John swirled Caroline around. He looked into her eyes. They were the same deceiving eyes that he once fell for. She looked beautiful. Her sparkling green eyes were lined with dark lead and she knew just how to use them at her advantage. She gazed at John with a combination of innocence and allure. The exact way that she knew would draw John to her; would draw any man to her. Unfortunately, it earned her his attention for only a few seconds.

"John, you have no idea how much I missed you. I am sorry for hurting you so much. I was wrong John."

"Caroline, I accept your apology and I do forgive you. But I'm afraid your apology will do me no good. If you really want my forgiveness, break the engagement. In the mean time, I need to look for someone."

With that remark, John wriggled his hand away from Caroline's grasp and went to find Mary.

As he left the ball, luckily he was fast enough to catch which carriage Mary had been riding on. He almost encountered the King, but he hid behind a tree saving him from the king's gaze. He knew chasing Mary and breaking his engagement with Caroline would mean danger for him, but he couldn't help it. He would do his best to save himself from treason afterwards. Right now, he had to find Mary. He couldn't let her get away now.

As John turned to take a peek at King Henry, he saw how angry he looked. Henry's face was flushed, his eyes were red and he looked like he would burst from anger. He stomped inside the ball.

John chuckled. As much as he would be delighted to watch the show from inside, he had to go find Mary.

Anne Boleyn was looking intently at Jane Seymour. What was so great about her? She was bland. She was weak, submissive and a mare puppet to the Seymours. She had a plain face; she was definitely not striking as Katherine Howard, Caroline, or herself. Yet, she had won her husband's heart using the same game that once she had played. She and Henry both killed her son. Anne put a hand on her heavy stomach that held her empty womb.

Henry pulled Anne out of her deep thoughts. Henry walked inside as everyone bowed down.

"The ball is over."

With that remark, Henry stomped away to his chamber.

Anne Boleyn couldn't believe it. Mary Tudor had defied her father. Anne Boleyn always knew that Mary had a feisty tongue but she couldn't believe the audacity of the girl. She had talked back and refused her king.

"Everyone, I'm afraid the ball's over. Go home and have a good night's rest."

Anne rushed to her husband's chambers.

"Henry, what happened?"

But inside, Anne came to find that Henry was talking to his guards.

"You know the girl and the man that were dancing today. The Lady Mary and John; drag them both to me. I want them now. And if you don't find them, you will all lose your jobs."

"We will try our best."

"No, whatever it takes, you will bring them both to me."

As the guards left, Anne hugged Henry.

"What happened, my love? Did you talk to Mary."

"I don't wish to talk about it. Anne now if you would excuse me, I would like to be left alone."

Anne was just starting to leave Henry's chamber.

"Anne, you know that man that Mary was dancing with. I saw him around you, once or twice during the ball. What was he doing? "

"He was trying his best to gain Mary's attention but Mary ignored him. She looked like she was trying her best to get away from him. I was talking to Mary and the way that he was looking at her was not platonic in any way. I felt as if the only reason Mary was even talking to me was to get away from him. When we finished talking, I stopped that man and when I asked him who he was, he replied that he was my future step son-in-law. He sounded like he was sure of himself as well."

"When my guards return with him, I will have him sent to the tower for trying to seduce a king's daughter. What does this bastard think of himself? As for Mary, she thinks she can go out on her own, start her own life, and make herself believe that commoners can love her as though she were of their flesh and blood. She has forgotten her roots; forgotten where she comes from. She says she wants nothing to do with myself and my court; watch I will put her in her place. She will return to court whether she likes it or not."

Thoughts were rushing through Mary's mind. She had come face-to-face with her father. The same question repeated in her head. Did he find out who she was and would he come after her?

Mary slipped her silk white night gown on. She lay in bed but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't fall asleep. Thoughts were running through her mind, memories were playing over and over again and she couldn't bear the captivity of the four walls of her chamber any longer.

Mary slowly opened the doors of her chamber as she feared waking Rose and Abraham. It was dark everywhere and she had to use the guidance of furniture to direct her to the front door. As she went through the front door, she noticed the quiet earthly noises as it bear nothing but a breeze and a few birds chirping. The moon stood there whole, shining brightly being the only light source to the dark and lonesome night.

