Hersey laughed but Peebles only smiled. “Not on horseback,” he told her as they hurried through the halls of Maiden Castle.
The King, his eldest son and heir, Edward, Asser his advisor, Colonel Lemay and the Queen were already present. They all smiled indulgently at the newlyweds.
“I apologize for interrupting,” Alfred said, his eyes moving from his daughter to the General and back, twinkling all the while. Æthelflæd blushed slightly and her mother, Ealhswith, could instantly tell that the night went very well for Flæd, and she was happy.
The General however, was all business at the moment. “How far away?”
“Fifteen miles,” Lemay replied. “Garraty spotted them with a bug.”
“How in the hell did they get so close?” Peebles asked though he didn’t really expect an answer. He didn’t get one. Everyone in the room shrugged. It didn’t seem possible. The approaching force was far from any shoreline and would have had to travel quite a ways across open country to get to their current position.
“I have me men preparing to ride,” Alfred stated though he could only manage about eight hundred horseman at present.
Peebles nodded. “Let’s take a couple of hummers,” he ordered Lemay. After the campaign to free East Anglia they were now on strict gasoline rationing even though Robertson had managed to build several operating distillation columns for refining oil. They worked, but the process was agonizingly slow.
An hour later they were off, Æthelflæd riding next to her husband, insisting on coming along. The General didn’t argue too much, knowing that his new wife was headstrong and accustomed to getting her way, plus she was becoming quite the shot with a pistol. With the hummers and the M60’s along, he didn’t expect too much trouble, though he would rather not disperse the intruders throughout the countryside.
They traveled slowly to the west, following the main road until they reached the open spaces of the plains and then they set out across county.
“Corporal Garraty, do you still have a fix on their location?”
“Yes Sir…approximately nine miles due west of your current position,” the Corporal replied and it was a testament to how much the locals had grown that no one wondered how Garraty was able to supply such information or just where he was located.
At the moment the Corporal was positioned a couple of miles to the northwest in the little town of Andover, where the General had set up a small garrison to watch over the western plains.
“They’re moving slowly your direction and seem to be in no real hurry,” Garraty reported.
“Roger,” Peebles replied and they set out across the plains, moving no faster than the horses could easily manage. They’d traveled several miles before the General spotted the bug circling near the horizon to the west.
“Target three miles and closing,” Garraty reported, “still moving slowly.”
Ten minutes later they topped a rise and spotted a small group of horsemen, perhaps twenty in all, riding their way. Farther back there was a very long column of horsemen lined up, two by two. At the moment they were still and waiting, but even from a distance the General was impressed. The formation was obviously very disciplined, with no stragglers, and through magnification Peebles could clearly see that most wore identical uniforms.
The General frowned. “It’s obviously a professional force…hell they’re all wearing the same uniform.”
“Negative,” Lemay replied from the second hummer. “Most of the small group approaching are dressed…hell, they’re dressed like modern civilians!”
Peebles immediately increased the magnification on his helmet and turned his attention to the approaching group, sure enough a handful of riders were dressed in blue jeans…they were definitely not locals.
“Interesting,” the General whispered and leaned out the window and passed along their findings to King Alfred, who frowned.
“Who could they be?” He asked. “Mayhap more from yor lands?”
“I don’t know,” Peebles replied. “Anyone see any weapons.”
“Lances and swords,” Lemay called out. “I don’t see any guns at all.”
“Sadao, Jefferies?”
“Negative,” the two answered, one right after the other.
“All right. Well at least they’re out gunned, let’s see what they want,” Peebles said and their group slowly moved toward the approaching horsemen. Once they reached the strange group of riders, Alfred’s horseman spread out to cover just as many as possible, with the two hummers taking up center position.
“Easy now…let’s just talk,” the General said quietly over the GBF. He stepped slowly out his vehicle and turned to face the small group of newcomers. A moment later Æthelflæd was standing confidently at his side. Peebles took a moment to glance down at her. He smiled, but suddenly wished she was safely back in Winchester.
