Love Can Stop Time
Chapter 1
Elizabeth’s long, curly chestnut hair blew in the wind as she stared out the window. Her dark blue eyes gazed at the forest below until she heard a knock at the door. The doorman opened the large oak doors and one of the younger maids entered the room. “Lady Elizabeth,” said the young maid in a shaky voice. “There is a message for you from Jerusalem, it’s from King Richard.” Elizabeth looked at the servant in horror and raced down the stairs to retrieve the letter. Her father had gone with King Richard on his crusade to Jerusalem four years earlier. If there was a message personally written to her from King Richard then the news couldn't be good.
Her father was all she had left, her mother had died in child birth and she was the oldest so there were no siblings. Her father couldn't’t bring himself to marry after her mother so it had always been Elizabeth and her father. That was until King Richard had come and requested that her father joined him on his crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. Since her father and King Richard had been childhood friends her father couldn't refuse and went with him. Elizabeth had just turned twelve on the day that he left. After that she had spent four lonely birthdays with the servants.
Now she was sixteen and eligible for marriage, but no man would look at her because she was so cold. Elizabeth was resentful towards her father for leaving her alone, but now that this message had come the ice around Elizabeth’s heart had melted and she was truly worried. Once she had reached the bottom of the stairs she was out of breath and panting. When she caught her breath she looked up and saw the letter sitting on a table next to the door. She walked over to the letter, picked it up, and tore it open to read it.
Lady Elizabeth
I am truly sorry to inform you of the death of your honored father, Sir William. He saved my life and died while doing it. Your father was a true friend and I am sorry for your loss. I regret that I can not send his body back for I can not spare the men to do so, but we will give him a proper burial here, just outside Jerusalem, so you can rejoice that your father will be buried in the Holy Land where Christ lived. Your father also left me his will and I will tell you all that it entails. Firstly, you will give up your childish ways and live with your Aunt Mary and learn to be a real lady so that you may serve the Queen. Secondly, you are to marry Sir Eric, your father’s friend who will inherit all your father’s belongings, after you become a lady in the Queen’s court. And lastly, you will bear no resentment towards Sir Eric; you will be a proper wife and bear him heirs. That is your entire father wished to tell you, the rest was sent to Sir Eric in another letter. I would like to inform you that you are welcome at court as soon as you are ready, my wife would warmly welcome you now if your father hadn't’t wished otherwise. I hope that you have become a lady by the time this war has been won so that I may see Sir William’s daughter in my wife’s court.
In Deepest Sympathy,
King Richard I of England
Elizabeth stared at the letter for a moment, digesting all that it had said, and then her eyes filled with tears. She threw the letter to the floor and ran outside to the stables. How could her father do this to her? How could he die and then promise her hand and everything that he had owned to Sir Eric? Sir Eric was at least fifty years old, which was a thirty-four year difference. She couldn't’t bear the thought of being married to Sir Eric and worst yet she had to live with her Aunt Mary until she was a proper lady. Lady Mary wasn't the nicest woman in the world; she hated the fact that Elizabeth’s father had let her run wild for most of her life. Elizabeth knew that Aunt Mary would do everything in her power to tame Elizabeth’s wild spirit.
Elizabeth stopped running when she reached the stables. She walked into the stables and sat in her horse’s stall. Star reached down with her long neck to nuzzle Elizabeth’s tear-stained face. “I know Star,” Elizabeth said as she rubbed the large horse’s left flank. “It could be worse, I could be marrying somebody I didn't know, but Sir Eric is so old. He’ll die long before I bear any child for him, male or not. And Aunt Mary isn't’t so bad; I could be put with someone even worse than her, even though that would be practically impossible.” Star whinnied at Elizabeth’s comment and walked over to the side of the stall where Elizabeth kept her saddle and bridle. Star placed her nose on the equipment and then looked at Elizabeth.
“So, you want me to go on a ride to clear my thoughts. Or is it so that you can go for a run?” Elizabeth said as she walked over to place a saddle blanket on Star’s back. Star just whickered and nudged the saddle again. Elizabeth laughed at her horse and placed the saddle on Star’s back. After Elizabeth had finished placing the equipment on Star she mounted her horse and rode off into the forest. Elizabeth rode past the trees and watched the forest creatures scurry along the forest floor. When Star started pulling at the reigns Elizabeth couldn't help but let her run.
Once Star started galloping Elizabeth bent close to Star’s shoulders and urged her horse to go faster. Trees whizzed past them as the raced through maze of trees. After awhile Star tired and went from a gallop to a slow trot. When Elizabeth saw a small spring ahead of them she stopped Star and got off to walk her to the spring. Elizabeth sat on a tree stump while Star bent down and placed her muzzle into the cool, clear water. Elizabeth watched Star until she saw a strange white glow out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see a small white circle glowing above the ground.
As she watched the ball glow it seemed to grow until it was as tall as Star and as wide as two trees. Then a tall man in strange clothing stepped out of the glowing circle and looked at Elizabeth. “State you name and your rank,” the man demanded. “I am Lady Elizabeth, Sir. Daughter of Sir William, friend of King Richard I of England,” Elizabeth said with fear in her eyes. “Good, you’ll be the best subject for the exhibit,” the man said as he grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and started walking back to the glowing circle. Elizabeth tried to struggle but his grip was too strong. He reached the soldier and put his free hand up to his mouth and spoke into a strange object that was on his wrist. “Computer,” he said. “Destination?” asked a disembodied voice that seemed to come from the strange object of his wrist. “Year 2020, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Time Room,” the man said as he stepped into the circle and dragged Elizabeth with him. After they had entered the circle it disappeared and Star went racing back to the castle and was stopped by the stable boy. When he saw that Lady Elizabeth wasn't’t coming with her horse he ran inside to tell the rest of the household that Lady Elizabeth had been kidnapped. They searched for Elizabeth for three days, but when no sign of her was found so they presumed that the Lady was dead and they held a funeral for her. If only they knew what really happened.
