Mrs Sophie Foster-Sencen (Sokeefe Tale of Two Times) - KOTLC

A Plan

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~ Future Sophie's POV ~

I stepped back, needing some room to think, breathe, move.
My thoughts ran wildly like a sugar high toddler.
Oh my god.
The kids.
We left the kids.
We have to get home.
I'm not saying my past self isn't capable, but...my past self isn't capable.
Also this could entirely change the timeline!
"We need to get home."
I whispered, only registering the words were mine when everyone turned to me.
I could feel the color draining from my cheeks as my mind circled back to the kids I had left at home.
I could tell Keefe was thinking the same thing.
"Why don't you take a seat for a second?"
Kesler gestured towards the chairs we had sat in earlier, probably noticing how pale my husband and I were.
I shook my head.
Now was not the time to sit and think and wait.
Now was not the time to idle and hope that something would happen.
Now was the time to come up in a plan.
I couldn't remember the times I used to be this distressed at all times, scrambling for plans to defeat the Neverseen.
I guess that's what going to the past does.
And knowing that you could be trapped there forever without memory of your regular timeline.
The threads of time were tugging.
"We need a plan."
It was probably the first time I had uttered those words in years, decades even.
"How? We have no where to start..."
I knew Keefe wasn't being condescending, he was just trying to look at the problem from all angles. Plus his tone had no implication of condescension.
"Yeah we do. We know it was the Emerinda Priscium that caused this, along with the conditions of the eclipse and its sustainable living environment."
I said for a starter, brainstorming through the actual storm that was raging in my head, jumbling my thoughts and probably consciousness.
I felt like a marathon runner, sweaty, clammy, apprehensive, and about to pass out any minute.
I was huffing like one too, my breaths becoming short and rapid.
God hope I don't pass out.
My head was spinning, spinning, spinning.
Until Keefe came and wrapped a protective arm around me, holding me steady.
"Hey,"
He whispered softly, quietly enough that only I could hear.
"It's gonna be alright. We're gonna get back to the kids, ok?"
As if the determination in his tone didn't persuade me enough, he sent me an ice blue breeze of calm.
I knew he couldn't tell the color of the breezes he sent, but if he knew it was the same shade of his eyes, he'd most definitely have a lot of teasing remarks about it.
Also, it was like he knew what I was thinking.
Almost instantaneously, the spinning in my head began to slow, and I began to feel stable again.
"Thanks,"
I muttered, unlocking my knees, which I didn't even know were previously locked.
I would've passed out if not for him.
I breathed in deeply, turning my attention back to Elwin and Kesler, my eyes beginning to sharpen.
I didn't even know they were filling with tears.
"Like I said, getting home is crucial."
I started.
"As you said, the threads of time could overlap too far."
I gestured to the red string on the floor.
"Do you know how long that could take?"
"Well my guess is probably around...24 hours. It may not seem like a lot, but the threads can move quick, especially with a far jump in time."
Elwin concluded, slowly drumming his fingers against the desk.
It'll be 24 hours far too soon.
In fact, it's already been a large portion of that time.
We're screwed.
"With too much strain they could break. So knowing this, there has to be a way back. How could we reverse the effects of this?"
The silence was audible.
Suffocatingly audible.
I felt like if it stayed in that quiet for any longer, I might just drown in it wholly, unable to gasp for another single breath.
I sighed silently, cursing the universe under my breath.
This was hopeless.
This was useless.
We were never going to get out of here.
It felt as though I were plummeting, stuck perpetually in free-fall.
My thoughts were dropping to an all time low.
I was dropping to an all time low.
A tremor shook through my body, starting in my fingertips and expanding to my wrist.
My heart dropped into my stomach, sinking deeper, and deeper, and deeper-
"Well, here's a thought."
Kesler cut in quietly, interrupting my out of my internally visualized downfall.
"Think of how this started. The order of the Emerinda Priscium consumption and the elixir. Is that a possible way to reverse the effects?"
He shrugged.
I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Well..."
He started.
"The way you took the Emerinda Priscium was after the medicine, correct? So what if you were to take it the other way around. The only problem is..."
The last part came out as a mutter.
He narrowed his eyes at a walk and began staring into space, probably lost in formulaic thought.
I watched for a few minutes curious to see if he would continue his sentence.
When he didn't I figured I'd better get him to talk or we'd be here all day.
"Is...?"
I pressed.
His lips parted and out came a sigh, most likely as to my impatience.
"Well, you need the exact conditions for that to work."
"Exact conditions as in eclipse, at around the same time, and in the same place?"
I clarified.
He winced, as if entirely unsure that this plan would even be possible.
"Yes."
Well how are we supposed to know that stuff-
Wait.
I had completely forgotten.
Flori was here with us.
I turned to face the gnome for the first time in a while.
"Do you know-"
"Under Calla's Panakes tree after dinner at around 9:30 at night, approximately two minutes after you took the elixir."
She said without missing a beat.
A thoughtful grin emerged into her face, and I returned a small smile since it was all I could do at the moment.
"Ok, so we just have to check for the ec-"
"I'm sorry for interrupting once more, but it is tonight."
Flori stated aloud.
"Thanks,"
I told her, beaming with gratefulness.
But that was not the only reason I was beaming.
The conditions matched up perfectly!
This...this must be how it works.
This has to work, or I will spiral myself insane.
I clapped my hands turning back to our audience, which consisted of Keefe, Kesler, and Elwin.
"So this is our plan. Tonight, which will be in approximately...three hours, during the eclipse Keefe and I will sit under Calla's Panakes tree and drink the Emerinda Priscium nectar and then drink the elixir. This should work."
"You know..."
Kesler started, his eyes distant.
"I believe the elixir you used has Murcat Fur, which is known to be highly chemically reactive. That or Sasquatch earwax..."
He started to trail off dreamily, and my stomach somersaulted hoping that it wasn't any of the gross options.
Knowing about elven elixirs, it probably was.
"And if it doesn't?"
Elvin asked, reminding of my previous claim.
It's a kind of pessimistic question, but his thoughtful tone seems to tell me that we are playing a risky guessing-game and that things could potentially go very wrong if this isn't handled according to plan.
'It will.' I wanted to insist firmly...but truthfully I didn't know.
So I settled with a shake of my head.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat, making my words painfully honest, before I said,
"Then...we will have to face our new fates."

~ Thank you all for reading! Sorry for late release- I was a bit busy this weekend! Enjoy! Love you all!
- Your author 💕 ~