Chapter III: The Queen is Gone

Chrono awoke with the sun – finally refreshed from a good night's sleep. He stretched and yawned, rubbed his eyes, and put one foot out of bed.

At least, he tried to put one foot out of bed, until he remembered he never slept in a bed, or even in a building. What am I doing way out here in the open? What possessed me to run away – wherever I am now… he crawled to his feet and examined his surroundings. Oh yes. How did I forget. I was sent back in time…

Marle!

Chrono quickly came to his senses thinking of the girl. She's still the queen! I've got to find her – the castle! If they find out she isn't the queen, then… what?

He started running, but stopped and thought better. Maybe I should at least find out where the castle is first. Better yet – I should wait until they find out she isn't the real queen; then, when she's kicked out, I'll come and pick her up. That's a whole lot easier on me… no. That's not right – what am I going to say? "Sorry – I could have found you sooner, but I wanted to make sure you were thrown out first." I don't think she'd like that.

I guess I'll have to play hero again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

By the time Chrono finished arguing with himself, and had found and reached the castle, the sun had already passed noon. What should I do – knock? He hesitated in front of the door. Maybe they'll just notice and let me in. Or I could open the door on my own… the bright red door towered over the boy at about twelve feet and seemed to be smelted of solid steel. It's a big door, but I should be able to open it.

He was just about to act bravely and test his strength when the two halves of the door slowly (and loudly) opened on their own. Seeing this as an invitation, Chrono came in – only to be greeted quickly by the door guards, dressed in full armor.

"Halt! Who goes there?" they shouted in rehearsed unison.

Ah… my name is Chrono, and I've come because I'm afraid your queen is really someone I just met who lives in the future, and I'm going to pick her up and take her back.

"Um…"

"Tongue-tied, son?" one guard chuckled.

"Quite a haircut there – you one of Magus's troops?" the other joined in.

"No, he's just a stray cat. Go home, son – we can't allow you in." The guards grabbed Chrono by each arm and were ready to lead him out when they were halted by a command:

"Hey!" Chrono recognized the voice. "Hey! Stop – don't throw him out!"

"M'lady!" The two guards released Chrono and knelt on the spot. "We just apprehended a stranger, uh…"

"This is my friend! Let him in!" The lady who came down to meet them was most certainly their queen. She wore a long, flowing green dress which perfectly showed off her looks. Her reddish-blonde hair was pulled back in the shape of a fan, which must have been some kind of beauty for the time – but Chrono thought it absolutely hideous. And the way she carried herself – that was the clue. No queen would act so rambunctiously… she seemed to be a foreigner in the dress, pulling at various pieces as if they were too tight, or too thick. She also had a strange look… her green cat-eyes seemed to be calling for help, as if the woman were imprisoned in her own body.

"Yes, M'Lady."

Marle! I'm sure of it. At least, she can't be the queen.

The "queen" gave Chrono a puzzling but friendly look as she whirled around and glided away as queenly as she could. Chrono had to fight back a laugh.

"Sorry about that, son. But we're on our guard with Magus's troops breathing down our necks," the first guard said.

"That's all right…" he whispered.

"Wow – what a privilege it must be to be called the Queen's friend!" the other sighed. "You can go in. We won't stop you."

Chrono gave both guards a look of forgiveness, then headed up the stairs after the queen in the manliest walk he could muster.

He barged through the nearest door – and stopped. Suddenly all eyes were on the rude stranger. Chrono could see he had just run into the throne room – evidenced by the two lavish chairs at the far end. Both were now occupied. There were other people in the room, but being a stranger in more than one respect, Chrono had no chance at naming them.

"Who is this?" the man on the left throne demanded. He was obviously the King. Aside from the fact he was wearing a crown, his demeanor read as kingly to Chrono. He wasn't young, but he wasn't old – he must have been between thirty and forty. His eyes flashed and his face stood rigid, but Chrono could see that underneath the mask of irritation, the king could look soft and gentle.

