The Curse Conduit

Elizabeth let her disgust be known. “Well, it has been a long time since I have been treated in such a way just because I am a woman. Really does he think we would not understand what they are talking about? I have a good mind to walk right back in there and tell him so.”

Bethie could see the worried look on Beth-Elena’s face. “Lizzie wait. Leave it be okay. It is just the way things work here.” She looked at Beth-Elena. “Right?”

“Yes but that does not mean that we females do not know what is to be discussed.” She looked over their shoulders making them both look behind. Both smiled as they saw Geoffrey. “Geoffrey will be our ears ladies.”

The young boy smiled. “Shall I come and find you once they have finished my Lady?”

Beth-Elena shook her head. “Only if they ask it of you. Otherwise leave it for them to find us. We shall be in the court yard or garden.”

Geoffrey scampered off and the three women walked to the court yard. They had forgotten about the King’s guards and their entrance caused quite a stir among the men, many of whom had been relaxing, sitting, enjoying the hard work of the kitchen staff. On seeing the three women every man that was eating stopped chewing his food, every man that was seated stood, every single man bowed, unable to take his eyes off the sight before him.

Beth-Elena curtsied; Elizabeth and Bethie followed her example, the attention from the men making them very uncomfortable. They had forgotten what the sight of all three of them together did to people. Beth-Elena looked at her two companions. “Maybe we should retire to the garden, leave these fine gentlemen to their meal.”

In silent agreement Elizabeth and Bethie followed her feeling the stares of the men on them as they left.

They all relaxed a little once they were in the garden. Elizabeth still a little miffed at being left out of the loop so to speak. “I still don’t understand why we couldn’t just stay. We might have been able to help. What on earth are they going to talk about anyway?”

A shadow crossed Beth-Elena’s face. She knew all too well what the men would be discussing. “I expect that with Master Derek’s help my uncle will be re-evaluating his battle strategies, new ways to ensure that he is not defeated, ways to protect as many of his men as he can. A King’s responsibility is a heavy burden to carry in such times.”

“And it is the woman’s job to stay behind and do nothing?” Elizabeth’s words came out with more venom than she had expected which shocked Bethie and Beth-Elena.

Beth-Elena understood it must have been hard for her companions, not being familiar with how she lived. She smiled. “Far from it my sister. We give them strength and courage to fight, we give them a reason to fight, a reason, a need to come back to us. We must make sure that households still run while our men are away; continue with the daily chores, the business of living so that they need not worry about such things on the battlefield. We make it so that all the strength they have goes to the job at hand, fighting and winning. We are never idle and our prayers never cease.”

Elizabeth was ashamed of her attitude now that Beth-Elena had explained it. “I guess I just feel useless. I am sorry Bea. I didn’t mean to degrade your life. It must be so hard for you to watch them all leave never knowing if they are coming back.” At her words she turned to Bethie and gave her a hug. “You too. How many times have Danny and Urian gone on a mission leaving you to worry.”

Bethie sighed. “Too many”

While the ladies waited in the garden the men sat around the large table as the King questioned Derek about some finer points of his dreams, getting him to describe in detail the locations. Amount of men he saw in battle, how the battles were fought. It was obvious to all that the King was intent on not only arming himself with sword and shield but the best weapon he had, information.

To Derek it felt like he had been talking for hours, his throat was dry and his head began to throb with the beginnings of a headache. He rubbed his temples. “I don’t think I have anything else I can tell you.”

Uriah smiled at his friend. Derek had done well but he wondered why he had left out those dreams that involved the deaths of those so close to them. Uriah had not mentioned his dreams to anyone. Only told them that he had been having few and they were less traumatic but he had still dreamt the same as Derek on a few occasions. He had seen what Derek had seen.

With the Kings next words everyone seated at the table would come to understand what Derek had seen.

“Your dreams have been such a burden for you Master Derek but I will need to ask more of you.”

Derek went to reply but the King put up his hand. “You have surely helped save the lives of many with this information. Though I would ask that you tell us all that you know.”

Derek was a little puzzled at first. He had given the King so much information it took him a little while to realise what he was asking. When he did realise he began to shake his head. “Sir, that is too much of a burden for me to ask anyone else to carry. Those things I have seen may not come true now.”

“That may be but I wish to know of whose deaths you have seen so that I am prepared to stop it from happening. If it is to happen on the field of battle then I need to know. To stop this curse we need to know.”

Urian, Danny, Declan and Uri all sat up a little straighter but Uriah could see the doubt in Derek’s eyes. He was trying to find a way not to tell them what he had seen. Uriah understood how hard it would be to tell someone you had seen them die. Dreaming of such things ,no matter how real was one thing but having become friends with those that have to die, having to tell them how they were to die was an entirely different matter. Uriah cleared his throat. “Derek, do you want me to tell them?”

The others looked to Uriah in surprise. Derek was stunned. “You know? You’ve seen it?”

Uriah’s voice was calm, compassionate, it resounded with understanding. “Yes I have. Do you want me to tell them?”

Relief spread over Derek’s face, the others thinking he was going to leave the story telling up to Uriah. But that was not why he was relieved. He had someone to share his burden with. Just knowing that Uriah had dreamt of the same things helped. And that was what he was going to do, ask Uriah to help. He gave Uriah a small smile. “I can’t ask you to do that Uriah but I will ask you to help me.”

Uriah just gave him a slight nod of the head; Derek took a deep breath and began to tell them of what he had seen.

