Forest

"Yes, and nobody back home would believe I have a 14th century prince trying to get me to stay in said 14th century."

"I'm not trying to get you stay."

"Uh huh, I grew up in one of the most bar saturated places Prince, wait what's your name?"

"None of your business."

"Really?"

"Mason." He grumbles.

"Well then Mason, give me the base and be on your way."

"How many bars were in your town?"

"Every other... wait you don't have blocks yet, that's the industrial revolution..."

"You're from the future aren't you?"

"What gives you that impression?"

"You keep talking about things not being invented yet, and you showed up in a forest wearing a man's clothes. Well, man's clothes to us."

"Yeah."

"So, is Britain still all powerful?"

"Actually, we find a whole new continent..."

"Wait really?"

"Two actually. Oh, and the Earth is round."

"Now you're just pulling my leg."

"I'm entirely serious."

"Does the future get any proof?"

"Plenty. But there are still some who believe the Earth is flat."

"Sensible people," He puts the shirt out for me to grab but before I can grab it he grabs my arm and pulls me closer, placing a kiss on my head, "You have a 14th century prince named Mason trying to keep you in the 14th century." With those last words, he turns around and heads out, the guards close the doors behind him.

Manda started freaking out, "A prince just kissed me. On the head, but still!" She melts the floor in a blushing, embarrassed mess. "I need to get to work, yeah, work." She starts on the moving fabric after sending for more supplies via the courier. Many hours later Mason walks back in and looks at Manda still working to get the outfit by that night, the stars were shining brightly and the moon showed that it was about 11:30 at night, he needed another lesson from the castle astronomer so he could show her the stars one day.

"Manda, you need to sleep..."

"No, I just need more black tea."

"Manda, this isn't healthy."

"It's normal in the future."

"Wait really?"

"Oh yeah, especially with college students."

"College?"

"A form of school."

"Oh, nice. Right, bed."

"What are you going to do?"

He's silent, until she sets her tools down to go get more fabric, "This."

"Ah!" He picks her up and throws her over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes and drops her off in her bed.

"Bed time."

"Mason!"

"Good night Manda."

"Night Mason."

When I hear the heavy doors close I light my bedside lamp and descend the stairs back down to the first level, light floods the room and I hear Mason say, "I will sleep on the floor in here if you do not go to bed Manda."

"Why do you care?"

"Ah- Because I do!" And with that he shuts the door, I went back to bed with a smile on my face. I know he stayed a little longer because before I drifted into a deep sleep a light glow showed through my eyelids and I felt a hand press to my head and Masons soft voice carrying me deeper into sleep, I was too tired to catch what he said though, however as his footsteps fade away a memory flashes through my head. This memory causes nightmares whenever I remember it, so I mumble, "Don't go..."

"What's wrong?"

"Don't..." Was all I manage before I drift into a troubled sleep full of nightmares of her death.

"Amanda! Come get breakfast!"

"Coming Mom."

"Get your backpack and get ready for school, now."

"But Mom, I haven't even started to eat breakfast."

"Just do it! And here, have my necklace," She drapes the necklace over my head, luckily the sudden fashion addition goes well with my outfit, it's a teardrop shaped sapphire on a thin silver chain, simple, but striking, "Have a good day now."

"Mom, is everything ok?"

"Everything is fine, just get to school."

"What about breakfast?"

"Just go!"

"Ok, jeez." I get ready for my 3rd to last day of Senior year and head out the door, necklace draped around my neck.

"Hey Amanda!" My mom calls after me.

"Yeah?"

"No matter what happens, if you ever feel you are in danger say these words, Ad partu matris meae"

"Ok, I w-" Whatever it was, it just cut her mother in half... she lastly hoped to say the words if in danger, so she said them and then woke up to a cold hard stone floor. In a different world, in a different outfit, that looks no good, but thankfully she still had her mother's necklace, that is the one thing she did not lose from her mother. Everything else had disappeared... just poof, who could do such a thing?

She opens her eyes to Mason on the floor next to her bed, out cold. "Mason?"

He jumps up, wide awake, "Huh?"

"Why are you here?"

"You were having nightmares, I think your half asleep self knew that and was like don't go, it was cute."

"Was not. Humph."

"Yeah sure. Well, I got to go now that your up, what were you having nightmares about? It was like a soldier fresh from battle."

"No, it was more like someone who saw their mother one second, and then... saw only half of her..." my voice cracks and trail and it finally hits me. "She's gone, she isn't coming back."

"o-oh." She feels the weight of Prince Mason weigh down the bed and his warm arms surround her, she was safe now, but her mother was gone, forever.

"What am I going to do Mason?"

"You'll get through this..."

"Have you ever lost family Mason?"

"Yeah, in a way. Though I never knew them."

"What?"

"I'm not the actual son of the King, just someone who just got dropped off at his doorstep."

"So you're adopted."

"Yeah pretty much... my father likes to remind me of that, a lot."

--------------------

The leaves crunch underneath the horse's hooves, I sit on the back of a horse, my tired head resting on Mason's shoulder. It appalled him I didn't know the first thing about riding horses.

"What do you mean you can't ride a horse?"

"Just that, I can't ride a horse."

"What do they do where you're from? Walk?"

