GA Writing Prompts - 45. # 285 The Gate

The Gate

My uncle had died two weeks ago and I was in charge of selling his house. I wished I could get away from the task. I had spent the Saturday morning investigating the empty house and I was on my way to the parking lot when I ran into a guy who was dressed all in white, with a rabbit design on his tee shirt that read Never late so always on time. I watched the guy dash down the street and vanish into a store called The Looking Glass. I followed him out of curiosity. I slipped as I crossed the threshold of the shop and when I stood up, I found myself in front of a mirror.

I saw a man in the mirror, but the man was not me. I was wondering if I had a hallucination. The man in the mirror was gazing at me. He was dressed in a long woollen robe.

"Hey," I said.

"My greetings to you," the man replied and bowed to me. "My name is Alban Gregorius. I welcome you to King Thelbert’s realm. We have long been awaiting you, Prince Elisar."

Surely, there was something wrong and I’d better run. I had just finished the thought when the man spoke again.

"It seems I frightened you," he said. "Did you not look for the gate, Prince Elisar? Did you maybe stumble accidentally across it?"

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"The mark," Alban Gregorius said and placed a finger on his cheek. "That’s how I recognized you, Prince Elisar. You wear the mark of the kings."

I touched the birthmark on my cheek. "Which kings?" I asked in bewilderment.

Alban Gregorius cast me a meaningful look. "You don’t remember, do you? You’re King Thelbert’s son. You were abducted when you were only one year old. Nobody knew where you were taken to, but the seer said that you would ultimately return to seize the crown from the hands of your father. The seer said you would step through the gate that once had been erected in the land of mist. We have been protecting the gate ever since those words were spoken and we were watching out for you. The day has finally come, Prince Elisar. Again, I welcome you," he said.

I didn’t believe my ears. Was I hallucinating or dreaming?

Alban Gregorius watched me quietly. "You look shocked, Prince Elisar. I understand it’s hard to grasp. You were abducted as a very young child. Naturally, you don’t remember the palace nor your father the king and your mother, the queen. You need to adjust to the situation. Come now, Prince Elisar, I will show you to your father’s place. King Thelbert will rejoice at the return of his son. Follow me, please."

He made an inviting gesture with his hand and looked at me expectantly, but I hesitated and closed my eyes. And then everything happened quickly. Alban seized my wrist and pulled me into the mirror. I stumbled and then I stood in shock. We were surrounded by mist. Alban looked at me calmly and made a gesture with his hand. He turned around and walked into the mist.

"Wait," I called out and followed him.

Alban turned his head and smiled at me. "Don’t worry, Prince Elisar. We will have left the land of mist very soon."

The mist cleared away after a two hours walk.

"We’ll reach a village at dusk, if we walk on steadily," Alban said. "There we will get horses. I trust you know how to ride?"

"I took lessons, but I fear I’m not a good rider," I said. "My name is Matt, by the way. Matt Johnson."

Alban gave me a surprised look. "You’ll need to learn how to ride, Prince Elisar, and you must forget the false name. Your true name is Elisar. You’re the son of King Thelbert and his wife Agnetha. The people who raised you are not your parents and you will not see them again."

"What?" I exclaimed. "I need to go back very soon, else they will report me missing. I’m certain they have not abducted me. I’m their biological child. I’ve seen my birth certificate."

Alban gave me a confused look. "I’m afraid I do not understand your words. It seems you speak some kind of an accent," he said.

"My mother is Elizabeth Johnson and my father is Robert Johnson. They married twenty-five years ago. Elizabeth Johnson gave birth to me," I said in an agitated voice.

"That’s what they have told you. Calm, Prince Elisar," Alban said in a soft voice. "You’ll understand when you see your father. You look just like him."

Alban walked on and I followed him. We reached the village at dusk. Alban talked to a man and showed him the king’s seal. The man hurried away and soon returned with two horses, a brown mare and a black stallion.