But as soon as her thoughts began to function, her very thoughts came to life. Right there stood John. He walked closer and his prevailing presence left her unguarded.

Mary was just about to walk back inside and close the door shut in his face but right before she could do that, John grabbed Mary's arms and pulled her closer to him. His strength prevailed and Mary had no other choice but to give in. He secured his hand tightly on Mary's waist not wanting at all to let her go. Her heart beat rose and she felt a feeling that she never felt before; an intoxicating combination of fear and excitement. Mary wanted him; she wanted him to never let her go; she wanted him to touch her like she's never been touched before but it was her rational side that stood as a barrier against these desires.

"Mary," John whispered as he brushed his thumb against her porcelain skin. For a second or two, he just observed her closely as he noticed how soft and succulent her lips were; how her porcelain skin glowed even more because of the moonlight; and how fear shone through her blue eyes. Desire burned through John as he watched Mary tremble. But it wasn't only lust that had captivated him. It was something deeper than that. He felt a connection with her and he knew in that very instant that she was made for him; and him alone.

"Let go of me," Mary fought his grasp.

"I'll let you go only if you don't close the door on me."

"Please John, don't you think you've done enough. Just leave me alone. I really want nothing to do with you."

"Just let me explain."

"You have nothing left to explain. Your wedding will be in a few short days. You shouldn't be wasting your time here with me."

"Mary, I don't want to marry her. I don't love her."

"John, then who is she and why has my father betrothed her to you? What was he talking about when he said that he had never witnessed a man that was ready to fight a king for the woman that he loved? You loved her before, haven't you and you've never once found it necessary to tell me."

John slightly weakened his hold on Mary used the opportunity to flinch, walk inside and slam the door at his face.

"Mary open the door," John said in a commanding voice.

"Go away."

"Fine, do as you please, but before I leave, I want you to look at this."

John slid a doll underneath the door. Mary picked it up and her eyes brightened as she realized what it was. The doll had two long amber braids and a crown symbolizing the Tudor dynasty. Mary opened the door.

"You're Johnny?"

John looked at Mary intently.

"Yes, I am Johnny."

Before Mary could fight the urge to hug her old friend, Mary fell into his arms as his arms securely locked her into place.

"I missed you so much."

As Mary finally dived into the comfort of John's arms, she spotted guards.

"John."

John released her and they both gasped as they saw the guards.

"We have to get out of here," said Mary.

John held Mary's hand tightly and started running immediately. His strength reigned over and forced her to run faster. The thudding of horses could be heard from about ten metres away. But John was fast; faster than any man Mary had ever seen before. They raced through the dusty pathway and came upon a bundle of trees. As they entered the forest and hid behind a large oak tree, the guards were no where to be seen.

Both of their breathing was heavy and both smirked at each other as they leaned on opposite facing trees.

But John was the first to break the silence. "We made it, we escaped them. You're quite the fast runner."

"Well, there are some things one has to learn if they are going to be living as a woman on her own," Mary said referring to the time she ran away from the goons.

The smirk was gone from John's face and it was replaced with a look of concern. "I'm sorry that I left you alone. I was hurt when you told me who you were; I was hurt that you had lied to me."

Mary didn't know what to reply. The handsome man standing in front of him was the same little boy that used to play hide and seek with her; the same boy who used to chase her around through the gardens of the court and he was the same little boy that she stole kisses from after she had witnessed her father kissing one of his mistress. As curiosity hit her at a very early age, she wondered what it was like to kiss a boy and so she had kissed the man that was standing right in front of her when he was only but a boy. And soon enough, she had realized that she didn't like Henri, the second son of King Francis and she would prefer Johnny's company over his any day.

But did that mean that she would forget the past few months and all that had happened? Did that mean that she would forgive him for abandoning her when she needed him the most? She had lots of questions in her head; lot's of questions about who Caroline was; and whether he had loved her once as her father claimed. Mary felt vulnerable. Here she was with an irresistibly handsome man who was trying to win her heart but deep inside she was fighting him. She never wanted a man to have control over her life ever again. She never wanted to feel weak and be in a place she could get hurt just like her mother had.

