by Kit Morgan
She shrugged. “July 17.”
He glanced at his wife again. “What century?”
She stared at him. “What is this?”
“The century, Miss Fine,” he prompted. “Or year, if you prefer.”
“The 21st century, obviously … what?”
The woman covered her mouth as she gasped. “Oh, Andel …”
Andel frowned. “What are they up to?” he mumbled.
Mitzi could feel their apprehension, or was it hers? She wasn’t sure. “What’s the matter?”
Andel stood. “I’m not sure yet, but something must be. Otherwise why would you be here?”
“That’s what I want to know!” Mitzi stood up, fists at her sides. “Look, I don’t know what this place is or why the charade, but if I don’t get back, I’m gonna lose my job. You people …” She shook her head. What could she say? It didn’t help to tell crazy people they were crazy. She turned for the door – time to get out of here.
A large hand clamped onto her arm. “I’m afraid you’re not going anywhere, Miss Fine.”
She looked at Andel’s hand, then up at him. Way up. “And why not? It’s not like you can keep me here.” Though given his size, he probably could without help. She was bluffing, but she had to – the alternative was getting sucked into this maelstrom of madness.
“My apologies, but I have no choice but to put you under my protection. Once I find out why you’ve been brought here, we’ll speak again.”
“What?” She tried to pull away, to no avail. She couldn’t even turn to kick him in the kneecap. “Let go of me.”
“Calm yourself. I won’t harm you – no one here will. But there is something you need to know.”
“What?” she spat. She was so done with this nonsense. She just wished she knew what the heck was going on.
“You are in the Kingdom of Dalrovia.”
“Yeah, you told me that already.” She tried to pull away again.
He held her fast, but looked sympathetic. “Dalrovia is in Europe, between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the German Empire.”
Her jaw dropped. How could she be that far from home? “Where?”
His face softened even more. “And it is indeed July, only it’s the 20th …”
That actually made more sense of things – she must have been knocked out, abducted and flown here – someone could do that in three days. Still, who did it, and why? What would motivate someone to grab a random American citizen and dump them in the EU?
But Andel wasn’t finished. “… of the year of our Lord 1889.”
Mitzi stared at him again, opened her mouth to laugh but found she couldn’t breathe. Then the blackness enveloped her as she fainted.
Chapter Seven
“Asger!”
Asger opened one of the double doors at his father’s call, saw the young woman in his arms and hurried inside. “What happened?”
“She fainted.” Father laid her on the loveseat. “Fetch a pillow.”
Asger quickly complied and placed it under the young woman’s head. “What did she say?” He looked at his father. “What did you ask her?”
“What I had to.” He looked at Mother. “I’ll have the guards keep an eye out for the MacDonalds. This is clearly their doing.”
“What did they do?” Asger wondered. His parents were always evasive about their friends the MacDonalds. They’d known the couple for years. In fact, if it wasn’t for them, his parents might never have met.
His father eyed him. “Where did you find this young woman again? And what makes you think she was kidnapped?”
Asger looked at Mitzi. What a strange name. “I was sitting by the stream and she …” He smiled. “… fell into my lap.”
“What?” they said at once.
He shrugged. “That’s what happened.”
“Asger?” his father said. “Get away from her.”
Asger’s gut went cold. “What? Why?” He really didn’t want to, but wasn’t sure why not.
“Please.” Mother went to the loveseat. “Give the poor woman some air. Besides, it’s not proper for you to hover over her like that.”
“I suppose.” He stood, eyes fixed on the petite blonde. He didn’t know why he was so attracted to her. She was pretty, yes, but he’d seen prettier. There was something about her he couldn’t identify. She was so … so … well, just so. Finally he stepped back against the pull to move closer again. Was his betrothal to Princess Velta bothering him so much that any other female offered a blessed respite? A horrible thought, but possible.
“Asger?” his mother said. “You’re standing next to her again.”
He stared at his mother, slack-jawed. Indeed, he was right back where he’d been. “How did that happen?”
