The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR10/CH1 - Into The Portal, a Leap of Faith

Guy spent many hours with Paladin, reading and rereading the scrolls of instruction containing all that he would need if his plan was to succeed, and he was to voyage safely through the Portal. When he was given the parchment on which the Time Spinning Spell was written, he asked why it had been shown to him.

Paladin smiled before answering.

"Because you are the one travelling, and it is you that will say the words," he said. " I cannot invoke the spell, or it would take me along with you, which would almost certainly mean my death. As I have said, there are limits to the number of times any person of magic can travel through time in this way, only twice in each twelve month can I make the perilous journey, twice there and twice back, regardless of who might summon me."

"Until today, I had never seen the words," said Guy, " when my sweet girl took me and brought back to this time, I was deeply enchanted, I knew nothing of the journey, it seemed to me then that I closed my eyes in Nottingham, and when I opened them I was in Camelot, centuries in the past."

Paladin looked unsurprised, such tales were commonplace to him, he had spent many years as a healer, sometimes being summoned back to past years, or far forward into the future, should someone of the Magical Realm require his powers of healing.

" Six more days, and it will be time," he said to Guy, " You are well prepared, I can do no more. You have gold coin and an ally waiting for you, Tilly Weaver is a loyal witch and true, she will see you right, and guide you as to the purchase of weapons, horses and the like, to help ensure that your attempt to free your brother is successful."

"She dwells in Larkrise, a hamlet that is known to you I think. 'Tis her dwelling you will find yourself in upon your arrival. She will be ready with a potion for the pain and nausea you will feel. She is also a kind and affectionate woman, fierce in her defence of her friends."

" You can of course, take nothing from this time with you. Your knowledge of Nottingham Castle should help you win the day, but know this, if you are discovered, then all will be lost, and you may well find yourself shackled alongside the one you go so far to save."

"But mark me well, you may reveal your magic only when he makes his choice, and he decides to bring his family here to this place. If he wishes to remain, you must stay silent, there is sufficient coin for him to start a new life far from Nottingham, in his own time, and out of the reach of the despot Vaisey, best that he knows nothing of your 'acquired' abilities."

Guy laughed bitterly.

" As boys we were never close as brothers ought to have been," he said, " he always wanted what was mine, however useless a thing it might be. If I was to make mention of my magical abilities he would no doubt seek to be gifted himself, if he were able to find a way. This might well influence him in his choice. If he is the man I remember, then he will see only the advantage of it. I agree, 'twill be best for me to keep silent."

" We were the result of a brutish father setting us against one another. Kay of Gisborne is a man always set on his own gain, or so he was, perhaps this fall in his fortunes will have altered his outlook, he has a wife and children, so is loved, mayhap this will have changed him for the better. We shall see."

"His wife and sons will be simple to locate, amongst a starving populace taxed beyond existence. Such people gather together I have found, and to my shame I had a hand in their downfall, seeking my own glory at the expense of others."

The Wizard was silent, deep in thought for a while as Guy continued to pore over the parchments.

" Are you prepared in your mind for arriving back in your own time?" he suddenly asked, " I must warn you, the familiarity of your onetime environs may pull at you, many years have passed, happy years for you, but it may well be a difficult choice."