Mary didn't trust John yet. The way he touched her; the way he spoke; the way he put a strand of her hair behind her ear seemed all the more calculating to Mary. The way he looked at her couldn't be real. It seemed like on the outside he seemed like the charming handsome man that he was, but on the inside she felt as if he had ulterior motives. But that was only Mary's defence mechanism preparing her to fight heartbreak once again.

She couldn't forget what she saw at the ball. Before she even entered the ball, John was embracing Caroline. He was betrothed to her and now he was here with Mary claiming that he loved her. She related the whole situation to her mother's married life; but what she failed to realize was whether this time she was in the position of the queen or of one of her husband's many mistresses.

John looked at Mary. He could see the doubt in her eyes. She looked like she didn't trust him but he knew that he would do anything to change that.

"I think the king is looking for me. You should go home though. I think the guards have gone another way now. I should return home and warn Rose and Abraham."

John moved closer to Mary and her heart beat started racing. John caressed the corner of Mary's bottom lip with the touch of his long fingers and Mary trembled in response.

"I would never leave you Mary, I will never let you go ever again."

"You did once, John."

"And I have never been so sorry in my life."

"How do I know I could trust you again?"

"You don't but I would do anything to prove you otherwise."

"Then do it."

As John looked into her sapphire blue eyes, he couldn't resist. He lightly grabbed her face and kissed her with all of the hunger that he felt. Mary had never been kissed like that; never had been kissed so passionately. It was true that John was the only man she ever kissed whether he was John or Johnny. But this kiss had consumed her mare presence. It made her feel like a way she had never felt before. She had felt wanted. But with the force of the kiss, wanted was an understatement. Mary felt needed.

But Mary pushed him back. Her heart still pounded and Mary tried as hard as she could to calm it down. Her face was completely flushed and she was fighting the urge to kiss him again.

"You owe me an explanation, John. Who is Caroline? I'm not going to be kissing a betrothed man. Do you understand? I'm nobody's whore."

John smirked at her outburst. As vulnerable as she sometimes seemed, she was a strong woman that knew her place in life. Her outburst only made John want her all the more.

"I'll tell you who Caroline is. Just calm down."

" I want to know everything, John I want to know whether you loved her or not and when you met my father. And how'd you two meet?"

"When I met her, a man was forcing himself on her so I helped her…"

"That's what you do, don't you. You come to every girl's rescue portraying to be their knight in shining armour so they would fall for you just like that don't you?"

"Mary, just listen to my story."

John came a little closer. "And the only girl's knight in shining armour I am is yours."

"You shouldn't flatter me out of this. Just continue on with your story."

John chuckled. "Whatever you say, Mary. After we met, she told me that she has no place to stay and so I invited her to my home. After a month of being with her, I started, I'm not going to lie, I started falling for her. But one day, as we were walking, the king was passing by and he spotted us. He got off his horse and we curtsied. He asked for Caroline's name and he picked her up from her low curtsey and kissed her right in front of me. He asked her to go with him to court and I tried holding her back but she didn't oblige. She went with the king. After that I never saw her again until the ball. The king was trying to get us to reconcile and forced us to dance with one another. Soon she embraced me and apologized and that was when you walked in. I am so sorry for having to tell you about your own father's wrong doings but that's the truth Mary. The way I reacted the way I did the other day after finding out who you really were, I only reacted that way because I was angry with your father. But Mary, I know you are a princess and you deserve way better than me but I just want you to know that, I love you and what I feel for you is not even comparable to what I felt for her."

Mary stood there stunned. It all made sense to her now. But just as John had regained respect in Mary's eyes, she hated her father even more than she already did. But she didn't let the thoughts of her father hurt her anymore. She was utterly focused on the man standing in front of her. He loved her.

"I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry about my father."

As she spoke, a tear escaped and fell down her flustered cheek.

John moved closer and pulled Mary in for an embrace.

"Don't ever be sorry. You're better than him."

As he released her from the embrace, he cupped her face, looked into her eyes and assured her of something she always doubted.

"You're perfect to me."

Mary never felt good enough. She hadn't fought for the position that her mother had longed for her to take. She didn't fight to become queen as her mother had hoped. Mary had to save her life first. She wasn't the boy that her father and all of England had desired. She had thought that her illegitimate status would determine her fate. She thought that nobody would want her and she would never get married.

