You Are My Light Part II

250 - Found

Side Note - Same AU as Part 246 (I think, it's a part 2 to where Mary gives birth in a barn as Francis delivers the baby)

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Granted, the snow is cold, and yes, the food isn't well prepared at all, and yes, the blankets are itchy and knotted, and the horses constantly startle the life out of her, and yes, Bash snores near her when they sleep at night, and granted, her baby cries at night, but Mary finds herself growing accustomed to this new little life, and she finds herself enjoying it. The simplicity and the just plainness of it all is so different and exciting to the life she leads as Dauphiness of France and Queen of Scotland. Getting up in the morning to feed the baby and start the first logs on the fire, tossing the scraps of last night's stew to Sterling and Avriella, and tossing a couple (slightly frozen, but still edible) carrots to the two black stallions in the other corner of the room. Drinking the water that had been boiled last night as her little Prince finishes his breakfast, then changing his dirty cloths and throwing them in the wicker basket Francis had found a few nights ago, for them to be taken to Mrs. Baudelaire in exchange for a coin or two. Waking Francis and Sebastian to the scent of boiling tea, and having them drink while dress for the morning. Her husband spends a few minutes greeting his son, before he prepares a pot of beef cuts and whatever vegetables the grocer a few hours away holds that day. Sebastian takes the horses and the dogs for a traipse around the area they've found themselves in, hoping to attract a legitimate guardsman of the King's favour, before he returns for his turn to take care of James while Mary takes an early afternoon rest. At this point, the baby has been fed again and mostly sleeps (thankfully, Sebastian has never been the most fraternal fellow in the world) and Francis takes off to the little village a few miles east to purchase supplies and attempt to send word to his parents about the whereabouts of he, his half brother and his wife, and the arrival of his new son if the runner boy is about. He returns later in the afternoon with one of his wife's undergowns ripped into a large square, tied along a thick stick Sebastian had found when it became apparent it was too dangerous for them both to go and get supplies for the baby and leave Mary alone with no protection after just giving birth, and it was obviously too dim witted to walk around carrying food in the middle of nowhere guardless, being who he was and whatnot. By then, Mary would be awake and would be feeding the baby again, drinking her stew with the other hand that wasn't supporting the not-quite-yet Prince as he drank his mother's milk. He would be awake to see his father and uncle begin to prepare dinner again, and would fall asleep to the smell of fried meat and boiled vegetables in some broth. The scraps and grizzle would be fed to the dogs and to the horses, and the young royals (halfblood in Sebastian's case) would eat their meager meals, before the baby would cry again. He would be changed and cleaned in the last of the water Sebastian would have gotten while Francis was away and when Mary was awake, and then they would all huddle near the fire when the sky got darker and the wolves would howl. Francis would get up with the baby the first time, (neither Prince or Bastard wanted Sebastian to unlace a sleeping Queen's gown to retrieve her breast for the baby to feed) then Bash would the second time, and Mary would wake first in the morning with little James.

It's simple, it's peaceful, it's perfect. Yes, Mary is in quite a lot of pain after her birth of her child, and she is prevented by both Sebastian and Francis from getting up too much to do anything but look after the baby and feed the animals because of her pains and the bleeding she's still experiencing, but it's a good life and Mary knows she will mourn it when they either find their way back to court or court finds them.

How long has it been since James was born? Two weeks? Three? She remembers the date of his birth, but little else, everything seems to roll into one in this little life.

Today, the three decide to rest early in the afternoon. It's been a long day of a crying baby and a cold morning, Sebastian and Francis are already exhausted from lugging palefulls of water on their shoulders from a near frozen river just west of their little hut. They had taken to the hunt, for neither wanted to risk appearing at the village too often in case they were followed by the wrong person. Mary hadn't wanted them to go, she didn't want to be left alone with the baby when he was so unhappy and grizzly. Young James hadn't slept a wink all night, it had been too cold and the blankets were too uncomfortable for the young baby to settle. But, the need for food took presidence, and they were home within two hours, putting their prizes into the pot before fetching more water for them to either drink or bathe with. Thankfully, James had fallen into an uneasy sleep by the time that the future King and Queen had begun to doze off, Sebastian right next to them, but all are startled into alertness when they hear heavy boots crunch the snow near the rickety doorway.

"Francis." Mary whispers, holding her sleeping little boy closer to her chest as the footsteps nearer, and she can now hear voices. She looks to her husband, worry in her eyes, but he holds his finger to his lips, both he and Sebastian slowly reaching over towards the pile of blades they'd left after this morning's hunting trip.

The door slams open, no doubt due to a good kick, because as good as Francis had fixed up the door, it was still a rickety old wood that had no doubt seen better days. The baby jumps in his sleep, immediately starting to wail, Mary tenses, squeezing her eyes shut as the small hut is invaded.

"Good God, they were right!"

"What-"

"Oh, Francis!" a familiar voice cries out. Francis releases his grip on his swords' sabbath at the familiar voice. He hears heeled feet pittering over towards him, and suddenly he's being crushed into a bust. He smells gardenia and chrysanthemum, and the scent is so powerful that it catches in the back of his throat. There's only one person who wears perfume that strong. 

"Mo-mother." Francis chokes, her grip on him is that tight he can barely breathe. But he can say no more as suddenly, his face is being powdered with frantic kisses and his cheeks and hair are being squashed and tugged at.

"Oh-oh!" Queen Catherine de Medici cries out, Francis grunts in annoyance as he hears his wife and brother chuckling at his misfortune as they rise to their feet. "I was so terrified when word arrived that you'd been attacked, when we couldn't find you, I thought my worst fear had come to life!" she cries out, holding his face and hair so tightly that Francis has to physically pull her off of him so he may stand. And breathe.

"Father," Bash bows as the King of France enters the room. "how did you find us?"

"Your brother sent word with a poor servent boy, the apprentice of the pager that comes to this region on a whim." Henry answers his son, reaching out to brush a bit of dirt from Sebastian's shoulder. "We had heard of your message, but we couldn't be sure it be true, since a lot of copycats have tried to take advantage of this scenario. Bastards, trying to stifle the King out of money." he grunts. "And when we heard word from-" he goes to continue, but then catches sight of the child within Mary's arms. The squirming, gargling little bundle of baby with dark blonde hair and large blue eyes. Henry's lips part wider as he takes in the child wrapped in nothing but a couple of raggedy old blankets, laying in his mothers' arms.

"The-the child." his words stop Catherine's franticness over her son and she too turns to Mary, who looks at the King, then the Queen of France. She gasps happily, rushing towards the young child, beginning to coo and squeal at the new baby, who would one day rule half of Europe.

"We have a son," Mary reveals softly. "an heir for France and Scotland."

"Oh, dear child," Catherine presses a kiss to James' head, and cups Mary's cheek quickly, before turning to her son again.

"Come," she says. "Let's get you all home."