CHAPTER 10
MEDIEVAL WORLD – SATURDAY NIGHT
To the relief of the three weary travelers, Queen Laurie was not at home in her castle when they arrived, so (for the moment) no explanation was necessary. The knights did enquire further about how the Queen wound up in the forest, but as the Queen, she was able to order them not to enquire any more. She said that they all needed their rests, and if it pleased her, she would explain in the morning. The knights bowed repeatedly and finally left. Red Laurie* changed into something more comfortable to sleep in, and Regan also found something in the closet. Laurie ordered that some warm men’s clothes be brought for Tyler, and that a place be found for him to sleep. Part of her wanted to have Tyler sleep in the same room as her and Regan, but even though the intent was purely innocuous, she didn’t want to run the risk of scandal on this world. She could already get in enough trouble if her dopple found her here in the first place.
*(By the way, when I say “Red Laurie,” I hope you don’t confuse her with “Red Sonja.” Nor do I want to imply that her hair is red. She’s a blonde, just like her dopples. The red just refers to her outfit. All clear? Very good. Moving on, then.)
The castle, though built in this alternate version of Chicago, had all the grandeur and majesty of a castle in Europe. The Queen’s bedroom was quite large, naturally, and her bed was – of course – queen size. There would be plenty of room for her and Regan to crash there for the night.
Red Laurie took in a deep breath. “I have to admit, I really like the job they did on this place,” she commented. “This feels just like the castles I visited overseas.”
“Oh, wow!” Regan exclaimed. “You toured Europe?”
“Sure did,” replied Red Laurie. Then her smile faded a bit. “That was a long time ago. I was a different person back then.”
As Regan climbed into bed, she said, “So how did you know how to talk to the knights in the fancy old-fashioned English? Is that something that you got from your military training?”
“No, silly!” Red Laurie turned to face Regan. “I got it from reading fantasy novels. We have those on our world, too, you know.”
Regan smiled. “Well, I’m glad you’re here then. I never got into those. Too busy reading technical manuals.” She put her glasses on the nightstand.
Red Laurie climbed on the other side of the bed. “Well, it’s good that you’re here, too. When we get a chance, you’re going to have to look at that suit and see if we can jump out of this dimension.”
“Do we still even have the coordinates for your home world?”
“I think so. But – I am so sorry about this, but – I really don’t know if your home world’s coordinates are there. So many things could be wrong since we got split up.”
“All right. Let’s not worry about it for now. We’ll figure it out in the morning.”
“Good thinking. . . . There’s one other thing I’ll say. This is just like the castles on our home world. In other words, it’s freezing! I’m glad we have lots of blankets. I sure hope Tyler is doing OK.”
“Me too. Well, goodnight, Laurie.”
“’Nite, Regan.”
CHAPTER 11
In the morning, Queen Laurie arrived at the castle, having been delayed the night before by bad weather while visiting her sister. When she arrived, she was quite astounded to find out that, well, she was already there.
She demanded that she be brought to her quarters at once. Sir Phillips and Sir Quinton were the guards that escorted her there. Upon seeing a stranger in her bedroom (Regan), she was all the more confused and enraged. Regan had a look of absolute horror on her face. Then, Red Laurie came out of the bathroom (sadly, this world was still also very much like the medieval world in terms of its plumbing as well. So washing up had been quite a chore). She was still wearing the gown from the night before.
Queen Laurie governed her subjects very well, but I’m afraid that you will not get to see her at her best in this story. She was very alarmed and afraid at seeing an exact lookalike walking around, as you and I would be. So she was about to issue forth a litany of royal clichés like “Who dares to impersonate me?” and “Guards! Seize her!”
But all her words died on her lips, as Red Laurie looked at her dopple, calmly and without any fear, and said, “Your Majesty. It does my heart well to see that thou hast arrived.”
Queen Laurie, thrown that Red Laurie neither cowered in fear nor attempted any acts of evil against her, but addressed her as an equal, said, “How – Who - ?”
“We are twain, you and I,” Red Laurie said. “I am thou, and thou are the same as me. Not a lookalike relative, nor someone in disguise who seeks your harm. We are both equal in every respect.”
“Impossible!” Queen Laurie managed to blurt out. “Guards . . .”
“Did you used to be afraid of peanut butter?” Red Laurie quickly said, cutting her off.
Queen Laurie’s face turned pale. “How did you . . .”
“Because I had the same phobia as a child. I was afraid that the peanut butter would be stuck to the roof of my mouth forever, so I always refused it. But I was too embarrassed to tell anyone the reason for my rejection of the food.” Red Laurie leaned forward and added, in an almost conspiratorial whisper, “This is something that only I would know – and, therefore, something only you would know.”
Sir Phillips leaned over to Sir Quinton and said quietly, “What’s a ‘phobia’?” Sir Quinton just shrugged.
Queen Laurie wanted to regain control of the situation, but she was losing rapidly. “This must be some form of witchcraft!” she finally shrieked.
“It is,” Red Laurie said, again not even flinching. “But the witchcraft is not mine. Rather, I am the victim of it. I required the aid of your good knights last evening to help me after a spell stranded myself and my fellow lords here in this realm. I ask nothing of you, except that we be allowed to leave in peace, and to travel this area as we look for one who can reverse the spell.”
Queen Laurie opened her mouth a few times as if to say something, then finally said, “Your request is granted.”
Now, at last, Red Laurie curtsied. Then she took off the robe and laid it on the bed, revealing her plain white tee and shorts underneath.
“What are you doing?” Queen Laurie asked.
“My lady, I have already imposed on you too much,” Red Laurie told her. “I must wear the pauper’s clothes that the witch left me with.”
“Nonsense!” Queen Laurie cried. “Thou – that is, I – shall not roam the countryside dressed as a simple beggar! You and your companions shall have all the best clothes. And we shall send you with provisions for your journey.” She clapped her hands. “Guards! Fetch me my servant girls.”
The two knights promptly left the room.
Queen Laurie circled her dopple in amazement, still not fully able to grasp what she was seeing. “The wonder . . . !” was all she could say. She reached out her hand tentatively to touch her dopple, then pulled her hand back in fear, as something might happen to her. Red Laurie gently grabbed her hand and put it on her shoulder to show that it was okay. She smiled. Then Queen Laurie smiled.
Meanwhile, Regan, who had become virtually unnoticed in the back, also smiled. Then she let out a big sigh of relief.