Disclaimer: Don't own MK. Don't want to. Just want the show back. Is that so much to ask?
Note: This is just trash. Pure and simple. Have fun.
Chapter Two:
Did you say everything you could?
"Kells castle," Christine breathed. "I just can't…believe it. It's…incredible. It's…awesome. I…." She stopped talking. Her mouth dropped lower and nothing escaped except for air. The castle was large, full of armed guards and even in the dim light it was still magnificent.
Angus stopped walking when he realized that she wasn't walking next to him. He turned around and looked down at her. "Are…you all right?"
"It's…nothing. Just a childhood fantasy is all," she shrugged. "I've never seen an actual castle…and to see one in its prime condition…and unscathed by businessmen trying to turn it into an amusement park…I'm just shocked."
Angus cocked his head to the side. "You've never seen a castle? Didn't they have any where you're from?"
Christine stopped herself from saying no. "Actually, we do. Except they're fake, just replicas, and they're not even that good, really. Huh, interesting," she sighed.
Angus shrugged. "It's just a castle."
"Think of it from my perspective, Angus," she said, walking up to him.
He frowned, crossing his arms. Rohan was having a word with one of the guards and within minutes the doors were opened to let the Mystic Knights in with their latest stranger. Angus strayed behind to glimpse up at the castle and attempting to see Kells as though it were the first time, he still did not realize what she was talking about. He caught up with her as they began to walk in. "It's still just a castle," he said.
"To you, it's home. To me," she let out a long sigh. "It's history."
"Where are you from?" he asked. "The moon?"
"No, the future," she said. "And the moon isn't that far out of our grasp."
Angus's eyes widened. "You mean, you've actually been on the moon?"
"Not me, no," she said. "There were several men sent into outer space by my government in the year 1969. But that was years before I was born."
Angus stepped to the side to let her pass into the entrance leading into the castle. Christine felt as though she were walking through a museum. The corridors were long and were lit with torches on each wall. She felt the air escape from her breath. "Did yer people have sorcerers and the like to, you know, send men to the moon?" he asked as they ascended a staircase.
Christine chuckled. "No. I'm sorry, Angus, but there's no such thing as magic where I'm from."
"No magic?" he frowned. "Hey, Rohan, did ye hear that? There's no magic in the future, which means Maeve must have conquered."
Rohan rolled his eyes. He said over his soldier, "Christine says they have something in replace of magic. It's called…what was that elect-ical thing you were talking about?" he asked.
"You mean electricity?" she asked.
"Yeah, that's it," he said, stopping in the hall. He looked at Ivar then at Angus. "We should tell the king who she is first and then ask Cathbad about this. Maybe he has had a vision of her coming."
"Well don't make me sound like the Messiah or anything, geez," she sighed.
"The who?" asked Rohan as he looked down at her.
"Nothing," she said shaking her head.
Rohan nodded once and then proceeded to lead the way into the throne room. Christine's smile broke her face. Angus glanced at her and when he saw her smile, he immediately asked, "What is it?"
"It's just the way I remember it," she said.
His face dropped. "How on earth can you say the throne room looks exactly like you've remembered it and yet you say you've never seen a castle in yer life?"
"Settle down, Angus," said Rohan. "It'll all be explained soon enough as soon as the king and Cathbad get here."
Angus crossed his arms and heaved a sigh.
A guardsman entered the throne room and announced the arrival of the king. In he strode, his face sagging underneath his shaggy beard. His robes draped down to the floor and despite the extra pounds he had put on over the years, he still displayed some age-old magnificence from his warrior days. Christine bowed low as soon as the other knights did. Following behind him was Cathbad, the placid druid of Kells, who looked on with less than mild understanding.
"Rohan," he said. "The soldiers informed me of a stranger. Is this she?" he asked, nodding to Christine.
"Yes, your majesty," he said. Christine watched their protocol and maintained a steady silence as she waited for a cue of some kind. "Her name is Christine and claims that she is from the future. But," he added with a sharp glance her way, "It is her word against ours. Suffice to say, she has told us many things of the future but thus far she has not yet proven what she tells us is the truth."
Suddenly, Christine's insides plummeted. Rohan did not trust her. Of course, he had as good reason as any to not trust her. It was strange that she could not provide them with any proof, with the exception of the clothes she wore.
"A time traveler?" said the king gruffly. He looked down at Christine.
Taking this as her cue, she broadened her shoulders and matched his stare. "Yes, your majesty," she said.
"Well, speak," he said, waving his hand as he lowered himself into his throne. Beside him, Deidre, a redheaded, fiery princess, stood, eying Christine with what seemed to be heavy suspicion. She glanced at Rohan and back at Christine.
"Where to begin?" asked Christine.
"Why not from how you came to be here?" Cathbad asked. His eyes were kind yet there was a wary firmness with which he anticipated her response.
She shrugged. "Sure, I guess. Uh, well, I was in the middle of heavy traffic, waiting to get out of my hometown of Shrewsbury. With the heat wave and the ten-car pile up in front of me, I could have been in the middle of the Sahara desert on a boat. So basically I wasn't going anywhere for a while, if you know what I mean." She paused. Thus far, no one had interrupted her but they would have questions, this Christine was sure of, for when she spoke, the king tapped his fingers, the princess fingered the hilt of her dagger strapped to her waist and Ivar, the most cool, calm and collected of them all, blinked too often. Christine continued. "Well, I was exhausted. I was born in a cold climate and I've never been fond of heat. It makes me very tired and sometimes gives me horrendous headaches. I must have fallen asleep at the wheel of my car because when I woke up, I wasn't in my car anymore…and it was a wee bit chilly. Coincidentally, I had my sweater with me that day because I was going to see a movie and the theatres are always freezing…but wait, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about…sir." She put her hands behind her back and looked down at the ground.