"We have machines."

"Oh. Well fine..." He hoists himself on the horse and turns to me, "Come one." He reaches his hand out for me and grab it.

"Well, at least you know to use a stirrup to get on."

"That's just common sense..."

I open my eyes when I feel that we have stopped moving and look around, we're in a clearing of about 3 or 4 meters in diameter, it's almost a perfect circle, kinda like the circles I make when I draw clothes. "Here we are."

I slid off the horse with the help of Mason and look around; I see a small black rectangle and move to get closer.

"What's that? I saw that when I found you."

"Something useless in the 14th century."

"Oh, a machine?"

"Technology."

"Tech... nology?"

"Yeah, I guess it's a word that's not around yet, oh well."

"Huh. Technology, what a strange word..."

"Not in my time."

"Is this technology a common thing?"

"When I left we were just starting to get so enveloped in it it would soon become a necessity to live."

"Interesting."

"Well, I don't need this anymore." I toss the phone behind me and look around the clearing more before I realize something, "Oh my god... My mom had a painting of this place in the dining room!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, but there was a wolf, and it was night."

"And just who would your mother be to have a painting of me?" A voice says from behind us. We spin around and look a large wolf, dead in the eyes.

"Um... she's no one really, just an accountant... oh wait are those a thing?"

"No. But I know what they are."

"Are you from the future too?" I ask all hopeful.

"No, but I have been there. Wait, you're Layla's daughter aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Oh... ok..."

"Did you know my mother?"

"Yes, I do."

"No... you did..."

"What?"

"She- I, it- she was there, and then half of her wasn't..."

"You don't have to say anymore, I understand."

I can only nod my head to keep the tears in.

"Who's your friend?"

"Prince Mason of the nearby kingdom." He replies for me

"Ah, the adopted prince."

"Yes, sir." He grits his teeth at the mention of adoption

"I will take my leave then." And with those last words he disappears into thin air.

"Where did he go?" Mason takes a step forward to go look for him but I grab his sleeve.

"I- I want to go home..." I whisper.

"All right, let's go."

We have a quiet ride back to the castle and I look behind us as we leave the forest; I have a prince trying to keep me in this time and a heart trying to keep him in my life.

"Mason?" We're nearing the stables.

"Could you teach me how to ride a horse?"

"Sure."

I smile and hug him tightly, am I the Prince's girlfriend, no, but I have fallen in love with him. We dismount the horse and he leads me back to my room where he says goodbye to me at the door.

"Uh, well I guess I'll see you tomorrow for horse riding."

"And for trying on the moving fabric."

"It's almost done already?"

"Late nights do wonders."

"There is nothing I can do to stop you is there?"

"Nope! See you soon Mason."

"See you... Amanda."

I close the door behind me, when I realize something... he called me Amanda. He called me Amanda! Not Merlin, not Manda, but Amanda! I melt to the floor with a tomato red face and then pop back up; I need a distraction, yes a distraction. I work and by the time that I have finished putting the last touches on the tunic it's almost midnight; I need sleep. I fall into my bed and nearly pass out from exhaustion.

I open my eyes to a maid waking me up, the dawn light shining through my window, "Thank you, miss."

"My lady."

"Well, I guess that will be a permanent title, if this tunic works."

A knock sounds at my door and the maid rushes down the stairs to answer it, Mason. "Please tell me you did not stay awake until dawn Manda."

"No, just until midnight."

Mason thanks the maid and walks past her towards me, "So what's first? Fitting or horse riding?"

I look at the table by the foundation and see a steaming pot of black tea, "Tea is first. I need to wake up early bird."

"I just woke up a few minutes ago."

"Wow, you are strange."

"No, you are just not a morning person." The maid pours a cup of black tea for the both of us and takes her leave.

"This is the most true thing in the world."

We make small talk over tea until our cups are empty, I rise and go over the mannequin I was making the tunic on and slip it off, tossing it to Mason, "Put that on." He heads to the changing room and comes out with an ivory-colored silk tunic, "Now walk around." Just as I thought, when he walks the tunic's specific shape catches the slight air changes and moves around, the silk reflects the light and I am reminded of a sailing trip me and my mother took when I was younger.

"Does it work?"

"Yes, very much so!"

"You did it Amanda!" He picks me and spins me around without thinking, we laugh and then realize what's going on, he sets me down and awkward silence ensues.

"So no more late nights?"

"No, I still have another outfit to finish."

"You can work on the other outfit, but no more staying awake until midnight, you can only do that to one outfit a week. Deal?"

"Fine. Deal."

"Now what?"

"Horses."

"Right, we need to get you one."

"I just remembered something."

"What?"

"I finished the outfit and succeeded at moving fabrics, so according to a deal I made with your father I am now apparently Lady Manda."

"Well well, don't you climb the ranks quickly. Weren't you just a servant?"

"I wouldn't have if you didn't put me here."

"I wouldn't have if you didn't make that dress."

"The one that fell apart? Don't worry your tunic shouldn't do that, I tied the thread tight enough. The dress was quick and messy."

"Ok. Let's go buy you a horse."

"From where?"

"A small town on the edge of the country."

"We're traveling?"

"Yep."

"You are making me not pull all nighters aren't you?"

"See, you get it."