A/N: ZabuzasGirl, you are very persistent…Thank you LOL. And some things from here on out that is mentioned will be from the director's cut. So if you have not seen it, don't worry, it will only be a few changes from the original nothing too major. So, please review to let me know what you think!
"Words in Bold" = another language
Italics = flashbacks
Italics/Bold = letters, dreams
Trapped in Time
Chapter 15
After beating Baldwin a second time, and he beating her one time, Tiberias brought in Balian for them to talk. Estrella smiled reassuringly to all the men in the room, the woman taking hold of Baldwin's hand and squeezing, before leaving them to go out on to the balcony. She had given her answer for what Balian might say so she didn't need to hear what the king wanted to ask of him.
Leaning against the railing Estrella closed her eyes against the cool wind, breathing in the scent of a cool, clean air that has yet to be polluted by fumes from cars and factories. Opening her eyes she stared into the brightly lit city, seeing the fires, the destruction, and the death's that was to happen in a few days, or even weeks, time once Baldwin pass. She hated that she never paid much attention to modern-day medicine rather instead dance and producing as that was her dream instead.
"Mother, please. If you are able help Baldwin, help him in surviving through a disease so terrible in this time period." Estrella said quietly before praying to God to spare the king.
"Trella," the young woman turned to see Balian holding back the curtains. "We're going back to Ibelin."
Estrella nods, "I will meet you at the house. I wish to speak with Baldwin a bit more."
Balian frowns at the distress look but nods in return and leaves her be, knowing Estrella always had reasons for doing what she does. Taking a deep breath the woman enters the bedroom and nods to Tiberias. Seeing the look the older man bows and leaves the two alone, the woman seeing like she wanted to say something to his king. Turning to the other man, Estrella smiles and walks over to him before kneeling before the king.
"I ask of you, as a friend, will you let me see?" she asked softly, pleading.
Baldwin inhales sharply, painfully, looking away from the woman. However Estrella placed a hand on his cheek and turns him back to her, green eyes meeting blue. At the soft exhale, she brings up her other hand and takes hold of the mask, slowly and gently pulling it away from the sick man. Estrella continues to stare into Baldwin's eyes, letting him know that she wasn't going to judge the man she had come to care for what she was about to see…that so few people ever see.
At the last moment when she was about to pull the mask complete away Baldwin closed his eyes, not wanting to see the reaction the woman will make. Placing the mask on the nearby table Estrella reaches up and frames the king's face, who quickly snaps open his eyes and takes hold of her wrists.
"You will contract the disease," he tells her desperately with fear.
Estrella shakes her head, "It is not spreadable through contact–that much I knew."
Baldwin's hands contracted against her wrists, but didn't let her go. Estrella merely smiles as she stared into the face she knew was handsome at one point and wishing that she could have seen it. The right side of his face was completely disfigured with his upper lip nearly deteriorate as part of his nose has collapse in, which was the reason the king had troubled breathing. His skin was completely pale, yellowish looking because he was never able to take the mask off in public–or private, it seems.
Holding back tears, the young woman prays once more to God to let this man survive as she asks for her mother's help if she is able. With a smile Estrella stands and leans forward, kissing his lips on the left side, letting the tears fall. Baldwin's hands contract painfully on her wrists, his own eyes closing at the contact of another human being after many years of not doing so. He opens his eyes when she moves away slightly, letting her hands go.
"If it wasn't for your disease, your kind heart would have never formed nor would Jerusalem would have lasted as long as it has under your ruling. Remember that you became a fair king when the disease has taken your life completely."
With one last smile, Estrella kisses his forehead and walks away. Forever she will have the memory of the good king that did so much, even with a disease that was both painful and harmful to himself. However she stopped in the middle of the room and turned back to the young king.
"I fear that your nephew may be in danger, Baldwin." she smiled at the surprise look in his eyes, "He, too, has leprosy. The bacteria that causes the disease seems to be more infectious in this time period due to the limited vaccines…and antibiotics." Estrella shook her head at his confused and questioning look, "Very long to explain–just…trust me, send your nephew away when the rumor begins to spread and your sister is nothing but angry at his fate."
