Two Worlds

"Elizabeth. Go get her dressed quickly. Father and Uncle shall be waking up soon." Robby insisted after he said that.

I let go of her wrists then ran up to him, "No. Do not ignore the subject. You said... The night I fell off my bed. How do you know I fell off my bed?"

"I imagined an image and you were gumbly."

I shook my head, "Uh uh... We aren't ignoring this subject."

He sighed loudly, "Elizabeth. Take her quickly."

He pushed me over her way and I pointed at him. I then went upstairs with Elizabeth and we went into the humongus dressing room near by.

As she was setting my hair, I started, "You really don't know who I am don't you?"

She looked at me and smiled. I continued, "I mean... You've never seen me before Duke Robert introduced us, right?"

She smiled again, "That is correct, Miss Madison."

If Elizabeth is a ghost at my house... Then she must be dead. Since she's not dead in this century, she doesn't know who I am. Then who are the other two girls?

"I have a question."

"Yes, Miss Madison."

"Do you know a girl named Amelia?"

She let go of my hair and dropped the brush. I turned around to look at her and grabbed her hand, "Are you alright? Did I say something wrong?"

"No. You said nothing wrong."

She let go of my grasp and picked up the comb. I felt her hands shaking as she continued doing my hair again, and I just pouted my mouth at her.

Just because I asked, Who was Amelia?

I didn't want to frighten Elizabeth and say she was a ghost at my house. I looked through my bag and everything was gone. The diary, the picture that I dropped and the handkerchief. Ugh, this was so frustrating not being able to piece everything together.

"Are you in any trouble at all?"

I had her let go of my hair and then I stood up. I grabbed her hands, "Really. Tell me. Are you in any trouble at all? You know I'm from the future and I'm obviously not here because I'm taking a trip. There's a reason why I'm here, and I really need to get all the information."

"I am in no trouble."

"Then why would you bring me to Duke Robert?" I bursted out. She looked at me with a puzzled look and I coughed, "Sorry. It's nothing. But you're sure you're not in any trouble."

She shook her head again and I groaned. What did she want with me then?

Or was she hiding something from me?

When she got me dressed... I looked hideous again. I wore a long white sweater dress, with that tight corset on the inside... and my hair was down but curled. I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed, "How did anyone breathe in this century?"

I heard a knock on the door and Robby poked his head in, "Done or not done... I have come to warn you that Father is awake. Hurry!"

I placed my backpack under the table and Elizabeth went outside. I opened the door and poked my head out to see Robby and his servants waiting. He looked on his sides then quickly grabbed my wrists. As we heard footsteps walking, we stood at a distant from each other and then Prince Alfred and King Edward came down...

Still weird having to call them Prince and King.

I bowed at them slowly, then the King came up to me. "Nephew does not lie when you say you have the personality of a monkey. We have not met for over days."

I slightly laughed, "I'm amazed by England."

I cornered my eyes at Robby and gave him a very tiny wink.

"Are you wanting to eat anything, my dear Madison?" The King asked.

Did he just say... My Dear Madison.

Okay... Not exactly something that I want to hear.

I kind of got goosebumps hearing that.

I giggled and shook my head, "Oh no. I've already had something when I was out. Thank you for asking though."

I said it very slowly so he would not think I had a difficult language. Robby slightly smiled and started, "I will not be eating as well, Uncle. I will take Miss Madison here out on a little ride."

I looked at him with a puzzled look. I felt like his Uncle and his Father was staring me down a little and it was a little bit intimidating. Well, at least King Edward's stare was intimidating... His dad seemed like an okay dude.

But who knows in this century.

The King coughed, "You must be very cautious of where you go and what people will see, Nephew."

Robby nodded, "I will, Uncle. Please allow us to go out of the palace."

The King nodded and then Robby motioned me to follow him. I slightly bowed down as I walked passed them. When I slightly looked back, I saw the King looking back at me and I turned back very quickly

Okay... Not cool. And gross.

I followed Robby at a distance then we were in the entrance of the palace. Which I want to call the living room. I looked around and smiled... "This palace is so amazing."

