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Trapped in Time

Chapter 3

It was only a day that has past and Godfrey was starting to wonder if Estrella's predicaments of his son following would come true or not. At the moment the crusaders were riding through a forest that looked eerily horrid for a thin fog was surrounding them, the forest deathly quiet. You couldn't even tell that it was mid-morning. It was snowing slightly, the cold wind blowing from the north, freezing the young woman (the men already used to such weather from traveling so much).

"It does not take too long to reach us," Godfrey told the woman riding next to him. "What if what you saw is truly not right?"

Estrella, having heard enough, literally stopped Elligero and turned him to properly face Godfrey.

"He is right behind us if you wish to see the truth!" She said frustrated, pointing her palm to her right.

Godfrey stops his own horse and turns her around. Indeed Balian was just a few ways from them, a hand holding his cloak tightly at the base of his neck. The old crusader turns to Estrella surprise, who just looks at him with a look that said 'I told you so!' before nodding towards Balian. She quickly puts on her hood, grabbing the cloak tighter around her chest.

"Wait here." He yells out to the others.

Godfrey rides out to meet his son, Balian meeting him half ways. Estrella turns her horse, along with the others, watching and listening to the two men.

"Have you come to kill me?" Godfrey asked in jest. "Even these days, it is not easy. Well?"

Balian looks past Godfrey before looking back at him, riding closer. Godfrey almost raises an eyebrow at this but knew his son wanted to speak to him in private.

"I have done," Balian starts quietly. He sighs, looking away, "Murder."

Having known—and still do—what his son was feeling at that moment, Godfrey's features soften a bit.

"Haven't we all?" He asks instead.

"Is it true that in Jerusalem I can erase my sins," Balian looks up at the crusader, "and those of my wife? Is it true?" He presses on.

Godfrey lightly tilts his head to the right. "We can find out together." He tells him quietly.

It was then that he sees Balian's right hand with a dirty bandage wrapped around his palm in such a hurry state.

"Show me your hand." Godfrey tells him to see the damage of his wound.

Balian looks down to his left, lifting his right hand to show Godfrey his wound. The crusader nods lightly to him, looking to his son's face.

"It is curable, if it has not been infected yet." Balian looks up. "Come, we still have a long way to go until we find a suitable camp."

They rode back towards the group, everyone watching Balian intently as though they have never seen a man before. Soon they all grin, everyone turning their horses and riding on. This time, Estrella rides along side Balian, which she knew Godfrey wanted her to.

"He wounded his palm, Estrella," Godfrey said, Estrella turning to him. "Check to see if it is infected."

Estrella looked up to Balian's brown eyes before looking at his bandage hand holding his cloak once again. She holds out her own right hand, Balian giving her his. Estrella slowly unties the dirty cloth and stares at the second degree burn that resembled of the cross.

"How long ago did you get this?" Estrella asked, turning his palm this way and that.

Balian looked down at her in surprise, his mouth a bit agape. "You are a woman?"

Rolling her eyes, Estrella pulls back her hood with her left, looking up at Balian.

"At least this burn did not affect your brain." She said a bit rudely. "Though I do not see how a man could be named 'Estrella'."

Godfrey cleared his throat, "Be nice." He told her sternly in Spanish.

Estrella sighed and looked back down at the burn. "Please tell me how long ago did you get this, my lord?" She asks once more.

"I got it a day past." Balian told her quietly.

Estrella nodded, looking down at the bag tied to her saddle. She reached her left hand inside and started to feel around. Taking hold of a ready ripped cloth and a vile filled with crystal clear liquid; Estrella placed the dirty cloth into the bag behind her and looked up at Balian quite serious.

"This is going to sting, but I need you to be still, understand?"

Balian nodded, watching curiously as Estrella pulled out the cork with her teeth and ever so slowly—while still moving upon horses, mind you—poured the clear liquid on to the burn. Balian cried out and nearly pulled out his hand wasn't not for Estrella holding his fingers downwards tightly. She looked up at his teary-eyes, telling him silently to trust her.

Inhaling deeply, Balian looks away, closing his eyes. Estrella pours a bit more of the liquid (which was isopropyl alcohol that she was able to make without all the chemicals), and corks it before putting it away. She then digs around her bag once more, taking out a brown jar this time. Opening it, Estrella picks up a good amount of the green paste with her forefinger and middle finger, and rubbed it over the burn. Balian hisses at the burning sensation but holds firm.

Believing it was enough for the burn to heal (at least the best it could, seeing as burn treatments weren't invented for another hundred or so years), Estrella warps it tightly.

"Keep the cloth like that for a few hours; I'll check it before you go to bed."

Balian nods at her, curling his fingers inward and bringing his hand closer to his body. He whispered a thank you to her, blushing lightly. Sighing quietly in response, Estrella holds her reins back and let Elligero ride behind Balian and Godfrey; which was where she was most comfortable as she was riding by herself.