A young man, near the front of the strange group, obviously of Middle Eastern decent, dismounted and the rest of his group followed his example. Peebles took a moment to study them. There were four men in modern dress; two tall, fit men and one that looked like he could be an American Indian. Alongside there were three women; one had an American look while the youngest looked a bit Hispanic. She was lovely and gazed back at Peebles with wide, excited eyes. And finally there was the exotic beauty on the right. She was absolutely gorgeous, though of some unknown nationality. There were no guns visible among the group, but several, including the stunning woman in blue jeans, were wearing swords strapped to their waists.
“Who be these strangers?” Alfred asked as he climbed from his horse, curious that there were four women in the lead group, and three were wearing swords. Sir Gospatrick and Sir Ædwin dismounted as well, gawking openly as they moved to their King’s side.
Peebles shrugged. “You’re American,” Peebles said to the large man standing next to the young man who dismounted first. The man was clearly a professional…military probably, but perhaps a police officer. Lemay exited his hummer and moved to the General’s side, clearly intrigued.
“I am,” the man answered, “and you?”
Peebles nodded and took one small step forward and held up his hand in greeting. “My name is General Stephen Peebles…this is King Alfred of Wessex….or King Alfred the Great to you.”
The man’s mouth dropped open, utterly stunned, and then the young man next to him started to laugh.
“Galen, where in the…where have you taken us?” The American woman whispered, though it was loud enough in the silence for everyone to hear.
“Earth,” the young man answered and briefly hugged the beautiful Hispanic girl who stood at his side. They smiled at each other happily for a moment and then the young man named Galen moved to the woman who asked the question.
“Don’t be afraid mother,” he said, though clearly they were not related. Galen then made a sweeping motion that encompassed all they could see. “This is Earth. This is home and I’m absolutely positive that this is the best of all possible worlds,” he added with a laugh.
Peebles frowned and took another step forward as the woman looked over and studied Alfred closely.
“But please don’t worry. If you don’t like it,” Galen added with a mischievous wink, “there are so, so many more.”
“Who are you people?” The General asked and took one more step forward and was surprised when Æthelflæd slipped her hand into his. She’d remained steadfastly by his side.
The young man turned to Peebles. “I’m Galen Dawkins,” he answered with a smile, “and this is my mother Christine.”
Peebles nodded and glanced to the large man who first spoke.
“Cord Armstrong,” the man said. “Formerly NSA,” he explained.
“How did you get here?” Peebles asked. “How did you escape the Skawps?”
But before anyone could answer Corporal Jefferies shifted the M60 he was manning slightly in the direction of the group. In a flash, faster than thought, the young Hispanic woman drew both swords on
her hips and streaked across the distance and kicked Jefferies in the right temple. At first no one was even aware that she’d moved; one second she was standing by the young man called Galen and the next she was on top of the hummer looming over the Corporal and pushing the M60 away from Galen.
“Ho!” Sir Gospatrick yelled and started to pull his sword. An instant later he was on his back and a sword was resting easily against Sir Ædwin’s throat. Ædwin swallowed nervously, he hadn’t even seen the gorgeous, older woman move, but despite the danger he found himself staring at her profile. She was exotic and utterly lovely.
Instantly everyone in Alfred’s group tensed.
“Hold!” Alfred and Peebles yelled together.
“Avigail! Vio! These are friends…come back here now!” Galen shouted, clearly upset. The girl on the hummer tensed but immediately did as Galen asked, but the older woman remained where she was for a long moment. She eyed Ædwin and then the fallen Gospatrick before turning to look at Peebles and the man called King Alfred.
“You will not be allowed to threaten Galen,” she told them both and Peebles nodded, wondering at the woman’s accent. It was like nothing he’d heard before.
“Vio please,” one of the other men pleaded and the woman slowly sauntered back to her group, every step attractive and very sensual. She stopped by the man who spoke and smiled at him.