He smiled, "If you could choose... Would you live here?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you live here, if you had the choice?"

I stayed a little quiet and shrugged, "I don't know. It's so... fancy."

We looked at each other for a few seconds then I pointed at him. "We need to finish that conversation, Duke Robert."

"What conversation?"

"Where you said, 'The night I fell off my bed'... How'd you know that?" I started. He turned around and coughed, "Are we going or not?"

I ran up to go in front of him, I pointed, "I am not playing this game with you. This is the easiest thing I could get to the bottom of. Tell me... How were you in my bedroom that night? If you weren't, you wouldn't know how I fell off my bed."

He grabbed my finger that was pointing at him and smirked, "How'd you feel?"

I squinted my eyes at him, "Heh?"

Just then the front door open and he quickly let go of my hand. I saw Riley... I mean, Duke Richard... come through the door with a small woman behind him. He started, "Miss Madison. We meet again."

Oh... I did not want to see his face right now.

I sighed, "Hi."

He shifted to the left to have the woman appear and my eyes went... ballistic.

It was the other girl.

The other ghost in my house.

I had seen two that night... And this was one of them.

"Holy crap." I whispered to myself. They all looked at me, but Robby started, "Amelia. What are you doing with Duke Richard?"

Did he just say Amelia?

The handkerchief... Oh my goodness, the handkerchief. The name on the handkerchief.

She replied, "I went out to serve Duke Richard just as King Edward had asked."

Robby coughed, "Where have you been for the past days? I have not seen you."

He shrugged, "My life does not concern you now, does it Brother?"

Was this really his brother?

What a jerk.

Robby sighed loudly and then Riley looked at me. "I believe Miss Madison will be at the ball in the upcoming week."

Ball?

What ball?

Robby sighed, "We will see." Then Robby turned to Amelia and started, "Madison. This is Amelia, Richard's personal servant. Amelia, our relative from America, Miss Madison."

She bowed at me and I just smiled at her.

So Elizabeth was Robby's servant. Amelia was Duke Richard's servant.

So what the hell did they need help with?

Amelia seemed very frightened when Riley coughed, "Amelia. Come with me."

She nodded then followed him from behind as he walked. We looked back at him and Robby crossed his arms, "Strange."

"What's strange?" I asked.

He sighed, "Richard was out of the palace for days."

"That's a problem? I thought I was out for days as well."

"Yeah. But you went alone. Richard came back with Amelia... Even worse, a female. They're not supposed to go together."

Oh right. I forgot that was a huge problem.

He kept looking at them and I kept looking at Amelia. And was amazed by her... So so much.

Robby coughed, "Perhaps, you're not looking at Richard, are you?"

"I do not want to look at a face like that." I replied. "But Amelia..."

"What about Amelia?"

I pouted, "I don't know..."

He grabbed my wrists then we went outside of the palace.

And two words.

Holy.

Crap.

Why was history so different? There was no garden in the front... There was only a dirt ground with the statue in the front. The guards were on horses... No red suited guards and it was so different.

I looked at the cars from far away and they were four huge wheels and it was very antique looking. Like what you would see in one of those antique car shows, but it was up and running and on the roads.

"That's a car? Holy crap."

He looked at my direction and smiled, "What does a carriage look like for you now?"

I look at him, "Very... Different. You guys still call it a carriage? When do you start calling it a car?"

Or did they call it something different.

He shrugged and chuckled, "You should know this better than me. You're from the future."

I walked out on the ground and sighed loudly. "I am in the Buckingham Palace in 1902. How is this possible?"

"How is possible that we met?" Robby asked. I turned to look at him and we met eyes.

I know.

How is it possible that we had met?

"Do you think it means something... That we must see each other every time I write in my diary." He asked walking further away. I sighed, "Well... Obviously, you're not a bad person. I feel like we met because Elizabeth and Amelia know that you can be another person to help me."

He turned around quickly and asked, "Elizabeth and Amelia? What do you mean?"

