I Found a Whistle

[ladyfiaran22]

Thanks to Tim for giving me the go-ahead, this is a rewrite of a story for my students. Reviews are welcome and it's set in the same Sol Duga universe as my other story except this takes place at first in modern-day New Jersey.

Chapter 1

Andrew tapped the steering wheel impatiently as he waited outside the apartment building, the radio tuned to ALT 92.3 as it played Worst Nites by Foster the People. Beside him in the passenger's seat Ben kept nervously adjusting his thick black glasses which kept trying to fall down his long nose. "Dude, should I honk?" asked Andrew.

"I don't know, Val's place is on the third floor and she's not answering her phone. I just hope the store will hold the vinyl until we get there, and aren't you sick of that song yet? You've been playing it for the last 18 hours", teased Ben.


"I know, I've been busy remixing it. If it's a big hit like the last one I did for them, that's a big chunk of change", said Andrew.

A few minutes passed and Andrew grew more impatient, taking off his black and blue wool Ravenclaw hat and plopping it back down on his head so that his dyed black hair stuck out wildly. Ben just shook his head and frowned when he saw the gray hairs in his beard and hair in the car mirror, his curly dark hair already turning gray at the temples even though he was barely 30. He pushed his glasses back up his nose and it felt as though gravity was conspiring to keep them falling down as he pushed them back up again. 

A few minutes passed and the radio now played a commercial for a local car dealership. "I'm going in", said Andrew.

"I'll join you", said Ben.

Andrew turned off the engine to the black Volkswagen Passat and they both got out of the car as Andrew fed quarters into the parking meter. Valeria's building was a four-story brick structure with trees planted out front, a few kids riding tricycles on the pavement outside and more kids playing in the building's playground. The kids glanced over at them and gave them odd looks since both looked out of place to them. Andrew was tall and skinny and pale as a vampire, his pallor accentuated by his dyed black hair and black tank top, wearing the Ravenclaw hat on a hot summer's day and his skinny arms with sharp elbows contrasting with the slight gut of his belly. Ben was tall but slightly overweight and his olive complexion was an odd yellowish color from lack of sunlight and a junk food diet, his beard and hair already turning gray and his big glasses making him look like an owl.

They climbed the stairs to the third floor and Andrew opened the door with the key Valeria had given them. The apartment was clean and orderly with the parlor surrounded on three sides by bookcases filled with all sorts of books on Medieval and Dark Ages Europe, her big interest and the subject in which she was currently working on her Master's. In the kitchen they could hear her voice along with a man's voice they didn't recognize, both of them speaking in an unfamiliar language neither had heard before. The two men stood in the entryway of the kitchen to get a closer look. Their friend Valeria Johnson was talking with a person whose back was to them, a person of average height with long straight black hair whom they couldn't tell was male or female. They wore jeans, black Nikes and a black t-shirt while Valeria wore her usual short denim skirt, gray tights and black band t-shirt, this one a Rush t-shirt with the Fly By Night album cover and her red hair was in a long braid halfway down her back.

"And please don't let Hugo zap your brains", she deadpanned in a mock-British accent which made her sound like a villain.

"Val, we were supposed to drop you off at the rink. Remember, you have a practice", said Andrew.

"You guys came at an awkward time. Let me fire up the kettle", she said as she filled up a kettle with water and placed it on the stove.

The figure turned around and they saw it was a man, albeit an androgynous hipster-type guy. He wore a vintage Pink Floyd t-shirt from the Wall tour back in the 70's and wire-rimmed glasses perched on a long thin nose, his skinny white arms ghostly pale against his clothes. "I'm sorry for the dropping in, gentlemen", he said in a proper British accent.

"Val, do you have a new boyfriend?", teased Andrew as Ben gave him a look.

"No, Hugo is too old", she quipped. Ben went to the cupboard and got four cups and teabags as she gave him a grateful smile, his heart doing a little flip-flop as he tried not to blush.

"Huh? Val, what is going on?", asked Andrew calmly.

The kettle whistled and she poured hot water into the cups. "Hugo is my boss and he has a mission for me", she replied.

Bot men looked at each other with confused expressions on their faces. "I am Hugo Lacroix, the head of Sol Duga. Valeria is a Jarvinen, one of the four clans which makes up our organization. The four clans are Jarvinen, Lacroix, Torres and Sutherland. The latter three are time travelers, the Jarvinen are the only ones who can go to the world under the Earth", said Hugo.

"Okayyy, dude. So are you going to zap our brains, like the Men in Black?", asked Andrew sarcastically.

"If necessary, but there is another option. You can join Valeria on the mission", said Hugo.

The men looked at each other in confusion. "I'll go", said Ben.

Andrew just shrugged. "Who knows, I'm done remixing the song and don't have anything lined up. I'll go", he said.

"Very well. You are going to the kingdom of Northumbria, but you need to arrive in London where you will meet your guides. You will go up to Bamburgh in northern England and go inside the cave, the king will meet you on the other side", said Hugo, placing a blue folder on the table.

"Why can't we just teleport?", asked Ben.

"Too conspicuous", said Hugo.

"Makes sense", said Andrew as he opened the folder. Inside was a computer printout of flight and hotel information along with their passports which looked exactly like theirs.

"These are real", said Hugo.

"Will anyone miss us?", asked Ben.

"Once you go back in time, time will stop. When you come back, it will be like you never left", said Hugo.

"Wow", said Ben in a daze.

"I know, and I think the tea is ready", said Valeria.

[Tim]

So this is happening in the same reality as the Romanov story.  This lot could meet them, or their children and grandchildren.

