Tu Es Ma Lumière

72 - Boy or Girl

"Do you have any names picked out yet?" Greer asked, pouring her pregnant Queen some tea from the freshly brewed teapot. The servent placed a fine china plate full of rich gateaux in front of the Dauphine of France and Queen of Scots. She sent the small girl a grateful smile, placing a hand on her noticeably swollen stomach. Soon, the ladies had their gateaux and the Dauphin of France and King of Scots had a plate full of mushroom stuffed eggs, never one for gateaux's. They all began to eat at their food and drink from their hot tea cups.

"We were thinking James, after my father." Mary smiled, leaning back into the heat of Francis' torso. He slung an arm around Mary's shoulders, her silver lace gown shimmering in the mid-morning light. "James Henri Edward." Mary finished, taking a piece of gateaux from the plate and placing it into her mouth. She happily ate at the sweet dessert.

"That's lovely." Lola said, sharing a glance with Kenna. Lola placed a hand on her flat stomach over her pink gown, unseen from under the table they were surrounded around. "But what if you have a daughter?" she asked. Mary shot her a look, not wishing to think of such a concept of what their life may end up like.

"We're not going to have a girl." Mary answered swiftly. "It's a boy, I know it." she finished, brushing her fingers through her hair that was propped up by the large bump underneath her gown. 

"What makes you so sure?" Kenna asked her Queen, cocking her head to the side. The mistress of horse and hunt took another sip of tea, running her fingers through her fine silk gown, the blues and tans of the design running through her olive fingers like water.

"Mothers intuition, perhaps." Mary shrugged a shoulder, placing another hand upon the bump underneath her gown. "But I can feel it, I know he's a boy. A strong boy."

Lola smiles and nods at her Queen then, sharing another look with Kenna. This one, Mary does not miss, but she does not comment on this, instead talking with Greer about a matter that doesn't matter to the King of Scots, but one he listens to for the sake of his Queen.

When the ladies leave on a task given to them by the Queen of Scotland, she and the King are alone. Francis sits at his desk, writing a letter to the Viscount of Denis, whilst Mary rests in their bed, swirling her hands over her swollen stomach.

"Tell me," he gains Mary's attention. "why you're so sure that we are to be graced with a son and not a daughter." he is playful, but he quickly drops any pretext of humour when Mary averts his eyes and looks down at her stomach, a small frown upon her lips. "Mary?" he asks softly, getting up from his place at the desk.

"Wishful thinking." she decides after a pause, cupping the underside of her swollen bump. Francis is the one to frown now, crawling over to her form as it lay on the bed he has just gotten on top of.

"You don't want a girl?" he questions with a frown, taking her right hand and clutching it in both of his own. Mary can feel the warmth his hands provide, and loathes to move and evade it.

"Do you?" she raises a brow, which leads to one of his going up in response. "I-I thought you'd want a boy."

"Why?" any preference to gender has never been thought of before.

"To be your -our- heir when the time is right." she answers with a frown, looking away from her husband. He cocks his head, but nods quickly after. Ah, so that was what this was about.

"You think I want a child for an heir, not-"

"No, no." Mary cuts him off. "It's just-" she sighs. "childbirth. It's dangerous for women, I may die when this child leaves my womb and body." he opened his mouth to talk, but she cut him off. "And I'm the last Stuart, I have to have an heir, more than you do. Not just that, a son. You know more than anybody the hardships I've had to face because of my gender." he nods slowly. "You haven't had that, and God willing, you never will. I need a son, sons. And if this child isn't one, I-" she was cut off by his words.

"She will be just as important to me as a son would." he affirmed. "I know you fear the outcome of this pregnancy, and if this child is a girl and not a boy, she'll be a tremendous Queen. You've proven a women's rule in her own right can be successful and prosperous. She will be as much of a Queen as you've been-" he paused. "or perhaps she may not have to be. Because if she is a girl, we will grace her with many brothers and sisters, and our son will rule over the two countries and be as good of a King as any others have been before."

Mary smiled at him faintly.

"Better?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her forehead, nose, lips, then to the peak of her bump. She giggled at the sensation, and smiled as the child inside of her changed positions in response to his father's kiss.

"A little." she said quietly. He gave her a look, one that Mary recognised. One that meant he was preparing to tickle her un-mercilessly.

"No, no!" she squeaked, backing up. "You can't, I'm pregnant!" Mary shrieked, smiling widely at her victory as Francis sighed in consent.

He pouted. "You're right." But Mary couldn't resist kissing that pretty little pout off his lips.

~/~

I love domestic Frary! Pregnant Mary with Francis' child is the best!

Anywhoo, hey everybody! How did you all like this little oneshot? Feedback down below please! For some reason, I've never liked the idea of Frary having a girl before a boy. Not sure why, perhaps it's the historian in me thinking how Mary would, since it was a man's world at that time. I don't know, but I've always wanted Frary to be graced with a James before an Anne.

Anywhoo, please leave a little request and some feedback down below, and if you're requesting, please specify if you'd like modern or period, it gets a little confusing if it's not there :) We're running low on requests right now, so give a girl something to work with in these weird times we're living in!

Stay safe everyone, the world is scary right now, I hope I can provide a little escapism for you all,

love,

me

:)