by Melanie Ray
“Speaking of wasting time,” Ezra muttered as she came in with their son. “You are two hours late.”
“I'm stuck, Ezzy. The next guard won't be along for another hour.” Yed looked toward Xiam for support, but he was already leaving.
“Daddy, are you guarding a time machine again? Huh, huh?”
“Another hour? You will have missed your son's own bedtime. Again,” she added firmly.
“Oh, Ezzy.” Yed sat up holding his Chronicle and moving toward her. He placed his arms around her as he turned his Chronicle to a certain page. “Remember that day?”
“You could go back in time and be a king.”
“I took the whole day off for you and Junior,” Yed continued, ignoring his son. “I need to make that up, I can't skimp on my job.”
“I would go see the beginning with the minerals. Who would you see, dad? Your parents?”
“I remember.” Ezra leaned into him. “I wish you had more days off.”
“Would you save your parents, dad? I bet I could.”
“Well, if I ever get really rich, then I won't have to ever work again.” Yed stared down at his wife. “That's a promise.”
Then, Yed heard a sound behind him. A strange sound he had never heard before. The time machine had popped on. It was a large square, always resembled nothing but a broken door frame. Electricity was sizzling throughout it.
And his son was missing.
“Junior!” Yed yelled along with Ezra as they both leapt into the electric door.///
That was the key. Used only with royal blood and inhibitor, the royal family told everyone else it was impossible.
Loop after loop, they would remember and forget some things. Their son, so young and inexperienced would be transformed into Fayu. He would mess with time, mess with the inhibitors, make them stronger and deadlier. He would create another time machine. He would create war.
All his son had wanted was to save his dad’s parents, and see the birthplace of the inhibitors. Yed remembered that, even though he ignored it. His son’s voice was just a buzz, a small annoying buzz like all children. He had been an average, normal child.
How such little actions had gone so wrong, only time would know.
Yed and Ezra though, circling through time, would still find each other. Each time, and every time. Even Yed's Chronicle that had been brought with him seemed to defy time for a moment, before it's past memories that didn't happen in that universe had been burned out.
Nothing changed though, until Carress was born with her brother because of the incident Sheward created. The flow was the same, but Carress entered into the time stream at some point on Earth. She was an anomaly, not born in their original universe. Instead of gaining power, she learned from it. She learned to walk different paths. She brought their loved ones together as best she could in each universe.
And even though Yed knew what was coming, it couldn't be stopped. Soon, this blessing of true memory in his mind would fade. All memory eventually faded. Forgotten.
King Sheward. Fayu. Carress. They were all his children. Mixed up in time along with him and Ezra. The only way to stop it, was to die.
Then time kicked them back to their original universe, to begin the same mistakes all over again.
Carress, for all her brilliance, had not been able to see the simplistic truth.
Whether they entered this hell five seconds ago or five thousand years ago, time didn't matter. It was an eternal struggle of love and war.
Ezra was pulled over to Yed by her mother while her bags were being packed. Silent, she casted her eyes downward. Yed didn't move either.
“We will see you again,” Mrs. Saga said as she dragged out suitcases packed in a rush. She kissed her daughter on the head. “We will not fight this, but don't expect it to be easy.” She glared over at Yed. “You ruined her.”
Yed knew what they meant.“I'm pure.” He noticed the surprise in her mother's eyes. He continued to speak harshly. “That's why you think she's ruined. Not because I'm below class or not good enough. Everyone's intermingled. She isn't like the others.” He aimed his glare to his father. “You had the right match the whole time.” He looked toward Ezra. Her eyes were watery, ready to cry. She understood it all too. As soon as he became himself, she remembered. “Come, Ezzy.”
He heard her starting to breathe hard as she covered her face with her hands. He set the suitcases back down to comfort her, but she pushed him away.
“Why?” Tears cascaded down her cheeks. “We had another chance, but we didn't remember again. We never remember in time. We could have erased everything!”
“Ezraponia Saga Sauvage Cattral.” Yed reached his hand out to her. “This is destiny. We couldn't stop it. We never could.” She had not reached for his hand in return, so he gently grabbed it.
She pulled it away. “No. How can I?” She looked at him. “After everything we've been through?”