[ladyfiaran22]

Thanks Tim for the reply, I'll post the next chapter of My Favorite Things later after I come home from church.

Chapter 2

Andrew hurriedly dumped t-shirts, socks and underwear into a black duffel bag. "You only need a few things, dude", said Ben.

"Maybe I can freak out the locals if they don't burn us at the stake first", Andrew joked.

"Besides, I think Val said the king is going to provide us with clothes", said Ben as he zipped up his own duffel bag and slid the glasses back up his nose.

"He will, but I wouldn't wear any crazy shirts", said Valeria.

"All right, Val. I hope we're not flying Spirit or one of those nasty cheap airlines", said Andrew with a scowl.

"Of course not, the Sol Duga are a first class organization", Valeria retorted with a grin. She took out a folded paper from her purse and showed it to them. "British Airways, 1st class. That means gourmet food, free drinks and seats that recline all the way like a bed", she said triumphantly.

"Sweet, Val. So you're crashing at our place then?", asked Andrew.

"Yeah, so we don't waste time getting to the airport", she said.

"You can stay in one of the upstairs rooms, we barely use them", said Andrew.

"Me neither, we sleep on futons", said Ben.

Valeria shook her head. "Futons aren't good for your back", she chided.

"When I'm remixing something, I'll work until I'm done", said Andrew.

"Me too, when I'm in the middle of writing", said Ben.

The trio went upstairs to check out the rooms. Valeria shook her head when she looked into their bedrooms and saw the thin layer of dust on the furniture and the dust motes floating in the air. "Do you ever use the rooms?", she asked.

"Not really, we just pass out on the futons. I can't believe this is the first time you've been upstairs", teased Andrew.

"It's rude to be looking about people's houses, unlike a certain duo", she quipped.

"Our Moms sometimes dust our rooms, but we'll usually call a cleaning lady agency. It's just that we spend so much time downstairs", said Ben with a shrug.

"Lucky I don't have that problem", said Valeria as the group went back downstairs.

"Let's nuke something", said Andrew.

Valeria's eyes widened in shock when Andrew opened the freezer and she saw nothing but frozen burritos. "Is that all you have?", she asked in dismay.

"Yeah, Costco has the best frozen burritos", said Ben happily. Inside the freezer was just frozen burritos in piles, except for an half-finished pint of Ben and Jerry's.

Valeria took out one of the burritos and read the ingredient list. "I don't think this is fit for human consumption, it's all artificial and chemical", she said.

"We're not dead yet, Val. And they're easy to make", said Andrew.

Valeria just shook her head and opened the fridge, sighing and shaking her head. The fridge had an assortment of Red Bulls, two six-packs of Budweiser and a carton of milk, along with an open bottle of ketchup. "Let's get a hotel room at the airport and get actual food", she declared.

Andrew checked his phone and found a room at a Best Western near the airport and booked the room. "Lucky our car is in the garage so it won't get towed", he chuckled.

Ben summoned an Uber from his phone. Valeria and Andrew did one last spot check before leaving the house to wait on the porch. Soon a black Toyota sedan parked outside as Ben locked the house door and checked the license plate and driver's name. "Ben Gordon?", asked the driver.

"Yeah", he replied.

The driver waited as Andrew placed the bags in the trunk and they got inside. Luckily for them the driver was a quiet one as he backed away from the house and followed the GPS directions towards Newark Airport. The trio were quiet and sat in the back seat as they headed for the hotel, the Turnpike not very crowded since it was mid-afternoon and most people were still at work. 

The driver let off at the Best Western and Ben tipped him. Andrew felt a sudden wave of exhaustion overcome him as he shuffled into the lobby of the hotel. "I was up for 18 hours, I was doing a remix for Foster the People. I just sent it over", he mumbled.

Andrew perked up just enough to check them in as they took the elevator up to the third floor. They had barely gotten into the room when he flopped down on the bed and promptly went to sleep. Ben unpacked a few thins and fought the temptation to mindlessly chatter since he was nervous. He was conscious of Valeria as she unpacked a few of her own things, seeing how good she looked in her skirt and tights. The afternoon sunlight shone on her red hair which turned it the color of a shiny new penny and he caught the faint scent of lilacs as he suddenly felt tired as Andrew. Ben saw that Andrew was out cold so he laid down on the opposite bed and closed his eyes. His limbs felt heavy and leaden as he quickly fell into a deep sleep, his last conscious thought about how he could finally ask Valeria on a date. 

[Tim]

So this lot lives in New Jersey, just like you, Vanessa!

[ladyfiaran22]

Apr 7, 2019 11:13:38 GMT -5 Tim said:

So this lot lives in New Jersey, just like you, Vanessa!

I know, specifically in Bayonne where I work in a school. I chose it because I'm familiar with the area and wanted to have my characters live in an ordinary place where people wouldn't suspect anything was unusual, the Aliens in Cardiff effect. Thanks for the reply and the new chapter of My Favorite Things is up

[Tim]

Thought as much

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 3

"Bro, what time is it?", muttered Andrew.

"It's eight thirty, I was about to order from GrubHub", said Valeria.

"Awesome, I bet the room service sucks. "What time is our flight again?", he asked.

"Four in the afternoon, we arrive in London the following morning", said Ben.

Andrew yawned and nodded as he sat up in bed, his hat askew on his head. "I'll take a shower", he mumbled, tossing the hat on the nearby chair.

