Where Are You Sarah?

Escape

Finally the moon had rose.

I tip toed quitely to Sarah's room. 

Once outside her door I pushed it open slowly. to find her sleeping in her clothing. I tip toed to her side and put my hand over her mouth to muffle her. I leaned towards her ear. "Sarah wake up honey it's time to go." She woke up and looked at me. "Mph gtus py." She muffled. I took my hand off her mouth. "Sorry." I said with a smile. "It's okay I was said. Yes lets go."  Sarah whispered.

I took the bow out from underneath my apron and we started down the stairs, towards the stable. Before we went out the back door I strung the bow.

We made it to the stable then I heard someone behind us. I turned pointing my bow. "Sarah get into the stable now and get on the horse I rented for you." I whispered to her. Then Iooked back at the person. They started to walk forward when I relised that it was a man. "Who are you?" I said. He didn't answer and started to creep around me towards the stable. "I can see you don't move, or I will shoot." I said. "Your helping Lady Sarah escape!" It sounded like James but it couldn't be. He ran towards me something was glinting in his hand. What was it? Oh god it was a knife! He was going to stab me. I pulled the bow string back and shot.

I had always had a good shot. It must have gone through his heart because I heard a cry muffled by the ground but that was all. I crept forward to see who it was as Sarah came out of the stable leading our horses. I looked down. Ohno it was James. I had shot James! I started to cry. "Mary what's wrong?" Sarah asked puzzled as to my tears. "I shot James, the only man I've ever loved and I shot him!" I started to sob. I looked down at his face. Wait this couldn't be James his mole was on the right not left. Sarah pulled me away from him and helped me onto Blue Bell. "Come on Mary we're leaving, you can cry later. What if his brother comes out. The one who kidnapped me then we'll be in trouble." Sarah said. "Wait James didn't kidnap you?" I asked! " No his twin brother did." 

We rode away into the forest, I cryed silently for the man I loved. 

****

Sarah and I rode for hours only stopping to eat. We made it back to the Palace just around noon time.We where running through the garden on the way to John's room when we saw him Fitzy, John and Henry. Henry and John where sitting with Fitzy on the bench and she was crying. "Fitzy! John! Henry!" Sarah and I yelled as we ran towards them. They turned around and jumped up. Sarah and I launched ourseleves at John crying and laughing. "Sarah Mary! Where have you been?" Fitzy said through sobs. "It's a long story." I replied "Let's here it then." Henry said. "Wait first we should get Mary in some decent clothing and Sarah in something a little less threadbaren." John said with a little laugh. 

We all walked up to Sarah and I's rooms. We found Grace in my room crying. "Oh Gracey it's okay we are okay" I said as I ran and hugged her. I love your dress. "Thank you miss I bought it with the money you gave me." She said a small smile on her face."It's beautiful, and please Gracey my name is Mary." I smiled at her. "Could you please get me my black dress?" I asked. "You heard Mary?" John said to me the smile fadeing from his face. "Heard what?" I was confused. "You never wear black, I asumed you knew." John added. "Heard what please tell me!" I was getting mad now. "It's Annie." Fitzy said. "Shes been sentenced to death." She started to cry again. "Here is your dress miss... I mean Mary." Grace said with a small smile. Everyone left except Grace who helped me dress. 

After I was dressed I went out into the garden. As I walked along the different pathways I saw Lady Margaret Heveningham crying. I had killed her son. Are you crazy Mary he tryed to kill you! I walked over to Lady Margaret. "What's wrong Lady Margaret?" I asked knowing full well what was wrong. "Oh Lady Mary my son William was shot by a burgular who was trying to rob his brother James' house." Wait I had shot William not James. "Oh Lady Margaret I'm so so sorry." I hugged her "Thank you Lady Mary, my son James brought me the news. "Ah James is here." I said trying to mask my happiness. "You know my son?" She said. "Yes I met him the last time he was visting you at court." I lied "I'm so sorry than about William Lady Margaret, where might I find James?" I asked. "He was in the maze last I saw him ,paseing. And thank you Lady Mary it means a lot comeing from you." 

