Tu Es Ma Lumière

40 - Regrets

(This isn't exactly happy Frary, but it's got kinda supportive Francis being loving, so I hope that makes up for it)

"I have gathered you all here today to announce that I have decided to claim my child as my own," Francis smiled brightly. His wife beside him immediately looked over at her advisers, eyes wide. They matched hers. What could this mean for the Scottish throne? What would happen when John Knox found out? Mary would be destroyed. She was grateful for the shocked whispered and murmurs, especially as Lola stepped up with their child, and as soon as she could, immediately vacated the gathering and rushed away with her advisers.

"Oh, dear god!" Rizzio exclaimed, as his queen groaned and fell back against her bed, hands covering her face. She couldn't believe it. Francis had done the right thing for a man, but as a king, he's ruined this Queen.

"What do we do now?" Bothwell asked, loudly. "We can't have John Knox find out about this! Mary'll be ruined."

"It seemed my beloved husband doesn't know that, or does and doesn't care. Everything's pushed away for his bastard that said mother didn't even want him to know about." she said bitterly. This was it. They were officially Henry and Catherine. What a lovely notion that was.

"Good lord. How do we fix this?"

"I tried to get him not to claim him. My people would and will suffer most, but, as you just saw, he doesn't care for my opinion, and apparently now, safety."

"We must fix this, but how?" Bothwell asked. "If Knox finds out and tells his followers, you'll be ruined."

"You think I don't know that, James? Besides, it seems there's only one thing to do," she sighed.

"And that is?" Rizzio asked.

"Face Knox directly."

"You can't! You know what he'll do."

"It seems, because of my beloved, that's my only option."

Three days. Three days of completely avoiding her husband at all costs and spending every waking moment with her advisers was all that it took for her subject to appear. And what an entrance he made. Just as Francis and Lola danced, their child in between them supported in his mother's arms, a sharp point pushed against her spine, a body directly behind you.

"You called for me, majesty," he spat into her ear. Mary stiffened.

"I did." she said, as cold as ice.

"I do believe this is a conversation meant for outside, don't you?" she squared her shoulders and raised her chin, walking out to the corridor with Knox at her tail.

"I wondered when I'd be seeing you, John Knox." Mary addressed the man in black. They leaned against the wall, glaring at each other.

"You sent for me, and I see why." he glared. "Tell me why you sent for me, Mary."

"To benefit you, as well as me." she said.

"Do explain, my queen." he mocked. She glared at him further.

"It's obvious what my husband has done."

"Create a bastard with your lady in waiting? Claim him and humiliate you? Yes, quite obvious. He doesn't know what danger he's put you in, does he?"

"No, he doesn't." Mary said, her voice calm and almost casual for the tone this conversation this had taken. "And he never will. Because you're going to keep quiet."