—Night—

As promised, Estrella changes Balian's bandage, checking the burn also, before letting him sleep by the fire. She walks a few ways over to Godfrey, motioning the other crusaders to follow her. Once the men stood before her in a semi circle, Estrella took a deep breath, hoping that they won't react badly to what she wanted to tell them.

"Something bad is going to happen tomorrow," she told them slowly.

Godfrey looked at Estrella sternly, unfolding his arms. The other's only frowned in confusion, wondering what Estrella had meant. Estrella looked at each crusader, but held Godfrey's the longest.

"And two of you will not make it alive."

Before any one of them could ask what she meant, Godfrey spoke up.

"And you have… seen this?" He asked slowly.

Everyone else just stared incredulously at their leader and lord. He had to be joking for there was no way anyone could predict the future. And if they said that they could, it was all false unless the person getting such answers wanted to see such things happen.

"Aye," Estrella whispered, digging her nails into her palm out of a nervous habit. "When I looked over Balian's hand I had a vision." She lied.

The crusaders, but Godfrey, looked at each other. Of course the men were suspicious of this. But when they turned to Godfrey, he only nodded to them, looking ever so serious.

"She tells the truth, men." He tells them. "She told me of Balian coming after us, and I believe her now of what she is telling us."

The others looked at each other incredulously, but nodded in return. They have come to trust and be over protective of this young woman. They will not back out and abandon her just because she was different. But they weren't going to abusive her gift for their own greeting minds either.

Sighing in relief, Estrella smiled faintly at them. She was grateful that none of them begun to freak out at this news. Though, she didn't know what she'll do if they wanted a predicament of what was to come in their lives.

"Very well, tell us what it is that you saw and let us come up with something." Brian said, wanting to get this plan over with so they can get a night's rest.


—Early morning—

Seifer, Hospitaler, and Godfrey were the only ones in the camp when dusk came. The others stayed well hidden within the trees, Estrella the only one keeping close to the campsite as it was her oath to protect Balian with her life. She could hear the men after Balian, quietly moving into hiding not to far from the camp. She looked to her left and signals to Philip, who in turns signals to Ja and Ramiro on the other side of the camp.

Estrella than hears someone spit, knowing that it was Godfrey, as he unsheathes a sword. Slowly, Estrella peeks around the tree and watch the scene unfold. Hospitaler walks from the river after filling up his water skin, watching his lord curiously. Godfrey walks over to Balian and drops the sword before his son. Balian wakes up startled, his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion as he looks up from the sword to his father.

"Pick it up. Let's see what you're made of." Godfrey tells him.

Hospitaler lightly shakes his head as Balian stands up. "His hand is hurt, my Lord." He tells him.

Godfrey looks to his friend. "I once fought two days with an arrow through my testicle." He tells him, unsheathing his sword.

Estrella shudders at this, having had the image of Godfrey with an arrow down below sticking out for the world to see.

"Ah, yes." Hospitaler says, almost rolling his eyes.

Estrella smiles at Hospitaler dry humor and moves back around. Grateful that she was out of view from the French men, she slithers to the right, taking out her throwing knives. She could hear metal hitting against metal. Estrella moves further forward, seeing the attackers.

"Leg back, bend your knees. Sword straighter." Estrella heard Godfrey instruct. "Defend yourself."

The metal echoes through the silent forest, than a grunt from Balian.

"The blade isn't the only part of a sword." Godfrey tells his son.

Estrella smiles to herself, remembering this scene from the movie. She could just picture Balian's surprise face when Godfrey almost hits him with the hilt of his sword after his son blocked his attack.

They go at it again, Estrella seeing the French men being restless behind their hidden position as son and father fought. If things were going according to plan, Seifer should be walking up next to the two fighting before speaking up. She hears a sword being thrown to the floor, a sign that someone has been disarmed (Balian, Estrella knew).

"I have your leave?" Seifer suddenly asks.

It is silent for a few minutes until Seifer's voice is heard, telling Balian to pay attention. As the two start off, Estrella sees two men on horseback, which the beasts whine. She heard the silent in the camp, watching these French men stop before Godfrey and the others.

"What's this?" Godfrey asks.

Estrella moves quickly to the giant tree on her right, quickly hiding incase the other French men hiding in the bushes saw a movement. Counting to ten Mississippi's, Estrella peeks around to watch the French men on horses.

"You have with you a man, Balian, who killed a priest." Obviously the leader tells Godfrey. "I'm charged by the lord bishop to bring him back."

Holding her throwing knives tightly, Estrella looks to Philip, who nods her way. She shakes her head, signaling him to wait until the horsemen ride past the bushes.

"I say he is innocent of the charge." Seifer's voice is heard loudly. "If you say he's guilty, then we'll fight, and God will decide the truth of it."

"My German friend is a close student of the law." Hospitaler tells the French men.

"Just give them to me." The French man tells them in annoyed and bored tone. "I'll fight you for something else. He's a murderer!"