"Elizabeth and Amelia... Are the spirits living in my house. But it's so hard, because I don't know what they need help with."

"Elizabeth never seems troubled." He replied. He walked away and continued, "I also know she has some particular feelings for me... but she's never shown anything. She is my best servant that I know of... I don't know what she would need help with."

I squinted my mouth as he continued, "But Amelia... I know Richard is not the most respectful when it comes to his servants. He treats them like dogs or pigs... He hardly ever treats them like human beings. It would be understandable to why Amelia is troubled."

"But why would they be in my house? Walking around and asking me to help them?"

He stayed quiet. But I thought to myself.

I think Elizabeth is hiding something from me. Amelia obviously looks like she's frightened by Duke Richard. Since they're not dead in this century yet, they must not know what they're in for.

Did they die at my house?

How?

My brain was holding too many questions right now.

"You really believe that Elizabeth and Amelia are the spirits wandering around your house?" He asked. I replied, "I don't believe. I know. When I was dreaming, I saw their faces... It was them. And they echoed to me, 'Help me... Help us...', and I came here. So now I need to know with what."

"Why'd they bring you to me?"

"So you can help me, probably. What happened with them in the past, I wanna guess that... no one was able to help them. So, they became spirits and now they want me to help them."

"But me?"

I then thought about the picture magnet on my refrigerator. When his picture slid down and had me face that picture.

Destiny.

I smiled, "I guess it was just... fate's job for us to meet."

He looked at me and smiled, "Well... I hope it won't end at us only meeting."

I got butterflies when he said that and looked away. "So... Are you gonna tell me yet, how you were in my century that night?"

He sighed, "It started as what I thought was a dream. I heard you saying..."

"Saying... saying what?"

"I heard you say... 'You probably don't miss me as much as I miss you right now'..."

My eyes widened... Whoa he heard that?

Remind next time not to yell at the door.

"Oh." I said shortly. He chuckled, "I thought I was just dreaming. But I wanted to see you again but didn't want to waste any pages in my diary. So I don't understand particularly what had happened. All I know, I opened my eyes again to see you sleeping on your bed."

"It just took you... You didn't go through any passage way..."

He shook his head, "It was like a dream."

"It felt like a dream for me too."

He smiled and then I continued, "Is it possible to meet in dreams?"

He shrugged.

So if he was dreaming... and I was dreaming... I guess... We met in our dreams. Maybe that's why it felt so real.

I joked, "Next time if we meet in our dreams, I'm gonna try not to wake up."

He chuckled then looked away. I went up from behind him then touched his arm with one finger, "So... You wanted to see me again."

He turned around and smiled, "Like I said. I always want to see you."

Remember what I said to Amanda... About how I can't like someone from the 20th century...

Well... I think I'm gonna have to break the rules at this point because this Duke is making me blush like crazy right now.

I walked away and crossed my arms and just admired the palace in history. It was so different from what it looks like now.

"This is amazing." I started. He came up next to me and smiled, "I can find more amazing things in this world."

We looked at each other again and I couldn't control my smiling. I started, "I thought you said it was a sin if unmarried people came this close to each other?"

"And I thought I said that I would make an exception for you only."

As we continued walking, I started, "I like coming back in history... If I had the choice, I would really love to come here on a daily basis. It would be fun."

"What if you were to live here?"

I smirked, "That'd be hard. I mean... My life over there is all about technology. Here, there's none of that. I can't live without an iPhone now, Duke."

"My life would lack something if you were not here anymore."

His words.

Why were his words always so touching... and so cute when he said it.

"Are you willing to help me? Help me figure out why Elizabeth and Amelia need help... Why my friend is possessed by Duke Richard's spirit in the future... Can you help me?"

"If they really sent you back in time for your help... and probably my help... Of course, I will be willing to do it."

I could not stop smiling at him right now.

He then called one of the dudes that was on the horse, "Will you get me a horse?"

"Just one, Duke?"

He looked up and nodded, "Yes. I'm sure Miss Madison is not aware of how to ride one. She will have to be on one with me."