"You’ll ride the stallion," Alban said. "It fits your rank more, Prince Elisar."

"Night is falling," I said. "We cannot ride in the darkness."

"We can," Alban replied. "The moon is full and sheds sufficient light. The road we must take is broad. The earlier we arrive, the better."

We mounted the horses. I seized the reins, happy I had taken riding lessons during my last vacation in France. It showed soon, however, that I was not a good rider. Alban had an understanding and we dismounted at the edge of a wood.

"It’s a pity, but we better stay here for the night," he said in a resigned voice. "The night is warm and the place is safe. At least I have not heard of villains roaming this wood."

"Villains?" I asked.

"Brigands," Alban said curtly.

He placed his saddlecloth on the ground and lay down on it. I followed his example. I looked up at the nightly sky. It looked familiar with the moon and the stars.

"Alban?" I asked in a low voice.

The man did not respond. Alban had already fallen asleep. I was wondering what had happened. Time travel perhaps. Would I be able to find my back home? I was deeply worried. Finally, however, I fell asleep.

Alban woke me in the morning.

"I want to go home," I said tiredly.

"That’s where we are going," Alban said kindly.

"I mean I want to return to the place where it all began. My uncle...," I started, then stopped.

Alban smiled. "So you do remember, Prince Elisar?" he asked. "It's an almost wonder…"

"Certainly I do," I interrupted him. "Not much time has passed. Don’t try to cheat me into believing that decades have gone by." I shot Alban a dark look.

"No, no. Calm, Prince Elisar, Matt, if you prefer. It was all too much for you, I can see this now," Alban said. "Your uncle’s house is empty meanwhile. Your uncle died some time ago."

"Right," I said, sitting up.

Alban smiled at me warmly. "How did you learn of his death?" he asked curiously.

I didn't reply. "I saw him often when I was a child. I loved him dearly," I said instead.

Alban nodded. "He said he loved you also, Prince Elisar. He left his house to you."

"It’s old. It needs mending," I said.

"Certainly," Alban said with a smile "You won’t relinquish the inheritance?"

"No, I won’t," I said firmly. I had just decided to keep the house.

"A wise decision, my prince. How about we move on now? It’s usually a three-hours ride, but we need to ride slowly. However, I’m certain we can make it in four hours, perhaps four and a half," he said with an encouraging smile.

"I can’t recall the past events," I said slowly. "I must have been in a trancelike state or so. It seems to me I walked into a mirror and then all I saw was mist. I'm having a headache."

"That’s quite correct," Alban said, "Although it was not a mirror where I met you, but a gate that is formed by the branches of two trees. Mist was hovering heavily."

"Right," I said. "I remember the mist."

"It has cleared away," Alban said.

He reached out and touched my forehead. I felt instantly better.

"Headaches always make me feel dizzy," I said. "I was thinking of seeing a healer. An alternative approach might help me. I’m not sure."

Alban nodded seriously. "You must see Brother Berengar. He’s famous for his skills."

"Brother Berengar?" I asked curiously.

"We were in the same cloister," Alban replied.

I nodded. Things were finally clearing up. No time travel. The man was a monk who had left his cloister.

"All right," I said, rising to my feet. "We can go now." I looked at the horses and turned to Alban. "Why the hell do we ride? We could have taken my car."

"I don’t think a cart is a suitable means of transportation for a prince," Alban replied and seized the reins of his horse.

I gave him a questioning look, but Alban didn't say any more. We mounted our horses and Alban pointed ahead.

"The city is south of here," he said.

I nodded. This was quite right. My uncle’s house was located in the northern outskirts of the town. I wondered what people would think when they saw me on horseback and in company of a monk, but then I shrugged the Thought off. People were usually occupied with their own affairs. They would not pay much attention.

We rode on. I was wondering why the road was empty, but then I recalled that I had visited my uncle's house on Saturday. It was early Sunday morning now. Most people were probably still asleep. I looked at my watch furtively. It was a quarter past six in the morning.

