Lady in the Iron Mask

Chapter 15

"This is the time when his bad deeds will matter,
"Now that he has prepared himself for heaven."
-The Prison, Alfred de Vigny

The crystalline waters shimmered elegantly, like crystals. Eve dashed her feet through it, creating ripples which could change the world, or so she wished. Slowly, she eased a hand into the fountain, and eventually she was stood in it, with the waters splashing around her hips. Now, Eve's once-beautiful dress felt constricting, and she slowly unfastened it, until she was left only in her underwear. From inside, she could hear faint music, although she couldn't say what they were playing. The orchestra's bass tones rocked her body into a false sense of security, and she swirled and twirled around in the fountain along to the beat, thinking of how fun it would be if Kiera and the others were here too.

Maybe she wouldn't feel so lonely.

Kieran stalked down corridor after corridor, interrogating guards on whether they'd seen his runaway charge. Most of them hadn't, but as he got closer to the western side of the castle, further away from the Hall, he came up with answers. They told him she'd been in a rush, appearing distressed. Although he wasn't too worried, slowly he had grown fond of Eve without noticing, and wanted to see how she was.

Eventually, he turned upon the small, ajar door he was certain she'd gone through. After all, it led to the small courtyard area below her window, and she had spent a long time looking out of it. Surely enough, she was there, easily discernible. A beam of moonlight lit up the fountain, causing Eve's crystal-woven hair to sparkle, and water trickled down her body as she danced, humming along to the orchestra which had begun playing some time ago. He approached her in awe at first, watching her twist and turn herself in mesmerising and unusual ways, her eyes closed.

They snapped open as soon as he got within a few meters of the fountain, shocked that he was even there. A little embarrassed, Eve began to gather up the floating remnants of her dress, scared of royal damnation, but he held up a hand and stopped her.

"What?" She huffed. "I'll get out of your precious fountain now, Your Highness."

Confused, she watched him as he began pulling both his boots off without any hesitation, and then his cloak, and finally his shirt. She inhaled sharply as she saw his abdomen go taut as he pulled it off himself, and turned her head the other way to not let him know she'd watched him undress, a small blush creeping over her face. She'd never seen a man's body before now.

He made his way over to the fountain, climbing in wearing very little apart from black leathers.

"Eve," Kieran rumbled, "You know I don't care about the fountain. I'm not that type of man."

She turned her back on him, bitterness from this evening bubbling back up again. Seeing him like this would just break her resolve.

"Just as you don't care about the 'peasants' of Lydon, I see."

"Of course I care, Eve; I go outside of the kingdom most days to fight enemies which would otherwise cause the kingdom harm!"

"Yes, and notice the emphasis on kingdom?" She pressed. "What does that word mean to you? Your fathers' approval?" Eve demanded angrily. "Do lives mean less than pleasing an old man momentarily?!"

"Eve, be quiet!" Kieran roared suddenly, and she became silent, a little intimidated. "What you're saying is taboo. You cannot insult a ruler and expect to get away with it."

She spun to face him again, expecting a cruel expression, but instead Kieran appeared stressed. It concerned her, but at the same time she had her own priorities.