Chapter Text
It’s not until the next morning that I feel uneasy. Francis and this Olivia. Should I be concerned? Of course, I’m concerned. Leeza– Princess Elisabeth knew I would be. I’ve shown the whole court I love Francis, I’ve been so foolish, I’ve opened myself up to attacks.
“Mari,” Greer comes back, “Lord MacDougal is preparing the messengers, so I went to visit Aylee.”
I sit up.
“She’s healing quickly,” Greer continues, “but it will be a while before she’s able to play again.”
Aylee spent much of her time at the Convent strumming a guitar. She told the Nuns it was so she could play prayer, but music gives her such happiness that I know Aylee needed to keep the loneliness at bay.
“Poor Aylee,” Kenna sighs, “she wanted to learn the fiddle.”
“We should be as kind as we can when she returns.” Lola states.
I look up, “Did the Physicians give you a date?”
“Yes,” Greer grins, “she should be out at the end of the week.”
Kenna claps, “That’s wonderful news!”
“It certainly is,” I’m elated, we shall be whole again, “we should welcome her back with something special.”
That night I dream of Francis, but he’s with a blonde woman. I watch as he kisses her, and in my dream, I beg him to tell me he loves me, but he doesn’t. I wake up crying.
“ Mheri .”
Lola rests on the edge of my bed, gripping my hand tightly.
“Did you have a nightmare?”
“I want to believe that Leeza was wrong,” I tell her, “but I know she’s not. Men can do that you know, have freedom.”
“I do know, Mari,” Lola shakes, “once, at the Nunnery, I confessed that I didn’t blush after boys the way other girls did.”
I frown, unable to understand.
“The Nun I confessed to,” Lola swallows, “she was like me, and I knew the way she hugged me was wrong.”
It takes a second, then I gasp.
“Oh, Lola,” anger courses through me, “you should’ve told me.”
“She was accused of witchcraft a week later,” Lola explains, “I told the man who was prosecuting her, but he was so condescending.”
“Lola-”
“I’m telling you this story so you don’t get taken advantage of,” Lola comes close to me, “and that includes Francis.”
I exhale, “I have to ask him, it may be awful, but I have to know.”
“That sounds like a worry for tomorrow,” Lola wipes my forehead with her sleeve, “tonight you need your rest.”
I try to get back to sleep for hours, and when I finally do, I awake a handful of hours later with sunlight in my eyes.
“ Mheri ,” Lola is at my bedside, “we shall have fun today, rest, we’ll wake you when it’s time.”
So I go back to sleep. I think it’s about eight o’clock when Lola nudges me softly.
“Come on, Majesty ,” she grins, “Kenna has decided we’re to teach Elodie how to dance.”
I get dressed in traditional Scottish costume, I haven’t worn it since before we left for France, and as I slip on the long socks, it feels far too long. I’m wearing green and white, Lola is in Fleming blue, and Greer, who I find preparing for a morning on the lawn, is in Beaton blue.
“I suppose Kenna must feel fortunate her tartan is red,” I smile, tying my ghillies, “the color does wonders for her.”
I dawn a long, burgundy cloak to shield me against the morning dew, and let my ladies lead me down to the grass lawn in the back of the castle. I gasp as a familiar face waves to me from a chair.
“Aylee!”
Choosing to wear her tartan instead of the traditional dancewear, Aylee is wrapped up warm under a damask pavilion. Next to her, the Deveroux maids are setting up our morning meal, and a little ways away, Grace and Eilish are chatting with an elderly woman with lines of grace on her face and a young man with a mop of copper hair. I smile.
“Lady Abernathy,” I hold out my hand, “I am so glad you came to court!”
“Well, we couldn’t refuse Your Majesty’s kind offer,” Lady Abernathy’s raven hair is streaked with white that matches her teeth when she grins, “and who could waste such a braw day?”
I notice Garrett Abernathy glancing at the wooden boards that have been set down on the green.
“Lord Abernathy, do you dance?” I question lightly, very giddy with my gestures.
