Back In Time

He wanted to discover more about himself. Or at least that had been his excuse when he was asked why he was going on this strange trip. Surprisingly they had backed off then nodding and conceding to let him go. It had been a lie though, it wasn’t self discovery he craved but rather the adventure of this trip.

He smiled at the people around him before he gave one last wave and twisted the decorative bracelet on his wrist. He’d discovered it a few years before and something about the ring of gold had caught his attention. It was made of three strands of slightly different shades that twisted together to make the bracelet. There were little symbols carved into the gold and it was these that he had been studying. His conclusion, the bracelet would allow him to travel in time. As he twisted in he pressed down hard on two of the symbols and then he was gone. Vanished into the past.

The man stumbled as his feet his the ground again. He released his hold on the bracelet as he straightened to study his surrounds. As he did so he saw people around him and froze. The scene went on for a moment. Him frozen in horror and them frozen in shock at his sudden appearance. Then everyone was moving at once. Two men dressed as guards rushed forwards and restrained him while everyone else fled the scene.

He struggled as the guards marched him away but soon gave up realising he wouldn’t escape their grasp. They threw him unceremoniously into a cell and left, leaving him alone, lying on the cold stone floor. He climbed to his feet and considered jumping time to get away before he stopped himself. He had wanted an adventure and now he was getting it. All he had to do was figure a way out of his situation. How did one explain appearing from nowhere in strange clothing? He sighed and started to think on the problem.

Somewhere along the line he had started pacing in his cells as he tried to think of a solution. None had been forthcoming and the problem was starting to bug him and so the pacing had started. When the lord had arrived that was how he found him. Restlessly pacing the cell and so lost in thought he didn’t notice the lord. The man decided to wait until he was noticed standing patiently outside the cell.

When the lord was noticed he was surprised by the words directed at him. The pacing man looked up and caught sight him and rather than grovel or plead he just looked at him curiously. Finally he spoke, “hello,” he said simply. “May I inquirer your name?”

The lord’s eyes narrowed as he tried to detect any hint of mockery. No, it appeared this man had no clue what so ever who he was. “Lord Argocont,” he replied. The man just nodded, no bow or gesture of respect was offered just a simple nod. A nod of greeting from a captive to his jailer, the lord was even more confused now. “And you’re enjoying my hospitality currently so I would also like a name.”

The man nodded again as if that made sense to him and walked to the bars. He folded his arms and rested them on the bars of his cells and nodded to the lord. “Richmond,” he stated. Just one word, his name. Nothing more, no title. Then he flashed a half-smile, “Jordan Richmond.” Ah, a second name. A noble then or something else.

“I can’t say I’ve heard of the Richmond family,” the lord said curiously.

The man didn’t even flinch at the accusation in the words. He just shrugged as if it were to be expected, “none the less it is my name.” The lord glared at him in annoyance and found himself met by an unflinching gaze. The name told him nothing, he still had no idea who or what this man was.

“You arrived from nowhere,” Lord Argocont said simply. In a desperate hope to get some answer that made sense.

“I must have arrived from somewhere,” the man replied easily. “I can’t have come from nowhere because then I’d never have existed before. Therefore I wouldn’t have arrived I’d have burst into creation. Therefore a more accurate statement would be that I arrived from somewhere.” The lord could hear a smile in the man’s voice as he spoke almost as if the situation was amusing him.

“Well I’ll just have to make sure you arrive nowhere else by keeping you locked in there until you decide to cooperate.” Argocont replied his lips curling cruelly as he spoke.

The man looked at him still looking remarkably relaxed. “What makes you think I couldn’t get out if I wanted to?” He asked. The lord glared at the man before he turned and walked away pretending to ignore the words called after him, “set a place for me at your table lord. I’ll be joining you for dinner.”

The man was back to pacing his cell. Well at least he knew who had him locked in the cell now. He guessed he probably shouldn’t have antagonized the lord but he’d been unable to come up with a plan so he’d fallen back on picking the questions he was asked apart rather than answering them. He sighed and reached for the bracelet on his wrist, a press and a twist and he was gone through the time. He landed slightly better this time catching himself before he stumbled. He removed his hand from the bracelet revealing the tiny etched symbol of a piece of food he had pressed down. It made him land next to the closest food in the area when he travelled in time.

He looked around and saw he wasn’t far from the kitchen. From there it was a case of waiting until a servant collected Argocont’s food and then followed them to the lord’s room. He waited outside for a moment before he approached the door pushing it open and striding through.

The lord was waiting for his food. His prisoner had yet to appear and he smiled to himself as the food arrived. It would appear the threat to escape had been completely unfounded. He sighed pushing thoughts of the strange man as he started to eat. Just then the doors swung upon and the lord’s head snapped up to focus on the intruder. His prisoner walked into the room as if he wasn’t walking into his jailer after escaping from his cell. The man sat down opposite the lord and picked up a piece of food eating it with a smirk. Argocont glared at him and the man just shrugged, “I told you to set me a place.”

A response to the weekly writing challenge: Digging for Roots

Want to know what happens to our time traveller next? The next part of this story will appear in a months time. He will be moving on to a new time though and you help decide. Vote in the comments should he: