Who: Sparhawk and Elaine What: Arrival in UTR-World: A narrative - Right After this... When: Today Where: London, in a park in an area frequented by Americans. Warnings/Rating: PG-13ish at most. Possibly tl;dr.
Elaine had closed her eyes tightly and held on to Faran's mane when the wind had come up, and the next thing she knew, she was in a world of noise. Sparhawk had leaned over her protectively (as much as he could, since Elaine could not bend over from the position she was in) and he still held her. She did not open her eyes, but sat trembling until she felt it was safe. "Sparhawk?"
"My lady." His voice was hushed as he turned his head to look out and around him, and a cough of a laugh came from his chest, deep, to explode out of his mouth. "Here, again? Our luck turns, then. We have found a place that can be either safe haven or dark tidings." He shivered and hugged her close.
"Were you harmed by this strange Crossing? We have come to a new world, a world I have been to before, called Earth. Or, well, an Earth, perhaps yours, perhaps one of the ones that I have been to, and perhaps yet another."
Faran snorted, nose wide and sampling the air. They were on a hillock of green, in the middle of a green patch, almost perfectly square, surrounded by streets of a strange material, gray, over which strange things moved. Noise and lights assailed them. Sparhawk recalled, from earlier travels, that this was a park more like, and those were streets, of asphalt, and that the horrendous things were cars, which carried men and women.
It did, indeed, look like Earth.
"I...I do not think so, dearest. Though my heart hammers in my chest like a rattletrap and I fear I cannot walk for trembling." She opened her eyes and looked around her in confusion and terror. Her fingers tightened on his sleeve. "Oh, what manner of place is this?" she asked, in a tiny voice. The things moving around them were strange lighted creatures. She put her hand protectively over her belly. "Can it be Earth? It is all so very strange and monstrous."
She looked around and nothing looked familiar except for the grass and snow, and she shivered. Her mind jumped forward in a panic. "Oh, Sparhawk...what will we do? Where will we sleep? And what about Faran?" She looked up at him, frightened.
The snow everywhere was another factor, one that worried him, and the chill wind that blew around them made him frown, but he smiled to Elaine.
"Fear not, Elaine. We will find a way. Earth, well, is fond of helping people." He moved slightly and found his wallet bulging. One eyebrow rose as he poked at it and opened the top, to see a leathery thing inside, and a smile, confused, rose. "And maybe the help has already come."
He found, inside, several items that he knew, from previous Earth visits, were identification cards, showing his face, and identifying him as Sparhawk, a metalsmith and herbalist with a shop under his apparent home, and listed as married to Elaine Sparhawk.
He nodded.
"We have a place to go to. Apparently, on this world, a place has been made for us by the powers that brought us here." He urged Faran forward, and set out slowly to find some way of seeing where they were, as opposed to where they needed to be.
Elaine only now noticed that she was not in the same clothing. They bound in places they were not supposed to, but was relieved to see that they left enough room to allow for her belly. She looked around herself with wide eyes. Now that Sparhawk seemed to understand something about this place, she began to relax slightly, though she was still frightened and worried.
"Oh, thank goodness," she said softly. She leaned her head against him. They were together, and that was more than enough...but knowing they had a place to go to was so much of a relief, she could not complain much about their fate. Though she would not be properly relaxed until they got to...wherever they were going.
He hugged her close to him as they rode and he guided Faran with his knees, seeing a newsstand nearby, and remembering them from a time before. he fished a five out of his wallet and eyed it, still not trusting the local money, but nodding. He tossed it to the man as they pulled next to the stand.
"Neighbor, if I may have a moment? I seem to be turned around. Could you tell me what street we are on, and what the cross street there, ahead, is?"
His voice was pleasant, and for once, his hand rested nowhere near the sword bound to his hip. The man took the five, eyes widened at them, and nodded.
"Yes. Sure, man. This is Gillespie Road, and that is Cuddy street ahead."
"Ah, my thanks! Which way to El Street?"
"Down Cuddy Street and right, a mile or so, you can't miss it."
"Thank you, Neighbor."
And he kneed Faran forward. They moved at a slow but good speed down the street, drawing some odd glances which he ignored.
"We shall find our home, then rest and explore a new world."
Elaine listened to the exchange between her husband and the man tending the strange vendor stand, her eyes drawn to what seemed to be folded papers with printing on them. She could ask later what they were if she did not find out on her own. But just for now, she stayed close to her husband, shivering a little.
She smiled when she heard the tone in his voice. It comforted her greatly, hearing the lack of fear in his voice. "Beloved, I am in constant amazement at your ability not to worry." She leaned close to him, her cheek against his chest. "But it keeps me from panicking, so by all means keep doing what you are doing."