Young Garrett does, and naturally, this favorite is the Highland Fling.
“Oh my,” Elodie treads through the grass, calling from far away, “this all looks very Scottish.”
I introduce Lady Narcisse to Lady Abernathy and her son, both are happy to hear she came to court with her father and brother.
“Luc should be here soon,” Elodie grins at Lola, “Lady Fleming was kind enough to invite him.”
Lola shrugs, a sloppy grin marking her face, “We do need enough partners.”
I suggest we all sit down to eat. As I much on sweetmeats and crunchy bread, I learn about the Abernathy’s journey here.
“It is wonderful to hear Scots again,” Garrett gestures, “you never hear it the way it’s supposed to be spoken at University.”
“Do they use it scholarly?” Aylee asks.
“To better understand Chaucer,” Garrett nods, “as strange as using the Scottish language is to study an English text.”
“The French,” I sigh, “unaware that our Island is more than Hampton Court.”
“This is very true,” Lady Abernathy agrees, “how I long for some proper shortbread.”
Kenna nods.
“I must ask,” Elodie begins, “what is Scotland really like, here we only hear of miserable weather and ‘savage barbarians.’”
I laugh, “We do have terrible weather.”
“Dear Elodie,” Lady Abernathy’s eyes go wistful, “Scotland is beautiful in the Summer, with fields of heather and the tallest mountains on the Isle of Britannia.”
That word catches my ears. Britannia, the word used by King Arthur for the whole of his Kingdom. England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. I admit all my mother’s pride has ever wanted is to make me Queen of Britannia and Queen Consort of France. I do not know if that shall ever take place, but I do know that my actions have already laid the seeds that could sprout that possibility. Norfolk, Westmoreland, Arundel, Cumberland, and Lennox.
It strikes me that I need solid allies in Scotland. I shall write when my messenger lads come back.
“Mari.”
I blink.
“Luc has arrived,” Greer announces, “Elodie, have you convinced him to learn?”
Lady Narcisse smiles, “let’s hope so.”
Lord Narcisse shakes hands with Garrett Abernathy, who introduces himself as his instructor in Scottish dance.
“I shall be a most eager student.” Luc Narcisse grins.
Grace hands Aylee a guitar hidden in the long grass.
“Bonnie, Lady Aylee,” Garrett Abernathy frowns, “can ye play wit yer shoulder?”
“I can try,” my lady admits, “we dunnae have pipes, so we must do our best.”
Lady Abernathy opens a fiddle case.
“I shall assist the Lady Aylee,” she grins, “it has been a long time since I’ve played a reel.”
“A reel,” I clap, “we must start with a reel!”
“Excellent idea, Mheri ,” Kenna winks, “we have to warm up after all.”
I grab Lola and pull her onto the dance floor, Kenna jumps up right beside me. Greer links her arm through Garrett’s and the Narcisse siblings meander after us.
“You’re seven,” Lady Abernathy realizes, “Eilish, go join your mistresses.”
My maid giggles and holds Greer’s hand, blushing slightly as she holds on to Garrett’s with her left.
“Dancers, show the Narcisse siblings some grace,” Lady Abernathy winks, “we begin with the Round Reel of eight!”
It is the greatest understatement in the history of time to say that Luc and Elodie are confused. The stepping in patterns unnatural to them make the dance almost impossible, but Elodie and Luc are vigilant. We go through a couple of rounds of them fumbling before Luc manages to get the hang of the rhythm. Elodie just seems to like spinning with Lola. As the song ends we slow, chests heaving heavily and eyes watering with laughter.
“Mari, Mari,” Kenna spins me around, “the Highland Fling.”
“Kenna,” I sigh, “we need swords.”
Thankfully, Garrett Abernathy pulls out his blade and lays it on the floor before my feet.
“If Her Majesty must dance we should all assist in her efforts.”
“I agree,” Luc unsheathes his sword and passes it to Garrett, “may her Majesty and Lady Livingston enjoy.”
As Garrett places the sword in a cross at my feet, Kenna walks around to the other side, feet pointed in anticipation.
