By Arlan Gerig
“It’s your move.” Ethel adjusted her marble seat closer to the oak table. This daily gameplay in King Horchester’s park kept his guards from being suspicious of her and me.
Ethel was a strange companion, a complete enigma. Under her cloak, she garbed herself in a tight blouse, vest, and black breeches that little resembled most women’s flowing dresses. Her wrist bore a strange bracelet, and something she called “glasses” sat on her face. How could glass that thick improve one’s vision?
The game was also unusual. Little wooden pieces that roughly resembled figures of a royal court sat on a board of red and black squares. It formed our bond of anticipated conquest as well as our convenient friendship.
I advanced my queen and removed her knight. “Check.”
Ethel chuckled in a low rasp. “A bold move, Alexander, but a bad one.”
Her castle swept my queen from the board, and I went from triumph to fearing all was lost.
My voice dropped to a whisper. “This game of chest grows wearisome, Lady Ethel. How will this help me defeat King Horchester? Allow me to magic him into a cat, and the kingdom is saved.”
“It’s chess, Alexander, and our strategy needs to be opposite to what you’re suggesting. Don’t use your queen when a pawn will do.”
She replaced my queen and her knight, then returned the castle to its previous location. Ethel glanced at me through her thick glasses. “What do you see?”
I studied the board. If I moved my pawn, her knight would take it, placing her knight diagonal to my other pawn. I could then remove her knight and probably win the game.
I moved the first pawn forward. “Your turn. Where did you say you hailed from?”
Ethel smiled, and we locked eyes. “Good move, Alexander, but don’t worry about my home. As I’ve said, it’s many leagues from here. This is what we need to conquer King Horchester.”
“A pawn? How will that help?”
She sighed and brushed a wisp of brown hair from her face. “Use an innocent maneuver to hide a more dangerous one.”
“So I should magic Horchester into a pawn?” I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t see how that would help.”
Ethel lifted the board and poured the pieces into a brown knapsack, followed by the board itself. “Please show me all the entrances to King Horchester’s castle.”
I led her through the village’s narrow streets to my thatched hut located near the royal courtyard. Once inside my hut, I used my wand to create an image of the castle’s main entrance, as well as the underground tunnels leading to it.
“Ethel of Grieves, you share my desire to dethrone King Horchester, but why? Has he harmed your family?”
Her focus remained on the images. “Not yet, Alexander, but his descendants will in several generations. I must stop him before it’s too late.”
I shook my head. “I’m confused, Lady Ethel. How can you know what has not yet taken place?”
“A time machine can right many wrongs.” A smile played about her lips. “If we play our game of chess correctly, it will not be an issue, and you shall be rid of King Horchester.”
A machine made of time? Although confused, I followed her instructions that night, sneaking around the dark castle and placing spells on all the decorative pottery.
The next morning, King Horchester strode through the majestic hallway toward his throne room. Having hidden in the scullery all night, I hung back, watching the king and his guards.
They approached the first pot.
It hissed as the king strode by. He stopped, frowned, and commanded the nearest guard. “Break that pot! Something evil must be hidden inside it.”
The guard pulled his blade and struck the pot, which exploded into a gray mist that enveloped the entire hallway. Horchester and his guards coughed as they groped their way toward the throne room, each pot exploding on their approach, and showering them with shards and my thick magic mist.
I then snuck behind them unseen.
Upon reaching the throne room, the guards threw open the doors and drew their swords. Ethel reclined on the king’s throne, dressed in her usual black suit and vest. She lazily stroked the plush chair arms.
“Fair maiden, how dare you sit on the king’s throne,” one guard barked.
Ethel smirked. “I’ve been waiting, King Horchester. Any trouble reaching your throne room this morning?”
Horchester’s cheeks flushed an angry red. “Guards, attack!”
Ethel faked a look of horror and laughed. I stepped from the rear corner and froze the king and guards in place with my wand.
“Shall I blast the king to bits?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No, no, don’t do that. He must be allowed to live, even if it’s only in his dungeons.”
“Won’t he try to reclaim the throne?”
Ethel’s smile carried tremendous gravity behind it. “No, my dear King Alexander. With your powers of magic, fear of you will keep him placid but alive. That will be enough for him to give you the kingdom and ensure that you keep it.”
Horchester growled, and I almost dropped my wand. “I can’t rule a kingdom!”
Ethel rose from the throne and descended the steps. “I believe you’re ready. You almost beat me at chess.” She chuckled. “I can’t stay here, your highness, but I’ll check on you from time to time.”
I frowned. “And this will protect your family?”
“All possible timelines indicate so,” she said, glancing at her bracelet. “This should keep his descendants from slaughtering my family.”
My face must have shown my concern. Ethel laughed. “Don’t worry, King Alexander. You’ve got this.”
I had many more questions, but Ethel had already pushed tiny buttons on her bracelet and disappeared.
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