Leterrible bowed head and muttered:
“Err... Your Highness!”
Then she said: “why do you keep saying that?”
“Your Highness?”
“pff! stop it you’re out of line”
“But, your Highness!”
Montsnmags realizing the dilemma stepped in and said: “Your Highness, this... is his first visit.”
“it is? oh, then it’s your fault for always bringing him at the same time period. “, she said in that sweet capital-less french accent. With aplomb she kept her composure and started:
“we know who you are and no, you cannot see your wife because she remarried and you have to help vera win back the diamond, otherwise... “
“Your Highness?”
Flustered, Queen Zelda turned to Montsnmags and said:
“montsnmags, why do you keep bringing this stupid excuse for a human being here to me?”
“I have not briefed him yet, Your Highness.”, he replied.
“what are you waiting for, go!... go, go!”
Montsnmags touched Leterrible and said; “Adrian, now!”
A crack of light and they were in that bubble again. In the background, Queen Zelda had returned to reading her story. Montsnmags sighed and began: “Your wife survived the... sinking of the ship... she travelled on... aboard a life boat... that wandered to... the proximity of this island...
Mobilita Republica is an island protected from sight... by an artificial... fog bank... that you might have noticed... just before we touched ground...
This fog has... neurologic properties... that create confusion... and also that fog memory. The longer one... is in contact with the gas... the stronger the effects... it has on memory...
Unfortunately, your wife spent too much... time in the fog before... she was rescued.
She became enthralled... by the man who saved her, Vera’s adoptive father... John Wayne. (
)
She has regained her... memory since but became... fond of this place... and wishes to remain here...”
Leterrible started to protest but Montsnmags cut him short.
“When Vera was born, she became... one of the brightest additions... and one of the best... hopes for the future of the island...
Queen Zelda is... very taken with her... and regards her as a... favourite... That’s why she permitted Vera to go on a... very dangerous mission...”
Montsnmags paused to regain breath.
“First I must tell you... that even if... time does not allow... us to go in the... future, future can... come to us.
Adrian is that messenger. ... He brings us news... that the future of Mobilita Republica will no longer... be protected by the ... artificial fog. The... military will invent... detecting devices that... will menace our... secrecy. For... this purpose, we... have been working on... a device that will... allow us to... move the island... back to a safer time...
We need only one part... to complete construction of... our device, the ‘Eternal Stone’... We have been tracking it and know where it is. ...
This jewel wears... its name because of... its properties, one of... which does that it cannot... be carried in the... time bubble. It can only be... brought back by boat.
Vera has volunteered to get it... unfortunately she is being affected... by the fog and lost purpose... We guess the severity of her... memory loss as she left... the island by boat, was compounded... by the fact she was... subjected to the fog as a foetus.
I have at numerous... times tried to jog... her memory but to... no avail.
The ‘Eternal Stone’ has been... stolen and the person in... its possession has entered... the poker game... you have rigged for destruction. Vera entered... the contest and has... no memory why... and what she’s there... to gain.”
Leterrible stood there dumbfounded. The bubble vanished. Queen Zelda looked up:
“ah, montsnmags, my dear friend! why do you always choose this precise moment to visit me? do you realize it’s the three hundred and twenty seventh time at the exact second? I can’t remember what the story is about and keep re-reading the same sentence all over and pouf! there you are again!”
“Good day... my Queen!”, he said.
“yes, yes, you’ve said that a few seconds ago.”, she replied. “go on, who’s your host?”
“I wish to present you to... mister Leterrible.
Leterrible, bow to her Highness Queen Zelda of Mobilita Republica...”
Leterrible was about to answer back but with one look at Montsnmags and he thought better and let him speak first.
“This is his second visit and he... has been briefed on the existence of our island and... our plans for the... future.”
“ah, then mister leterrible, will you help us?” she paused. “what were we to ask him, my dear montsnmags?”
“We were to ask... him to help... Vera regain her... memory and to... neutralize his explosive... device.”, he said.
“then, mister leterrible, will you help us?”