The Time Stone (51 page)

“
Next, madam princess”
said a largely shaped sharp tongued man “we have a special
surprise, prime and ready for a proper execution. They are those
who dared to wallow in the royal rose bushes, trespassers who have
admitted quite insanely that they fell from the future.” He moves
out of the way as three knights with full helmeted armor and lance
push in bound captives Mercedes and James. Their hands tied behind
their backs and mouths gagged the duo look fearful at the pointed
blades before them and the suspicious new surroundings. James
wallows in doubt and self-pity seeing the luxurious looking throne
room and then stops dead in his tracks as his fear escaped him when
he saw the princess on the throne.

“
Celia
” he thought. “
It’s her. I would
remember that face as long as I live.
” The
muffled screams of the duo caused the princess to feel sorry for
them and ordered them ungagged with a strike of her hand. The
guards complied. “Celia!!!” Yelled James.

She looked at him oddly, “how do you
know my name?”

“
We met… sort of. We’re
from the future, over a thousand years from now. We know about
everything you did or will do.”

“
James, she doesn’t know
what you’re talking about” whispered Mercedes.

“
Madam Princess. We will
take the loud one to the dungeon where he will be dealt with most
harshly.” Said the large shaped man.

“
I don’t think so” he
broke free but was quickly grabbed again by the guards tight iron
clad grip.

“
Wait” said Princess Celia
looking at James and seeing something in him, something she felt
that she was missing in herself, something in his eye glistened
inside of her and made her realize they shared a common destiny,
even if now just strangers. “Bring him to my chambers.”

“
Madam princess” said her
handmaiden shocked. “It is said” said the princess.

“
And the other, your
highness?” Asked the large shaped man.

“
The dungeon for
now.”

“
Wait a minute. James?”
Screamed Mercedes as she was hauled away.

“
Don’t worry, I’ll take
care of everything” he dismissed her as he gazed into the eyes of
Princess Celia and felt a strong vibrant connection he lacked and
yearned for. He felt what he had always been searching for was
right there now before him and she felt the same, an instant sense
of gratification beyond universal perfection and harmony borne by
the instant attraction of togetherness and love. For James, he
recognized her image and knew she sent the message of love he
observed in the future. He walked towards her escorted by the large
shaped man and taken by him to the princess’ chambers. She shortly
followed with a curious glare.

“
Unbind him Cornelius and
leave us be.” She said and Cornelius complied leaving them alone
face to face in her chambers. The décor over a mantel were of
silver, candelabra, candlesticks, statues, as paintings, portraits,
and tapestries hung from the walls. There was a rug of multiple
colors under their feet. “You have a crimson smile” she
said.

“
You have the most
beautiful eyes I have ever seen” he replied. She smiled. They were
mesmerized by each other.

“
Where did you come from?
Really?” She asked.

“
The future” he replied.
The year 2012 A.D. We found a device called the time stone that can
take us anywhere. We visited a whole bunch of places
already.”

“
Uncanny. Is this really
true? Where is this time stone?” Princess Celia said.

“
Your guards took it. I
need it back to get home. It is very true. You’re the first person
I told this to. I feel I can trust you. I don’t understand why.” He
spoke as if in a trance.

“
Hmm… I feel I can trust
you too. It is peculiar as we hardly know one another.” Princess
Celia said.

“
I know you” James
said.

“
You say you recognized me
from the future?” Princess Celia questioned.

“
Yes… you were a hologram…
sort of a machine that helped us at one point.” James
said.

“
It is funny you mention
this. I was born and raised in the future too, in the year 2012 as
well. I was ten years old when something happened. I don’t remember
much. There was a fight, a large bird lady creature; it’s all a
blur….” Princess Celia confided in him.

“
Oh my God, you were that
little girl” James looked at her wide-eyed thinking back to the
first battle with the guardians in Chronix Bay in 2012 and a little
girl got too close to the open vortex and fell in before it closed.
“That was you.”

“
And now you are here with
me?” She replied questioning.

“
It’s like some type of
cosmic resonance or vibrations coming full circle. Maybe, destiny,
fate, dimensions as one.”

“
Yes but why here and now.
I was raised here as Princess Celia. I have no real memory of my
life in 2012.”

“
You could come back with
us.” James pleaded.

“
This is the only life I
have ever known.” Princess Celia said.

“
It is weird. Something’s
are strange. Einstein himself said the greatest things we can
observe in life are the mysterious.”

“
I really don’t
understand.”

“
That’s alright. I am not
sure I completely understand” he laughed and she laughed with him
slightly.

“
You enjoy humor” Princess
Celia said.

“
Well I grew up on the
three stooges” James said.

“
Who are these
stooges?”

“
Well, their funnymen. You
would like them.”

“
I do like you…tell me,
what else have you seen in your travels?” She asked.

“
A lot, beasts from other
dimensions, powers and technological stuff…weapons beyond
imagination right now, let me tell you,” James bragged.

“
Really? My kingdom could
use some of that weaponry. We are facing a terrible crisis.”
Princess Celia frowned.

“
What’s that?” He
asked.

“
There have been threats
and attacks against my people, my armies by a rival kingdom to the
north, the Nefarious King Rogan. They strike without mercy and are
relentless.”

“
I can help you. I am… the
holder of stones” he said proudly with his hands on his
hips.

“
The what?”

“
Let me show you” he said
as he waved his right hand and a silver candlestick hovered towards
him and he caught it.

“
You are a warlock” she
screamed nearly running to the door but stopping.

