Kingmaker

by Rob Preece

  "I'm not saying I believe you, but what the hell happened?"

  It was a good question.

  In slightly orangey sunlight, the guard looked young, maybe a couple of years older than she. His dark-brown hair and olive skin showed a hint of Mediterranean in his background. He was tall and looked fit, but not bulky. A surfer type rather than a football player. If she'd brought him home, her mother would have thought he was great. Except she no longer had a home and her mother wouldn't share her enthusiasm and joy with anyone, ever again.

  So, what kind of world had she ended up on?

  The trees were big and leafy, but the looked just a bit off. The leaves were fatter than normal tree leaves. The light from the sun was a bit deeper, more orange than white. The air lacked the tang of smog that simply couldn't be avoided in L.A. no matter how hard the air conditioners tried to filter it out. But she also smelled a just a hint of burning wood, although she knew she'd never smelled that exact flavor of wood before.

  Somehow, the jewels had worked. She'd traveled across the dimensions and, quite possibly, returned to the world of her birth—the world from which her parents’ killer had come.

  Now, all she needed was to keep the overanxious rent-a-cop she'd brought with her from shooting her.

  "You know anything about science?"

  He narrowed his dark eyes. “I'm taking classes at Harbor College. Mostly history but I did take physics last semester."

  "I think I created a dimensional portal."

  "Yeah, sure, kid. And those LEDs are mini-black holes, right?"

  Ellie looked at the gems, then gathered the heap up and slid them back into the pouch where she'd found them. They seemed important, and powerful. You didn't just leave self-glowing jewels that might be mini-black holes lying around.

  "I don't know what they are. I don't know how they work. But I do know one thing. That sun looks a good bit oranger than good-ole Sol. And according to my watch, it isn't even midnight in California where we were three minutes ago, so what the heck is any sun doing shining?

  "I knew I shouldn't have stolen those jellybeans,” the security guard muttered. “Somebody must have stuck LSD in with them. I'm stuck on Gilligan's Island with a preteen science fiction punk."

  "Whatever.” Alone on a strange world, she wasn't about to correct his gender impression until she knew him a lot better. “There may be wild animals here.” Or unfriendly natives. Considering that her parents had fled and then been hunted down, unfriendly natives sounded distinctly likely.

  He took a deep breath. “Right. I'm Mark. Mark Heath."

  His smile showed the slightest gap between his teeth. Good, he wasn't perfect.

  She took his offered hand and shook it.

  "E—Ellis Winters."

  "Okay, Ellis. You've proved your point. A dimensional portal is completely cool stuff. How about sending us back now?"

  Ellie shook her head. “First, I'm not sure I can. Second, I need to be here. And third, don't you have any curiosity? I mean, is your life so great in L.A. that you need to rush back to your rent-a-cop position?"

  Mark considered. Considering he hadn't had hours to think about this, he was handling things pretty well. “You will be able to get us back if things get bad, won't you?"

  "I,” she gulped, “I think so."

  "All right then, we'll look around."

  "Good.” She could go back with Mark, make him leave the room, then return herself. But after completing two transitions already, even if one of them hadn't taken her anywhere, she felt wrung out. Besides, having someone with her made her feel a little better about approaching the unknown. And he did have a gun. Considering what had happened to her parents, that might be handy.

  "All right, then,” Mark said. “Let's find some high ground and get an idea about what kind of place this is. And be careful. We may not recognize the sapient life forms when we first see them."

  Ellie recognized a SciFi type when she heard one. “I think they'll look human."

  Mark shook his head sadly. “Oh, sure. As if it's so likely that identical humanoid creatures would evolve on multiple distinct worlds. Not going to happen."

  "The reason I think it's likely is that I'm from this dimension originally. That's how I got the jewels in the first place. And the pattern that brought us here."

  He rubbed his hands together. “You're from here? Cool. Sounds like we should head for wherever your friends are, then. I don't suppose you know any beautiful princesses that need rescuing. I've got my Glock and I'm ready for rescue and reward."