The sun rose higher and the day grew hot. I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Alban made a gesture with his hand and dismounted his horse. I followed his example. We sat down near a brook and Alban filled a mug with water and handed it to me. I thankfully emptied the mug.

We stayed for a while and then rode on and finally reached the city. High stone walls protected it and there was only one entrance. Watchmen guarded the gate. I looked at the scenery and the truth hit me hard. I had not been in a trancelike state nor had I had a dream. I had entered an unknown medieval land. Time travel was the only plausible explanation. I seized the reins of my horse tighter.

We reached the gate and the watchmen let us pass. White and gray stone houses seamed a cobbled street that was dirty and narrow. The people were dressed in medieval clothes, the men in tunics, knee-breeches and stockings, the women in long dresses and bonnets.

We reached a big yard and rode towards a gate at its end. It was also protected by watchmen. Alban talked with them. The men let us pass.

A thought occurred to me. "I’m having a question," I said.

Alban turned to me. "Yes, Prince Elisar?"

"Why do I understand every word you say?" I asked.

Alban gave me a thoughtful look and scratched his head. "Now that you mention it, it deems me odd also," he said. "Since you were not raised at court, it would be more likely you spoke a different language. Who taught you the royal language of Camden, Prince Elisar?"

"Well, it’s the language all people speak in my country," I said.

"Very odd," Alban replied. He was thinking for a while and then his face brightened up. "There is only one other place where the ancient language is still spoken, the princedom of Norwich. The small country preserved independence. It was assigned to the younger brother of the king’s great-grandfather. The man was a rebel. He had the royal language of Camden taught to all people. It was considered an affront and it is still considered one. So you came from Norwich, Prince Elisar?"

"Norwich," I said with surprise. "In fact, my parents come from this place."

Alban gave me a triumphant smile. "Prince Elisar, I suspect that this will lead us to the traitor."

"The traitor?" I asked.

"The man who abducted you when you were a young child. He took you to a foster family in Norwich. It should not be too difficult to find them," Alban said.

We rode on until we reached another gate. It was also protected by watchmen, but the men looked less mundane than the previous men. Their uniforms were colourful and made of a noble fabric. The opened the gate and we entered a beautiful garden. The green lawn was trimmed, bushes and shady trees seamed the path, and flowers grew everywhere. I inhaled deeply. A flowery scent filled the air.

We reached a mansion, several floors high with many towers and windows. The walls were painted white, the shutters and doors were blue, and the roof was of a soft orange-red colour. People hastened here and there, carrying baskets and all sorts of things. The royal palace, I realized. I looked at the building in amazement.

We dismounted and approached the entrance. The watchman cast me a doubtful look, but then opened the door and let us in. We entered a splendid hall. The floors and the walls were made of white marble and decorated with delicate arrases. Rose petals covered the floor. Alban moved on and I hastened to catch up with him.

We reached the door to a second hall. An old man stopped us and gave us a dignified look. He turned to Alban and they talked at some length. Finally, the old man stepped forward. He took a close look at my birthmark. He nodded solemnly and then made a step back.

"Wait here. I will instantly inform the king and the queen," he said.

Alban gave a nod and the man left through the door.

"Do not speak up unless you are asked a question," Alban said seriously. "Don’t feel offended by this, Prince Elisar. As soon as the king has identified you as his son and the righteous heir to the throne, this rule will not apply to you any longer."

I refrained from answering. The king would not recognize me as I was not his son, but Alban apparently preferred to ignore the truth.

The old man came back. "You are summoned to meet the king and the queen," he said with a faint nod in my direction.

We entered the hall. A man and a woman were sitting on thrones. Alban moved towards them and I followed him, my eyes fixed on the couple. We stopped about ten metres from them. The king and the queen stared at me and I stared back at them.

"Why is he dressed so odd?" the king asked Alban.

"He was raised in a foster family in Norwich," Alban said.

The king nodded slowly. "In fact, Norwich is different from the rest of the world. The princedom is a sovereign state."