“
No, just a power I picked
up. I can use it on affecting anything but living
things.”

“
How can it be used to
help against those attacking my kingdom?”

“
Many ways” he looked out
a window and saw several knights approaching stamping on the ground
with great noise and ho-hum chatter, their uniformed armor slightly
different from those of Celia’s court, as these were more dark red
stained like blood with black etching. “Are those the rivals who
are causing the ruckus?” He asked.

“
Yes, that is them… I will
summon Cornelius to get the royal guard.” She yelled.

“
No, wait” He
beckoned.

“
But …” she started but he
held his right hand to her shoulder to calm her and with his
remaining hand he swung and waved it out towards the window. The
armor of each of the knights flung back with them in one fell swoop
sending them far back for miles beyond sight. “That takes care of
them” said James clasping his hands and wiping them.

“
I thought it didn’t work
on living things.”

“
It worked on the armor or
clothing they wore.”

“
Ah” she embraced him and
planted a kiss on his check.

“
Well, you’re welcome
little lady” he smirked with his John Wayne impression. “I don’t
think they will be bothering you anymore.”

Miles away in the kingdom of King
Rogan, an old man with a heavy gold crown adorned in jewels sat in
his throne room surrounded by advisors equally aged in a dark
dreary castle covered with vines as fourteen red and black etched
knights enter limping with several chinks in their armor and
visible signs of injury.

“
What happened?” Said one
advisor.

“
We tried to attack the
Roy Tan again. They are protected by a warlock or witch now, Sire.
We cannot return.”

“
It is best left for
another time.” The old king said.

“
I want to thank you for
all you have done” said Celia. She let her hair down; her fiery
golden locks curled and wiggling down her back.

“
It was nothing” said
James sitting on her bed.

“
I am in your debt.” They
looked into one another’s eyes and smiled. “Will you join me and my
family for dinner?” She asked. James nodded.

The dinner table in the
banquet hall was dressed well and elegant, chimes of gold and
drapes of red velvet and orange decorated the hall, as candelabra
served each corner. The long table was covered with purple linen
and topped with trays of various dishes, meats, cheeses, wines,
fruits, and bread. James walked in thinking he had died and gone to
heaven. He sat next to Celia and was casually introduced to the
dinner party as they entered. Her uncle Arch Duke Drolag Kinlyn,
her younger twin siblings, and her various aunts, nieces, nephews,
uncles, nobles, and duchesses from the nearby neighboring
provinces. They were revered by the mysterious stranger whom Celia
spoke very highly of in his efforts to help them. He tried to keep
talk of his origins to a minimum but spoke of his vision and his
ideals but also of the hardships surrounding his life.

James spoke: “I always
wanted to help people but never really had the chance.”

“Helping
those in need helps us become more in tuned with ourselves and see
the light for what it really is… God’s peace.” Archduke Kinlyn
spoke philosophically and advised on principles of deontology and
destiny. James did not understand much but he noticed one phrase
seemed to ring in his head: “The light never dies; only our
perception of it does. When we lose sight of that one simple truth
in our lives we lose sight of who we are meant to be.” The dinner
ended well and everyone parted to their quarters. Celia escorted
James back to her room and closed the door. They sat on the bed in
her room together and they looked into one another’s eyes as if
impatiently awaiting a climatic defining moment in their short but
sudden relationship, remaining fixated on one another as they both
recognized that they were fated to come across one another like
ripples across the grand chasm of space and time. Without another
delay, James took Celia in his arms and embracing her, kissed her
on the lips and focused himself onto her. She pulled away and
unhooked her garter and dress and dropped them to the floor
revealing her full body. James’s jaw dropped as she approached him
and crawled beside him.

“Princess… I think I love you!” They embraced.

Time Period; 2042 A.D., Chronix
Bay

“
Who are you people? Where
are you taking me?” Said Reman.

“
I’m surprised you don’t
recognize me” said Tina, “after all we’ve been through.”

“
Uh, I think not” said
Drax “to him twenty-eight years have passed.”

“
What in the devil are you
talking about?” Said Reman as he crossed his arms.

“
I’m Tina… Tina Prescott.
This is my sidekick, Milton.”

“
Huh?” Humored
Drax.

“
Tina Prescott? But that
can’t be.”

“
But it is.” She
added.

“
This is some kind of
trick.”

“
No trick, I know you
cheated on me with Bella Randolph. You were a bad egg then but I
saw hope in you. We got busted sneaking into old man Harding’s
house on Eldon’s Street. What else? Oh, you got a big mole on your
left butt cheek, you’re middle name is Edenton, and you got a
tattoo of the Olympic torch near your … you know.”

“
OK, it’s you …but
how?”

“
How do I look so young?
Cause we’re from the past.” She looked down at him with her arms
crossed.

“
Tina?!” Scolded
Drax.

“
He has a right to know.
We travel through time … that’s our new shtick. Now you tell us how
come we’re on the run from the cops here too. Seems like after
twenty eight years you haven’t changed.”

“
You got it wrong.” He
said.

“
Oh then maybe we should
just go back” she uttered vindictively. “You know, turn ourselves
in and all.”

“
No, please. We must not.
I will explain everything but first take me to the old warehouse on
Elm and Forest. It’s a secret but once there, I promise I will
explain everything.”

“
OK” said Drax beckoning
to Tina to sit and she did with a grunt and grim look on her face.
They rode for blocks before arriving at what Reman pointed out to
be the apparent destination.