(no subject)

[idareyou]

After saying goodbye to Cosette, Mary scampers back to bed, where she is ostensibly lying with a headache while the rest of the household attends Mass. In fact, she has just time enough to tuck herself in amongst the linens before the door opens: her husband, back again.

Comments

[fieryface]

"If I didny have to be king--" He scrubs his hands over his face. "I don't like it either, you know."

[idareyou]

No. No, he doesn't seem to like it either. Mary scoots over a little on the bed, making room for him to sit next to her if he'd like. "I should have asked you before asking a friend to come here from--from there."

[fieryface]

He doesn't come sit. He folds his arms over his chest and frowns down at the floor again. "Aye, well-- it's done now. No harm done."

[idareyou]

"No harm done." Well, there really isn't any harm done.

If he had come to sit with her, she would ask about the Christmas holidays, ask what sorts of things they do in Scotland. They could tell stories about what they did when they were children, and what games they liked best, and what sweets. But he's still standing over there, tall and frowning, with his arms crossed, and Mary can't make herself try.

"I have some embroidery I must work on," she says after a silence.

[fieryface]

He knows he ought to go over and sit by her, try harder to make her feel at home. He gracious and gentle, and make her feel at home, reassure her that he doesn't mind about Cosette really, that he understands why she did it and doesn't blame her. And they could make plans for the holidays to come. The King of Scots and his Queen.

"Right, then," he says. "I'll-- be seeing you."

[idareyou]

"Yes."

She gathers herself up and takes herself out of the room, since she's now committed herself to embroidery. (Which is stupid and she doesn't want to do it and really she could stop right now as she walks past him, right this moment she could stop and put a hand on his arm and do a better job of explaining why she likes to talk with Cosette and do a better job of explaining that she does see now that she should at least have talked to James first about inviting someone to the castle--but she brushes past him instead, tucking away her skirts.)