As they dragged him away, Arianna screamed at them and then turned to her father, grabbing his arm in full outrage. He flung her away from him, enraging James who attempted to reach her. The guards knocked him down and continued to drag him across the courtyard to the inner chambers of the castle. He was sure he was headed to the dungeon. But James didn’t care. He thought of one thing. He had to get back to Arianna. He couldn’t leave her here.
Chapter Seven
Ariana marched across the garden to confront her father. She knew where he would be. And she found him, playing a game reminiscent of chess. He was playing with an elderly man that was now deaf.
Upon returning home, her father had seen to it that several soldiers be placed on guard outside her quarters. It was a pity how well he did not know his own daughter. Because James was right. She was resourceful and had easily evaded the guards once again.
“What do you want, Ariana?” He asked not looking up from his game.
“You said you would not harm him.” Ariana started.
“Have I harmed him?” The king asked with mockery in his tone.
“You had him thrown in the dungeon.”
“He kidnapped you. He will get what he deserves.”
“Father, he did not kidnap me.”
“No. He did.”
“Father---”
“You are an insolent pest, Ariana. I know you left on your own accord, but I have no interest in discussing your questionable actions with our guests. So, you will tell anyone who asks where you were yesterday that you were kidnapped by a crazed foreigner. You will not shame this family with your impulsive actions. You were due to have dinner with Prince Ferdinand and his father,” he said his voice finally showing the emotion he felt. Rage.
“I---”
“No more excuses. Your insubordination will not be tolerated for much longer. You will be married soon whether you wish it or not. It is my will and you will do as you are told. You will remain in this castle until you are married. And then you will be a dutiful wife and mother.”
She knew there was no point in arguing. She knew who she was destined to be, but James didn’t deserve to be punished. “But father, what of James? He did not do anything wrong.”
“It matters not what he did. Someone must be punished for your disappearance. And this foreigner James will fulfill that purpose. It is so much easier to blame it on a foreigner than to try to make excuses for your insolence.” He smiled, “I spoke of the situation with Maximiliano and he and I are of the same mind. The foreign stranger will be hung in the morn.”
Chapter Eight
James sat in his cell looking at the bars. A few of the guards had stopped by to gawk at him. He guessed he was interesting to look at in his questionable wardrobe. He thought to himself wryly, it seemed 17th century people had just as much of a problem with his wardrobe as those in the 21st century.
He busied himself by looking at the crystal. He was starting to rethink his plan.
“What is that in your hand?” asked the man James had seen earlier with the king. He spoke in perfect English. His Italian accent was barely present. He had appeared silently in front of the cell and looked bored.
“You speak English?”
“I speak many languages.” His eyes remained glued to the crystal. “Where did you find it?”
“In a home in a small village not too far from here.”
“Interesting. May I touch it?”
He seemed too interested in it for James’ comfort.
“I don’t think so.” James slid it into his pocket.
The man seemed unbothered by James’ snub. “My name is Maximiliano. And you are?”
“James Dunbar.”
“And you are British?”
“Scottish.”
“How is it that a man from Scotland arrived here of all places? And dressed so strangely. One would immediately think witchcraft. Are you some sort of sorcerer James?”
He smiled at James then, but his eyes were cold and calculating. James knew that in the 1600s many believed in witchcraft. And being suspected of using witchcraft was an offense punishable by death.
“I’m not a sorcerer. I’m just a common man.”
“A common man, wearing clothing from another land. Speaking English in a manner I’ve never heard spoken before, carrying a crystal that appears to glow.”
James said nothing. He had a feeling that this man held his fate in his hands.
“Why so silent?”
“It seems you have it all figured out.”
“No, James. I recognize that there is plenty in the world that I do not know.”
He turned away, “You die in an hour James. Let us see if that crystal of yours will save you from that.”
Without another word, he walked away.
James pulled the crystal from his pocket. He had to get it to work. His life depended on it.
“Ariana, we cannot waste any more time. Your dinner with the prince is tonight. You cannot go missing again. It is already quite a scandal.”
“Victoria, I promise, I will do what you want. I will have dinner with that childish prince and his witless father, but I need your help now.”
“My help?” she seemed suspicious.
“I need to get into the dungeon, Victoria.”
Victoria looked aghast and then laughed. “You have lost your wits, young lady. I have my limits. And the dungeon is one of them.”
“Please Victoria, please.”
“No.”
“If I do not go. He will die.”
Victoria wanted to argue, but she could not deny Ariana anything. Ariana was her weakness.
“Fine. I will take you!”
“Thank you! Thank you!” she said embracing Victoria tightly. Victoria pried herself from Ariana’s grasp.
She looked at her and frowned. “Why do you care so much about what happens to that stranger?”
Ariana looked down, not wanting to reveal what had transpired.
“He is a person who did nothing wrong. It was my choice to leave the castle’s grounds and because I befriended him, he is now imprisoned, and Father wants to put him to death.”
“But why?”
“He does not want anyone to know that I willingly left the castle, so he plans to cast the blame on James. He cannot die because of me.”
Victoria swallowed hard. The king could be a terrible person and his trusted advisor even worse.
“What do you propose we do?”
Ariana shrugged, “My only plan is to get him out.”
Victoria sighed. “I have an idea. Come with me. And stay out of sight.”
Feeling her heart race, Ariana followed Victoria to the underbelly of the castle. She hadn’t ever ventured there before. But that was all about to change.
The first thing she noticed was the smell. The stench of putrid waste surrounded her. Her stomach turned at the smell of urine, sweat, and despair in the air.
