You Are My Light Part II

202 - Mistress

Prompt - how about a little switcharoo where Mary's the mistress and Lola's the barren wife? But Francis loves Mary like he should?

Inspiration - Versailles scene where Princess Palatine meets King Louis' mistress in the salon.

/

"Lady Charlotte, who is that?" the new Queen Consort of France asks, pulling the black and blue tartan dress she wears over her lap, looking over at the woman who is head and shoulders above all the rest of the women in the salon. She taps her Lady on her lap, looking over at the woman who oozes glamour and sophistication as she lounges over the golden satin settee, a plethora of women surrounding her, laughing as she entertains with grace and charm.

"That, your Majesty," Lady Charlotte begins. "Is the sister to the King of Scotland, Princess Mary. Word has it that she's the King of France's maîtresse-en-titre. The King is rather taken with her, they say she was borne King Francis two strong sons within the year. Servants gossip states that they've been in love ever since they were children, so much so that he refuses to lay with any other woman."

"Including me." Lola states, fidgeting with her skirts again. "It's been weeks, Charlotte, weeks since I was married to him, yet we have never shared a bed."

"Yes, including you." she says, looking over at the Princess of the blood who looks like she's the Queen of the world in this moment. Sensually relaxing on the pale golden satin settee, donned in rubies and diamonds, dressed in crimson satin and golden lace that accentuates a waistline to die for and curves to match, a substantial breast that would make any man drool at the sight of. The grace and charm she oozes make the words she speaks make the women burst out into laughter. Two blondes and a brunette appear to be the closest to her, and they're done up to the nines as well, almost as much as she is. The raven haired mistress, who is clearly a beauty to behold, suddenly shows the ladies a ring on her finger, they gasp and coo and swoon over the gold and ruby, speaking of the generosity of the King of France.

Lola all but crushes the ruches of her skirts in anger at the sight of this woman, but the words she aches to speak are silenced before they're even spoken as the salon doors open and in come two nursemaids. They carry two infant children, the ladies of the court cooing at the sight of the two children. Lola grits her teeth as they're placed into the arms of this maîtresse-en-titre. She cooes lovingly at the children who are obviously her own, cradling the newly born child in one arm, while stroking the already forming golden curls of the one who looks not even a year. The ladies gasp and coo at the two baby boys, they speak of the looks they have, how handsome they are, how the elder one, who is named James, she understands with frustration, already has his fathers' golden curls.

"I understand your anger, I really do." Charlotte says, placing a hand on the new Queen's arm. "But you have to understand your place in the King's life, he may never lay with you, which give you bot grounds for annulment. He could be free to marry the woman he obviously is in love with, and you wouldn't have to deal with her. However, you must know that Mary and those boys, they will always come first to him. You will not, you have to understand that. You must accept and move on. Should you require sanctuary, find it in something else, but you must not chase after a taken heart, or a taken man." Charlotte finishes.

"I hate her." Lola whispers. "I hate her and I don't even know her."

"I know you do," Charlotte whispers. "But if you're going to be the Queen, you must shut your eyes and endure, otherwise you may end up with your head on a spike. Look at the power and grace she has, you must not object, you have to submit to survive, Lola."

The salon doors open again, and in strides the tall, lanky figure of the King of France. The ladies stand in submission to the King, the brunette taking the larger child so that this Mistress or Princess may do the same. But Lola notices with horror that the blonde King refuses to let the mother of his sons bow to him. In fact, he bows to her! Before taking the woman's face in his fingers and pressing a rather deep kiss onto her lips. She hates her, she hates her so much already! But the new Queen says nothing when the King whispers something that makes his mistress smile into her ear. He kisses his sons, before the family unit leaves with the two blondes and the brunette woman in towe.

Lola bites back her tears, because what else can she do? It may sound crude, but it comes down to this. The King would always bow to the Queen, but the King would only get on his knees for his Mistress.