“Go,” Father said. “We will have her tended and put her up in the north tower. Lady Mildred will watch over her.”
“Lady Mildred – that clumsy crackpot?” Asger cried. “She’s liable to accidently shove her out a window!”
“Lady Mildred has been a part of this court for years,” Mother said with confidence.
“Yes, and everyone at court knows she’s a lunatic,” Asger countered.
“Come now, she’s not that bad,” Mother said. “A little eccentric, maybe …”
“A little?” Asger interjected.
His mother rolled her eyes. “She’s harmless, and needs something to occupy her time.”
“She needs to be locked up,” Asger grumbled.
“We didn’t ask your counsel,” Father said. “She will tend the young woman, and that’s that.”
Mother headed for the door. “I’ll send for her.”
“Ohhhh …”
Asger was at Mitzi’s side before anyone could blink, including him. “Are you all right?”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Wha’ happened?”
“You fainted.” He reached for her hand, then stopped. What was wrong with him? He didn’t know this woman! It was bad enough his parents had caught him so close to her in the first place – and unconsciously staying so close. Would they think he was besotted with her? Was he?
Mother went to the doors, opened one and spoke to a guard, who was off like a shot. She turned back. “Asger …”
He smiled at Mitzi (zounds, he was even thinking of her by her first name!). “You’ve had a horrible shock. But don’t worry, all is in hand. We’re preparing a room for you so you can rest.”
She struggled to sit up, her eyes darting around the room. “Oh, yeah?”
“Asger, please leave,” Father said.
A chill went up his spine. He didn’t want to leave her. But why not? “Is that a command, Your Majesty?”
“Yes.”
Asger struggled to obey. Not only did he not want to leave, he wanted to find out what happened earlier between his parents and Mitzi. Had they argued? Had his father upset her? And why in all that was holy did he care? She was a stranger! He shouldn’t be acting like this toward her. He looked into her big blue eyes. There was defiance in them, mixed with fear and curiosity. It was all he could do to look away. “You’re right, I should go …”
“Have no fear, we’ll see to her needs.” Mother came over, took his arm and steered him toward the door.
Asger felt as if his heart was being torn out. None of it made sense. Ach du lieber, was he suffering from love at first sight? No, that was impossible – there was no such thing. Besides, even she didn’t know how she wound up in his lap – or even in his woods. He took one last look at the petite beauty behind him as he left.
Once outside, the door having been closed firmly behind him by Mother, he turned to the waiting guard. “Has Captain Kolbeck gone to the forest?”
“Yes, Your Highness, per the Queen’s orders.”
He sighed. “Thank you.” He strode down the corridor. He’d find Hal, see if he’d discovered anything out of the ordinary, then see what he thought of all of this. He hoped she wasn’t a spy – that would be tragic. But spie
s were common in this day and age, especially now in the aftermath of the German Unification, the Italian Risorgimento, several minor wars and saber-rattling all over Europe. That was why his parents had reached out to Lacona to find him a royal-born wife – both countries needed allies against the rapacious Germans to their east.
He rounded a corner and spotted a familiar figure hurrying toward him. Here she came …
Lady Mildred van Rumpel didn’t seem to notice him as she scurried along. She was too busy fiddling with something. He couldn’t tell if it was a scarf or a sash, and wasn’t sure he wanted to know what she was doing with it. Some said she was “before her time;” others, like him, thought she was a lunatic. She talked funny – come to think of it, she spoke much like Mitzi. No – how could they be from the same place? But their accents were similar.
Lady Mildred reached him. “Oh! Pardon me, Your Highness – I didn’t see you there.”
He forced a smile. Lady Mildred was of medium height and build, with curly red hair spilling in all directions, big blue eyes and a raspy voice. She was well over sixty and had come to the kingdom years ago when … “The MacDonalds!”
“What was that, Your Highness? Oh, never mind, I must be going. Been summoned by the queen, you know!” She hurried past, still fiddling with her long blue silk whatever-it-was.