Ben suddenly felt awkward now that he was alone with Valeria as she looked at local restaurants on the GrubHub app on her phone. She sat cross-legged on the couch and the denim skirt moved as she adjusted her legs, Ben trying to control the rush of blood to his face. "Certainly no burritos, those frozen ones are ghastly. There's a Middle Eastern place nearby that delivers", she said.

"Sounds good, I haven't had a good falafel in a while", he replied.

"I don't eat fried things, even if it's vegetarian. When was the last time you had vegetables?", she asked.

"I had a salad from 7-11 last week", he replied.

"Hmm, I ought to order a big tabbouleh salad for us to share", she said.

Ben could only nod as he hurriedly jammed the glasses back up his nose as his hands shook slightly. Just then Andrew emerged from the bathroom still wearing the same jeans and t-shirt. He retrieved the hat and plopped it back down on his head as his glossy black hair stuck out on either side. "That hat is like a biohazard", teased Ben.

"I spray Febreze on it, dude. I'm repping my house, Ravenclaw is the house of wit and wisdom after all", he retorted.

"Val wants to order from a Middle Eastern place, that okay?", asked Ben.

"Sure, do they have that eggplant stuff?", he asked.

"Yes, baba ghanouj. Just look at the menu and see what you like", she said.

While they waited for their food, Andrew flopped back on the bed and turned on the TV as he flipped through the channels. "Andrew, that show is lame", Ben chided as Andrew watched Ancient Aliens on the History Channel.

"It's awesome, Atlantis might have been built by aliens", he said.

"Atlantis never existed, it's just a story", said Ben.

Ben shook his head as the very serious host talked about how aliens built the Egyptian pyramids. "Slaves built the pyramids, people get the craziest ideas", said Valeria.

"Not as crazy as people going back and forth in time", Ben whispered.

"Don't worry, no one can understand us. When we get together and talk Sol Duga business, it sounds as though we are talking Elvish. Before Elvish was invented, we used dead languages", said Valeria.

"Wait a minute, if someone hears us, we're speaking Elvish?", asked Ben in disbelief.

"Yes, Sindarin to be precise. And if anyone in the area speaks Elvish, we're discussing LoTR. Before that, the Jarvinens used Livonian which is a dead language", she replied.

"Wow. So exactly where are we going in England?", asked Ben.

"Northumbria, in the northeast. The Jarvinen specialty is that time period, and since most of us are pagan and much of Europe was still pagan we are the clan that goes there. The other clans can go to different time periods, but we can go anywhere there's pagans because Christians didn't like us much", she said with a dry chuckle.

"Then I ought to not tell anyone I'm part-Jewish, don't want to be burned at the stake", said Ben with a sardonic smirk.

"On your Dad's side, Ben", she teased.

"I know, the side that doesn't count", he joked.

Andrew was still engrossed in the show when the delivery guy came. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Ben tipped him and placed the food on the table. "Bro, food's here", he said.

"Oh, cool. Did you know that aliens carved the heads on Easter Island?", he asked, getting up from the couch to wash his hands.

Ben just shook his head as he took the packages of food from the bag and set out forks and napkins while Valeria placed their drinks at their seats. She set out the paper plates and opened the box containing the tabbouleh salad along with a spoon in the center as Andrew and Ben sat down. "And you better have vegetables", she chided, but her blue eyes twinkled.

"All right, Mommy Val", teased Andrew.

Valeria chuckled and watched as the guys helped themselves to salad and then had their dinner. She took a sip of her mint tea and frowned as the TV kept playing Ancient Aliens, now talking about an African tribe who might have been astronauts. "Andrew, this is pseudoscience", she chided.

"Yeah, I didn't know people could time travel until this morning. Is there anything we ought to know?", he asked.

"The king of Northumbria is King Athelred and his wife is Queen Alfrida. Their son is Prince Edwin and their daughter is Princess Emma, the Lady Merryn and the Lady Tamsyn are his daughter by his mistress. Princess Emma was to go to the Kingdom of the Franks to marry the nephew of Charlemagne. But while on their way, their party was ambushed and the princess kidnapped. They need our help", said Valeria.

"So, we have to rescue a princess. But why do they need us? Do you have some kind of technology?", asked Ben.

"No, the Jarvinens helped King Athelred in the past and he trusts us. This is a serious matter, we don't want Charlemagne and Northumbria to declare war on each other", she said.

Ben took a hasty sip of his iced tea and tried to mull over this information. "So Val, are we going to understand the people?", he asked.

"Yes, once we go back you'll hear that they speak modern British English. To the people around them, they're speaking Anglo-Saxon but to us they sound like modern British people", she replied.

After dinner, the trio still weren't tired enough to sleep. "There's karaoke in the lounge", said Valeria. "And I'm not watching an Ancient Aliens marathon", she added.

"All right, Val. It's on Netflix anyway", said Andrew as he shut off the TV.

People were milling about the lounge downstairs as the trio headed to the bar, Valeria ordering each of them a Perrier with lime. "Keep a clear head", she said.

The first singer was a fat guy in a Bon Jovi t-shirt who did an okay version of Living on a Prayer, to half-hearted applause. "All right, that was a good start to our festivities. Next up, we have Maddy doing TGIF by Katy Perry", said the too-cheerful hostess as a girl in pink jeans and a pink sparkly top got onstage.

Ben winced as he sipped his drink as the girl had a thin, reedy voice which sounded nothing like Katy Perry. He wished he had his Coltrane albums to hear as an idea came to him. Ben got up and went over to the emcee to say something before sitting back down. "All right, we got an odd request. Andrew, your friends asked you to come onstage and sing", she said.

