Travel Through Time

Travel Through Time Chapter 55

  I push the table away and move my writing table in front of me.  I start to draw the basic pulley system for some of the moving targets.  I think about how I can make the ground targets work. I think and start drawing targets that move either by counter lever of a series of cogs and realise that is way ahead of the times so stick with the counter leaver method.  I draw two sets of plans one from a bird's eye view and the other at ground level.  I also draw a simple target system that would have a lower and upper target that would rotate on ropes fed over two wheels and someone tuning a handle to make them move from the lower and upper levels. "Your Majesty, Lady Keon-hi is here" Ri-na announces.  "Come" I reply and wave Keon-hi to come sit next to me. "What do you think of these?" I ask her and show her what I've drawn so far. "I can sort of understand these, but what is this one?" she asks pointing to the two-level targets.   I explain it to her and she looks a little shocked.  "How do you think of these things?"  I shrug as I think 'hundreds of years of innovation' "I think I saw something like this when my master and I where travelling" I say then change the subject by asking "how is it being an engaged woman?" I see her cheeks pink "we went for a walk last night and held hands" she says shyly.  "I'm so happy for you" I give her hug. "I thought I'd find you in the garden or told you where at the training grounds?" she confesses.   I can feel my cheeks heat "um, well, I wanted to draw these while they were still fresh you know?" I trail off as I see her expression. "Does this have anything to do with why you were so mad at the Prince?" she enquires. "Busted" I mutter, she suddenly claps her hands together "I forgot I have something for you!" she tells me while she lifts her top and takes out something from underneath.  She hands me a small looking pillow or something?  I look at it and then her "what is it?" "After seeing your injured foot and knowing how you hate to be stuck in or not being able to move freely.  I came up with this idea, I collected all the cotton I could find. Then I made this part first, your foot rests on this.  I then made this for the top of your foot and sewed them together just along the sides.  Your foot would slip in here and you'd tie the ribbon around the back of your ankle.  I've sewed leather on the underside to protect the silk from fraying" she explains.   I throw my arms around her and hug her again.   I push my injured foot into it tie it and stand up and test it by putting weight on my foot.   It cushions it so well.  I do a little jig that has Keon-hi laughing.  "Thank you, so much.  How lucky am I having a friend that thinks of me so much?" I grab her hand and pull her up "come on, I'm going to test it out" I pull her to the garden and do some stretchers, I see her concern "don't worry I'm not going to go full out, just shot some arrows and throw knives.  I will run a little and maybe a few forwards rolls.  That's all promise" I assure her.  She sits on the top step so she has a clear view of the targets hanging there.  I shoot my first arrow as I run down the steps then keep running while I fire three more, I roll forward and shoot another as I come out of the roll.  I grab one of my knives and spin and throw it at the target that had been hung behind me.   I keep going until I'm out of arrows and knives.  I wave and grin at Keon-hi and see Second and Un standing on the roof watching me.  I search for the Prince and see him in the shadow of the doorway.   I wave take my arrows and knives from the targets as I make my way back to them.  As I walk up the steps the Prince comes from the doorway and looks down at my foot. "What's that?" he asks. "Keon-hi made it for me.  She knew that I would be climbing the walls if I couldn't get out and excises properly.  Isn't it a great invention?" I gush.  The Prince laughs and then says "I will have to reward her handsomely for putting that smile back on your face" he strokes  my cheek and I grin at him.  Keon-hi has stood up and bows to the Prince.  "It was a simple thing to make and I didn't do it for a reward.  Just seeing the Royal Princess enjoyment is enough" she says.   I sit down and pull her down next to me, I lift up my foot and inspect the gift she made me. "Oh! No, I've gone and pulled some of the leather away" I cry.  "It's just a small thing to fix I think it would be best if we put two layers of leather on it, the soft leather first like this and then a stiffer hard wearing one" she says. The Prince sits down on my other side, "we should have some stiffer leather in our storage ask Ri-na to look and you can help fix it back up" he informs us.  I lean in and kiss him "thank you, I thought you were meeting the King?" I question. "I did, meet him and I did have to wait for him to come out of his bed chamber.  The meeting was suddenly adjourned till later, when he heard Consort Bin was going to leave for her palace" I burst out laughing "really? I'm not going to be the only one being whispered about then" I tell them.  "The King excused himself after a very short meeting, he came out or was pushed out straightening his clothes" the Prince adds.  I laugh so much I have to hold me stomach and wipe the tears from my eyes. "I'm glad they got to know one another better"  I say once I have my laughter under control.   "What are those drawings?" on your desk he asks. "They are some ideas on how we can make the targets move, I'll make some models to test them out first" I decide. "I also thought of adding some spinning targets.   As I was spinning just now, I thought it would be good it in corrupt them too" I add. "How would you make them spin though?"Keon-hi enquires. "The wind should be enough to move them round.  That way they would spin at different speeds too depending on the weather" I explain "good thinking" she encourages. "Now you can walk properly, we will go to the training ground after we fix your cotton slipper" she surprises me by saying.  The Prince looks at her and gives her a smile.  "Good idea, lets get some lunch first" he suggests.   My stomach rumbles at the mention of food.  "The little one also thinks that's a good idea" Keon-hi says and we all laugh and go inside.  We have a simple lunch and the Prince asked Ri-na to look for some stiff leather, which she finds and Un cut it to size and hammered the holes.  We'll need to sew it.  The Prince, Second, Fifth and Un look over the plans for the assault course and moving targets.   While Keon-hi teachers me a new sewing technique using two needles at the same time.  It fastens the stiff leather better to the sole of the slipper.  Once we've finished it, I put it on and walk around.   I nod "it feels better" I tell her. "Finished?" the Prince asks I nod in answer.  "I think it would be best if you came and explained the moving targets to the King as I know he's going to ask me questions about it" he suggests.  So, we go and meet with the King, the Prince insisted I use a sedan as he didn't want me to over do it.   As we bow and say "your Majesty" Consort Bin runs from a room at the back and to the side of the room we are meeting in. "Royal Princess, I'm so glad you came" she takes my hand and starts to drag me away.  "Consort Bin I'm here to talk to the King, can we meet up afterwards or another day?" I explain. "Really, you want to listen to these meetings?" she looks very surprised. "I need to be in on this one as the King might have some questions for me" I tell her. "Alright, after then?" the King coughs, "tomorrow might me better" she corrects quickly and I cough to disguise my grin.  I nod and she walks back into the room she came from.  We sit down and talk about everything related to the assault course.  Then the Prince and King start talking about other things.  I can feel my eye's getting heavy and without no other thought than getting comfy and taking forty winks.  I pick the Princes arm up and place it over me as I lay my head in his lap and close my eyes.   I fall asleep listening to the sound of the Princes deep sounding voice.   I'm shaken awake and find the Prince looking down at me "I was tired" I sleepily tell him he smiles "I know, I'm finished so let's go?" he instructs.  I nod and stretch my arms over my head as I sit up.  I look around and then put a hand over mouth, "I fell asleep in the middle of a meeting with the King?" I exclaim.  "He understands with the baby and all that you need your sleep" the Prince assures me.  I groan and shake my head "I've never been able to stay awake once my eyes become heavy.  When I was travelling with my teacher, I would travel on his horse as I fell to the ground twice falling asleep while riding" the Prince takes my hand and chuckles as I tell him this. Then we both stop when we hear a deep grunt followed by a sound like a slap. "Again, smack your Daddy bear again!" We turn and run from the room having just heard that.  We keep running till we are outside "don't even think about it? You are neither a bear or a Daddy figure to me?" I say and the Prince roars with laughter "your face!" he snorts. "Do you think yours looked any different" I accuse. "No, guess not. I never want to hear those words coming from my brother again" he shudders.   I laugh too, he helps me into the sedan and we head back.  We both turn as we hear the clash of swords and look up to see Second fighting with a man wearing black and a mask.   I look for my bow but I didn't bring it, the Prince snatches me from the sedan and runs until we are under cover.  "Wait here" he orders.  I watch as he runs and then jumps up on the roof, I let out a long warning whistle knowing Un will hear it and any other elite guards around.  I watch as a second dark figure slinks out and runs towards the Prince.  I watch as he and the Prince start fighting with their swords.  The Prince manages to give he attacker a big wound but not before he is cut on his upper arm.  Second cuts down the first one and runs and attacks the other, I see the Prince slip and begin to fall.   I scream and run towards him I know I'm going to have to jump to catch him and have control of the fall if I wait for him to fall to my arm's he might bowl me over and that wouldn't be good for the baby.  As I spring, I see another figure aiming at Second with a bow, I let my knife fly with a cry and catch the Prince and control the fall back to the ground.  It hurts my injured foot but that's not important now.  I see a figure lurking in the shadows and throw another knife I hear a cry and then guards are rushing in everywhere I see Un and point towards the spot I threw my knife. The guards help me put the Prince in the sedan, I climb on and balance while we are carried towards our quarters.   I rip open his sleeve and sniff his wound, I swear when I smell the poison I cut off the Prince's tie and tie it above the wound I then suck on the wound and spit out the poison I do this until it tastes clean and swill out my mouth with water and spit that out.  The Prince starts to come around as I'm wrapping his wound.  "You'll need stitches this time but it's a clean cut and there won't be to much of a scar" I tell him. Then instruct the men to carry him into the bedroom where I use sterilised water and then I add a little salt to the wound before sewing it up.   The Prince doesn't cry out, just watches my face as I work on his arm and then bandage it up.  "You have to keep this dry at least until it closes" I tell him.   I sit on the side of the bed "why do they have to use poison all the time?" I ask letting the first tear escape and roll down my cheek. "I don't know, their cowards" he answers. Un walks in and he breaths a sigh of relief when he see's the Prince.  "Sorry, I arrived late your Majesty.  We managed to capture the one the Princess cut with her knife" he informs us. "Have him brought here?" I order Un bows and leaves the room.  "I won't be long.  I'll be back in a minute" I say and head out to the garden.  I go down to the pond and hunt around its banks.  I see what I'm looking for and trap it with a big lily leaf.  I take out one of my knives "I'm not going to hurt you.   I just want to use your speciality if you don't mind" I say and then release it.   I walk back to the room and see that Prince has fallen asleep I cover him over with the blanket check his pulse.  I nod then walk out to the front courtyard just as the guards bring in a simpering man.