My Life As The Dauphin

Pari Dèsespèrè

I DO NOT OWN REIGN.

Later that evening.

By the time of the party that was being held in honor of Tomas's arrival, I was still nervous about letting Mary know that Henry had kicked my ass.

"You look lovely." I said with an awkward smile on my face.

"Is the King still refusing to send the men we need?" Mary asked in pain.

"I've pushed as hard as I can, I even got my ass kicked for Scotland." I insisted as I pulled up my top to show Mary a nasty bruise that was forming on my stomach.

"My God...Francis...what happened?" Mary asked in shock as she saw the bruise.

"Challenged my father to a due for the safety of Scotland...and I lost." I admitted as the Scottish Queen gave me a look of pity.

"Well, I know you've done your best, thank you." Mary replied, leaving me alone as I felt like an utter failure. I couldn't stay in that ballroom another moment and hauled ass out of there. I knew what was coming next: Nostradamus's prediction of Aylee's death, Greer falling for Leith and Lola falling for Lord Julien. Also, I definitely didn't want to be there when Tomàs used Portuguese music and dance to mark his territory.

As I paced about in the hall, I knew that I could get Henry to send the requested troops by blackmailing him concerning his pursuit of Kenna, but that left the problem of the ambush from Calais. I knew it was Tomàs's doing as opposed to that shithead Simon, but how did he do it? I doubt that he himself would risk the ride to Calais. He probably forced Miguel to ride out and tip off the English.

I knew that if this was going work out, I would have to make sure that Tomàs and Miguel were down for the count. As I decided upon a course of action, I saw Mary and Greer arguing over what had just transpired. I pretended to be pissed over Tomàs's behavior in the throne room.

"Mind telling me why that Portuguese bastard was putting hands on you?" I asked in annoyance.

"Tomas asked me to marry him." Mary explained nervously. "He's being declared legitimate. He says his father wants him on the throne imminently. It's not what I want, but my options are extremely limited."

"You went behind our back?" I asked, feigning surprise. "You're making a new alliance with Portugal?"

"It was his idea, not mine, and he's willing to actually get married, too, which is more than your family is offering." Mary shot back.

"That's not my fault, you know that I would marry you this very moment if I could!" I argued.

"But you can't!" Mary reminded me. "You said that we had no power, that there was nothing we could do. I don't like it but I found a way. If France won't help us, then I will have no choice but to accept Portugal's offer."

"No, you have no choice but to accept Tomas's offer." I shot back as I looked in her eyes. "You're marrying this man, not the whole entire country of Portugal!"

"It's what my mother would want and what my country needs." Mary declared as she turned on her heel and walked away.

"Shit!" I yelled as I knew that I was going to have to find someway to endure that France came to Scotland's aid, not Portugal.

Later that night.

I knew that the boating party was my last chance to convince Henry to send troops and to keep Tomàs from snitching to the English. First, I had to pull off a little blackmail Thankfully, Kenna was aiding me in this; albeit unknowingly. Neither he nor she would want it to become public knowledge that Kenna had offered her heart and her ass to the French crown. I downed a couple glasses of liquid courage before marching my ass over to Henry's boat.

"If the Scottish alliance is worth saving, we need to send troops." I declared as the king rolled his eyes.

"Your wager was that if you lost, you would shut up about the subject." Henry reminded me.

"Kings make promises all the time. If it benefits the realm, we keep them. If not, they never happened." I quoted, which got a smirk out of the man.

"Finally, you've learned something about being a true king." Henry said with pride as I went in for the kill.

"I see the way that you look at the Lady Kenna and the way that she looks at you." I said, leaning in close. "I know your pattern. Now, I'm not sure that you've slept with her yet."

"What's this? " Henry asked as he tried to conceal his surprise that I knew.

"But I wonder how your Medici wife and, more importantly, your French mistress will react when they find out that you moved in on a new girl?" I asked with a smirk of my own. "I think we both know that Diane and my mother have a way of making life very difficult when they wish, even for a King." Henry was quiet for a moment before conceding to my blackmail.

"Very well, King in waiting." Henry said. "We'll try it your way. Win or lose, you will answer for it. That's what Kings do."

"Fine." I agreed.

"There are six companies of men quartered between us and the channel." He explained. "You'll send our fastest rider to mobilize them. Do you know who our fastest rider is?"

"I do, but...let's keep this between us father, we don't want the English to gauge our plans." I cautioned as Henry nodded at me before I walked off to do something chivalrous and horrible.

I found Bash drinking wine with Kenna in the castle. Hopefully, he wasn't too drunk for what I needed from him.

"Kenna, might I have a word with my brother?" I asked politely.

"Of course, your Grace." Kenna said as she curtsied before leaving us. Once she was out of ear shot, Bash leaned in.

"Is something wrong, Nolan? You look worried." Bash thought out loud as I sat down with him.

"Mary is about to make a horrible mistake. I know things about Tomàs. He is a cruel man and a wife beater. His 1st wife probably died by his hand." I declared as Bash looked furious.

"Does Mary know this?" He asked in shock.

"No and by the time Tomàs reveals himself, it will be too late for her to escape." I replied as Bash tried to hold in his fury.

"We can't let Mary do this, but if we tell her, she might go through with it anyway to save Scotland." Bash pointed out as I took a deep breath.

"There is only one way to ensure Mary's safety...I am going to murder Tomàs and I need you to help me." I said solemnly as Bash was taken aback by what I said. "I can't force you to aid in this...but Mary and I would owe you a great debt." Bash was silent for a few minutes before looking at me with determination.

"When and where?" He asked.

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