Andrew nearly choked on his drink while Ben looked innocently at him. Andrew gave him a dirty look but got onstage picked up the microphone as Kids by MGMT played over the speakers. He sighed in relief as the song was a familiar one, remembering playing that album repeatedly while in college:

You were a child

Crawling on your knees toward it

Making momma so proud

But your voice is too loud

We like to watch you laughing

You pick the insects off plants

No time to think of consequences



Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees wanting to be haunted

Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees wanting to be haunted



The water is warm

But it's sending me shivers

A baby is born

Crying out for attention

The memories fade

Like looking through a fogged mirror

Decisions to decisions are made and not bought

But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot

I guess not



[6x]

Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees wanting to be haunted

Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees wanting to be haunted



Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees wanting

To be haunted

Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees wanting

To be haunted

Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees wanting

To be haunted

Control yourself

Take only what you need from it

A family of trees

"Give it up for Andrew", said the emcee as the audience cheered. Andrew blushed as he went back to the bar and downed the rest of his drink. "What was that about, bro?", he demanded.

"Nothing, I just wanted to get you onstage since you're usually on the other side", said Ben.

"I know, I'm a producer not a performer. At least you didn't have me up there singing Ariana Grande or something lame", he teased.

"Dude, I'm not a sadist", retorted Ben.

The trio watched a few more singers and had another drink before Valeria decided to go onstage. "All right, Valeria here is going to find her song since it's not in our database. Okay, here it is. I never heard this song before, but give a hand to Valeria", said the emcee.

The guys perked up when she sang I Found a Whistle by MGMT: 

Hey I found a whistle that hangs like a charm

And when my noose is tied I could blow it

And fall down into your arms

15 centuries of dissolution and grief

To return a yellow trickster and a thief

Hey I found a whistle that works every time

That's when the trail escapes to nowhere

And the flood erases the crime

Such conviction

To paint all the walls with the blood

Of the young and the faithful and the good

Yeah I found a whistle as thin as a sheet

To split the dumbness of a vision

Between asleep and a sleep

Tiny axes

Repeatedly raising the flag

All ignored, real emotion's such a drag

Hey I've got a pistol that's aimed at your heart

And on dark nights when the moon is right

I could show you

The head attached with a scarf

Aerophane sorceress, at home obeying the fates

When it's gone, has it gone all the way?

This time

Found a whistle

That works every time

Yeah, I found a whistle

That works

Hangs like a charm

Yeah, found a whistle

That works every time

Yeah, I found a whistle

That works

Closes my mind every time

A whistle

I've got it,

I've got it,

This time

Afterwards the audience applauded and she took a bow before heading back to the bar.  "MGMT are awesome, I remixed some of their songs on their third album and they were big club hits in Europe", said Andrew.

"I know, but you didn't go on tour with them because your ex wanted to go to Miami", Ben remined him. 

"Don't tell me, dude. I could've been on the festival circuit with a bunch of cool dudes but instead I was bored and sunburned", Andrew muttered.

"Maybe they'll get in touch with you again, some of the songs you mixed were hits", said Ben.

"That would be cool, those guys sound like they would be fun to hang with", said Andrew.

"Let's go to bed, we have to be rested for the flight", said Valeria.

[Tim]

So that's where the title of this story came from!

[ladyfiaran22]

Happy Easter to those who celebrate it 

Chapter 4

"So the seat reclines all the way back like a bed? And we each get a TV?", asked Andrew in awe, his blue eyes wide.

"Andrew Wilson, you sound like a hick. American airplanes really suck", said Valeria as they waited to board their flight.

"They do. We don't fly first class, we're just frugal", said Ben.

"Just don't go freaking out on the plane, act like you've flown first class before", said Valeria.

They waited by their gate to board the flight to London, watching through the plate glass windows as bags were loaded onto the plane. Andrew adjusted his hat as it teetered off to one side, his dyed black hair sticking out like always. He tried to hide a grin when he saw Ben was pretending to read the latest issue of Downbeat but he was actually stealing glances over at Valeria, who was busy reading the newest issue of National Geographic History. Andrew knew his friend had a crush on Valeria but was too shy to make a move, self-conscious of his nerdy looks. He wondered if this odd adventure of theirs might be the push they needed as he adjusted his hat again.

"British Airways Flight #611 to London is now preparing to board. First and Business Class passengers please line up at the gate in order to board the plane", said the flight attendant in a proper British accent.

The trio got in line and showed their boarding passes and passports to the woman at the front desk before walking through the gate to the plane. Their seats were in the second row and they were much larger than their normal economy class seats, each seat having its own personal TV screen. Ben and Valeria exchanged a look when Andrew turned on the TV and scrolled through the movies, his eyes wide in delight when he saw they had all the Harry Potter films. 

Ben didn't know what to think when he found himself seated next to Valeria. He sat down and put on his seat belt as he tried to control the butterflies in his stomach and the sudden clamminess of his hands. Valeria put on her own seat belt and went back to reading her magazine, the sunlight from the window shining on her red hair. His gaze went down to her feet in a pair of cute strappy sandals with her toenails painted electric blue, the cutoff jean shorts she wore showing off her slim legs. Ben wondered if that Hugo guy had a strange sense of humor as he tried to distract himself with reading Downbeat.

The in-flight safety video played and then the pilot got on the PA. "Welcome aboard British Airways Flight #611 to London, Heathrow. We will arrive at approximately 8:00 AM Greenwich Mean Time, in about 7 hours and 37 minutes. Sit back and enjoy the flight", said the pilot.

