Chapter Five
"I suppose we owe you our gratitude, Lord Blackwood," Gillian spoke up. She didn't know Lex, so she was unmoved by the knight's appearance.
"Think nothing of it, Lady Anne. 'Tis my pleasure to protect your kinswoman."
"That you fancy her to be your bride, I'm sure, has something to do with it. But might I remind you that she has yet to accept you."
"Lady Anne, only you would display such cheek to one who saved your life. So the stories I hear about you are true."
"And what stories would that be?" Gillian challenged. "That I am an even more difficult piece of baggage than Lady Lianne? Forgive me for speaking freely, but 'twas Sir Kendrick who saved the lady's life."
Lana could not help but stare at Gillian. She was playing the role of medieval milady to perfection!
"And why does that not surprise me?" Blackwood surveyed Clark coolly. "Sir Kendrick always did have impeccable timing, particularly when it involves comely ladies."
"You should be grateful for my timing today," Clark said, trying to assume as Kendrick-like an expression as possible. Well, at least what he thought a dashing and gallant knight would look like if he were slighted.
Blackwood grimaced. "Kendrick, you are an excellent fighter, but I cannot say the same for your speech. I fear the rumors do your accent justice."
Dammit, I should've paid more attention in class, Clark berated himself. "At the moment, methinks my speech is the least of our worries."
"You speak truly. But what I would like to know is why my betrothed and her kinswoman were riding unchaperoned through the forest."
"We need no protection from the likes of you," Gillian said haughtily. "And Lianne is not your betrothed."
"Yet," Blackwood corrected. "She is a smart woman; in time she will realize the wisdom of this union. I've no doubt about it."
His gaze swept over Lana with unnerving intimacy, and she found herself stepping back. Doing so also brought her closer to Clark, who stared at Blackwood with a dark expression.
"My lady, you would be wise to reconsider your refusal. The house of Blackwood has much to offer you. Your sire made a grave mistake in refusing me; do not repeat his folly. His pathetic loyalty to our king has amounted to naught, as you can see."
Fury blazed in Lana's eyes, and she honestly did not know from whence it came. Perhaps she spoke on Lianne's behalf. "How dare you refer to my father like that!"
"Langdon was a fool. A well-meaning fool, but a fool nonetheless. 'Tis time his lands fell under more capable leadership. I assure you, my lady, should you wed with me, I would provide you with everything you need." His voice deepened on that final phrase, and the way his dark eyes surveyed her conveyed the many implications of that statement.
A shudder of revulsion moved through her, a feeling she'd never experienced with Lex. Granted the man made her uneasy sometimes, but Blackwood was downright creepy. "I have made up my mind."
"So you think, dear Lianne, so you think." A humorless smile curled his lip. "We shall see."
Lana could do nothing but gaze at him defiantly. Silently she thanked God Clark was with her, for she honestly didn't know how she would've found the courage had she been alone.
"I'm afraid I must be on my way, for I've urgent business to attend to at Blackwood," Lothar announced. "It appears my men have subdued the routiers, but I will send Sir Kendrick with you as your escort. Who knows if there are still some stragglers about, and I'll not be satisfied until that scourge is banished from my lands for good. Ralph, come with me. I believe Sir Kendrick can handle two ladies on his own."
"Oh, I've no doubt," the boy Clark had been with earlier agreed.
"I trust you'll return to Blackwood later, Kendrick, when the ladies are safe within Langdon's walls?"
"That I will," Clark promised, thinking it would be a challenge considering he had no idea where Blackwood was.
"I shall call on you soon, Lady Lianne," Blackwood promised. Before Lana could react he seized her hand and brought it to his lips. Fortunately, he did not linger over her hand overlong.
Her eyes found Clark's and judging by his stormy expression, he was about as pleased over Blackwood's attentions as she was.
And then Blackwood was gone, galloping through the forest with his deep violet cloak swirling behind him.
Lana, Clark, and Gillian were left alone in the forest.
"Gillian, please tell me this Langdon is the same one from your father's project, and you know where it is," Lana said.
Gillian shook her head, looking bewildered. "I swear I have no more of an idea than you do. I've been to Langdon a few times, but the countryside looks totally different in the future. Besides which, I can't see a blasted thing in these woods but the position of the sun, and lot of good that does us considering we don't even know where we're going."
