Madeleine Bernadotte
"Your grace, Queen Catherine wishes to enter" one of the guards they put outside my door informs me and I finish my seal on a letter to my mother.
"Send her in" I reply before looking back at her in horror, normally I would speak less formally to my guards but I'm in France and I need to remember that.
"Pardon, your grace?" He asks.
"She can come inside, no need to ask. What was your name? I have a feeling you'll be outside my door until I leave or am wed?" I respond, standing from my seat and walking to the door.
"Eduardo, your grace" he formally responds whilst bowing.
"That's a lovely name, please call me Madeleine. Also send Queen Catherine in, knowing her this is important" I inform him before turning and walking over to the mantle piece across the room.
"There she is, the woman who will make my son a king! Oh glory!" Catherine exclaims as I hide a laugh behind my hand.
"He has to choose me first Catherine" I state.
"That's what I'm here for, Mary arrived less than an hour ago, we kept you out of the way because Henry still thinks she's better for England. Little does he know, the heir is right before my eyes!" she informs me, saying the last bit in a hushed whisper so when I am officially named successor in the Vatican, it is a shock to everyone in ear shot.
"And how am I meant to compete with her? They've been friends since childhood!" I exclaim.
"I saw how he was looking at you, you didn't look interested. He doesn't like that, believes your a challenge. All his energy will go into impressing you. Not Mary." She tells me as I look down confused, I stared at him? Isn't that a sign of being interested?
"Before you ask, you didn't look happy when you were watching him. As if your more interested in his bastard brother" she ponders and I look at her with a expression full of horror.
"No, your all wrong. I'm sure Mira is interested in Sebastian, I am not however." I state before getting up and walking to the door.
"Where are you going? I must help you get ready for my daughters wedding tonight!" She asks arising from her spot on the sofa.
"I'm going to explore while I can, go help Elisabeth get ready. I'll have my ladies." I state before exiting the door and giving a nod to Eduardo as I pass him.
~somewhere in the royal gardens~
"Lavenders green, dilly dilly, lavenders blue. When I am king, dilly dilly, you shall be queen. Who told you so? Dilly dilly, who told you so? ''Twas my own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so." I sing quietly to myself and I play with the Daisy's in the field. Making daisy chains always calmed me, and with Mary arriving and Henry wanting England and Scotland I need all the help I can get to remain calm. However I have heard that Mary can cause issues, but I don't actually know seeing as I haven't met her. Until tonight.
"You have a lovely voice" a voice from behind me says, startling me in the process. I turn around quicker that I ever have and stand, facing the dauphin. As if this could get any better.
"Your grace, I apologise I did not see you there" I state not meeting his gaze but looking around behind him.
"Please, call me Francis." He comments.
"Madeleine" I respond, still avoiding his gaze.
"I hope you don't mind me joining you, my families gone wild for my sisters wedding and I cannot fathom it anymore" He comments before taking a seat on the field, pulling me down with him.
"Not at all, it is your home anyway" I remind him.
"What was that song you were singing?" He asks, staring at me while I pick Daisy's.
"A lullaby my parents would sing to my sibling and I as we grew." I state feeling sad.
"Are they still around?" He asks placing a hand on my own causing me to look at him.
"My mother lives somewhere else, my father lives back at Swedish court with his mistress and his bastard children. He's not king though, he gave up his title when he got sick as I was growing." I state, not mentioning any of my siblings.
"Is it hard? Not having your actual mother I mean." He asks quietly, grabbing my hand and taking it in his.
"It is, yes. But I have learnt that I'm best alone in this world. Although I must wed someone, I'm used to being alone. No love. No passion. And it does hurt but I'm fine." I respond, looking down at the daisys in my lap.
"I know that I must choose out of you and Mary but I want you to know that I'm here. I won't leave you" Francis tells me, lifting my head so I look at him.
"Thank you Francis" I whisper looking straight into his eyes.
"We must get ready for the wedding" He states.
"I know, do you think they'll notice if I don't show? I don't feel comfortable with intruding and interfering with your engagement more than I have" I ponder, fiddling with the daisy chain in my hand.
"I'll notice"
