When Bash and Francis returned, they were accompanied by the castle priest.

'The execution has been set for tomorrow.' Francis informed me, as the priest stepped forward.

'I'm here to grant your Last Rites.' He did so and Francis escorted him out. I felt empty, as though he'd taken part of my soul with him. The weight this finality brought was resting heavily on my heart. I didn't know what awaited me in the afterlife, but I wasn't willing to bet I'd find a forgiving God waiting to welcome me with open arms.

Luckily, I had Bash who gave me a comforting hug.

'I wish there was more we could have done.'

'You tried, Bash, and I am so incredibly grateful to you for that. But my fate was written in stone the moment I laid eyes on her.'

Francis returned, closing the door firmly behind him. He looked so troubled.

'I know you never really trusted my words of support for your relationship, but you loved my mother. I saw the proof of this and of the love she returned for you. It pains me to see her suffering now, especially given how she'll be forced to live with the anguish of that, as well as her grief.'

'Francis, I'm not sure this is helping.' Bash reprimanded him.

'It's alright, Bash. Let him speak.' Francis wasn't just unburdening his worries, he was building up to something.

'After this ordeal is over, I will be there for her. To support and comfort her. You have my word on that.'

I bowed my head, smiling with gratitude.

'But there is still this ordeal to get through. There is still tonight. One last night before your time together comes to an end. Something which, from what I've seen, you seem to be handling better than Mother.'

I glanced at Bash in confusion, but he seemed as lost as I did.

'I think you should see Mother, one last time.'

'Francis, have you thought this through?' Bash asked. 'Is this wise?'

'Probably not and I realise I may come to regret it.' He acknowledged. 'But part of Mothers suffering is her inability to let go of things. She's already talking about the revenge she'll enact on Father, which isn't going to help anyone. Least of all her.'

'But how will another meeting between them resolve this?' Bash pressed.

'They need the chance to say goodbye properly. Without the addition of unnecessary trauma.' Francis finished.

'Because beheadings are known for being without trauma?' Bash asked.

Francis looked at us, his eyes hard. It took a moment for me to see what was behind them. I swallowed.

'Less so if she doesn't see it. That's what you're getting at, isn't it? But I thought-'

'Father has agreed to excuse Mother from witnessing it.'

'So what's the problem?'

'When I went to inform her, her reaction was not what I expected. She's now insisting she has to be there. I tried talking her out of it, but she won't listen to reason.' He looked at me. 'At least, not from me, anyway.'

'You're giving us a chance to say goodbye properly, because you want me to talk her out of being there.'

'Believe me when I tell you, you won't want her there either. If she's forced to watch you lose your head, it will destroy her. I can't imagine you want that to be the parting image for either of you.'

I had to concede, Francis did have a point. Plus, he was giving me the option to be alone with Catherine once more before I was put to death. The fact that we may disagree some was surely a small price for that?

Francis took my deliberation as discomfort.

'You won't face the execution alone. Nostradamus and Bash will both be there for you. I'll stay with Mother, I'll look after her.' He added quickly.

'It's alright, Francis. As it happens, I agree with you. I don't think seeing my beheading will help her at all. Not that I don't understand her reasons for wanting to be there, but I need to be strong for her and I don't think I'll fare as well if I can see her anguish in that moment.'

Francis looked relieved.

'I'm glad we agree. I think this will have a greater impact coming from you.'

'Francis, as thoughtful as this idea is,' Bash intervened. 'How are we going to go about arranging this?'

'Yes, what about Henry?' I asked.

'He's away from the castle, returning tomorrow in plenty of time. The guards will be drugged with a strong sleeping remedy, so they won't dare admit their lack of knowledge as to your whereabouts.'

'Are you absolutely certain about this?'

'Tomorrow you will lose your head, there's no changing that fate now. With the King away, there's no reason not to allow you both this one last consolation. I'm doing this for my mother.'

'You're a good person, Francis.' I told him gratefully.

'You'll make a great King someday.'

I admit, I was nervous about seeing Catherine. I suspected Francis wouldn't be far off the mark with her reaction but I longed to hold her in my arms, knowing it would be the final time.

I sat waiting, listening for sounds of the guards outside the door. Finally I heard them collapse from the effects of whatever drug Nostradamus had slipped them. Moments later, the door opened and Bash popped his head in.

'Charity, quickly now!'

I followed him out as he led me through the corridors, my heart beating a little faster. My excitement could not be curbed, but I knew if we were caught Bash would be in serious trouble. We came to an entrance to the secret passageways and he pulled me through. Finally reaching our destination, we stepped-out into a corridor I wasn't sure I recognised.

'Where are we?' I asked.

'A bit further along from the music room.' He told me, pointing me towards a door. 'Catherine will meet you there. It seemed a safe enough location should she be seen.'

