Chapter Text
「My lady,」 her maidservant announces. 「The Queen Mary and the ladies de Poitiers and Castleroy have come to visit.」
Lola sighs and pats her son through his swaddle in relief or frustration, she isn’t sure. 「Of course. Let them in.」 She pulls her dress up over her shoulder, giving up on trying to feed Jean. Soon, the familiar faces of her beloved friends join around her by the fireplace.
「Lola, we hope we’re not disturbing you,」 Greer says politely. Kenna plops down next to her on the settee and starts cooing at Jean-Philippe.
「Of course not,」 Lola smiles, thanking Greer for tying her dress closed despite her bandaged arm. 「I’m glad for the visit. It feels a lifetime since we’ve been able to sit down and talk.」
The ladies all nod and Mary looks apologetic, 「I’m afraid that’s partially my doing. I’ve been so caught up in things lately. And Francis…」
「What’s he done now?」 Kenna immediately asks, preparing to lash out if necessary. The girls laugh fondly at Kenna and even Mary gives a chuckle before looking down at her fiddling hands.
「We’ve just been distant with each other lately,」 she begins. 「And I suppose it’s all my fault. You all know how disappointed he is about not having an heir yet.」Kenna and Greer reach over to place comforting hands on hers. 「Thank you, truly. And with Narcisse and the edict. I don’t understand how he could have done it.」 She turns to Greer then, 「I’m so sorry. I really did try to stop it.」
「I know, and I thank you for it,」 Greer squeezes her hand.
「More troubling is the fact that Francis would sign it willingly,」 Lola says. 「It doesn’t sound like him at all.」
Mary nods, 「A few weeks ago, I might’ve agreed. But lately it seems like he’s scared of something but he won’t talk to me. And when I pressed… well. Everything’s been so tense between us he’s even suggested I return to Scotland.」 Greer and Kenna exchange surprised looks. Lola is quiet, unsure whether to speak of what Narcisse revealed to her just the day before. It further confuses her as to why Francis would fail to tell Mary himself.
「You conceived before, Mary, and you’ll do it again. I’m sure of it,」says Kenna. 「They say stress can even harm your chances. A little patience and you’ll pop out a play friend for this little one.」 She taps Jean-Philippe on the nose, only the babe's face scrunches up at the touch of her cold fingers and he starts fidgeting.
「May I hold him, Lola?」Mary asks, eyes shining in the firelight.
「I would love that,」 answers Lola. Kenna shifts so that Lola could come beside Mary, transferring over the swaddled babe. Before the boy starts to truly wail, Mary settles him into her arms and he quiets once again, content. Lola presses her hands into her lap and watches the Queen Mary hold the small Baron of Vallie, but more importantly she watches as her dearest friend hold her son.
「Look, you have the instincts of a mother already,」 Greer says and Mary smiles.
「It’s true,」 Lola gains her queen’s attention. 「He can be a perfect nightmare when he’s fussy, but it seems you’ve got the mother’s touch.」
Mary shakes her head, 「By simply holding a baby? It takes more to be a mother than quieting a babe, I’m sure.」
「Well he doesn’t like me at all when I hold him,」says Kenna. 「So it’s clear you’ve got something I don’t.」 They laugh at Kenna’s light self-depreciation. Kenna then asks Greer of her newly acquired married life, and the sudden gaggle of children. They chatter between themselves while Lola and Mary enjoy Jean’s calmness. Mary’s face is open with all her hopes and yearning as she gazes down at the little Baron and Lola silently prays for them to be fulfilled. Lola places a gentle hand on Mary’s knee and gives an understanding squeeze. Mary looks up to her, and Lola is taken by surprise at the look of gratefulness.
And she decides that she must do everything she can for Mary, including seeking out Francis herself.
++
At mid-afternoon the next day, Lola arrives outside of Francis’s cabinet room. The guard retreats to ask the king’s leave to enter and Lola is not surprised when he returns with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, my lady. His Majesty does not wish to be disturbed at this time.”
“I see,” she says, straightening her back. “I will make sure you are not to blame for what I must do.” And with only sputters of protest from the guard, she barges through the door.
“My lady!” he cries and bows to the king. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
“Lola,” Francis sighs, leaning on his knuckles from behind his desk. “Now’s not a good time.”
Is it ever? Whatever Francis’s excuses, she’s heard all of them and most times she would let it pass. But today she was here for Mary, as her subject but more so as her friend.
