The Scottish Princess

Ten

Francis' Point of View

Lately no matter what i'm doing or who i'm with my mind is only on one thing, Mary. I like her so much, more than anyone ever before. Today there is a winter festival, I'm very excited to be able to spend time with Mary there. I think seeing her with Conde today will piss me off much more than before. I put got dressed and out on a very thick cloak. It is freezing outside. My door swung open. A very smiley Mary was standing in the doorway. All you could see was her face due to her ear wrap and fur coat. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" I smiled as she closed the door. "I have a surprise." She smiled "You're going to take your clothes off?" I pulled her in close to me. "Hmm no not that." She laughed "Boo no fun." I led her over to the couch, she immediately placed herself on my lap. I love that. "What is it then? Did you send Conde packing?" I asked "No, I want to take you somewhere." She said "Skip out on the festivities?" I asked "No, we will be participating. Just not with everyone else." She said "Huh okay, let's go."  I said "Come on." She jumped up and pulled me towards the door. "You have my expectations very high for this surprise." I said locking hands with her. "Stop someone will see." She let go of my hand. "So?" I asked "So, if anyone sees it will cause a scandal. Even for something as minimal as holding hands. It's not that I don't want to, I do. Just in private." She said "Ugh, okay." I said. Is she embarrassed of me? We walked in silence until we got outside. "Come on, it's just a little further." She said. We made our way down a trail, at the end there were two sleds and a tent. "What's all this?" I smiled "Your surprise obviously." She smiled wrapping her arms around me. "This is very sweet" I said "What can I say I'm a very sweet girl." She said, I held her chin between my thumb and pointer finger. "You really are." I pulled her into a kiss. As I pulled away she looked up at me with her chocolate brown eyes and rosy cheeks. "You are so beautiful" I said. "Stop." She blushed and looked away.  "You are." I said "You know when I was younger my dad would always take me sledding down this hill, it's the only thing I want to do when it snows" She said "Personally when it snows I just want to cuddle up next to a fire." I smiled "We can do that, after we sled. It'll be so fun." She pulled me towards the sleds. "Princess Mary, are you up there?" Mary sighed. "Who is that?" I whispered "My hand maid." She whispered back. "Yes Agnes I'm here." She said loudly. "Your Father is very upset you're missing from the festivities, he requests your presence at once." She said "Okay, thank you for relaying the message." Mary said. "Your father once again interrupting our moment." I smiled "Ugh I know I'm sorry." She put her forehead against my chest. "It's okay, we can go have fun at the festivities." I stroked her hair. "I know I know, but I just want some alone time with you." She said "How about tonight I sneak to your rooms with a bottle of wine and some snacks and we do that cuddling by the fire I was talking about earlier?" I asked "Yes, that sounds perfect." She said, she held my face in her hands and pulled me into a kiss. "You know I like this Mary who is super sweet and lovey towards me, so different than what i'm used to from you." I said putting my hands on her hips. "Well I couldn't have you catching on now could I?" She smiled, leaning in closer. "Oh I always knew you liked me, the first time we met you were drooling over me. And when I saved you from the assassins you would barley let go of me." I said "What do you mean?" She asked, she squinted her eyes and scrunched her nose a bit.  "Well the day after I woke up with your head on my shoulder. It was very cute." I said "Hmm I was very scared" She smiled "Oh is that why?" I pulled her in closer. "Yes" She smiled then kissed me again. "I have to be going." She said as she pulled away. "Hmm fine, I'll arrive a few minutes after you and try not to kiss you." I smiled, she quickly gave me another peck on the lips and then walked away. She's adorable. I waited a few minutes like I said I would then made my way to the festivities. I saw her speaking with Conde. I also have another thing on my mind, as soon as Conde finds out about Mary and I, he will tell her about our bet. Maybe she'll find it romantic? No she definitely won't, no one would.

Later That Night

I made my way to Mary's rooms with a bottle of wine and a basket of fruit and sweets, her favorite. She told me that at 11:00 her guards change, so there is a few minutes where no one will see me enter her rooms. I peaked my head down the hallway that leads to her rooms and she was right, there were no guards. She must sneak out a lot to have picked up on that pattern. I walked down the hall to her doors. "Mary it's me" I knocked on the door. "Me? I have to confess i'm not familiar with anyone named me." I could hear her little giggle. "Haha you are so funny, let me in." I laughed. She opened her door wearing a lilac colored robe, her long black hair tucked behind her ears. "I have a surprise for you." I held up the basket. "I have a surprise for you" She pulled me inside. I looked over and saw many blankets and pillows by the fire, I shut and locked the door behind us. We went over and laid down on the blankets. "So how many boys have you snuck in here to know the guard's patterns?" I asked laying back on the pillows "What? None. Why would you say that?" She seemed upset. "Mary, I'm only teasing you. Come here." I pulled her into a kiss, she got in my lap. "Do you want to know something?" She asked "Yes." I put my hands on her hips. "You were my first kiss." She said "What? I don't believe you." I said "Why are you so surprised?" She asked "Because you are so good at it, there is no way." I said  "I am?" She smiled "Hmm, like the best kisser I've had." I smiled "Out of how many exactly?" She laughed "Let's not talk about that." I laughed and put my hands on the back of her neck pulling her into a kiss. "Can you stay with me tonight? Just to sleep. I've just been really scared since the attack." She said laying next to me. "Of course I'll stay here tonight, but you don't have anything to fear. No one is going to hurt you." I said "You can't be sure of that." She said, I moved so I hovered over her. "Mary," I held her hand. "I can be sure that if anyone tries to hurt you, they will have to get through me first. Just like at the attack, I won't let anything happen to you. Okay?" I kissed her forehead. "Okay." She nodded