This one isn't exactly a rewrite, but it's a scene that I do wish we would have gotten in the show.
~/~
Lola wipes her tears from her cheeks, before cupping her hands together in front of the river, scooping out some cold, clean water, and throwing it over her face. She inhaled sharply, the coolness therapeutic and comforting to the new mother. Lola dared a few swallows of water, for no other reason than to stall the impending journey back to French Court. She didn't need it, the baby was fed, but she had to try something that would steady her nerves after the new King's decision to bring them back to his court -to his Queen.
Lola gingerly walks over to the carriage in which Francis stands near, cradling their offspring in his arms. The babe had probably fallen into a slumber, his mother learning that babies tended to fall asleep after drinking their mothers' milk. He made no sounds or wines, and neither did his father. The King remained transfixed by the small being he had created with a woman who was neither his wife or his lover. He didn't even notice Lola's slow, ginger enterence until her flat shoes kicked a few small stones.
"Lola," he says, turning to face the mother of his child. She gave him a ghost of a smile, unable to help the pang of anger towards his new King who had had no part in her pregnancy -only in the accidental conception- and who suddenly had all the say in her child's upbringing. Who was going to bring her, the babe and Mary so much pain, simply because he couldn't bare to be parted from this child. "Are you well?" he asks her slowly, noting her slow walking.
"Sore, Francis." Lola said, her eyes falling onto the sleeping lump in cotton. "Very sore." she whispers, but of course, she would be feeling more pain than just the stretching of her womanhood and the hot, sharp pain in her womb soon enough, penance, perhaps? Did she deserve it? Why was he inflicting it upon her? For the rest of her life, she would be dependent upon this man, no other man coming close for fear of offending the King, because they would see her as his mistress. What would Mary think? Would this child become a wedge in the royal marriage? Would she have to watch the two split apart, watch the Queen of Scotland and France suffer, simply because of one enormous mistake?
He nods slowly, obviously oblivious to her strife and pain. He was no expert in the matters of childbirth, what man was?
"Francis," Lola whispers. He looks at her. "If you insist that we go back to court-" she paused, closing her eyes. "I don't want you to hold any resentment towards your wife about the baby." she finished.
"You and she kept this from me for months, Lola." he hissed.
"I know." she snapped, before remembering herself. "I know that, Francis. But you must know that it was my request that you remain oblivious towards my child. Because I didn't want to cause a wedge between you two, I didn't want to come between you, to cause your marriage complication. She wanted to tell you, asked me so many times if we could, but I always said no. I don't want to be viewed as your mistress, for my life to belong to you. I didn't want my child growing up in the scorn and neglect of bastardy, you know how Bash suffered." she rambled. Francis swallowed thickly.
"I understand all the reasons why you should be getting on that boat with Conde, I do, Lola. Believe me. You could marry again, have a name for this child. This boy won't grow up like my brother, a bastard spoken of in scornful whispers, and Mary and I will be save from this new complication-" he inclined his head, keeping her silent. "But I cannot. I cannot let you take my child away from me. I can give him a different life to Sebastian."
Lola wanted to scream out, but refrained herself. "I know some may say that going back to Court and having to face the repercussions of our one night together is penance for exactly that, and I may deserve to be mocked and ridiculed. But if I can help your marriage in any way I can, then I feel it's my duty to, Francis. I've -we've- caused enough strife within it already. I know you have to resent her for keeping the baby from you, but it was better for all of us. You wouldn't be viewed as weak and sentimental, I could find a father for this baby, and your marriage would be as strong as it was."
He inhaled, looking away, his lips parting. He said nothing, however. So, Lola continued on. "I don't want you to resent her, everything was all my idea. I didn't want to come between you and Mary, you were so happy when you came back from your wedding tour, and I didn't want to ruin it. I still don't want to ruin it." she said, her voice quiet. "That's why I wanted to leave, to save you both from complication. But it seems I've done exactly the opposite."
Francis sighed. "I know why you did what you did, in some ways, I understand. But I would have liked to be consulted in the choice, Lola."
"I know why you don't want to be parted with him," she quickly said. "believe me, I don't want to be parted from my child, either. But why must I stay?" she breathed out.
"You're the child's mother, Lola. He needs you, and I need him. It seems I cannot have one without the other." he sighed, turning.
"If I cannot assuade you from this course, then would you at least talk to Mary when we get back? Not because you owe anything to me, you don't. But because you owe it to her. I know she will be angry with me, for luring you out of the castle. I just want you both to understand that my actions were never fuelled by jealousy or hatred or petty anger. I want you both to be happy."
Francis sighed. "I will talk to her about our situation. She's not angry, at least, not at you." Truthfully, Francis would never forget the heartache and disappointment he could see in Mary's eyes when he rode away from her. "And I'm not angry with her, take comfort in that, my Lady. Believe me, the person I bare anger towards is not my wife."
The King of France walked away. And Lady Lola cried alone.
~~
This is awful, I know. It's gonna probably be rewritten soon. To anyone who wants the 2x02 scene with Frary and Bash and Lola, please tell me what exactly you want said or changed, I'm getting a little tired of asking. (Not being rude, but honest.) The next rewrite is gonna be in the same universe as the 2x17 one, and it's gonna be about 2x22. Keep your eyes pealed, I'll try and get it up tomorrow.
stay safe,
love,
me.