The room was silent as he told the King of what he had dreamt, a few times Derek would look over at Uriah for confirmation and Uriah would simply nod, silently re assuring his friend. Derek explained to them that he had seen Declan die but his dream had changed, he no longer died in Beth-Elena’s arms but in the battle itself, he never made it back to the castle.

The King declared if that was the case them he would forbid Declan from taking part. Hearing this Declan was about to protest rather furiously when Uriah raised his hand and stood. “Don’t you see that this will not work? If Declan was not to enter the battle then Derek would not have seen him die there. So whether or not you forbid him from going somehow he will still end up on the battle field. I think it would be better if we made contingency plans for Declan’s safety through the battle. If destiny wants to play with us then we shall give her a mighty game.” Uriah looked from Declan to the King. “Do you understand?”

Everyone nodded.

Uri had been quiet for some time and there was a quiver in his voice when he spoke. He did not like the idea of knowing that his friend may die. He had thought that once their friends from the future had arrived that the curse would have been lifted. The fact that they were still with them left him with a heavy heart. As Derek spoke the feeling of dread that had plagued Uri for so long began to grow again. “Derek is there anything else you need to tell us? Anyone else we need to protect?”

Derek looked to Uriah wondering if he should continue. His friend smiled, sat back down and took up the telling. “The dreams have shown many things, things that I would rather have not seen, rather not talk about because I am not certain of the future anymore. Maybe the simple act of telling you will be enough to change Derek’s dreams and change the future….. I hope so. It doesn’t make the telling any easier though.” Uriah looked from Declan to Uri. “Not only have we seen the death of Declan change, we have also seen the death of Uri change. Before you lived long after Declan was killed, now your life is so much shorter. You die in this coming battle.” Uriah let his words trail off and watched Uri for any sign. The others were shocked; Derek became more withdrawn as he heard Uriah’s words. He felt like the grim reaper and it was a job he didn’t like at all.

Danny spoke up trying to shake the ominous cloud that had settled on the group. “Hey it’s not so bad. Now we know we can stop it right? We can do this. Watch each other’s backs.”

Uri, Declan and the King gave Danny a confused look not familiar with the slang. Derek, Uriah and Urian gave him confused looks for other reasons. Up until that point none of them had considered that they would be involved in the battle to Danny it was a foregone collusion. “Don’t look at me like that. You know we are going to end up there. How else would Derek know how all this stuff happens if he is not there. Both you and Uriah have seen the battles before.”

Derek was incredulous. “In our dreams Danny. In our dreams, as real as they may have been they were still dreams. This is real!”

The King could see that this group of men would soon dissolve into a none productive argument and he needed to say a few more things. The idea he had brewed would certainly mean that they would be on the battle field. They may not be knights but they would be needed. “Gentlemen……. Gentlemen. I fear that what I propose is the reason that you will find yourselves on the field of battle. Not as knights, but as..”

The King struggled to find the words when Uriah spoke. “As wizards, you want us to stand shoulder to shoulder so the enemy can see the three of us.” He pointed to Danny, Declan and Derek. “The six of us. You want them to think you have some magical power.”

The rest just looked to the King, waiting for his reply.

The King looked at Uriah stunned wondering how he had known. Then again it was very likely that he had known all along. He had dreamt of such a thing but not spoken of it.

The King was right. Uriah had dreamt of such a plan but he had spoken to no one about it. The fact that Derek had not mentioned it and was now more than a little agitated about being on a battle field. Told him that he had not dreamt about it.

The King needed to know just how much Uriah had seen. “My friend, have you seen this plan? Do you know what I am proposing?”

Uriah nodded and as before began to describe what he had seen. By the time he had finished both Uri and Declan were rubbing their faces. These knights would have to be clean shaven for the first time in many a year.

The idea brought a hearty but nervous laugh from the King and a cheeky look form Derek and Danny. Uriah, Uri and Urian just looked at each other in silence.

Not long after the King departed. Uri and his guests would follow to his castle within the day so Uri left to make arrangements with his stable hands, organised to send out riders to all corners of the land that the King protected and to make ready for their trip. Danny, Urian and Declan went in search of the women with Geoffrey’s help of course but Derek and Uriah went a separate way finding themselves back in Derek’s room.

“Uriah, you really did see the King’s plan in your dream?”

“Yes.”

“How long ago?”

“The first night we arrived at Danny’s”

Derek was shocked. “And you never said anything.”

“Derek, how? Why would I? You never said anything so I assumed that you had not dreamt about it. I’m right aren’t I? You never saw that, it was just me. Then you and Urian got……” Uriah did not finish his sentence seeing the change in Derek’s eyes. His little trip in to WW2 still unsettled him. “I had no idea what was going to happen; now we are here. I don’t know why but I expected things to be different.” What Uriah said next startled Derek? “You never told them about seeing Danny’s death either.”

“You’ve seen that as well? Uriah I can’t tell them. I mean they think the curse has been broken for them. How do I tell them that he still dies just in a different way?”

Again Uriah’s voice was tempered with understanding and kindness. “I know Derek. It is cruel and I do agree with you that we should not tell them. It would just be a shadow over any happiness they have. They would spend all their time waiting, trying to get ready for it, trying to stop it. No… the right thing to do is not tell them.”

Derek nodded glad that Uriah had come to the same conclusion as he had. “I am glad you think that way Uriah. Now….. How do we tell the ladies in our lives that we are going into battle?”

Uriah raised one eye brow in a good impersonation of Casta. “I think the King should get to tell them.”

Derek laughed and slapped his friend on the back. “Brilliant idea but he’s already left.”

“Then I think Uri should get to tell them.”