“Because, we didn't.” He reached for her hand again, taking it firmly this time. “It never happened, it's just traces left over from time. Soon, we'll forget. We might remember something here and there, but we'll forget.” He let go of her hand and picked up two of Ezra's suitcases. They both walked away.
He worked at the castle. Ezra was pregnant. Her father was going to accept the relationship since he had ruined her. It wasn't hard to see how the future happened now. How a bumbling idiotic castle guard ended up with a lost princess.
“I can't. You, me, it never worked. It never can.” Ezra fumbled with her words. “Maybe I should run. If I run away, we'll never be near a time machine.”
“You tried that last time we were here again. I still found you. I am a stubborn guy at heart.” Yed found himself chuckling. “How many times did I take your dad's punches? Do you really think I would just let you go?”
“But the baby, it will be-”
“-what it's meant to be. Baby or babies.” Yed shrugged. “We originally met earlier. That detail alone could have changed the future. I don't know. This guilt will be over soon though. We'll forget, and just live our lives.”
“How can you say that? A whole war, countless lives. Xiam, Iri and Muin! Again, I don't want to do it all over again!”
“It will be all forgotten. The memories won't stay long, they never do.” Yed looked toward her. “They are already slipping away now. Soon, we'll know nothing more. All instinct to avoid the time machine will be gone.”
“We can't let it,” Ezra cried, “we can't! I don't want to go through a thousand lives of war and agony again!”
“It's the loop. It is what it is.” Yed sniffed. “I love you, Ezra.”
Ezra grabbed her head in pain “But-”
“I love you.” He stopped walking and took her hands in his. “Through every change or event that happened, you are the only thing that never changed. As a being who understands over a thousand different lives . . .I love you.”
“I know.” Ezra let go of her head. “I love you too.” She held his hands tightly. “Every life was different. Our son had even been King Sheward, fighting his brother. The whole time. Or was it himself? I can't hold on to the memories . . .”
“Good because keeping this knowledge would crack our sanity for good. Trust me, I know about sanity.” Yed watched her eyes, and saw the change inside of them.
“I am so sorry, Yed.” Ezra tried to lug one of the suitcases. “At least you saved money for a home. I don't know if we should move, or use that money for the pregnancy. It could be expensive.”
Yep, those memories were gone. His would be soon too. He smiled at the thought.
“Yed, what's wrong?” Ezra asked. “You have something new to your eyes.”
That was called 'knowing'. “It's okay. It'll fade away.” He pulled down the suitcase she was holding, and pulled her toward him. “We were fated to be this way. Nothing could stop us from being together.”
Ezra looked at him oddly, raising her eyebrow. “Yed. That sounded like it was a bad thing.
D-do you not want to be with me?”
“It's the opposite, Ezzy.” Yed kissed both her hands. “Our love destroys time, and I don't care anymore.”
“What do you mean?” Ezra stroked his cheek. “I don't understand.”
“And that's the way it needs to be.” He laid his hands on her face, bringing his lips to hers. He could already feel only a few past lives left. The asylum. Him, Muin and Xiam. Popcorn. Late night movie. Butter. Mnui. Covering Tiger in covetall. Kissing his protectee. “I'll be happy in just a short time.”
“How short?” Ezra asked.
“Huh?” Yed blinked. “How short what?”
“You said you'd be happy in a short time,” Ezra said. “Your eyes changed again.”
“Well, it's a little unsettling to suddenly be thrown into fatherhood.” Yed gulped. “But, yeah.” He grabbed her suitcases again, and her other hand. “We'll make it work. My brother, Xiam, he'll make it official for us. No one will be able to stop us from being together.”
Epilogue
“And I'm bored. Again.” Yed whistled and twisted his keys around his fingers. “Someone put me out of my misery, I was supposed to be home an hour ago.”
“I know, and you are late for supper.” Ezraponia walked up to him with their son and daughter in tow. “Yeducavich.”
“Oh,” he groaned as he hugged Ezraponia. “I know, honey, I'm so sorry.” He gave her a small kiss on the cheek. “King Hortencia though, he won't let me leave duty.”
“Well, go get one of the other guys.” Ezra hugged him deeper. “It's not like that time machine even works.”
Yed laughed at her. “I know, I know. But the regular guard is off this week, and I need to make up for last month.”