The king looked at me and then rose to his feet and approached me. I was stunned when I saw the man more clearly. The king resembled my father, the same eyes and lips, the same hair and features. The king studied my face and had a look at my birthmark. He nodded thoughtfully.

"The resemblance is striking," he said.

He made a gesture with his hand and a curtain was drawn aside. I saw a painting that showed a young man dressed in elegant velvet clothes and with a red velvet cap. I swallowed. The man looked like me.

"King Thelbert as a young man," Alban explained. "You see the resemblance is striking."

I didn’t respond. I was staring at the painting. I turned when I heard someone approaching. The queen stopped in front of me. Her eyes were grave and narrowed. I felt the urge to turn and run.

"My little baby boy had another birthmark on his right upper arm. It was formed like a six-pointed star. Several nurses can bear witness of it, my lord," she said, turning to her husband.

The king nodded slowly. "Roll up your sleeve," he said.

This was the end. I rolled up my sleeve slowly.

"This man is not my son," the queen said instantly. She turned away, crossed the hall and left it.

The king’s eyes were resting on me. "The resemblance is striking, but I anticipated the result. My son is lost and will not return. Please, young man, leave this place and leave this country as fast as you can. The queen won’t tolerate a fraud. I know that you are not a fraud. I know that it’s just coincidence, but the queen has turned bitter over the years. Elisar was our only son," he said.

The king turned to Alban. "Alban Gregorius, take this man back to Norwich. Leave at once before the queen might want to capture the man and punish him for his boldness."

The king cast a final look at me, and then turned away and left the hall.

Alban looked at me fearfully. "Come," he said. "I’ll take you to Norwich. I’ll show you back there."

We left and hastened to our horses. Alban was eager to leave the town as fast as he could.

"I was blinded. You told me the truth right from the start, but I didn’t want to believe your words. I so hoped I had found Prince Elisar. I apologize to you. I put you in danger. We better ride as fast as we can. The queen is out of her senses at times," he said. Alban pointed down the road. "This is the road to Norwich, but I suggest we take a different path just in case the queen sends out soldiers to find us," he said.

"Why is the queen so filled with hatred?" I asked.

"Well, many men have claimed to be the righteous heir to the throne, but none of them was the queen’s son. She has grown bitter over the years," Alban explained.

"Have you never investigated in Norwich as this seems to be the place where they have taken the prince?" I asked.

"King Thelbert has often requested to visit the ancient princedom, but he was never let in. Of course, we have sent men there to investigate furtively. But none of them found a trace of Elisar," Alban said. "A seer finally announced that the prince would ultimately return and step through the gate in the land of mist. Royal guardians have watched out for the prince for many years," Alban said. "We have guarded the gate until you crossed it."

"I would not have crossed it, had you not pulled me into the mirror," I replied.

"The mirror?" Alban asked.

"Yes," I said. "I was standing in front of a mirror when I saw your figure, Alban. The mirror was the gate."

Alban nodded thoughtfully. "I have heard of magical mirrors. So where do you come from, if not from Norwich, Matt?" he asked.

"I come from a different world," I said.

"We must go and see the seer," Alban said. "He announced the prince would come through the gate. He must explain what has happened."

"Where is this seer?" I asked.

"He’s actually not far from here. He lives in the Dark Wood. People dare not enter it. It is said that magical creatures live in the forest, but I think this is just a myth to frighten children," Alban replied. He pointed ahead. "We must turn left at the crossroad."

We arrived at the wood late in the afternoon and moved along on its edge. A strange aura emanated from the trees. I understood why people shied away from the forest. Alban stopped and pointed at a path that led deeper into the wood.

"We must take this way," he said.

We fastened our horses to a tree, and then followed the path by foot. Alban called out a name and listened into the wood. Some time passed and then a figure appeared between the trees. An old man in a robe and with long white hair and beard approached us. He looked at me curiously and then turned to Alban.

