Mary was introduced again, before she and the rest of court dressed for the masquerade ball that would be held in her honour that night. She was allowed to rest for a few hours, before her ladies and closest friends started getting ready.
Mary took a long bath, before she was pulled into a white silk slip, a corset that pulled in her waist and a chemise, before she adorned her grand gown. It had a tight gold bodice and sleeve combination made of gold sparkle floral embroidery. Small gems had been sewn into the design, making it sparkle in the dim candlelight. The grand ball gown skirt over the tens of layers of tulle underskirt was white and had soft embroidery that resembled the Valois Fleur-de-Lis, Celtic patterns, Gaelic patters, English foliage and other intricate designs. These flowed clearly over the large satin skirt and the long train. The gold embroidery flowed over the skirt and train, giving it an extra bit of detail. Mary's hair was flowing over her back in soft curls, on the raven sea lay a tall gold crown with large clear diamonds, small ones decorating the twisted and intricate gold designs, floral gold twists lining the shape of it, a triangle of the intricate accessory giving way to a large diamond cut clear gem that sparkled in multi colours. On her ears she wore two layers of intricately twisted gold, a small circle connecting the layer that connected her ear to the layer that moved whilst the did, a large circular diamond on each side. On her throat she wore a matching large necklace that covered all of her chest, the jewels sparkling. On her feet she wore gold satin court shoes, a mask stick on her hand that bared her signet ring and coronation rings. The stick was made of twisted gold, leading to the mask that was lined with the thin gold. The mask was sheer gold lace, circular diamonds going up the nose. Fifteen gold twists willowed over the mask, two glass beads on each end. Her makeup was in it's usual form, a porcelain foundation with a darker line accentuating her cheekbones, on each side of her nose and a slightly colour on her jawline and on her forehead. A slight shine was on both sides of the darkness on her cheekbones, on her cupids' bow, on the middle of her nose, on the tip and along the forehead. Her golden eyes were lined with black, eyelashes elongated with the same colour, eyelids a soft gold colour, darker gold on top and behind the light gold, her lips a light rose. She looked phenomenal, exactly like a queen. She simply was one.
When it was time for her and her betrothed to be introduced, she held his arm, his hand on top of hers. He, finally slightly taller than her, leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"You know, Bash was always fathers' favourite child," Mary looked up at him, their eyes connecting even though they both wore Masquerade masks.
"But, ever since Edward died, that's changed. He wants England. He's always wanted England. You are England, and you and I shall be wed, so he's getting it. He's talked to me so much more since you attained the crown. He tells me on our hunting trips that I'm his favourite child. You made my father love me, Mary. I'll be forever in your debt."
Mary managed a sweet smiled, before the curtains were pulled back and they walked inside the ball room, being introduced to the crowd.
"Introducing His Royal Highness, The Dauphin, Duc de Anjou, Francois de Valois and her Majesty, Duchess de Lorraine, Queen Mary of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England!"
The ball went well and was conducted for hours. The main purpose was to celebrate the upcoming marriage and the relationship between the Queen and Dauphin, so they spent the night dancing and entertaining nobles and charming dukes. Once the night was over and all had retired, the Gaelic Queen went to her study and started to write a letter to her Scottish second in command -the Earl of Bothwell- about how to increase the amount of armourment due to the slight bit of temper in the highlands, due to the fact their Queen had left to go to France, a union not many Clansman liked.
After she finished, the queen started to doze after a few glasses of wine, the soft candlelight and comforting attire -a pair of black velvet slacks and an oversized black tunic- making her slightly tired. Mary's eyes snapped open at the sound of a loud bang. She snapped up, reaching for her sword that she kept on the side of her at all times. A guard opened the door and rushed inside.
"Guard, what's happened?"
"A coup that is against your marriage to the Dauphin, Majesty. The King requests that you meet with him at the rafters." the guard rushed. Mary nodded and pulled on the sword and a few daggers, before rushing to follow the guard. He pulled her through many corridors, the sound of battle not frightening at all to the young girl. She was pulled through the heavily guarded rooms that held the Queen, Dauphin and the Princes and Princesses.
"You're fighting?" Catherine scoffed. Mary rolled her eyes.
"I am. The King requests I fight with him."
"Do you think his request grants you some sort of power? That your title grants you invincibility?"
"I do not. But I know my regnant titles contain more power than you have," Mary simply said, pulling on a bow and grabbing a few arrows. "I know his favour works to my favour, and the fact I've grown up fighting for my life grants me a certain favour that ensures my probable safety that you do not, and will never posses." Mary simply said. She disliked Catherine. She hated how she talked down to her just because of the age gap. She had ruled longer than Catherine had. She ruled as a regnant, whilst Catherine was simply a consort, one that held less power than the kings' mistress! How dare she disrespect the woman who was going to give her son four countries and four crowns! One of which was the most coveted crown in the world!
"You'll marry my son-" Catherine started. Mary groaned.
"Now is not the time," she went to leave the long room.
"A word of advice for the next Queen of France. Remember, power is always fleeting!" Catherine called. Mary laughed. How dare this woman speak to her as if she was her superior. The powerful young girl turned around casually, looking straight into her mother in law's eyes.
"Power is power," Mary smirked. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to save your lives, majesty." she gave an exadurated and dramatic bow, flicking her hair forwards, then back, before turning and going off to fight the French's battle. Again.
The coup wasn't well thought out and was over in a matter of hours, prisoners captured and held in the dungeons whilst the King and Queen of France and Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England made the final decisions regarding the alliance, before they and the Queen of France, Dauphin and Princes and Princesses or France, as well as many other nobles and royals made their way to England for the coronation.
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The Life Of A Queen
Fanfiction~Reign AU~ Outside of her kingdom walls, most wanted her head. The neighbouring country was rich and powerful, continuously attacking her country whilst her father ruled over it. They wanted what was rightfully hers. They knew it was imploding from...
