sebastian asked, as he and his brother and King walked in stride to John's small chambers. The fair haired King walked with purpose, hands tied neatly behind his back, chin raised. Having received word that the Dauphin would be spending the night with his mother and that Mary was recovering from the birth well, there was now no more reason to delay the inevitable.

"I have to be," Francis answered, nodding to a servent with a basket of sheets as she curtseyed deeply. "I can't let him get away with this any more. He can't act like this any longer. I know he's only a child and is infused with jealousy towards his brother, but he cannot set out to ruin him just because he envies his legitimate blood." he said, their strides long and fast as the half brothers made their way towards John's room.

"What about Mary?" Sebastian asked. Francis looked at him quickly. "Does she know that you told James about John without her?"

"No, I didn't tell her." he shook his head. "I only did it because the timing was right, James is old enough to understand. As must his mother."

"She may have wanted to be there."

"I highly doubt she would want to see her child in pain and confusion, brother." he shook his head.

"Are you trying to convince you or me?" Bash smirked, knowing full well that Mary wouldn't react well to know the most important conversation had gone down without her input or influence. Francis seemed to know, as well. But he spoke again.

"She may react badly, but I had to tell him. She has to understand. She won't like it, but she will understand."

Bash reached first, opening the door with a loud 'squeak'. The King and his deputy walked inside the warm chambers. They were slightly dim from the lack of sunlight and the windows being bordered up. A few candles were lit, a log burning in the harth hidden by a cast iron gate. The chambers were simple in the quite small room. A bed in the middle of the room against the wall, a fireplace facing it, a rocking horse and a toy box in the corner. A small bookshelf with a couple books stood in the opposite corner, next to a tall, thin wardrobe. On both sides of the bed, a small table. One held a cold bowl of soup and the other, a pitcher of water and a goblet. Small trinkets made their homes on the small tables and on the one to the left, a small candle burned.

A little figure lay in the middle of the bed. It was covered to the chin by blankets and furs, almost completely hidden by them, the pillows dwarfing his little head. Jaw length blonde hair fell in unruly directions, not curling in the slightest.

At the sound of the door opening, the small figure looked up to see who had entered. His dark blue eyes sparkled at the sight of his father and uncle.

"Papa!" he smiled, his voice congested and nasally. "Oncle!" the high pitched voice cracked with the exertion. He struggled to sit up, revealing the baggy white nightgown he wore, small arms reaching out for his father and uncle.

The King half smiled, receiving his son with a reluctant embrace, not quite sure how this conversation would go. But, playing the doting father, Francis held his boy and rubbed his back, soothing the coughs and wheezes that the boy let out. When the little boy pulled back from his fathers embrace, Francis saw the puffiness to his son's eyes and the redness of his cheeks.