  "I'm not much interested in girls,” Ellie said. “And I was about one year old when my parents brought me to Earth. I don't remember anything but I'm not sure I have any friends. Someone came through the dimensional barriers two days ago and murdered both my parents."

  Mark put his head in his hands and rubbed his forehead. “Are you crazy? You decided to give your parents’ killers a second chance to get you. I've changed my mind about saying here. Let's go back to Torrance."

  "Somehow I didn't think the Torrance police would track them here without a little help."

  He nodded slowly. “I guess that makes some sense. Good thing you brought me along, then. A kid like you isn't going to have much luck against killers."

  Mark might be twenty, at the most. Which meant he was basically her same age. And she doubted that he had a tenth the martial arts experience she had. But she was grateful for the company and who knew, he might actually come in handy.

  On the other hand, his plan of getting to higher ground didn't make much sense at all. Ellie hadn't been a very good Girl Scout. But she did remember one thing. If you get lost, you should head downhill.

  Mark led them uphill. He wasn't about to let some kid tell him which way to go.

  She tramped after him for about half an hour, then refused to go further. “We're just walking around trees. We could be going in circles for all we know."

  "Yeah? It so happens that I was an Eagle Scout. I've been using the sun for direction."

  Okay, so maybe they had been walking in a sort-of-straight line. But that didn't mean they were heading anywhere in particular. She opened her mouth to tell him that when Mark got a look in his eye. “You may be right about one thing, though. The terrain all seems to be rolling. I'm not sure whether we're going uphill much at all. Most of the hiking I've done has been in the mountains. There, if you get high enough and you're above the tree line. Here, I'm not so sure. So, maybe you should scoot up one of these trees and tell me what you see."

  The geography felt odd to her, too. As if this was an older world than California, with the mountains eroded down to softer hills rather than the sharply peaked mountains of home.

  Ellie looked at the trees and then back at Mark. “Why me?"

  "Because you're a kid and weigh less."

  Being a girl had its advantages but Ellie sort of enjoyed being a boy for the moment. Guys acted different around girls, showing off, looking tough and talking dirty. Since Mark thought she was just another guy, he was being himself. She figured he would never have suggested she climb the tree if he'd known she was a girl—although his logic would have been just as good no matter what sex she was.

  "Watch my stuff, will you?"

  "Sure."

  She took off her backpack and set down the katana and bow. She was thirsty all of a sudden but she hadn't thought to bring bottled water and they hadn't passed any streams. So, water was one thing she'd look for.

  "Be careful,” Mark said as he made a stirrup with his hands to boost her into the oak-like tree. “We don't know what's up there. Bugs and stuff, most likely."

  Yeah. Like in The Hobbit. If Bilbo could do it, Ellie could.

  She pushed her way through branches heavy with leaves until the limbs got so thin she worried that they would break. Finally, she wrapped her arms around the trunk and stood on her tiptoes.

  The forest seemed to stretch forever.

  They definitely weren't
in California any more. There were no mountains. No ocean. No brownish streaks of smog. The air held a tangy humidity that fit her idea of New Orleans more than it did Los Angeles.

  "See anything?” Mark's voice could have been a million miles away.

  "Trees. Lots of trees."

  "No cities? Or even towns?"

  "No.” But there had to be something. After all, she couldn't have come from an uninhabited planet. Unless she'd done some sort of time warp. Maybe she and Mark were going to be this world's Adam and Eve. She shut down that thought in a hurry. It was too gross.

  She wished she'd been smart enough to buy a set of binoculars when she'd hit the REI. It wasn't as if the hundred dollar bills she'd hoarded were going to do her any good now.

  She almost missed the smudge of smoke.

  The pale smoke was barely lighter than the surrounding blue sky. But it was there. She marked the direction by the sun, glanced around to make sure she hadn't missed anything, and headed down.

  "It might be bandits,” Mark said when she told him about the smoke.

  He was right, of course. But it might not be. It seemed to her that daytime smoke was lot more likely to be a village than a raiding party since bandits would probably be out stealing on a nice day like this rather than settling down over a fire. Besides, they needed water and they needed to make contact.

