Royals Through Time 7: The Present Age

Chapter One: A Newcomer

Beth Hill went into a door in the side of the Georgia Aquarium, where she was to begin an internship. She expected to enter that door to a large room with a concrete floor, where she would be told what to do. What she saw was swirling silver and gold, which enveloped her in less than a second. Beth had the sensation of motion, but she couldn't quite tell. She soon found herself stumbling into a bright light. It took her eyes a second to adjust. Beth looked around with her mouth slightly open in amazement. This is not the aquarium! Where am I, and how did I get here?!? Beth was standing on a large stone circle. Behind her were stairs, leading to two arches, leading into nothing. Surrounding this strange place was forest, seemingly untouched, except for this place, and a winding dirt path. Might as well follow the path. Hopefully it leads to a place where I can tell where I am. So Beth began to walk. She was careful not to disturb even a bush, for goodness knows what might have been there. At last, a beautiful sight: a house. Sitting in the woods was a stone house, cozy yet majestic. Civilization! A young woman cane from the house, walking towards the path where Beth now stood. Should I let her see me? She could be the only person around...but I don't know her...but she seems friendly...oh, why not? Stepping directly onto the woman's lime of sight, Beth sent out a "hello" that sounded more confident than she felt. "My name is Beth Hill. I'm trying to get to the Georgia Aquarium. Can you point me in the right direction?" The woman stopped only for a moment. She was used to odd things happening to her. And here, of all places, was a spot where many odd things had happened. "Pleased to meet you, Beth. My name is Gracina. I'm sorry to say, I can't help you find your way. I've never heard of the place you speak of." Hearing nothing but silence, Gracina continued: "May I ask how you came to be in this place?"
"I walked through a door. I tight it was to the aquarium...I guess not."
"A door?:
"Yes."
"A seemingly useless door?"
"Yes..."
"And you came out onto a large stone circle, with two arches behind you?"
"Yes!"
Gracina grinned. "Ahhhh, I see now! Beth, I have a lot to tell you!"
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Beth had to hold on to Gracina with a death grip as they went back through the arches to the Stone Circle. The craziest twenty minutes of her life had just been spent in TIME TRAVEL. Like, "Doctor Who", time-and-space time travel. Not only had Gracina dumped the most extreme crash - course in anything ever, but she and Beth had just gone through a series of different kingdoms and time periods, where they met other time travellers! Who seemed to all know Gracina, no less! This can't be real. Just a dream. No time travel, no weird doors, no Roman empress, no English queen. Nope. Nope, nope, NOPE. But here they were. Standing in the middle if this place, on this stone circle that possessed some sort of time travelling power. There she was. There she was, with the arches' edges glowing slightly as five more girls came through. Each dressed in the very best offered by one country at one time. Each wore some sort of headdress that denoted her as extremely important in her homeland. Gracina smiled, and they smiled back. Turning to Beth, Gracina spoke. "Beth, you have been chosen as royalty. Welcome to the Royals Through Time."
Beth's mouth dropped open. Her first protest, though rather silly, would gave been something along the lines of "But I don't have a crown"! However, something told her not to say that. Perhaps it was the slight weight on her head that made her rethink that statement. Reaching up to touch the top of her head, her hand met something....different. Not the flier headband she had been wearing just a moment ago, but a cold, strange object. Lifting it from her head, Beth brought it down to see what it was. But she already knew.

It was a crown.