The plane taxied over to the runway and waited for the signal from air traffic control. Soon the plane was accelerating down the runway and then they were airborne, the ground below them gradually getting smaller until they were up in the clouds. All around them they could see blue skies and clouds with the land below a patchwork of buildings and trees.

Andrew started his Harry Potter marathon by watching Goblet of Fire as he settled back in his seat. Valeria read her magazine and listened to Yes on her iPod while Ben read Downbeat and listened to Coltrane on his own iPod, the thrilling opening notes of Giant Steps coming from the speakers. He concentrated on the music and the magazine in order to control his racing heart and clammy hands as the plane started to fly over the Atlantic.

It was around eight the following morning when the plane landed at Heathrow. "I am definitely flying First Class next time", said Andrew as he moved the chair to its upright position.

"I know, it's especially good on long flights", said Valeria.

Ben picked up his magazine and iPod as the trio left the plane. The bright early morning sunlight was a shock after the cabin and they made their way down the gate towards the reception area. A young man with longish blond hair and another man with short curly black hair held up a sign which read Bayonne. "We're staying at our usual hotel, t'Jenkins", said the blond man with a Yorkshire accent.

"Cool, but we did sleep on the plane", said Andrew.

"Tomorrow we take the train to Newcastle, and then onto Bamburgh", said the black-haired man in a proper Oxbridge accent.

"I am Philip Sutherland", said the blond man.

"And I am Constantine Lacroix", said the black-haired man.

"Cool. I'm Andrew Wilson and this is Ben Gordon", said Andrew.

"Glad to meet you fellows", said Philip.

The group got their bags from the luggage carousel and went through customs before following the two men outside where Constantine summoned an Uber. "It's faster than the train", he explained.

"If we have time, I want to go to Day's Jazz. The guys at Vintage Vinyl say it has the best selection of jazz records", said Ben.

"And I want to go to Sister Ray's", said Andrew.

"Perhaps. Vinyl does sound better than CD's", said Philip.

"Another vinyl lover, awesome. Even during a DJ set, vinyl sounds better than using songs from your laptop", said Andrew.

A black Nissan pulled up to the curb and they got in. "The Jenkins?", asked the driver.

"Yes", replied Philip.

[Tim]

So, now they're in London. 

I guess they'll be heading to that cave before long.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 5

The trip into West London from Heathrow was fairly quick since rush hour had just started. The area around the hotel was a pleasant place with numerous handsome restored Georgian townhouses and little gardens in between, many cafes and shops just opening up for breakfast. Their hotel was in a restored Georgian building done in cream and pink stucco, the lobby done in the same colors. The faint scent of roses from several vases hung in the air and soft classical music played over the PA as Philip and Constantine went to check them in.

"Nice", said Andrew when he saw they were staying at a suite on the top floor. 

"We are a first-class organization, Andrew", said Valeria with a laugh. The suite took up half the top floor and the windows overlooked the rose gardens below and in the near distance they could see the Thames, along with Westminster and Big Ben in the farther distance. It was a gentle and warm summer day with puffy white clouds scattered about the blue sky, the delicate song of birds from a nearby tree the only sound. The suite had two large bedrooms, theirs with two beds and a foldout sofa bed, a big-screen TV and a bathroom. Philip and Constantine's room had two bed and their own bathroom.

"Now, when do we leave?", asked Ben as he unpacked a few things and charged his phone.

"Tomorrow morning, the train to Newcastle leaves at eleven in the AM. And then we're leaving for Bamburgh the following afternoon. I thought you would like to experience a bit of t'Geordie nightlife", said Philip with a chuckle.

"All right, since stuff like that wouldn't have existed back then", joked Ben.

"Why don't you come out with us, Val? You don't have to get drunk", said Andrew.

"I want to have a clear head, Andrew. I don't mind going out for a while, but I'm not getting hungover", she replied.

"Val, live a little", teased Andrew.

"And live in a dusty house, eat frozen burritos and drink Budweiser. Of course, I would also be musically and artistically talented, but I prefer a clean house", she joked.

Ben busied himself connecting his phone to the hotel Wi-Fi and checking Facebook but he was annoyed by the banter between his two friends. On a subconscious level, he knew that Andrew saw Valeria as a friend and as a sort of little sister, but that didn't stop the jealous feeling growing inside of him. The two of them even looked similar since they were both slim and pale, except Andrew was tall and had brown hair.

Andrew tried not to chuckle since he knew exactly what Ben was thinking. They had been friends for so long, ever since kindergarten, that he knew how Ben would act, a sort of sixth sense as it were. He'd known that Ben had a crush on Valeria for a long time but since Ben was a reserved and quiet sort, it would take a lot of pushing to bring his two best friends together, not to mention Valeria wasn't his type since she resembled his younger sister.

"We're close to the British Museum", said Philip.

"All right, I suppose its safe not to wander off", said Ben.

"Plus they have an amazing exhibit on the Dark Ages and Medieval Europe since we're going there", said Valeria.

"Good idea, Val", agreed Andrew.

Ben was glad he charged his phone when they entered the museum, the enormous neo-Classical marble façade leading into an atrium topped by a glass ceiling which coloured everything with a soft green light. They went through security and Philip got them each a map. "The museum is so vast it would take several days to see everything. We ought to start with the Medieval stuff and if we have time we can see the rest", he said.

"You really want to see the Greek and Persian exhibits", teased Valeria.

"I'm a professor of Ancient Greek studies at the University of Leeds. It's in my blood, my grandfather was a professor of Hellenistic studies at the University of Manchester and my father is a professor of Greek studies as well. My cousin is a professor of Ottoman history at the University of Istanbul and his son is an archaeologist in Egypt", said Philip.