Baldwin didn't know how to reply so he merely nods, tears starting to form. Giving him a grim, sympathetic, look Estrella leaves the man to his thoughts, and pray that the little boy will be spared, along with the king. Baldwin watched the woman go, wishing and praying for all that he had left that he never had that cursed disease. He knew now if he never had that disease or if he had met the woman early on he could have fallen in love with her…
Perhaps in the short time she has showed kindness towards him, he already has.
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Estrella quickly strides to Elligero, quickly mounting him. Tiberias takes hold of the reins, looking at the woman with great confusion. A servant had informed him that when she left the king did not have his mask on, and seemed to have been crying. If the woman he had come to respect and admire had hurt his king in any way, she would have to pay for the crime. However, seeing the tears falling on the woman did Tiberias feel guilty for thinking that this woman would do anything to harm his king.
"Take great care of him, Tiberias, he will not last long anymore. But I ask of you," she leaned forward, whispering so that no one nearby could hear. "Kill Guy and Reynald as quickly as you can. It will be worth it, I promise."
"I will see what I can do." Tiberias whispered back before letting the reins go.
Exhaling shakily, the woman looks up at the tallest tower. She can see a figure on the balcony and held back her sobs. She desperately wanted her prayers to be answered, but knew that she has changed too much of the history already that asking to change the fate of the young king was too much. With pursed lips, she sharply turns Elligero and rides hard and fast out of the castle and towards the building she knew Balian and the others will be waiting.
Seeing that Ja, Seifer, Hospitaler, and Philip were also at the house–ready to leave with them, it seems. With a nod from the woman, the group went on back to Ibelin, Seifer and Hospitaler riding close by as they had seen the distress look she wore. No one said a word on the way, but Balian wondered what words were spoken between her and the king; for that was the only thing he was able to think that would put the woman in such a state.
Once they were back at Ibelin Estrella took up her duties even more serious and let it take up a lot of her time. When she came back from scouting the land she will be alongside the farmers, harvesting certain plants or planting others until the point of exhaustion. She slept and ate little, despite the protest from the other men, but as nearly a week pass she was on edge. There has yet to be word of the death of Baldwin and it was killing the woman inside out.
Not even Liela was able to bring her spirits up, which was something serious.
Balian was becoming more nervous as he watched his friend and protector become more withdrawn as the days pass. Not even those in his father's old group could bring her spirits up. He wished that there was something that he could do. Then one day he received a note that Tiberias wanted to meet him and Estrella alone at a secluded area in the morning the next day. Balian didn't want to tell Estrella, but the woman seemed to have seen it as she was walked out of her room at the same time he did the next day.
Oh, this is going to be a long day.
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Estrella was fidgety. Balian watched the woman pace like a caged animal as he sat under the shade of the palm tree in the middle of that ruin Tiberias wanted to meet them. Something was coming or going to happen, but Estrella didn't want to say anything; and it was starting to make him go on edge as well. He went to say something, but the edge he was feeling became a bad one.
It seemed that it wasn't Tiberias who had sent that note to them.
A noise had the woman come to a sudden stop as Balian looks up right in front of him to see one of Guy's men. Estrella turns her head to the side as she heard a horse to the left as two more horses approach from Balian's right. The knight closes to Estrella chuckles when he noticed that her sword, and Balian's, was strapped to their saddle. At least that's what Estrella wanted them to think as she had hidden daggers to her person.
As the two knights dismount and walk forward did Estrella inhale sharply. The one wearing a cloak pulled back their hood before taking off the cloak completely and throwing it to the floor. Balian stared wide eyed at the face he recognized so clearly in his dreams–except for the black hair and the dark blue eyes full of hatred. She stared straight ahead to Estrella, Balian knew. She unsheathed her sword, glaring at her twin as she came to a stop.
"Kill the man, leave my twin to me. Bernard, make sure that she does not get to her sword."