Her father was all she had left, her mother had died in child birth and she was the oldest so there were no siblings. Her father couldn't’t bring himself to marry after her mother so it had always been Elizabeth and her father. That was until King Richard had come and requested that her father joined him on his crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. Since her father and King Richard had been childhood friends her father couldn't refuse and went with him. Elizabeth had just turned twelve on the day that he left. After that she had spent four lonely birthdays with the servants.
Now she was sixteen and eligible for marriage, but no man would look at her because she was so cold. Elizabeth was resentful towards her father for leaving her alone, but now that this message had come the ice around Elizabeth’s heart had melted and she was truly worried. Once she had reached the bottom of the stairs she was out of breath and panting. When she caught her breath she looked up and saw the letter sitting on a table next to the door. She walked over to the letter, picked it up, and tore it open to read it.
Lady Elizabeth
I am truly sorry to inform you of the death of your honored father, Sir William. He saved my life and died while doing it. Your father was a true friend and I am sorry for your loss. I regret that I can not send his body back for I can not spare the men to do so, but we will give him a proper burial here, just outside Jerusalem, so you can rejoice that your father will be buried in the Holy Land where Christ lived. Your father also left me his will and I will tell you all that it entails. Firstly, you will give up your childish ways and live with your Aunt Mary and learn to be a real lady so that you may serve the Queen. Secondly, you are to marry Sir Eric, your father’s friend who will inherit all your father’s belongings, after you become a lady in the Queen’s court. And lastly, you will bear no resentment towards Sir Eric; you will be a proper wife and bear him heirs. That is your entire father wished to tell you, the rest was sent to Sir Eric in another letter. I would like to inform you that you are welcome at court as soon as you are ready, my wife would warmly welcome you now if your father hadn't’t wished otherwise. I hope that you have become a lady by the time this war has been won so that I may see Sir William’s daughter in my wife’s court.
In Deepest Sympathy,
King Richard I of England
Elizabeth stared at the letter for a moment, digesting all that it had said, and then her eyes filled with tears. She threw the letter to the floor and ran outside to the stables. How could her father do this to her? How could he die and then promise her hand and everything that he had owned to Sir Eric? Sir Eric was at least fifty years old, which was a thirty-four year difference. She couldn't’t bear the thought of being married to Sir Eric and worst yet she had to live with her Aunt Mary until she was a proper lady. Lady Mary wasn't the nicest woman in the world; she hated the fact that Elizabeth’s father had let her run wild for most of her life. Elizabeth knew that Aunt Mary would do everything in her power to tame Elizabeth’s wild spirit.
Elizabeth stopped running when she reached the stables. She walked into the stables and sat in her horse’s stall. Star reached down with her long neck to nuzzle Elizabeth’s tear-stained face. “I know Star,” Elizabeth said as she rubbed the large horse’s left flank. “It could be worse, I could be marrying somebody I didn't know, but Sir Eric is so old. He’ll die long before I bear any child for him, male or not. And Aunt Mary isn't’t so bad; I could be put with someone even worse than her, even though that would be practically impossible.” Star whinnied at Elizabeth’s comment and walked over to the side of the stall where Elizabeth kept her saddle and bridle. Star placed her nose on the equipment and then looked at Elizabeth.
“So, you want me to go on a ride to clear my thoughts. Or is it so that you can go for a run?” Elizabeth said as she walked over to place a saddle blanket on Star’s back. Star just whickered and nudged the saddle again. Elizabeth laughed at her horse and placed the saddle on Star’s back. After Elizabeth had finished placing the equipment on Star she mounted her horse and rode off into the forest. Elizabeth rode past the trees and watched the forest creatures scurry along the forest floor. When Star started pulling at the reigns Elizabeth couldn't help but let her run.
Once Star started galloping Elizabeth bent close to Star’s shoulders and urged her horse to go faster. Trees whizzed past them as the raced through maze of trees. After awhile Star tired and went from a gallop to a slow trot. When Elizabeth saw a small spring ahead of them she stopped Star and got off to walk her to the spring. Elizabeth sat on a tree stump while Star bent down and placed her muzzle into the cool, clear water. Elizabeth watched Star until she saw a strange white glow out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see a small white circle glowing above the ground.
As she watched the ball glow it seemed to grow until it was as tall as Star and as wide as two trees. Then a tall man in strange clothing stepped out of the glowing circle and looked at Elizabeth. “State you name and your rank,” the man demanded. “I am Lady Elizabeth, Sir. Daughter of Sir William, friend of King Richard I of England,” Elizabeth said with fear in her eyes. “Good, you’ll be the best subject for the exhibit,” the man said as he grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and started walking back to the glowing circle. Elizabeth tried to struggle but his grip was too strong. He reached the soldier and put his free hand up to his mouth and spoke into a strange object that was on his wrist. “Computer,” he said. “Destination?” asked a disembodied voice that seemed to come from the strange object of his wrist. “Year 2020, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Time Room,” the man said as he stepped into the circle and dragged Elizabeth with him. After they had entered the circle it disappeared and Star went racing back to the castle and was stopped by the stable boy. When he saw that Lady Elizabeth wasn't’t coming with her horse he ran inside to tell the rest of the household that Lady Elizabeth had been kidnapped. They searched for Elizabeth for three days, but when no sign of her was found so they presumed that the Lady was dead and they held a funeral for her. If only they knew what really happened.