Stories tagged “time-travel”

  • One Word

    Lila came to awareness at the word, “Whore!” She opened her eyes and stared. She was surrounded by horses. With men on them. Men in armor. They aimed pikes at her. She raised her hands in surrender. “Hi. Um. I’m not a whore. I&#...

  • The King

    The king was…young-looking. Handsome, possibly, beneath the mud smudging his face and the blood and gore staining his armor. Lila cast another look around her and saw – oh. She was on a battlefield. The king spoke in a low, patient voice. S...

  • Stories and Explanations

    Arthur. Lila could only stare, amazed. After a moment, she remembered herself and bowed. She dared to peer at the king. He smiled gently, tiredly. Lila introduced herself. Arthur replied in a jumble of Anglo-Saxon, and Lila had to ask him to repeat him...

  • Tales of Foreign Women

    Emrys walked alongside Lila’s horse, and they conversed clumsily. From Emrys Lila learned the names of some of the knights. Each of them inclined his head politely when Emrys introduced them, and Lila waved back weakly. She had no clue as to how ...

  • Swords and Clothes

    Arthur and Emrys exchanged looks for a long moment before Arthur sighed with an air of long-suffering and signaled for the party to halt. Lila slid off the horse and gave Emrys a boost up. Then she hoisted herself up behind him, and the party resumed i...

  • The Question of Emrys

    As it turned out, Sir Bors had a spare page uniform in one of his saddlebags, so the party halted again while Lila squirmed into the tunic and hose using the cloak, which belonged to Sir Safir, as cover. As an added measure of convenience, she tied her...

  • Survivors

    Arthur insisted that the safest place for Lila to bunk down for the night was between himself and Emrys. Some of the knights snickered, and Emrys looked long-suffering this time, but he let Lila have one of his blankets. Between Emrys’s blanket, ...

  • Nothing Like Practice

    A battle cry rent the air. The horses shrieked, and men spilled into the camp. The knights were on their feet, swords drawn to meet the enemy. Sir Tor leapt into the fray. Lila froze. Her grip on the sword went slack, and she could only stare. This was...

  • Unaffected

    Sir Bors was poised mid-strike against a man in leather armor. Sir Safir was punching his opponent in the face, his greaves bloodstained. Arthur had a man on the ground, sword tip at the man’s throat, and his face was pale with fury beneath the d...

  • Will They?

    Emrys released the other knights from the spell. They stumbled blearily, shaking their heads as if to clear them. Then they turned and bowed to Arthur and Emrys both. “What course now, My Liege?” Sir Bedwyr asked. Arthur looked at Emrys. Em...

  • Worth Her Salt

    Emrys let his horse fall behind the others’. Lila watched Arthur and the others get further and further ahead; dread curled in the pit of her stomach. Emrys’ words stirred the air beside her ear. “You’re no merchant’s daug...

  • Try Me

    “If I were a witch who meant harm, you would be dead,” Lila said. “You wouldn’t be the first witch to think so,” Emrys returned. “If you are from the future, tell me of it. Make me believe you.” “You won&...

  • Not Anymore

    Arthur twisted around in his saddle. “Emrys, do you want Hengist’s men to find us? With you braying like a donkey, the entire Pictish army will hear you.” Emrys buried his face against Lila’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, si...

  • Hoping You Could Help

    “None?” Emrys asked. Lila nodded. The laughter in Emrys’s eyes faded. “Then how did you come to be here?” “I don’t know,” Lila said. “The last thing I remember, I was walking up the hill away from t...

  • His Own Squire

    “Maybe,” Emrys said. “When we’re back in Caerleon. I can look in the library for…something.” Lila smiled wanly. “That would be great.” Raised voices up ahead startled both of them. Emrys murmured somethin...

  • Lady Lila

    “Lady Lila is no squire,” Sir Tor said. “We rescued her.” Lila arched an eyebrow. Rescued? Arthur cleared his throat. “We thought it prudent to dress her as a boy so as not to besmirch her reputation or put her at risk sho...

  • Queen Guinevere

    Lila thought Lancelot’s presence meant they were near Caerleon, but she was wrong, because one moment she was wincing at Sir Tor’s recount of her battle prowess, and the next Emrys was waking her up by wiggling his shoulder blades because s...

  • Civilization

    She was no Helen of Troy, but she was lovely, and her handmaidens had chosen a gown and colors that made her radiant in the dawn. Lila wasn’t sure she could see it, but she could believe that a friendship and a kingdom would fall to ruin over thi...

  • Fortunate

    The palace was little more then a motte-and-bailey keep set atop the village, but out-buildings had turned the courtyard into a thriving community. Emrys rode back to the palace with them – Lila was perched on the back of the queen’s horse ...

  • The Coterie

    Lila turned the names over in her mind. She knew them from reading Arthurian legends, but then she reflected that most of the legends she’d read hadn’t been originals as much as modern adaptations, and besides, legends got things wrong. Lik...

  • The Majesties

    Guinevere smiled gently. “If that is what you wish, Lila. Morag, take her to the armory?” One of the maids curtseyed and peeled away from the group. Lila bobbed a curtsey to the queen, and then she followed Morag through the cluster of keep...

  • Weaving

    “I can help repair,” Lila said. Sir Ector blinked at her. Lila held up one of the shirts. It was well-made and cleaner than the others, but also in the most disrepair. “Really. I can make this one thicker, safer. If you like.” S...

  • Say More

    Morag brought a light supper of bread and cheese, then settled back in with some embroidery while Lila continued working on the hauberk. Some of the pages had left to run errands for their masters, but the rest were gathered at Lila’s feet, liste...

  • Highly Suspicious

    Lila blinked. “Your armor, Majesty?” “Yes,” Arthur said. “We’re riding out in the morning, and my squire said he couldn’t find -” “Where’s your page?” Lila asked. She couldn’t imag...

  • Thinking the Same Thing

    “Lila was just repairing my armor,” Arthur said. “I see,” Emrys said slowly. “Smith is ill,” Lila said. “Why do you need armor? Are you riding out?” Sir Ector asked. Arthur peeled his gaze away from Lila&...