Time Travel Romance Collection

by Grace Brannigan

  Shortly after the noon meal, a traveling storyteller arrived at the hall. Before long the hall was filled, wide-eyed children sitting on the floors, men standing in the corners and even the cook and the girls clearing away the meal stopped in their duties to listen as he began his stories.

  Iliana went about cleaning up the tables, listening as she came back and forth between the kitchen fire pit and great hall. The children sat in rapt awe even though she did not care for the stories about dragons carrying children off to their caverns. It was left for the children listening to wonder if the dragons ate the children at story's end.

  After many stories, when it was time for him to go, he did not linger, for he had places to travel before nightfall. With the story telling over, twenty or more children ran out to the gardens to play their games and conduct imaginary sword fights.

  "Rowenna, you will care for William until I complete my tasks?" she asked the young girl as she re-pinned William's small brooch to his tunic. "You can take him into the garden, but just be careful the older children are not too rough with their play."

  "Yes, my lady."

  Iliana kissed William's forehead before Rowenna took him outside. "Try to keep his dirty fists from his mouth," she called out, and Rowenna nodded. Poor William had a tooth just breaking through in his mouth and it appeared to be causing him much distress.

  After completing her clean up chores, Iliana changed her linen tunic for a fresh one, this one in a deep blue the color of the sky over the hills.

  As she left her bedchamber, out of the corner of her eye, a shadow seemed to move. She turned her head quickly, but all she saw was her life tapestry. She had not studied it for many days. The scenes quickly took shape, creating the story, and she smiled to see William.

  With horror, she suddenly realized a man carried William from the garden to a place beyond the hills. With a scream, Iliana ran from the room. Frantically she ran down the stairs, almost falling on the stone steps.

  "Rowenna!"

  The servants came running, and she cried, "Where is Rowenna? Where is William? Someone has taken him."

  She ran outside into the garden. The children were gone. She ran toward the stone wall and climbed over it to get more quickly through the garden and then out the open door leading to the courtyard. The postern door. She ran through it, almost fell upon Rowenna lying on the ground, and Edward beside her, a deep purpling bruise on his forehead.

  Iliana knelt down, barely aware of others gathering around her. "Rowenna, Rowenna."

  The girl opened her eyes and looked around. "William?" she asked weakly. "He took William."

  "Who was it?" She touched the girl's cheek, trying to contain the terror in her chest. Tears welled in Rowenna's eyes. "Rowenna!"

  "My lord Erik."

  Iliana sat back on her heels. She could not even speak. "E-Erik --"

  "We thought it in jest, but when he left the garden and hurried across the courtyard, Edward tried to stop him, but he threw him aside."

  "Are you sure it was Erik?" Iliana asked, her heart squeezed by a tight fist. "Surely it could not have been --"

  More tears fell as Rowenna nodded her head yes.

  Quickly, Iliana rose, turned to the women who had now gathered. "See to Edward and Rowenna." She gnawed her fist, looking about, her chest hurting as sobs welling up inside. It had been mere moments in time. How far could one get in that time? "William! William!"

  All the fields lay empty before her. Even the dry grass appeared undisturbed.

  She ran back inside the keep, seeing the people gathered around, the worry on their faces, but they just stood there. "I need your help. You must help me find William!"

  "Rowenna said he's been taken, my lady," whispered a young girl behind her.

  "My lord Erik -- the evil of Mandrak is around us." She heard the whispers.

  How could she have been so wrong about Erik? She had trusted him! Confused, she put a hand to her head.

  The people she knew all stood around her. They were helpless in their fear and now her child was gone.

  Iliana turned in a circle. She felt dizzy. She had to get her child back.

  Erik had sworn he had no willing hand in Mandrak's business, but he had taken William. He had lied to her. Mandrak wanted the green gem and would do anything to get it, even place a child in harm's way. She didn't have the gem. She would willingly hand it over for her son.

  These people she had tried to protect. "I have devoted myself these three years for your lives and you in return have been sheep in a field, hiding from a man who threatens you from a distance. I will no longer sacrifice William's life or my own for yours."

  Iliana swayed, caught herself before she fell down. She clenched her fists, but she wanted to curl into a ball. She had to find her son.

  "A horse. I must have a horse." She ran into the stables, led the spirited mare she favored from her stall. Using the mounting block, she climbed on the mare's back and swiftly they flew from the stable, into the courtyard and out the gates. There was no time to be lost.

  Iliana pushed the hair from a face wet with tears. She blinked hard, then wiped her eyes for she could not see. She had to use her wits.

  As she rode across the meadow, Iliana tried not to think about the betrayal she felt, the man she had thought she was coming to love. Erik had lied to her. She had been as naive as a young girl to believe his story of traveling through time to find her. She had wanted to believe it, and so she had. Had everything he said been a lie, all to find the green gem?

  Angrily, she wiped at the wetness of her cheeks. Her palms were filthy and her eyes gritty from the dust her mare kicked up. Using her sleeve, she wiped at her eyes once more. She must find her son. Life would lose all meaning if she lost him to that devil Mandrak. Rage fueled her and a mother's love kept her riding through the night.