"So am I." Godfrey tells them. "Whoever dies here today, you will certainly be among them."

Estrella quickly looks to Philip and signals him to get ready to attack. Philip does the same to Ja and Ramiro on the other side of camp.

"You're a lord. I must give you the road." The French man tells him. "Hyah! Hyah!"

As soon as Philip shot his arrows at the French men on the horses, Estrella moved out of her hiding and threw her knives at the men in the bushes. Taken back to have a surprise attack on themselves, the French men takes a while to comprehend on what happened before shooting arrows at them all.

Estrella takes out her double edge swords and begin to fight the men who rushed towards the group, fighting with all their might. Estrella easily killed the men, although she felt sick to her stomach doing so. Quickly looking around, the young woman sees Balian having some difficulty fighting off two men at the same time. She quickly races towards him and blocks a blow in time that would have cost Balian's life, and killed the French man easily.

At the same time, Balian kills the other French man and turned to Estrella, nodding his thanks. The woman smiles in return, nodding her head towards the fleeing French men. Turning, Estrella returns to the fighting, Balian watching her for a few moments. He suddenly turns and runs after those who did not wish to die that day or to retrieve more men to help.


Before any of them knew it, the small battle was over with some minor injuries from everyone. Except for Godfrey, who had an arrow head stuck in his lower right ribs on the side because he had accidentally broken off the arrow. The group rode further into the forest incase the bishop decided to send some more men after them. It was nightfall and both Hospitaler and Ja were by Godfrey's side, Hospitaler trying to take out the arrow head with a pair of pillars.

"Ah, well, you broke the arrow." Hospitaler starts, taking out the arrow head and dumping into a can of water, seeing the pain look his friend made. "If the ribs are broken, some marrow may enter the blood, in which case you'll take a fever and die."

Everyone—except Estrella who had her back to them and Ja, who was bandaging Godfrey's injury—in the camp looks at Hospitaler with worry. But they do not say a word, letting him continue on.

"Or a cyst will form, and you'll live. You're in the hands of God."

Godfrey merely sighs, staring at his friend tiredly and in pain. "Get me some more wine."

Hospitaler sighs and stands, Godfrey motioning to Balian to come over to him. Knowing that his lord wanted to talk quietly with his son, Ja finishes and also walks away. Balian sits on the spot Hospitaler was, wondering what his father wanted of him.

Hospitaler walks over to Estrella, standing next to her. He too stares at the darkness of the forest.

"Will he live through this?" He asked quietly in hope.

Estrella holds back a sigh, tears forming. "Nay… I am afraid that God chooses to take Godfrey in return to give his son the opportunity to save a land that will soon come to ruin without him." She tells the crusader, thinking of what Jerusalem would be like if Balian does not take his father estate or becomes a knight himself.

Hospitaler sighs and walks away, returning to the fire to be warm from this cold night.

"It was not that they had no right to take you." Godfrey started.

Estrella smiles, her eyes darting from the dark forest and up past the branches to the brightly star sky.

"It was the way they asked." Godfrey continued, Estrella muttering the words underneath her breath at the same time.

"They had the right to take me." Balian tells him.

He smiles sadly, looking down to the floor. He thought over of what could have happened had not the others went to scout about the land around.

"So do I." Godfrey tells him sincerely.

Balian looks up at him and smiles. Smiling back, Godfrey looks over towards Estrella, nodding to her. Standing, Balian walks over to the woman, knowing his father wanted to speak with her.

"My father," Balian starts quietly, standing next to her. "Wishes to speak with you, my lady."

Estrella looks from the sky and turns her head to Balian, smiling sadly. "Call me Estrella, please my lord."

With that said, Estrella turns fully and walk towards Godfrey without giving Balian a chance to reply. Estrella has some kind of knowledge of what he might want to speak with her. Sitting on her knees before him, Estrella takes Godfrey's right hand, tears starting to form in her eyes. Godfrey merely takes his other hand and covers hers.

They stay silent for a long while, the fire crackling and the whispering continuing behind Estrella. Then Godfrey opens his mouth, a statement that surprises the young woman greatly.

"Thank you, Trella, for protecting my son from any harm, as will as my men. I do not know how I would have been should they all have been harmed." He tells her truthfully, using the nickname they have given her.

Estrella smiles, laughing with a shake of her head. She leans up and kisses Godfrey's forehead before pressing her own against his.

"You would have been the same." She tells him. "Tired and in pain."

This brings out a laugh from the old man, Estrella slowly sitting back down on her knees. Godfrey pats her hands, smiling softly up at her.

"I want you to know that you are like a granddaughter that I never had…" Godfrey frowns at this. "Or at least I have never heard from."

This only brings out a laugh from the young woman. "And you are like the grandfather I never truly had." She tells him sincerely.

And that night, despite the other's protest for her wellbeing, Estrella stayed up all night with Godfrey, holding his hand through the cold night.

A/N: Review, please!