Softly Surrendering To The Echoes Of The Past

SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA  

The Present  
 
Sephora gulped in a breath of air. She coughed violently to regain the rhythm of her breathing.  
 
Palos patted Sephora on the back.  
 
“Are you alright?”  
 
“I...” She looked up. “Sir Pious.”  
 
Who the fuck is this person you continue to refer me as?”  
 
Sephora looked around. She realized she was in her bedroom.  
 
“Sir Pious, I had an unusual dream.”  
 
Palos stood. He was done with this crazy woman’s mumbling bullshit.  
 
“You are a fucking lunatic. Call me when my name comes to your memory.”  
 
“Wait, where is King Javiah?”  
 
“Lady, you are real fucked up in the head. Have a great life, with your two men. Number three is gone.”  
 
Palos stormed out Sephora’s bedroom.  
 
Minutes later.  
 
Sephora heard her front door open and then close. Her head throbbed. She felt to back of her head. Her scalp felt damp.  
 
Sephora removed her hand and looked down at the fresh blood to her two fingers.  
 
She tried to get up. She slumped back against the bedrail. She reached up for the telephone on the nightstand. She lifted the receiver, pressed the number to her friend’s residence, and then placed the receiver up to her ear.  
 
AVERA HEART HOSPITAL  
 
Maxine wheeled Sephora from out the Emergency Room. She positioned the wheelchair next to the vehicle, opened the door, and assisted Sephora out the wheelchair up into her Acura SUV.  
 
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE  
 
“You are a fucking lunatic. Call me when my name comes to your memory.”  
 
“Wait, where is King Javiah?”  
 
Palos threw his pencil across the room. He was peeved he went to visit a woman who he’s been thinking about; only to have her call him another man’s name. He lifted the book he confiscated from off Sephora’s table before fleeing her residence. He opened it to the first page.  
 
“Humm. This shit is history.”  
 
“Sir Pious,” Palos peered closer.  
 
He resembled the knight in every aspect of his facial features. Palos leaned back in his chair and read Sir Pious’ story.  
 
“A brave knight. Why haven’t I ever heard of this particular knight?”  
 
“Man, you talking to yourself again?”  
 
“Man get a load of this shit.”  
 
Javen entered Palos’ office.  
 
Palos held the book up for Javen to view.  
 
Javen peered downward at the book.  
 
“Damn man, your blood line dates back to the seventeenth century.”  
 
“This person, is not my kin, however, it states he disappeared from Cromwell never to be heard of again.”  
 
“Let me take a look at this.”  
 
Palos handed Javen the book.  
 
Javen flipped through several more pages.  
 
“It states. Sir Pious, was a brave knight, and he fought alongside King Javiah through several battles. King Javiah, King Javiah, wait, my grandmother stated this is my great, great, great, grandfather of old.”  
 
“Get the fuck out of here.”  
 
“No, and she swears I resembled this king, and get this, guess what the queen’s name was.”  
 
“Mary.”  
 
“No, Queen Sephora.”  
 
“That now explains her obsession with this stupid shit. I went over there yesterday, and I found her passed out on her bedroom floor, mumbling some dumb shit about…Sir Pious…and shit, King Javiah.”  
 
“You said yesterday.”  
 
“Yes, why?”  
 
“I was over there asking her about…the amount of her hospital bill.”  
 
“Well you could have that dim-witted woman. The woman is...”  
 
“Crazy and probably on some mood disorder heavy shit as they come.”  
 
But has some good tight pussy, sweet lips, and a smile that could tame a rattlesnake, Javen thought.  
 
“As a matter of speaking, I met this woman last night, and her sister was not bad looking on the eyes.”  
 
“You don’t say, my brotha.”  
 
“I do say, and I happen to have four tickets to the play’s opening night performance.”  
 
“You, your date, and her sister could meet me in front of the Perforating Arts entrance.”  
 
“You got it.”  
 
Javen walked to the door.  
 
“Wait, I will need that book.”  
 
Javen turned and walked back over to Palos’ desk. He handed him the book.  
 
“Later.”  
 
Javen turned to the door, walked out Palos’ office, and pulled the door close.  
 
CAMELOT ESTATES  
 
Javen slammed the telephone receiver in the cradle.  
 
“Where the fuck is she!”  
 
He did not want to leave another voicemail.  
 
“Fuck her, I do not need the mental aggravation.”  
 
“Javen.”  
 
“Yes, grandmother, I am in the Solarium.”  
 
His grandmother entered the Solarium.  
 
Several elderly ladies stood behind his grandmother.  
 
“If I was to know I would be greeted by several beautiful ladies, I would have pulled out my tuxedo.”  
 
No one within the circle of women cracked smile.  
 
“Oookay. What could I do for you grandmother?”  
 
One of the elderly women stepped forward.  
 
“I need you to tell us all about this…this Sephora woman.”  
 
