"Words in Bold" = another language

Italics = flashbacks

Italics/Bold = letters, dreams

Trapped in Time

Chapter 6

Knowing that there wasn't anything else Balian could do, he slowly placed Estrella back down on the sand and made to stand. But he was taken back when Estrella coughed up water, moving to her right side. He held on to her shoulders as Estrella gasped and coughed, trying to get her breathing right. He didn't know how and he didn't know why but he thanked God for bringing Estrella back.

Estrella supported her frame with her hands firmly on the hot sand, feeling her burning lungs breathing heavily for air. Tears stung both from pain and from what her mother had told her. She wasn't able to return back to 2005, so she had to continue her life in this time era that was not her own. Perhaps there was something her mother didn't tell her, the main reason why she and her twin were sent back in time.

"Mother…" Estrella whispered, looking up towards the sky.

"Estrella?" Balian's voice asked worriedly.

Estrella looked over her shoulder to see a concerned Balian. Smiling slightly, Estrella turned her body and hugged Balian. Balian hugged back, but tightly, burying his face into the crock of her neck.

"I thought you have died." He muttered into her skin. "I thought I was going to be here alone."

'I love my sister but if she comes anywhere near my charge I would have to kill her. My oath to Godfrey stands still until I died.' Estrella thought, moving back a bit.

She smiled at Balian, who smiled back at her. "Let's get some supplies and find a town." She said, looking at the wreckage upon the beach.

Nodding in agreement, Balian stood, helping the young woman to stand. Estrella calmed and assured Elligero that she was alright before she moved from body to body like Balian was doing. They were trying to find anything that they made use while giving a small prayer for them and their families that awaited their return home. Then a horse whinnying a few ways from Balian makes him look up. He notices a part of the ship still intact and quickly jogs over to it.

When he rounds the corner he sees a black mare trapped within the net that was to hold her during the trip. Balian pulls down on the net, trying to make it come off the part of the ship. But as soon as he does so, the mare pulls back her left back leg, freeing it from a rope that was tied around it, and gallops away in fright. Balian runs after it to calm her, but falls to his knees from tiredness.

Estrella was kneeling on the floor, taking hold a full water skin from a crusade when she hears Balian's cry. She looks up and drops the water skin, running towards the mare. But she misses it just inches, stopping a few ways when the mare kicked her hind legs back towards her.

She sighs, looking over to Balian who stands, continuing to watch the mare run off into the desert. Estrella turns around and walks over to the crusade which she dropped the water skin. She picks it up and looks to her left to see Balian walking towards her, rubbing his forehead.

"Hey,"

Balian looks up at and is startled when Estrella throws him the water skin, barely catching it. Estrella merely smirks and walks away, continuing to look for more water. She didn't know how long it will take for them to cross the desert until they find Nasir dressed in servant clothing and his servant dressed in nobility.


—Unknown days—

Estrella walks tiredly a step behind Balian with Elligero, the hot sun beating down on them. Though, Balian was only wearing a cotton shirt and leggings, Estrella had to hold on to her cloak as she wore a thick cotton shirt and leggings. She felt as though she was being roasted alive. They have been walking for who knows how long, both adults having lost count after the third day. Their water supply had run out and food was very little.

But it seemed like luck—or more of someone looking out for them—was on their side. Balian noted a small water hole not too far away and ran towards it. Estrella merely trudged behind him, too tired to walk let alone run but Elligero nudged her shoulder in encouragement. She drops to her knees next to Balian, who was drinking hungrily, and pushed away the dirt and insects from her side.

Estrella, not really caring how'd she look, dipped her whole head into the water. She takes a big gulp of water and moves her head out, sighing in relief as the cool liquid moves down her face. Elligero shakes his head at his master and slowly drinks himself.

Estrella cleans off the water and looks to Balian, who was looking at her with a look that said she might have been crazy. Estrella merely stuck out her tongue in a childish behavior, loosing her hair from her braid. As she smoothes out the front that was dripping with water before placing her hair into a bun.

Balian watched her every move, somewhat memorized as it reminded him of his wife. Thinking of her made Balian remember the hurt within his soul return. But it suddenly went when he noted Estrella suddenly froze her hands on the string that was to hold up her hair. Her mouth moved but Balian did not hear a word that came out of her mouth.

"Balian!" Estrella said a bit fiercely.

Balian blinked a couple of times, returning to the present. And that's when he heard the soft nickering to his left. He slowly turned to see the black mare that escaped from their grasp back at the beach dipping her head for a drink of water.

"Don't move." Balian told the woman slowly.

Estrella rolled her eyes but did what she was told. Balian slowly rose to his knees, counted silently in his head and pushed off. He leapt into the water, the mare backing up at the sudden movement. Balian was able to grab hold of the reins, speaking soothing words to the horse.

