Long May She Reign (TV Series 'Reign') #1

The Garden

Waking up to feeling circular motions on my cheeks, I flutter my eyes open to see Arius laying next to me. Moving small pieces of my hair out of my face, I smirked at him before looking over at the drawn curtains.

"Did you sleep well?" He asks.

Moving the covers to the other side of me, I sit up next to him.

"Sort of...did you sleep at all?" I asked him, as the door abruptly opened and Talia walked into the room.

"I'm sorry..." She said turning around.

"It's alright, Talia. What is it?" I whispered climbing out of bed.

"Eliana...Mary wants to talk to you. It seemed very important." Closing the door behind her, I reached over to my vanity chair and tied my robe around before leaving to Mary's chambers.

Turning the corner, Arius stood behind me, keeping an eye on Marie. After last night's events, he seemed more protective of me.

"Mary..." I peak my head from behind her door, finding her packing her clothes and belongings up into her luggage.

"Mary, where are you going now?" I ask.

Turning around at the sound of my voice, tears were streaming down her face. Her eyes were a dark red, as her cheeks were pale and green. Looking over my shoulder, Arius mouths to me that he will be outside.

"Mary, everything's alright...what's wrong?" I asked, brushing her hair back.

"She's sending me away to a covenant...Eli, please, do something. Let me go back to Greece with you and Arius." She sobbed, clenching the back of my robe.

"I'm sorry, Mary. I can't do that, I'm not your mother." I whispered.

"But she listens to you!"

"I doubt that...you can't go against her wishes, Mary. Sooner or later you'll be old enough to wed and you'll be out of the Covenant. I promise..."

Leading to her bed, the both of us sit on the edge as I hand her a white cloth to clean herself up.

"Mother said, that I will be engaged to Francis Valois..." She sniffled.

Staring at Mary, there was this bottomless pit feeling in my stomach that I couldn't understand.

"...Good, he's going to love you...." Hearing a knock at the door, the guards come inside and announce that they're here to take Mary to her carriage.

"You're going to be okay, all right. We'll right to each other, everything that happens in our lives." I said, placing my hand on the side of her face.

Striding out of her chambers, I found Arius sitting near a window in front of Mary's room.

"Is everything okay?" He asks.

Slowly walking up to him, I slide my arms around his waist and press myself against his chest.

"They're sending her away..." I whispered.

~

Standing near the main entrance of the castle, I stood beside Talia and Arius as we watched the guards mount up Mary's luggage on the carriage.

"I wonder what made her send her own daughter away." Talia whispered.

Climbing inside, Marie sat with her back against the window behind her, while Mary turned around and placed her hand on the window.

"She's too young to be away from her mother..." I added.

"This is the best way, once Marie is out of the picture you start to live your life." Talia said, placing her hand on my shoulder.