The man looked at Cecilia, his face betraying no thought or emotion, holding a somewhat neutral expression. He sighed lightly and quietly said in his low voice,"I'm doing this because it's high time that true justice be delivered and what is right comes to be. Malva Alderton has no place on the throne. 
You, Lady Cecilia, are the rightful Queen of Alvion. The tyranny of Malva the Serpent Queen must come to an end."

The man looked back down the hallway for assurance and quickly returned his attention to Cecilia, saying,"We haven't time for explanations right now, M'Lady, right now we must get out of here. All will be revealed once your to safety."

The man lead Cecilia out of the castle, through the wooden double door. The hedge garden lay before them, not so much a maze as a simple aligning of large well-trimmed hedge bushes that reverted back and forth between horizontal and vertical patterns. Nearby, just outside of the door, sat several wooden chairs and tables, casually placed around the open area just before the edge of the hedges. This area was more or less an area for casual outdoor relaxation.
Up above, the sun burned brightly down onto the earth, it's golden rays of summer warmth toasting the world below. It was nearly noon. The call for Cecilia's actual removal from her cell would be within the next several minutes, which meant there was little time left to spare. Within minutes of discovering her gone, the alarm would be raised, and the entire castle would be on high alert. It would take a short while after that for the city gates to be sealed. While not in total danger for time, they had to hurry and get to the stables.

"Let's go." The man said, rushing past the sitting area and turning right, walking at a very brisk pace, constantly looking around and back to Cecilia.
They soon had walked down the full outside perimeter of the hedge garden, avoiding passing through it, as it wasn't necessary to reach the gate.
Just as they reached the corner of the final hedge bush, the grizzled soldier muttered another curse and came to a ragged halt, extended his right hand backwards, indicating for Cecilia to stop.

Just around the corner of the hedge the gate could be seen, a small oak wood gate built into a large white limestone wall, which encircled the entire hedge garden. There was a guard milling around the inside of the gate, a wooden shield was strapped to his left arm and he carried a long spear in his right hand. He hadn't seen them yet, but there was too much distance between the hedge and where the guard now stood, he would see an attack coming easily.
They didn't have time to wait and see if he would move, time was against them.

The man with Cecilia reached back into the hedge bush with his right hand and began rapidly shaking a thick branch within the bush, causing the entire hedge to rustle loudly and shake uncontrollably behind them, he did this for several seconds before stopping. The guard heard it as intended, and began to quickly approach from his position, curious to the event. No sooner had he arrived at the hedge corner than to meet a powerful strike to his face, so hard it bloodied his nose with a sharp [i]crack[/i] and sent his dome-like helmet tumbling from his head down onto the ground with a metal clattering. Cecilia's rescuer had nailed him with the point of his left elbow. No sooner had he dropped his spear and spear to grab his nose in pain before the grizzled soldier kneed him in the gut, bending him over, and then waylaying him over the head with his right fist, knocking him out.