AN: One person asked if Meg could be pregnant. Back in chapter 3 I mentioned that she had a contraceptive hormone implant, which lasts 3 years so no, no baby Hal's running around.

Chapter Seven

Meg's (admittedly poor) excuse for where she had been proved unnecessary when she was found sobbing incoherently, sitting on the coronation throne. When the staff tried to rebuke her, they found she could do nothing but sob hysterically.

More assistance was called and she was soon surrounded my tourists, staff and even a priest. Someone recognised her as a missing person, so the police were called and she was ferried to hospital.

Worried about her hysterical crying, the hospital staff decided to sedate her so that she could sleep. When she awoke, the police had some awkward questions for her.

She couldn't answer them in any way that would be believable, so she simply claimed not to know where she had been or what had happened. She told them of what happened the day she went missing, of going to the Abbey, but then she claimed not to remember anything else.

They asked about the burns on her hands, which she had sustained while testing the gunpowder and fuses, but she still claimed not to know anything about them. Her tears, which were never far from the surface, made them treat her kindly and gently.

She had little choice but to keep claiming amnesia, and so she began to ask where she had been, didn't anyone know, and hadn't anyone seen her? A person did not simply puff out of existence for almost five months, she insisted.

The doctor explained both to her and to the police, that she suspected Meg was suffering from dissociative amnesia following trauma, and that with counselling or in time, her memories might return.

The police accepted this and eventually allowed her brother and sister in to see her.

Her brother Matthew came first, Ruth hot on his heels and she hugged them both tightly.

"Where have you been all these months?" Ruth demanded. "We were so worried."

Meg didn't answer, she couldn't through her fresh tears, and her sadness was now laden with a heavy dose of guilt too.

It took her two days to pluck up the courage, but she reasoned that she had to tell her siblings what had really happened to her. They both looked at her like she was insane and when she went to make tea, she heard Matt suggest that maybe this was a part of the dissociative amnesia, that her brain had filled in the blanks of the memories she had repressed with fanciful tales.

"I'm not crazy," she tried to explain when she came back. "I know it sounds that way, and even I thought I was hallucinating to begin with, but I'm not. I swear."

"So you went back in time and had a love affair with Henry the fifth?" Ruth said, trying not to sound scornful.

Meg sighed, they were never going to believe her so she stopped trying to convince them. When she sometimes questioned her sanity, she looked at the selfie she'd taken of Hal on her phone, proof positive that he hadn't been a dream.

It was surprisingly easy to slot back into her life. Since her savings and current accounts were linked, her savings were automatically transferred over to cover payments, rather than going overdrawn, so her mortgage and bills had all been paid on time.

Her work had kept her job open and although they'd had to reduce her wages, she still received sick pay, so not even her savings had taken that big of a dent.

She avoided any and all mentions of medieval history and as far as she could see, the only thing that had changed was that the UK was now The United Kingdom of the British Isles and France, so Hal had obviously succeeded in uniting England and France permanently. She wondered what exactly she had changed to make the union endure, but she didn't dare go and look. She couldn't stand to read about him and Catherine.

She cried a lot, but usually at home and if she became tearful while she was out, everyone was very understanding, which only made her feel more guilty because the only trauma she had suffered, was a broken heart.

Life went on and day after day, she went through the motions of living, and each day got just a tiny bit easier.

By the end of a month, she was only crying at home. By two months, she was able to sleep almost uninterrupted most nights. By three months, she was beginning to believe she was getting over him, until she saw an advert for a documentary on the Reign of Henry V. She turned the TV off immediately but she had still seen his portrait and it felt as if her heart was breaking all over again.

Meg was having a hell of a day. After seeing Hal on the television yesterday evening, she had hardly slept a wink last night and had overslept her alarm by almost an hour. She got ready in record time and might have been okay, had it not been for the fact that the tube wasn't running due to some kind of bomb scare, so she'd been forced to take the bus, putting her even further behind.

Despite the fact she had called in to let the office know, when she eventually got there, her editor, who up until now had been handling her with kid gloves in respect of her 'ordeal', had raked her over the coals first thing for being late, and even promising to stay late and make the time up didn't end the tirade she'd had to endure.

