The Curse Conduit
Chapter 51

Part Three - Fused

It had only been a few days but to the small group of time travellers it felt like so much longer. The waiting brought on sleepless nights for most. In a way Derek was thankful as this meant that he did not dream. Being as close as they were to going into battle he did not want to see more than he already had. Uriah and he had talked about the dreams that Uriah had seen the last few times he had slept and the fact that neither one of them had dreamt about the outcome of the battle had them unnerved. Derek was not sure that he wanted to go to sleep and replace out; Uriah reasoned they had not seen the end because it had not been set. Somehow they had changed destiny. Before the end had been so definite, now like everyone else they did not know what was to happen. The King’s plan was to deploy almost two thirds of his men to come up behind the enemy in a surprise attack as Beth-Elena, Bethie and Elizabeth captivated them with their song. The rest of his men would be waiting behind the women, a show of force with Uri, Urian, Uriah, Declan Danny and Derek taking up their position at the very front of this army.

With the time they had to spare Uri, Declan and a few of their men had given the intrepid travellers a short course in how to handle themselves on the battle field. Marcus, the knight that the King trusted with the training of all his men had been sceptical about the Kings plan and even more uncertain as to how the strangers would learn enough to protect themselves should they replace themselves in a situation of such dire consequence. They could not spare the man power to baby sit what Marcus thought of as a chain around his neck.

After putting the strangers through hours of gruelling training that would have sent better men looking for respite, Marcus was pleasantly surprised. They had learnt quickly and well. Not enough to save their lives if they came up against a knight determined to relieve them of their souls but enough so they would not be a hindrance to others.

Uri had promised Marcus that once the show was over the strangers would be relegated to the rank of spectators.

The fact that they were learning how to fight settled uneasily in the hearts of the four men. Danny and Urian had fought battles of their own but from what now was the relative safety of a plane. Derek’s closest encounter with anything resembling a battle, apart from his dreams was the play station sitting in his lounge room and Uriah, although the strong, brooding type had only used his hands in anger a few times, the most recent being to hit his friend. As he remembered Simian, Uriah wondered how they were doing back in their own time. Had time passed the same for them? Had they lived through days of not knowing what had happened? Did Simian and Casta think they were dead? Was there something now written in history to show their travels? Or were they still in the hotel room the instant they had disappeared still wondering what had happened? Or had they indeed been flung into the unknown of time travel. Another dimension to face their own battles?

The ringing of sword against sword brought Uriah back to reality and the end of their training session. He was bathed in sweat sporting new bruises to accompany the ones he already had but in a strange way he felt good. He felt like he had completed a good work out session in the gym. His companions had suffered the same fate, battered and bruised but happy that none of Marcus’ men had done any real damage and relieved that they now stood a chance of defending themselves if it came to that.

Derek slapped Uriah on the back just a little too hard. “I think I am getting the hang of this you know.”

Uriah just smiled as did the others. Derek’s inner child had found release.

Uri and Declan parted company saying that they would return later to have a meal with their friends. Marcus and his men made a silent retreat leaving Urian, Danny, Derek and Uriah to walk back to the castle with Derek talking of how a spa and sauna would work wonders right about now and the others agreed. Danny pulled on his tunic. “I would settle for some clothes that did not itch so much.”

Derek smirked. “Maybe Bethie can loan you one of her dresses.”

They all laughed when Danny and Derek decided to have a playful mock sword fight. Uriah was just about to tell them to stop in case someone got hurt when the tip of Danny’s sword caught Derek on the arm. Derek winced a little looking at his arm. The cut was not very deep but it had drawn blood.

What proceeded gave them all cause for concern. Danny was also holding his arm and a small amount of blood was seeping through his fingers. Derek could not remember cutting him. “Geez I am sorry Danny I had no idea I hurt you.”

Danny looked from Derek to the others. “You didn’t.”

“But you are cut.”

Danny nodded his head. “Yes in exactly the same place I cut you.” Danny looked to Urian. “Can I borrow your knife I want to try something?”

In silence Urian gave his friend the knife and before anyone knew what was going on Danny had cut himself across the palm of his hand. Derek yelled and grabbed at his own had seeing the cut and blood appear.

Urian and Uriah stepped closer as Danny and Derek put their bleeding hands side by side.

Derek clenched his fist. “This can’t be good. I wonder if Declan got hurt”

Just as Derek finished his sentence Declan and Uri re-joined the small group. Declan was wrapping his hand with a small cloth. They could all see the blood stain as it seeped through from the cut on his arm.

Uriah sighed. “I think that is your answer.”

Declan was a little shaken. “My friends once more we can feel each other’s pain.”

They all looked from one to the other when Uri asked the question that was on all their minds. “Is it just you three my friends or are we also afflicted.”

Without thinking Danny cut Uriah slightly on the top of his arm. As soon as he did all three men Uriah, Urian and Uri put their hands to the injured spot. Each one had the same cut, on the same arm in the same place.

Derek shook his head not wanting to speak what he was thinking. “Does this mean that if one of us dies we all die?”

The gentle tones of the ladies laughter as they entered the court yard soon stopped as their eyes fell upon the men. By the expression on their faces they knew that something was very wrong.

Instinctively each woman went to her man. Elizabeth asking the question as she looked into Derek’s eyes and saw his trepidation.

“What happened? Did you all get hurt in training?”

Uriah explained to them what had just happened and each woman got paler as he told his story. “So we will need to be very careful. We have no idea if this is like the dreams and we just get the injuries or…” Uriah let is words trail off.

Danny coughed. “Have you ladies sensed anything similar?”

All three women shook their heads as Danny looked down at the knife in his hand, turning it over as he turned a thought over in his mind.

All of a sudden Bethie realised what he was thinking. “Daniel! Don’t be so barbaric. I have a better way of replaceing out whether we ladies have been touched in the same way.”

Bethie leaned into Danny and gave him a very passionate kiss. While she did Elizabeth and Beth-Elena let out a gasp as they touched their fingers to their own lips. Feeling everything Bethie was doing as if they were actually doing it. Derek and Declan also got a surprise as they too could feel the sensation of her kiss.

Uri, Urian and Uriah looked on dumfounded and a little nervous knowing that the others would want to see if they were also connected. The thought had already grown in Elizabeth’s brain and she walked over to Uriah, holding his hands gently. “Do you mind?”

Uriah could not trust himself to speak. She was going to kiss him, the woman that had stolen his heart was going to kiss him and he did not have the strength to turn her down. Uriah looked to Derek for a way out, hoping that his friend would be jealous enough to stop her. But Derek shrugged his shoulders. “Considering the situation Uriah I think it is a good idea. Better than these lovely ladies being butchered by Danny over here.”

Danny pouted. “Hey, it would have only been a little nick.”

Without speaking Uriah looked back into Elizabeth’s eyes, she smiled at him. Leaned in and kissed him, pressing her lips against his. Uriah felt his legs go weak, his blood beginning to surge through his body and a strange tingle come over him. He wanted so much to pull her to him, to embrace her as a lover should, to sweep her off her feet. It took all his will power and as much as he wanted that very moment to last a life time he managed to pull away from her, hearing the gasps from the others. It was true, they could all feel the touch of these women and they could feel each other’s pain. As the others gathered around Uriah looked back at Elizabeth as she now rested in Derek’s arms. As much as her kiss had almost made him crumble he had felt something else. Or rather, not felt something. There was something missing from the kiss, that something that told you the person you were kissing loved you, was yours forever, that you were their one and only. That was missing. That little piece of magic between two people had not been born. Elizabeth’s magic was for Derek alone. Uriah understood that, now more than ever he wanted to head to the battle so he could release his torment and rage and be free of the pain that had broken his heart.