He rode Faran, guiding him slowly, and holding her close. "You are my lady, and I will protect you through whatever comes. I have been to a world like this, before, and I will find us a home, and a heft, and will not allow time or tide to harm thee, nor any danger we encounter."
He rode and Faran snorted in agreement as they turned down one street, moving at an easy walk, to avoid riding down the silly amounts of people in the so called sidewalks. He began telling her what things around them were, starting with the sidewalks and moving to simple items, one at a time.
Elaine calmed, the more he talked and taught her, and her fear receded as she realized it was not so very different from the place they had left--save for the population on the streets and the streets themselves. "So...it is much like the place we left...just more populated. More a city than a village." She sat up a little taller and looked around her curiously. Faran was the only horse she could see. She wondered if there were still horses here, if people still rode. She pulled up her hood, a little chilled from the weather.
He nodded.
"Aye. it is a good place, and a welcome one. And we can make our way here, somehow."
He showed her his identity papers as he guided Faran with his knees, and ignored the people, letting his enhanced danger sense keep him alert to anything new. "I am a metalsmith and herbalist here, apparently, and both are things I can do, and make money at."
Elaine blinked. "Oh...well, that is good. Were those things just...on your person as we came through?" She patted herself, and found that she had a small satchel of some kind slung across her body. She looked inside and took out a folder of leather. "Oh...and it says here that I am Elaine Sparhawk, your wife--which is lucky--and I assist in some of your business. Apparently, I also weave." She looked up at him. "It seems we are well matched in many worlds, husband mine. And...it seems...that all we need to do now is go home," she said in wonder.
He nodded, then smiled as he saw her find her identity papers and purse. "This world apparently gives us a place to be and a craft as well, so we are not lost completely."
He smiled at her. "Aye, and good Faran has us almost to where the papers read as our home. A few minutes and we shall arrive, there!"
He pointed ahead to a three-story-tall black and silver building, whose lower floor was taken up by storefront, save for a small white door on one end.
"I believe that is the private entrance. We can examine the rest once we see out home, which I believe to be on the higher levels." He led the way and Faran nosed the door, which, surprising them all, beeped! A red light sprang out along the hinges and ran along them all, then the door opened as if on well-oiled hinges, silently, revealing a small room in hunter green. Sparhawk looked at Elaine, then nodded and let Faran nose in, the door tall enough for them to go in on horseback.
As soon as they were in the door closed and there was a ping sound. No sense of movement intruded.
"Be at ease. This is what is known as an elevator, though I have never seen one this efficient, and this quiet."
A moment later, the wall ahead opened, and they looked into a wide room, with what looked like stable stalls on one end, a metal smithy on one side, and a large work area in the middle. A small area of the wall next to them lit up with the words, current level, workshop, next level, living quarters. And the door closed, and they again heard a ping. A final moment and the door opened again to reveal a large interconnected series of rooms, looking more luxurious than anything Sparhawk had ever seen.
"Apparently, we are wealthy."
A pause.
"Or very good at our jobs."
She looked up--and up--at their home and was startled as the door beeped. She looked around with wide eyes as they entered the 'elevator'. It may have been efficient but Elaine's stomach was not very happy, though she did not feel too terribly badly once she became used to the motion. She was amazed at what was contained in the building they found themselves in. "Goodness gracious," she whispered. "I should think we are a little of both--to have so much." Even Here was not so luxurious as this place. She stroked Faran's neck and patted him. He was a brave horse indeed. She looked back at Sparhawk. "But we are safely here...however we got here. And we are all together."
He nodded and slid off Faran.
"We can go back to the stable level and set Faran to rights, then come back to rest ourselves."
"That sounds like a very good idea." She held her hands out to Sparhawk for help down. She could not trust her legs just now, and with the weight of her belly pulling her forward, she did not trust herself not to fall.
He helped her down and hugged her close as he eyed the walls. "Stable."
And the door closed. "Voice recognition activated. Welcome home Master and Mistress Sparhawk."
The voice was quiet and feminine. It startled Sparhawk.
"Who are you?" "I am the programmed mind of the Delta Smart house, where you reside with your wife and horse."
He blinked, a lot.
"How did we get this?"
"You won a contest and proved yourself the most worthy, doing good for those around you, and thus proving you would use the resources of this facility well."
"Do we own this?"
"Yes. It was gifted six months ago, after you had indeed, shown that you would use it well."
The front wall opened and Sparhawk led Elaine and Faran out, looking around.
