FRAGMENTS OF A DYNASTY
Summary: Mary Queen of Scotland reflects on her life and death Pairings: mentions of Mary/Darnley, Mary/François, Mary/Charles, Mary/Bothwell, Mary/Thomas Howard, and Elizabeth/Robert Dudley. She was a trouble from the start. That had been what her nurse said laughingly. A mischievous little child with a great sense of adventure. She did not know when to stop and been a great trouble to take care of. Mary did not mind this description it had added more to her beauty for most people. The beautiful, lively, bright, intelligent, mischievous, troubling girl. She would cause many thoughts in men and keep their eyes upon her. She liked that mostly because it kept eyes away from the likes of the redheaded bastard Elizabeth and her evil mother in law Catherine de Medici. She led the hide and seeks games in her great big castles causing the nursery staff to worry themselves into nervous breakdowns. She led dances, games, and little parties during lessons though she would instantly prove she was intelligent and truly learning causing her teachers to have great migraines. She held the attention of all the Valois young sons causing fights between them over who should really have the right to her hand in marriage. She held special attention from the King of France himself who saw her as his most favourite and beautiful daughter causing the hatred and envy of the Queen herself. She grew up into a beautiful young woman and married her childhood sweetheart and betrothed François and set out to live that happily ever after as the future Queen of France and Scotland. But she could not help but fall into trouble. The temptation to declare herself the future Queen of England as well as France and Scotland was far too much. Her father in law whispers suggestions in her ear that are further encouraged by her French relations and she follows along delighting in the fact she is causing that redheaded heretic some trouble. Then suddenly, so sudden that it was only Death that could be this cruel, she loses her mother, her father in law, her husband, and a crown all in one swoop. Trouble continued to follow her. She tried toying with dear Charles' feelings and ended up almost banished out of France by his irate manipulative mother Catherine. She had a terrible trip back to Scotland where she almost froze to death in the blowing cold castles that were nothing like the sunny palaces in France. She was in the worst trouble she had ever been in her life. Then she felt she found her feet. She was Queen of Scotland, the most beautiful widow in all of Christendom, seeking a husband, and stirring up trouble for her redheaded, much older, virgin, heretical cousin. She enjoyed doing that and hearing her cousin's silly antics in trying to outdo her, Mary once Queen of France, Queen of Scotland, and will be one day Queen of England, a Queen thrice over, in the matters of being graceful, talented, and beautiful. She meets Darnley and for the first time in her life she has found love that would make her heart beat a little faster and a blush appear on her pale cheeks. (And for once, just once, she might understand why the redheaded bastard had put herself through so much scandal for Robert Dudley.) They marry hastily and go on enjoying life but of course trouble is attracted to her for she is itself personified! Her husband is not the loving man she had thought he was; he is a drunk, a sot, an idiot, and a jealous possessive one too. Her friend is murdered before her eyes and she almost loses her child right there and then on the cold stone floor. Trouble continues to follow her. Her people are discontent with her. Her lords dislike her religion and French ways. She is literally the weak female surrounded by strong men who all want a piece of the throne. She is so very lost. Then the Earl of Bothwell came into her life and he was handsome, strong, charming in a rough manner, and oh so very sexually attractive. She had never felt so much passion before in her life it was as if she was drowning in it. It was because of this passion she easily turned a blind eye to the murder of her now hated husband. It was because of this passion that she easily climbed onto the back of Bothwell's horse and clung to him as they ran away from the burning house. It was because of this passion she secretly married him and laid with him conceiving their twins who would never live to see the sun. It was because of this passion she was run out of Scotland and abandoned her only child to those bloodthirsty lords. It was desperation that led her to England and to her greatest enemy. She was soon locked away in a pretty manor with all she could ask for but her own freedom. She became bored and lifeless as everything she knew and loved was gone from her once more. It was out of boredom and the need to be free again that she begins to plot. Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk was an ambitious man who happened to be charming, good-looking, and a bit of a romantic. He was perfect for her and she could not resist the idea of being Duchess of Norfolk until she takes back her throne and become one day Queen of Scotland and England. He just wanted to be king. There was a plan, it was supported by the heretical queen's own lords and it would have worked. If it wasn't for that sneaky bastard Cecil and that cunning pig Walsingham and their little spies. Norfolk gone, Spain failed her, and empty promises of loyalty from the Catholic population led to many years of boredom as she grew old, fat, and lonely. Babington comes along with his plot. The Earl of Shrewsbury so in love with her has turned a blind eye as he loses his wife and the fortune she had brought. Just one shot from an assassin at the redheaded bastard and Mary would be Queen of England. An army to Scotland and she'll reclaim her final throne before marrying and having another child or two. Or perhaps take back those lies she spouted to protect herself and bring back Bothwell and try again. It all fails. She is taken to a much worse prison. She tries to keep calm because the whore's daughter would never behead an anointed Queen it would mean anyone could behead that redheaded heretic as well and she was nothing but a cunning woman who knew to play the game perhaps better than Mary. She is led to the executioner's block. It hurts as she gives the executioners hell as he tries desperately to hack her head off. He holds her head up before the people to pronounce her a traitor. That troublesome wig of hers causes her head to flop to the ground as he only holds her fake brown curls. She always was a load of trouble.
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