I said goodbye to her then ran to the maze. I heard him whistling "Greensleeves" as I ran through trying to find the center. As I rounded the last corner I saw James. 

"James!" I yelled and lept into his arms. "Oh James I'm so sorry!" I started to cry. "Mary what are you doing here?"He asked confused. "Oh James I have a lot to tell you, it would be best if we sat down." 

We walked towards the bench at the end of the maze, and I started my story.

"I was born at my parents estate in Norfolk county. My father is Sir John Shelton and my mother is Lady Anne Shelton aunt to the Queen. Five days ago my sister Sarah, my brother John, Lady Mary Fitzroy and Sir Henry Fitzroy were ridinng after hearing that our cousin Queen Anne was being tried for adultery and treason. Sarah and I where riding a far bit behind the others. I was behind Sarah when your brother William stopped Sarah's horse and kidnapped her. I rode back to the palace then dressed in my maids clothing and set out in the direction of Sutton as I saw him headed that way. I spent the night at the inn. In the morning I asked the inn keeper's wife if she knew of anyone searching for a maid. She told me you where so I set out for your house. It was a stroke of luck that Sarah was being held prisoner there. So I stayed and planned our escape. While we where fleeing last night William he." I started to break down. "He came at me with a knife and I... I..." I started to cry. "I shot him with an arrow. I didn't see who it was until after he had died and then as I'd never seen him before I thought." I started to sob and James pulled me closer to him. "I... I... I thought he was... was you." I sobbed even louder. "That is why I'm wearing black today. I thought I'd lost you forever. My original plan was to go back to the house and tell you everything. I'm sorry I really am. I thought that William had been you. But then after a while I started to doubt it, and James I love you." I said. He looked at me and smiled.

"I love you too. And I forgive you. Now may I tell you my story so that your conciens might be cleared a little.?" I nodded and he continued. "The day before you came. I had been at court seeing my mother with William. He told me that he needed to stay a little while longer so I headed back for my house on my own. I stayed overnight at the inn then told the innkeeper about my need for a maid to help Susy. When I returned the to my house William was there with Sarah. He told me who she was and that your parents had sent her to my house for the fresh air I was scared that William would hurt her. Just after he left you arrived asking for work." He looked down at me. "I knew that you where her sister." He said. "But how? I asked perplexed "When you were in the stable waiting for your horse I saw you and her talking." He bent down and kissed me on the cheek. "But then why would you let me into your house?" I asked, this was just to confusing. "Because Mary I hoped you would take her away from William back to safety." I embraced him and cryed silently into his shirt.

We sat there for a while then he tilted my head up towards his face. "Why are you crying Mary?" He asked me. "I'm crying for Annie. Shes going to die." I cryed more and he embraced me again. We sat there for while until just around dinner.

John watched James and I all the through dinner. Then Sarah, Fitzy and I had to go behind a set the carpenters had built for a pagent we were to be in. On the set there was a beautiful balcony with painted ivy all the way up the columns. We had to change into dark blue dresses with a matching mask with gold accents. Then we had to sing a song with other ladies of the court. At the end we where all standing there on stage then. James stepped onstage and turned to the court "I have asked the King and Lady Shelton parents and now in front of you all." He bent down on one knee in front of me. "Lady Mary Shelton will you marry me?" He asked? "Yes, Yes!" I launched myself into his arms. 

**** 

I was sitting in the garden at Hampton Court in which Annie had been arrested in. While I sat on the bench I watched little Elizabeth pace back and fourth muttering to herself about the idiots in parliment. Only she wasn't little anymore. Elizabeth was Queen, Queen of all England. With no man at her side Elizabeth was Queen of the biggest empire in the world. For the first night since Annie's arrest I smiled in my sleep.

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Thanks so much for reading guys tell me what you think. And stayed tuned for the epilouge. 

-Gilly :) <3