A/N: Sorry guys, I recently got a new job as an Assistant Manager and it's taken a lot out of me as it's a new store and I'm just trying to get acquainted with everything and everyone. I've been writing things down; I just hadn't had time to type anything up. This chapter is dedicated to ZabuzasGirl, I owe you a lot for pushing me. And if I ever take too long again, don't hesitate to PM again! :) Thanks guys, please review to let me know what you think!

"Words in Bold" = another language

Italics = flashbacks

Italics/Bold = letters, dreams

Trapped in Time

Chapter 14

Estrella dismounts Elligero and gives the reins to one of Balian's men. She gets in line beside her charge and waits for the show to begin. Reynald comes walking out like the drunk he was, as though there wasn't a fight or a war about to happen outside his castle. He yells out his name, everyone watching as the king slowly makes his way into the courtyard. This time Reynald looks almost nervous, never having thought that the king would have ridden out to stop Saladin himself.

Everyone watched as King Baldwin made an example of Reynald. It was only too bad he would go free to make a war that never shouldn't have been. Estrella quickly moved forward when the king finally stopped hitting the worthless man and was swaying to the side. She wraps her arms around his waist as Tiberias ran forward to help, Baldwin leaning all his weight on the woman unintentionally. Tiberias calls to the guards, who rush forward to take hold of the King themselves.

"I got him, only one of you help." Estrella tells them, not wanting to let the King feel alone.

She can only imagine the loneliness he was feeling as he, himself, isolated from all those he loved and cared–except for those few rare ones that he let in. Estrella could feel him struggle against her, but she wasn't having any of it and helped take the King towards the lectica so he may lie down the rest of the way to Jerusalem. She can faintly hear Tiberias, but choose to ignore the arrest of Reynald de Chatillon. Estrella wondered if there was still some time to change the course of events; despite knowing the consequences that would follow for changing the course of history. But it would save so many lives.

Estrella went to return to her position in line, but Baldwin stopped her, making her cringing at the title but not saying a word.

"Lady Estrella, is there anything you need to tell me?" he gasped painfully.

Estrella sits on the edge of the lectica and gently takes his hand. "Yes but not here my lord, not here."

He nods, smiling behind his mask. "You do not like being called Lady, but you will not say anything." Estrella blushed, seeing the humor behind his blue eyes. "I will call you Estrella from now on. Stay close?"

With a bow of her head, Estrella stands and moves to the side, Baldwin calling Balian over to him. He does so, looking from Estrella for some answers before kneeling next to the lectica. Estrella turns away to give them some privacy as she already knew what they were talking about. She smiles when her eyes caught that of Seifer before they moved down the line to Ja, Philip, and Hospitaler. She quickly scans behind them, frowning when she doesn't see Ramiro…actually; it's been a while since she had last seen him.

Estrella was startled out of her thoughts when Tiberias ordered the guards in Arabic. Both she and Balian take a step back and watches the king being taking away, Estrella's heart going to the young–but older than her–man. Tiberias puts a hand on Balian's shoulder before walking over to mount his horse. He rides near them, looking down at the two people he knew he can trust.

"I need you both in Jerusalem." Tiberias tells them before riding after the king.

Balian looks to Estrella, who gives a curt nod. They turn back to their men and their now waiting horses. The men that were loyal to Balian's father moved towards them, smiling like they all knew a secret that the two didn't.

"Will you go back to Ibelin before going to Jerusalem?" Ja asks, already knowing the answer.

Estrella hugs Seifer around the waist as he comes near her, Ja on Balian's other side. "No, we can wash up at the house we have in Jerusalem. However, Peter," the man steps forward, bowing his head, "send word to Ibelin for the family of four to meet us in Jerusalem. Take George and Jasper just in case."

"I will go, as would Philip." Ja tells her, nodding to the two men who quickly mounted.

"Very well, see you soon."

"Do you believe the King will live?" Balian asked curiously, making sure no one heard him.

Estrella sighs, looking at the man she has come to care greatly. "He is not supposed to, but due to my interference, he may not. Only time will tell."

D5D5D5D5D5

The group reached the house in Jerusalem in mid-afternoon, Balian and his men and Estrella going straight to their rooms for a bath. When she had cleaned clothes on and stopped smelling like sweat and blood, Estrella went to go find some food when she ran into the family. She smiled at them and told them of the two rooms across from hers and Balian's were theirs for the time they were to stay there. Once everyone settled into the house one of Tiberias men came to the house and told Estrella that the King had summoned her.

With a nod Estrella goes with the man, promising Balian that she was going to see him later. Tiberias met her in the courtyard, making sure that the squire took great care for her horse then showed her towards the king's chambers. With the sun slowly descending to the west the light gave the whole bedroom a surreal look. She saw Baldwin sat at a table in front of the open balcony doors, the curtains fluttering softly, with Saladin's two physicians, and the waiting chess board. She smiled when the king turned to them, Tiberias quickly bowing before leaving them alone and escorting the physicians out.