"No," said the king. "I don't. Cathbad," he said. "Do you understand any of this?" he asked.
Cathbad raised his eyebrows. "Unfortunately I don't. But I am rather curious about these…cars. What are they?"
"Automobiles. Like wagons but without horses," she said, hoping to make some connection.
"Oh," said Cathbad. "And you are from the future world so transportation must have developed considerably." He nodded. "Interesting. And please tell us, what does the rest of this world of yers look like? I assume it has changed or else you would not seem so foreign to us."
'Ok, well that was obvious,' she thought. She smiled. "Yes, oh yes, it's changed. For instance, where I'm from, there are many buildings, as tall as castles or as small as huts and they're scattered everywhere. Feudalism has been banished by the system of government in my country. There is no monarchy: no kings, no queens, no dukes. Just a president. But he's just an icon, really. He holds no real power, except of course to declare war but even then he needs the approval of the Congress, where the real power is. At least, that's how it should have been several years ago when we got ourselves involved in a very ridiculous war with the Middle East."
"Ah, so times have not changed," said Ivar.
Christine frowned. "What do you mean?"
"The surroundings in which you live are different but the people, milady, have not changed. There is still warring in the world."
"You were always the wise one," said Christine.
Ivar seemed uncertain of this sudden comment. "Well, thank you, milady," he said.
"Excuse me, I don't mean to break up this fancy talk," said Angus. "But could you please tell us about how you know us? I mean, you've already told Rohan. Why not tell us?"
Christine shrugged. "All right already. So impatient. That was something I noticed about you on the show. You were always rash and giddy like a school boy."
"So," he said.
"What? I didn't mean anything by it," she said, feeling embarrassed. "It gave you character, is all I'm saying."
Angus straightened. "Really?" His look was sly.
With a grin, Christine repeated to the four Mystic Knights, King Conchobar and Cathbad what she had said to Rohan. When she had finished, which really didn't take too long, the room was in silent, brooding thought. Either someone was too hesitant to speak for fear of breaking that silence or no one could come up with a good response.
"So," said Angus first of them all. His arms were crossed and his brow was furrowed in deep thought, something which made Christine giddy in anticipation for a quip or a funny line of some kind. "You've been watching us…do everything?"
"Everything 'cept taking a bath," she said. She laughed at his surprise. "It was a kids' show for chrissake!" she shouted. "I mean even after the first few episodes, they had to scale it down a bit because right-wing critics thought it was 'too violent.' Sheesh, if you can believe that," she muttered. "The show would have done well had they stopped pumping in moral values and spent so much time on those transformation sequences, of which were horribly done in the first place. And Rohan's took too long on most episodes," she added.
Rohan frowned. "What do ye mean?" He was agitated. Christine backed down. "These transformation sequences may be child's play to you but they really do happen," he said. "I don't care if ye think they take too long or not."
"It does kind of drag on when ye call on yer armor, Rohan," said Angus, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well it's not me fault, now is it?" snapped Rohan.
"I never said it was," Angus said. "I was just agreeing with Christine. Princess," he said, turning to Deidre. "Ye must admit that when we call on our armor, Draganta's a wee bit slower than the rest of us. I'm already down to ten shots of me mace and he finally jumps in."
"Angus," said Deidre. "Ye know that isn't true. And besides," she said, glancing at Christine with eyes of ice. "It isn't Rohan's fault."
"I never said it was true here," said Christine fending off the criticism. "Angus, once again, you have proven that you are impatient. I was only referring to the way the show produced the transformation sequences. You just assumed I was talking about the real thing."
"Well, excuse me," he said, taken aback.
"Ye are rather rude," said Deidre.
"What?" he said just as Chonchobar raised a hand. "Settle down, children. Let's behave. I don't want a brawl in my throne room while I'm here. Matter of fact, I don't want a brawl while I'm not here so let's all keep our wits about us. Christine," he said, "I do believe you have given us enough of an explanation. For now. However, I want to know what caused this and why you are here. Perhaps Fin Varra will have an answer." The king paused in thought.
"More like a riddle," mumbled Angus.
"Rohan, you and Ivar can go to Tir Na Nog and talk to the fairy king." Both Mystic Knights bowed their heads and mumbled 'yes, milord.' The king turned to his daughter. "Deidre, I want you to show our new guest to quarters of her own. I have a feeling she will be staying with us for a while."
"And what about me?" asked Angus. His face was expectant, like kids to potential candy.
The king grumbled. "I need you to patrol the borders. Some of the guardsmen have become agitated at the number of complaints from the villagers, who say their sheep are disappearing. Which is also reason why our menu has changed for this evening's meal," he added under his breath.
Angus's deft hearing capabilities picked up that remark and his eyes widened. "No, it can't be. Ah, I was really looking forward to a roast tonight," he whined.
The king seemed to want to agree; however, he kept his lips pursed. Angus turned around, feeling dejected, and began to walk out of the throne room. He glanced at Christine once more, getting a sense of vertigo as he did so and disappeared out of the throne room. Ivar and Rohan followed. And then, it was Christine, Deidre, the king and the druid.
"Well," said Christine. "I've always wondered what was on the other floors." She looked at Deidre, who seemed unnerved, though kept her silence.
