Stories and Poems

A Journey Through Time (prose)

'A Journey Through Time

Time is a fickle thing. Some people spend their whole lives wishing for more, some people wish they had less. This is the story of my love.

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Our tale starts in the kingdom of Evermore during the summer moon festival. This festival lasted for three days and three nights and was dedicated to the summer harvests. That year the harvests were plentiful, and the kingdom was prospering. I arrived in the capitol city of Silver on the second day of the festival,

Without even entering the city I saw celebration everywhere. Merchants had come from far and wide to set up stalls displaying their wares. The sight of ood stalls selling anything from jewels to carvings was beautiful. The aroma of a hundred different foods flited through the air, and the local peasants walked about with bundles of carrots and baskets of plums. The air was alive with laughter and joy, infecting everyone with a feeling of happiness. Well, almost everyone.

. He seemed lonely. second night of celebrations brought more people from far away villages and towns, and a bigger cloud of gloom around Oraleius. It was starting to affect others and was bringing down the mood, and I couldn't let it continue. I knew Oraleius always went to the forest during the moon feast, and tonight he would happen upon a boy his age, who definitely didn't know he was a prince, and definitely didn't know me. But that wouldn't be for another four hours, until then I was going to enjoy the festival and food.

The woods were peaceful. The whisper of wind felling blissfully cool on my flushed cheeks, warm from a little too much ale. The stillness was broken by the snap of a twig and the sound of footsteps. I saw the bob of a lantern through the trees, and stealthily walked closer to see who it was. It was the prince, as I knew it would be, and he was alone. Steeling myself for any negative results, I stepped onto the path after the prince passed.

"Excuse me," I said grabbing his shoulder. I knew it was improper, but I was playing the part of an ignorant passerby. Prince Oraleius stops and slowly turns around. I had not seen the prince up close in a long time, and I am not ashamed to admit I was quite surprised by how handsome he was.

"Can I help you?" the husky voice brought me back to reality and made me realize I was staring.

"Ah, yes," I said after clearing my throat, trying in vain to avoid the prince's captivating grey eyes. Internally I scolded myself. I couldn't get attached. "I was on my way to the castle for the harvest and got a little turned around. I was hoping you could show me which way to go." Already I was regretting my decision to contact him, this was not going well.

The prince was pensive, looking me up and down before he turned around. "Follow me," he said looking over his shoulder. It was hard to tell, but in the light from the lantern it looked like he recognized me. As I was led through the woods, my mind raced with the idea that he remembered, that he reconized me from all those years ago. I knew I shouldn't have come back; I knew I should have just followed the rules I put in place to prevent things like that. It wasn't until we reached the edge of the forest, and I could see the lights of the castle that the prince turned to me.

"What is your name?" he asked. I looked at him for a few moments, his features more sharply lit in the moonlight that wasn't able to penetrate the trees. His eyes seemed even more entrapping, and I felt more anger at myself for caring about such details.

"Hubert, Hubert Vanhoke" I replied realizing as soon as I said it that I should have made a fake name. The flash of recognition across Oraleius's face made me curse quietly. "And you are?" I add hastily remembering what role I was meant to be playing, despite knowing it was probably useless now. Oraleius looked shocked as I knew he would be. I saw conflict written on his handsome features as I guessed he debated what to do. He knows who I am, but does he know I remember him?