  She knew the path she must take -- the muddy rut that ran to where the red soil began. She must go to dragon territory. That is what her life tapestry had shown her.

  ¤¤

  Mandrak chuckled, juggling the child under his arm. It had been simple to walk away with the child. After all this time with the pretender in their presence, with his rather boring and honorable way of living, why would anyone suspect he would take the child from his mother?

  Mandrak had the power of many disguises at his fingertips and he had not been adverse to pretending to be Remington. How simple these people were, so easily led and charmed.

  He had slipped into the garden where the children ran about and played. Ulrich had taken Remington off early in the morning on a perceived threat to a land border. Vandals bent on destruction of the lady Iliana's land. Mandrak laughed, then looked down at the boy who stared at him with those big green eyes. He would pay Ulrich handsomely for being so convincing about a possible threat.

  "As long as you keep quiet, we shall get along fine," he told the boy now. The child made no sound, just continued to regard him solemnly.

  Mandrak looked with satisfaction at the woods around them and he began to laugh. Who would have suspected Erik Remington was a child snatcher? With a wave of his hand, they disappeared into the air.

  Chapter Ten

  Iliana rode hard through the hills, despair a heavy weight in her heart. She kept thinking of her son waking from his nap, and being confused when she did not appear. Would Mandrak treat him roughly? Even though she was angry and furious with Erik for taking her child to Mandrak, she felt at least he would not harm a child.

  She tortured her mind with terrible things as she rode through the night. She had heard rustling and cries around her as she continued through barren expanses, but her mind was closed to the dangers of being attacked by wild animals or marauding bands of men. After all, what could happen to her worse than a mother losing her child?

  Now, the sun was just beginning to come up and Iliana welcomed the warmth, for it had been a cold night. Her fingers were stiff and her feet numb from cold. She had finally stopped to let
the horse rest several hours ago, knowing it would do no good to run the poor animal to exhaustion.

  Late into the night she had felt disoriented and knew she was doing her son no good, wandering about. She had not seen evidence of any tracks for miles upon miles and feared she had gotten herself turned around in the dark.

  They had stumbled upon a small stream and she had taken deep gulps of the cold water, as had her horse. And they had stayed there through the remainder of the night, she huddled against the mare as the horse lay beside her. And for that she was grateful, as the warmth of the mare no doubt kept her alive.

  Now, rising, Iliana looked around her, seeing clearly the red soil hills far in the distance. Should she go back to the keep and gather together her men and send them to search for William? Would someone have roused them already to search? No, with Erik gone and she herself riding off like a wild woman, who would organized a search party?

  Should she continue on in hopes of finding Mandrak's location? For the latter she needed a plan. He would not willingly hand over her son, of that she was certain.

  Another thought came to Iliana. She could ride to the monastery. Looking at her surroundings again, she was certain she was not that far from that place of sanctuary. And there she would find the abbess, a wise and far seeing woman. Deciding it was likely her best chance of surviving to find her son, Iliana turned her back on the red soil hills and rode for the monastery.

  It took well over an hour, but finally the high stone walls were a welcome sight as she trotted along the rough and rutted path. She fretted over the lost time in backtracking, but now she was here she had hope the abbess could help her. Iliana dismounted stiffly and walked up to the large wooden door inside the high stone walls. She lifted the pounded iron door knocker and dropped it against the wood. A small window within the door opened and a woman's face appeared.

  Iliana stepped forward. "I am Iliana of Dutton Keep. My child has been taken by the sorcerer Mandrak. It is urgent I speak with the abbess."

  The small door closed with a snap.

  There was a sound of metal grating and the heavy wood door swung outward. A woman stood in the entrance. Dressed in a plain brown tunic, she indicated Iliana should come inside.

  Iliana walked through the doorway leading her weary horse behind her.

  "The abbess is in prayer. I fear you will be disappointed and your journey in vain," the woman said regretfully. "But I can offer you food for your return journey."

  "I must speak with her," Iliana said urgently. "I will wait."

  "You have returned." They both turned at the new voice.

  "Abbess," the young woman said, clearly surprised.

  The Abbess put up her hand. "Thank you, Marion. You may return to your duties."

  The abbess, a tall woman, stood before Iliana wearing a long flowing gray tunic over a white tunic, a dull brown mantle head piece concealing all of her hair. She appeared quite elderly, yet Iliana saw the youthful radiance in her brown eyes.

  "Abbess," Iliana said, bowing her head.

  "Come to the gardens so that we may talk." And she led the way through an arched entry and they stepped into an open courtyard with large smooth stone underfoot.

  A young woman, similarly dressed as the woman who had allowed her entry inside the walls, was on her knees in a garden inside the courtyard, tending to a garden.

  "Annalaise," the Abbess called softly, "please take this horse to the stables. See that she is fed and taken well care of."

  The young girl rose and moved to take the reins from Iliana. She led the horse away.

  Iliana bit her lip, nervous energy not letting her remain still. "Abbess, I will not stay long. I am beside myself with worry and fear. My son has been taken," she ended in a rush, her chest so tight with pain she could barely draw a breath.