“Your Majesty, I need to speak with you.” Lola says with as much gravity to her voice as possible, and it must have succeeded as there is a flicker of concern in Francis’s eyes. Soon, he waves the guard to leave.
She waits for the door to close, suddenly feeling anxious about where this conversation may lead. The tips of her fingers pick at one another, a nervous habit she’s developed from somewhere. She thinks of Mary and she thinks of Narcisse, and she thinks of what a grand mess this all is. But mostly she tries to look at Francis and imagine him a patricide. Lola thinks of the young man just a year ago, who had saved she and her brother from a highly unpleasant Maurice Bicett. Is it possible that Narcisse had lied to her? Twisted her into thinking poorly of Francis? In the end, was it so bad that King Henry was dead – killed or otherwise?
Francis’s face is expectant and Lola struggles to find her words.
“It’s about Mary,” she starts. “I was with her earlier and she was upset. She’s upset with some frequency, to be truthful.”
At this, Francis averts his gaze suddenly showing agitation. It must be true. “I am aware.”
“I’m sure you are, Your Majesty,” says Lola, swallowing hard when Francis begins to gather scrolls and makes his way to leave. She begins to panic, wondering if he will blatantly dismiss her before she is finished. “I know why you do this! I know why push her away, enough to threaten to send her to back to Scotland.”
Francis brushes past her and in her frustration Lola says it.
“I know the truth of King Henry’s death.”
There was a long quiet as she watches Francis’s back to her, the long quiet of his realization and of the volatile position she had just put herself in. Finally, he turns to her again.
“Narcisse told me, even admitting that he’s been blackmailing you.” And suddenly, all she could see was Francis’s wild, frantic eyes coming closer as he grabs her to drag her from the door.
“This is very dangerous knowledge, Lola,” he nearly hisses. “Why would he tell you?”
She’d been asking herself that for the past two days. “I don’t pretend to understand how his mind works, but I suspect he may have wanted me on his side should you use me against him.”
“And I did,” Francis admits. Lola silently nods. “Has he told anyone else? Do you know?”
Lady Lola could only shake her head, “No, but there is one person that you should tell, and that is Mary.”
“No,” Francis immediately shakes his head, and once again he is retreating at the mention of Mary. “Narcisse’s treachery goes beyond what he might have mentioned in your covert conversations.” His insinuation was enough to rile her.
“Narcisse told me the truth! Which is more than what could be said of you,” Lola spats. “You say Narcisse is a dangerous man yet you send me to him still, putting me at risk of his mercy. All to protect yourself.”
She watches as Francis struggles to keep his composure. Lola remembers the night at the Burgundy House. How far we’ve come. “My own safety does not concern me. It is Mary that I am protecting. My mother, my brothers, and our baby. Did he fail to tell you that he threatened them as well?”
Lola stops then, the beating of her heart suddenly as loud as trumpets. She could feel the blood pumping through her fingertips. My baby. “He threatened our son.” She repeats more as a fact than a question.
“You sympathize with Narcisse. Is that why you didn’t hide that envelope at his estate as I asked? Speak truly, are you on his side?”
Yes.
No.
Lola takes a moment to close her eyes, taking in all that Francis had told her. He threatened my baby. Here she came to push Francis into telling Mary a truth, but she found herself on the brink of another. Francis doesn’t know of the envelopes. But neither does Narcisse.
She could use this.
“My loyalty is to Mary, my Queen.” Says Lola, resolute. It is not untrue.
Francis jumps at the opportunity. “Your queen’s life is being threatened. The only way to save her and my marriage is to be rid of Narcisse.”
“Narcisse is a powerful man. There must be another way. One that doesn’t put blood on my hands,” Lola insists. “You must tell Mary, you have to trust her. Do not think the state of your marriage is at the fault of Narcisse alone. You two have bested Narcisse together before. You can do it again.”
He turns from her, leaning on his hands, contemplating. After a moment, he speaks, “Did you know of Mary’s ploy back then?”
Confused, Lola could only utter her thoughts. “What?”
“I suppose Narcisse failed to tell you as well? That Mary and my mother also plotted my father’s death before the tourney. I put a stop to it, but Narcisse was able to pry that secret from the priest that they ordered to poison my father.”
Lola remembers now of hearing of an attempt on King Henry’s life. Of the King taking private confession only to nearly be stabbed by a guard. Yes, poison was more Catherine’s way. The guard was not Catherine’s nor Mary’s.
