Eve jumped with fright when the guard returned the next night, carrying a
cloth sack. "Here, change into this whilst I tell you the plans." he
said handing her a guard's uniform. She felt a little funny changing in front of
him and asked him to kindly turn around, "If all goes well there won't be
any part of you hidden from my eyes." he said causing her to blush madly. "IF! I don't even know your name." He turned back slightly catching her half dressed, "John Francis mi'lady.
I'll be your humble servant but you must hurry. One of the guards has passed out
from too much drink and I shall place him in your bed. I'm the last guard to
check on you tonight and you will of course be here. We'll walk out as if ending
our shift and go swiftly to a boat waiting by the Thames. When they come for you
in the morning we'll be safely away." Eve thought it seemed clever enough but no one would believe her a
guard, she was too tiny. As if reading her mind he threw a cloak over her hiding
her face, "Don't open your mouth, I'll do all the speaking for us. Until we
meet again properly." and he gave her a long slow kiss that left her
tingling from head to toe. Her fear abated for the moment she took his hand and placed it over her
heart, "Thank you, this will forever be yours." Mentally shaking himself he said, "It's time. We must move
swiftly." Hiding in a dark corner waiting for John to place his fellow
guard in her bed she prayed that this would work. Moving quietly through the
corridors and stairwells they reached the courtyard without notice. Walking with
a purpose and nerve neither felt they approached the last guard post before
freedom. "Good evening Francis." and the guard gave a funny look to the
small man beside him. "And you are?" "My cousin Everret, new to the force." "And why can't he speak for himself?" "Got into a fight at the Hog's Head and lost his tongue." Eve felt
herself getting woosy, he wouldn't believe such nonsense. "Alright, stay out of the pub's and you may make something of
yourself." letting them through. They walked out and moved swiftly down the street. "John, that was too
easy." He didn't answer but gave an insistant tug on her hand, urging her to move
faster. Just then the bells ran from the Tower, they had been discovered.
"Run for the river, don't look back!" he yelled shoving her hard and
taking off in another direction. Scared out of her wits and not knowing where to go she ran in the direction
of the smell of the Thames, dirty and forboding. She reached the river and found
a small lantern and a hooded man, but she had no way of knowing it was John or
not. "Eve" she heard whispered and she turned to find 3 guards holding
John. Tears welled in her eyes as the Captain took his dagger and made a slash
at John to stop him from struggling, making an angry cut under his right eye.
She didn't care that they tied her too tightly or dragged her back to the Tower,
what did they do to John? The next morning A gray rain fell from the skies that matched the mood on the commons. The
escape plan had failed, they were so very close. Eve said prayers not for
herself but the brave man that had risked everything for her. Being of noble
birth she was granted "the privilege" of being executed within the
castle walls by sword while common criminals faced the public, an afternoon's
entertainment for the bloodthirsty masses. Standing across the lawn she saw them waiting to be loaded for the ride
through Traitor's Gate, though most were guilty of nothing. It was then she saw
him bloodied and a shell of the man he had been, beaten for going against his
own. Their eyes met and for the moment time stood still, a longing and sadness
palpable between them. Knowing there was no greater punishment they could put
her through she ran for the top of the hill to get as close as she could to him,
the guards letting her have this one last look. "Why John, why?!" she
screamed to him and he held his head high when he answered, "This isn't the
end. I'd do it all again for just one moment with you." He was then kicked
rudely into the boat and his blue eyes were defiant until they could no longer
see each other. Those eyes would be burnt into her soul.