“Not to worry grandmother…she is history.”  
 
“Yes, who have traveled through the hands of time? We must act quickly.”  
 
“Grandmother, with all due respect, I do not know what you have advised these women in regards to Sephora, but the woman and I are no longer a couple.”  
 
“Do you know the history of this woman?”  
 
“No ma’am, other than she mentally lives in the past, and she has a fascination with a historical display at my museum. Who are you again?”  
 
“I am the Senior Head Curator from the Historical Society Chapter Five, and your grandmother, has asked my associates and me to investigate someone of interest.”  
 
“Let me guess, Sephora.”  
 
“Queen Sephora.”  
 
“Grandmother, I do not have time for this, I am running late for a date.”  
 
“Son, five minutes of your time, please.”  
 
Javen inhaled and exhaled.  
 
“All right five minutes, and not a minute more.”  
 
“Please have seat young man.”  
 
“I prefer to stand, ma’am.”  
 
“What you will witness will broaden your sense of direction, and may elevate your conscious.”  
 
“I will take my changes.”  
 
The woman looked over at Javen’s grandmother, and then returned her gaze back to Javen.  
 
She walked up to him, lifted her palm, and then blew some white powder into his face.  
 
Javen wipe at his stinging eyes.  
 
“What the fuck!”  
 
He could not make out anything.  
 
The harmonic chanting voices around him became faint until he heard nothing but silence.  
 
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND  
 
Cromwell Castle  
 
1701  
 
Javen coughed as he tried to regulate his breathing. He looked around.  
 
“Where the fuck am I at? Grandmother, this shit is not funny,” he yelled out. He glanced around in all directions.  
 
The surface of the earth felt cool to his bottom.  
 
Javen heard approaching voices.  
 
“Your Majesty.”  
 
Several knights with their sword drawn approached him.  
 
Javen stood in haste.  
 
“Your Majesty.”  
 
“Your What? What the hell is going on here!”  
 
Javen looked down at his attire.  
 
Where was the suit he had on? His expensive attire was replaced with a black royal court doublet, a pair of black knee length brocade pants, black hose, and a pair of knee high cowhide leather boots he would never place on his feet.  
 
And why was a leather sword belt around his waist; with a royal lion head sword within.  
 
“Your Majesty were you attacked? Are you hurt?”  
 
Several knights surrounded him.  
 
“I’m fine. Where am I? Or better yet, who the hell are you men.”  
 
Each knight looked at each other, and then back at Javen.  
 
“Come Your Majesty, we will have the physician check you out.”  
 
Javen was led away by several knights. He heard voices behind him. Javen stopped and turned around.  
 
A beautiful woman who was garbed in a lavish white gown of pure silk, stood idly.  
 
Javen’s eyes roamed over the woman from head-to-toe. Her physique fitted the gown to perfection. He noticed her smile was genuine while she addressed several women within her presence. He cranked his head after noticing the jeweled crown on top of her head.  
 
Several diamonds embedded an upswept French coiffure.  
 
The woman was beautiful. Her derrière, breasts, and hips was a body worth coveting.  
 
Queen Sephora felt someone eyes on her. She turned around.  
 
“Sephora…It can’t be.”  
 
Javen looked down at his attire again; back up to the curiosity in his knights’ faces.  
 
Queen Sephora and her Ladies-In-Waiting walked to where Javen stood.  
 
“Your Majesty.”  
 
Queen Sephora bowed.  
 
“Your Majesty? What the fuck,” Javen stated in confusion.  
 
Queen Sephora peered closer. She turned toward the knights and her Ladies-in-Waiting.  
 
“Leave us at once.”  
 
“Yes Queen Sephora.”  
 
The knights bowed, backed up, and then turned to walk away; followed by Queen Sephora’s three Ladies-in-Waiting.  
 
“Are you all right My’Lord?”  
 
“Yes. And why are you dressed like this...and where the fuck am I.”  
 
“Your Majesty,” Queen Sephora stated in disbelief behind his blatant tongue.  
 
“Sephora.”  
 
“Queen Sephora, yes.”  
 
“This is all too real for me. What the hell happen to me? I was in my Solarium, some of my grandmother’s friends came to visit. I remember someone blowing something in my face, and now I am here.”  
 
“And here is 1701.”  
 
“Palos advised me you were crazy, but this takes the case.”  
 
“You mean Sir Pious Your Majesty, and this is how he describes my demeanor My’Lord.”  
 
“Yes, and now I have to believe him.”  
 
Queen Sephora grabbed onto Javen’s hand. She walked them over to an oval window.  
 
“What do you see?”  
 
Javen looked out the window. His eyes could not adjust the vision laid out ahead of him.  
 
“I am in a castle.”  
 
Queen Sephora turned to face him.  
 
“Yes, you are King Javiah, and I am Queen Sephora.”  
 
