1502 | ONGOING

A New Reality

Aleena's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Catherine of Aragon and her ladies-in-waiting from a distance. She stood in the corner of the grand hall, observing the delicate, precise movements of the court, her hands folded neatly in front of her as she tried to stay invisible. The overwhelming sense of being an outsider, an imposter, was creeping up on her again, but she took a deep breath and began silently reciting the grounding technique she had learned in her modern world.

Five things I can see... The intricate tapestries hanging on the wall. The sunlight streaming through the high windows. The glint of jewels on Catherine's gown. The shimmer of the polished floor. The flicker of a candle at the far end of the room.

Four things I can touch... The heavy silk of her own gown, though it felt foreign on her skin. The cool, smooth surface of the fan in her hand. The slight roughness of her braid brushing against her neck. The thin gold bracelet she had found on her wrist when she woke up in this world.

Three things I can hear... The murmur of conversations, mostly in formal Spanish, filling the room. The soft laughter of one of the ladies-in-waiting. The occasional clink of goblets as servants refilled them.

Two things I can smell... The faint whiff of lavender from Catherine's gown. The ever-present stench of sweat and unwashed bodies that clung to the air, a constant reminder that hygiene standards in 1502 were far from what Aleena was used to.

One thing I can taste... The bitterness of her nerves on her tongue.

It was a fragile peace, but it was enough to keep her from falling apart in front of these powerful women. She had survived another day, and as long as she kept her head down, maybe she could make it until Sully found her.

But that was the nagging doubt in her mind: What if Sully never found her?

The thought haunted her as she tried to blend in with the other ladies at court. On the surface, she was playing her part well, but inside, doubt gnawed at her. Sully had always been clever, but time travel? Could anyone figure out how to bring her back? Or worse—what if something happened to him?

A fleeting memory of him shouting "Run, Aleena!" flashed before her eyes. He had told her to run, and she had listened. Now, she was stranded, hiding in plain sight, surrounded by people who would surely kill her if they knew the truth. Her only hope was that Sully would come for her.

But as the days wore on, the small comforts of this world only made her miss her own more. Aleena found herself longing for modern technology—the things she had once taken for granted. She imagined what it would be like to pull out her cell phone and text Sully, asking him how long it would be before he could fix everything. She missed the ease of it all: Google, social media, Netflix. The modern conveniences she never realized would be the hardest to live without.

Instead, she was stuck here, in a place where a lack of hygiene meant the court was filled with an unpleasant odor. Despite the opulence of the palace and the elegant gowns, the smell of unwashed bodies, mixed with the scents of food, herbs, and occasionally burning candles, was inescapable. Aleena tried not to wrinkle her nose, knowing it would be considered improper. Still, it was a constant reminder that this world was not her own.

Aleena kept her distance from the men at court. It wasn't just the difference in centuries—it was the unease she felt around them, the knowledge that women here were far from equal, even noblewomen. There was an undercurrent of danger in their eyes, a sense that she could be vulnerable at any moment if she let her guard down.

She focused instead on Catherine of Aragon. The young princess had a presence that drew people toward her, even in a foreign court where she was still finding her place. Aleena admired her quiet strength. Catherine was not yet queen, but Aleena knew her history—she knew the woman before her was destined to become one of the most important figures in European history.

Watching her, Aleena felt a surge of inspiration. She might be trapped here, but perhaps she could learn something from Catherine—something that would help her survive, or even thrive, until Sully came for her.

One of the ladies-in-waiting, Beatrice, had been watching Aleena closely for days. Aleena could feel her eyes on her, and it made her anxious. Beatrice was sharp, always asking pointed questions, and Aleena had managed to deflect most of them, but she knew it was only a matter of time before Beatrice's curiosity turned into suspicion.

As the two women sat in the princess's chambers one afternoon, Beatrice leaned closer. "Lady Devereux," she began, her voice soft but probing, "tell me, from where do you hail?"

Aleena's breath caught in her throat. She had rehearsed answers in her head, but under Beatrice's scrutiny, she felt her carefully constructed facade start to crack. "I... I come from a small estate," she stammered, struggling to remember any details that could sound remotely plausible.

Beatrice's eyes narrowed, and Aleena's heart raced. She quickly glanced around the room, trying to calm herself. Grounding, grounding, she reminded herself, listing her senses once more. But this time, the technique barely kept her together. Beatrice's questions were getting more personal, and Aleena could feel panic clawing at the edges of her mind.

The other ladies-in-waiting, however, remained warm and supportive. They often helped Aleena navigate the confusing social dynamics of the court, whispering tips and offering smiles when Beatrice wasn't looking. They seemed to accept her without question, and Aleena found comfort in their friendship, even if it was built on a lie.

Despite everything, she tried to remain kind to the servants. The court might ignore or look down on them, but Aleena couldn't shake her modern sensibilities. She treated them with respect, offering small gestures of gratitude when they assisted her. In turn, the servants seemed to appreciate her kindness, and Aleena knew that having allies in every corner of this world would be crucial to her survival.

But for all her knowledge of history, Aleena was realizing that books could only teach her so much. The 1500s were far more complex than any historical account she had read, filled with small, unrecorded behaviors and nuances that had never made it into the textbooks. Every day brought a new challenge as she tried to adapt to customs she didn't fully understand. The language, the etiquette, even the way people walked and carried themselves—it was all more intricate and subtle than she could have anticipated.

Aleena had once thought she knew almost everything about this era, but now, faced with the reality of it, she realized how much had been left out. She constantly felt like she was on the verge of making a mistake, one that could unravel her entire story.

One such challenge came during a formal dance at court. Aleena had read about these dances, but reading and participating were two very different things. As the music played, she hesitated for a split second before stepping into the dance. Her movements were clumsy, her memory of the steps fragmented at best. She smiled nervously, hoping no one noticed her awkwardness, and tried to follow the lead of the other ladies. It was yet another reminder that her knowledge had limits.

Meanwhile, Sully was out there, somewhere, trying to figure out the time machine. Aleena clung to the hope that he was still working on a way to bring her back, but as the days turned into weeks, doubt gnawed at her. She couldn't help but wonder if she should be making a backup plan, just in case. What if she had to stay here forever? What would her life look like then?

Beatrice, growing more suspicious, started setting small traps for Aleena—little tests to see if she would slip up. Aleena could feel the pressure mounting. Every conversation, every interaction felt like a game of survival.

She needed to form alliances, fast. If Sully didn't come for her, Aleena would need powerful allies at court. Catherine of Aragon seemed like the most obvious choice. Aleena admired her intelligence and grace, and she knew that gaining Catherine's favor could be the key to securing her place in this world.