But John's a few words had taken away all that once mattered. It had taken away all of her doubts that she had about herself. In that serene moment, she felt perfect. She felt flawless as he looked down at her.

His fingers caressed her wet, flustered cheeks. She looked at his handsome face. Each thread of his hair fell together perfectly, weaving into curls that framed his bronzed face. His nose was straight and aquiline. His lips were formed, a little bit parted exposing his perfectly white teeth. His breath moved in and out in steady streams of air. His eyes were a brooding hazel as they gazed intently at her. In that moment, Mary wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on hers, raising her heart beat intensely as his tongue fought to take control in her mouth. She wanted to be within his grasp where his hands lay tightly on her waist securely putting her into place where nobody could take her away from him.

They kissed intently. But this time it wasn't John who pulled Mary in for a kiss. It was Mary who grabbed John's face and placed her assault. John responded with just as much passion. His consuming hands lay tightly on her waist just as she had desired. He moved forward and pressed her against an oak tree as she tightly grabbed his soft curls provoking his desires even more. John moved downwards on to her neck. Mary was panting as his lips moved back and forth at the peck of her delicate neck.

Alas, the thudding of horses echoed once again and Mary quickly pushed John off of her. John looked at her with questioning eyes.

"John we have to get out of here. I hear my father's guards. I don't know what he wants with me but we have to leave. I think they're coming this way."

The thudding seemed to get louder with each second.

"You're right, we must go."

John grabbed Mary's hand and they both ran keenly. The fierce wind blew Mary's waves backwards and she could feel the breeze tickling the hairs of her neck. Large droplets fell from heavy clouds and drenched both Mary and John as they ran away from the guards. Mary held his hand even tighter to avoid from slipping.

The thudding seemed to have averted and they stopped at a cottage. The rain had soaked both of them. They needed a place to stay for the night; or at least until the rain stopped.

They both stared at each other. John loved the sight of Mary with drenched hair and her soaked nightgown clenching tightly onto her skin.

"We must stay here for the night."

"What about Layla?"

"She's at home with the housekeeper. She's probably asleep by now."

Mary gulped nervously. She had never been completely alone with a man before; especially not in the state that she was in now. Mary remembered what happened the last time they were left alone in a room together. She did not want to repeat her mistakes but she entered the cottage anyways.

It was a small cottage. There were only two rooms. One room was where the kitchen was and the other room held a small bed with one pillow and a simple wooden closet. Mary sat on the bed. She was shivering and hugged herself at an attempt to warm up.

"You're completely soaked and you're shivering."

John opened the closet and looked for anything that Mary and he could wear. Mary trembled as she heard thunder yet she sat silently, watching him. He found two linen shirts and a pair of breeches. John handed her the shirt.

"Change into this. I know it's short but it's only me."

Mary took one look at the linen shirt. It was light and exposing. It would easily hug her breasts and expose the shape of it. It would only come down to just above her knee caps. She couldn't wear that. She couldn't expose herself that much in front of a man.

"I can't. I'll survive in these."

"Mary, look at you, you are shivering. You need to take these clothes off."

"No, John. I-I"

John cut her off.

"Look Mary, nothing is going to happen tonight if that's how you want it. I won't force you to do anything nor will I persuade you. I won't even touch you if that makes you feel more comfortable. I simply do not want you catching a cold. You can get pneumonia for god's sake. Just trust me."

John's words seemed sincere. Yet, she still did not feel comfortable changing into nothing but a linen shirt. She knew that desire would overpower both of them. But she could not deny how right he was. She could catch a cold or even worse; pneumonia. Maybe, this could be a test of whether or not John could be trusted.

Without thinking twice, Mary grabbed the shirt.

"Okay," she said hesitantly.

"I am going to change in the kitchen over there and you change here."

He closed the door behind him as he walked to the kitchen.

