Time Guards - The Italian Quest

Chapter VI

They had been walking for nearly an hour, passing fields and a few small farms. On the dusty road they met a few other people, a group of men on horses, a woman in a chariot and an elderly man on a penny farthing bicycle. Viola wondered why people didn't use cars, they were surely faster.

"There is no electricity here," she realised, voicing it aloud.

"No," said Constance, "Having all the technology to accompany it, generators, pylons and so forth would take up to much space. The island is pretty small. Electricity would also make us more visible to the outside world. Not only because technology can pick up electricity use but because the island has to be self-sufficient. We are working outside of the rest of the world's technology, knowledge and culture, no one can know that we exist. We can't exactly start drilling for oil in the sea. We do use some solar and wind powered electricity for the necessities. Like medical equipment, some of the Dungeon prison cells and the Vault under the Great Library where some of the most dangerous and powerful historical artefacts are held."

"Wait," said Viola, some disgusting thoughts entering her mind, "You still do have proper plumbing?"

Constance didn't answer, for they had arrived at the Castellum, the massive tower home to the Time Guards. The road they were walking on was now paved and Viola looked around at the large grounds which occupied the building. There was a huge assortment of plants, from trees to shrubs to flowers. Viola didn't know the name of most of them. Tending to a large Venus Fly Trap was a big burly man who Kristen hailed,

"Hello Aeron." The man nodded, he had brown hair and a large moustache. Swirling blue tattoos covered his skin which was all bear apart from a loin cloth and a ridged metal necklace. Viola looked down and then said quietly to Kristen,

"Er, what's up with his clothes?"

"Ah, that," said Kristen as they continued walking. "Aeron ap Hywel was a Celtic warrior, saw his whole army killed by the Romans. Himself being the only survivor. In honour of his fallen friends he normally is dressed in battle gear, or at least he wants to. Some of the other Time Guards thought it would be inappropriate for him to be dressed traditionally for battle. Cassim had to stop the argument, as a compromise he has to wear the loin cloth," Kristen noticed Viola's confused face and then added, "Celtic warriors fought naked, Vi."

At the large entrance to the tower, an ornate iron and wood door, stood two Palace Guards similar to those who Viola had seen at the Marble Gateway. The nodded respectfully as the party as they entered, they obviously knew Erika, Kristen and Constance. Inside of the Castellum was far more modest than Viola had first expected when she had seen the gardens. There were little seats and sofa's dotted around the place with a simple staircase winding up from the entrance hall and no further guards stationed anyway. The place was still obviously expensive, there were stain glass windows portraying different historical events and some large portraits but none of it was overwhelming. Viola could have almost imagined it to be a stately home preserved by a historical charity, one which her dad might have taken her to on weekends. That is apart from the fact it was clearly still in use and the towers military aspects. Various types of weapons hung on the walls and as Viola ascended the main staircase she was confronted with a large room which held a massive table, upon it a map of the world with little arrows and dates to show what must have been all the battles to happen upon her soil.