"In other words, we're screwed," Clark concluded.
"Pretty much, yes."
"So what do you propose we do?" Lana demanded. "Wander around until we stumble upon Langdon castle?"
"Well, does anyone have a better idea?"
While Lana and Gillian bickered, Clark tried using his powers to see if he could figure out where they were going. His amplified hearing enabled him to make out a peculiar sound, like bubbling liquid. He also heard the soft mewing of a cat.
So someone was nearby. But was it someone they'd necessarily want to run into?
He peered through the trees in the direction of the sound. His x-ray vision enabled him to glimpse what appeared to be a crude hut, standing alone among the trees. A person stood inside--a woman, judging by the height and frame. She was stirring the contents of a pot, which was suspended above a fire. A cat lounged on the floor at her feet.
"Hey, you two, I think we should go that way," he interrupted Gillian and Lana, pointing in the direction of the hut.
Gillian regarded him skeptically. "What makes you say that?"
He shrugged. "Just a hunch, I guess."
"Clark, no offense or anything, but is there any reason we should believe your hunch?"
"Actually, he's got a pretty good track record with stuff like this," Lana spoke up. "Sometimes I swear he has some kind of sixth sense."
Clark tried to look modest. "I guess I just have good intuition."
Gillian still didn't look totally convinced. "'Well, I've yet to hear any better ideas."
They returned to their mounts. Lana followed Gillian back to the clearing where they'd first awakened, to find two horses standing placidly in the grass. Gillian's mount was a lovely palomino, its coat as gleaming and golden as her hair. Lana's mount was apparently the lovely snowy-white mare at its side.
"Hi, there," she said softly, stroking the horse's velvety muzzle. Why, Lianne's mount was absolutely beautiful! "Thank you for waiting for me, Misty."
She had no idea where the memory of the mare's name came from. Perhaps it was some enchantment orchestrated by Isolde? The thought made her feel a little strange, but she hoped Isolde would continue to provide them with little tidbits of knowledge. It was amazing, she thought, that she would simply accept the old woman's mystical explanation for so many things. She never believed much in witchcraft or the paranormal before. Granted she'd seen her share of weird happenings in Smallville, but this was a bit much.
But then, the fact that they had somehow been brought back to the past without their knowledge, assuming the identity of three people who'd lived centuries earlier, kind of made suspension of disbelief a tad easier.
Presently Clark came riding up on a gargantuan warhorse, looking endearingly inept on the saddle. Lana shook her head, smiling to herself. How Clark would play the part of dashing and gallant knight would be interesting, indeed. Yet somehow she imagined he would pull it off.
The three of them rode through the forest in the direction Clark had indicated. Sure enough, they soon came upon what looked like a ramshackle hut, standing by itself in a clearing. The thin wisp of smoke wafting from the open window assured them that someone was home.
"Looks like someone lives here," Gillian observed.
"Do you think it's safe to approach them?" Lana asked.
"I'm not sure. Probably, but we'd best be ready to defend ourselves, just in case." Gillian, dismounted, still clutching the sword she'd snatched from the fallen routier. Clark and Lana followed suit. The three of them started warily for the hut, Clark's hand on the hilt of Kendrick's sword.
Gillian rapped lightly on the door. When no one answered, she knocked more firmly.
The door opened just a crack. "Who is it?" a reedy voice called.
"We are travelers who are lost," Gillian answered. "We mean you no harm."
"Leave your weapons at the door."
Clark and Gillian glanced dubiously at each other, then placed their weapons at their feet.
The door eased open. In the doorway stood a stooped old woman, her face wizened from the rigors of age and a hard life. Her salt-and-pepper hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and she wore a dun-colored gown of what appeared to be coarsely woven homespun.
At the sight of them, her expression relaxed into what almost appeared to be familiarity. "Ah… I've been expecting you."
"You have?" Lana echoed. Perhaps this old woman was a friend of Lady Lianne's.
"Aye. Do come in."
They followed her into the hut. She apparently lived a very Spartan existence, for the room contained only a few pieces of crude furniture and some personal effects. A cauldron was suspended above a small fire, next to which was a table containing several bottles of what looked like herbs and a smattering of unidentifiable substances.