Mary stood there trembling in the cold. She didn't want to change into something that exposed too much skin and she definitely didn't want to provoke something that she would regret later. Without thinking twice, Mary reached for the ribbons that tied the neckline of her nightgown and pulled off the wet night gown that clung to her. The wet night gown lay drenched on the floor. Mary stood there with her bare skin steady with electrifying goosebumps. Mary looked around her to make sure that she couldn't be seen in the position that she was currently in. She embraced her arms around her body to warm herself and then thoroughly grabbed the linen shirt and slipped it on. The linen shirt was very loose, yet it managed to hug the most explicit curves of her body. Made for a man with broad shoulders, the linen shirt exposed Mary's pale shoulders. Although she felt exposed, she felt a little warmer without her drenched nightgown.

Mary sat on the bed, as her nerves screamed in fright. She hugged herself and her legs were crossed, one on top of the other at an attempt to cover herself.

John knocked at the door. "Mary, could I come in."

Mary's heart started racing. She had no idea what he would think of her at such a state. Yet she managed to say "Yeah you may come in" with her voice evidently hesitant.

John walked in. He simply observed her. Her chestnut hair was drenched as it fell down her waist. The linen shirt had hugged her curves. It clung to her breasts as it exposed the round, voluptuous shape. It emphasized her small waist line and her long pale legs were exposed. They were crossed, not in a frivolous manner but in a manner that seemed like she wanted to cover herself as much as possible. The neckline of the shirt hung down and her pale shoulders were revealed. Her eyes were large and exquisitely beautiful framed with thick, wet eyelashes stroking her eyelid fold as her pupils dilated. Her lips were plump and swollen from the kisses that they had shared earlier. John glimpsed at her legs; stared from the calves all the way to her exposed thighs. She was just as flawless as he had assumed. She looked irresistibly beautiful and her trembling innocently, and tugging at the ends of her shirt, trying to cover herself as much as possible didn't help John's case at all.

Yet John realized how uneasy she felt and tried to ease some of her nerves. He burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Mary demanded.

"You! The shirt is twice your size."

Mary picked up her wet night gown and threw it at him.

He caught it in midair and put it against his nose.

"Hmm smells like a girl I know."

Mary giggled.

"Are you always this playful?"

"Are you always this beautiful?" John smiled roguishly.

Mary's cheeks flushed.

"Are you always this frivolous with girls?"

"Only with girls who look as beautiful as you when they're blushing."

Butterflies fluttered within her stomach and she found herself smiling.

"You look very cold."

John opened the closet one more time and took out a blanket. He wrapped it around Mary's shoulders.

"Thank you."

"No problem, princess. You should rest. It's been a long day."

"Princess?"

"What you have a problem with being called a princess?"

"No, it's just nobody would ever dare to call me that."

"As I said before, I would get charged with treason a million times if it was for you."

"Now sleep."

"But where are you going to sleep?"

"On the floor."

"I don't want you to sleep on the floor."

"But I don't think I have any other choice, princess," he replied as he played with her long hair.

"Besides you're way too precious. I would never allow you to sleep on the floor."

"John, Stay with me," Mary said hesitantly.

"Are you sure? You would allow me to sleep on the same bed as you?"

"We don't really have a choice, do we?"

They both scrunched up beside each other. John held her close to him as he lay her down on his fore arm. Mary felt warm and protected in John's arms and she huddled up as he held her close to him.

"Who's the couple that you stay with?"

"Rose and Abraham? They found me after I ran away and took me in."

"Are they good to you?"

"They're very nice. John, you know they didn't treat me any less than they would if I was one of their family members. They were so good to me. They endangered their lives for me and they want nothing at all in return."

"How long are you planning on staying with them?"

"I-I don't know. I haven't really thought about that."

Mary hadn't even thought about that. She knew that she couldn't live with Rose and Abraham forever and interrupt their married lives but she didn't really have anywhere else to go either. The only other option was to surrender herself to her father but she no longer wanted a life at court or a life with her father in it.

"Mary, do you ever plan on going back to court?"

"No, I don't. Why?"

"Marry me."

"John do you even know what you're saying? The king will send you to the tower and have your head cut off. He already has you betrothed to Caroline and you know that he's searching for me."

"I don't care about the king or Caroline. As for getting sent to the tower. We'll find a way. Elope with me. We'll go somewhere else. Just you, me and Layla."

"I don't know John. It's not that easy. What if the king catches us? We'd both be killed."

"We'd find away. I know we would."

