Wake next to you
bring you coffee
listen to the radio together
welcome your head on my shoulder
stroke your fingers
Love as simple
as good morning

You are here
All is not lost
-- Abdellatif Laâbi

Chapter One

Orina tumbled out of the timegate in a heap, when and where she did not know. It was nighttime, she knew that much, and the bugs that chirped in the darkness sounded much like the ones in Zeal. She coughed, wincing, then her hands flew to her throat in a panic. Her necklace was gone. Miserably, she felt the cuts and bruises that Ithonie left when she snapped it. The loss of the chain was bad enough, and losing the locket attached to it was even more devastating. Those were two of the few precious reminders of Decamerone she had left. She'd have to check on the jade frog he'd given her later, but she could feel the small stirrings of their child within her. At least that miracle was safe.

For now, at least, she thought. Orina sat up and her head swam, the exhaustion she'd managed to ignore before roaring back full force. She lay back down; wherever she was, she wasn't in any immediate danger and, perhaps, her situation could be better dealt with after some rest.

Orina regretted that decision the moment she opened her eyes and found herself looking up at a crowd of Mystics. They'd formed a circle around her and, though none were armed, she was consciously aware that these were neither the Mystics she remembered nor was there another human to be seen. She wrapped her arms around her midsection and curled into a ball.

"There you are!" she heard someone say. She didn't recognize the scratchy voice. "I've been looking for you! I thought you would be at the station!"

Orina cautiously started to sit up, one arm still protectively covering her stomach, and watched the crowd of Mystics shuffle about as another of their number maneuvered his way through. She fought the urge to giggle at the sight of her apparent savior: he looked, for all the world, like a humanoid blackbird dressed in a suit, with tufted ears like an owl and a pair of glasses set on his beak. She smiled instead.

"You know this woman?" another Mystic, an Imp, asked.

"Oh yes, yes," the birdman said. He extended a clawed hand out to her and Orina let herself be helped to her feet. They were nearly the same height and now that she could look him in the eyes she could see that he was very worried. "She's my guest. Can't you see she's an expert on the Ancients? I invited her to speak to my students and it looks as though her skimmer must have crashed on the way here!"

Orina started to protest, but she quickly recognized that the Mystic was both explaining her mysterious presence and giving her an alibi. She nodded. "I don't think I'm hurt too badly, but I need to rest."

"You heard the lady," he said to the gawkers, making shooing motions as he did so. Several of the Mystics started to disperse, but more remained where they were standing or moved forward to get a closer look. He sighed, then offered Orina his arm. "Let's go back to my place. You need to go over your notes for your lecture tomorrow. It's fortunate that you sent me a copy of them before you left."

"Yeah," she said, taking his offered arm. "My luggage was destroyed in the crash."

They walked to his home in silence and, once they entered his humble dwelling, Orina allowed herself to be led to a worn, yet plush and comfy chair. She sat down with a sigh. "Thank you," she said.

He shrugged. "Someone had to help you and it didn't look like any of them were going to," he said. "I'm Elgin."

"Orina," Orina said. "Orina... Nightshade." A few tears prickled at her eyes when she said it. It wasn't really her last name, but it should have been.

"So what really brings you here, Orina?" Elgin asked. "We don't get many humans here in Medina, you know, and the few we do get aren't dressed like they came from Zeal."

Orina sighed inwardly. "Why don't humans come here?" she asked instead.

"Bad blood. Old wounds. I thought it was common knowledge?" Elgin said as he bustled around the room, closing the curtains and turning on lights. Orina watched him warily. He didn't seem dangerous -- and, as a soldier of Zeal and an accomplished magician, she was hardly helpless -- but his actions did remind her of just how isolated she was in this strange place and unknown time.

"Oh," Orina said. Elgin disappeared into the nearby kitchen and she heard him puttering about in there. His absence gave her a chance to take stock of her surroundings and what she saw made it clear that she was very far from Zeal indeed. The furniture in the sitting area was pointed at a boxy, glass-fronted device and a similar device was connected to another strange contraption set up on a desk. The light was supplied by glowing glass bulbs and, if it wasn't for the entirely familiar-looking books that crowded the bookshelves she was almost sure she would've screamed. She studied the spines of the nearest ones. Science, history, mathematics... Her eyes widened at the title of one thick volume: The Fall of Zeal.

