The King's Descendants

by Robin Simmons

  “She needs some time alone, Edward. Give her space, she will be fine.”

  Edward once again focused on those seated at the breakfast table and noticed that Master Rollins was staring at his food, but had not eaten any of his breakfast either. Before Edward could ponder the reason for Master Rollins’ failed appetite, the weapons master rose and walked out on the balcony where Lucinda was. Good, Edward thought, Master Rollins will give her some comfort and fatherly advice. He could see that they were engaged in a very serious conversation. Master Rollins took a letter from his pouch and handed it to Lucinda. And after she read it she hugged Master Rollins. Edward curiously watched as a second letter was given to Lucinda from Master Rollins. Then they exchanged a few more words and Lucinda vanished. So shocked was Edward that he dropped his cup and knocked his chair over as he stood.

  Everyone was in disarray as Edward announced: “Lucinda has vanished!” Edward knew that Lucinda had time shifted somewhere, but why or for what reason he did not know. He quickly headed for Master Rollins to find out what had happened...

  Lucinda stood out on the balcony, letting the sun warm her face. She hoped that the bright sunshine would lift the ache and sudden loneliness that had come upon her. She did not realize until this morning how much she longed to be married, yet there had never even been one suitable man interested in her ever. Adriell had not been looking for love, and it just happened to her suddenly. Now she faced that utter loneliness that comes from a person ready to give someone love, but having no one to give it to. Just then she felt a hand upon her shoulder and turned to see Master Rollins standing there.

  “I know how you feel, Lucinda. That ache in your heart will not last long, believe me. You will be happier than you can ever imagine.”

  Lucinda looked at Master Rollins, “How can you know what will make me happy. You of all people! I have never seen you even look at another woman.”

  “That is because I gave my heart away many years ago to the most wonderful woman in this kingdom. I have no interest in any other.”

  Lucinda’s curiosity now supplanted her loneliness so she asked, “Who is this woman who has so captured your heart Master Rollins?”

  Master Rollins looked at Lucinda tenderly and said, “It is you, Lucinda. And I have come out here on the balcony to ask you to marry me.”

  At first Lucinda thought Master Rollins was jesting, then she saw the serious look on his face.

  Lucinda softened toward Master Rollins and said, “That is very sweet of you, Master Rollins, but you are almost old enough to be my father. You are a very dear friend, but I am afraid that the age difference between us is too great.”

  Master Rollins was not offended, he only said, “It does not have to be.”

  Lucinda waited for Master Rollins to say more, but he kept silent. She almost wished him to leave, when his words began to settle upon her. She looked back into his face and Master Rollins was smiling. Lucinda began to tremble and the words she tried to form in her mind would not come. Finally she ordered her thoughts enough to begin.

  “I, you, we are married? How long?”

  Master Rollins smiled again, “Almost 14 years.” Then Master Rollins took a letter from his pouch and handed it to Lucinda. “I knew how lonely you felt because you told me about it in the past. You told me I must ask you to marry me here, today, and I was to give you this letter.”

  Lucinda opened it and realized immediately it was her own handwriting. Then she began to read:

  I know you will recognize the writing, so you know who this is from. I wrote this so all doubts will be erased from your mind. Accepting Robert’s proposal was the best thing that ever happened to me. I never knew I could love so deeply, and be so deeply loved. Listen to him very carefully and do everything he tells you to do, and we, I mean you will be happier than you could ever imagine.

  Lucinda

  Lucinda looked at Master Rollins and threw her arms around him in a big hug.

  “Yes, Master Rollins, I will marry you!”

  “Very well then. The first thing you must do is to stop calling me Master Rollins, my name is Robert. Then you must go to the time and place I describe for you and give me this..”

  Master Rollins pulled a second letter out of his pouch and handed it to Lucinda. “This letter is from me to myself in the past. Give it to me when you appear and everything will be complete.” After he described the time and place to Lucinda she nodded and closed her eyes. A moment later she vanished. Master Rollins looked up and saw the shock on Edward’s face and saw Edward rise and the chair fall over. He waited patiently for Edward to approach. Before Edward reached him, Master Rollins glanced out at the front gate and saw a woman and three children enter the courtyard. He swiftly turned and met Edward before he reached the balcony.

  “What is going on, Master Rollins?”

  Master Rollins took Edward’s arm and headed him back toward the others.

  “I will explain everything.” When they were back inside the great hall Master Rollins began; “In a short while you will see Lucinda, whom you just saw disappear. But she has not seen the rest of you for fourteen years. Please wait until she arrives and I will explain everything.”

  In a short while Lucinda arrived with her children who ran joyfully to their father. Master Rollins hugged them and then went to Lucinda and gave her a heartfelt hug. He then turned to the those who quietly waited and presented his wife.

  “May I present to you my wife of fourteen years, Lucinda Rollins.”

  There was stunned silence from everyone, and no one said a word. At last Lucinda spoke: “I have missed everyone so much.” Then she ran to Jason and hugged him. Then it seemed everyone began to speak at once and the room was filled with questions and confusion until Jason quieted everyone.

  Then turning to Lucinda he said, “You have been married to Master Rollins for the past 14 years?”

