My Life As The Dauphin

Un Peu De Temps Eeul

I DO NOT OWN REIGN. I WANTED TO GET THIS CHAPTER OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I AM FEELING DISCOURAGED ABOUT THIS STORY. FOR ALL OF YOU LOLA HATERS, THIS CHAPTER IS STRICTLY FRARY FLUFF.

French Court, Kingdom of France. 3 days later.

As I waited for Claude to arrive, I felt like I was hardly spending any time with Mary. I had been spending time with Lola and she helped me fight off boredom, but it wasn't the same as being near the woman I loved. I decided that what she and I needed was some much needed us time. I decided that I would take Mary to a small cottage that existed a few miles down from the castle. Bash had pointed it out to me on one of our rides and I knew that it would be a perfect place for a romantic getaway. I had gotten Leith to stock it well with ample food and firewood as autumn was nearing its end and winter would soon come in earnest. When I told Lola, she thought that it was a wonderful idea. She jokingly suggested that she come with us, but I was able to convince her that I needed a couple's getaway. Thankfully, she seemed to understand.

After she had finished wedding preparations for the day, I told Mary about my idea and luckily, she loved it. She was in complete agreement that we needed some serious alone time.

Kingdom of France. 3 days later.

As we rode our horses out of the gates, I felt more free than I had in quite a while. It only took us about 15 minutes to reach the cottage, but it felt like we had traveled an entire world away from the dangers and deception of French court.

"It looks lovely Francis." Mary said as she dismounted her horse while i dismounted mine.

"It's no castle, thank God." I teased as I unlocked the door and held it open for my Queen. After Mary and I walked inside, I shut the door and I finally felt like we were safe from Catherine and Henry and all of their plots and schemes. I went and immediately embraced Mary as if I hadn't touched her in a hundred years.

"You seem inspired, my love." Mary said with a smile, holding me just as tightly.

"I'm just thankful to finally be alone with you. With all of the wedding planning, it feels like I've hardly seen you at all lately." I admitted as she caressed my cheek.

"I know and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to make time for you." Mary said, guilt appearing in her face.

"It's all right, Mary." I assured my wife as I deeply kissed her on the lips. "Planning a regular wedding is enough of a nightmare, I can't even imagine all the hassle you must be going through with planning a royal wedding."

"It's all worth it, we'll finally be married legally and then no one can tear us apart again; not Henry and certainly not Catherine." Mary assured me as she held onto me. My smile faltered as soon as Mary had to mention that woman's name. To tell the truth, I wasn't at all sure about what I should do in regards to the Medici bitch; or furthermore, if I should do anything at all.

Once she had gotten past the whole issue of Mary bringing about Francis's demise, she had become a strong ally to them both. A part of me knew that it would be good to have her on our side when Henry went mad and then again when Louis, prince of Condé came into the picture. But there was another part of me that wanted to let Henry have his way with her. If he did, he would surely marry Diane de Poitiers before the year was out. Surely she could take Catherine's place as our ally? She may not be as clever as Catherine, but her actions towards Claude's twin sisters showed that she was just as ruthless; if not more so.

"Speaking of Catherine...my father is convinced that he will have enough evidence to have her executed soon enough." I remarked as Mary could tell that I was feeling confused about the entire thing.

"It's all right to feel upset about what's happening. Despite how she hurt us, she is still your mother and she loves you." Mary spoke softly to me as I stared up at the ceiling.

"I know that...but if she was freed; could you ever take a safe breath again without worrying that she might be moving to strike you down?" I inquired as Mary looked uncomfortable because she knew that there was truth in what I said. The fact of the matter was that unless Nostradamus had his new vision in which he saw a future for Mary and Francis, Catherine would never leave the dungeon a free woman. Whether or not my being here meant he would still have said vision was anyone's guess.

For the time being, I pushed the matter out of my mind and allowed my fingers to run over the flawless skin of Mary Stuart. My wife smiled up at me as she planted a few kisses on my bare chest.

"I don't what I did to deserve you." I whispered as I lost myself in her brown eyes.

"You loved me, Francis." Mary replied as she gazed back into my eyes. "When you didn't have to, when it was difficult for you. You always put my needs ahead of your nation's. That is what you did to deserve me." I smiled as I leaned in and enjoyed a kiss full of love and passion. That was one of my most favorite things about Mary, Queen of Scots. Every time that you kissed her, she always made it feel as though you were kissing her for the very first time.

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