"And I'm a professor of Anglo-Saxon studies, my grandfather was a professor of Byzantine studies and my father studies Plantagenet England", said Constantine.

"Wow, cool. Would we know your folks, I got a feeling", said Ben.

Philip just laughed and his green eyes danced with amusement. "You may have heard of my great grandmother, Olivia Parker. Or to use her old name, the Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaevna Romanova", he said.

"And my
Great grandmother Maria Parker is Maria Nicolaevna Romanova", said Constantine.

"Wait a minute, then Anastasia is your aunt? Weren't they all killed?", asked Andrew.

"No, the Sol Duga saved them and brought them back here to England. And Aunt Natalie just won a Northern Soul dancing competition in Blackpool, she still loves to dance", chuckled Philip.

"What? So all those movies and that crazy chick were fake? Damn", muttered Ben.

"You'll be surprised, Ben Gordon", said Philip.

Valeria was delighted when they entered the early Medieval Period exhibition, especially after seeing the gold and precious objects from the Sutton Hoo burials. "It was an ancient pagan tradition to bury kinds or other noble people with things they needed in the afterlife, they believed the afterlife was a better version of Earth", she explained.

Ben nodded as he peered through the glass at the exhibit, adjusting his glasses. The burial horses contained a large amount of gold and jeweled objects, many of them done in a similar way to Viking or Celtic ornamentation. The rest of the horde contained more practical objects such as armor and swords, bejeweled horses' bridles and even the heavy lid of what was once a leather purse which long ago had disintegrated.

Valeria got over her initial shock and was their guide to the Anglo-Saxon exhibit, her blue eyes sparkling and her voice animated. Andrew was pleased to see that Ben hung on every word and asked questions, how his reserved friend genuinely seemed interested. He was still a bit nervous as he kept adjusting his glasses, his brown eyes thoughtful. "Your friend likes Val", said Constantine as they stood in front of a glass case which held walrus ivory chess pieces.

"Yeah, but he's too shy to make a move. That's why I'm trying to get under his skin, so he'll actually try something. He's really not the demonstrative type", said Andrew.

He nodded in understanding. "I hope it doesn't backfire, Andrew. And Valeria is a smart girl, I think she likes him too", he said.

Andrew watched as Valeria showed Ben and exhibit of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts under a glass case. Ben hung on every word and nervously pushed his glasses back up his nose, his fingers trembling slightly. A slight flush formed on his cheeks and when he wasn't fiddling with his glasses, he was stroking his short, dark bard. Ben looked at the exhibit through the glass and shook his head, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him. The faded words on the pages had now transformed into normal English words like a newspaper. "Because you're going with us", she said.

"Amazing", he murmured.

Ben read the pages and recognized it as the story of Noah's Ark. "They did have other books too, right?", he asked.

"Not really, most people were illiterate. A lord or a king would have owned this book, them and clergy were the only ones who could read", she said.

"That sucks. I can't imagine not being able to read", he said in horror.

"That's because you're a writer. Words are like food", said Valeria.

Ben blushed. "Thanks, Val. Does the king know how to read?", he asked.

"Yes, and so do his children. Even though the Lady Merryn and the Lady Tamsyn are illegitimate, he made sure they got the same education as Prince Edwin and Princess Emma. They all know English, French, Latin and some Scots Gaelic, the Ladies also know Cornish since their mother was from Cornwall. So these are not dumb Disney princesses", she quipped.

"Awesome, I've had enough of dumb girls", said Andrew.

[Tim]

Nice tie in to My Favourite Things. 

Maria is Constantine's grandmother.  She was 19 when brought to 1963, so that makes her 76 now.

[ladyfiaran22]

I think you guys waited long enough, this may be short but it'll get better. And Tim, Philip is Olga's grandson.

Chapter 6

The PA announced that the museum would be closing in fifteen minutes. "At least we covered the Anglo-Saxons, you really ought to see the rest of the museum", said Philip.

"Maybe next time, dude", said Andrew.

"Once you go on your trip, you'll really miss this", said Constantine as they were led to a table at an Indian restaurant near the hotel.

"Oh yeah, we haven't had good Indian food in ages. Both of us were so busy, but we're definitely going to Curry On when we get back", said Ben as the waiter handed them each a menu.

"That's an amazing Indian place in Jersey City, the area around Newark Street has a lot of Indian restaurants and shops", explained Valeria.

"Medieval people would have killed for this kind of food, since most people only ate bland soups and roast pork", said Philip.

"I do eat pork sometimes, so I don't mind that. Was Medieval food really that bad?", asked Ben.

"Yes, unless you were rich. Not many spices are found in England naturally and back then people didn't have garlic and onions, the most common seasoning was salt. So if you were poor, you ate a lot of veg, eggs, boiled stuff and dark bread. The rich loads of meat, white bread and sugar", said Philip with a grin.

"So the poor ate better than the rich, awesome", Andrew joked.

"Exactly, that's why no one wanted to be a vegetarian back then, it was either too much or no meat", said Constantine.

The waiter arrived with their drinks, beers for Ben, Andrew and Philip, a gin and tonic with Tanqueray for Constantine and a vodka tonic with Finlandia for Valeria. "Family tradition, Dad's family drinks nothing but Tanqueray", said Constantine.

"Of course, gin is the British drink. But it's kind of an old people drink, though", said Andrew.

"In the states, but you lot get the cheap import stuff that's less than 40 ABV. We keep the good stuff here", joked Constantine.

"In England, the exported is watered down to save on excise duty", Philip explained.

"That sucks", said Ben.

"Do a lot of Americans go up that way?", asked Andrew.

"Not really, Yanks who go on holiday usually stay down't London way, unless they have relatives or have a special interest. I can count the number of Yanks I've seen in Newcastle on one hand, but there are a lot of Dutchies 'cos of the ferry", said Philip.

Their food arrived and they began to eat. Afterwards they split the bill and decided to get back to the hotel. "We don't want to miss the train in the morning", Constantine explained.

Now the trio suddenly felt very tired even though it was only seven thirty. "Try to get to bed around nine or ten, it'll make the jet lag worse if you sleep now", said Philip.

"We barely travel, I keep getting offers to go to LA and produce some dude but I hate that place, too hot and the people are lame and fake", said Andrew.

"We're both country boys from PA, New York is big enough for us. We weren't meant to live in sunshine", said Ben.

They got in their room and Andrew turned on the TV. "Let's watch this", said Ben as the BBC channel showed a rerun of Sherlock.

"Of course, since you write mystery novels", teased Andrew.

"Benedict Cumberbatch is a brilliant actor, especially in The Hollow Crown", said Valeria.

The trio sat on the bed to watch the brilliant and logical Sherlock along with his faithful partner Watson solve a crime involving a Chinese tong. Sherlock's stuffy older brother Mycroft made them laugh since he was so deadly serious about everything, the dorky little man in his impeccable suit and umbrella supposedly the most important person in the British government.

"That dweeb is Moriarty?", asked Andrew in disbelief, as Sherlock's arch enemy taunted them.

"Yes, I suppose they wanted to make him look harmless. But the harmless-looking ones are the often the most dangerous", said Ben.

"Val, when we go back to Northumbria, is the king going to meet us?". asked Andrew.

"We'll arrive in his audience chamber, he knows we're coming. And be on your best behavior among Lady Merryn and Lady Tamsyn. They may be illegitimate but the king dotes on them", said Valeria.

"What happened to their Mom?", asked Ben.

"Their mother was his mistress, the Lady Kerenza, a Cornish noblewoman. Since he was a lad, King Athelred was engaged to Alfrida, a Mercian princess. Lady Kerenza was his mistress from when they were both teenagers, but she died from tuberculosis a year after the Lady Tamsyn was born. Queen Alfrida helped raise them and the sisters dote on the prince and princess. Lady Merryn is twenty and Lady Tamsyn is nineteen, Lady Tamsyn is engaged to Constantine", said Valeria.

"Lucky dude, his girlfriend is royalty", joked Andrew.

Ben chuckled. "I hope Lady Merryn isn't going to be a drag, no offense", he said.

"Lady Merryn is a smart and capable woman, she and Lady Tamsyn had the same education as a prince would have. Plus she is a fine horsewoman and level-headed", said Valeria.

Ben blushed at his gaffe. "Oops, Val. It's that I'm afraid we're going to be a drag, once we found out yesterday and neither one of us is into Medieval stuff. But we'll learn, and both of us need to try something different and get away from Bayonne", he said.

"Be on your best behavior, you do have to bow before the king and address him as Your Highness, along with the Queen and Prince, the sisters you address as Lady. Remember that, and you'll be good", she said.

"Okay. They do have bathtubs, right?", asked Andrew.

"Wooden ones, but the royal family bathes regularly. Once we get on the road, then it'll be harder too get baths", said Valeria.

"We'll manage, it'll be like being back in Boy Scouts. It might be harder for girls, though", said Andrew.

"Lady Merryn may be noble, but she's not silly or weak. Lady Tamsyn is more lady-like, but Lady Merryn is a bit of a tomboy. The king made her Countess of Embleton in her own right and she manages that area for the king. However, if she married, she loses the title and it passes to her husband who'll be the Earl of Embleton. That's why she's coming along, she wants to prove she doesn't need a husband", said Valeria.

"That sucks, that's some sexist stuff there", said Andrew in dismay.

"By our standards, yes. But not theirs", she replied.

Andrew became thoughtful. The Lady Merryn sounded like a fascinating woman, certainly more interesting than his ex-girlfriend, a real-life Eowyn from Lord of the Rings. He mused to himself that they were going to have a very interesting companion on their trip as he chuckled.

[Tim]

Just occurred to me that your two stories are both happening in Britain, only 56 years apart.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 7

The group watched in amusement as Andrew took pictures of Platform 9 and 3/4 at King's Cross station. "Dude, you know you can't get on the Hogwart's Express", teased Ben.

"I know, I'm still waiting for my owl", he quipped.

Andrew took a few more pictures and let a group of kids pose for pictures, adjusting his ever-present Ravenclaw hat. People around them seemed to think he was an odd Yank tourist but didn't bother them as they rushed to catch their trains up north. The PA blared random information in between pop songs which mixed with the train whistles and squeals to create an atmosphere of noise. Philip scanned the electronic departure board and led them to track 6 as they boarded the train. "This runs all the way up to Glasgow, but of course we're not going that far up north", he chuckled.

The group found their seats and plugged in their phones before turning on the train's WiFi. Other passengers boarded the train before the whistle blew and the last few people scrambled aboard, the train slowly pulling away from the station. Soon they had left the city behind and headed up north past London's suburbs, neat little brick and wooden houses surrounded by hedges and other greenery.