  “Yes, Jason, they have been the most wonderful years of my life, except for missing everyone so much. Today was so hard to wait for. In the past I could not reveal myself, nor my marriage to Robert because my younger self existed in the past as well and had no idea what was going to take place. And you know that time shifters should not see each other in the past or future. That is why today when I left to go back 14 years I also returned here. Now there is no more a paradox in time. Yes, I am older, and I have not seen any of you for fourteen years, but it has been worth the sacrifice. I went back in time so Robert’s age would be closer to mine. None of you missed me at all, only I experienced the large gap in time. Jason, I want you to meet my children, your nephews and niece.”

  Lucinda presented her children to Jason and the rest, Edward, her first born. Then Andrew, and lastly Pi her daughter.

  Master Rollins spoke to Jason, “I am sorry that I never asked for your sister’s hand in marriage. This was such a strange arrangement with the wedding taking place 14 years ago that I never found the right time to ask.”

  Jason smiled at Master Rollins, “Her happiness is all the permission you need. Only I will have to get used to the idea of an older sister now.” Everyone was still filled with wonder and were silent until Lucinda’s laughing broke the silence.

  “What is so funny,” asked Edward.

  “Looking at the table I just remembered that fourteen years ago I had no appetite because of my heartache, but now I am hungry after our trip. I think I will sit down and eat what I left fourteen years ago.” Lucinda sat down in her former place, her children found a place and began to eat as well. Edward watched for a while, taking in the wonder of it all.

  Brianna leaned over to Edward and said, “See, I told you she would find someone. I just did not expect it to happen so fast, and for her to show up with children as old as hers. If ever I doubted your explanation of time travel, I do no longer.”

  Edward squeezed his wife’s hand and then went over to Master Rollins.

  “Master Rollins, this is the most ple
asant surprise I could ever imagine. All these years, I thought you a single man with no interest in any woman. How did you manage to keep this from the kingdom for so long?”

  Master Rollins rubbed his chin, “Well, it wasn’t easy. After Lucinda came to me in the past and we decided to marry, we had a private ceremony and went to live in my home on the south side of the Mendoza vineyards. I never invited you to my home for this reason, nor even my brother, Duke Rollins. It was much harder on Lucinda, not having contact with all of you, having to live those years alone. There were times I wondered if I had done the right thing. But when ever I questioned her she assured me she was content with her home life and children. I tried to give her all the love I could during those years. Maybe I am selfish, but they have been the best years of my life. Now that history has caught up with itself, we can get on with normal living, and she can visit with her family and friends once again.

  Edward shook his head, “I think the adjustment will be harder for us. It is difficult to absorb, seeing Lucinda with three children. This is a long time in coming, but congratulations, Master Rollins. May your happiness continue.”

  The rest of the day was spent in catching up on everything with Lucinda, and getting to know her children. Everyone seemed to be adjusting well to the older Lucinda with children except Jonnos. Adriell noticed his discomfort every time he looked at Lucinda.

  “Come with me, Jonnos, let us go to the garden so we can talk.” He nodded and soon they were seated on a bench in the garden.

  “I can see that you are unsettled by the events that have taken place.” He nodded so Adriell continued. “You have heard the stories about our family from your father, and you have seen the battle reflexes of King Edward and myself. You also know that I can speak to people’s minds and hear their thoughts. Yet you seem to be very disturbed by what happened to Lucinda.”

  Jonnos looked at Adriell and said, “Up until now I knew these stories, and had accepted them in my head. It was disconcerting to see that Pi was a machine, but I was able to accept that with the coming war. The king’s battle reflexes and even you talking to people’s minds did not have the affect upon me that this episode with Lucinda has. I guess seeing her young one moment, and older with children the next made everything I have seen and heard become real all at once. My world as I knew it has been shattered, and I find no strong foothold for the present. I now realize the woman I love has abilities I may never understand. Everyone else seems to accept this with no hesitation, but it is not as easy for me.”

  Adriell pondered Jonnos’ statement, “Does this change your feelings for me?”

  Jonnos took Adriell’s hand and faced her, “No, of course not. But I do not know if I am worthy to be part of such a special, gifted family. I can not even best you in sword play. Plus, I know very little about your past. You came back to us with your mother as a young woman. What was it like where you came from?”

  Adriell realized that despite their love, Jonnos did not know very much about her or her past.

  “Jonnos, let me tell you about my mother, and our past. Maybe it will help you to understand more of who I am.” Jonnos nodded and waited for Adriell to continue.

  “I was born in the far future, about three thousand years into the future. My mother, Rebekka was taken there by a woman who could travel in time like Lucinda can. She did this at the command of an evil man named Layton Teal. He wanted to find our ancestors and destroy them, for they too had fled to hide from him in the past. He was looking for them and came here to Glenfair. My mother, Rebekka was a threat to him because she could read people’s thoughts like I can. So he had his time traveler take her to the future and hold her as a hostage to get the information he desired. While my mother was in the future, she convinced the woman who had taken her to the future,not to go back in four days as Layton Teal had wanted her to. She thus stranded him in our time here, but he did not live long, for my father, King Raven killed him in a short battle.

