The following morning I wake up early in reaction to the emerging sunrise, the ground is covered in a mist that makes the countryside and surrounding hills appear quite sinister.
The trees that yesterday were my sanctuary are today my prison.
I thank my lucky stars that I'm still here and in one piece.
I'm pulled from my reverie by the girl, who's fetched my basket of food and milk. We share a small breakfast of Bread, cheese and some rabbit meat that they had caught that morning with a makeshift trap.
"Here" says the old man passing me a sewed together animal skin of some sort, fashioned into a water holder.
I gratefully accept it and take a big swig not realising how thirsty I am, the water running down my chin where I'm not used to the mechanics of the mouthpiece.
"Thank you." I say politely dragging my sleeve over my chin to dry myself.
The cold light of day has made last night feel almost like a dream – or should I say nightmare. I shiver and look over automatically to the spot where the man's body that I killed last night should be, but he's gone.
"I moved him" says the old man, making me jump. "I thought it was best under the circumstances" he muses, and his gaze wonders from me to his family, and back to me again.
"Right, yes." I say calmly surprising myself – since when did I become a cold blooded killer? Since I got hurtled back into time and was attacked by a very sick son of a bitch, I think to myself.
"Have you got somewhere to stay Cassandra? We're making our way back home towards Chichester if you require lodgings?"
"Chichester?" I say thinking of my home city with an instant longing to return there, but I know full well that it won't be the wonderful city that I know and love.
I can't explain it but I have a deep gut feeling that I'm not supposed to leave the castle.
Something is telling me that this place will be my only way back to the 21st century.
"I have somewhere to go, but thank you for your kindness." I smile genuinely.
"I wouldn't feel right about leaving you alone in the forest after last night. At least let us walk with you to your destination. Where is it you're going?"
I realise that I've already made my decision. I turn and point toward the castle.
"That's where I'm going".
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I teach the boy how to play eye spy and we spend the entire journey playing and laughing as he teases me about losing; I can feel my heart becoming lighter and my ominous mood lifting slightly.
I tentatively raise my hand to my face to assess the damage from last night; my eye is swollen and puffy – I would wager I've got a black eye but this family have all been too polite to say anything.
My ear stings and there is dried crusted blood on my cheek but I'll have a long bath when I get back to my room and wash away any traces of that man.
We reach the pathway to the main gate and the family wishes me all the best for the future, thanking me again for all of my help the night before.
"If you ever come our way, do make sure to stop by Cassandra" says the old man. "It would be our pleasure to host you. Just ask for Arthur Ashdown. I'm the local blacksmith –you can't miss my workshop" he smiles at me fondly.
"Thank you, I will." I say making a mental note of his name and wave them off clutching Florence's basket in my arms.
I make my way toward the castle without really thinking of the consequences. When they ask me why I'm still here I will just have to make something up – all I can think about right now is having a scalding bath. I must look a state.
I reach the portcullis and two soldiers approach me making me feel suddenly very nervous – what if they see straight through me?
"What's your business at the castle?"
"Uh...I erm...well actually I am a guest of the Earl. He's expecting me" I bluff hoping they won't check with anyone. He looks me up and down and appears to come to some judgment about me.
"Huh, of course you are. Now off you go, don't go bothering us again" and he moves to push me away.
"What? No I really need to get into the castle. I was here last night for the banquet"
"Were you now? 'cos from where I'm standin' you look and smell as if you slept rough in the woods, haha!" and they both laugh in unison, waving their hands in front of their noses.
"Now I won't ask you again, get out of 'ere."
They turn to walk away but I can let them go, I'm desperate to get back inside and somehow find the way home.
"No please! I really need to get into the castle!"
They turn to look at each other with an air of suspicion, as though they think I'm protesting too much but I hold my ground and stare them down. The more outspoken of the two paces towards me and grabs the basket from my hand.
"What you got in 'ere anyway?" and he starts rifling through the leftover food inside and takes out the bottle that held the milk.
It's empty and I regret not saving some, as I might have been able to use it as some sort of bribe.