The guy looked terribly confused and then rode off. I looked at him, "I'm riding a horse?"

"I'm sure you do not want your legs to sore after showing you around the entire palace, perhaps."

"But... We can't touch."

He smirked, "Who said we were touching? We're riding."

The guy came back with another horse on his side and bowed at us, "Your request, Duke."

He raised his hands and then they rode off. He smiled, "Ladies first."

"I can't get on a horse."

"I will help."

I tried getting on the horse and he pushed me by the back, holding me with one hand. I tripped then fell over... and landed on top of him. Again, we met eyes and just looked at each other. I quickly got up and shook the dirt off... "Sorry."

He laughed then helped me one more time. I finally got up and sat with both legs on one side then he got up within five seconds and sat in front of me.

"I take it you're a horse-rider..."

"Every member of royalty must understand how to work a horse."

"Sweet." I joked. He laughed, then the horse began walking.

The next hour, we just spent the entire time talking and touring the entire outside palace. And I told him the entire story of why I am here.

"Aren't you afraid someone will see us this close?"

"We're not touching. You're at a distant... So I'm only going to get asked questions."

"You're not afraid of your dad... Or your uncle?"

"Although they are strict and cold-hearted, I never said I feared them."

I smiled and shook my head.

What could be better than riding a horse in 1902.

He started, "So... When you first lived in your home... You found an empty book with my picture on the inside."

"Basically."

"I found that diary on the shelf of the library as well. The shelf in front of the doorway you come through."

I pulled my bangs out of my way and smiled. "Your handwriting is really nice. I thought it was a girl's handwriting the first time."

"I enjoy writing. Father and Uncle do not allow that sometimes."

"Why not?"

"They feel like it is a woman's job for writing. Males are not in that sort of low level to do that. I must serve the royal family much better than that."

I slightly smiled, "So... You have to secretly write in that diary, huh."

"Yes. I will say that I am glad that I was the one to pick it up first. I barely ever go in that library. But I wanted to find something so I can write in. I scored a jackpot; I met you after writing in that diary."

Since he couldn't see me... I was blushing and smiling as freely as I wanted.

"So... do you have any friends... or anything... Like, I'm sure you went to school right?"

"Yes. I went to school. But friends... I keep everything to myself so friends was never really an option for me. What about you? I'm sure you have plenty."

"I have one best friend back in America... and another really good friend that I made when I moved to England. Other than that, my brothers are my best friends."

I saw him nod then I went up closely to him, "I guess I can consider you a best friend as well."

The horse stopped then he looked back and smiled. I pulled my bangs out of the way and he shook his head, "Always playing a comedy."

"I have one question for you, Maddy."

"Hmm?"

"Why is your wrist watch so important to you? You always seem to ask me for it every time you come."

I sighed, "My mom gave it to me when she was dying. So it's the only thing I really treasured." I stayed quiet for a second then continued, "You're still keeping it safe, right?"

He smiled, "Of course. Everything of yours that I have, I must keep it safe."

He turned back around and I stuck my tongue out. He continued riding theft horse and I just sat there bobbing my head.

Why is he so cute?

"Do you consider me a friend?"

He stayed quiet for a few seconds. Then I tapped him, "Come on. Do you, do you?"

He sighed, "I feel for you more than a friend."

He didn't look back so I smiled like crazy. I even blew air in my mouth but he couldn't see. I wanted to see his face right now.

Was he joking?

Was he smirking?

Was he frowning?

I wanted to see.

If I had to translate what that meant in my century. That meant... He liked me.

Eeeeeeeee, Duke Robert liked me.

From a person whose never had a boyfriend, I'm sure anyone imagine how I am feeling right now.

Oh my god...

Okay... Need to change topic now before he suspects anything. I started, "So... Have you ever been to Somerset?"

"I've never been down that way. I've only been up."

"Do you have an idea what your book, your picture and Amelia's handkerchief could be doing in my creepy house all the way down in Somerset?"

He shook his head, "I am wondering that too. I want to know this just as much as you want to know."