She started to get out of her seat when Elgin returned, carrying an earthenware mug. He clacked his beak at her and she froze, turning her wide-eyed look in his direction.

"Sit sit sit!" Elgin insisted. He pressed the warm mug into her hands and fussed over her until she settled back down. She looked down at the mug, then sat it down on the table. He picked it up again, took a sip, then handed it back to her. Orina watched him for a few moments, then cautiously took a sip herself. She sighed after she swallowed the warm tea.

"Thanks," she said.

"You're welcome," Elgin said. "Like I said before, I'm Elgin. I teach at the school here."

Orina nodded. "That's nice." She took a few more sips of the tea and could feel Elgin's eyes on her the entire time. He wanted to know more, she knew, but she hadn't yet decided what she could tell him. The truth would make her sound like a lunatic, and she had only recently escaped her confinement in Zeal's dungeon. "Decamerone was a teacher."

"Decamerone...?"

"My... late husband," Orina said and the tears that had threatened before started to flow. She set the mug down and buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Elgin rested a hand on her arm, occasionally patting it, until her tears began to slow.

"I'm very sorry," he said, then added, very gently, "What happened?"

Orina inhaled with a sharp gasp, then shook her head. Several moments passed before Elgin spoke again.

"Okay... How about this: are you safe?" He sighed in relief when Orina nodded. "Good, good. I've got more questions, of course, but those can wait till you're feeling better. What matters most right now is that you're safe. Can I get you anything? Are you hungry?"

Orina's stomach growled loudly. She blushed and Elgin chuckled.

"Wait here and I'll get you something," he said and picked up the cup from the table. He walked back to the kitchen with it, while Orina closed her eyes and settled back into the chair. She'd slept after her arrival, but she still felt exhausted. She'd just started to doze off when Elgin returned with the same mug as before, except that there was now a spoon sticking out of it. "Vegetable soup," he said as he handed it to her. "There's some noodles in there, too."

"Thanks." Orina ate the soup in silence, grateful that Elgin kept his word about further questions. In fact, he didn't say anything at all until she finished the mug of soup and only then it was to ask if she wanted more. She finished off another mugful and was contemplating a third when a knock at the door broke the silence.

Elgin rolled his eyes. "More looky-loos, I bet. Not that I blame them, but I have to say I'm not in the mood for company right now. How about you?"

"Not really," Orina said. She chased an errant noodle around the bottom of the cup, then set the spoon aside and fished it out with her fingers. It gave her something else to concentrate on other than the current situation, nevermind the fact that the soup was both filling and delicious. "Thanks," she added. "For the soup, I mean. And everything else."

"No problem," he replied. "It's not every day someone falls from the sky."

Orina froze. "What?"

"It's just an expression," Elgin added. He tilted his head to study her through his glasses. "When things -- or people -- appear unexpectedly, we say they fall from the sky."

"Ah. Never heard that before," Orina said. "I'm not from around here."

There was another knock at the door, this one louder. It was soon followed by more impatient knocking, culminating in some disgruntled kicks before whoever it was decided to jiggle the doorknob. Orina looked to Elgin, who held a clawed finger in front of his beak.

"I don't think they're going to get the hint," she whispered.

"Yeah, I was afraid of that," he whispered back. He stood up with a sigh and walked to the door, then stepped back after he unlocked it. The door sprung open and probably would have slammed against the wall had it not been for the chain preventing it from opening too far. A blue, bald-headed Mystic pressed his face into the space afforded by the chain. Orina was surprised to see that, despite the baldness, he looked young and, when he spoke, he sounded like a teenager.

"Jeez, Teach, what took you so long!" the Mystic snapped. His eyes scanned the room and Orina glared at him when their eyes met. "Did I interrupt something or something?" he added with a smirk.

"Hello, Shade," Elgin said, a little tiredly. "And, yes, you interrupted our meal. What brings you here?"

