As I did as Duke said, I opened my eyes to what I thought was my family's farm. It wasn't until I looked closer, that I noticed the changes. First it was the house; The color was off.Then it was the flowers pots; They were missing off the porch. Next the swing missing from the tree, and lastly the color of the barn beside the house was wrong too. As I was getting my bearings, I felt the connection from Duke once again.
"Where are we?" asked Duke. He began to swing his large head back and forth as he spoke, "Aren't we going back to the palace?" I could tell he was getting frustrated with me, and was walking away back towards what could only be the direction of the palace.
Pouting and whining, 'I want to go home. My home is in Kansas, not here. Why didn't it work. That isn't fair.'
"Well, Ran. Until you figure out how to do that, can we try to make it back to the palace. I am hungry, and I can hear that you are too. Now as much as I would like to get James back, you are going to have to do this, and blink us back to the palace. I will help this time."
All of a sudden, an image flashed in my mind. I am walking down a long hall to a door with a familiar crest on it. I have seen this before, but I don't remember where. As I walk in, I do as Duke instructs, and blink like I did before.
I open my eyes to a beautiful palace with banners of blue, purple, and silver hanging high above the gates. I see the a crest on the outer gates. It was different from what I remembered. Duke walked me in thru the large outter gate. " Finally, now can you take me to the stables, please. I am hungry. "
'Um, Duke, where is that?' I thought.
"Ppfftt," with a sudden movement, Duke walks to the west side of the keep. As we move, I see stalls of different wares being made and sold. There was everything from fresh bread to clothes. Some where shouting to get your attention, and others quietly negotiating price. There were all kinds of people walking around. We past another gate, it looked smaller. Men in medieval armor, standing by even larger animals than Duke like statues. Some carrying large battlements as going to war. As I kept watching, I noticed that there were two different kinds of men keeping watch, "It looks like we maybe going to war soon, if you don't marry the wretch of a woman they call a queen." I casually hear.
'What do you mean? Are we at war with someone?'
"I don't know much, but from what James was talking about, yes we could be soon. I think he was talking about it with Kim last time, but I can't be sure."
I kept looking around as we walked until we came to what looked like Dad's old leanto. In it, I could see two stalls, and one had the brown poney with the white mane in it. We slowed down, as we came closer to it. Finally out came Kim from the other side of the poney with what look like some funny brush. He walks out to us, and takes Duke's reigns.
He looks up at me saying, "I figured you would blink yourself here. Now come on down from there, and blink yourself in your room before Queen Celeste finds out that you have left again."
Looking down to him, I saw the hurt he was hiding in his eyes as he spoke. "The banquet is going to start soon. You need to hurry and be ready."
He quickly looked away as Duke bowed down one more time to let me down. As I did, I could feel a hand at my waist guiding me down. The softness was both a surprise and arousing at the same time. I stared into Kim's eyes when the voice of the whisper changed.
"We can't go to war, James. We can't afford it. Please go get ready, I will be there as soon as I get Duke settled. " Kim moved his head in approving gesture.
Duke turned his huge head back to me, shaking it as in he is right. " Ok." I said giving a heavy sigh. I could feel the images once again come as before from Duke.
Suddenly an image flashes in my mind, I let it take effect and I blink. I open my eyes to a grand room. There were four large white pillars, two on each side of what looked like a hallway, but it was too square to be one. Crown molding painted in gold, decorated the ceiling with the center piece recessed in. In the middle of that is a large chandelier with thousands of twinkling lights casting rainbow colors around the room. On each wall is an ornamental door covered in different scenery of color. Beside each door is torch that egnighted as soon as I entered the room. Each door has a scripted letter on it with a picture under the letter. After examining the doors, I choose the one with a good sized script 'C' and a picture of a coat and hat on the front of it.
As I open it, and walked in. A torch suddenly lights, and there are rows and rows of what looks like fancy clothes that I was seeing at the renfest last year in Bonner Springs. I remembered walking down the stalls and looking through the rows and rows of period clothes. Walking down the rows this time was a since of deja vu, until I found one that looked familiar. It was a dark blue coat, pants, and vest with silver shirt and shoes. I remember seeing this at the fair and wanting to buy it, but I didn't have enough money for it.
I reached for the outfit when it suddenly lifted itself up and floated towards the door. I followed quietly behind it, opened the door, and watched it go to another door across the hall. This one had a scripted "B" on it with what looked like a picture of a bed on it. I opened the door, and followed the outfit into the room. I stretch out my arms to reach for it when the clothes I had on removed themselves from me. Then just as quickly, the outfit put itself on. In shock, a mirror floated in front of me, showing the reflection of some one else. I looked the person up and down. 'So this is what people see.'
"Hello, James. "