The Future of Tortall
By ACK
Rating: PG
Genre: General, Action/Adventure
A/N: I just read a really good book by Susan Cooper, although I forgot the name ^_^;; I got the idea for the story from this, and I hope everyone likes it.
Background: This chapter is set during future Tortall, where everything is now modern. There are computers, cars, etc. here.
Thinking"Speaking,"
//Flashback\\
"See you later, Diana!" A girl with short brown hair put her jacket and gloves on, and waved back to one of her friends. She was exceptionally tall, and had hazel eyes.
"Bye, Kel!" her friend called back, and got into her mother's car. Kel watched the car drive off down the street before she started walking home.
Kel walked down a snow-covered street, her breath billowing out so she could see it. It had snowed last night, and today had been the last day of finals. Luckily, she had done well on her tests today. Maybe Mom will let me go see a movie or something with my friends tonight.
Walking up the steps of her house, Kel got out her key and unlocked the front door. "I'm home," she called, and walked into the dark house. On the kitchen table there was a note for her.
Kelly-
I'm at your aunt's house right now; I'll be back around ten. Dinner's in the microwave, and your dad is working late. See you soon!
Love, Mom
"Well, then, I guess I won't be going to the movies tonight. I guess I'll bring the movies here, then." Kel walked into the kitchen and started the microwave. Then she walked over to the video cupboard, searching for something she might like.
This looks good, she thought, and pulled out a video with a golden-colored box, decorated to look like a picture frame. Inside of the 'picture frame' was a picture of a castle, much like the ruins up on the hill. There was also a faded picture in front of it, of a deep blue stone.
Kel got her dinner from the microwave and grabbed the tape, taking them both upstairs. Once in her room, she popped the tape into the VCR and stretched out on her carpet, waiting for it to start.
The movie started out with the picture of the blue stone, which faded into a picture of the castle. In front of the castle were two people, both with black hair. They were both wearing their own crown, and were dressed in medieval-looking clothes.
"My name is King Jonathan, and this is Queen Thayet. Soon, you will come here, Kel," the man said, gesturing to himself and the lady beside him.
How did they know my name? Kel thought, looking warily at the television. She checked her clock, and it read 7:00. When she looked back to the television, there was a new picture. It was a table, with peoples' names and facts about them, plus a picture. It must be a video game! Kel thought, but knew that there were no such things as videotapes with a game on them. She looked closely at each picture, each person dressed in medieval garb.
"Alanna the Lioness…Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak…Keladry of Mindelan…" she re-read that name about ten times. "Keladry of Mindelan. She looks just like me, and she stole my name! I'm gonna sue whoever created this video game. Of course, my name is Keladry Mindelan, not of Mindelan, but still! Oh, great, I'm talking to myself."
The picture on the television changed again, this time into a gray tunnel, twisting and turning. Kel became mesmerized by the tunnel, and reached out to touch the television. It looks so real. She kept on reaching for the screen, but couldn't touch it. She felt as if she was the one flying through the tunnel, not watching a television. She saw a point of light, and was quickly expelled out of the tunnel.
Kel fell out of the tunnel, and stood up, looking around. I'm sure not in my room anymore. She was on a dirt road, and off in the distance she saw a forest. The dirt road was lined with fences, encasing farmland. She saw a gate, with a little dirt path coming from it. Kel followed this path through tall grains, and came upon a small farmhouse quickly.
Kel walked up to the door, and knocked. Quietly she waited, and someone answered the door. Kel examined the lady: she had blonde hair pulled back into a braid, and a tan apron covered her rough gray dress.
"Yes?" the lady asked, looking warily at the strange girl in even stranger clothes.
"Hi, I'm Kel, and I'm also lost. Can you tell me where I am?" Kel asked, smiling politely.
"You're in between Queenscove and Tasride, Kel. I hope you don't mind me asking, but why are you wearing such odd clothes? And why do you not know where you are? Also, where is your horse, because it is a long way to walk from either fief," the lady asked many questions, few that Kel could answer.
"I'm wearing these clothes because I just got home from school, and I change after school, and I don't know where I am because I was just watching TV, and I don't have a horse," Kel was clearly confused, and the lady invited her into the house.
"Kel, you need to get to a fief as soon as possible. Your memory seems to have been jogged…a TV, whatever that may be, does not exist!" the lady clamored about in the kitchen, and found a cup and filled it with water for Kel to drink. "Oh mercy me! I forgot to tell you my name! I'm Eloise Grapheld."
"Nice to meet you, Eloise. I was wondering…which fief would I be going to? Queenscove or Tasride?" Kel thought this woman was crazy, not knowing what a TV was.
"Queenscove has the best healer in the realm, Duke Baird. He could help you, if you can find him. He'll most likely be at the castle, though, but that's a quick ride from Queenscove. Hmmm, to get to Queenscove…five day's walk, if you walk fast, but two day's with a horse. Perhaps I can find a neighbor who is going there to escort you, yes, that is a good idea," Eloise went babbling on, and Kel just stared at her.
A/N: Well, that seemed like the place to stop it, for some reason. I'll continue it if everyone likes it!
Flames will be used to warm up my feet during these cold winter months.