“First,” Lola tells Elodie, “the dancers bow to one another.”
Kenna and I make eye contact, bending at the hips while keeping our backs straight and our heads up.
“Then they begin.”
The purpose of the Highland Fling is to flick off the English as done before a battle, but now it’s become a part of the culture .
“Gaun’ yersel,” Grace cheers, “kick hard, Majesty!”
“Jump Kenna,” Eilish bangs the table, “you’d be pure, dead brilliant if ye just jumped!”
“What was that spin, Kenna,” Greer shouts, “are ye steamin er somethin?”
“Step it out, lassies,” Lola laughs, “step it on out!”
I can hear Aylee strum violently, harmonizing with Lady Abernathy’s lead tune on the fiddle.
“What’s this?”
If Kenna and I could freeze mid-jump, we would’ve.
“Your Royal Highness,” Lola curtsies, “we didn’t see you there.”
“You have very strange dancing in Scotland,” Leeza huffs, “and what are you wearing?”
I slip my hand into Kenna’s. Bash is behind Elizabeth with Lord Cunningham, I try to make him meet my eyes, but he’s looking above us. I turn to see what he’s looking at, and it’s the King and Queen of France. I turn and curtsey immediately.
“That’s certainly a strange dance,” King Henri grins with a lousy smugness, “but every country showcases their lady legs in different ways.”
I blink, then look at Kenna. He did not just say that.
“Queen Marie,” Queen Catherine interjects, “I see Lady Abernathy and her son have joined you.”
“Aye, Madame,” I respond, standing and trying not to shake.
“I should like you to bring them to tea this afternoon,” Catherine de Medici grins, “you will be happy to know I considered your request.”
I thank the Queen of France.
“It shall be done,” Catherine de Medici’s eyes glimmer in the morning sun, “how I am excited to see what you do.”
Then she leaves, and I am scared. More than scared, I am horrified.
“She’s planning something.” Lady Abernathy mumbles.
Leeza laughs at me, loudly proclaiming the grotesque nature of my shoes. Lord Cunningham is angry, but he holds his brows even.
“Madam,” he approaches, “your Uncle wishes you to know the status of your correspondence.”
I take his arm, telling my maids to clean up.
“They traveled for three days straight,” he nods, “they’ve arrived in Framlingham.”
I smile, Framlingham is where Norfolk’s castle is located.
“Your Mother should receive your letter in two days, as well Londesborough Hall, Cumberland’s current residence.”
“And the rest?” I ask.
“The Lennox Letter is crossing the Channel,” Cunningham tells me we paid to see them off, “the rest are in Le Havre.”
“Two days, three days, four,” I tell my security guard, “thank ye kindly.”
I hear Kenna thanking the Abernathys for coming, and I hear Garrett slight the King of France, a feat which his mother doesn’t scold him for. Lola comes over to me and I meet hher halfway.
“The food will go to the lounge,” she tells me, “I’ve sent Greer up to assemble a tea outfit for you.”
I nod, glancing over at Aylee.
“She played well today,” I comment.
“I agree,” Lola sigs, “unfortunately this will affect her confidence.”
I frown, “It will for all of us.”
My Principal Lady-In-Waiting has Lord Cunningham take me upstairs while she finishes down here. I take Aylee with me, wheeling her chair as she gives me directions. It’s not until we get back to the recovery room that Aylee starts to cry.
“How dare they say that about us,” she sniffles, “they’re so rude.”
“The French are rude to anyone who isn’t French,” Lord Cunningham replies, helping Aylee to bed, “they are prideful and see themselves as superior.”
I kiss my lady’s head and draw the covers up over her.
“I will send someone to visit you today,” I tell her, “and don’t worry, French pride will not make us run scared from this country.”
“Aye, Majesty,” Lord Cunningham seconds, “ Wha duar meddle wi me .”
No one can harm me unpunished. The motto of Scotland, my Scotland.
“Leeza won’t be cruel to you anymore,” I promise Aylee, “I’ll make sure of it.