A Startling Discovery

When the first rays of light began to come in through the stained-glass windows, Alexander woke up. He had not wanted to fall asleep on the window seat, but the events of the previous day had taken their toll on him. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and walked toward the washroom. He splashed some water from the ewer onto his face to make him alert for his coming duties.

Alexander walked to the kitchens and met the maids preparing the morning meal. When they were done with the preparation of the food, he sat down at the dining table to eat with his mother. As soon as he finished the food, he took leave of her and went to the kitchen to request Beatrice's meal. A maid offered to take it to her, but he waved her off.

He made his way to his chamber with the tray of food. He re-entered the sleeping area. Beatrice was still asleep on the bed. He walked to the bedside and tapped her on the shoulder gently.

"Beatrice, wake up and have your meal," he said softly.

Matilda stirred and blinked her eyes open. As her vision adjusted, the first thing she laid her eyes on was Alexander. Their eyes met for a brief second, and something different coursed through Matilda's veins. She quickly averted her eyes and cleared her throat, but she did not speak.

Milady, you have to go to the washroom to wash your face and mouth. After that, you can take your meal. Thereafter, I shall send someone in with hot water for your morning wash. I shall also send Lucia in to come and assist you."

Matilda walked to the washroom. She poured some water from the ewer into the basin and used it to wash her face. Then she gulped water from the ewer and swished it around her mouth to rinse the dirt out. She walked back to the bedroom, sat down on the bed, and Alexander held out the tray for her to take.

She took it from his hands and set it on her lap. On the tray were a dish of fresh bread and fresh fruits like grapes, pomegranates, apples, and cherries. There was also a cup of sweet-smelling wine beside the dish. The aroma of the bread wafted up into Matilda's nostrils, and she inhaled deeply. This food looks delicious, she thought.

Matilda took a bite of the bread. It tasted as good as it looked and smelled. The fruits tasted as if they had just been brought from the orchard. Before long, she had finished the food. She drank the whole cup of wine in one single gulp and set the cup down on the tray. Matilda heaved a sigh of satisfaction and looked at Alexander.

All this time, Alexander had been watching her as she ate. He liked the look of satisfaction he saw on her face, and he took it that she had enjoyed the meal. Still, he needed to ask her for confirmation.

"Was the meal to your taste?" he asked.

"Yes, it was," was the simple reply that came out of Beatrice's mouth.

He moved to her side and took the tray from her outstretched hands.

I need to return this. On the way, I shall send Lucia and a maid in with your bath water. I will not be coming back to this chamber anytime soon as I have some work to do. Lucia will keep you company until I can come back. Good day, Milady."

He took his sheathed dagger with the emblem of a diamond and a scythe intertwined together on its handle, hung it on his belt, and left the room, shutting the door behind him. Matilda walked to the window seats and plopped herself down on one of them. The cushions were comfy and she felt relaxed.

She looked through the stained-glass windows at the sprawling edifice. The grounds of the castle were large. There was a well-tended garden on the left side of it and a fountain on the right side. This place is beautiful. She thought. Too bad I don't want to remain here.

She was jostled from her reverie by the sound of a knock on the main door of the chamber.

"You can come in," Matilda called out.

A plain-looking young girl entered the room with two buckets of water. She headed straight for the washroom and came out soon after with the buckets empty. She left the room, and almost immediately, a second girl entered.

The girl that walked in was young, presumably ten or eight years of age. She was moderately attractive and had short, greasy hair. Her height was all right for a girl of her age, and her eyes shone with compassion.

"Good day, Lady Beatrice. I am Lucia," she said. The Marquess asked me to come to help you with your wash."

Lucia led the way, and Beatrice followed. In the bathroom, she poured some quantities of scented salt into the stone tub and helped Matilda to take her nightdress off, leaving only her chemise.

"You can take your leave now. I will handle it from here."

Matilda took her bath as she had done the night before and dried herself off with a cloth. She wrapped the cloth around her body and went back to her bedroom. She found Lucia standing there with a set of clothes laid out on the bed. Matilda allowed Lucia to help her put on her clothes. Barely after she finished dressing up, she felt lonely and didn't know what to do. She decided to wander around the castle.

Matilda made her way down the stairs and pushed out of the great bronze front doors of the castle. Outside, she came across a guard post. A heavily built guard tried to come close to her, but she waved him away.

She made a turn to the right, past the beautiful fountain, and kept on going until she came across a clear beautiful lake. She sat down on the edge, kicked off her shoes, and dipped her toes into the water.

A sudden movement in the water startled her, and she looked at the ripples on the surface of the lake. Then the water surface broke into a blossom of water. It swirled and reflected the sunlight, and there were sparkles of light on the flowers in the middle of the lake. The petals of the flowers slowly close. Some folded into wings, others into a body and tail, and finally the inner leaves formed a head on the fish-shaped creature made entirely out of water that was in front of Matilda.

She tried to rise upward and make her way back inside the castle when the gentle voice from the creature stopped her.

"My name is Nomar and I am your personal fairy charged with protecting you. Sit down and I shall tell you everything."

Matilda sat down back on the edge of the lake skeptically and looked at the fish-shaped creature.

"Your name is Matilda and you have come from the twenty-first century. A series of events was responsible for your time traveling. You come from a long line of people blessed with water magic, but you are the only one alive and still able to use it. That is why you were brought here."

Matilda did not know what to say to all this information. She allowed the strange creature to go on with his talk.

"A powerful army from the west is going to come to this town not far from now. They will try to breach the walls of Ludlow, but you will go there and stop them and defeat them. You are the only one who can do this. I will warn you of their coming nearer to the time," Nomar, the fairy, said.

" How will I defeat this powerful army?" Matilda asked.

"I will show you how to use the magic you have been blessed with and how to fight properly. But for now, I shall tell you everything about Beatrice so that you may become familiar with her way of life."

When Nomar was done with his tale of Beatrice, Matilda heaved a sigh of apprehension. She was not sure if she was up to this great task that Nomar had laid before her and more than anything, she wanted to go back home.

"Can't I go back to the twenty-first century?" she asked.

"The portal for going back to the twenty-first century has been closed presently. In the meantime, you have to remain here and fight for the people. You have to become Beatrice completely."

Matilda took some time to gather her thoughts together. After a while, she spoke to herself.

"Your name is Beatrice, and you can do this." Then she turned to Nomar and spoke to him.

"Alright then, Beatrice is ready. Show me how to use this magic you said I have been blessed with."