"I'm sure you're wondering where you are and how you ended up here," the woman said.
When none of them responded except to stare blankly at her, the woman's face broke into a smile. "You may relax, my children. I know everything. I know that you come from the future—after all, 'twas I who summoned you."
"You did?" Clark stepped forward. "Then you can send us back?"
The woman shook her head. "Nay, not I. 'Twas actually the Goddess who brought you here. I merely invoked her. Only she can decide when you will return home."
Lana tried very hard not to sigh in frustration. "So you mean to tell us we're stuck here until the Goddess decides to send us back?"
"Aye, but you were summoned for a reason. I imagine she will send you back once you have accomplished what you were meant to." She regarded Lana with an almost maternal tenderness. "You are a beauty, just like Lianne. I sense her spirit in you. The Goddess chose wisely."
"What do you mean, I've been chosen?" Lana questioned.
"Just what I said. You all have." She turned to Gillian. "You are the one with the knowledge." To Clark she said, "And you, young man, have the power."
Clark frowned. "What power? With all due respect, ma'am, I'm no knight. I'm just a high school boy."
The old woman shook her head. "Nay. You are special, I can see that. Just like Kendrick."
Lana hung on to every word, intrigued. She had always known there was something different about Clark, but she could never find an explanation. Too many strange things happened when he was around. But whatever his secret was, he would never tell her. It was part of the reason they broke up.
"I loved Lianne like a daughter," the old woman continued. "I owe her sire my life. I was unable to save him, but perhaps I could save her. I only wanted her to have the happy ending she deserved."
"What are you talking about?" Lana asked. "We heard her story. She had a happy ending."
"What you consider happy and what I consider happy may not be the same thing."
"But what if we can't save her?" Clark wanted to know. "We have only limited knowledge of your time and of what happened here. What if we get ourselves killed, which, I might add, we almost did this morning?"
"That is not for me to answer," the woman told him. "As I said, I did not choose you. The Goddess did."
Clark scowled. Couldn't this woman tell them anything? "Well, can't you invoke these Goddess and ask her to choose someone else?"
The woman shook her head. "Such insolence would not sit well with her. As her humble subjects, all we can do is trust her."
"I don't think I'll be very good at being a humble subject," Gillian muttered.
"It looks like we're stuck here until the Goddess decides to send us back," Clark summed up. "We might as well do what we have to do, and maybe we can get out of here."
"I can guide you to Langdon, and Blackwood as well," the old woman informed them. "In fact, I guided you to me so I could acquaint you with this world."
"How thoughtful of you," Lana muttered.
"So it was you who sent Lana the tapestry," Gillian conjectured.
The old woman shook her head. "I imagine it was Lianne. 'Tis likely she made it, since she always had a liking for such things. The Goddess merely intimated that she would send the chosen an unfinished tapestry. It would remain so until its end was accomplished. Now it is your turn to finish the story."
A shiver slid down Lana's spine, the old woman's words echoing her late great aunt's.
"Come now; I will guide you to Langdon. Young sir, Lothar will be expecting you at Blackwood later so I will guide you there as well."
"Thank you," Clark said, though what he was thanking her for he wasn't quite sure.
"You have been very kind," Lana told the old woman. "Will you be here to answer our questions, since we know little about your world?"
"I will always be here, my child.".
"I thank you…" Lana's voice trailed off upon realizing she didn't know the woman's name.
"You may call me Isolde."
"Thank you, Isolde."
The old woman merely nodded and turned back to her cauldron.
"So, er, how do you intend to guide us?" Clark asked.
"Young sir, surely you did not think I would accompany you? Start walking; you will find your feet know the way."
Frowning, Clark had no choice but to do as she bid. He and Gillian exited the hut.
Lana lingered behind, still bothered by one thing the woman had said. "Isolde, I recall you mentioned that Clark was summoned because he had the power, and Gillian because she had the knowledge. If you don't mind my asking, why was I summoned?"
The old woman regarded her knowingly. "You, my child, have the heart."
She turned back to the cauldron, and said no more. Lana knew she would get nothing else out of the old woman. Overwhelmed, still wondering about so many unanswered questions, she left the hut.
From now on, it appeared they were on their own.