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Setting: Medieval Times A clash of metal brought Sarah to her feet. She looked around for the Grays. They were gone. In fact, she wasn't in a spaceship, or an alien world, or wherever she'd been. She was in a glade. Metal clashing drew her attention again. It sounded close. She grabbed her cumbersome skirt--another strange outfit, she vaguely noted--and trudged up a small rise to look down into the valley below. Two men, in what looked a lot like tights, were sword fighting. Was it for real? She couldn't tell. The man on the left drew her attention, and her eyes widened. "D.K.!" At the sound of her voice, his head snapped in her direction. The distraction gave the other man the advantage, and he knocked D.K.'s sword away. "No!" Sarah screamed. Fear gripped her for his safety. She raced toward him. The other man tripped D.K., sending him sprawling to the ground with a hard thud. D.K. raised his hands in defeat, and his opponent backed off. Both men turned to watch Sarah as she skidded to a halt. She lost her footing on the damp grass and plowed right into D.K.'s prone body. He grunted. "What are you doing, woman?" He sat up and grabbed her arms, plopping her into a sitting position. Sarah pulled away from him. "Saving you!" Both men roared with laughter at the absurdity. "Another village wench you've enchanted, my friend? What is your secret?" "I have never seen this crazy woman before, Moran. This I swear. She is quite comely. I would remember." Sarah sighed. If she had the courage, she'd check to see if he was wearing her necklace, but with the other man there ... Her gaze was drawn to a tall castle in the distance. Some medieval time period? Knights in shining armor? She didn't see any armor, but they had been sword fighting. "Leave us, Moran." Moran cocked an eyebrow, then smiled. "Of course. I shall see you back at the castle. I will tell the others you have been ...," he stole a glance at Sarah, "... detained by more pressing matters." He chuckled. "Yes," D.K. answered absently, staring at Sarah. "Much more pressing. Do not wait for me. Go on your quest. I will follow when I can." "As you wish." Moran mounted his steed and rode off toward the castle. Sarah worried about the look on D.K.'s face. It was more intense than she'd ever seen from him before. "What are you thinking?" "I'm thinking ... what took you so long to get here, Sarah?" Her mouth gaped open. "You remember me?" He reached out and stroked her cheek. "I remember you." Relief washed through her, and tears brimmed over in her eyes. She clutched his hand in hers. "What's happening to me? Us?" Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, so long to get here? It was just a while--certainly no more than a few hours." "It's been days, Sarah." "Days? Oh, D.K., what's this all about? Are you following me through time, or am I following you? If you know, you have to tell me before I go completely insane. And how is it that you know people in all these different places?" A loud roar caught their attention. A fully-armored man, astride a giant black horse, emerged from the trees. He charged right for them. "Death to all Normans!" D.K. lunged for his sword, which was still lying on the ground. Sarah scrambled to her feet. Without thinking, she rushed out in front of the horse, stopping it from trampling D.K. under its hooves. She heard D.K. yell her name. Then everything went black. |