With a sudden jerk to life I awoke, in what seemed to be one of those ye oldie Middle Ages style town with a massive castle to top it off.

The first thing that struck me was the smell of the town streets and now my clothes, it reeked of piss, shit, and booze. Thatched or tile roofs ran along in rows alternating occasionally atop clay shop front with sellers peddling their goods. It continued like this for a mile leading up to a huge hill that the castle sits on. It’s gold ornaments gleamed so bright in the sun that it was almost blinding if you were to be caught head on. The stone that formed the majority of the castle structure itself was a striking white giving a sense of purity that radiated down over the entire town.

As I finally situated myself and began to assess where and when I am, starting by coming up with a rough time period and location using the the little knowledge I have on the subject.

“Can’t be in America” I thought as I looked about myself

“maybe Europe?”

I haven’t the slightest ability to communicate with anyone that doesn’t speak English, and even then depending on how far back; old English might even be a challenge.

Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by one of the sellers jumping in front of me dressed in renaissance period clothing, was my best guess worn and stained around the collar.

“Dear sir,” he began.

“You must hail from a foreign lands dressed as you are” he said with a devilish grin.

He was wore what was once a finely groomed moustache now accompanying the first hints of a scraggly beard. His hair was slowly growing wild but kept slicked back with sweat and some sort of binding agent. All of which is a peppery colour, a mix of brown, grey and white.

“You clearly come from wealth with such fine stitchings and jewellery “ he continues eyes locked on to my signet ring and bracelets

“Allow me to proved the service as a guide.” He chirped.

He seems a bit slippery I thought to myself, but he might be my only way to find out any information I can about where I am.

I nodded with a smile.

“Great! So what brings you to the great city of Camelot my lord? Oh is it parlay vue de France? “ he stared inquisitively.

“English is fine” I finally said.

“And to answer your question I happen to be here to speak with the great wizard merlin, there are many stories told about him where I’m from as well as the King Arthur.”

He let out a chuckle “well today must be my lucky day.”

“My new best friend must be nobility if he thinks one may appear so easily before the great king of kings himself!” He looks at me with an eyebrow raised.

“...Well how how would one traditionally go about speaking to the king?” I finally let out awkwardly trying to hide my nervousness. Not sure how long I can keep this rouse up.

We continued down the shopping market, I was careful to stay on the long walkways of wooden planks. Luckily they were there though, the planks were sitting top a thick and gloopy mixture of human waste, booze and mud.

“For a fairy tale kingdom it seems pretty rundown.” I thought to myself.

He pondered while we walked, concentrating hard, or at least giving the appearance of someone taking their time to consider a response to a question. All the while rang the constant bustling noise of peddling traders and engaging in heated bartering in the background.

“Well I would say the only way to speak to my lord Arthur is to be one of his great knights of the grail.”

“He is not usually friendly to foreigners” he shrugs.

“More of the divide and conquer type. When he’s not off hunting for the grail.”

“Fine then I will become a knight, so I can speak with his majesty!” I said with almost too much enthusiasm.

“This is sweet. Always loved fantasy” I thought to myself.

“And you, my BEST friend” I emphasised.

“Are going to help me along my adventure, I promise it will be worth while.” I said, a lie of course I’m not sure anything will come of this but it’s my only way home that I can think of.