The music was filling the great hall. The night outside the iced windows was pitch black and only interrupted by a bright star here and there. Inside, the candles on the three shone bright and dipped the whole hall into a warm flickering glow. They had decided to keep the table small this year. When in the past, almost half of France had attended the festivities at court, it was only the royal family and trusted friends on this sacred evening.

The glasses clinked and the wine loosened the already bright spirits. Even Cathrine, who normally kept a cool facade, was wholeheartedly laughing at something Anne had whispered in her ear. Beside them, Kenna's head had fallen onto Bash's shoulder and his hands were gently massaging her huge belly. It filled Mary's heart to finally see two of her best friends happy and content with the marriage both had so viciously opposed at first. It was almost unbelievable how in love the two were with each other. It had certainly taken time and lots of screaming and tear filled fights but they had found there peace at last.

Greer was deep in conversation with Lola, who sat opposite her. She couldn't stop twisting the delicate ring Leith had placed on her finger for their engagement. Whenever someone would mention it, she would only blush and beam with joy at the thought of her nearing wedding. Leith, who held her hand under the table was conversing with Francis. Ever since their return from the war and battle for Calais, a friendship had blossomed between the two. However unlikely a pair - Leith was a low lord and Francis his king and ruler - both seemed to thoroughly enjoy each other's company.

Mary smiled to herself. No matter how angry she had been with Francis with being suspiciously secretive about whatever meetings he had attended today, she couldn't help but feel happy for him. The first few months of his rule had been troubled and had left their marks on them both. The constant stress and pressure had threatened to drive them apart. They had fought almost every day and the fate of two countries had weighed them down. It hadn't been before she had discovered her pregnancy that they had started to rekindle their love and trust in each other. Anne might not have been the heir France and both of their mothers had been waiting for, but she was the most precious thing in their lives. She had brought a weirdly calming harmony to their relationship. Maybe it was because they had someone else to share their love with or simply the kind of magic only a child could evoke. The warmness of her little smiles could melt any ice and her parents were eternal grateful for the precious gift god had granted them.

In the three years since her birth, things had calmed both in France and at court. It had certainly gotten easier with time and the had finally won the respect of even the most skeptical nobles. They were young and powerful, reigning over two countries and with valid claims to a third, which Anne had only manifested. Power always came with drawbacks and for now they seamed to have found a good compromise. They might not see each other every hour or sometimes every day, but it didn't matter Their relationship and love had grown into something bigger, able to bride the big gaps of time.

Francis caught her mindlessness staring at him, lost in her memories. He reached for her hand under the table and gently kissed her knuckles, giving her one of his warmest smiles. She returned the smile and relaxed back into her seat. From their place at the head of the table, they could overlook the whole hall and the decorations that had been put up this past week perfectly matched the spirit of Christmas. Thick fir branches were draped around the windows and atop the hearth. Deep red ties and ribbons were wound around the doors and pillars. Kenna had even found a mistletoe and had hung it beside the main entrance. Wrapped presents had been placed under the wide branches of the tree that filled the middle of the room. Red and golden balls were hung into the green needles and little angels and candles completed the Christmas adornments.

She still was exhausted but the excitement for the evening had suppressed any ill feelings. Especially now that she thought to know the cause of her daily headaches. Across the table she caught Anne's eyes and her daughter beamed back at her. She was perched in Cathrine's lap, who was vividly telling her Christmas tales. Every now and then a squeal would escape Anne's mouth and she would quickly press her hand to her lips in order to suppress the sound. Her eyes were beaming. She might only be three years old but the spirit and happiness of the Christmas festivities had already won her over. From the past years she knew that there would be presents waiting at the end of the night.

When the bells finally rang, everyone slowly got up from their respective places at the table and made their way down the stairs to the tree. It was tradition to sing carols around the tree, thanking the lord and one's loved ones for the past year. Mary was halfway down the stairs when Anne caught up with her, eagerly pulling at her hand.

„Maman, Maman, will I get presents now?" her eyes were lit with excitement.

„My angel, we have to sing first. You always loved these songs." Anne looked disappointed for a moment, but the mention of her favorite tunes seemed a worth wile compromise.

Anne took the place between her and Francis, who quickly kissed both of their cheeks. Everyone joined their hands and the musicians gave the first tunes.

„Silent night, holy night,

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin mother and child.