"What about Layla? Do you want her to grow up with no parents when we get sent to the tower for treason? I'm a king's bastard John, marrying me would be putting yourself in great danger. And even if the king accepts our marriage, knowing you, I know that you don't want to get involved in a complicated life that comes with marrying me."

"You're not a king's bastard, Mary. You're so much more than that."

"Then what do you suppose I am, John?"

"You're the legitimate daughter of a great queen, and the grand daughter of some of the greatest queens and kings in history. You're a great emperor's cousin and most importantly." John paused

"Most importantly?"

"And most importantly you're the love of my life, Mary. Mary I just want you to know that I would do anything for you Mary, anything. We will definitely find a way to get through this. We'll find a way to get through your father."

With that remark, John locked his lips with Mary as she secured his arms around his back in response. His kiss was electrifying, sending chills down Mary's spine. Her heart raced instantly. She could barely think and even if her head screamed out not to do what they were about to do, her desire for him overpowered. John's hands traveled down between Mary's thighs and he stroked her under linens. She gasped in response. John pulled her linen shirt up as it reached her stomach. As he broke his kiss with her for air, he took one last look at her.

What lay underneath him was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen. He observed her body keenly. He could take her today if he wanted to. He was pining for her and now he could finally have her. He knew that she wouldn't be able to resist his charms. He knew that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. But then he looked up at her face. She looked up at him and she seemed as angelic as ever; with a face that was hard for any man to resist. But then he looked deeper into her eyes and he could spot doubt in them. The way she looked up at him emitted innocence; innocence that he just could not take away from her; at least not yet. She was a stunningly beautiful princess and she did not deserve to feel any sense of remorse and guilt after the first time that she gave herself to a man; the first time she gave herself to him. John would wait. He would wait until they got married.

John caressed her flushed cheeks with his fingers and whispered, "I love you so much, Mary. More than you can imagine."

He kissed her forehead, pulled her shirt down, slipped into the space behind her and pulled her in an embrace.

"I love you too, John." That was the first time he had heard these words coming out of her mouth.

My daughter Mary; I have finally seen her after five years. I know I have been ungrateful to her through all these years but ever since I saw her; all of my anger faded. She was crying and my heart reached out to her although I didn't know how to face her after I couldn't recognize her. I can't believe I didn't recognize my pearl. My little pearl had grown so much; grown to be a young and beautiful woman. I was surprised. She truly had grown so much. I remember her only being a little girl running around in court screaming out Papa whenever she wanted my attention. She was such a beautiful carefree little girl back then. Although, I neglected her, this girl turned out to be an exact replica of both me and Katherine. She resembled me so much that nobody could quite claim that she is not my blood. She has a lot of my features but Katherine's spirit is still alive in her. She's stubborn like her mother; too proud for her own good; always composed acting like the princess she was brought up to be. She thinks I don't love her because I had illegitimatized her but she's wrong.

It breaks my heart that she's doing this. She has signed the documents as I had wanted, but why had she run off? If she wanted she could have been reconciled with me and come back to court but she claims that she wants nothing to do with me; her father and her king. I don't know where she might be or where she lived for the past month. Probably with that commoner that she calls 'brother' and his wife.

I don't know what she's doing living with commoners when she could come back to me; her father. She shouldn't be referring to anyone but my future sons as brothers. But the way both of them were so protective over her, I haven't seen anything like it.

I had watched the man that she called 'brother' ask her if that was john and when Mary had said yes, he seemed like he was burst from anger. But I can't quite grasp what that son of a bitch John had exactly done to my daughter. Did he actually think that he could seduce my daughter; that he could marry her? Who does he think he is? I will surely send him to the tower putting his hands on my daughter and thinking he could marry her. This man needs to know his station and I will be sure to teach him. It didn't quite come to a surprise to me that he would seek revenge after I took Caroline away but why my daughter? She is innocent and is only but a child peeking it's youth. And he is nothing but a trivial commoner when my daughter is from the purest of all royal blood lines in Europe. For god's sake, she is a princ…

These were a few words from Henry. I know I usually write in the third person's point of view but I really just wanted to show what he's thinking about all that's happened. I may also be doing perspectives of different characters from now on, yet still tell it from a third person's perspective. So what do you all think about the sexual tension between John and Mary?