Elaine was most startled as the house spoke to them, and held onto Sparhawk's arm. "Doing good," she said softly. She smiled up at him. "We shall be able to do much here." They went with Faran to the stables, Elaine walking on the other side of the horse, her hand on the horse's neck as they walked. "We have a world of wonder ahead of us." She caressed her belly affectionately. "And perhaps a better world to bring our child into."
Together, they settled Faran into place and fed him, and then Sparhawk looked around.
"Amazing."
"Yes," she said, "It truly is." She slipped her hand into his. "It seems that this is the place where we shall work together," she said, looking about the long expanse of rooms. "And so much room for us. It seems a very blessed thing for us to be brought here." But still there was a little fear in her heart--how long would this last? And would they be able to remain together? "I wonder if there is a place for the baby..." They'd had the nursery set up where they had come from, but nothing they had gathered was with them now.
He hugged her close and kissed her. "It is a good place, with some small homey touches. And I will hope for there to be safety and warmth here."
He smiled to her.
"I think that is what the man I replaced was working on."
He pointed at the smithy where quite a few odd shapes were laying, out of wood and metal and other materials.
"I think that is the makings of a nursery..."
He found a large paper and nodded, showing her, for it was plans to build a full set of nursery furniture. "And there is a note saying it is to be placed in the south end office, which was scratched out and replaced with north end office."
he chuckled.
"I guess they were discussing it."
Elaine smiled softly. "Do you think you could finish it?" she asked. She looked at the plans with him, smiling softly. "It would have been a happy discussion, I am sure." She rubbed her belly absently. These days her hands were never away from her baby and sometimes the baby pushed against her hands. It would not be long now. Only a few more weeks. A shadow of worry crossed her face.
He examined the plans. "Aye, I can do it." He smiled at her. "I have some small skill at such. And it will be made with love."
He hugged her close.
"It will be okay, love."
She smiled back. "Oh, I am just nervous. And in a nesting sort of mood. My time is close, and I grow afraid." She rested in his arms. "This place presents much hope, and many opportunities. And tomorrow, I am sure I will be able to meet them. Tonight, however...I think I need a small meal and some rest." Her stomach was starting to rumble--they had missed dinner.
He grinned at her and kissed her.
"Come, let us go to the living level and make sure you can eat, then we both can rest, and dream of a new tomorrow."
He led her back to the elevator. "Living level, please." And they were away.
The upstairs was bright and pleasant, and Elaine removed her cloak, looking down at her clothing at last. They were very modern, but they seemed very similar to her other clothing in many ways. She felt very strange and displaced.
The two of them went into the kitchen. "It seems like a larger version of what we had," she observed. "At least I've had practice on the stove." It was good to know that she would not be completely helpless in the kitchen.
he smiled softly at her and hugged her close, looking around.
"Together, we will be fine, love. Now what would you like to eat?"
She sat down at the table. "Just toast. I can't hold much more than that." No one had ever told her that the baby would take up most of the space inside her and that she would get hungry roughly every two hours.
"I...still can't quite believe we're here." Elaine looked around her like a person in a dream.
He smiled as he found the bread and slowly made the toast, making a little lunch meat and cheese sandwich for himself as he did so.
"It is amazing. I have transitioned so many worlds, so many times, that it is becoming old to me, but it still seems amazing that such happens."
he came to her with the toast.
"We are together, and we will be okay."
"I know...as long as I am with you, I know we'll be safe." She sighed. "I hope that we stay here for a long time," she said. She needed to stay in one place. At least they had a place to live...and a wonderful place at that. She nibbled at the toast, hoping she would not have to wake in the middle of the night for more food. "You'll forgive me for worrying a little anyway, I hope?" Elaine smiled at him. Everything had been arranged back at Here. She'd had the nursery set up, she knew who was going to be delivering her child, and now...she didn't know anything. She was starting almost back at square one.
He kissed her gently, and snuggled her against his side as he listened. "Of course, love. We have much to learn, and a whole new world of possibilities to explore. We will triumph, and we will manage, but it will be interesting for awhile."
He worried, but he knew they would find a way.
Elaine laughed. "Interesting is a good word for it." She cupped her hand over his cheek. "I do not know what I would do without you, my love. You keep me sane." She touched her forehead to his, and the baby kicked. "Ooh! At least I know the baby is all right." She rubbed her belly.
He blushed and kissed her again.
"It is only fair, for you are my sanity, my light and my hope."
She took his hand and placed it on her belly, smiling. "It will not be long, beloved. We will bring a new life into this new place we find ourselves in. I think," she ventured, "that we will be happy here."
She kissed him softly. "I know I will be happy as long as you are here."
He smiled, stroking her belly, marveling at her beauty and at the life they had created together, with God's help. He kissed her again and felt warm happy tears in his eyes.