  "You have any other thoughts? I didn't see any mountains with observation posts on top."

  "Don't get sarcastic. I was just saying we should be careful."

  Since that was so obviously sensible, she didn't bother arguing. “All right, we'll be careful. Now come on. And keep your eyes open for water."

  He hoisted her backpack, but let her carry her sword and bow.

  They had to retrace their steps, of course. Ellie entertained herself by getting Mark started on the language.

  * * * *

  The sun was setting by the time they arrived at the first signs of civilization.

  Ellie had expected something like a medieval village but the house they finally located was more of a fairy tale chateau. Kitchen gardens rather than cornfields marked the end of the forest. On top of the chateau, onion-shaped domes gave the place just a hint of the extraordinary. Strangely, that was comforting. If this place had been too much like home, she would have thought she was dreaming.

  "Think they'll be friendly?"

  As if she had any clue. She didn't know who had murdered her parents and her mother's book had been silent on why they'd fled in the first place.

  "Only one way to find out."

  She marched up to the front door, studied the hardware, gave a tentative yank on a protuberance that turned out to be purely decorative, then finally located and yanked on a knocker.

  Moments later the door swung open. An elderly man wearing a black jacket over a frilly white shirt peered out. “Yes?"

  Despite everything, a part of Ellie hadn't fully believed in the crazy parallel universe thing until she heard him speak. But he, like the killers, spoke the secret language her parents had taught her.

  "We were lost in the woods and hoping for directions to the nearest city."

  "Ah. I see.” He glared disapprovingly at Ellie's jeans, but when his eyes took in her katana, he nodded abruptly. “Slumming nobility, are you? Perhaps you should come in. I'll ask the Baron what we should do with you."

  Ellie gestured to Mark to follow and stepped inside.

  Oil paintings of voluptuous nude females, winged angels or gods, and battling knights lined one wall. On the other, a series of portraits—some somber but mostly of smiling and happy men and women stretched like a time tunnel.

  The butler, if that was what he was, ushered them into a dreary sitting room. “If you'd wait here. I'll have tea sent in."

  "Thank you.” Ellie wasn't much of a tea drinker but she didn't think they had Vanilla Coke here and she and Mark hadn't spotted a single stream on their walk. Anything liquid sounded good.

  The ‘tea’ tasted nothing like the tea she'd had on earth, though. Obviously her parents had chosen the closest approximation. This beverage was hot and steeped, but it was spicy and had more caffeine than she was used to.

  "Wow,” Mark observed. “Strong stuff. I'll bet we could make a fortune selling this to Starbucks."

  Ellie didn't think they'd be setting up trade routes between dimensions, but then again, she hadn't thought she'd be working magic, either.

  A good-looking man of about forty-five arrived, cutting off that conversation. He wore something that looked like a Japanese kimono over a shirt out of a Three Musketeers movie.

  He glanced at Ellie, then approached Mark. “I am Ranolf. You say you were lost in the woods?"

  Mark had been doing pretty well with the language lessons but he'd only had a few hours. He looked baffled.

  She almost blurted out the whole story, but she couldn't be certain the Baron was on her side. “Yes, exactly."

  Ranolf swung to her. “Ah. These woods are royal hunting grounds and I see that you have a bow.” He reached out and seized the bow from her, then almost dropped it when he felt the fiberglass composition. “Strange. Is it a kind of horn?"

  She didn't know how to explain fiberglass polymer so she ignored that question. “I don't know exactly how we ended up in the forest. We saw someone huddled over some gemstones, then saw a purple shockwave and then we were somewhere else."

  She wasn't lying, exactly.

  "Magic.” He shook his head. “There is too much unlicensed magic since the invasion."

  This sounded serious. “We've been out of touch for a while,” Ellie admitted with dramatic understatement. “I wonder if you could explain some of the political situation. We wouldn't want to make any false steps."

