2 Months later
Bash reigned in his gelding on the hillside overlooking the road to the castle. He knew Mary and Francis were returning in a few days and he hoped they could do something about Henry's growing madness. No one else in the castle seemed the wiser. Catherine had been able to keep it under control, but Bash knew it was getting worse. He'd been hiding out in a cabin used by local hunters. The night of Mary and Francis' wedding he'd been traveling to a ship bound for Spain, but someone had paid Francis' guards to kill him. He'd killed them first and then found the cabin. The only reason he knew about Henry was because he'd come upon Kenna while she was outside the castle walls hunting for the ball Charles had lost. He'd been keeping watch and she'd stumbled upon his hiding place. The past two months she had confided in Bash and they'd grown closer. She'd been targeted by Henry ever since she'd arrived to be his next mistress and Bash could see she was scared. He'd given her ideas on how to dissuade the King by falsifying letters to a so-called suitor. It was a small thing, with Henry's growing madness, but he seemed to be occupied by other things lately. His gelding snorted, and he brought himself back to the present. He urged his mount into a canter and headed back to the cabin. He put his tack away and after rubbing the gelding down he let him loose in the corral. He opened the door and he was met by a frantic Kenna. "What are you doing here? You could've been followed. Or worse." he said tossing his coat to the side. "I don't know how much longer I can avoid Henry." she said trembling. He noticed marks on her wrists and how disheveled her hair looked. "Nothing like that happened, but he was trying." she said when she saw the question in his eyes. He sighed and pulled her close. "We'll think of something. I just want to know. Why me? I'm not a lord or a noble. They could take you away from the King." She pulled back and looked up at him. "Because I saw how you put the people you love over everything else. And though most girls would feel flattered by the attention of the king I don't envision myself being known as a king's mistress." She made a move to wrap her arms around his neck. "I envision myself being a man's wife." Bash searched her eyes and saw she cared for him. He started to realize that he was beginning to care for someone else. Someone he could have. He leaned down and ever so softly placed his lips to hers.
Kenna had dreamed of what her first kiss would be like and this far exceeded them. Bash wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. She gripped his shoulders with her hands and deepened the kiss. Bash lifted his head and looked into her eyes. "Could you see yourself with me?" She brought a hand to his cheek. "I don't want you regretting anything." He whispered. She gave him a slow smile and brought his lips to hers. He deepened the kiss and her legs became like jelly. He held her up and continued to kiss her and she returned them. She pushed his coat off and he unclasped her cloak letting it fall to the floor. She let him take over and soon she found herself lying on his bed looking up into his eyes. She saw no lust or distant affection in them, but a hope of more and possibly the beginning of love. She closed her eyes as he knew her in more ways than she ever imagined.
Bash pushed the doubts to the back of his mind as he made Kenna his own in every way. He traced kisses from her lips to her shoulder and caressed her in ways that had her clinging to him asking for more. When he finally gave it to her she gave a small gasp and closed her eyes then sighed in pleasure. He rolled off and lay beside her both breathing hard, but happy. She gathered beside him and he wrapped his arms around her. Though it was still early they both fell asleep in each other's arms a new love born anew.
Mary placed a hand on her protruding stomach as the carriage hit a rut in the road. Francis glanced over at her and she gave him a smile. "I'm fine. Placing a hand on my stomach is something we pregnant women do often. Trust me." She took his hand. "You'll be the first to know if something's wrong." He smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Are you warm enough?" he asked pulling the blanket up. She smiled. "Yes. I just wish we could go back. To two months ago and do it all over." She turned to look at him. "Me in my wedding gown, walking down the aisle to you at Notre Dame." He smiled and tilted his head back in and gave her a knowing look. "Now we're back to reality. That's what you're thinking." She sighed and looked straight ahead. "Politics, backstabbing, murder. Just another day at French court." He smiled at her. "I know. I promise we will get away again. You did marry a future king you know." She turned to him. "And with my mother no longer an obstacle, Nostradamus' prophecy no longer lingering, and Bash away in Spain." She gave a small smile. "I hope he's safe and he finds happiness." Francis didn't answer he just nodded and gave a strained smile. "There is one thing that everyone will want from us that we can agree on." She sat back and smiled. "A castle full of little royals?" They both chuckled and Francis kissed her telling her it was the one thing he looked forward too. That they both looked forward too. "We are already working on that one." She said as she placed his hand on her stomach.