Estrella slowly moved to the left–away from the horses–not taking her eyes from her twin. Sarah moved towards her as the three other men moved towards Balian. Knowing he can protect himself, Estrella put him out of her mind and focused merely on her sister, who seemed to hate her for no apparent reason. The men fighting against each other could be heard, but the women ignored them. Finally Sarah ran towards Estrella with a yell, bringing up her sword. Taking out one of her many hidden daggers Estrella blocked the sword and kicked her twin to the ground before running towards Elligero.
One of the Templar's got in her way, but she quickly killed him. Taking out her sword, Estrella turned just in time to block fatal move that could have killed her. Somehow the twins had moved away from the horses, Sarah constantly trying to kill her twin. They continued to go at it, being equal in defending each other, the twins having multiple wounds upon each other's bodies already. They were both out of breath and starting to feel weak from the loss of blood, but the twins continued to push themselves.
The tension and the hatred could be felt between them. Although Estrella does not hate her twin, she still felt tensed around Sarah. Their blows were even, neither one could over power the other–not that Sarah was letting her twin get the upper hand. When their swords clashed against each other again the twins were leaned against them, Sarah glaring at Estrella while the said girl only stared at her twin with pity and remorseful.
Sarah noted this and growled at her twin, pushing her away from her but falling to the left herself. Estrella staggered to the right, watching to her twin panting on the sand, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sword.
"Don't you dare look at me like that, Estrella!" Sarah hissed, glaring at her.
Estrella merely shook her head, not taking heed of her twin's threat behind her words. She was tired of this hatred and thought it was about time that she got to the true bottom of it. Despite that she already had a dream about this Estrella couldn't remember what was said between them; just the fact that she had killed her own sister. But remembering her talk with Ja Estrella had the power to change the course of this fate.
And she hoped that she could avoid this death and mend whatever broken relationship they have.
"How did you ever become like this, Sarah? Tell me, how?" Estrella demanded as she slowly stood.
Sarah stood as well, growling as she glared at her twin. "The day when you first got an A on your test–remember, in the seventh grade?" Estrella furrowed her eyebrows together as she tried to remember her past. "Mom was so proud of you that she didn't even acknowledge the B minus I got!"
"You're mad because of a stupid grade we've gotten when we were eleven years old? You hate me because of that!" Estrella said in disbelief that the bond between sisters–and twins–was broken because over a grade they both had gotten when they were kids.
"No," Sarah said, shaking her head. "I hate that our mother always encouraged you rather than the both of us! That's why I hate you so much! She loved you more!"
Before Estrella could say a word, Sarah charged at her. The two going at it a bit longer until they were both leaning against each other, wondering what just happened. Sarah was gasping, dropping her sword to the sand next to her twin. Estrella's eyes were wide with fear, confusion, and dread looking at her blood stained blade that belonged to her sword behind her twin…just like what had happened in the dream.
"Damn you," Sarah whispered as Balian slowly walked towards them, just as bloody and beat up as Estrella. "I was supposed to be queen after I killed my lover's wife. Now you even ruin that for me."
Estrella couldn't help but begin to hyperventilate, not knowing what to do to help her twin. Sarah slowly closed her eyes, her breathing starting to slow down until she fell completely limp against her twin. Estrella begins to sob brokenly, sliding her sword out and pushing her sister on to her back, her eyes staring wide open to the sky. Balian takes hold of her arms and pulls her away from Sarah, sympathy going to the dead twin.
The woman turns to Balian and cries against his chest, holding on to dear life. She could have changed their fate. But it seemed that Sarah's death was unavoidable. If she couldn't even do that, then…
"We have to go to Jerusalem," Estrella cried, trying to breathe properly as she looked up at Balian. "If what I have done changes anything that I have seen, I don't know if I can live with myself in how history will now re-write itself to something completely different."
Yes, if she couldn't even change the fate of her sister's death, then she couldn't change the fate of Baldwin the V or that of Baldwin the IV.
