Seeds of Time

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Meg had convinced her brother and sister to come and visit her the next day, along with their partners, as it would be easier to convince everyone together. Unfortunately, that meant that they brought their children who combined, were a bit of a handful. Strength in numbers and all that.

Matt and his wife, Lucy, looked shell-shocked and pale thanks to his being drafted, and even their two children, usually a maelstrom of chaos, seemed a little subdued.

Hal was dressed in black jeans, a white t-shirt with a black cardigan over them and if she did say so herself, he looked mighty fine, even in such simple clothes.

“So, are you going to explain what all this is about?” Ruth demanded as soon the children were in settled in Meg’s bedroom, watching a cartoons on the television. “And who is this strange man?”

“This is Hal,” Meg said, introducing him. “Hal, my sister Ruth and her husband Tony, and my brother Matt and his partner, Lucy.”

“Tis a very great pleasure to make thy acquaintance,” Hal bowed very slightly.

“Your acquaintance,” Meg corrected.

“He’s the spitting image of Henry the fifth,” Ruth’s husband, Tony said.

Meg flinched. “Yeah, that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh, not this again,” Ruth sighed dramatically. Matt silently sat down, only nodding at Hal in greeting.

“I know you both thought I was talking bollocks when I told you I had gone back in time, but I did, and this is Hal. My Hal, better known as Henry the fifth of England.”

Ruth tutted and rolled her eyes.

“You must have seen his portraits, no?” Meg urged.

“He is a good likeness.” Lucy noted.

“He’s not just a good likeness, he is Hal. And this,” she handed then the tablet. “That’s a portrait Hal had commissioned of me after I left him.”

They passed the tablet around, clearly intrigued but still sceptical.

“So, he’s the Lost King, is he?” Matt asked, coming out of his stupor a little.

They had learned last night that after Hal disappeared, he became known as the Lost King.

“Yes, and he’s lost because he followed me here,” Meg tried to explain. “And I know none of this will make any sense to you, but the England I grew up in was peaceful, and so was the England that I returned to. It was only when Hal followed me here that things changed.”

“Changed?” Tony asked.

“Yes. In the original timeline, the Nazis were defeated in 1945 but Hal leaving his time to come to the future has changed something and caused a ripple effect, that’s why we’re at war now.”

“So you’re trying to tell me your new boy toy is responsible for my being drafted?” Matt seemed amused.

“Yes, and he’s also the reason you won’t be drafted. We’re going back to the 1400s and if we do, then everything here should go back to normal.”

“This is not funny, Margaret!” Ruth spat. “I don’t know what trick you’re trying to pull but stop this nonsense right this second or so help me, I’ll swing for you!”

Hal stood up. “Your reproof is something too round*! [*Your scolding is too harsh] Cease thy vile words, sirrah, for she is not deserving of thy scorn. Prithee thee would show the Lady Meg the respect she is deserving of, or I shall not be responsible for my actions.”