The landscape around London and up through the Midlands seemed an unending sprawl of large towns, suburbs and hedges until they reached the southern edges of Yorkshire. The flatness of the Midlands gradually gave way to green dales where sheep grazed punctuated by jagged rocky black cliffs that looked as though they wee ripped up from a bare floor. On the hills they could see the first of the season's heather blossom, the pink and purple and white standing out against the green and brown. The sky above was a pattern of gray and blue with the clouds patterned like ribbons, the sky itself the brilliant pale blue of a robin's egg. "Bronte country", said Ben.

"It is, except Haworth has become a tacky tourist trap. Coachloads of tourists and you cannot walk the streets in peace", said Philip.

After passing more glorious moor country, the skies turned more gray and cloudy and lower as they headed further north. The dominant color was gray: gray rocks, gray land, gray skies and the gray North Sea to their east. Old factories surrounded by dull suburbs and towns passed by the train in between vistas of gray, the whole area having a weirdly deserted feeling. "It's grim Oop North", Philip quipped.

Sunderland and then Newcastle were like a breath of fresh air coming from the gray, grim hinterlands of Durham and northern Yorkshire. Newcastle especially was a wonderful as the city had seven bridges spanning the Tyne river, even the sky seemed to lighten up. "We're going to have fun up here, Geordies know how to party", said Constantine eagerly.

"All right, none of us has been known to party", said Ben.

"You're a music producer, Andrew. Haven't you partied with any rock stars?", teased Philip.

"No, 'cus I don't want to end up in jail or in some fail pic. I'm a hermit, I did my partying in college", Andrew retorted. 

"Same here", said Ben.

'You two would have made great monks in the Middle Ages", Valeria laughed.

"Very funny, I'm not religious and Ben's Jewish", Andrew shot back.

"You three are going to have fun tonight. We're going to have a curry for supper and then dancing at World Headquarters since tonight they have Northern Soul. You three need to go out and have some fun before the trip", Philip chided.

"All right, this'll be just like college", said Andrew.

The train pulled into the station and it was only a short walk to the hotel down the street. "It's sort of like the UK version of Holiday Inn", Philip explained.

"Whatever, we're not staying for a long time", Andrew muttered.

The lobby of the hotel was neat but dull with everything in shades of beige and cream except for the fake plants and the front desk. The group checked in and Andrew immediately plopped down on the bed, his Ravenclaw hat tilted at a funny angle on his head. "Andrew, I think you may have a vitamin deficiency", said Valeria.

"Huh? I eat", he said.

"No, you practically eat nothing but frozen burritos and Red Bull. You have to eat better", she said.

"Ben didn't pass out", he said.

"I am kind of tired, dude", said Ben.

"You really ought to start eating better, guys", said Valeria. She saw that Andrew was pale and in spite of his skinny arms and legs had a slight belly with light purple shadows under his eyes. Ben was about 15-20 pounds overweight with his hair and beard turning gray, his olive complexion slightly yellow.

"When we get back, Val. People didn't eat many vegetables back then, right?", asked Andrew.

"Actually, they did. Meat was expensive and only the rich ate meat regularly, so most people ate vegetables. Unfortunately, they didn't have seasoning", she said.

"So we're going vegan, wow", Ben chuckled.

"Not strictly, but you two ought to eat better, period. And keep better hours", she chided.

Ben tried not to feel irritated. "Dude, since our Moms aren't here to help us, Val can be our mom", he joked.

"Benjamin Gordon, I am not your mother. But I am sort of a sister, since I'm an only child", she laughed. 

Ben laughed but he really wanted to frown. While they had been friends for years, Ben now wanted Valeria to be his girlfriend but was concerned this would change their relationship. He wondered if Valeria actually preferred Andrew to him, since his friend didn't have such a gut or gray hair.

Valeria turned on the TV as it was tuned to Sky Sports which showed a rerun of the Newcastle United game against Leicester. The Newcastle supporters went crazy any time one of their players went near the ball and booed when a Leicester player did, the former a seeming mas of black and white stripes like an enormous zebra. "Soccer sucks", said Andrew.

"That's because we both sucked at gym class", Ben reminded him. 

"I know, bro. We were always picked last", Andrew chuckled.

"I never had that problem", said Valeria.

"We're not athletic at all, it must be an artist thing", said Ben.

Andrew changed the channel to the BBC which showed The Story of Britain. "The Brits are good at this stuff", said Ben.

The show was the typical high quality BBC documentary, with plenty of maps, gorgeous landscapes, historical reenactments and a very dry host who spoke like the Queen. The trio sat together on the bed and watched the show. While Andrew was engrossed in the show, Ben found it harder to concentrate with barely an inch between him and Valeria, her red hair catching the light of the room. He could catch the faint scent of lilac which always seemed to surround her and felt the blood rush to his face. Ben wondered if he had done something to be tortured like this as he made himself focus on the show.

"The book set is better, but I suppose the show is good if you don't have a lot of time", she said.

She got up to use the bathroom and Andrew nudged Ben in the ribs with a pointy elbow. "Dude, just come out and say it", he hissed.

"First, you have very sharp elbows. And two, she's gorgeous and I'm ugly. I'm fat and have gray hair and I'm not even thirty", said Ben sarcastically.

"You're too hard on yourself, dude. This isn't high school where you had to be smart 'cause girls wouldn't go out with you. Unless you want me to try and date her", said Andrew with a smirk.

Ben's face drained of blood but then his cheeks turned red and his brown eyes flashed from behind his glasses. "Don't you dare", he growled.

"Tonight, ask her to dance. I'm going to ask girls to dance, they might like American guys", Andrew chuckled.

"I'll try, but I dance horribly. I have no coordination whatsoever", he said ruefully.

"Just try, dude", said Andrew just as Valeria came out of the bathroom.