"Not much. Just wanted to see for myself if it's true you've got a human woman. Everyone's talking about it -- I mean, her," Shade sneered. "What'd you do, Teach: take out an ad or something? Are you really that desperate?"

"Ms. Nightshade is my guest," Elgin said. "I don't know who you've been listening to, but they should know that she's here to speak at school tomorrow. And, considering the hardships she's faced getting here, it's the least I could do to offer her my home in the meantime."

"Yeah, sure, whatever helps you sleep at night -- y'know, besides her," Shade said. He smirked again at Elgin's expression. "Did I hit a nerve? You're the one that called my mom a liar."

"No, but you are offending my guest," Elgin said. "Orina's had a trying day already and you're not helping. So, I'd appreciate if you'll excuse us and let us review our lesson plans. You and your mother are both welcome to come to class, though."

"Yeah, that sounds like a total blast," Shade said sarcastically. "Anyhow, I came, I saw, I nearly puked. Time to go tell Jade about all the fun she won't be having tomorrow."

Orina let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding once the other Mystic's face disappeared and the door closed. Elgin clicked the lock back into place, but didn't return to his seat. She watched him smooth at the feathers on the top of his head with his hands, then scratch at his shoulder with his beak. Finally, he removed his glasses and started to clean the lenses with the corner of his suitcoat. "Nice kid," she said.

"Shade was one of last year's graduates. I should've flunked him, but I didn't want to deal with him another year," Elgin said. "With any luck, Jade should graduate this summer and I'll finally be free of them both." He shook his head, then sighed miserably. "Orina, I'm so incredibly sorry. Shade's always been a rude, foul-mouthed brat with a chip on his shoulder."

"I noticed," Orina said dryly. Part of her wanted to address Shade's accusations, but she balked at offending the only person who'd treated her kindly since her arrival. "I do have one question, though..." she began.

"Go on," Elgin said. He held up his glasses to the light, then close to his face, and resumed cleaning them.

"Do I really have to talk to your students tomorrow?" Orina finished. She smiled at Elgin, who had nearly dropped his glasses, and held that smile as he hurriedly fumbled them back on. He stared at her, incredulous, then started to laugh. Orina laughed as well, glad that the tension that followed Shade's visit had left.

"I'm afraid so," Elgin said as he walked back over to her. "Do you mind?"

"Does it matter?" Orina replied. It came out sharper than she'd intended, but at least it was the truth. "Sorry, but I've never taught before and I hate public speaking."

"No, no, no, don't apologize!" he assured her. "I just panicked and said the first thing I thought of. You looked like you were in trouble... and dressed like you were from Zeal, even though that's impossible."

"It's not. I am," she said. "It's just... a really long story."

"I'd like to hear it," Elgin said. "When you're ready, of course. No pressure."

"Yeah..." Orina sighed. She wished she was back home, back in her room in the Palace, and back in Decamerone's arms. She placed her hand on her stomach, reminding herself of what she still had. "Just... what year is this?"

"2280."

"2280," Orina echoed numbly. Even if the world still counted its years according to Zeal's prosperity... "And Zeal is gone?"

"Mhm. The Fall happened around 12,000 B.C. It was a terrible tragedy; the Queen perished along with her two children, Princess Schala and Prince Janus, whose remains were never found," Elgin said. "Many Mystics and humans died in the crash as well and the survivors were left to beg the people of Algetty for forgiveness. Nearly all of us Mystics can trace our families back to Zeal."

Orina nodded, eyes wide. "How did it happen?"

"That's a long story, too," Elgin said gently. "I've got a video that I show my students about the fall of Zeal that I can show you. Maybe we can figure out our lesson plan from there... okay?"

Orina nodded again. She watched Elgin walk over to another bookshelf and pull out two things that she first mistook for books, except that they had no pages. He then walked over to the strange, glass-fronted box that faced the chairs and a sofa.

"There's two videos... this one's short, but it's for the little kids," he said, holding up one of the boxy objects in each hand. "And this one's geared for my older students. It goes into more detail, though you might want to cover your ears during the reenactments. We can watch both -- it's all up to you."