Holy infant, so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,

Shepherds quake at the sight;

Glories stream from heaven afar,

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ the Savior is born,

Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night,

Son of God, love's pure light;

Radiant beams from thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth."

Their voices rang though the hall filling every last corner. While most of the men kept their voices hushed, the women, talented or not, sang wholeheartedly. Especially Claude seamed to really enjoy the song, even twirling on the spot a few time, before throwing the men a cheeky grin. At her side, Francis did his best to match the notes and the slight deep hum in his voice mad her smile. Anne did her best to follow the song. As she was not yet able to read, she loudly squealed the few words she did know, wearing a proud expression on her face.

When the instruments stilled, Kenna, Lola and Greer all came to hug their queen, wishing a merry Christmas. Cathrine also mad her way through the small crowd and kissed both her cheeks, giving her a very rare genuine smile. As much as Mary might have once despised the women, the more she now valued her honest and heartfelt wishes. Even Claude offered her well wishes and flung her arms around her sister in law. Francis sister distinctly smelled like wine but she truly seemed happy when she let go of Mary.

„Merry Christmas, dear sister." she smiled at Mary, who in turn thanked the girl.

The moment, especially Anne had been anticipating for days, finally arrived. Kenna was the first to snatch one of the presents from under the tree. Mary could see her presenting Bash with some small object and heard his laugh in response. Whatever it was, Kenna's creativity when it came to picking out presents, had no borders.

Anne already lay sprawled under the bottom most leafs and tore at the paper covering a doll, one of the numerous presents carrying her name. Greer was the first to approach Mary with a gift, placing a wrapped box in her hands. When Mary removed the bow she found a delicate neckless, embellished with a beautiful dark red stone, matching perfectly with her dress. One after the other her friends presented her with their gifts. A delicate new fur coat from Kenna, a bottle of some sort of strong smelling liquor from Claude, earrings from Cathrine, a silver shining bracelet made of tiny chains from Lola and a pair of thick woolen boots from Bash. The last present in particular made her chuckle, he knew her so well.

When most had settled around the fire, enjoying the fresh hot mulled wine and little tarts and cakes from the kitchens, Mary could make out Francis blond head of hair, hovering under the tree with an equally blond head, undoubtedly belonging to Anne, beside him. Just when she wanted to approach them - she had not yet given Francis his present - they turned to her on their own accord.

The sheepish smile from earlier in the day was playing on Francis' lips once again and Anne tightly clung to his hand.

„I have a present for you, Maman." Anne exclaimed proudly, holding onto a wrapped box.

„Anne, darling. It's our gift, remember." Francis gently teased her and promptly earned an unnerved roll of eyes.

„Yes, Papa helped as well." Anne compromised.

Francis chuckled at her side and his eyes met Mary's. The warm tone of his eyes, she had fallen in love with, was there again and more enchanting than ever. The slight tingling sensation in her chest and the sudden calmness of her mind were proof of it. He smiled and the warmth reached every last cell of her body.

„Here you go." Anne rose to her tip toes and carefully placed the box in Mary's hands.

The bow looked slightly uneven, with the one end visibly shorter, but Mary found she couldn't care less. She weight the present in her hand. It was lighter than she had expected and she was curious to find out what the box held.

„You have to open it, Maman." Anne's head peaked over the present, looking at her mother expectantly.

Beside her Francis suddenly looked somewhat nervous, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He reminded her of the younger child version of himself. The shy little boy, who had gifted her perfectly round rocks and sharpened sticks, engraved with her name, for her birthdays.

She carefully pulled at the bow and when it fell of she opened the box. Inside was a piece of embroidery. Multiple colours were messily stitched together and on the bottom right edge she could make out a crooked ‚A' and ‚F'.

„Do you like it Maman?" Anne asked sheepishly.

„Of course, darling. It's perfect." she gave Anne a big smile and pulled her daughter up into a big embrace.

„It's supposed to be you." Francis turned the piece in her hands so that the green parts faced the bottom.

Now that he had told her, she could in some ways see herself it it, or at least make out a person in the stitching. The green bits represented her dress and the mixtures of reds, pinks and white probably were her face, she guessed. The one thing she could clearly make out, where her eyes, two deep brown spots with tiny bits of white, representing the reflections of light. It was messy and some of the threads faced the wrong way but to her it was perfect.

„Did you make this?" she beamed up at Francis, who's face took on even more intense colour.