The queen looked at him and said something Chrono could not hear.

"What? Oh – he's your rescuer," the King said to himself. Then, to Chrono, "I'm sorry if I insulted you. But please, this is a private discussion." The queen whispered in his ear again. "My queen has offered her room. You may stay there until the feast." He took his queen's hand and gently began massaging it, which angered Chrono, though he didn't know why. "Chancellor, please show this man to the room."

Chrono expected to see a stately man, well built, to escort him. But, nothing so far had gone to his expectations, and the chancellor was merely another example. He was extremely short – maybe five feet tall if he wore elevator shoes. He appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, but Chrono guessed he looked older because of the grumpy look the chancellor seemed to put on every morning with his clothing. That, and the white hair, and long white beard which threatened to tickle his navel. To add to this comical picture, he wore a cute little cap on his head, which covered nothing, but bounced with his every step until Chrono was sure it would fly right off. "Come – come!" the chancellor ordered in a sharp, raspy voice. He immediately took off, with Chrono following at a comfortable distance (about five yards).

The chancellor wound through so many passages that Chrono began to doubt he knew where they were going. But soon he stopped and waved his hand down one hall, cap shaking back and forth. "The queen's room is at the end of this hall."

"What – "

"Do not bother me." With that, the chancellor spun on his heels, robes flying in all directions, and dashed away.

" – feast?"

Never mind – I'll just make myself at home, Chrono thought, going to the room. He slipped in quietly. Good, no one's here. Now I can just wait until –

"Oh! Who are you, and what are you doing in the Queen's room?" Chrono jumped at the voice.

Be calm! It's only a maid! "Er… the King, I mean the Queen, she said I could come…"

"Oh?"

"Yes. I was invited up here until the… feast."

Silence.

"May I ask you something? What is this feast about?"

The maid gave him a queer look. "You're staying here, and you don't know?"

"I don't."

"Poor thing. You don't seem to remember we just found our Queen again. That is enough of an excuse to celebrate."

"Ah… thank you."

The maid smirked. "You're welcome," she cawed, strutting out the door.

Now what have I gotten myself into?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Once several lonely hours were dead and gone, Chrono was again led through all sorts of hallways. Only, this time, he was heading toward the feast. "You are a very lucky man," the guide chattered. Chrono rolled his eyes. "The queen specially requested that you be present at this feast. I don't know how she knows you, but you are a fortunate man to be her friend. I have been here for six years and I do not have as great a position in her eyes. She is very kind to me, but I cannot be called her friend…" The guide rambled all the way down to the banquet hall.

Like the whole of the castle, the hall was beautiful. Immense chandeliers hung from a sky-high ceiling, illuminating the whole of the room in white and gold. (How they were lit, Chrono did not dare to guess.) Tables and chairs, ornately carved, sat arranged in patterns around the room. There were tablecloths of white, red, gold, and blue – candles on every one of them. And then there were the people! Chrono recognized a few… the King, the Queen, the guards… the chancellor.

When the Queen saw Chrono, her eyes lit up. She said something to the King, then broke from him and ran to her friend. Everyone stopped short and watched their elegant Queen in a mad dash across the room. In a normal situation, Chrono would find this a hokey romantic scene. Right now, he felt more like a cornered animal. He braced himself for an impact.

It never came. She stopped short of him, suddenly very queenly. The whole room came alive again, as if the incident never happened – though everyone gave the Queen and her guest suspicious stares.

"Sir, come and sit by me!"

Chrono's eyes went wide. "What?"

She cleared her throat. "I've requested that you sit next to me."

"But I…"

"Come on!" The Queen spun around, nearly decapitating Chrono with her dress, then sped away to her husband. (This time no one bothered to gawk.) Chrono hesitantly followed, genuinely interested in the offer, but unnerved at the thought of sitting so close to royalty.

The king did his best to be friendly towards his strange guest, but he could not hide that hint of jealousy as he greeted Chrono. "My queen requests her rescuer sit by her? It shall be done." He kissed his queen's hand, eyes always on the stranger. Then he straightened to address the guests.