Now that she came to think of it, the atmosphere throughout the office seemed tense today and she had no idea why (she hoped there wasn't talk of redundancies or anything). On top of all that, she hadn't had time to stop in and buy her usual morning latte and her lethargy was causing her to have problems digesting the newest paper on a new IVF drug that was in development.

She was far too distracted to focus properly so at noon, she decided to leave for an early lunch. Maybe some food would help her brain, and she could have that coffee she had missed so much.

As she got to the reception on her floor, she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Hi Meg," Brian from accounts said as he headed into the offices, but she didn't register him. "Meg? Meg, are you all right?"

She looked to her friend, then back to the reception desk.

"Can you see that man? The one with his back to us." she asked him.

"What man? Are you okay?"

"The one there, in red leather, talking with Stacey."

"I can see him, why? Meg, are you quite all-"

Meg began walking away.

"-right?"

Even though she had proof that she wasn't hallucinating, she still didn't trust her eyes and stopped a few paces away.

"She isn't answering her phone, can I take a message?" Stacey was offering.

"Hal?"

He turned, and his face lit up in a bright smile. "Meg!"

Before she knew what was happening, he had swept her into his arms and hugged her so tightly that her feet left the floor.

When Hal finally let her down, Meg still didn't believe that he was here.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to find thee. I mean, you."

"But… how?!"

"The same way you found me. The war in-"

Mel clamped a hand over his mouth, afraid he would say enough to get himself sectioned under the mental health act. Their enthusiastic greeting had brought a small audience of sorts.

"Let's talk at lunch," she suggested, turning to Stacey. "I'm going out for an hour."

"Sure you are," Stacey said with a wink. "But remember, Travellodge don't rent rooms by the hour."

As she turned to leave, Meg raised her left hand over her shoulder, her middle finger raised, and she heard Stacey laugh.

She led Hal to the lift and pressed the button.

"What do we wait for?" he asked.

"The lift. Didn't you take it to get up here?"

"I took the stairs, was I supposed to climb?"

"You walked up eleven flights of stairs?"

"Yes. I am glad you don't work higher in the building, there must be fifty floors."

"There are," she assured him. "And lifts are big boxes in a shaft and using winches, they raise or lower people to their desired floors."

The doors opened and she stepped in, as did Hal, although with some trepidation.

"You pick your floor here," she said, "We want G, for Ground." She turned to him. "Take that dagger off, for God's sake! You can't carry weapons here, they'll arrest you."

"How do you protect yourself?"

"You don't, not with weapons, because any weapon used for defence can also be used for attack. I do carry a personal alarm though."

Hal handed her his dagger and she stuffed it into her large handbag.

"And the belt and gloves." He passed them to her. "Not much we can do about the codpiece but you look fairly modern now. Maybe a little steam punk, but that's in fashion right now," she muttered to herself.

As the lift stopped, it spoke in its electronic voice to say 'Ground floor'.

"What marvels you have here," he said as they exited.

Once out on the busy street, she took Hal's arm, for his head was whipping about in every direction and she was worried she'd lose him. Despite it not being that cold for October, everything seemed dull today, people all wearing dark colours and shuffling around with their collars up and heads bowed, as if they were in a storm, not a bright autumnal day.

"The carriages, the lights, the merchants, and so many people!" Hal commented. His red leather tunic was a bright splash of colour among the sea of navy, black and brown.

She smiled at his enthusiasm and led him to a pub on the corner, where she claimed a corner booth for them. The waitress came and she ordered a coffee for herself and tea for Hal, then the girl handed them both a menu.

"What is this?" he asked once the waitress left.

"A menu. You pick what dish you want and order it."

"But there are nearly 20 items here!"

"I know, but cooking is easier than it once was."

"What is risotto?"

"It's made with rice."

"And vegetarian?"

"They're dishes made for people who don't eat meat."

"Why would they not eat meat?"

"They don't believe in eating other living creatures."

"Is this true, a dish costs fifteen pounds?!"

"Yes, but the pound is worth less here, and there are only a hundred pennies in a modern pound, not 240."

