"Is she alright? I came as soon as I heard word," Sebastian stood beside his brother, a look of concern on the young French King's face. Beside Francis stood the anxious French Queen, picking at the corner of her thumbnail as they waited for news.
The doors to Alaina's chambers opened as Catherine, the Queen Dowager, walked out of the room, followed by Alaina's physician.
"Mother," Francis stepped forward as the other two held their breath in fear of receiving horrible news. "Is she well?"
"Yes," replied Catherine, her eyes on the physician as he left with his tools and medicines in hand. "She is resting now, but the physician assures that she will be her old self in no time."
"How deep was the wound?" Bash appeared into Catherine's line of view.
"Thankfully, deep enough to leave a scar but not deep enough to affect any of her organs. Her people will rejoice in knowing they still have their Queen and won't have to fear life with a child ruler."
"Empress,"
"What?"
"Alaina is not a queen, she is an empress."
"Is that why you said she is more you equal than mine?" Mary asked.
"Yes, but she really isn't even my equal," he said. "It should be me bowing to her, not the other way around."
"My God, you could have married her and became an Emperor," Catherine's eyes began to light up as all sorts of ideas coursed through her mind. Ideas, neither Mary, Francis or Bash seemed to like.
"Mother, I am married to Mary," said Francis, "And she has proved her loyalty to France, so there is no need to go plotting to get her off the throne."
"There's no need really at all," Mary looked at Francis, "Alaina has already said she refuses to marry you because your heart does not belong to her. Even if something was to happen to me, she'd wait before she married you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Alaina and Francis secretly wrote the Pope for an annulment for Francis and Mary," said Catherine in almost a dreamy voice. Francis looked at her. "But the pope declined and now I'm stuck with you as a daughter-in-law."
"You once liked me as your daughter-in-law."
"Yes, that was before you took Conde as your lover and left my poor Francis. It's because of you we had that uprising."
"May I remind you, it was I who killed Conde."
"You wouldn't had to of killed him had you not encouraged the affair."
"Fair enough," Mary said, seeing no way to win this argument. "But it was I who still put an end to him."
"But without Alaina and her men, you would probably be dead."
Silence surrounded them as both women looked off into different directions, Mary crossed with herself for being so easily defeated and Catherine, radiating with triumph.
"Hang on," Mary turned back to Francis, her brows knitted together as she searched him. "Did you know that Alaina would have an army ready?"
"I did," he replied. "She received a strange letter from Elizabeth, a letter that did not sit right with her so she wrote to both her uncle and the Pope for armies large enough to stop an invasion if there was one."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was still crossed with you for betraying France, for letting Conde go free. After that so much began to happen that it slipped my mind."
"Is there really anything she can't do?"
"Ah," Bash spoke up, "Yes, she can't withstand the pains of childbirth."
"What that has to do with ruling a country and aiding her allies in secret?" Mary asked with a small laugh.
"She can deal with a sword to the abdomen, but she can not stand labor pains."
"I think she handled Edward's birth quite well," commented Francis as he looked down at his hand.
"Yes, by then she was on her third child and already a Queen. You were not there for her first."
"And why were you? No men are allowed in the room while the women give birth."
"Her third? Alaina has another child?" Mary's brows furrowed together once more.
"Had," Bash lowered his gaze just as Francis did. "Our first, a son, died shortly before we discovered who she really was."
"Oh Bash, I'm so sorry."
"It's quite alright," he smiled. "I must admit, I was not quite myself after his death and I took it out on Lizzie, it seems."
"But you have made it up to her," said Mary as she touched his arm gently. "I have seen the way she is around you now, much different than before."
"Yes, I have Kenna to thank for that, but it's still not quite the same. I can see she resents me a little, and I do not blame her."
"It will be alright, do not worry."
"Speaking of children," Francis looked up. "Has Lola returned yet?"
"No, I haven't heard word, why?"
"I sent word hours ago for them return and have yet to hear anything."
"I hope everything is alright," she said, a look of concern appearing on her face.
"Your majesty,"
Francis, Mary, Bash, and Catherine turned toward the guard accompanied by Lola holding a bundle of blankets in her arm. Francis, a wave of relief washing over him, hurried over to her side, taking the bundle from her arms.
"My son," he smiled down at the cooing infant. "I am glad that you are alright, that you are both alright," he added with a glance toward Lola.
"If it hadn't been for Lord Narcisse, we probably would have still been held captive." she said.
"Lord Narcisse?" Catherine stepped forward, her expression unreadable.
"Yes, he and some men found John and I. We were on our way to safety when some men found us, killed the guards, and took John and me as prisoners. It was awful, but they did not harm either of us, so I am thankful for that."
"Well I am glad you and John are both safe," Mary smiled at Lola as she hugged her. "And I suppose we will have to reward Lord Narcisse for his good deed."
"Yes," Catherine's thin lips curved into a sweet, but fake smile. "I will be the one to tell him of your gratitude and see to it that he is rewarded properly."
Hi, hello! It's been some time since we've last talked, has it not? Weirdly enough, I'm losing motivation to write this story... well not weird really, I always do once I progress toward the end. But I know how I want this to end, so I am forcing myself to chug along and to get this story finished. I also want to apologize for any typos, I do write on my phone sometimes and do not wait till I am near the computer to edit it with my editor, so if you ever see 'a, that is all my phone. Not sure why, but it does that. It also likes to randomly bring me up to a line that I already completed writing and I accidently write there. I try to proofread before posting, but sometimes you don't see all the mistakes until you're reading it again after it's been posted. Well, that is it for now. I shall see you in the next chapter.
