The words sunk in like a dagger to her chest. 'Francis has fallen ill' That was what Bash had told her. He also said Catherine believed he was dying. That couldn't be right. He didn't even seem sick yesterday. To make matters worse, he'd found her in Conde's arms when he broke the news.

"I have to go to him." She said to Conde.

"Mary..." he began.

"No. I have to. If Catherine is right, and he is dying, I can't just leave. Not now. It wouldn't be right." She said flatly. The news had yet to hit her. She went back inside and put on her cape. "You should wait before following...If anyone else sees..."

"How do we know Bash will keep this to himself?" He asked.

"He will." She said. If she knew anything, she knew Bash was a man of honor.

"But how do you know..." he asked again.

"He will." She said more sternly. She turned and ran out quickly, leaving Conde there alone.

She took off back to the castle as fast as she could, hoping that Bash had merely exaggerated his condition to upset her. Lord knows she wouldn't have blamed him if he had.

Catherine sat, staring into the fire, face still red from crying, when Mary opened the door to Francis's chambers. She looked up at her daughter-in-law, not yet sure if she even wanted her there. Mary didn't know what to say. She just looked at Catherine worriedly.

"So glad you could take time out from your scheming to visit your dying husband." She seethed.

"Scheming?" She asked, praying she didn't know.

"Oh, don't act so surprised. Your not fooling anyone. Did you really think you could keep me from finding out? I know about you and Conde.?" She told her as she stood.

"Yes, Francis told me you'd found out about our...affair." she said, looking off to the side. She didn't want to look her in the eye. It was the first time she'd heard herself say that, and she felt awful that this was the situation she had to admit it in.

"I don't mean your little tryst with the Bourbon! I am speaking of your treasonous plan to run off with him, back to Scotland!" She was upset by her still trying to lie even after she'd been caught.

"How..." she started. She couldn't understand. She'd been so careful.

"I have my ways...but this time, it just so happens I was informed by Narcisse." She said. Mary's eyes grew wide. He's the last person she needed to know. "Now while that information may be dangerous in my hands, my relationship with you will let you keep your head. Narcisse on the other hand...It is ten times more dangerous in his, since you killed his son." She wanted to question her about Narcisse, but knew this moment was not the time. She would have to deal with him later.

"I had to do this. My country is in shambles. I needed to go and try to save it." She said.

"Please, this has nothing to do with Scotland. You are running away from your problems. Hiding from your pain. You think if you leave, your memories stay here? It dosen't work that way my dear...And all the while you're trying to make yourself feel better, you have been devastating Francis. He has done nothing but try to make things right, and instead of letting him help you, letting anyone help you, you hurt him in the worst way possible. Of all the ways the prophecy may have played out, I never imagined you'd kill him by breaking his heart." She worked her way between angry and upset. Mary cringed at her mention of the prophecy.

"I can't help that I fell in love with him." Mary said.

"Oh stop it. You can lie to your ladies, you can lie to Conde, you can even lie to Francis, but you can't lie to me. I know you better. You don't love him. He's just safe. Unsoiled by what happened to you. He has feelings for you so you know he'll do what you need him to, without question. And your affair, simply a means to lie to yourself further because you don't want to feel guilty for using him." She said. Her words went straight to Mary's soul, but still she would not let herself admit a word of it. She also couldn't seem to muster the strength to argue with her.

"We shouldn't be having this conversation here. With him lying there like that. It's not right." She said. She couldn't bare to even look at him yet. As long as she didn't look at him, it wasn't real.

"Who are you to lecture me about what's right? Your about to destroy France and Scotland and my son, all because your too afraid to face the truth." The anger started to overcome the sadness.

"I'm not afraid of anything..." she started.

"You are. Your afraid if you face it you won't be able to handle it. Afraid to try to work things out because it's more terrifying to fail than not to try at all. Well I won't let you do it. I won't let you throw away everything. I won't let you ruin my son's life, or what little he has left of it. I won't let you tear down France's future...or your own. I will move heaven and earth to stop you." She finished her speech and stormed out of the room. She didn't want to let Mary see her get upset again. Not at that moment. She wanted to make sure she understood that she would do whatever it took. No matter the price. Even if she was secretly praying that price would not be Mary's head.