"And what is-"

"Might I recommend you have the bangers and mash? I'll explain the menu later, when you've answered a few of my questions."

"I shall trust thy judgement."

"'Your judgement', you can't speak like that here, you'll look weird and draw attention to yourself."

"Very well, o-kay, I shall endeavour to follow the patterns of thine- of your speech."

She smiled, amused to hear him speaking modern vernacular.

"Now, how did you get here?" she asked.

"The same way you did. Meg, I have been a fool, I should not have let you go. You single handily won the war for us without even being there. We made a thousand of your devices and marched straight into Paris, virtually unhindered, knocking down everything in our path that would not yield to us and so, the French gave in to all our demands without much of a fight, thus marriage to Catherine became unnecessary. When we returned to England, I knew I had to find you and went straight to the Abbey the next morning. I sat on the throne and thought about you but I thought it had not worked, until I looked up to see people, dressed as strangely as you were upon our first meeting."

"But how did you find me?"

"Thou- you told me that you worked at Modern Science, so I asked people until someone took out a small box, such as the one you played music on, and found directions for me."

"So you walked all the way from Westminster?"

"I did. I now quite understand how disconcerted you must have felt when you arrived in my time and saw that the landmarks had changed."

"That's got to be five miles. How long did it take you to walk here?"

"A little more than two hours, I believe, I was somewhat distracted and had to retrace my steps a few times."

"And what happens to your kingdom with you gone?"

"My eldest brother is capable enough rule in my stead, until I return."

"So you are going back?"

"I must. Marriage might not have been as necessary, as I thought, but I do still have a kingdom to run. I was a fool, I see that now, but I have realised my error and I would dearly like for you to come home with me."

She nodded but was unwilling to commit and luckily, the waitress returned then with their drinks.

"Are you ready to order?" She asked with a smile.

"I'll have the carbonara and my friend will have the sausage and mash," Meg replied.

"Any sides?"

"Just garlic bread, thank you. Actually, better make that a bread basket." She didn't want to smell of garlic later.

"Sides?" Hal asked when the server left.

"Additional dishes of food that sit beside the plate."

"Aah."

"Hal, even if I wanted to go back, who is to say the chair would send us back?"

"I knew that was a risk, but the wars are as good as won and I am not so necessary as usual, so I had to take that chance."

Meg sipped her latte, then prepared Hal's tea.

"Tell me, did we keep France this time?" Hal asked.

"We did. We are now The United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland and France."

Hal smiled. "I am glad."

"Try that," Meg said, pushing the tea cup back to him.

"Bitter."

"Very bitter?"

"No, not very."

She put one sugar lump in stirred the tea. "Try it now."

"Much better. What is it?"

"The tea I was telling you about. And mine is a very milky coffee."

"Tis a very good thing," he said, taking a sip.

"Wait until you discover ice cream and pizza," she teased.

"So what do you say, Meg, will you return to my time and become my Queen?"

"Oh, Hal, it isn't that simple any more. My family were dreadfully worried when I disappeared, I don't know if I can do that to them again."

"But you were meant to be with me."

"Or maybe, you were meant to be with me," she countered.

"But what good can I do here?"

"I didn't know what good I could do in your time," she countered.

"Then we must task our thoughts and determine what we must do for the best."

"That might take a while," she insisted. "And if I do decide to return with you, I'll have to do things properly this time. As well as saying goodbye, I'd need to sell my house and car, give two weeks' notice at work and find some excuse to tell my family."

"Then I shall stay until you are ready to depart."

"I said 'if' I decide to return," she reminded him.

"My Kingdom is at peace for the time being and as I said, my brother can lead for a time. He would not make an exceptional King but he has a strategic mind for battle and is therefore a very capable leader. Thus I believe we can take some time to weigh the possibilities."

"Okay. We need to get you some new clothes first, I can do that after work this evening. I'll need to shop as well, I've hardly got any food in."

"Shop?"

"Buy food," she explained. "Maybe I can leave work early today. I'll try, at least. What am I going to do with you until then?"

"Can I not go with you?"

"Was I allowed to sit in on your court?"

"Well no, but thou art a woman."

"'But you are'," she corrected. "And if I do agree to go back with you, that sexist shit has to stop right now."

"Sexist?"

"Making out that woman are inferior just because they don't have a dick. Did you know what half of all Viking warriors were women? Because they were. And in modern times, the countries that do best are those with equality."

"Can you prove these claims?"

"I can find you articles and studies."

"I should very much like to read them."

Meg left Hal in the pub but after speaking to HR (rather than her editor), she was able to leave work after an hour by taking half a day's holiday, and went straight to the pub to collect Hal.

They bought him a mixture of casual and smart clothes, then stopped into Marks and Spencer's food court.

Watching his expression as he followed her around was highly entertaining, for he had never seen so much choice before in his life. The tube especially was an experience that she would remember for years, as he marvelled at the underground 'carts'.

Once home she turned the lights on, then switched the television onto News 24, as she usually did, just to catch up on the day's events, and turned the volume up so she could hear it while she unpacked in the kitchen.

"Why is it so warm in here?" he asked as he followed her into the kitchen, while she unpacked the shopping.

"Central heating. The white metal things against the wall in each room give off heat."

"Amazing."

"Wait until you see hot and cold running water," she said more to herself than to him.

"And your candles are so bright."

"They're not candles, they're light bulbs, they run off electricity," she answered. "Are you thirsty?"

"Yes, a little."

She got a diet lemonade from the fridge, which she kept for her niece and nephews (they always got contraband at Auntie Meg's) pulled the tab and handed it to him. "Try that."

"Why is it so cold?"

"Because it came from the fridge. They were invented to keep food cold because that slows bacteria production, thus keeps it fresher for longer, but we also like cold beverages sometimes too."

He tasted the drink. "I have never tasted anything like that."

She held her hand up to silence him and cocked her head as the headlines from the news reached her ears.

'The headlines this hour: the Nazi's bombed the French headquarters of the coalition this afternoon, as part of the continuing war between Nazi Europe and the Sovereign European Coalition. Early reports suggest that thirteen were killed in the blast, but the death toll is expected to rise.'

Meg left her shopping on the side and wandered back into the living room to listen.

'At a press conference, President Cameron said that England would not stand for these tactics and pledged another hundred thousand troops to aid in the war effort. Prime Minister McPhee of Scotland is expected to make a similar pledge in the morning.

"President of England? And Scotland with its own Prime Minister?" Meg whispered.

"What is this?" Hal asked.

"The news, they report noteworthy events from around the world," she told him quickly.

'This evening also saw the latest draft ballot for the armed forces, and in light of Mr Cameron's statement, two dates were selected; the fifth of April and the fourth of December. Anyone between the ages of eighteen and forty and born on those dates, is expected to enlist before the 31st of the month, or face draft dodging charges.'

"Matt," she whispered.

"Matt?"

"My brother, his birthday is December fourth. He's been drafted."

'In other news, Russia today claimed victory against Nazi Europe, when they bombed a Nazi garrison near the Latvian boarder. The number of casualties is as yet unknown.'

"What? No, no this is all wrong," she whispered.

"What's wrong?" Hal asked.

"The war, the Nazis. We defeated them seventy years ago! And we haven't had National Service or drafting since the 50s."

She listened to the rest of the headlines in shocked silence, trying to make sense of everything.

'Following a bomb scare on the London Underground this morning, all routes and stations were closed until noon today, when the Security Services declared the scare a hoax by the Neo Nazi group, Britain First. In light of the recent spate of hoaxes, the government-'

"That's why everyone suddenly seemed so grumpy today, because we've been at war for decades."

"Perhaps your visit to the past changed things," Hal suggested.

"No, Hal, you don't understand. Yesterday Europe wasn't at war and the only real difference seemed to be that the United Kingdom now included France too. But we were at peace, there was no war, no Nazis, no bombings." She turned to him. "This is because you're here."

"Thou art claiming this war is my fault?" He sounded affronted.

"No, at least, not really. But you left your time and arrived here today. Yesterday everything was fine, today it's all gone to hell. Somehow, your leaving has changed the future, and not for the better."