"Master Alban, I have not seen you in a while," he said.

"My greetings to you, Master Menetil," Alban replied in a respectful voice. "We have come here to ask your advice. To make it short, this man stepped through the gate in the land of mist. However, he’s not Prince Elisar. The queen did not identify him."

Menetil stepped closer and studied my face. "The resemblance is striking," he said. "You crossed the gate in the land of mist? Tell me, what's your name, young man?"

"Matt Johnson," I said. "I was looking in a mirror when I suddenly saw Alban. Alban pulled me into the mirror. It seems the mirror was a gate."

"Interesting," Menetil said. "You did not step into the mirror voluntarily?"

"No," I said, shaking my head.

Menetil twirled his beard. "Since you did not cross the gate on your own accord, you are not the man that I have announced. Prince Elisar has not yet returned, but he certainly will. I saw the future clearly."

"But why has Matt come to our world?" Alban asked.

"Because you pulled him into it," Menetil said curtly.

"It’s my fault then?" Alban asked.

"Apparently, you fool of a man," Menetil replied harshly.

Alban shot him an offended look. Menetil raised his hand.

"Calm," he said. "Nothing happens accidentally. Master Matt has come here for a reason. We must find out why he came here. Come to my place. Follow me, please."

The man turned around and walked into the wood. Alban and I followed him. We finally reached a lodge in the wood.

Menetil pointed at a bench. "Sit down here. I’ll go and get the mirror," he said. Menetil went inside and soon came back with a mirror. He sat down on the ground and placed the mirror in front of him. "The mirror helps me to see future events. Many years ago I saw Prince Elisar stepping through the gate in the land of mist," he said. "The image was distinct and clear."

"Did the man look like me?" I asked.

Menetil studied me thoughtfully. "The resemblance is striking, although the man I saw was not dressed like you are," he said.

"What is it about this gate?" I asked. "Are you used to travellers coming from different worlds?"

"There was a time when the veils between the worlds were thin," Menetil said. "It is said that a long time ago people often travelled between the worlds, but we have forgotten about the gates. We only know of the one in the land of mist. It's formed by the branches of two very old trees."

"Do you think Prince Elisar was taken to a different world when he was abducted?" I asked. "After all, he's supposed to come back through the gate in the land of mist."

"We have speculated on this for many years," Alban said. "But we haven’t found the correct answer."

Menetil twirled his beard. He looked at me thoughtfully. "You resemble the king in his younger years. You most likely resemble Prince Elisar. There must be a connection," he said.

"Could it be that Prince Elisar left your world the very moment I entered yours?" I asked.

"Then Prince Elisar must have crossed a different gate, a gate I do not know of," Menetil said.

"Can’t you consult your mirror on this?" I asked.

Menetil shook his head. "Unfortunately, I cannot look into the past, but I will look into the future now and see if I can find out about Prince Elisar." He bowed forward and focused on the mirror. Time passed by. Finally, he looked up again. "I saw Prince Elisar stepping through the gate. The event is still going to happen. Prince Elisar has not yet returned."

"Do you think Elisar and I changed places?" I asked.

"I have no other explanation for your being here," Menetil replied. "The energies are always balanced. You came here and Prince Elisar stepped into your world, I suspect."

"Goodness," Alban said, his voice shaken. "I suppose your world is widely different from ours."

"In fact, it is," I replied. "I cannot imagine the prince will find his way around in my world."

"They don’t ride horses," Alban explained.

"No, we drive cars," I said. "Cars are vehicles fuelled by, well, some sort of energy. They are not drawn by horses."

"They drive on their own?" Menetil asked in disbelief.

Alban looked downright shocked.

"So to speak," I said, but I refrained from any explanations.

"The people in Matt’s world are dressed differently," Alban said.

Menetil looked at my clothes and nodded slowly. "I have never seen such fabrics. I fear Prince Elisar will raise attention."

"I suspect he found himself in the shop with the mirror," I said. "The shop's called The Looking Glass. Prince Elisar must have stepped out of the mirror and into the shop."

