Chapter 1.2 Rosewin Manor

POV David

April 7th 913 (2016)

"It's… an honor." I replied to the Earl as I dropped from my horse. I tried to discreetly stretch my legs and earned a few chuckles.

"God… my legs…" Rebecca murmured darkly. I glanced at Smith but he merely shrugged. Bastard.

"I'll arrange some servants to prepare your rooms for your stay, please make yourselves at home." The Earl gestured for some of the servants that had come outside to see to his task. He spoke with them quietly and sent over two maids and a butler.

"I'll send butlers to inform you when dinner is ready." he said with a smile as a trio of servants stood in front of us. I was somewhat confused as to why Smith and I got maids and Rebeeca a butler… probably some local custom or maybe it was their turn to work for the guests? It was probably for the better not to snub whatever customs they had until I knew more about them.

"Greetings sire, I am Isz." the maid curtsied as she introduced herself.

"David Fulton," I replied as I offered my hand. After a moment of confusion she tentatively shook my hand, I hoped my smile put her at ease.

"This way sir." Isz gestured for me to follow as she headed inside, I followed, not having a decent reason to refuse. The building was grand, in that old renaissance manner that evoked awe of the old arts. Large tapestries adorned the wall of scenes of the family's noble past… or perhaps they were just works of art? Griffons flew high above mountain peaks battling great dragons amidst the turbulent skies. I had to give the creator credit, it was as if I was there.

Isz led me to the western the manor, gesturing at a door. Smith had the room next to mine, and Rebecca's was down a nearby hall. With a glance at my brother I opened the door.

"Is everything to your liking sir?" Isz asked as I surveyed what I'd describe as a hotel room. Perhaps that was being disingenuous… but it reminded me of one.

A single bed, table with a small mirror and a wardrobe. The walls were painted in what I could only assume was local taste but looked like a child had smeared paint colored hands over the wall.

"I think I'll be fine for now." I muttered in reply as I gazed about the room. I heard Isz leave and I sighed deeply as I sat down, allowing myself to wade through the storm of emotions I'd been suppressing. I clutched at my head as cold shivers ran down my spine, as my heart raced and tears streamed from my eyes.

What the hell has happened to us? What the fuck was going on! I'd been in Brussels this morning! Last night Smith had been in Baghdad, how the hell were both of us… let alone my sister who'd been in Chicago…

What the hell… This was like some shit straight out of some shitty novel, except my siblings got pulled along too. The Earl had called us heroes, mentioned it like we weren't the first and this was something that happened somewhat regularly.

Perhaps there were still some other heroes around? Maybe they could help us out of this mess? I glanced at the wall, on the other side was my brother. I stood and walked out of my room and the short distance to his door. I knocked softly.

After a few seconds I saw my brother's eyes appear from behind the narrow opening of the door. We stared at each other for a second before he opened the door and invited me in without a word.

He returned to his desk, which was covered in thick sheets of paper, he grabbed his pen from where he'd dropped it and continued writing furiously.

"What are you doing? I asked as I walked over and examined what he was up to. He didn't answer and grabbed another page and started writing furiously. I grabbed the sheet he'd just discarded and tried to make out his scrawl.

"Why are you writing about car engines?" I asked as I grabbed another sheet, but this one had random factoids about public hygiene systems like sewers and waste collection.

"We're never going back…" he said quietly as he worked with mad abandon.

"Our knowledge is our greatest asset, what we have now is all we're getting." I muttered quietly as he continued working. He'd come to terms with this a lot faster than I did… was that part of being in the military? Or had he always been that way… no, he'd changed a lot since his enlistment. I grabbed my ballpoint pen from my pocket and grabbed one of the coarse sheets of paper and started writing anything technical that I knew.

We went through every sheet of paper on the desk, cramming it with as much information as we could remember. I massaged my temples as I leaned back. We would have to carve out a home in this new world.

That likely wouldn't be easy, or quick. I recalled the Earl's enthusiastic conversation on our way here. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die…

Where was Rebecca? I hadn't seen her since we'd parted… perhaps she'd taken a nap instead of wanting to get with my brother and I? I stood and resolved to find her.