"Okay," Orina mumbled.

Elgin looked at both boxes, then set one down on the glass fronted device and opened the other one, revealing a smaller black box. He bent to push that into another device that occupied the cabinet beneath the large device, then pushed a couple of buttons on both. The device came to life with a horrible hiss and a strange snowstorm danced on the glass. "Sorry! Sorry!" Elgin pushed another button and the scene changed to an odd little animated storybook.

Orina watched, both horrified and transfixed, as it told of the King Consort's death and the Queen's madness, which led to the construction of the Mammon Machine. The machine, it explained, brought Zeal's civilization to rapid new heights, but also led to its literal downfall. Interspersed with the new and confusing information were a few familiar faces -- the Queen, Princess Schala, Melchior, Belthasar, Gaspar, and, regrettably, Dalton -- but nothing was said about her sister Alyse. When it ended, she turned to Elgin, who sat on the floor beside her and whose hand she gripped tightly in both her own. "I... I don't think I want to see any more."

"That's understandable," Elgin said. He carefully extricated his hand, then stood back up to turn off the thing he called a television and remove the video cassette. "The students will ask about the Fall, of course, so you'll have to decide how you'll answer them."

Orina thought about it for a moment. "I won't," she finally said. "You'll go in first and tell the little kids that I'm a time traveler from Zeal and that since I've been plucked from my time, I don't know Zeal fell."

"I like that," Elgin said. "It should work, too, though I don't think it'll be as effective on the older ones. But, for them, we can just have you speak about life before the Fall. I'll tell them it's your specialization and that it'd be insulting to shift focus from a lesser-examined subject to one as widely-discussed as Zeal's downfall. How good are you at righteous outrage over your life's work being disparaged?"

"Magnificent." Orina smiled. "How about you?"

Elgin chuckled. "I think I can manage. So we have a plan?"

"I think so," Orina said. She frowned when she noticed the tears and stains on her robes. "If I'd known where I was going, I would've worn clean underwear," she muttered to herself, then blushed when Elgin let out an embarrassed cough.

"If you want, I can run your clothes through the washer while you take a bath. I'm not even going to try putting them in the dryer... but I can mend them until they dry on their own. We're just about the same size -- I can lend you one of my nightshirts until then, or anything else you'd want. We can go shopping tomorrow or the next day," he said hurriedly, stumbling over his words.

"That would be nice, thank you," Orina said, as politely as her ruffled pride could manage. While Elgin had -- so far -- proved to be a nice enough Mystic, she didn't exactly relish the idea of undressing in his house or wearing his clothes. She hadn't even worn anything of Decamerone's, though that was due to the privacy of their relationship and to him being so much bigger. Her blush deepened. Taller, she corrected herself. Broader in the shoulders. Shut up.

"Right, um, come with me, then?" Elgin stammered. He pointed at the entryway to the kitchen. "The laundry room's that way and I figured you, uh, might want to pick out your own clothes?"

Orina nodded and pushed herself up out of the chair, almost propelling herself forward in the process. She steadied herself on Elgin's offered arm, then let go and followed him through the kitchen to a little half room set off in an alcove. It looked like it had been a pantry once, but it was now occupied by two white metal boxes and a few racks and shelves filled with clothes. He gave another embarrassed cough.

"Take what you want," he said. "Sorry about the mess: it's just me, so I've forgone my dresser for the most part." He watched her pull one of the nightshirts from a hanger and hold it up to her body, but looked away when she picked up a pair of shorts. She wrinkled her nose at the garish polka-dots, wondering what would possess him to wear such a thing, until she realized they weren't meant to be seen. She swiftly stuffed them into the pocket of the nightshirt she held.

"Ready," she said and followed him to the bathroom. It was, thankfully, presented without commentary and, equally thankfully, was mostly familiar to what existed in Zeal. She started the taps, a little colder than she'd normally like, but her sister had warned her against hot baths. "Do you want me to pass my stuff through the door or...?"

"That works," Elgin said. He removed his glasses and slipped them into the pocket of his suitcoat, then left the room.