"'Tis true, love. We will make something new, and something good. And it will be odd, but so be it."
"If life is not odd, then it would be dull, I think. And I think we could make this place home. We have all we need, after all, and we have our vocations to occupy us." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Let us find our bed, beloved. And we may rest and awaken tomorrow to find out what else this world has in store for us."
He nodded, listening. He glanced around. "With our vocations and with some work, we can make it a home, and we can make a life, here. We and our child, and Faran, will find a home. We will have much to learn, and will have to see what the future brings, together."
He kissed her again.
"We will have... an adventure."
"A quiet sort of adventure. Save for crying, of course. Not mine, the baby's." She peered down the hallway. "Down here, perhaps?"
He laughed.
"If we are lucky it will be quiet. With our lives, it might be very... loud."
"That might be good. Depending on why it is loud, of course." She opened up a door. Bathroom.
He chuckled.
"We will see, eh?"
He peered in and then wandered a little, quickly finding a large shower, and a set of closets with clothing and food in them, as well as books, lots of books.
"Whoever we replaced, it seems as if they were well skilled and read."
"Yes," she said, her eyes widening at the quantity of books. "There are so many books," she said softly. "I wonder if I've read them all. Or...who I replaced. Who is me. Or something." She smiled. She eyed the clothing dubiously. "It looks as if I do need to get used to modern dress," she sighed.
He smiled softly at her. "We can buy dress more like what you want, if you like? Or make it. But this appears, from what I saw outside, to be like unto what all wear here."
"I think it will be all right. Perhaps it is time for many things to change. And I can always make what I would like to wear around the house." She shook her head. "There is just so much."
He nodded, and stroked her face.
"It will be okay. You can try different outfits, as you like. We have a washer and dryer in the work area and thus can wash as we need to."
He looked into one door and saw a room with a large couch an a big screen television.
"An entertainment room, for watching movies..."
Another room held an office, decorated in green, and the one opposite held the exact same, save decorated in black and silver. Both held large desks, phones, and computers.
"Our offices, it appears."
"Good heavens," she said. She wandered into the green decorated room. "Is this one of those...computer things?" Though it does not look like Lucas's...it looks more like a television-thing. She picked up a framed photograph. "At least the people who lived here looked much like us." Though it was strange seeing their likenesses in a photograph.
He nodded.
"It appears very much more... advanced than any I have seen, but yes, it is a computer."
He smiled at her.
"Indeed, they did. And we shall hope to make this a good home, both for ourselves and for them."
He peered around the black and silver office a little.
"I think this one may be mine, for it seems to hold notes about smithy projects."
"Oh, well, that is good. It seems that you have much to work on and do. It seems that there are many notes about tapestries here...as well as recipes for teas and poultices." She sat down in the chair at her desk. She'd never had a space to just work before. She got up then, going into the office where Sparhawk was. "We must be very busy people."
He chuckled and nodded, then looked down the hall.
"As long as we always make time for each other, that is no bad thing."
He kissed her softly.
"And I believe only the bedroom is left to discover."
"Yes. We are forever, after all." She kissed him back, threading her fingers with his. "Then we should find it and make use of it," she said softly. She felt as if she desperately needed to rest. Though she was not entirely sure of how much she would sleep.
"I am so glad that I have you, and that we are together," she said as they wandered toward the master suite at the end of the hall. "And that we get to share this place." She looked at the room. "That...is an immense bed."
He laughed, and snuggled her close as they walked forward. The bedroom made him blink.
"It is perfect. When the children are old enough, we can have them with us in the bed sometimes, as a family. And before that..." His grin at her was lust-filled. "I am sure we can find ways to make use of the space."
Elaine giggled and blushed. "Well, it does certainly look cozy," she murmured shyly. She went to sit down on the bed and stroked the soft coverlet. She slipped off her shoes and felt the carpet under her feet. "It all invites sleep. And...other things, of course." Though with as big as she was now, lovemaking took a bit more planning. Still fully dressed, she lay back, stretching her hands above her head contentedly.
He gently slipped off his clothing, and slipped next to her.
"We should sleep, for now, and let a good night give us the strength to ... exploit it."
She grinned. "Yes. I'm sure a good night of rest will give us the energy for many things." Sitting up again, she slipped out of her clothing and crawled within the covers. "Sleeping with your skin against mine will feel good." She needed the touch of him tonight.
He snuggled close to her, under the covers and smiled.
"Sleep well, dear one, and deep."
He held her close as he closed his eyes.
"And you, dearest." She kept her eyes open, remaining quiet for a time. The only sound was his breathing, and she could feel his breath warm against her neck. Sighing softly, she closed her eyes and let herself drift, eventually falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.