"He could step back through the mirror at any time," Alban said.

"I saw that the prince will come back," Menetil confirmed.

"When?" Alban asked excitedly.

"I can’t say exactly," Menetil replied. "But I would advise you go back to the gate in the land of mist to welcome the prince when he returns."

"Goodness," Alban exclaimed and jumped to his feet. "I must leave at once."

"You better stay with me," Menetil said to me. "You’re safe here. The soldiers dare not enter the Dark Wood. And if one of them is bold enough, I will know how to scare him away. Also, your gate might open anytime soon."

Alban bid us farewell. Menetil and I sat down on the bench. A few minutes passed in silence.

"Who abducted Prince Elisar and why?" I asked.

Menetil turned his head to me. "They were having a feast. The small child was taken to bed and only a nurse was with him. The boy awoke and was thirsty. The nurse hurried to the kitchen and when she came back, the boy had disappeared. I always thought that his uncle had had a hand in it, but several people confirmed that he had not left the parlour."

"Why his uncle?" I asked.

"Because he was in love with the queen. He proposed to her long before his brother did, but the woman rejected him. Well, Lodowen, that was his name, was not a handsome man and not the heir to the throne. Nobody knows of this but me and the queen. The king has no clue of it. Lodowen asked me to look in the mirror and I told him to refrain from the proposal as the marriage was ill-fated. The woman rejected him anyway. The abduction could well have been Lodowen's act of revenge," Menetil said.

"Do you think Prince Elisar knows that he is King Thelbert’s son?" I asked.

"I don’t think so," Menetil replied. "I guess the truth was kept from him. I could imagine he was taken to Norwich where he had only little chance to learn of King Thelbert’s misery. Norwich has closed itself up."

We looked at the trees. The evening passed by. I grew increasingly restless and started to worry. What if Prince Elisar did not return? Had he really entered my world?

Menetil placed his hand on my arm. "Calm," he said. "I do trust in what I saw in the mirror. I’m confident Prince Elisar will return very soon. We must pay attention to the surroundings, so that we do not miss your gate once it materializes."

I forced myself to calm down. I leaned back and stared ahead. Suddenly, Menetil jumped from the bench.

"There," he exclaimed and pointed ahead.

I jumped to my feet and looked in the direction. It seemed that a mist was rising out of nowhere.

"Quick," Menetil exclaimed and hurried towards the point in the distance.

I hastened after him. The mist was white, almost opalescent. It was rising in the air and then suddenly started to condense. The mist formed what looked like a door.

"The portal, the gate," Menetil exclaimed and fastened his steps.

We reached the place. I tried to identify what was on the other side of the gate, but I all I saw was an opaque sphere. A waft of mist hovered from the gate.

"Quick, Matt, quick. You must cross the portal at once. The gate is about to dissolve," Menetil called out.

He shoved me forward and hit me on the back. I stumbled through the gate and heard Menetil call out a farewell, but his voice was already fading. I felt as if I was in an aircraft that was landing quickly. An instant later, I found myself lying on the floor. The ringing in my ears stopped and I got on my hands and knees. And then I stood slowly.

It was semi-dark, but my eyes adjusted quickly. I recognized the shop. My heart jumped with relief. I looked around. The shop was empty. The mirror leaned against the wall. It looked like an ordinary mirror. Suddenly, I heard a noise. The door of the shop opened and the guy dressed in the white tee shirt with the rabbit design, stepped in.

"Never late, so always on time," he said cheerfully. "Is this yours?" he asked, holding out a cap to me.

I took the cap. It was made of red velvet and small words were stitched on the fabric. I deciphered the word Elisar. A smile spread on my lips.

"Never late. Always on time," I said to the guy and then left the shop.

Outside, everything looked unaltered and as if no time had passed at all. I looked at the velvet cap and hoped that Prince Elisar had returned to his world without problems. I would have liked to meet the prince.