Time Guards - The Italian Quest

Chapter II

Hundreds of miles away, and over twelve hundred years ago another girl stood looking in the mirror and wondered what it would be like to meet someone just like her. Annoying probably, Constance figured she was stubborn enough to be able to argue with anyone. Did she even want to meet some like her, surely being normal was boring and everyone should be proud of being different? Still Constance felt like she was completely different from everyone else and that was pretty lonely. She was not only the youngest and fully qualified female Time Guard, at seventeen, but she was also an orphan, one of the only people in Reyia who had come from the Western Alliance and the most logical person she knew. Maybe this logical was what as the problem, was she too boring?

Constance sighed and ran her hand through her dark hair, self-deprecation never got anyone anywhere. She reminded herself that Bernadette St. Pierre wanted her to visit her in Paris, because she'd made some sort of discovery. Maybe an adventure would help cheer Constance up and although Bernadette had no respect for Reyia, and maybe a bit too much respect for herself, they weren't that different. Still any trips would have to wait till after the king's parade, Constance had duties after all.

She left her reflection in the mirror and turned towards her bookshelf, stretching to reach the top shelf which had the 'Time Guard's Handbook'. Constance had to admit that she'd needed to read up before she met the emperor, it had been a long time since her last encounter with him. There was a knock on the door and the sound of it opening.

"Do you want a hand with that?" Kristen asked, using Danish today.

"Very funny," Constance replied in the same language, she jumped slightly to get the book and then turned around. Kristen was wearing jeans and a dark hoodie, "You really do like that joke, don't you?"

"You just hear it more because Cassim is too serious to joke around with, and you are the only other person who I know who is missing a hand."

"I'm missing a forearm as well."

"That doesn't work," he changed his voice slightly, "Constance, do you want a hand and half an arm that? See it doesn't have the same effect."

"Fascinating, look, I have to get ready for the emperor's parade. I hope you have a good time in the 22st century."

"21nd," said Kristen, "And you are invited to come. You can't tell my friend Viola that you are a watch bearer, but I think you'd like her. You would have to change though," he added, looking at Constance's black trousers, thigh length deep red jacket and the metal sword hanging from her waist, the official uniform of Time Guards.

Constance hesitated, "No I can't. I promised Cassim that I'd be part of the security detail at the parade."

"Well, I'm not going to press you. To be honest my mother told me to ask you."

Constance sighed, barely audibly, "I guessed that, don't worry I'll be fine. The emperor just wants to make sure that security is tight because - " Constance stopped suddenly, she couldn't believe what she had just been about to say.

"You can say it," said Kristen, "Today, fifteen years ago, the last murder was committed on Reyian soil. The murder of my father. That's why I'm spending today with friends," perhaps Kristen felt that the conversation was becoming too serious, because he quickly changed it, "I'm going over Viola's for a sleepover. It a sort of social event that it a tradition over there. You stay awake late into the night, you eat unhealthy food, you talk and watch items on the television. They have a social pseudo-contest to see who can stay awake the longest. It's early morning here but when I go to Britain it will be evening."

"So you can cheat on your poor friend," said Constance, "Well, have fun. Send my regards to the Countess."

"Good bye, Constance, try not to work too hard." With that he was gone and Constance was left alone. She looked out of her window, beyond the rest of the castle-like tower which was home to the Time-Guards was the bright island of Reyia. Crystal blue seas, lush grass and in the centre of it all the sprawling City, a mixture of every time and cultural and that had and will ever exist. With the obvious exception. It was very beautiful, Constance remarked, soon she would be in the very centre of the city itself, marching through the streets as part of the celebrations for the 800th anniversary of the founding of Reyia, the Capital of Time.