Asger watched her trot down the hall, the silk trailing behind her. He hoped she didn’t trip, but wouldn’t be surprised if she did. She was so odd. She dressed strangely, on top of everything else. Once she showed up wearing a turban with flowers stuck in it – ridiculous. Another time, she dressed like some Grecian goddess, frightening several of Hal’s guards.
The real problem was that she had quite a following within the Dalrovian court, and some of the other women there copied her, much to their husbands’ dismay. Thankfully no one copied the goddess outfit, but several women had showed up wearing flowered turbans. They probably got a talking from their spouses once they were home. Why in Heaven’s name would they want to copy her?
He watched her go with envy and alarm – alarm, because it was Lady Mildred; envy, because she’d get to spend time with the mysterious Mitzi; alarm, because she would be around Mitzi and was highly accident-prone. What if she accidently stabbed the poor girl with a pair of scissors? Sliced her with a letter opener? Poisoned her? Bumped her out the window?
But Father had spoken, and without a countermanding order from Mother, his word was law.
Asger sighed. There were times he swore Lady Mildred was placed in the palace as a secret assassin, but his parents thought it ludicrous. He always was suspicious, and now more than ever – not so much of Lady Mildred as of Dallan and Shona MacDonald. He wasn’t sure if they had brought Lady Mildred to court all those years ago or not. He just remembered them being around the same time she arrived. And now, judging from his parents’ earlier remarks, had something to do with Mitzi’s arrival …
Well, no matter what it was, he’d find out soon enough. But first he had to find Hal and his men and discover if anything else was afoot.
As soon as Asger left the room, his father stared down at Mitzi. She fought the urge to gulp, having just remembered why she fainted in the first place. Eighteen eighty- … no. It had to be a joke. It had to be a joke. It had to be a …
“I’m sorry I was so blunt,” he said. “Please forgive me if I frightened you.”
She laughed nervously. “You certainly have a strange sense of humor.” Because if he didn’t, he was either lying and doing a terrible job of it, she’d been thrown into some sort of weird reality show, or …
“You must believe me when I tell you that you are in the 19th and not the 21st century,” he continued. “If you don’t believe me, all you have to do is look around. How many castles are there in your Las Vegas?”
She sighed – this was beginning to wear on her. “Actually, there’s more than a few castles there.” She fidgeted on the loveseat. She might was well tell it like it is. “Look, for all I know this is some big setup. But what I can’t figure out is why on Earth would anyone want to bring me into it.”
“We know this must’ve come as a shock,” Asger’s mother – the queen! – said. “But also know that we had nothing to do with it. We’re as unsure about this as you are but give us some time, and we’ll get this sorted out.”
Mitzi stared at them. Were they really royalty? Was she really in the 19th century? That was impossible. “Shock is putting it mildly. What I want to know is, who brought me here …” She held up a finger. “… who took my duty belt and clothes …” Two more fingers. “… and who dressed me in these?” She waved at the dress she wore.
The Prince Consort (or whatever he really was) heaved a frustrated sigh. “I will explain everything as soon as we know.” He rubbed his eyes with a hand. “Alas, young lady, we know little more than you do.”
“Oh, really? Then who are these MacDonalds you keep bringing up?” She crossed her arms, waiting for their answer.
The big man sighed. “Friends of ours who visit now and then and bring us … oddities. Only this time, if my guess is right, they brought you.”
She cocked her head. “So your friends took me from Vegas, brought me to Europe and stuck me with you guys?” She laughed. It was no laughing matter, but she couldn’t wrap her head around it. What was the point of kidnapping her and bringing her to this weird place? Her family had no money for ransom, no way to rescue her. Maybe she should be scared. But she wasn’t, or at least not much.
The queen joined her on the loveseat. “Please be patient while we figure this out. We know what a shock this is, not to mention how frightening it must be for you.”
Mitzi looked at the woman sitting next to her. Was she really a queen?