  Ranolf looked like he wanted to demand a few more answers from her, but his politeness interfered. “I would be honored if you could dine with me tonight. We can discuss this further then.” He halfway turned and then stopped. “Your friend? Is he a mute?"

  Think, Ellie. “You know, he spoke perfectly before we were hit by magic. Since then, he doesn't seem to understand or speak our language. But he's agreeable and I've been trying to teach him."

  Ranolf shook his head. “Magical backwash. It can be destructive, sometimes permanently.” He started to say something then clearly changed his mind. “We dine in an hour. Kalfr will show you rooms where you can wash off and bring you fresh garments."

  Ranolf smiled, nodded, then stepped away.

  Kalfr, the aging butler-type led them to a second story suite, then brought several armfuls of clothing. “I'll be back when it's time for dinner,” he announced.

  "Thank you, Kalfr."

  "It is nothing, milord."

  "I think it's suspicious,” Mark announced when Ellie translated for him. “You'd think a Baron would be a bit more particular about his company. And why did the butler call you milord? You could be a peasant."

  "My accent?” Ellie guessed.

  "Maybe.” Mark pawed at the clothing, clearly trying to figure out what went where. “I'd be careful at dinner. If there's an invasion on, they're certain to be suspicious of foreigners. And we're about as foreign as we can get."

  Ellie knew Mark was right, but Ranolf had seemed nice. Besides, he didn't have to invite them to dinner. If he'd been really suspicious, he probably had dungeons he could throw them into.

  "Let's get washed up.” Mark tossed his cap onto the bed, then yanked off his shirt.

  Years of working in her parents’ Dojo had given Ellie a casual acceptance of male semi-nudity, but she suspected that Mark would be mortified if she kept her secret any longer.

  "Uh, Mark."

  "Yeah?” He was working on his belt now.

  "Stop undressing and listen to me. There's something I didn't tell you."

  "Like there's a war on. I already got that.” He took a big swallow directly from the pitcher on the nightstand near one of the two beds in the chamber. The water mostly ended up on his m
outh but some splashed down his chest, creating little beads of moisture.

  Ellie swallowed hard. “Nothing so major. It's just that I'm a woman."

  Mark choked, tried to breath, then coughed.

  She patted him on the back but he yanked himself away. “Come on, Ellis. Don't kid about things like that. Pretty soon your voice is going to change and you'll start noticing girls in a whole new way. It's perfectly normal to go through a bit of gender confusion when you're just hitting puberty."

  "I'm not going to prove it to you, Mark, but I wouldn't lie about this. My real name is Ellie. It seemed safer to pretend to be a guy.” He didn't have to know she'd been hiding from the cops.

  He nodded slowly. “And you didn't trust me. I guess I can't blame you. Maybe I should be glad you finally decided I was worth sharing your secret with."

  "Don't get bent out of shape, Mark. There are a lot of perverts out there and I didn't know you from Adam.

  "Are you planning on telling the Baron?"

  "I haven't decided yet."

  Mark looked down at his unfastened belt, then rehooked it. “If I said anything that offended you, I'm sorry."

  "Come on, Mark. I'm still the same person."

  "It isn't the same.” But he seemed at least a little mollified.

  The clothes Kalfr had brought up might be high fashion, but Ellie wasn't ready for a short tunic that didn't even cover her butt so she grabbed a clean pair of jeans and top from her pack, then made Mark turn around so she could change. Mark, on the other hand, got a kick out of dressing up in local costume once he figured out where everything went. The mix of what would have been Japanese, medieval, and Arabic styles actually looked pretty good on him. Maybe he would find his princess and live happily ever after. That way, Ellie wouldn't have to feel guilty about dragging him along any more.

  Ellie was staring at her katana when Kalfr came to get them. She didn't know the local customs, but she had a suspicion that polite people don't carry their war swords to a casual dinner with a friendly rescuer. On the other hand, she was in a strange world and felt naked without it.

  "I'll take my gun,” Mark murmured. “You should probably leave that the pig-sticker. But take your camping knife. From what I've read about feudal-style cultures, knives are considered tools rather than weapons."