He checked the room and beckoned me in.

'You wait here, Catherine won't be long. I'll stand guard outside and then I'll return you safely.'

I nodded, suddenly extremely nervous about this meeting. He left me as I sat taking deep, calming breaths.

When Catherine did finally arrive she was back in her full regalia, displaying herself every inch the strong, powerful Queen she was at heart. It was quite a sight to behold and slightly unnerving to be on the receiving end of that glare. She really could be so incredibly fierce.

I slowly rose to my feet and we stood there, unmoving, taking in the sight of each other. It felt like weeks since we'd last laid eyes on each other, when in reality it was only a matter of days. It was hard to believe but so much had changed, our future together no longer existed. My only consolation was that I'd managed to secure hers. It wasn't much, but it was something.

'I gather you spoke with Henry then?' I finally summoned the courage to speak.

'I'd ask if you honestly thought you'd get away with it, but that seems somewhat irrelevant.'

She moved towards me.

'This doesn't happen often, but I am genuinely speechless. Charity, what were you thinking?'

'What was I thinking? I was thinking that NONE of this is your fault and you don't deserve it. I was thinking that I pursued you and there was no need for us both to suffer my mistakes. I was thinking that, if nothing else, I would do my utmost damnedest to save you from paying for them!'

'Do you really think I won't suffer for this? That your execution won't haunt me for the rest of my days?'

I went to her and took her face in my hands.

'At least you'll live to see them.'

'But what's the point if you're not here to share them with me?'

Her demeanour had now greatly changed, tears forming in her eyes.

'You know, he was so impassioned with your argument he almost had me fooled.'

I was dismayed to hear this.

'Oh, Catherine, I'm so sorry. I never expected he would be able to convince you there was any truth to my story. It just had to be believable enough to cause him doubt.'

My heart wrenched at the thought of the pain this would have caused her.

'You're not to blame, Charity. Neither is Henry, if I'm being completely fair. I suppose there's always been a seed of doubt in my mind about what we shared.'

'Really? Even with everything we risked?'

'I suppose because of what we risked.. I wondered if it was really our love that made it all worthwhile, or if…'

'If…?' I pressed her.

'If maybe the need to raise your station was incentive enough for you.'

'Catherine, no! How could you think such a thing?'

'I'm sorry, I was wrong to doubt you. He was just so convincing in that moment.'

Tears filled her eyes as I took her in my arms. My heart was breaking and I couldn't think how I was meant to focus on logic and deter her from the following morning's spectacle.

I brought her face to mine, kissing her gently. The combination of her physical touch and her scent flooded my senses. We kissed, our hearts taking charge of the situation. The reality of my decision felt very different when I was actually confronted with her, I no longer saw the point in holding back.

We allowed ourselves to get lost in those kisses. It possibly wasn't the wisest of choices but the need was too strong.

When we were eventually able to stop, I pulled away, stepping back to create a safe distance between us.

'Catherine, Francis told me Henry has agreed to allow you not to witness the execution.'

'I'll be there.' She promised me. 'I'm not abandoning you when you need me most.'

'Catherine, no! Please don't put yourself through that. It's going to be nightmare enough for both of us, I don't want my beheading to be your final image of me.' I tried to reason with her, I had to convince her.

'I can't leave you to face it alone.' She insisted.

'I won't be alone. Bash will be there and I'll have thoughts of the two years of happiness we've shared.

'Two years,' she said quietly. 'Is that really all it was?'

'Well, two years since I survived the poisoning. I consider the change in our relationship from friends from that point.'

Catherine sighed heavily into her hands at the mention of my near-death experience.

'Please don't be sad. I'm so grateful to have been a part of your life at all, no matter how little time it was for. Two years, two months… that's not what counts, it's the mere fact that we were able to be together at all. That you allowed me into your heart. And if I had to do it at all again, I would. I wouldn't hesitate, not even despite the risks. Any period of time that I have been fortunate enough to be yours, it's worth so much more than a lifetime without. Please know I say this directly from my heart.'

I wrapped my arms around her as she surrendered to her tears. I wished I could take her pain away, but not this time. Not at the expense of her life.

I suddenly remembered words I had once spoken to her.

'I always said my love for you would be the death of me.'

She shuddered in my arms. I moved, our foreheads resting together.

'Shh, no more tears.' I hushed her softly. 'It's okay. You'll be okay, you're strong. So incredibly strong. Catherine, you are meant for such bigger and greater things in this life than just sharing it with me. You will continue to rise and soar and I will be watching every moment of it.'

I kissed her again, almost willing her to absorb my strength of determination. I needed her to be okay, to know she would survive this. I needed to feel it in my bones, so I wouldn't crumble along with her.