  So I was born in the future because my mother thought she was stranded there. I grew up with machines like Pi and other advances that would be hard to explain to you right now. My mother took over Layton Teal’s empire and changed it for the better. From an empire of tyranny to one where the people choose their leaders. Although I longed to meet my father and brother, I was very happy in those years in the future. There were wonderful people in the future as there are here. Anyway, as soon as my mother could she turned the governing of that great and vast empire over to a leader the people chose themselves. His name was John Martin, a good and kind man. After his term of office expired, an ancestor of mine, Blastion Astmos ruled for two terms. I called him uncle Blastion, and I miss him most of all. The whole empire loved my mother for what she did for them, and made a statue of her in the central government square.

  Jonnos frowned and asked, “How big was the kingdom or empire your mother helped to rule for a short time?”

  Adriell made a small dot on the ground, “This is how big Glenfair is.” She then drew a large circle around the dot, as far as she could reach. “And this is the size of the empire in the future.”

  Jonnos was shocked, how could an empire exist that was so large? He just shook his head.

  “It is hard to fathom a kingdom that large. But tell me, how did you come back to Glenfair, and did you want to come back?”

  Adriell smiled, “Come, take my hand and walk with me into the courtyard.” The two walked together until they came to the courtyard fountain.

  “This inscription from my father, remembering my mother is what brought us back here. The day they unveiled the statue of my mother, Uncle Blastion and John Martin had a surprise for her. Unknown to her, they had begun an excavation and restoration of this castle by men of science who studied such things in the past. While we were there, this inscription was uncovered and it brought my mother to tears to read it. At that moment Ellise, the woman who had taken my mother to the future decided to take us back if we wanted. My mother wanted to return, but thought I did not until I told her I had always wanted to go back to my true home.

  You see, Jonnos, I had heard stories from my mother about this kingdom, the wonderful times she had and about father. It all sounded so wonderful I always dreamed of coming back to this time and place. I have never regretted that choice, and Glenfair has been everything that I dreamed it would be. I belong here...with you.

  Jonnos took Adriell into his arms and gave her a hug. “You are a rare jewel, Adriell. You possess the treasures of the future and the past. I know now that all the strangeness is who you are and I embrace it all. Somehow your story told so convincingly from the heart has brought me peace. I no longer feel like an outsider looking in at something I will never understand. Not that I understand all you told me, but it has brought comfort to me. I must return tomorrow to our dukeship and inform father of my intentions to marry you. He will be delighted, but will give me some difficulty about marrying a woman who is a better swordsman.”

  Adriell laughed and so did Jonnos at that statement.

  “Let us go back inside and join the others,” added Adriell.

  The two weeks came for the dukes to gather at the king’s castle. Each brought the armor that was made by the ancients of triberridum. When they had gathered King Edward began:

  “We have before us the ending of an age. We no longer need the armor of our ancestors to protect Glenfair. Glenfair will never face another war.”

  Duke Terry Rollins asked, “How do you know the armor will never be needed again?”

  “If you remember Pi was from the future and she has assured us that the armor will never be needed again. It must be destroyed, so that is why I have called you here today. But to insure that no one ever attempts to breach our pass gates again in the manner in which it was done, we need to take precautionary measures. Sucinord pushed a heavy metal cart through the south pass gate, shattering it as he did so. There was a straight path to the gate enabling the cart to reac
h a fast speed before it crashed into the reinforced wood. Every pass gate needs to erect stone barriers fifty feet from the outside of the gate. It will force wagons to make an “S” turn before they get to the gate. Any speeding cart will not be able to make the sharp turn and must crash into the barriers or into the pass wall. It will effectively stop any assault that needs speed and weight to break the gates. People will complain because of its inconvenience and sharp turns, but it will protect our gates from the only weakness we have ever encountered.”

  The dukes all nodded in approval of Edward’s solution to the same assault on a pass happening again.

  Edward continued, “Thank you for all of your sacrifice in preserving the kingdom. It is our unity that defeated the Sabatols. May our kingdom prosper for another thousand years. There is refreshment and food in the Great hall. As the dukes began to leave, Edward motioned for Mason Zandel to stay.

  “Duke Zandel, it was an honor fighting beside you in the war. My father spoke highly of you and now I know why.”

  Mason smiled and added, “To fight with you was an equal honor, Sire. I thought I would never see your father’s skill and gift in battle again. But in you it abides. You have put it to good use as a good king ought.”

  Edward nodded at the compliment paid by Mason. “I wish to speak to you of the matter of your son, Jonnos, and my sister Adriell. He wishes to wed my sister and I have given him my permission and blessing to do so. Do you agree as well to this union?”

  Mason smiled, “I can not think of a better wife for my son than a woman of such character as Adriell. He seems to manage well with her talents and high spirit.”

  Edward nodded, “It takes a great man to set aside his pride and acknowledge Adriell’s gifts without being threatened by them. I would feel uncomfortable if she were interested in any other man besides Jonnos. He is a credit to your upbringing, Mason.”

  Mason Zandel nodded and smiled, “Did you know she saved his life in the battle?” Edward nodded, so Mason continued.