I frowned, "So someone has your picture... I'm guessing."

He chuckled, "The only female I can think of is Elizabeth. She is the only one that I can imagine who would have a picture of me."

"She must really have a huge crush on you."

"Crush?"

"Feelings."

He nodded then rode on.

We finally reached the front of the palace again and then he quickly got off first. He held his arms out to help me down, and I slowly got down. I found it funny that I was still wearing my boots... But no one knew that.

The guards in the horse came over to take our house back, then we went back inside of the palace.

I heard two people arguing in the corridors so I looked at who it was.

It was Elizabeth and King Edward.

I tapped Robby quickly and told him to look in the corridor.

Elizabeth was crying.

King Edward walked away and then Elizabeth grabbed his arm, "Please! Please do not tell anything to my Dear Duke. He will fire me."

"Your dear Duke? My nephew? You care about his feelings?" The King asked.

Robby grabbed my wrist and then we went to hide behind a wall near the corridor; but kept listening in. Elizabeth continued, "Yes. I care truly and deeply about him. He is the only man that I have ever loved."

"You will not love anyone. I demand it."

"You have a wife. I will not burden to be your mistress any longer. I know serve for Duke Robert, and Duke Robert only."

Mistress?

"My nephew lives under my palace. He does not command me. I command him. I can sentence him to death for all I want."

"No! You can not murder him! I will not allow it!"

"Then you will stop showing your affectionate feelings for him. You will continue to be mine."

"But you have a wife."

"You honestly believe that will stop me? Alexandra is hardly ever in the palace. And I have opened up a house for you far, far away from here. We will be happy together."

"Let go of me! I am in love with your nephew, I have never loved you. The first night, you have raped me and I am not allowing it ever again."

"Since it's happened, it's been done for. That means... You are... mine."

I heard footsteps walking away from her and then Elizabeth crying. I looked at Robby who looked like he was in shock right now.

Elizabeth was... King Edward's mistress.

How harsh was he?

Demanding her not have feelings for her Duke Robert...

I came out from behind the hallway to make sure King Edward was out of sight. I saw Elizabeth on the ground crying and I quietly called out, "Elizabeth!"

She looked up and I bent down to grab her arms. "Are you alright?"

She cried, sobbed and hiccuped and just looked terrible right now. I pulled into a hug and then after a few seconds, she hugged me back.

I saw Robby come out and I slightly smiled at him.

Elizabeth was King Edward's mistress.

King Edward was as cruel, cold-hearted and mean as a still rock. Like he had no heart at all.

Is this what she needed help with?

"Did you hear anything Miss Madison?"

I nodded, "I heard. But... I promise I won't say anything. I wouldn't want to be that mean guy's mistress either."

She looked at Robby and whispered to me, "Did Duke Robert hear anything?"

I smiled and shook my head, "Only me."

She sobbed again and hugged me again. Oh, I felt so bad for her. She was such a nice person, why did she have to be treated like this?

I looked at Robby who looked at her with pity.

I understood that Kings had mistresses. But I never knew that they had to treat them like crap.

Especially for a young person like Elizabeth.

I pulled away from her and had her stand up.

I started, "Is this what your problem is? You're his mistress?"

She whispered, "He knows that I have a heart for Duke Robert. So he will punish me if I show any affection towards him."

I said angrily, "Never knew men with mistresses had to get jealous of them too. What a... bastard."

"I apologize. I promise I will not show any affection towards your Duke ever again. Please, do not punish me Miss Madison."

"Why would I punish you? Duke Robert is only my friend, he's not my Duke. You don't have to keep your feelings up like that."

She continued, "But he does not feel for me like he does for you. I see the way he looks at you... The way he concerns about you... He's showing affection towards you."

I slightly looked at Robby who was still standing there from a far distance and I shook my head... "I can't do that to you. I can't break your heart like that."

She looked at me with crying eyes and continued to sob. I was starting to think that this had to do with King Edward now.

And Duke Richard.

This was going to be harder than I expected.