"Whoa, whoa!" Balian soothed, stroking the mare's nose. "Whoa." He said more calmly.

Estrella stood, smiling as Balian looked over to her with a smile of his own, continuing to stroke the mare's nose.

"Looks like we have a ride." Balian mused.

Estrella laughed, jumping over the water, not that she minded getting wet at the moment. She stood on the other side of the mare, brushing a hand over her dusty body.

"Perhaps we shouldn't ride her." Estrella said, looking over to Balian. "She seems tired as it is."

Balian nodded, looking at the mare's one eye. "All right, that should be fair for the mare."


It was three days until both Balian and Estrella saw another human being, or even some shade for that matter. They set the mare underneath the small palm tree, the reins tied around to hold her, with some grass for her to feed upon. Elligero stood behind her, eating the grass and the leaves of the palm tree. Estrella was sitting against the palm, next to the horse. She was looking southeast for the Muslims that were about to fight Balian.

Then she saw them, the two Muslims; Nasir dressed in servant clothing as the servant dressed in nobility just as Balian walked over to the horse, kneeling next to her, gathering his sheathed sword, the belt tied around. She stood just as the servant shouted something in Arabic. Nasir rode over to a closer hill, Balian slowly standing, holding his sword before him as support.

"He says that is his horses." He translated.

Balian frowned, looking at Estrella who had walked over to him with her own confused look, than back over to the Muslims.

"Why would it be his horses?" Balian yelled back, briefly looking at the horse.

The lord smiled in amusement. "Because it is on his land!"

Balian points at the mare. "I took this horse from the sea." He told them.

"And the stallion belongs to me." Estrella said, standing up.

Nasir translates in Arabic, the servant responding back. While this was going on, Balian places a hand on the mare's neck, hoping that the Muslim lord would understand that the mare is his own. But he was confused as to why Nasir would want the horse if he would have many already.

"He says you both are great liars," the lord translates. "And he will fight you, man, because you are both liars."

Estrella tilts her head to Balian, who looks at her briefly before looking to the lord.

"I have no desire to fight." He tells them.

"Then you must give him the horses." Nasir says laughingly.

Balian sighs and moves to take out his sword but Estrella stops him, handing Balian her cloak. She takes out her double swords and twirls them, walking forward.

"We will not give you the horses." She tells the men bravely. "Especially when one of them is already mine!"

Nasir laughs, translating to the servant. He laughs as well, responding to his lord.

"This fight does not belong to you, woman, even if it concerns your horse; step aside." Nasir told her.

Estrella glares at them both but holds her ground. The left sword is horizontal before her as the right sword is pointing a one-hundred and eighty degree upwards.

"It may not be my fight, but I am this man's protector and I will fight anyone who challenges him."

Nasir translates and the servant gallops forward, spear in hand. Balian holds his breath, although knowing that Estrella could take care of herself. But it was only human that he would be worried over her for he almost lost her once and he did not want to lose her a second time for good.

Estrella watches the man galloping closer and just as she sees the servant take's his arm back, she turns, slicing downwards. Doing so, the servant—at the same time—throws the spear at her, but is only reflected to the ground. Estrella goes to the stance, positioning her swords as before once again. The servant returns, this time his sword out. He strikes down, but Estrella blocks with her right and slashes him across his upper arm with her left.

"Fight me fairly!" Estrella yells out Balian's part.

"Why?" Nasir asks with a shrug of his shoulders. "Why should he? He is a knight."

"And I am under the crusader's oath to protect this man, the baron of Ibelin." Estrella response, hoping to God that it was the right thing to say.

Nasir furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion, translating to the servant. Estrella waits patiently and anxiously, holding her breath. The servant than soon response.

"He says the baron of Ibelin is old. He knew him at Damascus." Nasir said with confusion.

Estrella grinned, it had worked. "Aye, that was true, but he is the new one."

The servant dismounts and walks towards the young woman, his sword position on his left forearm. They circle one another before the servant attacked first, Estrella countering it. They then began to spar, Estrella having the upper hand on the fight. She didn't want to, but she knew that she would have to kill the servant. If not, how would the story line would end? It's already missed up with her and her twin being here, and not for the fact that she saved Godfrey's men from being killed.

After a few minutes, which seemed eternity to the lord and Balian, the fight begins to be more fearsome. The lord yells out to stop, both in English and Arabic. But neither warrior does so, although Estrella wanted to badly.

"That is enough!" Nasir yells out.

"Estrella, stop!" Balian yells out next.

But both warriors continue to fight, the servant losing his sword. He quickly falls to the ground but stands, swinging the spear at the woman. Estrella jumps back but blocks at oncoming attacks.

"Woman, no!" Nasir cries out, but it was too late.

