The Unknown Child

Prolouge

Since Mary, Queen of Scotland, was a child the English have wanted her country and her crown. She is sent to France to wed its next king, to save herself and her people - a bond that should protect her, but there are forces that conspire, forces of darkness, forces of the heart. Long may she reign.

This is true but this is the hidden story of Mary’s older sister who was sent as soon as she could be after birth to France. Her name was Catherine. Her mother named her this after her longtime friend Catherine de’ Medici. Three weeks after birth to Mary of Guise she was sent to France. She was to wed the bastard son, Sebastian, one week after birth, nicknamed Bash. At the time Francis had not yet been born. Since the queen was unable to conceive all thought that the line of succession would go to Bash. So of course her mother wanted to have her be a powerful leader who in time would be able to help her country get back on its feet. That is if she didn’t die of course. Catherine’s arrival would be only be made known to King Henry the second and Catherine de’ Medici who was the queen and Bash who she was to marry. Her birth was never to be told to anybody. When Mary was born, everybody thought she was the only child and when she grew up she was told that she was the first daughter of King James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise, she was never to know about her older sister. When Catherine was sent to France she was sickly and it was thought that she would soon die. But she didn’t Catherine thrived in the French air and soon became a very healthy child. Catherine de’ Medici was told to send word if Catherine died, and she sent word but she lied for she lived. Catherine did not want a rival country so she thought that if little baby Catherine was thought to be dead no harm would come to her country. But she was wrong. But I must now give her the spotlight for this is her story not mine and it will be from her point of view, not mine, from when she was a young child to when her sister came.