Five POV

I sat there, watching the Holbein man painting Dolores' portrait, frustrated with how long it was taking. But more than that, I was frustrated with its commissioner. He had no right. I don't care if he's the king. That's my wife.

Dolores had come back into the chambers shaken up, her hands trembling, and explained what had happened between her and Henry. And I thought I was mad before. Makes me want to stab that man in the neck with a fork, and twist it around until all his vital vessels are obliterated. Self control, Five. Low profile.

Dolores eyed me, raising her eyebrows in annoyance. She'd been sitting for this portrait for two hours already, and it was getting old.

'Don't move your face.', the Holbein man said, looking up from his canvas.

'Apologies.', Dolores said.

'Please do not speak.', he answered her. I bit my lip, folding my arms in front of my chest over the stupid doublet I was wearing. It was puffy, with jewels studded in various patterns all over it. The medieval folk didn't have the right idea when it came to clothes. It felt like wearing a set of curtains from a sixty year old cat lady's apartment.

'Mr. Puddles.', I whispered under my breath, being reminded of the cat Vanya's neighbor so frequently called and asked about. I'd had to answer that phone call more than once or twice, and I'd lost patience with the woman. The dang cat was probably dead by now, long run over on the street and eaten by scavengers. Circle of life, Karen.

'Excuse me, sir?', the man questioned me, sneering up from his palette. I narrowed my eyes.

'Nothing of your concern, Holbein.'

He went back to painting, and Dolores looked exasperated. All this for a portrait she wouldn't need, as we would be going home soon enough (I promised her), and requested by a man who had no right. Didn't he have countless whores at his disposal? Couldn't he have any woman in England if he wanted her? Why my wife, of all people?

I swear on my own life, and everything important in the world, though, that he wouldn't touch her. He wouldn't get near her again. I wasn't going to leave her alone anymore, not until we got out of this ancient hell-hole.

'Ah. Done, my lady.', Holbein said, stepping back from his portrait. He turned it around, revealing it to us. It was a shocking likeness. From the moment I first saw Dolores, I knew she looked straight from a painting. And seeing it now, it looked just as fitting as something in a history book. Some chapter extolling great beauty, the majesty of a queen, and everything good. She was incredible. This, indeed, was why the king wanted her so badly. England's greatest beauty wasn't from this time.

'Beautiful.', I whispered to Dolores. She smiled, blushing. Holbein bowed, thanking us for our patience. He took the portrait and left, presumably taking it to the king. I couldn't protest this, although every bone in my body wanted to. This was his request.

Once he had gone, she stood up quickly, throwing herself into my arms, the long sleeves of her red velvet gown flowing in the air and she went. She ripped the hood from her head, letting her hair loose, as it had been irritating her for hours now. I kissed her, and she placed her head on my shoulder.

'Don't leave me alone again.'

'You can be sure of that.'

Diego POV

'See? I told you.', Lila said assuredly, sitting by me as we watched several screens on the infinite switchboard. I was speechless, I couldn't understand.

An older, teenage Annie sat on the roof of the manor in the pouring rain, a young curly haired man sitting by her, seemingly comforting her as she cried her eyes out. He patted her back, and her shoulders heaved beneath a jean jacket, where tattoos snuck out of her sleeves on her wrists.

'Turn up the volume.', I said to Lila, moving my hand but not letting my eyes shift from the screen.

'On it.

The sound came on, and we heard their muffled conversation through the sounds of falling raindrops.

'It's not your fault, Annie. It was an accident.', the boy said as he reached for Annie's hand. She shook her head as her shoulders heaved once more.

'It all happened so fast, Ro. And before I could stop myself, he was dead.', responded through her tears.

'Wait a second, pause the footage.', I said to Lila.

The screen froze on the pair.

'Who died? What's she talking about? And who is the guy?'

'I'm not sure who died, but I know it was her fault. The guy, he's one of the members of this new academy. His name is Roman.'

'Allison.', I whispered underneath my breath, remembering she was pregnant.

'Wow, a true sherlock. How do they get anything past you?', she said sarcastically, tilting her head.

'She said it was an accident, though, how do you know it was her fault, whatever she did?'

'I can't be sure. I can't find that part of the footage. But she killed someone. Very obviously she's tore up about it.', Lila spoke, a nonchalant tone in her voice.

'Play it again.'

The footage started back up, and Roman lifted a black umbrella from his right side, opening it up and putting it over the two of them. Annie leaned her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her.

'It was quick, Annie.', he whispered.

'I loved him, Ro.'

'I loved him too, An.', he said, grabbing a piece of her hair with the hand that was wrapped around her shoulder. 'But wishing can't bring him back.'

'He didn't deserve this. He was too good. I'm a monster.'

'We're all monsters, then. You've got the best heart out of all of us.'

'There's one exception.'

They looked at each other, and then Annie nestled closer to him, burying her face in his chest. The footage cut off.

Lila and I sat in silence for a moment.

'How many of them are there?', I asked lowly.

