The Curse Conduit
Chapter 35

The now enlarged family of cousins spent the next few days behind the walls of Uri’s home. It was a castle in its own right. A smaller castle than that of the King’s but in everyone’s eyes a castle all the same.

They had all been given separate rooms. The ladies together and the men at the other end of the hall.

As had been the case with Elizabeth and Bethie, the three women had an intrinsic knowledge of each other that surpassed anything that the men could understand; it was like they really were sisters. There was a natural way about them as they bonded with each other. Danny and Derek, Urian and Uriah came to see that it was not just their modern women who could have a conversation and know what they were talking about without ever finishing a whole sentence. It was definitely a female quirk that went back centuries. After listening to the three women for over an hour Uriah gave up, he was completely lost as to what conversation they were having. One moment it was about mobile phones the next, they were talking cooking and he couldn’t figure out when they had changed topic. Their whole conversation had been like this. His male companions had retreated much earlier and as Uriah wandered around the castle looking for them he thought they had been right to leave when they did. Time travel may have given him a headache but females? The world would never change; women were a constant enigma and apparently never supposed to be solved.

Uriah found the other men in a small court yard not far from the outside entrance to the kitchen. He smiled as he could hear some woman screeching as he saw Declan and Danny appear hastily from inside followed by a rather fast flying object that turned out to be a heavy pan. Thankfully the cook’s aim was not so good and it missed both men. Each of whom had the same cheeky grin on their faces and stolen food in their hands. Uri was just shaking his head as Uriah came to stand with him, Derek and Urian. “I see that Danny found the kitchen alright then.”

Urian looked at Uriah with a twinkle in his eye. “Was there ever any doubt. It’s like he was born with radar to seek out food. That is one man I know will never starve.”

Uriah caught the little smile that appeared at the side of Derek’s mouth but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. They should have been standing there watching all three, Declan, Danny and Derek getting into trouble and Uriah’s heart saddened as he wondered how long it would be before he had is friend back whole and complete. Would he ever get him back?

Danny and Declan’s laughs and cheers drew his attention not to mention Uri’s. “Declan. How many times are you going to aggravate my cook before I find you wearing one of her cooking pots as a permanent decoration?”

Declan’s broad smile was just the same as his cousins. Big and bright and cheeky. “Uri you need not worry yourself so, she loves me. And she knows I only steal from the best cooks. She would be so heartbroken if I did not try at least once every visit.”

That made them all laugh; it even got a small smile out of Derek.

In a way the men were very happy to be with each other. They had spent the past few days swapping stories about their lives, Declan and Uri in constant amazement. However when Derek had shown them his mobile phone with the photos of London, it took all of the other four to convince them it was not some spell or witchcraft. The battery was low but Derek did manage to take a photo of the two knights and show it back to them to prove that their souls had not been snatched away nor were they being held captive in a tiny prison.

Declan and Uri announced that the future was an amazing place but also a very dangerous place to which the others all replied that their time was far more dangerous with battles being fought by sword wielding knights.

The talk of battle brought their conversation back to the reason for them being there in the first place. It was Urian that brought them back to earth with a thud. “So my knightly cousins how do we find out which battle we are to stop Declan from taking part in?”

“There has been an uneasy treaty between us and the western borders. I fear on the King’s return he will be asking his knights to once again unite and fight for the sake of their country.” Uri sighed heavily. “This may well in fact be the battle you have been called to my friend.”

Declan was quite offended that he had been told he could not take part in the battle. “As for me not being there. Have you forgotten Uri that the King has promised Beth-Elena’s hand to me in marriage after the next conflict? No battle no bride. I am going.” Declan stood with his arms across his chest defiant.

Everyone went to say something except Derek who had started to walk away but Danny’s voice came through loud and clear. “Steady on old chap. We didn’t travel through time and space to watch you get carved up if we can stop it. I am sure the King will understand.”

Everyone started to talk at once until a high pitched whistle cut through the air and they all turned to see the three women standing at the entry to the court yard. Uriah guessed that it had been Elizabeth who had whistled but he was wrong it had been Bethie.

Elizabeth’s eyes were darting all over the court yard. “Where’s Derek?”

No one spoke while they all did the same thing and she asked again with a little panic in her voice. “Where is he?”

She was standing in the middle of Bethie and Beth-Elena and both ladies took hold of her hands. Uri stepped forward. “I am sure he is unharmed.”

Uriah stepped closer not really believing his own words but hoping that Elizabeth did. “He probably just wanted some time on his own Lizzie that is all.”

The other women felt her tense up “He doesn’t need time on his own, He is already alone, he needs us and he needs help.”

Uri had already made a move to pull a long tasselled cord that fell down the wall. As he did it sent a deep chime through the castle. Moments later a young boy of about eleven or twelve ran into the room. “Yes Sire.”

“Geoffrey, I need you and your young friends to look for my friend Derek and tell me where he is.”

The young boy nodded and was about to race back out when he stopped and looked back at Uri. “Is this your friend that does not speak sire?”

Uri nodded and the boy smiled. “He is in the garden, near the elm tree.”