"Nothing but leftover food, look I..." I stop talking as we both spot something floating to the floor which had been stuck to the bottle as a result of condensation.
"What's this then?" he asks accusingly.
"Well, I don't know. Let me see" and I try to reach for it but he snatches it out of my grasp.
"I don't think so" he says and starts turning it in his hands. I can see a red wax seal that hasn't been broken and realise it's a letter. But where did it come from? And who put it in there?
Florence put the basket together for me and left it on the bed so maybe it's hers, and she's forgotten she left in there.
He rips open the seal and begins reading silently to himself whilst my mind goes into overtime. What does it say?!
Hi visibly pales and whips his head up to me in shock. I'm about to ask what it says when he grabs my arm and starts pulling me toward the castle grasping the letter in his other hand.
"You're coming with me. Move!" he shouts angrily and I trail along after him trying to figure out exactly what is going on.
"What is it?! What did it say?!" I shout at him looking imploringly to the other soldier, but he looks as confused as I do and decides not to follow us.
"Please tell me! Where are you taking me?" but he doesn't respond to me and before I know it he's throwing me into a small barred cell and throwing the gate closed, locking it behind me.
"What's happening?! Please! What's going on?!" I scream but he looks at me and sneers in disgust.
He presses his face right up against the bars and spits at me, I recoil in shock and back away not knowing how to process the situation.
"You'll get what's coming to you bitch! You think you can pass information to the Welsh and get away with it?"
"What? I don't know what you're talking about! Please just get the Earl – he saw me last night and can vouch for me."
"The Earl left this morning on royal business so you're shit outta luck aren't you? Lady Alice will deal with you, traitor."
"Wait! No please, I'm not who you think I am! I don't even know what that letter said or how it got into the basket. You have to believe me!"
"A spy would say that." He mouths menacingly and walks out leaving me reeling.
God what an absolute disaster this whole time travelling thing has been from start to finish.
First I'm publicly ridiculed, then attacked twice and now imprisoned for being a spy. Things could not be any worse for me - How am I going to get out of this?
I imagine Lady Alice being my judge and feel sick to the stomach. Surely she will be fair when I explain what's happened and how I know nothing, won't she?
I slump down to the floor in exhaustion and defeat, great heaving sobs come pouring out of me and I shake with the force of them.
I'm alone, cold, hungry and in all likelihood going to die by Lady Alice's hand. How did this happen?
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It's some time later when I stop crying, more out of dehydration than feeling any better.
No one has brought me anything to eat or even a drink of water to tide me over, and my stomach aches with hunger.
It's dark outside, so I know I must have been in here for at least 10 hours judging by how early I got here this morning; my throat is raw from shouting for help and my feet and hands are frozen blocks of ice.
I massage them trying to rub some life back into them but they remain numb, as does my heart.
I'm so scared and feel so alone in all of this. What did that letter say? Any why does he think I wrote it?
Was it Florence's letter? I can't imagine her being a spy though – she so friendly and approachable. But then I guess that a spy would make themselves appear that way to blend in.
I don't even know what to think anymore.
What happens when Maxwell comes back? Will he release me? Will I even be alive at that point? Did he mean anything he said when he confessed to having feelings for me?
So many unanswered questions fly around inside my head and I feel exhausted from the nervous energy pulsing through me.
I feel my eyes beginning to close and my body giving up for the day when I'm jolted awake by a glass of water and tray of food being thrown into the cell by a faceless figure.
I dart across the cell to the door and gulp down the water, refreshing myself. I don't even care if it has poison in at this moment – all I care about is how thirsty I am. I begin tearing into the homemade broth and fresh bread ravenously and it's not long before it's all gone and I'm hungry for more.
I look around the cell and try to think of ways to escape but it's hopeless. The bars on the window are huge and unmoving; I know that I must be on an underground level because I see feet occasionally walking past in the distance.
I walk up and down the cell trying to compose myself and not let the panic and dread overtake me.
It's freezing cold so I crawl into the most concealed corner and wrap myself up in the fur shawl I thankfully still have. I'm exhausted and it's not long before sleep takes me.