'Six of them. One younger than the others.', she answered.

'Are they happy?'

'Did that look happy?'

'But the others? The other kids? Is there footage?'

She clicked some buttons, pulling another scene on to the screen.

The room lit up in orange from the light emanating from the screen, and Lila turned the volume up more. A screech rung out, a girl's voice. Five others came to her side as she crouched down in a patch of ground that wasn't utterly covered in flames. They sat there, working to pull a body out from the rubble as everything around them went up in flames. A redheaded girl, the one who cried out, got up, covering her mouth as the boy who'd been sitting with Annie and another girl dragged the body out. The scene was heart wrenching, disastrous.

'This is their future, Diego.', Lila said, stopping the footage. 'This is the future for these kids if you don't stop Five from forming this new academy. Hurt, and pain, and loss. Misery.'

'I'm going to keep this from happening. For the sake of my family.'

Lila looked me in the eyes.

'My gosh, it's good to have this heroine by my side again.', she said, smirking.

I looked back at her, wearing a plain face. I couldn't think of anything except the two scenes she'd shown me. And in that moment, I knew it was my duty to change this timeline.

Dolores POV

A knock at the door. A really loud knock rung out, and a booming, commanding voice accompanying it.

'Sir Francis Hargreeves, his majesty commands your presence at a meeting of the privy counsel.'

We looked at each other, confused. He stood up, approaching and opening the door.

'I'm not on the privy counsel.'

'Nevertheless, sir, his grace requests your presence.'

'His grace can give a good warranting reason if he wants me to come.', he said, closing the door.

The guard put his foot between the door frame and the swinging door, stopping it, pushing it open again. Candlelight spilled in from the hall, lighting the dark room. It was nighttime now.

'His grace told me to inform you that his request is not optional. 'Tis a command.'

Five ran a hand through his hair, looking back at me. I nodded to him.

'Why is the counsel meeting so late at night?'

'I cannot answer, sir, I have been sent only to retrieve you.'

Five stood silent for a moment. 'And my wife? Lady Dolores?'

'She is to stay in these chambers.'

He looked back at me, questioning eyes. I nodded, slowly, reservedly. If this was a direct order, he couldn't disobey.

'I will comply.', Five answered him, regretfully. 'Dolores, stay here, and don't let anyone but Lady Anne in.'

I nodded, agreeing easily. Five exited the door, eyeing me as he went. The guard closed the door, rather aggressively. For no good reason, my stomach became uneasy and my heart rate shot up. I was nervous, and there was no reason to be. I sat on the bed in silence, laying there a while, admiring the tapestries and the veils that wrapped around the bed frame. Five was well gone now, and I was bored alone, counting the ruffs on the veils as I laid back.

I began to undress myself, taking off the itchy gown I was wearing, letting my hair out of the loose braid Five had pulled it into, until I was only in a thin linen nightgown, bare feet, all alone. I sat down at the vanity on the side wall, and began to brush out my hair. All was still and quiet, and there wasn't a sound except the brush going through my hair. I began to hum to myself, and then yawned, tired.

And then, there were footsteps.

My heart started pounding again, and I set the brush aside. The steps came closer and closer to the door, making me feel sick.

And then, a knock.

'Five?', I asked, my voice shaking, hoping with all my heart that it was him returning. 'Is that you?'

There was no response. The footsteps stopped at the door, and I saw their shadow standing in front of it. I ran to the fireplace, grabbing a metal rod used to stir the fire. I backed away from the door, nausea forming a pit in my stomach.

There was no knock, but the door came open, a key turning in the lock despite the fact that Five had locked it behind him.

'Lady Dolores.', a voice spoke, and I immediately recognized it. My eyes began to well up with tears as the figure walked into the room, slowly.

'Your portrait is ravishing.', it said, moving closer. I wielded the pole in front of me, backing up. 'In fact, I have never seen such great beauty.'

'Your grace, I implore you to leave, for my husband is not here and you have made me uncomfortable.'

He looked up at me, his face lit by the candlelight.

'I know he is away. Francis, is it?'

I nodded.

'Ah, see, that's the issue. I've had my informers search the records. I sent men to the four corners of England to find your relatives, and there are none, Lady Hargreeves. If that indeed is your real name.'

'I promise you, your grace, it is my real name, but please, do not come any closer.', I said, gripping onto the pole.

'Dolores, pity you Dolores, poor, stupid girl. Put that poker down.', he said, getting closer still.

'A meeting of the privy counsel. Did you truly believe that?'

'Your grace, what have you done with my husband?', I asked, my voice shaking tremendously.

'I've had him taken to the tower to be questioned.', he said, removing his large robe. 'And I shall see to it that you follow him, in a moment.'

'In a moment?', I asked, my hands trembling.

'I have business to do with you.', he said, running a hand through his beard. 'Don't you know, Lady Dolores, that I despise being refused?'

And he came towards me, and before I could scream, he'd disarmed me and placed a hand over my mouth, rendering me defenseless as to what happened next.