“Please, everyone stay calm,” Galen implored. “We are not enemies. We are here to help you,” he added and Peebles smiled.
“Corporal Jefferies,” the General said loudly, never taking his eyes from the group in front of him. “Are you all right?”
“Yes Sir,” Jefferies replied, rubbing his temple ruefully.
“Please refrain from pointing your weapon at our friends here,” Peebles ordered, stunned by the unbelievable speed the women possessed. The one called Vio shot right past him and he’d never seen her move until Gospatrick was on the ground. He hadn’t even had time to flinch.
“Yes Sir!” The Corporal answered and kept the M60 carefully pointed out into the open spaces.
“Did ye see her move?” Gospatrick sputtered as he sat up. “Did you see her move?” He repeated as Ædwin helped him back to his feet.
“Na,” Ædwin answered and turned to stare at the beautiful woman once more. “Na, I did na see her move.”
“Who be ye people?” Alfred asked again.
Galen laughed and hugged the young woman named Avigail once more.
“That will take some explaining your Majesty,” Galen answered. “It’s a long story; perhaps we could go somewhere a bit more comfortable. We’ve traveled a very long way.”
Alfred looked over at Peebles, who shrugged.
“They say they want to help,” Peebles said with a smirk. “Let’s see what they can do.”
“We canna return to Winchester and Maiden,” Alfred offered with a curious smile of his own; life was so very, very strange.
“Excellent, I can get us there real quick,” Galen replied. “We thank you,” he added and then turned to a young woman near the back of the group and spoke in a strange language. The woman nodded and deftly mounted her horse and then rode back to the large column of cavalry.
“Patia will be bringing the others…if that is acceptable?” Galen asked. Alfred took a moment to look at General Peebles but then turned back and nodded.
“Would you like me to?” Avigail asked but Galen just shook his head.
“No…it’s in this world, and very close. I can manage,” Galen answered and then moved out alone onto the grassy field to the south and away from the group.
Peebles and Alfred glanced at one another for a moment.
“What’s he doing?” Colonel Lemay asked, still a bit stunned by the meeting and the speed at which the two women attacked.
The General and the King shrugged together, both watching a bit nervously as a thousand professional horsemen rode their way.
Galen stopped about fifty feet away, his back to everyone and stood completely still for a long moment.
General Peebles was about to ask about his behavior again when suddenly a giant Door sprang into existence in front of the young man. The Door was impossibly high and at least three hundred feet wide. Peebles gasped and could feel the power the Door demanded, but there were no machines in sight. It was perfectly formed, a giant bubble in the middle of the Salisbury plains, and framed in the very center were the main gates to the town of Winchester.
A great cry of surprise went up from the local Anglishmen and Americans alike, everyone stunned by the presence of the portal.
Galen turned back and smiled at them all. “Travel!” He told them and began to laugh joyously.
“He’s made a Door!” Colonel Lemay gasped. “He’s made a Door!” He repeated. “Oh my God, he’s made a Door!”
The End
Author’s Note:
The Temporal Knights is first and foremost a work of fiction, written solely for entertainment and should be taken as such. While much of the life of King Alfred has been lost through the passage of time, I strived very hard to ensure that certain facts, names and places in the book are accurate. However, on occasion, I blatantly ignored history. Ivarr the boneless is just one example. Though the man is real enough, he was actually the nemesis of Alfred’s father Æthelwulf, but as an author I could not pass up such a colorful name. Guthrum was Alfred’s chief antagonist.
Any historical or scientific mistakes, either accidental or planned, are mine and mine alone. If any readers are interested in learning more about King Alfred I highly recommend Justin Pollard’s “Alfred the Great-The man who made England.”
Also by Richard D. Parker
The Temple Island Series:
The Black Horseman
Assassin of the Heart
Elsewhere
The Best of all Possible Worlds
For more information please visit my website at http://www.richarddparker.net/
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
The Temporal Knights Page 68
