The person carrying the cup is the one having difficulty breathing. She keeps stumbling, knocking into walls and tables. Her cup is filled with a liquid with a green tint. The woman continues to move along, coughing as she goes. Clarissa is still following her. The woman is still moving through unpopulated areas of the castle, coughing as she moves. She stops at the top of a set of stairs, leaning against the wall. Clarissa stops just behind her, looking at her before pushing her. The cup goes flying, spilling the liquid and crashing to the floor. Francis tells Mary she is no longer alone in her struggles. He admits he would die for her, which makes her frown. Before either can say anything, a scream is heard and they rush from the rooms and towards the sound.
At the bottom of a set of steps several people surround a body. Lola turns to Mary, saying the servants found her and they came searching for Mary. Aylee is on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding her head. She tells Mary that she was told she would never return home again. She tries to speak, but is having difficulties. She tells Mary that there was too much bloodshed for her and they must go home now, before she dies. Everyone is surrounding them, crying, and Kenna looks to see a cat lick the spilled drink. She remembers Aylee drinking from the cup earlier.Mary gets up, wiping Aylee’s blood from her hands and onto her dress. She sees Nostradamus at the end of the hall and remembers what he told her. She tells him he was sent from hell and that he is the devil. Francis attempts to comfort her, but she pushes him away and continues to cry.
Diane tells Bash that Catherine knows about her plans, but will keep their secret for a trade. Bash asks what the try was and Diane admits she didn’t do it because she couldn’t live with herself if she did. She remembers smelling the jar with the poison once Catherine left her alone in Henry’s rooms, then throwing the jar and watching it smash when it hit the wall. Diane pulls him to the side, saying Catherine cannot hurt them if she cannot find him. She tells Bash of her plans to go to Henry when he travels, making him see reason regardless of what Catherine tells him. She thinks that once Francis weds Mary and he acquires England, Henry won’t care anymore and they will once again be under his protection.
Nostradamus looks down at Aylee, saying she was poisoned and questioning if he should suspect the queen when he knows the affects of this particular poison. He lifts Aylee’s hand and shows her finger tips, mentioning the blackened skin and the smell of flowers. He says the poison is one of his own, not Catherine’s, and then asks if he was being watched. He asks Clarissa, who he was speaking to all along, why she killed Aylee. Clarissa says that Mary needed to believe Nostradamus’ prophecy or she would have married Francis and caused his death.
Nostradamus realises Clarissa sees Mary as a victim of fate, much like herself. He tells her that Mary is a beautiful queen. He then grabs Clarissa and brings her closer to Aylee, telling her to look at what she had done. He pulls off her hood and tells Clarissa that she killed a child of God and made Aylee her victim, not one of fate. Clarissa has missing patches of hair, which is the only thing seen. He tells her she brought it on herself as he pulls Clarissa behind a curtain and up a flight of stairs.
Mary is packing to leave, and Greer asks about her alliance to France. Mary says she will find a new alliance, that the current one has cost them enough already. Mary believes in Nostradamus’ gift, and she cannot lose someone else she loves. She asks them to come with her, but Lola says they can’t. She knows Mary would be able to get away faster without them tagging along. Lola also says she knows if they tell Francis, he will try and stop her. Mary says she will send for them as soon as she can, and that they will all return home to Scotland.
Francis follows Mary into the hall, saying he doesn’t understand and wants to know why she didn’t tell him before. She says she did, she told him she was afraid and worried. Francis says it doesn’t matter, he wants to marry her without any stipulations, that he loves her. Mary cannot trust that, reminding him of when he told her that as royals they cannot make decisions based on love. They have too many responsibilities to their countries and the lives of their people to make life choices based on love alone. She tells him she loves him, but she will not allow another person to die for her.
Mary is in the stables when she comes across a guard. He asks if she needs anything and she tells him she was just going for a ride. He says he will alert the guards, but she asks him not to. The guard tells her it is not safe for her to ride alone, and if the king finds out he let her, but Bash interrupts him. Bash knows the guard will get into trouble, so he volunteers to accompany Mary on her ride, and that he has horses ready for them. The guard is confused as to how Bash already has horses ready since he just volunteered, but leaves without questioning it further.When they are alone, Bash asks where she is going and what is wrong. She tells him she is leaving and he cannot tell his brother if he cares about Francis. Bash asks where exactly she is going, and Mary’s response is far. Bash tells her that far is his destination as well.
Word Count: 1033
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