“I don’t understand.”  
 
“I do not understand your demeanor at the moment; however, in the meantime. We will act as such until one of us could figure out how hard you really hit your head.”  
 
Javen leaned over and kissed Sephora on the lips. He inched his face back  
 
“I like my benefits already of being your king.”  
 
“Wait, if you are here then where is King Javiah…I’m all ears.”  
 
“Wait, the museum.”  
 
“You speak of hearsay, Your Majesty, should I have the physician bloodletting you; you sound delirious.”  
 
“No dammit, I do not belong here, and neither do you. I mean we belong together, but in a different lifetime.”  
 
Queen Sephora stepped back.  
 
“And I suppose Queen Sephora is with this other person who is the King of Scotland and England.”  
 
“I do not know, oh, kiss me, a Cardinal is looking this way?”  
 
Javen snaked his arms around Queen Sephora’s waist, pulled her closer, and tenderly kissed her. His tongue invaded the corridor of her mouth.  
 
Queen Sephora moaned under the sweet assault. She linked her arms around Javen’s neck and pasted her body against his.  
 
Javen inched his face back and rested his forehead against hers.  
 
“I’ve tasted these lips before, God knows I have,” Javen whispered.  
 
He kissed Queen Sephora’s nose, her eyes; he palmed the sides of her face and kissed her lips again.  
 
Javen heard footsteps echoing. He gradually withdrew his presence. He caressed Queen Sephora’s cheek.  
 
“You are as every beautiful a queen as the day I married you.”  
 
Where did that line originate he thought?  
 
“Is that all the king has to give to his queen, romantic words.”  
 
Queen Sephora palmed Javen’s manhood.  
 
“It appears earlier you were quite the animal in our bed.” “I see your queen have to take the king back down memory lane this evening.”  
 
Queen Sephora looked down the corridor. She looked up into Javen’s eyes.  
 
“My Ladies-In-Waiting has returned. Oh, we have a Joust event scheduled later this.”  
 
“Joust.”  
 
“Yes.”  
 
“But I.”  
 
 ”You will do fine as a king who has temporary lost his memory.” Sephora bowed. “Your Majesty.”  
 
Queen Sephora winked at Javen, turned around, and walked down the corridor to join her Ladies-In-Waiting.  
 
“Grandmother, why, and how could this shit be?”  
 
“Your Majesty.”  
 
Javen turned around at the voice.  
 
“Palos?”  
 
“Your Majesty,” Sir Pious stated and then bowed.  
 
“Palos?”  
 
“I’m not understanding this lad you speak of.”  
 
“How did you get here?”  
 
“I was summoned as to your unfortunate accident.”  
 
Javen looked around.  
 
“Everyone is waiting for you in the Throne Room.”  
 
The language he heard in the distance, the attire, and the hooves of horses he heard in the distance advised him this era was not of the twentieth-first century. But how?  
 
This shit is impossible he thought.  
 
Javen pinched himself.  
 
Sir Pious followed the small act.  
 
“Should I summon the physician, Your Majesty?”  
 
“I tripped on something. I’m fine.”  
 
“Are you sure Your Majesty?”  
 
“Yes, I would need you to be in attendance for all my needs and sit in on any council meetings as of today.”  
 
“That is what I’ve done since you’ve made me Duke of Cromwell, Your Majesty.”  
 
Sir Pious looked Javen in the eyes.  
 
“And you sure you’re all right Your Majesty.”  
 
“Yes.”  
 
“Good. You are needed in the Throne Room.”  
 
Sir Pious and Javen walked in the direction of the Throne Room.  
 
SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA  
 
Camelot Estates  
 
The Present  
 
Javen coughed. A glass of water was thrust up to his lips. He palmed the glass and took a deep gulp. His eyes continue to sting. He continued to blink into his vision came into focus.  
 
Javen’s grandmother and her guests looked on.  
 
Javen slammed the glass of water down on the glass table.  
 
“Grandmother…what the hell happen…what did you do to me!”  
 
“You had to see it for yourself. That woman…that witch, you call Sephora has walked the land in time, and now she is with my grandson.”  
 
“Sephora. Queen Sephora.”  
 
“So, you have seen her?”  
 
“I’ve seen some woman…she said she was Queen Sephora…and... No, she was my Sephora,” Javen uttered in confusion.  
 
Javen rubbed his hand back through his hair in annoyance.  
 
“I need to lie down until my date tonight.”  
 
“Javen, this Sephora woman, I advise you to stay away from her. She will bewitch you.”  
 
“Grandmother, Sephora is a very nice woman, and I happen to really connect with her vibes.”  
 
“Enough young man to change the face of history.”  
 
“Enough gibberish. Grandmother, you may take your friends, and leave. I am going upstairs. All this…this nonsense is making me see how ill-willed you really are.”  
 
Javen rose from the couch and walked out the Solarium.


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