Past in the Future by Lisa Krnac

Chapter 29

What happened next Nadine couldn't recall. She opened her eyes and saw a stone ceiling. She couldn't move her arms or her legs. She felt her hands being restrained and her feet are locked together. She straightened her head to face a stone wall. The place she was in was dark and moist. Nadine assumed that she must be in some kind of dungeon. There was no one else around and she couldn't hear anything over the massive pain that she had in her head. Nadine started to focus on a way to escape. Her hands were bound behind her and her feet where also tied to the chair that she was sitting in. She looked around the room and saw nothing. There was only a door and four stone walls. Nadine struggled again and then she heard a voice come from the door. A big dark figure entered the room. Nadine could see from the shadow that he wore a sword and had a cape around him. He came to Nadine and covered her head with a bag. Nadine's heart started to race. Sweat was pouring out of her pours. 'Is this it?' 'Am I going to die.' Were the thoughts going through her mind. The big man grabbed her shoulders and forced her to stand. He untied her legs and pushed her to walk in front of him. She was pushed through a channel of stairs and then Nadine could feel a breeze of air. Nadine could see light through the fabric and assumed that it was either candle light or sun light. No voices were heard and no presence was felt except the pushing of the big man on her back. Nadine knew that it was sun light when she felt the wind and the bright smell of day. Nadine was forced into another chair and than bound by the legs again. The big man left, but Nadine could hear rustling from someone in front of her. "So this is the famous Nadine Tectric."

The voice startled Nadine and she could feel her heart racing under her blouse. The bag was removed from her head and her eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the sunlight. She looked around and could see trees and flowers placed in fine rows and looked well trimmed. A large hedge sourounded the garden and she was sitting in a white steal chair. Infront of her was a white steal table with flower patterns. Butus was not gone, but standing behind her and two other guards wondered around the garden. Across from her sat a man she did not entirely recognize. His nose was pointy like the kings, but his hair and face features were simular to Dustins. Nadine assumed that this must be Dustin's brother. Nadine stared at him and then said rudely "What do you know?" He smiled at her and said "So informal! Well you will change. I am Charles and I know probably a lot more than you think." Charles looked her intently like he was trying to look through her. Nadine didn't like what he was doing and changed the conversation. "Where is Henry?" Nadine stared at him intently like she could get the answer that way.

"Oh the little chatter box is safe for now." Charles gestured to one of the servants to bring over his tea. Charles put his sugar in and then started to drink and waving his hand to instructed the servant to leave. "What do you want?" Nadine said. Her nerves were no longer with her. Knowing that Henry was here in the castle made her confident to find him. Charles finished his sip of tea and than set it down. "I want you." Nadine didn't change her expression, but kept the stare. Charles continued "I know that you are from a different time, I know that you were a great leader with great knowledge and power. All I want is the information. And maybe, if time suits us, we can get better aquainted." Charles smiled and leaned forward which made Nadine uncomfortable. Her expression didn't change even though she knew her red cheeks were showing. Again Nadine changed the subject. "How do you know so much about me?"

Charles leaned back into his chair and started to trace the outside of the cup with his finger . "I have ways of finding information. All that I will tell you if you agree to assist me."

Nadine laughed. "You want me to help you. Your crazy. What makes you think I would do such a thing for a murderer." Charles smile changed to a serious frown. "I am not a murderer, the people don't want to listen to the ruler of the kingdom so they get punished." Nadine knew she hit a soft spot and decided to push some more. "You put your people in dungeon with a total of a week to live and You take beautiful, hard working womans tongues out so they won't talk back. I call that a murderer." Nadine was almost shouting and than Charles stood up and raised his hand, but put it down on the table. Nadine didn't flinch, but waited for a hit. Charles stared into her eyes and said in a calmer voice. "You know I thought I was doing you a favor by talking to you first. But now I think that you might need some stronger convincing." Nadine had no idea what he ment, but kept her mouth shut. Charles started to pace back and forth. He stopped again in front of her and look down like he wanted to control her by standing taller than her. "I will give you one last chance. Agree to be my advisor willingly or my father will see that you do so by force." Nadine didn't want to ask what his father could do, because she knew that he could do anything. She looked at him and then spit into his face. He whipped his face with his sleeve and Nadine could see the smoke coming from his ears. Charles looked at Nadine and than slapped his hand across her face. Nadine could feel the burning on her cheek, but prevented herself from showing the pain. Charles bent down to her ear. "You will learn to respect me." Charles sat back down in his chair and than instructed Brutus to take Nadine away.

Lisa Krnac