There was a soft knock on the door and a guard opened it. “Lady Mildred, Your Majesty.”
The woman that entered wasn’t as elegantly dressed as the so-called queen. She had big blue eyes, red hair sticking out like Merida in Brave, and wore a funny little hat and a huge smile. She looked like Lucille Ball after surviving an explosion. “Your Majesty,” she said in a florid British accent.
“Lady Mildred van Rumpel, this is Miss Mitzi Fine from America,” the queen said.
“Oh?” Lady Mildred looked at Mitzi and smiled. “Hello.”
Mitzi smiled but said nothing.
“I have a task for you, Lady Mildred. This young lady has stumbled into our care. Would you be so kind as to look after her for me?”
“Why, I’d be happy to, Your Majesty.” Lady Mildred beamed at Mitzi. “Where in America are you from, dearie? I know it’s a very big place. Oh, but you don’t have to answer right now. I’m sure you have all sorts of things you can tell me about your home,” she said in a rush. “And I can tell you about Dalrovia!”
Now Mitzi did gulp. The woman spoke so quickly, she wondered if she’d be able to keep up in a conversation. She smiled again, the only answer she was willing to give at this point.
“My, but it’s late and you must be very, very tired. Oh, and famished too! Are you famished? Should I have some food brought?” She turned to the queen. “Where will the young lady be staying?”
“In the north tower, right next to you,” the queen said. “Do watch over her carefully, Lady Mildred.”
Mitzi caught the warning in the queen’s voice. Did that mean I Love Lucy was supposed to guard her as well? Keep her from escaping? And what the heck was the north tower?
“Understood, Your Majesty.” Lady Mildred curtsied, took Mitzi’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “Come along, there’s so much to do!”
“Be careful, Lady Mildred,” the queen called after them.
“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I’ll take care of her as if she were my own dear daughter!”
“Oh, dear,” Mitzi heard the queen say as they headed out the door. Her heart raced. Did that mean the woman dragging her down the hall was inept? Maybe that was a good thing, if she needed to escape this loony bin.
“I do hope you enjoy your time in Dalrovia,” Lady Mildred said as they continued down the hallway. “It’s a very very nice place. Are you staying long?”
“To tell you the truth, I don’t even know how I got here. I’m sure the queen will fill you in at some point.”
Lady Mildred stopped. “I beg your pardon?”
Mitzi shrugged. “I’ve been told I’m in the 19th century – 1889, to be exact. Is that true?”
Lady Mildred blinked a few times. “Well, of course! Did you bump yourself on the head, child?”
“Not that I know of.” Oh, boy – either this lady was just as batty as everyone else here, or … no, it had to be that. The alternative was impossible … wasn’t it?
The woman made a face. “Dear me. But is this century not to your liking?”
Mitzi’s brow furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Lady Mildred waved it away. “Nevermindnevermind, let’s keep going! As soon as I get you settled into your rooms, I’ll send for some food. You must be famished, you poor thing.”
Now that the woman mentioned it, Mitzi realized she was. Her stomach growled to confirm it.
“Tell me,” Lady Mildred said, “Are you from Lacona?”
“Where?”
“Oh, no, that’s right – Her Majesty said you were from America. Silly me.”
Mitzi felt very tired all of a sudden. She didn’t want to talk anymore, and she felt a headache coming on. And no wonder – she’d never been so confused in her life.
“Oh, you poor dear,” Lady Mildred said. “But don’t worry, once you’ve got some hot food in you and get into a warm bed, you’ll be good as new.”
Mitzi wasn’t sure about that. A few hours ago, or so it seemed, she’d been chasing that stupid purse snatcher down the alley. She ran into some blinding light, lost consciousness and woke up in a strange land, wearing strange clothes and tripping and falling into a stranger’s lap! Who wouldn’t be worn out after that?
She just hoped after some food and rest she could make sense of it all. There had to be a logical explanation. She just hoped it wasn’t what everyone kept telling her. But really, how could she be in 1889?!