“Daddy!” His son and daughter both grabbed onto his legs, almost making him fall. “Come home!”
“Ah, you know I can't yet you tag team.” Yed bent down and looked toward his son and daughter. “Daddy will come home soon, I promise. Mommy is going to tie daddy's tail in a knot again if I don't.” He stopped to look toward Ezra. “Ezzy, baby, I really am sorry. It's not like I can say no to King Hortencia. He'd have me beaten to a pulp by a Protector or something.”
Ezra fixed the collar on his uniform. “Protectors are not the worst thing in the world.”
“Yeah, sure.” Yed chuckled as he pulled her into an embrace. He hated to stay late, he'd much rather be at home with his family. Tucking the children in, and then spending some extra time with his wife. Their fiftieth anniversary was tomorrow, and he wanted to get her a special ring for it. In order to do that, he needed a few more extra hours to get the money. “Sorry, Ezzy. Look, I promise. Within the next two hours, okay? I will take the night off tomorrow and spend the rest of the day with you.” He smiled, and brought her in for one more kiss. “Okay?”
“Okay.” Ezra pulled herself away. “Supper is waiting on the table, so you better keep that-”
“No, I'm scared!”
“Oh, you are always such a scaredy cat.”
Yed and Ezra both heard them. They looked toward the time machine. It was glowing with lightning in the center of it, and they saw Junior holding Carress.
“What is going on here?” Ezra demanded as she moved out of Yed's loving embrace.
Carress and Junior looked at each other.
Junior groaned. “I just wanted to look at it, but Carressy was too scared.”
“Honestly.” Yed grabbed Junior while Ezra grabbed Carress. Half the time, a duo was trouble. Sometimes he wondered if life would have been better with just one. Although a little shy, Carress often fell right into trouble with Junior. That usually made him braver. But, then again, Carress was more easily scared too, and their twin instincts often kept them together.
Now though, the kids had just interrupted his extra time! Yed turned the machine off. He would still buy that ring for Ezzy. It matched her hair perfectly, with a mineral showcase around it in bright blue. He'd just have to work even harder and put that money toward the rent. He tried to keep his voice level as he scolded his kids. “I show your mom some attention, and just like always, you've got to interrupt and make a mess.” As Yed and Ezra carried them out of the room, Yed locked the door. After that, he couldn't stay longer. What if others heard the commotion? He'd never hear the end of how he was a terrible guard. “You've got to learn boundaries, Junior. That's nothing to play around with.”
“That is the last time you two are coming with me to see your father,” Ezra scolded. Both of the children whined. “No, that could have been dangerous. It may be time for the family to move in with Ancient Fornotia.”
“Not Grammy Fornot in the Dens!” Junior whined. “Kids say she smells funny and she's too strict. I'll straighten up, I promise! I don't want to move to the old bag's Den!”
“What did you just call her?” Ezra put her hands to her hips. “Yeducavich Junior!”
Junior pointed at Yed. “That's what dad called her.”
Ezra's eyes went to Yed. “Yed?”
“I never called her that,” Yed denied. Great, now Junior was getting him into deeper trouble. He couldn't lie to Ezra though, so he thought of a better way to make it sound. “I call Grammy Happy that, she talks too much.” He looked toward his son. “It was done out of respect for the Ancients though, and I'm older. You don't get to say that. Besides, if you keep that up, we might have to move in with Grammy Happy, and that son? That would be torture.” He took his son's hand. “Come on, I'll take off early and make it up later. Let's go home and chew down supper.”
“Do we have enough water?” Junior asked. “That's brutal punishment, dad.”
“You two, knock it off.” Ezra glared at both of them as she picked up Carress.
Yed would never say anything about Ezra's cooking, but there was a reason she had always only been a waitress at her family's restaurant.
They walked out of the castle, nodding toward others they passed politely, making their way home before it got much darker.
THE END
Also by Melanie Ray
It Sucks Being Romeo and Juliet
A Love That Destroyed Time
Apocalyptic Fairytales
Watch for more at Melanie Ray’s site.
About the Author
Hello! I hope you enjoyed the story. If you enjoy my writing, you can always find more writing on my site, serenaspacey.com
Read more at Melanie Ray’s site.