Estrella shoves the servant's spear downwards with her left and slashes her right sword across his neck. As blood spatters over to Nasir and his horse, the horse rears, spook by what just happened. Nasir falls to the ground, the horse moving away from the scene.

Estrella sighs, turning her back and looking to the ground. She didn't want to see anyone at the moment, not even Balian. She could only guess what was going through his head at the moment.

Balian walks around the woman and the dead body, and over to the lord. He has taken out his sword and lets it hover over Nasir's neck. But instead he thrusts his sword next to him in the sand. Nasir opens his eyes, eyeing the sword before looking up at Balian.

"You have taken it very well that my protector has killed your master." Balian compliments.

Estrella cleans off her swords upon the palm tree and sheathing them. She unties the mare, stroking her neck to keep her calm as she listened to the conversation.

"It was the end of his time." Nasir responds, "All is as God wills it. Now finish it."

Balian takes out his sword and hovers it once again over the lord's neck. But he sighs after a few moments of thinking about it, shaking his head ever slightly.

"Take us to Jerusalem." He tells him before walking away, sheathing his sword.

The lord only looks at him confused, wondering why this man, the baron of Ibelin, would spare his life, while others would have ended it with no ease. He stands up slowly, watching this man standing just behind the woman, whom he's noticed does not want to look at the baron. Could it be that it wasn't in her to kill his servant? Was it something beyond anyone's knowledge that she did so?

Balian opens his mouth to speak, but Estrella speaks up first, not really wanting to hear what her charge has to say.

"We should get going." She thrusts the reins into Balian's hands. "We don't want to waste any more time."

She turns to Elligero, continuing not to look at Balian, and unties her stallion. She doesn't look at the lord, either, he noticed, but does not say a word. He merely watches Balian sigh, brushing his right hand over his hair.


—A day and a half—

The ride was a long one for Estrella. She neither spoke nor looked at the men. However, she did answer the Muslim when he asked her name, but that was all. Though, he in turn told them of his name. Soon they come upon the kingdom of Jerusalem, many crusaders from all over Europe going from one end to another, keeping things in check. Many vendors shout out their prices and the items they're selling, trying to make some money to buy food for family.

Estrella looks about this new world, which seems to be far busier than those she encountered in Spain. They stopped by a small water log for the horses and dismount to give the animals some rest. Nasir walks off to the side, while Estrella and Balian stay by the horses. When he returns, he pats the horse on the neck, smiling slightly.

"Very good horse." He compliments.

Balian looks up at him curiously, looking back down at the horse, stroking its mane.

"Take the horse," Nasir looks up startled at Balian, confused as to why he would just let him go. "And be about your business."

"This is your prize of battle." Nasir argues. "I am your prisoner—your slave, should you wish it."

Balian shakes his head. "I have been a slave, or very near to one." He pats the mare's back. "I will never keep one, nor suffer any to be kept." Balian sighs, looking over to Estrella, who continues to look down at Elligero drinking water. "She, however, is an exception, under my father's oath to protect me." He looks back at the Muslim, a small smile on his lips, nodding. "Go."

Nasir nod in return, still confused over this man and woman, and takes the horse reins. He moves to the side, Balian looking down at his own horse that was Nasir's and pats the mare's brown neck. The lord mounts the black mare, looking back at the two foreigners.

"The man you killed, woman," he said slowly, Estrella looking up at him with some courage. "Was very great cavalier among the Muslims. His name was Mummad al Fais."

Estrella bows her head slightly. "I will pray for him." She says softly.

Nasir smiles at them, nodding slightly. "Both of your qualities will be known among your enemies," he says mysteriously. "Before ever you meet them, my friends."

Balian and Estrella bow their heads, Balian smiling in confusion at the meaning. Nasir bows his own head in return, but before he can ride off, Estrella speaks up.

"Can you please do me a favor?" Nasir looks at her curiously, Estrella smiling somewhat sadly. "Please tell Saladin that I am sorry for Lord Syria," Nasir was taken back, never did he think that this woman had known who his servant was, let alone speak Arabic. "But it was necessary for me to kill him for it was part of a plot…" Estrella looks at the water, tears glistening in her eyes. "A plot that is only but a story back in my time." She whispered all in Arabic, but mostly to herself.

Nasir frowns, wondering who this woman was. "I will, my lady… have a safe journey, the both of you."

And finally, he rode off. Balian looks at him for awhile before looking over to Estrella, who was now stroking Elligero's black mane. He had seen the tears, but now they were gone.

"We should find a stable on our way to look for where Christ was crucified." Estrella looked up to a startled Balian. "No doubt you would wish to respect those who you loved dearly that have long past gone from this world."

Nodding, Balian takes the mare's reins and walks to the busy street, Estrella following behind.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! Please review!