"Double Edge" by Sabrina E G Withers

"Hey, I think I've found something!" The shout caused a stir all around the dig. Scrambling over the broken walls and along planks laid down to protect the soil beneath, Alex rushed towards the call. The ground was littered with trowels and brushes where volunteers had laid them out ready for their turn at the site. He knocked a make shift sieve into one of the trenches in his hurry to get past. Understanding his enthusiasm the student within frowned at him good-naturedly. Alex tried to slow his momentum before he reached the source of the call in an effort to seem more professional. Wiping the dust from his hands in a rough motion against his equally dusty trousers, he stepped up into the spiral staircase that made up the darkest part of the dig. The girl, who had made the call, smiled up at him warmly but for the life of him he could not remember her name.

"What have you found?" He asked, trying to sound like it was of no consequence. The girl motioned to the object lying on the stone steps. Leaning down, Alex took the blackened metal in his hand. From the shape and length of it he would have said it was a type of sword. The condition, except for the darkness of the blade, was near perfect considering the damage that should have affected it during its sojourn in the earth. The handle itself still had soft leather wrapped around it. He was just about to ask he how she could have found such a piece, everywhere else they had only located chips of pottery and bone, when something caught his eye.

"There's writing on the blade." He said in amazement. He lifted it gently and, getting to his feet, angled it to catch the light from an arrow slit in the stairwell. He could hardly make out the words that were written, etched into the blade by some unknown hand.

"No son of Whear, nor father of Ranor will have lives of plenty. Battle comes and we are caught unaware. That is just the oddest thing." He said fascinated by the blade. He looked up just in time to see a small youth, of androgynous looks, head straight for him down the steps wielding a wooden sword. Surprised, he lost his balance and fell backwards into the great hall. A part of his mind wondered where the youth could have come from, there was no second floor, while another promptly informed him that he had landed on straw and not the digging tools he had expected. The youth stopped at the foot of the stairs but did not seem to notice him. A mop of pale blond curls topped the youth's head, falling down over pale blue eyes. A loose fitting white shirt, held at the waist by an ornate belt, hung over pale brown leggings. Seeming to spot someone in the distance, the youth started to prowl carefully round the edge of the wall. Alex stretched out his left hand feeling the prick of the straw with some confusion. His other hand however still held the blackened sword. Turning around slowly, still half sitting on the floor, his eyes swept the great hall. His expression turned to one of great surprise when he saw the banquet table laden with all sorts of food, a large ornate cloth covered it and reached to the floor. Sitting behind the table were several nobles and knights in hushed conversation.

"Got you uncle." A young voice cried in triumph and Alex turned to see the youth holding its sword to a young man's chest. The uncle was looking amused and raised his hands in defeat but Alex was sure he saw a dangerous glint in them. His piercing dark eyes seemed to take in every detail around him as only a predator could. Alex shuddered involuntarily and decided it was perhaps time to get to his feet. The youth now ran behind the table until it reached the one lady seated there. She took the youth in her arms protectively and it was only as she adjusted the shirt to remain closed that Alex realised that the youth was female. Another equally blond youth, almost the spitting image of the first, appeared at the lady's side but this one was more obviously female. She wore a dress, of a more practical cut than that of the older lady whom Alex assumed must be their mother. Alex wondered briefly who they all were and how he came to see them, when a strange shiver ran up his back.

"I see you." A voice whispered briefly and Alex jumped in surprise as an old woman moved passed him towards the table. She did not look at him at all as she walked across the hall to the table. Shaking his head, Alex was certain she must have been referring to someone other than he for no one else had acknowledged his presence. Now, if only he could work out how he had arrived there and why, then he could happily watch this scene of day to day life.

"All the plans are in place your Lordship." A rough voice said from where the uncle had been standing. A quick glance towards it made Alex aware of the guard in close conversation with the young lord.

"And those not loyal to us?" The Lord asked out of the corner of his mouth, trying not to let the sound carry. The guard gave a smile that chilled Alex to the core.

"They won't know what happened. Half of them are still asleep and none are prepared for an attack."

