A Journey Through Time (unedited) -Time Slipping Away Chronicles Volume 1-

Truth

I walked into the clearing. Jamie was sitting and talking with his back to me. Merlin hearing my approach smiled and gestured to Jamie, "The woman we've been talking about."

Jamie turned and gave me a big smile, "It's good to see you looking more like you love." He said giving me a half smile.

I guess he could see the fury on my face, "And what in God's name are you doing?" I asked.

Jaime's smile widened, "Well I'm waiting on my best girl to show up looking more like her old self. I thought maybe this might be a good way to get you to wake up and see the world. Also I thought I might have a talk with your old friend here while I was waiting on you to come over."

"And you were so sure I'd snap out of it and come here huh?" I asked not amused.

"Yes my dear, because you are loyal, its one of the first things I fell in love with about you. I knew you would come because I am your family and you needed to know I was ok." He answered.

I walked over to him and put my arms around him and whispers, "doesn't it hurt?"

Jamie pulled me away from is body and looked at me, "Of course it does love but our people need us and you needed me so I didn't have the luxury of falling apart."

I sniffled as tears ran down my face, "I'm sorry"

"There isn't anything to be sorry for Eirik was your life and I knew when he fell sick that it was going to be good and that when you knew he was dead that you would take it that hard, I'm just glad I didn't have to wait weeks to get you back. I couldn't stand seeing you hurting like that."

I wept, silently into his shoulder as he held me close and turned his attention back to Merlin, "So where were we?"

"We had finally gotten to what you truly wanted to know by coming here, was the plague my doing?" Merlin answered.

I pushed away from Jamie and looked at him, tears still pooled in my eyes as I waited to hear his answer. Merlin paused and looked at me his eyes full of hurt and for a moment I believed that he didn't do it and that I was the one throwing false accusations around in attempt to explain this tragedy away.

Merlin swallowed and said, "I did not cause this. I did everything in my power to prevent it in fact, and when I found out your son was sick my desire to cleanse the earth of this disease grew even more so there isn't anything I wouldn't do for your Eleanor and the includes saving the son of a man I envy."

It was my turn to swallow as I heard the truth in his voice, my voice barely audible whispered sorry before I began crying at the situation and what had become of my kingdom, husband, son, and dearest friend who I still loved dearly. I thought about when I began accusing Merlin of the disease being his fault and I couldn't think of one reason except my own feeling that would lead me to assume that he was at fault. I wasn't sure if Merlin was being honest but I also had no reason to disbelieve him and something in his eyes made me want to believe him even though a week ago I would have sworn that Merlin was the cause of all of this misfortune.

Jamie nodded. "So have you come up with anything that could save the remaining lives of my men?"

"I said I didn't cause it but I didn't say that it wasn't magic, for that instance you were right Eleanor. It's why I haven't been able to stop it yet. Its powerful magic, and its only purpose is to destroy everything you love." I looked at Merlin and noticed that he wasn't looking at Jamie but at me, "Their must be a very powerful sorcerer or King that wants you, Eleanor." Merlin said solemnly.

Jamie's grip tightened on me.

I turned to Jamie, "You know something about this?"

Jamie sighed. "Yes my dear I did I thought this might be the case when you blamed Merlin but I kept silent because I didn't want to worry you. If this was what I thought it was then we didnt stand a chance."

I hit Jamie's face, "If I knew it might be someone else then we could have enlisted Merlin's help from the beginning and then maybe... just maybe..." my voice trialled off.

Jamie looked at me with an apologetic look on his face, "My love it wasn't like that, my pride got in the way of telling you that the man who might steal you from me wasn't evil. But I never meant for Eirik to be a casualty in this war."

"War, you call this war? This is no war this is a slaughter. I haven't even seen an enemy. If this was war we would be facing our enemy and some of them would be dying to but no this is one sided and this is false and tricky. This is no war." I said tears streaming again down my face.

Jamie pulled me to him but I pushed away form him and demanded while standing up, "Who is behind the death of my son and people?"

Jamie looked up at me.