We have finally arrived in France, and our arrival has already been announced in the French courtroom. We were welcomed by the Queen Mother, Catherine, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Narcisse, Aunt Claude with her beau, Uncle Luc Narcisse, and my uncle, King Charles, with a woman beside her. I noticed that I had never seen her here before. There's a new face in the French court---maybe she's Uncle Charles' lover.

"Mary and Alexandra!" The Queen Mother greeted

"Welcome home, Mary, and my wonderful niece." King Charles smiled.

"Hello, Mary," Lord Narcisse greeted her.

"Nice to see you again, Lord Narcisse" The Queen of Scots smiled.

"We've missed you both so much. By the way, this is Lady Nicole. My love, I would like you to meet the Queen of Scotland, Mary, and, of course, my beautiful niece, the Princess of Scotland and France, Alexandra. " King Charles introduced her

"It is lovely to meet you both, your majesties." Lady Nicole bowed down.

"No need to call us that, Lady Nicole. Just call me Mary, "Queen Mary insisted.

"Alexandra. You're Uncle Charles' lover, so you're part of the family. " I said

We smiled at each other and entered the French court with a warm welcome from the French servants who had truly given respect to my mother and me since they were loyalists during her parents' reign. When we arrived, there was already a table full of our favorite French cuisine waiting for us.

Everybody literally missed each other. They talked about life in the French and Scottish courts, what happened after she left the French court, King Charles' reign, and the marriage of my mother to Lord Darnley. Everybody wasn't feeling good about Lord Darnley, but my mother explained the possibility that he could at least change for the better.

Minutes later, a letter from the Swedish court was given to the king.

"It's an invitation to the wedding," the King said.

"Of whom, Charles?" Catherine asked

"The Prince of Sweden, Prince Casper" he said.

My heart was shattered, and I felt betrayed by what I'd heard. My mother and Catherine both looked at me, knowing that there was something going on between me and the Prince. I wanted to cry, but not in front of them, so I had to excuse myself.

Queen Mary tried to stop and follow me, but my grandmother stopped her when she was about to follow me.

"Hey, what's wrong?" King Charles asked them what was happening, but nobody answered.

"What are you doing? Why are you stopping me?"

"Let her be Mary." My mother insisted on following Catherine's order.

"What? but I am her mother and she needs me. "

"Mary, not now. Talk to her alone in private later or let Claude talk to her. " The queen mother signaled Claude to follow the princess.

Aunt Claude ran until she found me crying and drinking, in tears and broken-hearted. She stopped me from drinking and decided to tell her story with Leith, a lowborn servant and a former baker, in court. He did everything to get into a higher position in court just for Claude. So with her story, it kept me sober and she talked to me.

"Alex, stop drinking about it."

"I've been there too because of Leith, and it won't help you ease the pain inside you. But I want to ask you, how did you know him? "

"I met him when I was in Paris. We were partying until we decided to talk privately, and then I slept with him."

"Oh my god Alex, he's one of your victims." She laughed.

"Then recently, he went to Scotland and stayed there for awhile, so that's how we really started"

"But are you together?"

"Actually, I don't know, we didn't make everything official"

"That's really horrible to think about. Nonetheless, fine. I shall let you drink, but you're not drinking alone because I'm going to drink with you. " She laughed, and I agreed.

Hours had passed, and it was already dark outside. We have already finished the bottles.

"You know, Alex, just let it all out tonight. Cry all you want, but tomorrow or the next few days, no more crying. Move on, okay? "

"You're right. It's just that I'm so hurt to know that he'll be married soon to another. When he stated unequivocally that he loves me unconditionally,She felt my burden and was saddened.

"I did believe him because I know it's true, but now I don't know what to say or what to think. Was it all a lie? " I added

"No, maybe it wasn't a lie."

While we were talking, someone suddenly came, and it was my mother.

"Alex" mother said

"Okay, let me leave both of you here."

"Thank you, Claude," she said before Princess Claude left.

"Alex, how are you?"

"I'm kind of fine already. What Aunt Claude did really helped me somehow"

"I'm sorry if I didn't come first. Catherine stopped me."

"No, it's fine, mother."

"By the way, I received the invitation too, and it includes a letter from him to you"

"You can leave it there, mother."

"You know, Alex. Read it because that letter may have the answers to your questions."

"I feel that I shouldn't read that."

"Read it to clear your mind already."

"Is that a request or a command?"

"A request, but if you don't want to read it, then I'm commanding you to do it. I know you won't disobey my order" she smiled."

She left my chambers and left the letter from Casper on my bedside table.