"Is the Scottish Queen aware of this?"

Slowly, Alaina set down the slice of fresh fruit she had been nibbling on to look up at Lady Anne, who wore a noticeably large smirk on her face.

"No," she replied, trying her best to hide her tone of excitement. "Will you be the one to tell her?"

She wiped her hands on a white linen cloth and motioned for Lady Natalie to fetch her writing desk.

"No," said Alaina, "We will write to the English Queen to hear more. I must have evidence before I can present it."

*****

"Queen mother," Alaina rose gracefully from her position by the window where she had just been peering out, deep in thought. "What has prompted this sudden visit? Is everything well?"

Catherine smiled as she waved her hands to assure that everything was well, but then her smile soon vanished. "I will get straight to the point," she said in a very serious tone all while declining a goblet of wine that was being offered to her. "It's about Mary."

Alaina, taking a sip from her own goblet of wine, raised a brow. "What about the Scottish Queen?" she asked while lowering her goblet and maintaining the charade that she was clueless.

"She's been acting rather odd lately, have you noticed?"

"No," she replied a little too quickly.

"I believe she and Conde might just be stupid enough to have an affair."

"Is that so?" Alaina asked in disbelief. "Have you voiced your concerns to Francis?"

"He trusts her," she replied as if he was a fool to do so. Well, he was, Alaina thought as she peered down into her goblet. "He says that she is loyal to him."

From just beyond where Catherin and Alaina stood, there was a sound, almost as if a cough, but Alaina knew better. From the nasty look Anne was giving Maria, who covered her mouth to silence her laughter, the sound had no doubt came from Anne herself.

She turned her attention back to Catherine, who seemed oblivious to the whole thing. "Catherine, If Francis says he trusts his wife, then we've no choice but to trust Francis, am I correct?"

"Alaina, I am an old woman! I have been at this court for many many years. I have seen things, things beyond your wildest dreams. Do you honestly believe me to be naive enough to believe that?" she scoffed. "You should know me better than that."

"And I do," the young empress said as she held out her empty goblet for the servant standing nearby to take. "However, we should not meddle in their marriage. It is their marriage after all."

"If Conde and Mary are truly having an affair, this would mean her head! Francis would be free, free for you to marry him and become the Queen of France."

Alaina crossed her arms over her chest as she walked away from the drafty window. Catherine was clueless as to why Francis and Alaina were really turning the other cheek. And it was beginning to pain Alaina not telling the one woman she had always confided in. But it was a part of their agreement, they were to wait for the word from the Pope before they revealed their plans to anyone else.

"The most I can do is have my ladies look into it," she finally said, aware that Catherine would not let this rest until she had all the proof she could ever need. "Do not worry Queen Mother, you know I always find things out."

Catherine's thin lips twisted into a satisfied grin after hearing Alaina's response.

*****

It was later in the evening now, the sun sinking low into the sky just beyond the stained windows. Alaina was already in chemise, resting in bed surrounded by the many letters she had received over the week.

"Has Lord Sebastian gone?" she asked the young maid that was adding another log to the roaring fire.

"Left early this morning, your majesty," she replied with a heavy country accent.

She sat back against her feathered pillows and sighed, her blue eyes lowering to the parchment in her hand from Elizabeth of England. With her other hand, she twirled a strand of chocolate brown hair through her fingers while skimming over the letter one more time.

"Very well," she placed the letter down on her lap and looked up at the girl. "Thank you." Alaina turned her attention back to the windows, the sky growing darker by the minute.

"I've finished my days work, your majesty," said the girl drawing Alaina's attention back to her. "Is there anything else you need before I go?"

"Yes," she said after thinking for some time. "I'd like if you can have someone send word to my mother's to inform her I'd like for Peter to come join me here at court. I'm quite sure he's growing anxious without seeing me."

"Yes, your majesty," the maid curtsied before leaving the room and leaving Alaina to her letters.

Letters, letters upon letters. Just when would they end? Letters from her father, uncle, reagents, advisors, ambassadors, and more. Letters having to do with her countries, future countries, people, and even the possibility of a new alliance.

Alaina picked up Elizabeth's letter and read it again. She was the first and only person Alaina ever wrote to that did not wish to discuss politics or even their countries, in fact, Elizabeth's letter had always made her feel almost as if she was still a normal girl without the worry of countries and their people. Almost.

But then there was this letter. It was unusual of Elizabeth to write to her, begging for forgiveness and praying that what was to come would not affect their alliance with one another. But exactly, what was to come? Was Elizabeth planning to invade France? Was that it? Invading France would be a bad move on her end, she knew Alaina was currently in France and that as long as she was there, France was in good hands. So what? What was to come?

"Alaina!"

Her head snapped up quickly at the sound of her name to see Lady Maria skidding to a halt at the foot of her bed and clutching her chest while she doubled over to catch her breath.

"What is it, Maria?" Alaina pushed aside Elizabeth's letter, panic swelling up inside the pit of her stomach. Maria never once called Alaina by her name unless something bad was about to happen or happening.

"It's-It's Francis!" she gasped, trying her hardest to breathe. "He's f-fallen ill," she sucked in a deep breath. "I came as soon as I head the Queen Dowager screaming for a physician."

Alaina rose from her bed with such haste that she did not even feel the blood trickling down her leg as she rushed to Maria's side.

"We must go at once," she told the young Spaniard.

"But my lady," Maria's muddy brown eyes dropped to Alaina's chemise. "You're bleeding."

Alaina followed her gaze to see that she was in fact, bleeding and that it had made quite the mess. "Come," she said to Maria. "Help me get cleaned up so that I can go to Francis immediately."

Though it took them some time and the help from the other ladies, Alaina now laid beside Francis in his chambers, her hand holding onto his while she pressed her tear-stained face against his shoulders.

"Please pull through," she sobbed, "I can not bear to lose you too, you're all I have left of him."

For hours, Alaina cried, prayed, and pleaded, yet nothing changed. The physician came and went, leaving Alaina and Catherine with updates whenever he could. Eventually, exhausted from all her crying, Alaina curled up beside Francis and fell asleep holding his hand in her's.

Sorry about the lack of updates today. I wasn't sure if I wanted to jump ahead or if I should do a few filler chapters. But here is somewhat of an update. I know it's all over the place, and that's because I wrote it while watching the show and never took the time to rewrite it. This is also the last chapter to cast your vote for who you'd like Alaina to end up with, Francis or Bash?