Crown of Blood | The White Princess

Betrayal of a Sister

As Lisbet hurried down the corridors of Gravensteen that night she made every effort to be silent and prayed that Francis hadn't woken when she left; that Jasper had received the note she sent him at dinner.

Slipping out into the gardens, the Princess ducked behind hedges and weaved in and out of trees until she saw a figure she recognised as her old protector and ran to him.
"Jasper!" She cried before clapping a hand to her mouth "oh God!" She hissed "I'm supposed to be quiet!"

Jasper turned and smiled down at her, bowing before he took her hand and gently kissed it.
"I wondered if that note was actually from you" he confessed with a grin "I was concerned I would find your mother waiting for me with an axe!"
"Don't mock her, Jasper, she has just cause to hate you, as do the rest of my family"

"But you don't" he pointed out.
"Because you protected me, helped me when I was in great need but they don't know that and I fear that you shall be dead before I can explain!" Lisbet snapped, folding her arms and staring up at Jasper with a slight frown on her face.

"So your mother intends to kill me then?" He asked, leaning against one of the tree trunks.
"Yes!" Lisbet hissed in response "and you need to go before she and my Aunt can! You need to go now Jasper! You saved me once and now I'm saving you!" She threw up her hands in exasperation when he didn't move, simply stared at her with an amused expression "what do you find so funny?" She asked "I'm telling you that you are about to die and you are on the verge of laughter, Jasper! What is wrong with you?!"

Jasper gave a small chuckle and Lisbet gasped as she spotted a solitary tear trickle down his face.
"How you have grown, Lisbet" he said, taking her hands "I expect you are wondering why I came to Burgundy? Well, it was to see you! There were so many reports at court about how beautiful you were, that you are witty, highly skilled with a sword and I can see that your family are right to be so proud of you! As am I, my dear"

"But why would you risk so much?" Lisbet whispered as she leant into his arms "in all truth I thought you would have forgotten me"
"Never" Jasper replied "when we last met I told you that I thought of you as a daughter did I not? Well that still holds true and I have been following your time in Burgundy as well as I can!"

Lisbet smiled a little and peered up into the old man's face, wiping away another tear that had made its way down his cheek.
"Do not weep" she told him "you must go now, Jasper and I would not want our last moments to be spent in tears" a small smile lit her face "thank you so much for all you did for me those years ago...I will never forget it...never, my dear friend...but now we must part again...I've had a horse readied for you...and you can pay your way back to England with this" she drew forward a small purse of gold and pressed it into his hand"

"I cannot take this, Lisbet" Jasper began but his friend quickly shushed him and stepped away so he could not give her the purse back.
"You will!" She commanded "or would you deny a Princess of England"