Victoria seemed unbothered but saw the look on her charge’s face. “Do you think you can endure this?”
She nodded, “Yes, for him.”
The last part of Ariana’s statement gave Victoria pause and she opened her mouth to comment, but Ariana hushed her.
“Someone is coming!” she said pulling her friend down a dark hall.
They waited until they could no longer hear footsteps and then to Ariana’s surprise, Victoria called out softly, “Moises.”
A young boy of about six years of age approached, slowly. He walked with a cane, dragging one leg behind him. He was covered in grime, and his clothes were tattered.
“Moises, a foreigner was brought here. We need to find him.” Victoria whispered.
“Say no more, sister, I know who you want.”
“This is your brother?” Ariana asked. She realized then that she knew nothing of Victoria’s family.
“Yes,” Victoria said, her face tight. “Your father was kind enough to provide my younger brother shelter at th
e palace in exchange for work. He takes care of the prisoners.”
He smiled at Ariana, but Ariana didn’t smile back. She felt ashamed and sick. This was how her father treated a young boy?
She vowed to herself to get him out of there, but first she needed to find James.
She said to the boy, “Point me in his direction.”
He pointed behind them in the direction of the dark hall where they had previously hid. “You’ll find him down there, Princess.”
Victoria turned in the direction of the hall, but Ariana grabbed her wrist. “You have done more than enough for me. Get out of here. Do not let my father or Maximiliano find you here. They cannot know you helped me.”
“But----”
“Please, Victoria, go. You too, Moises. You both have done enough.”
Without waiting for an argument, Ariana made her way down the dark hall. She wanted to avoid looking in the cells and instead called out to James. She knew what she would find there. She could smell the despair. It was all around her.
To her surprise, she heard his voice, directly next to her, “Ariana?”
She fell to her knees in front of the cell and grabbed for James’ hands. “We have to get you out of here. Any ideas?”
He held the crystal in his hands and said, “I think I have one.”
She felt something move in the shadows and was surprised when Maximiliano stepped out. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I am here to let your friend out.”
“Ignore him, Ariana, and give me your hand.”
Ariana turned away from Maximiliano and reached her hand forward, connecting with James. She felt like she was floating as she slid her hand into his.
She could hear someone screaming her name, but they seemed to be at a distance. Time seemed to stand still, and a roaring sound rushed past her ears.
She opened her eyes, unaware that she had closed them. She felt a hand on her shoulder. And heard James’ voice.
“It’s ok, Ariana. Look at me.”
She did what she was told and saw James smiling down at her. She smiled back at him and then her smile quickly faded. They weren’t in the dungeon anymore.
“James? Where are we?”
“We are in twenty-first century Spain, Ariana. The time that I’m from.”
TIME CRYSTAL
Book Two
Preview
Ariana eyes grew large as she watched the metal object ridden by a strangely dressed woman come speeding directly at her. The rider screamed something at her, and Ariana immediately jumped out of the way, backing into James who caught her in his arms.
“James, what was---” She didn’t get a chance to ask as her eyes locked on a tall building across from her. It was massive, and glossy, she noted. It seemed to be covered by glass. Was it some sort of fortress? She pulled away from James’ arms and turned slowly in a circle. The gleaming buildings were everywhere, she marveled, wondering what feats of science made them so tall that they seemed to reach the sky.
And then she noticed the people. They were dressed in all sorts of manner and walking hurriedly up and down the streets. Some had objects in their ears and others were staring at devices in their hands. She looked towards the road and gasped as she noticed large metal objects whizzing past. The large metal objects held people, but no one but her seemed alarmed.
“James,” she said, moving close to him out of fear, “What are those? And where are they going?”
“The smaller ones are cars and the larger ones are buses. People use them to get around, just as people used horses in your time.”
Her time. Ariana shook her head, unable to believe what she was seeing and hearing. Had she gone mad? Maybe she had.
“You’re not crazy,” James reassured her, as if reading her mind.
“James, where am I?” Fear entered her voice. This could not be real. Her voice shook, “Did you use witchcraft? Is this sorcery?” She did not believe in such things, but maybe she had been wrong. Maybe magic was real.
He shook his head, looking at her intently. “I don’t know what’s going on,” he said reaching into his pocket and pulling the crystal out, “But, I think this crystal has something to do with all this.”
He stared at it. “I think it’s responsible for sending me back in time----”
“And for bringing the two of us here?” she finished for him.
He nodded. “There’s no other explanation.” He turned to get his bearings, wondering exactly where they were. The signs indicated a location that he was familiar with. It was a busy side of town frequented by tourists. He grabbed Ariana’s hand. He had an idea.
“Come with me. I think I know where to start.”
She let him lead her down the street while marveling at the sights in front of her. The sheer number of people made her uncomfortable. There were so many of them, everywhere. They were in the metal cars, in the street, and even on the path where she walked. She had to keep from bumping into them as James hurriedly made his way through the town. Or was it a city? She wasn’t sure. She just knew there were more people around her now than she had seen in her entire kingdom.
“Here we are,” James said looking victorious as they stopped in front of an ornate building.
Ariana glanced at the building’s etched lettering as James pulled her inside. She realized where they were instantly as the smell of old books met her nose. Now this was a place she understood. The library.
They moved towards the lobby when a man crossed the floor, effectively blocking their way.
“Excuse us,” James said attempting to go around him. The man didn’t move. Instead, he studied them both and slowly removed his hand from his pocket. James eyes narrowed. The man was carrying a gun.
“James Dunbar, I presume,” the man said calmly, “My employer would like to see you now…”
✽✽✽
The Princess of Cordoba Page 4