It had been a while since Alexander had let himself think about home. The grandeur hallways, tall ceilings, gold crested pillars, windows and sculptures. His mysterious father, locked behind a large wooden door and his beautiful, loving mother. His hands tightened around the sheet of paper he held as emotion welled into his eyes, making them blur with tears. He blinked repeatedly, turning his face downwards so that the several townsfolk who were meandering around wouldn’t see the salty liquid. No, he hadn’t thought of home in a long while, but this paper depicted a portrait of his father, older then Alexander remembered him, and it brought back all the memories that he fought to keep buried. 

However, it wasn't so much the picture that interested him... not after a minute. No, it was the words, printed meticulously to prove their point. It told of the king's illness, not that that was news to anyone. It had been one of the main gossips for several weeks now and, like most people, Alexander assumed that his murderous uncle would be the one to take the throne once the King died. Yet this paper spoke differently. The young man stood still as stone amongst the few townsfolk who had chosen to grace the mediocre market place with their presence. His luminescent green eyes were wide and a gleam, almost malicious in it’s ecstasy, made them that much more beguiling. 

As his eyes quickly scanned the words that explained of the challenge a plan grew in his mind. This was his chance, to win back the throne and bring justice on the man who had taken from him his beloved mother. Alexander fisted his hand and the paper crumpled. The words becoming wrinkled, yet not any less significant in their meaning. He had to start right away.... he had to find this mysterious Thief of time Time. 

---

“Elspeth!”

The name rang through the small farmyard, causing one lazing old mutt to lift it’s heavy head from it’s paws and wail at the speaker. 

“Elspeth MacPhee, where are you girl!?” The speaker in question was a woman, she held an old woven basket on her hip. Beads of sweat trickled down her sour face as her eyes scanned the yard for the young girl who bounded out from behind the chicken coop. Ellie’s dress was disheveled and an elated grin was stuck on her plump lips. There was no mistaking her youth as her agile legs carried her towards her scowling mother. “Oh, Momma! You wouldn’t believe what I-” 

“Where have you been?” The sharp, accusing tone and birdlike eyes stopped Ellie in her tracks. The words she had been about to say fell dead on her lips and the smile faltered. “I have been slaving away with the chores all day with you nowhere to be found! Explain yourself...” It took a few moments for El to gather the words to explain how she had found a beautiful clearing in the back woods, about the little stream where she had skipped rocks and the wonderful nap she had taken amongst the trees. “I-I’m sorry, Momma.. I-” She was cut off once again as the basket was thrust into her hands causing her to stumble backwards. “Never mind, just get to work. I need vegetables from the garden.” The aging woman left her stunned child staring blankly at the old wooden door and still swaying with the basket.

It took her a few moments to will away the tears that jumped, understandably, to her eyes. As soon as she composed herself, Ellie made her way to the garden which was set in the large field in her backyard. The place was overgrown with weeds, but still a few of the crops survived and all that was needed was some serious digging around. Soon enough, Ellie had almost completely forgotten about her mother’s outburst as she hummed and danced, picking carrots, potatoes and beans. The basket was nearly full by the time she was finished and an accomplished smirk danced across her pretty lips. “There we are! Now that wasn’t so bad...” She hummed again, hands on her hips as her eyes roamed the beautiful blue skies with the puffy blue clouds. If only she could escape these god awful duties and live an exciting life, a life of adventure, romance, beauty. A life where she was more then just some farmer’s daughter. 

She wasn’t sure how it happened exactly but somehow Ellie ended up lying on her back in the field, her already rumpled dress now grass stained as she stared up at the clouds and let her mind take her on a fabulous adventure somewhere very far from there...