"For your sake I hope you are right for you will not long survive if not." The guard bowed slightly to him before making his way from the great hall. Something within Alex, maybe some deep-seated curiosity he was not sure, made him follow the guard. Opening a small door, the guard stepped into a courtyard where several knights were resting. Many of them were curled up on travel rolls, their weapons discarded by their sides. The door swung shut behind Alex with a slow thud. Gazing at it, he wondered if he could just walk straight through it like a ghost but decided not to try unless he had to, the thought of doing so churning his stomach. He watched the guard he had followed stride across the yard and up to the large gates that were the only break in the wall. As the guard started to open the gates slowly, something within Alex rebelled. An image of the family within flickered through his mind and impulsively he reached for something to throw. His hand moved to his belt and with a small smile he closed it over the trowel that was still stuck there despite his mad dash earlier. Time slowed as he removed the trowel and threw it across the yard above the heads of the sleeping men. The guard stepped aside to let the first man in just as the trowel clattered to the ground awakening the men below. Alex had just enough time to wonder why he had thought that the trowel would work when all hell broke loose. Shaking off their sleep the men on the ground reached for their weapons and rushed to hinder the flow of men at the gates. Simultaneously a large bang filled the air and a hail of shrapnel showered the courtyard. The bang however was not loud enough to drown out the scream that came from the great hall. Even before he could think about it Alex had moved through the wooden door, his body as insubstantial as a ghost.

The hall seemed empty and for a few moments Alex thought he had imagined the whole event and now found himself back at the dig. This feeling passed when he noticed the trails of blood mixed into the straw.

"You are back then." A voice said quietly and Alex turned to see the old lady crouched by the stairs looking directly at him. He firmly gripped the sword in his hand and nervously stepped towards her. She smiled sadly and rose to her feet and walked passed him towards the large table. Lifting a corner of the cloth, she peered underneath.

"So this is where you were hiding. It is all right, they have gone now, you can come out." Slowly, as if wary of a trap, two small heads with crowns of golden hair appeared, wide eyes taking in the details of the room. Stepping clear, the two sisters watched the lady warily. Alex noticed how the trousered daughter seemed to stand protectively in front of her sibling. Sighing, the woman glanced around the room her eyes briefly resting on Alex.

"You may as well come with me." The lady said gently and Alex could not work out if she spoke to him or the two frightened children. Determined however to see them safe, Alex came to stand by them, sword at the ready. The old lady walked before them to the small door on the far side of the room well away from the sounds of fighting behind them. The door led into a long orchard and Alex was surprised to see several people lounging on the grass along the path that flowed between the trees. He relaxed when he saw the children's parents seated together, holding each other in comfort. The children and the woman however seemed not to see them as they walked down the path. A chill filled him as one moment the sisters' father was seated and the next he stood by his side. A large gash rent him from hip to shoulder and blood soaked his tunic.

"Protect them." He pleaded, his eyes on Alex who took a step back only to find their mother was in his way.

"Protect them." She whispered, reaching a hand to his face. He felt the ghostly hand on his cheek briefly before they moved through him as if he was not there.

"Stay behind me children!" He heard the old woman cry and he turned from the visions of the dead to see the uncle advancing on the children, his eyes promising murder. No longer caring how or why he had ended up in this place, Alex roared out in anger.

"You will not touch them." He shouted as he leapt passed them and caught the uncle's blade on his own. The black metal shone deadly in the light of the sun and blinded the uncle who had not known he was there to intervene.

***

A loud hollow metallic sound rang through the hall as the black sword fell to the floor by the stairs. The girl who had called him over to see the find looked around the dig with a smile. Not one of the other volunteers had seen what had happened and none of them would realise for quite some while that Alex was gone, never to return. She picked up the sword, carefully not glancing at the words scrawled on the blade. With a touch of her hand, a section of the stairs opened and she slipped the sword into the darkness within.

"Another mission accomplished." She stated satisfied. "Time's choices are a double-edged sword. No matter which side you choose it will mark you. Enjoy your past Alex."