"Everyone! Let us dine and celebrate the safe return of my wife, your Queen Leene!" With that, the guests scrambled for their chairs. Chrono still stood until Leene motioned for him to sit.

No sooner he had pulled the chair back than he heard a deep voice – "Excuse me, but that is my seat." Chrono turned to face a tower of a man. In truth the man wasn't so much taller than Chrono, but he held himself high and proud until everyone else became tiny insects. The man had a penetrating gaze, black eyes boring into souls and drawing them in. He might have been a comfortable man, had he been a friend. But being a stranger, he frightened Chrono with one look.

"Oh… Captain," Leene smiled. "The arrangements have changed. This man is sitting next to me. Everyone will have to move to the left."

The captain seemed to accept this graciously. "My apologies, M'lady, Sir." He then whispered something to the man next to Chrono, who got up, rather confused, and headed to the next seat. The next man also rose, and so on and so forth until the man at the end was forced off the table. He gave a stunned look at everyone, then huffed off to find another seat.

The captain sat heavily and folded his arms in front of him on the table. Chrono couldn't help but stare wide-eyed at those mighty arms – easily twice the thickness of his own. He felt very small sitting next to such a powerful man. I'd hate to be between him and his goals.

Once everyone was seated, the doors behind Chrono burst open and a pot of cooks poured out. Merrily they hurried around the room and smothered the tables with all sorts of confections – roast duck and goose, wild pigs, gigantic, steaming salads, fresh potatoes and corn, and most important of all! – the wine!

Ah – I hate wine! But at least I can eat real food now.

Chrono was about to dig right in when a clatter to his left startled him. He looked and saw the captain with a bowl of soup in his lap. Or – a previously full bowl of soup, upside down, in his lap. Apparently, one of the cooks mishandled the food – as the captain pointed out ever so loudly, drawing the attention of the entire table.

He threw off the bowl and whirled around to face the cook, who backed away knowing full well what would come next. "You are always clumsy with me! You work and work for them, but you cannot respect me!" he growled. "I have had it with you and your grumbling and fumbling!"

"You!" the cook responded, suddenly angry. "You sit there so importantly and gloat at me just because you became the all-powerful Captain! Ha – so you think you can just yell and make me tremble in my boots, huh? I've been yelled at for twenty years – don't think I don't know how to stand up by now!"

The captain was not moved. "You spilled this food on purpose – just to embarrass me! Do you think I have to take your sniveling?" He shoved the cook back and stomped away, the front of his robes wet with soup.

Chrono watched wordlessly as the cook composed himself and left through the big kitchen doors. After a minute, he returned to his food, but could not find much energy left to eat.

He was awakened from his stupor by the man across from him. "So, young man. Young man! Ahem – Queen Leene tells us you were her rescuer."

Trying to make conversation, I see. Best to play along… "Yes." Not exactly a lie. But I don't want to get Marle in trouble.

"Tell us about it! Where did you find her?"

"…"

"We heard she was up in the north. Imagine that – with those Mystics!"

"…"

Leene joined the conversation, saving Chrono from the trouble of defending himself. "Yes. I was in the north." She sounded very regal. "This man was out, what was it…"

"Traveling?" Chrono ventured. That is the truth… except you left out the part about the time portal.

"I am glad he found me. But now that I am back, we should discuss more important business." She winked at Chrono. "I've been gone so long, I've forgotten the most recent news on the war."

The man across from Chrono piped up again. "You were only missing a few days – "

"That's long enough!" Leene giggled – then cleared her throat, suddenly embarrassed.

Soon the topic of discussion drifted toward the war against the Mystics. Chrono remained silent, drawing every bit of information in that he could. At least we're done talking about my rescue mission. Marle sure saved me from either a huge lie, or a disastrous truth!

He poked at his roast duck. When is this stupid dinner going to be over?