  "Iliana, do sit down please. You have pushed yourself to exhaustion. I understand your fear, but well you know if your horse is dead from fatigue and lack of feed, it will do you no good."

  Iliana felt as if the air left her body. Feeling lightheaded, she sat beside the Abbess on a wooden bench.

  "We are aware of Mandrak who invaded our world many years ago," the abbess said. "He brought darkness and fear with him. Our dragons are peaceful, but we fear it is only a matter of time before he uses this creature against us. It is only since this year's harvest that he seeks more and more power. He has slowly banished the joy from our world, and indeed he has already turned the red hills arid and barren. I have lived within these walls all these years happily, cloistered from the outside, but even here we are in danger." She looked at Iliana. "You have done the people a great service in taking up this mission to find the green gem, but there is more anguish to come unless he is stopped. Have you remembered our first meeting?"

  Iliana frowned. "I have vague memories from three summers past when I went into the red soil hills. It was only when I was searching for my son that I thought to come back here to this monastery. I hoped you could help me find the gem."

  The Abbess reached for her hand and held it with both of hers. "In time you will recall our first meeting Iliana. I will assure you, your arrival in this time was in agreement with your wishes. In your own time you had suffered great anguish. The saints would not let you die as you wished, and so you came to this time to shoulder this mission. You agreed to find the green gem and restore it to the land. You are the blood lineage holder of the gem. If you had not agreed, I fear our world would have certainly died."

  "It is dying as we speak, Abbess."

  "But there is still time," the abbess said reassuringly.

  "My memory is not clear," Iliana admitted, "even my life tapestry shows me only swirling mists of the early times here."

  "And yet you found your way back here, which brings you full circle. This is where your search began. You arrived three summers ago. This land is sometimes brutal and primitive, but we have faith you will restore it to life. After one year passed, you tried to leave and went into the sacred dragon hills. Your experiences were such you chose to forget them, so we wove a spell of dreaming upon your life tapestry so you could wipe the terror from your memory. We brought you to this place, healed your wounds, but your body was greatly broken and you did not recover right away. We put you into a gentle sleep, and in that sleep you traveled through time.

  "Memory will come in time, restored gently so as not to further distress you. Whatever your life before, you asked to leave that behind and take up the mantle of this quest. You have been very brave. You are near the end of this quest."

  "In truth, Abbess, right now I worry only for my son, not where the green gem might be. I trusted a man and he has betrayed this trust. The ache inside me for my son is like a festering wound. I fear he has been taken to Mandrak in the red soil hills. I am certain now that I must go there to find him."

  "If you should go into the red soil hills tonight the dragons will kill you. Mandrak controls them and will do as he pleases."

  "But surely you can't expect me to wait, hoping for a miracle?" Iliana asked in anguish.

  "Waiting for a mother is time that stretches into an eternity of suffering, but it is a trial you must endure. You cannot return to that place," the abbess said sadly, "not even for your child. No purpose will be served if you are dead."

  "Dead, I will not find your green gem," Iliana said bitterly.

  "No help to your son," the abbess corrected gently. "You must be strong in the knowledge you will have your child in your arms again."

  "You know how he fares?" Iliana asked. "There is hope?"

  "There is always hope." The abbess said. "Just as hope that the former life you shunned, you may once again embrace."

  "I can return?"

  The abbess smiled. "You have always had the power to return from where you came. You just chose not to view that choice. Remember this, when you took up this mission, you embraced it fully, and immersed yourself in this time."

  "There are memories that nag at m
e, shadows from another time."

  "Your thoughts became attuned to this time and life, as if it were the only life you knew." The abbess stood. "Rest awhile, and then when you take up this mission again, know that your strength and cunning will help you see your way. I know you wish to be off, but the universe is urging that you wait until tomorrow's light. On the morrow you will have a long journey to find what you seek."

  "But how will I find my son in this vast land? And then how may I find the gem?" Iliana put her hands out.

  "It will not be this night," she said gently.

  When she would have protested vehemently, the abbess said, "You trusted my word once, will you do so again?"

  "But my son --"

  "Is well, and I tell you, you will not be victorious in claiming him tonight. Come, I will take you to a room where you may rest and perhaps eat of some fresh vegetables. You will need your strength for tomorrow."

  Iliana bit her lip, knowing the hours would stretch into torture. "Abbess, I wonder if you have your correspondence with Sir Robert? There may be a clue that will lead me to the gem."

  "Yes, I will see that they are brought to your room."

  "Thank you."

  The abbess regarded her solemnly. "It is you I must thank, Iliana, for your strength and perseverance. I am hopeful for success in this final chapter of your quest."

  Iliana followed the abbess. She did not feel strong. She had trusted a man and thought he cared about her and her son. Now he was gone and so was her son. Had he decided in the end his seamen were more valuable than the life of a young and innocent child? Part of her understood but she could not forgive him. In taking William he had broken a trust that could never be repaired.

  Iliana paced the chamber the abbess had allowed her for the night. Four paces to the right, then four to the left. She could find no rest. If she closed her eyes she saw little William. A knock had her quickly opening the heavy wood door. The young girl from the garden, Annalaise, stood outside. In her hand she held a small packet of letters.