"How are you feeling, my lord?"

"Baldwin," he told her softly, "we do not need for titles here and I am doing as well as the circumstances stand. Saladin's physicians have already come to see me and they told me I do not have long to live."

Estrella nods, walking over to him and sitting down. "I know you wish for Balian to take command of the army, but he won't; and that you want him to marry your sister, Sibylla if you have Guy killed, but again he won't." she moved a far right pawn.

Baldwin sighed, looking down at the board. "I fear, despite Balian's good intentions, I believe there is another reason he will not marry my sister." he moved a pawn in the center forward.

"I do not know what you mean, Baldwin." Estrella said with confusion as she moved another pawn.

"If you cannot see what so many do, then you will know in time." he told her, taking one of her pawns.

Shaking her head, Estrella moves another pawn. "Baldwin, kill Reynald quickly. Once you have passed and Guy becomes king–because he will become king–there will be a war where many will die and Jerusalem will fall back into the hands of Muslims. I also believe Guy should be killed for the war he wants is what destroys Jerusalem."

They were quickly playing the game, Estrella more or less keeping up with the king. But she still had a ways to go if she wanted to beat him. Aside from concentrating on the game, Baldwin took in her words. Problem was what the right decision was? He knew his sister was in misery being married to Guy, but if there was no one to marry her and be at her side to be king Jerusalem will not accept her.

"I will see what I can do. Thank you, Estrella." she smiles softly, knowing Baldwin had found another friend in her, "Check."

Losing her smile, the woman looks back down at the game to see Baldwin has closed in on her king with a bishop. However her smile returned when she saw her opportunity and sent her rook to his cornered king. Her mind went back to their conversation too and realized what Baldwin had meant earlier. Not everything could be as simple as she others make it seem.

"Checkmate," she smiled before the young woman sighed. "I do not belong here, so Balian does not belong to me. Besides, he deserves a woman who acts and looks like a woman; not one who acts and dresses like a man."

"Tis not always about what you see on the outside, but what is inside a person." Baldwin tells her, taking her hand as she had taken his earlier that day. "With you, there is an exception as you are beautiful both inside and out."

Baldwin smiles beneath his mask as the woman snorts. He admired the woman who didn't take any pity on him and gave him–possibly–the last game of his life; one where he had lost, but also for her courage and direct with her words. Whether it's from what she had seen or simply by not liking a person.

"Thank you, for the game. Tis only a regret that this will be the last time we will have." he tells her sadly.

Estrella shakes her head as she holds back her tears, "Perhaps in another time."

"Perhaps," he whispers back, his smile hidden behind the mask. "He loves you, Estrella; you just have to let yourself open up and let his love fill you."

Estrella exhales, her hand tightening in his. "If only it could be that simple. Maybe if you see it from my point of view, you understand."

Baldwin nods, patting her hand. "Perhaps, since I am waiting for Balian to visit me, we can have another game?"

Estrella smiles in return, "Sure, if you don't mind losing again."

Baldwin laughs–oh it truly felt wonderful to laugh. This woman was literally a one of a kind; he just wished that he had met her earlier in his life when he still had his full face rather than the half eaten one he had now. Aside from all the close friends he did have, he did feel lonely, and yet this woman seemed to know exactly what he was going through and made sure that he didn't feel like that.

Yes, if he was able he, too, could have fallen in love with her. Balian was truly a lucky man.

D5D5D5D5D5

–Guy–

In the shady corner of Jerusalem Guy walks into the bedroom that was his, while his knights flounced around with the women they picked up on the way to the building. He locked the door behind him and smirked as his hunger eyes looked over the woman sitting on her knees on the bed, wearing very little. Her green eyes shone brightly with lust as her black hair fell loose around her shoulders and back. Guy went to her and took a handful of her hair, tilting her head back. The woman gasped in both pain and pleasure, smiling greedily.

It took a while to get away from the king's castle, and his wife, but with the help of those servants on his side he passed through the guards and towards the building he secretly owned, to the waiting mistress he brought from his home in France. After all he's heard and seen from her, she was a good assassin–and he needed one for what he was planning on doing.

Guy then kissed her, the woman wrapping her arms around him. "I need you to do me something," he told her as he went to attack her neck, pushing away the silk. "I need you to kill your sister and that man she protects." he pulls her head back so that she was staring up at him, "Then when the time comes, kill my wife."

"Anything for you," she told him in a purr.

With a growl Guy brought her back to him before pushing her down on to the bed. Sarah met his hunger for hunger, her eyes opening as she stared up at the silk curtains of the bed. Once she was queen she will kill this man and rule without anyone at her side. Killing her perfect twin was just going to be a bonus, along with the man whom seemed to have fallen in love with her.

Oh yes, Sarah had it all planned out and she couldn't wait until she put them into motion.