Facing Time

Chater II

Estrid-
I can not stop thinking about that man. Why would Brutus not want me to hear what he had to say to him? He never keeps secrets from me... that I know of.

"Estrid, my darling, what is the matter?" Brutus sits next to me on the bed. It shifts under the pressure.
"What did you say to that man?" He sighs as he slides a loose piece of my hair back behind my ear.
"You would not understand my love." I scoff.
"Try me." He places his hand on my cheek.
"Trust me, he is a dangerous man. He needed to be reminded of his place."
Figures he wouldn't give me a straight answer.

I lay down. Brutus follows my lead, placing a hand on my arm.
"You are so beautiful." He slides his hand down to my wrist. I know what he wants. I am far too distracted.
"Brutus please, not tonight. My mind is preoccupied." He groans dramatically then pulls me into his side.
"Why are you so curious about him? Do you want to have sex with him? I can arrange it." I stop him quickly.
"No! No! It's not like that! He just seems familiar, but I can't place from where."
"Perhaps it is because he is from the same settlement as you. You probably knew him as a child."
Even though it doesn't seem right, I decide to let the subject drop. We both lie in bed and after awhile of him holding me tightly, we drift to sleep.

Magnus-
I wake to find Eric watching me. I take in every detail of my fathers face. I take in every part of him. I admire his eyes and the way his eyebrows lift when he smiles.

"Good morning. So that watch, can it transport more than one person?" I sit up and stretch my limbs before speaking.
"Yes, I brought my fiancé back so she could give birth... oh fuck." I spring up from the chair. "No, no where is she? She was supposed to be here!" I sprint out of the apartment and slam my fist against the neighbors door repeatedly until it opens. I hear the door to my fathers apartment open again as well.

"Who are you?" I push the piece of shit father of Allison's aside and search the apartment. He protests until finally I turn and acknowledge him.
"Where is she!?" I yell in his face.
"Who?"
"Allison! Where is she!?" His face falls. I search his face for any sign of hope. I find none. I only see regret.
"My daughter committed suicide last year."
It takes a moment for the information to sink in. She's gone. My child's gone. My parents don't remember me.
The Seer's words run through my head.
You are not alone.
I am not alone. That no longer seems like compassion or understanding. It definitely seems more like a warning.
Suddenly something in me snaps completely. Anguish comes over me, weighing me down. I howl in pain as I punch a wall, leaving a large hole.

Eric and Connor come running into the room. It takes both of them to lift me off the floor and bring me back to their apartment. I am set gently on the couch. Tears stream down my face.
I have lost everything.
My father brings me an ale and sits next to me, cautiously patting me on the back. Once I calm down enough, he speaks.

"So, what was that about?"
"My Fucking wife was here! She was here in this room when I travelled back! I get to the past and no one fucking remembers me except an Asshole with a crown and The Seer. My mother is married to said asshole, and my father doesn't have a fucking clue who I am! It's like reality just changed all of a sudden!" My loud rant echoes through the few rooms of the apartment. The ugly brown hanging lamp rattles as I punch the wall and hit a stud. My father watches me.

"What if it did change?" I look to him hopelessly. "If you can freely travel through time, and you went to the past. There's a chance that a different choice was made that changed the outcome of the future.
I grunt.
"I never did anything that would cause such an immense difference."
"Maybe, just maybe, since we managed to figure out time travel, someone else was able to as well." I sit back into the couch.
You will be lost, yet found. Forgotten, yet remembered.
The words fly through my mind. I have been forgotten. I originally thought it would be my actions that were forgotten. Now I see it was much more literal. My father found me. Which in turn means I will be remembered.
You are not alone.
The thought makes me pause. I had first thought it reassuring, but now I feel it was a warning.