She turned back to the screen, which was now showing the Army at the French bomb site, ferrying the dead and injured about.

"You have to go back," she said, turning to him once more. "Something you do must prevent this."

Hal nodded. "Agreed. Wilt thou come with me, fair Meg, and rule by my side as my Queen?"

She looked from the television to Hal and back again.

"Thou may still have the time to sort your affairs, for it surely matters not when I return, as long as I do."

Meg knew she had little choice, he had to return and her love was so great, she couldn't turn him away a second time. Life here, while easier, would be hollow without him.

"I'll go with you, Hal."

The soft smile that lit up his face made her sure she'd made the right decision.

Her phone rang and she rushed into the kitchen and took it from her bag.

"Hello? No, I haven't heard from him."

"Who are you talking to?" Hal asked as he followed her.

"He wouldn't do anything silly, Ruth."

Hal was turning in a circle, trying to find who she was speaking with, so she put her phone onto speaker so he could hear Ruth.

"He can't be drafted, he has two children!" Ruth said, and Hal's eyebrows almost leapt into his hairline as he heard the disembodied voice.

"Who is that?" Hal asked.

"My sister," she quickly explained to him. "Look, I'll fix this, Ruth, I swear."

"How?" she demanded. "You're going to miraculously end the war?"

"I- I can't exactly explain it but please believe me, we will fix this and Matt won't be drafted. I swear."

"We? Who is 'we'? Who's there with you?"

"Look, Ruth, I can't explain now."

"Meg, you're not making any sense!"

"I know, and I'm sorry, but I'll find a way to explain it to you, I promise."

"You don't even sound upset!"

'Because this isn't a reality I'm used to; I can only imagine what being drafted into this war entails.'

"Ruth, please, just give me some time and everything will be okay."

Ruth sighed. "I'm going to try Matt again."

"Let me know if you reach him."

"I will."

Meg ended the call and looked to Hal.

"We should determine where the timeline went wrong," Meg suggested.

"How do we do that?"

"There have to be a thousand and one books on it but for now, we'll try wiki."

It turned out that everything Meg knew about history (which admittedly, was mostly just names and dates) changed after Hal left his time. Having no heir, once it became clear that Hal wasn't coming back, his brother inherited the throne, then promptly lost it to Hotspur's son, Henry Percy, the 2nd Earl of Northumberland. The civil wars in the 1600s were longer, bloodier and nastier, resulting in a permanent republic under a tyrant even worse than Cromwell, who had been killed in battle.

Scotland retained its king and they remained at war with England, so the 1707 act of the union never happened, although a treaty finally brought lasting peace between the nations in 1839.

Since parliament granted it more freedom and less taxes, America remained a British colony, and thus they never achieved quite the same might that they had in in Meg's time.

The Nazi party rose to power under Adolf Hitler, but they didn't invade Poland until the 50's, by which time their party politics had spread to other western European countries and gained a strong foothold. They seemed unbeatable and by the 1980s, they had successfully invaded half of the continent. Only Russia beat them back to the east, and the British Isles, France, Spain and Portugal to the west.

It was all so different from what Meg knew, and the only solution was to go back and make sure young Hotspur junior didn't seek vengeance for his father's death and claim the crown for himself.

In the course of her research however, she discovered some sketches and a painting that intrigued her.

"What are these?" she asked Hal. He put her tablet computer down, which he was using to browse Wikipedia, and came to look over her shoulder. He had proved surprisingly adept at navigating the tablet but then, he was only reading.

"Thy departure saddened me and I returned to the Hog's Head for a night or two. The second night, the understinker, Francis, clapped a scrap of paper into my hand; he'd attempted to draw thee. On seeing that he had some talent, I bought him out of his indenture and had him apprenticed to a painter, on condition that he made me a portrait of you. He had finished it by the time I returned from France but as soon as I saw it, I knew that a painting wouldn't be enough."

Maybe Hal, the (obviously) spitting Image of Henry V, combined with this painting of Meg, would be enough to convince her siblings that she hadn't been lying.