Uri patted the boy on the shoulder. “Good lad. I knew I could count on your skills.”

“Did you want me to escort him back?”

“No, we shall go to him. You can go back to spying on the cook.”

The boy’s cheeks turned a little red before he darted out of the room.

Urian leaned over to Uri. “Looks like you have a spy in the making.”

Uri smiled. He liked Geoffrey. Nothing happened in his home that Geoffrey did not know about. “Already made I would think cousin, already made.” He held out his hand to Elizabeth. “I think it best if I escorted you to Derek.” Taking her hand he looked to Declan. “Will you escort Uriah shortly after? I think Derek is in need of familiar faces.”

Declan gave a silent signal that he would.

As Uri led Elizabeth through the court yard he wrapped his arm around hers. “Your Derek, he is hurting very much.”

Elizabeth sighed. “Yes and I don’t know how to fix it. He has seen so much he was never supposed to see.”

“As have you all.”

“I know Uri but the plane crash, being fired upon, just listening to Urian tell the story scared me. No wonder Derek cannot talk.”

“But did he not dream of such things before?”

Yes, but dreaming and then really being there, being shot, nearly being killed.” She let her words trail off.

Uri squeezed her hand. He understood. His own dreams had unnerved him and he also wondered how he would have coped if he had been flung into a future world that was so alien to his own. There was another subject he wanted to broach with Elizabeth. “Do you love him Elizabeth?”

She stopped walking and looked straight into his eyes, instantly Uri knew he had made a mistake. “Of course I love him. We were meant to be together. Just like Declan and Bea, just like Danny and Bethie. Why would you ask me such a question? Of course I love him.” Elizabeth swallowed hard and her chest tightened. “Has he spoken Uri? Has he said that he does not love me?”

Uri shook his head. “No my sweet lady he does not speak, I see the love for you in his eyes. You need not worry of his love for you.”

Uri hesitated and Elizabeth acknowledged his hesitation. “But what is it Uri? Is there a question you want to ask me?”

They had started to walk again so he looked straight ahead and wondered what the outcome would be. “Uriah.” was all he said.

Elizabeth frowned not really understanding. “What do you mean Uriah?”

“Do you love Uriah also?”

His words brought her to a sudden stop; she untangled her arm from his and glared at him. “No I most certainly do not!” Elizabeth was not sure her outburst was because of her own feelings for Uriah or the fact that Uri could possibly know. She loved Derek, she knew she did but she also knew that if things had been different that Uriah would have been in with a chance. “Derek is my soul mate. Destiny has made sure that we were meant to be even before we were born. Just look around Uri. Look at me. I belong in the 21st Century. Why would you think I did not love Derek?”

How did he tell her that Uriah had feelings for her, that he had feelings for Beth-Elena and that Urian had feelings for Bethie? How did he take back his words? “It is possible that destiny is wrong.”

Elizabeth began to shake her head. She did not even want to contemplate that destiny was wrong when they had staked so much on it already. “Uri, what do you know?” she was about to ask another question when she gasped. “Oh my God…Uri, you’re in love with Bea!”

The excruciatingly pained and shocked look on his face was all the answer she needed. Instantly she went from being defensive to wanting to hold him in her arms and comfort him. “I am so sorry. You have never told anyone have you? Never told Bea? How long have you loved her Uri?”

It took Uri a few moments to clear the lump in this throat. Not for a minute did he think she would work out his love for Beth-Elena. But she had and he wondered why she could not see that Uriah loved her with an equal passion and torment. “I have loved her since the first day I set foot in her uncle’s castle.”

“She was already with Declan?”

Uri shook his head. “No.”

“No, then why did you not tell her?”

“I feared that she would think me a fool, not worthy of her love. She is after all a princess and I…..” he could not finish his words.

Elizabeth took hold of both his hands. “Uri, you are a sweet, kind, thoughtful man who keeps far too much of himself hidden behind armour and silence. Bea would have not thought you a fool.”

Elizabeth broke off as her thoughts turned to Uriah. She trembled a little. If he had been standing there instead of Uri she would have said the same thing. “Uri. Does Uriah love me like you love Bea?”

He did not answer, he did not have to.

She stretched up a little and kissed him on the cheek and a tear fell from her eyes.

Uri pulled her close to him and hugged her wishing that it was Beth-Elena in his arms and Elizabeth wrestled with her own feelings about the two men who had become very important to her.

“My sweet lady, please do not tell Uriah you know of his love for you, it would surely kill him as it would kill I, if Beth-Elena was to know of my love for her.”

Uri felt like her had to wait an eternity for her answer but he was relieved when it came.

“I understand.”

Elizabeth really wondered if she did understand.

They rounded a corner and she could see Derek sitting under the elm tree.

“Thank you for telling me Uri.”

With that she walked off to join Derek leaving Uri to deal with feelings he had kept so tightly sealed and secure for such a long time he wondered if he could ever get them back under control.

He did not return to the others but instead went to the stable, saddled up Nightwish and took himself off for a very, very long ride.

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