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

Higher Ground

Francis' POV

As we rode up to French Outpost near Calais, we see men lying on the ground ,some appear to be either sleeping, wounded or dead.

"The English attacked at dawn, took almost everything we had, but we beat them back. Between the constant attacks and desertions we won't be able to hold the line." Said a Noble Soldier.

"Where's your commander?" I asked the group of men.

"Dead...who's asking?"

"The Dauphin of France, stand when you address him." The soldier orders, as the men rise to their feet.

"The English have been on our soil at Calais for two centuries I for one am tired of seeing them attack our lines, and I'm sure you are too. That's why you're not going to hold this outpost anymore, you're going to advance." I say.

"But we've lost half our company."

"And the English know that. That's why they keep attacking taking a few of us each time. Until we can't fight anymore and are forced to retreat, we are in danger of losing this war if we don't act. The soldiers you repelled this morning come from the castle of Monmorrency...that castle stands between us and our route to Calais. If we take it we clear the way so the Duke of Guise can stop holding the English back on the eastern front and push his men through to where the English aren't prepare to defend themselves. He has thousands of men."

"But there's 12 of us...you want us to take a castle?" He asks.

"Not you alone, all the men along the line will advance as well." Suddenly another soldier rides into the camp out of breath.

"My Lord, Your Grace the English have been spotted heading this way."

"We need to get you to safety." said the Noble Soldier.

"So much for advancing to a bloody castle."

"Send word to the Duke, and tell him to get here as soon as he can." I begin to get down from my horse.

"Your Grace you can't stay, if the English see you on horseback...if they even recognize you as a noble they'll take you out first."

Ripping off the cloth that reveals me as a Royal, I watch it as it falls to the floor.

"Meet your new commander...we're advancing to a bloody castle."

~

3rd Person POV

"We missed you at breakfast it's not healthy to spend so much time alone." Greer said to Mary, as she came closer to her ladies.

"I know I'm sorry; I'm just worried about Francis."

"I know you parted on painful terms." She says.

"He took men meant for my mother's protection to save French soldiers...I know he had to thousands of French soldiers would have died otherwise. Do all married couples have these struggles?"

"I think you've redefined marital discord." Greer chuckles.

Greer and Mary stop talking and stop in their tracks as they've come across a guard who appears to be speaking harshly to someone. The guard looks at Mary causing her to stop smiling and her face turns to anger, the guard bows to her and walks away as Greer looks on.

"Mary what is it?"

"That guard every time I see him I want to gouge his eyes out."

"What on earth...who is he?" Before Mary can answer her a guard runs up to them.