Twillight Tour at Tower of London

Source : https://www.flickr.com/photos/sksamuel/6227954060

Valecia tapped on her oyster card to the scanner soon as she got on the bus. She took a seat upstair, near the window, in the middle part of the bus. The old-school doubledecker went through the street in a second, passing by the mapple trees whose some of the dry leaves fell off underneath. When the bus went across the tower bridge, her cell phone rang—a massage from Voila informing her that she had been there just now.

Valencia looked outside the window, to the far west. She could see the the London Eye started blinking in a smooth circular movement. To the further west, the parliament building was standing still with its yellowish light, looking firm and unbothered. Its chimes from the victoria tower were getting ready to ring and wrap up the day as the sky flushed with faint orange.

Soon as she arrived at Tower Gateway, she then walked for a little while to reach the entrance door of London Tower that is located nearby the Thames River. There, she met her friends—one girl, two boys—who had been waiting for about half an hour. The girl was Voila. She was wearing fur brown coat. It covered her whole body until her thigh, close to her boots. The boys, Josh and Rowland were wearing the same type of winter coat with the differences on its length and colour.

After buying tickets, they went in through the Middle Tower to the Byward tower connected by the bridge lying above the branch of the Thames River. The whole building was painted with white and brown with grass covered all the field.

They then gathered in a group of fourteen as a yeoman warder  asked them to. The Yeoman Warder leads the group for the twilight tour. This tour one of packages in Tower of London that takes visitors to wander around the castle in the night.
In a flash, their fiery excitement and brave seems diminish a little bit. Worry soaked in all of sudden.

***


It’s seven in the evening. That yeoman warder named Albertus is ready to kick off the tour around the dim lighted Tower of London. His black uniform layered with bright red suits him better when night comes. He started off by counting all tour participants one by one, pointing his finger right to them. Unexpectedly, his eyes then stuck to uncertain point in front of him, among them. No sooner had he found something is not right than he felt subtly unpleasant.

“One of them,” sizzles he.

***

Albertus and other yeoman warders had started leading the tour. He explained the historical background of each part of building they were passing by, embellished by its horror story that has been circulating around London for years. He walked to the left side from Byward tower as his left hand carried oil lamp with its low light. Tour participants walked after Albertus, sightseeing what attract their eyes while hearing his hoarse voice.

“Josh, it’s about your turn,” Rowland reminded him.

Josh nodded vaguely.

Besides him, Velencia stared at him with her subtle smile, then poked his shoulder giving a support. “Do it right.”

“This is Bauchamp Tower.” Albertus point out a building near him. “This part of the castle is the outermost ward, made during the reign of Edward the first.” Explained he. “Here is where Lord Dudley allegedly appears and sometimes wanders around at night. The officers sometimes find his figure appearing around in a flash.”

Some participants seemed to shift their countenance. Some were grabbing their partners to diminish sudden unpleasant atmosphere.

“A shriek, cry, sob of a woman often heard from here after nine in the night.,” he continued.

From Bauchamp Tower, they continued to the nearest building.

“This is Green Tower, a place where Anne Boleyn was decapitated. To those who don’t know, she was a queen of England, the second wife of Henry the eight. She was accused of having an affair with some lovers, after the king framed her for adultery.”
Valencia, Rowland and Josh stared at Josh for the last time before his figure stepped back from the group and gone in a dark corner.

They all then arrived at Chapel Royal, a church inside the castle with its wide windows and a bell in one of the towers.

“At this place, Anne Boleyn also sometimes appears carrying her hear.”

“Voila, your turn,” Rowlan said in a low voice

Voila nodded. She grabbed Valencia’s hand to strengthen herself. She then sneaked and disappeared behind a dark corner.

The next stop is White Tower, the core of the castle. It’s located in the middle of the castle and is the only building in main ward. This is the first building to build from all of the Tower of London compound.

This time, it’s Rowland’s turn to follow his friends. He sneaked out of the group and went gone behind the wall. Valencia didn’t hear anything afterwards for the rest of the tour. She was busy receiving codes from her friends through message on her phone.

*to be continue*