„Yes, well at least I tried to. I know it's not pretty. It doesn't do you justice at all and it probably looks nothing like you and …" he twisted his finger, looking at her anxiously.

„It's perfect." she meant it, wholeheartedly. „Is this what you've been doing today?"

„Well that and something else." he grinned with excitement.

„There's more?"

„You remember all the time we dreamed of going to the south? Somewhere warmer, where the orange trees blossom and the warm air tastes salty like the sea." he took her hand in his.

„Yes" she nodded."

„I finally found an appropriate chateau for us. Lord Henry, you know the one with the long beard you thought looked like a whale?" she snickered in response. „He agreed to sell me one of his chateaus at the Cot d'Azure. If all goes well, we can spend a month or two there the coming summer."

She was utterly speechless for a moment and in the next she though she might actually burst into tears. The familiar heavy feeling already in her eyes, and her vision was suddenly cloudy. She had never in a million years expected anything like this. And the surprise truly hit her full force.

„I love you." she dropped the excess wrappers and threw her arms around his taller figure, burying her face in his neck. „Thank you so much, darling."

She clung to him and he rested his head atop of hers, wrapping his arms around her middle in response. He smelled so much like Francis, the faint scent of pine wood and lavender. There was no other person she had ever felt closer to and their love was the greater gift of all. The had been lucky, so incredibly lucky. Not many arranged marriages resulted in such genuine affection for one another.

They barely moved, both caught in the moment and rush of emotions. Only when she she felt a tug at her skirts, she turned to find Anne's expecting eyes.

„Come here darling." she picked her up. „ We are going to south this summer." she put a small peck on Anne's cheek that made her chuckle.

„You will love it." Francis pinched her cheek.

The soaked in the warmth and love of the moment, none uttering a word. With Anne in her arms and her other hand tightly intertwined with Francis', she leaned her head against his shoulder and let her eyes trail around the hall.

While most of the others were already comfortably snuggled onto to the lounges before the fire, thick woolen blankets keeping the chill away, Kenna and Bash were still sitting beneath the tree. They were encompassed by a sea of wrapping paper, bows and ribbons around them. Kenna's eyes were closed and her face half covered by Bash's chest. He was whispering something in her ear and she responded with smiles every now and then. Both their hands were interwind other belly and Bash gently rubbed her back.

Greer and Leith were involved in a similar scene over by the fire, exchanging kisses and sweet smiles. Even Cathrine seemed fully engolged by the heartwarming atmosphere around her. The older woman sat right next to her youngest daughter. Claude's hair was messily flying across her face and her closed eyes signaled her being asleep. Cathrine gently pushed the stray stands behind her daughter's ear, caressing the top of her head. She had even pulled a blanket across both their lives.

When her eyes fell back to Kenna and Bash, who seamed to practically ooze love around them, she remembered what she had longed to tell Francis the whole day.

„I haven't given you your gift yet." she reached for his face, gently cupping his cheek.

„You do?" Francis looked at her empty hands confused.

„Well I can't actually give it too you yet." she bit her lips and he slightly turned his head in response. „I wasn't really sure until today but I am certain now." she exhaled one last time. „Let's just say that Anne will be a big sister by summer."

„No, you're pregnant?" now it was Francis, who couldn't contain his overwhelming joy. „Another baby?" he was close to tears and the blue in his eyes only deepened.

„Yes" she beamed at him. „Maybe this time it will …"

But he cut her of, pressing his lips to hers. He took her by surprise and she needed a moment before she was able to respond. It was a kiss filled with both sweetness and intense desire at the same time. His tongue licked along her bottom lip and she parted her lips in response. His hands were working through her hair, careful not to mess with her braids, and pressed her even closer to him. By the time they let go, both were completely out of breath and red faced. They had nearly forgotten Anne, who had been pressed up between them and when they met her appalled face, neither could contain their laughter.

„Stop it, Papa." Anne's lips rounded into a pout and her tiny fists tried to push against Francis chest.

He only chuckled in response „We will have another baby, you will get a little sibling to play with."

„But I don't want another me." Anne's eyes grew wide.

„No one could ever replace you, darling." Francis only shook his head and rested his forehead against Mary's. Both smiled in accord.

„Merry Christmas, my loves."

Thank you so much for reading. I really hope you enjoy my short story. Please review and favorite if you liked it, I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

Again, have a very merry Christmas and happy holidays :)