Tu Es Ma Lumière

136 - Proposal *Modern*

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Side Note - Same AU as Part 94, 96 and a couple others. I'm having a lot of fun with this AU, so I'll probably write more for it down the line :)

Side Note - Mary's dress is above. The ring will be described below :)

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"Come here," Francis de Valois-Angouleme says, taking his longtime girlfriends' hand and leading her into the middle of the room. Mary Stuart-de Guise smiles shyly, following her boyfriend without question. The click of her heels echo quietly upon the hard flooring, her black and silver gown dragging behind her. Her face burns with confusion and pleasure as he turns to her, looking luxurious in his black tuxedo.

This kind of grandeur was very unexpected, although she didn't really know why. Her boyfriend was born from ridiculous wealth, and his family had rented an entire chateaux in eastern France to celebrate for the night, for the family company had just landed a business deal that made their wealth skyrocket. Francis didn't have anything to do with that, for neither he nor Bash worked in their fathers' business trade, but his mother and eldest younger sister were very very insistent that he and his family attend the gala.

Choosing to attend with his girlfriend and his son, Francis had packed her and John up, intending to go on a holiday with them beforehand. That's how James was invited, and that meandered into Lola -John's bio mom- and Julien tagging along. Kenna and Sebastian were also in attendance for this lavish party. However, Darnley got wind of Mary intending to take his son on holiday upon his weekend with the child. He had thrown such a fit that he had invited himself to France, not that James really noticed, simply caught up with the mystics of France, for he'd never been before.

The large room they were in looked like it came straight out of a fairy tale. Upon their feet, tapestry tiling, the walls glittering golden with lit candlesticks and large paintings. Long, red velvet curtains draped in finery, setting the room with a sensual glow. The ceilings were high and glittered with chandeliers and lit candlesticks, risen roofs with glass domes and tapestry resembling Greek mythological Gods. And, now that Mary looked at it, there were small candles lit all over the gold flooring, rose petals scattered everywhere.

She smiles nervously at Francis, who lets her hand go, just staring at her for a moment. His blue eyes took in everything, from the glamorous makeup with the bold red lip, to the voluminous black waves Kenna had styled her hair in, the jewellery he'd gifted her in various birthdays or Christmases or just because. The beautiful gown Catherine had insisted she wear, to the peeping red satin heels that poked their way out of the beautiful black and silver gown. She was so beautiful.

Not that Mary would know it, but the wall that faced them perpendicularly was no wall at all. It was merely crimson chiffon that hid the entire Valois clan with every associating member. Little did she know, his parents and sisters had been in on this surprise the whole time, having orchestrated most of it. They listened in closely as the cellos began strumming quietly, and Francis began talking to Mary.

"You know, I've thought about this moment a thousand times since we got together." he began nervously. "From the moment I saw you that day, I knew that I had fallen instantly, irreversibly, ridiculously in love with you." he says. Mary's heart skips a beat. Could he actually be- "And these last years with you, my love they've been the happiest years of my life, my love. With you and John and James, our own family bound by love, not blood, I've never felt more at peace, more happy, more safe and whole than when we're all together. You've became a mother to my son, me a father to yours, and I could spend the rest of my life watching the two of you dance around the living room, laughing giddily with each other. I could spend a minute staring at you, and figure out a thousand more things that I absolutely adore about you. And I want to, Mary. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You accepted me, with all my faults, with my son, with all-" he gestures to their surroundings. "this-" he says, they both chuckle. "and you're perfect for me. You're so beautiful, so much so that falling in love with you was completley out of my control. And even if it was, I'd dive in headfirst anyway. You're strong, you're beautiful, you're clever and smart and you mean the world to me. I want a thousand more sunsets with you, I want to raise a family with you by my side. And I know we've had our ups and downs, but here's our chance, right now, to be together, without anyone, or anything, standing in our way. I'll pressure you, and listen to you, and argue with you, and love you until the day I die. Together, we'll decide what is right, as husband and wife." he says, before dropping down to a knee before her. Mary gasps.

Kenna nearly shrieks in happiness, Bash barely stifling her cry of surprise in case she breaks their cover. Lola and Julien battle with the bouncing boys to keep them under control, staring at the two of them with smiles upon their faces.

The blonde smiles up at the beaming ravenette, fishing a black velvet sparkle ring box from his blazer pocket. He opens it. Mary gasps at the sight of the ring. It's on a gold band, the diamond is clear and massive and big enough to sink the freaking titanic. Six, seven carats, she can't tell. It's circular cut and grand, a thin gold band in the middle. On the sides, a criss cross band covered in small diamonds. It's beautiful.

"Mariposa Vivienne Mionette Stuart-de Guise," he says, holding the engagement ring up higher, still on one knee. "will you marry me?"

Mary beams happily down at him. "Yes! Yes!" she cries in happiness. Francis beams up at her, plucking the ring from the box and sliding it upon the appropriate finger. He kisses her deeply, picking her up, spinning around as Mary shrieked in happiness.

The Valois family cheered, pushing away the chiffon, startling them both. Kenna and Lola shriek with happiness with Mary, nearly jumping up and down with excitement. Sebastian lifts his brother up a few inches and twirls him around from behind, making their father laugh grandly at his boys. Francis picks both little boys up when he's let down, the little rascals squirming and gittering with their happiness.

Mary's mauled by Catherine and her daughters, who already talk of the wedding and other details, but she hardly minds when the smile upon her face is so big. Henry mauls his secondborn with a large hug, the men and women segregating slightly.

They're too deep in their own worlds of happiness that neither notice Darnley shake his head in disgust, and walk away.