𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝕺𝖋 𝕰𝖓𝖌𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉 | 𝕱𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖘 𝖁𝖆𝖑𝖔𝖎𝖘

XVII | 𝕻𝖔𝖎𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖔𝖚𝖘

Royal Court Of France

I walked throughout the French Court gardens, memories of old times flowing back through my head. The old oak trees that I used to climb are still the same ones from when I was a little girl. I soon passed the familiar concrete wall that held more memories than one could even know.
FV
MS
JT
I ran my fingers over the three initials that were carved into the wall. Francis, Mary, and I did it the day before Mary had to leave for the Convent. We thought that maybe if we carved our initials in the walls of the French Court, then incase we would never return to the French Court and forget about it for whatever reason, it would remember us. Immature, I know, but it's a memory I'll cherish forever. I remember the day like it was yesterday. Francis, Mary, and I all stood around the wall. Francis had just learned how to use a sword, so his father gave him one of his own. Goodness, I remember the day he got that sword. He never let it out of his sight. He thought he was some knight in shining armor. I chuckled aloud at the thought. Point of the story, Francis used his sword to carve our initials into it. He had to do Mary's and mine because we were too petite to handle the sword. Although, thinking back, Francis wasn't exactly the largest boy either. I laughed again to myself, but stoped hen I heard a voice whisper on the other side of the wall "I know. I didn't tell anyone. Don't worry" I think it's Charles. What is he doing this far away from the celebration? I rounded the corner to see the familiar looking boy "Charles?" I furrowed my brows. He shot up from his former
crouched-to-the-ground position "Who were you talking to?" "No one" He quickly spoke before beginning to walk away "Oh?" I put a hand on my hip as he turned back to me "Is that quote so?" "Alright. I was talking to my friend. But she wants me to play with her, too" I rose an eyebrow "She gets jealous. She says that when I'm older I won't even remember her" I turned towards helge door that he was previously looking into "Don't go in there. She decides when you see her" "Well, that doesn't sound very friendly, Charles" I spoke to Charles "But she knows things. Because she goes wherever she wants. And she sees everything, and she knows people's secrets" Charles spoke. The way he spoke so adamant about his friend was enough to send chills down my spine. Who could he be talking about? Is it an imaginary friend or-. Wait. Charles said that she goes wherever she wants in the castle. And she knows everything-Even people's secrets. There was surely someone in my room the other night who knew the secret about Mary's wine being poisoned. Could this be Charles' friend? "Charles, this friend of yours, who likes to hide, I think she visited me once" I spoke, looking down at the boy "You're lucky, then" Charles assured "She doesn't like people. Most of the time, she doesn't really speak. But I bribe her with things she likes, or play guessing games with her. To learn things" "This friend, does she have a name?" I questioned curiously. I know this much about her, I must know more "Clarissa" Charles spoke "But don't say I told you" I smiled at him before he ran off. I turned back to the open door out of curiosity. I walked into the dark room, resting a hand on the wall "Clarissa?" I called out. I stepped forward, feeling a rock under my heel. I stepped off of it to see a pretty, clear pebble. Bending over, I pick it up, looking it over. I have got to tell Mary about Clarissa. After a fast speed walk to her chambers, I had arrived "Mary?" I called out through the closed door. I didn't hear anything so I opened the door. I suddenly came face to face with a girl who was definitely not Mary, wearing one of Mary's gowns "I'm sorry, I don't know you. Uh, is that Queen Mary's dress?" "Your Highness, forgive me. It's so beautiful. The tailor gave it to me to return and I though I should never-My skin-My skin is on fire" She spoke, catching me slightly off-guard "My skin is on fire" She clutched her body in despair as she dropped to the ground, panting "Is something wrong?" I furrowed my eyebrows "No! Stay back!" The woman yelled "It's poisoned" She whispered before continuing to whimper in pain again. I worriedly pick up my gosh before running to the door to get help "Guards! Someone, help me!" I screamed down the castle hallways. I continued to run in hopes of finding someone who could help me "Somebody! Please, help me! Guards!" "Josie?" I heard Francis' voice behind me. He ran over to me and I grabbed his arms, holding onto them for dear life "Francis, a woman was in Mary's chambers. She was poisoned. Well, Mary was supposed to be poisoned, but the woman put on Mary's gown, and-" I continued to pant in exhaustion from running around the castle "Ok, ok" He grabbed my elbows "Where is she now?" "Mary's chambers" "Ok" He whispered "Guards!" He called, and automatically, almost a dozen ran our way "Go to Mary, Queen of Scots' chambers and look for a woman wearing one of her gowns. She was poisoned" The guards ran after he chambers "Are you ok, darling?" Francis held my cheeks in his hand "Yes, I was just startled. I was looking Mary, and did not expect to watch a woman be poisoned before my eyes" "Where is Mary, anyway?" Francis wondered "I have no idea. Not in her chambers. That's all I know" "Ok, well, let's go up to her chambers and see what is going on" I nodded and he led me up to Mary's chambers. When I walked in, to my surprise, the woman was no longer there "She was right there! On the floor!" I cried out "She was dying. Where could she have gone?" This doesn't make any sense "They took the evidence. Whoever did this failed in their attempt on Mary" Francis spoke, worry evident in his voice "Go! Now! An assassin with a dying girl could not have gone far. Go!" The guards rushed out of the room just as Mary made her way in "Josette! I heard what happened. Are you ok?" Mary spoke, embracing me "I'm fine, are you?" "Yes, of course. It just startled me a bit that I could've put that dress on tomorrow morning, had that woman not tried it on, and I would die" Mary spoke, shocked. I gulped, staring at the absent area where the woman used to be. I still stood in utter shock, not understanding this scenario "How could anyone have escaped with her?" I wondered out loud. Thoughts ran through my head continuously, not one sounding like it could be a possibility of how it happened. Except for one "The passageways" I whispered to myself "There must be one in here, too. If there was one in my room, there must be one in here" "Josie?" Francis and Mary watched me curiously as I scattered throughout the room, looking for possible signs of any opening in the walls "There has to be one" I whispered again. They both continued to follow me around with curious looks still splurged over their faces. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the same looking tapestry that hid the doorway in my room. With full hopes, I swept it back, coming face to face with a door. Just like the night in my chambers when I spoke to Clarissa. I gently drew it open, staring into the darkness. Mary and Francis stood behind me, probably wondering how in the world I knew that was there. Let's just save story time for later "I don't know how far it goes, or where for that matter, but-" I took a deep breath "Could they have gone through here?" Francis held up a finger to silence us. He listened into the darkness for a moment "No. They would echo. We'd hear them. These passages are all stone, nothing in them, but I didn't know one connected to this room" "Well, it may surprise you to know that there is one connected to my room, as well. It's the reason I thought of one possibly being in here. I just happened to recognize the way the tapestry was set against the wall. It's just like the one in my chambers" I spoke "Wait, how do you know about them?" "This castle has been built over centuries. These passageways, they connect the older parts to new. They're mostly sealed up now, dead-ends" Francis closed the door as the three of us began to walk away "I'll have the guards check them anyway. Josette, where were Mary's guards when you came in? Did you see them at all?" "No, they're weren't any. I saw the servant, so I assumed it was safe" I spoke "Well, Mary, they will be dealt with. I can assure you of that" He smiled to my friend "In the meantime, I will find Simon. He must be detained and questioned. If this is a work of my mother, I will get revenge" I spoke, before storming out of Mary's chambers and stalking after that stupid English Envoy.