“Narcisse is accusing Catherine and Mary of treason as well?” Lola realizes. “So no matter what, they are involved should Narcisse choose to come forth.” At Francis’s nod, nothing could be clearer. She leans into his eyesight, catching his attention. She hoped that her genuine sympathy would convince him. “Then you have no reason to keep Mary in the dark anymore. She is in danger whether she knows of your regicide or not. Francis, it’s time – it is long overdue, in fact.”
His eyes move intently between hers for a long moment, until he grabs a small booklet and heads to leave. She didn’t have the energy to stop him again, saying all that she could say. But he stops short of the door, and turns.
“Be careful of Narcisse. He is capable of terrible things.” The doors shut behind him, leaving her alone in the room.
Aren’t we all?
++
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Who is it?” Lola hears Greer call. She hoped that she would be a friendly face, if not a wanted one.
「Lola, dear. Mary’s told me what’s happened and I’m worried,」 she calls, thumbing the envelope in her hands.
The door opens, surprising Lola and she is pulled in. Greer hastily closes the door. 「I hope no one heard you.」
「Greer? What is the matter?」 Lola was more concerned now, and she sees Greer’s bandaged wrist. 「Mary was right, you’re in a right state.」
「How much did Mary tell you?」 Greer asks.
「Only that you’re back from your honeymoon, and that you’re hurt and upset. She asked me to check in on you.」
Greer visibly calms, and it only makes Lola more curious. 「Mary’s too kind. Lord Castleroy and I just ran into a few thugs going through one of the cities, is all. They robbed us of our coin and gifts, which cut our trip short to say the least.」
「Greer, that’s horrible.」 Lola leads her friend to sit down with her. 「Does it hurt very much?」 She takes her hand gingerly.
「It will leave a scar, surely, but it should heal in a bit of time,」 says Greer.
Lola nods. 「Now tell me what’s really upset you.”」She shoots Greer a look when she goes to protest.
「You mustn’t tell anyone,」 Greer presses.
「Of course, that goes without saying.」
The new Lady Castleroy takes a moment, staring intently across the room at the closed door. 「Castleroy is Protestant.」
And Lola is amazed at how a simple declaration could mean so many things. This simple fact, in light of the recent violence between Catholics and Protestants… Lola looks down at Greer’s bandage again. 「So it wasn’t just petty thieves.」
「No,」 Greer admits.
Catholics and Protestants taking arms against each other. Lola wonders if France is truly at risk of being a Protestant state, much like Scotland. What sort of violence occurred back home? She recalls of Mary’s retelling of the conflict between Narcisse and Lord Conde regarding his nephew. Was Narcisse a perpetrator of violence against Protestants? Is that why Francis needed surety against Narcisse?
「I’m afraid I have a favor to ask of you. I know you’re not in any condition but… this might help you in the end,」 Lola takes the envelope and shows it to Greer.
「What is it?」
「Francis has asked me to hide this at Lord Narcisse’s home. I’m not sure what it is, only that it’s some sort of code and that it’s some sort of assurance to keep Narcisse in line,」 Lola tries to explain. Greer looks at her, confused.
「Why is he asking you?」 she questions.
Lola looks down, remembering that Narcisse first approached her at Greer’s wedding and the Lady Castleroy had been gone since then. 「Lord Narcisse and I are… We’ve been talking.」
Greer is as completely taken aback as she expected her to be. 「You and Narcisse? Lola, the last time you spoke of Narcisse, it was with venom and disgust and you tried to sneak his wife away!」
She flushes and shakes her head, 「I know, I can’t explain it. He intrigues me, I suppose. He took interest in me at your wedding – and I know, it may be to get to Francis but… he hasn’t really questioned me about Francis at all.」
「It’s all very suspicious,」 Greer says, and Lola couldn’t argue with that. 「But now you’re trying to frame him?」
「I’m not sure what I’m helping to frame him of!」 Lola exclaims, 「Only could I ask you to make a copy of it? You’ve always been the most sure of hand.」
Greer takes the envelope and opens it, only to look helplessly at Lola. 「It all seems like gibberish. It does seem to be some sort of code. Some English words here, I think. I wonder what it is?」
「Francis wouldn’t tell me,」 Lola admits. 「I guess it’s best I didn’t know.」
「Or maybe it’s more dangerous not knowing?」 says Greer. She takes pity on Lola’s anxious look. 「I’ll do it. Don’t worry.」
Lola gives her friend a grateful smile, watching her leave to sit at her desk.
Maybe.