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a champion?” We walked slowly down the path, our horses
     trailing behind in our tracks.
    “I am a warrior. Being a champion was my reward for excellence in all that I do, my
     lady.” I tipped my head in deference to her, delighted to have responded without answering
     any of her questions.
    “I see.” Silence fell between us and all that could be heard was the sound of the
     horses’ hooves on the soft earth. “And so, you are loyal to your King?”
    “Yes, my lady.”
    “And are you loyal to me and to my personal court as well?”
    “Yes, my lady.”
    “I have a very private,” she paused, “a very important matter to be solved. It entails
     my family and the honor of the Boleyn name. Are you a man who can be trusted?”
    “I am loyal to the King and so to you without rewards or penalties. What is the task?”
    “It is my brother, George.”
    “Yes, my lady.” Rumors of George Boleyn and his escapades abounded throughout the
     palace. He was a rowdy and raucous young man with a disposition to much drink and
     a violent temper.
    “I wish you to keep a watchful eye then report to me. His reputation is sour and he
     must not stand in the way of the advancement of my family at court. I have seen you
     in his company and I see he favors you. He acts freely when he is with you. Stay him,
     Aris, from ill rumors and you will win my favor.”
    “It will be an honor, my lady, to stand for the Boleyn name.”
    “And if you perform my bidding to my satisfaction, I have another intrigue, far more
     important and deeply dangerous.”
    “My lady?”
    “No, not now. I will summon you again when I am ready, but I will tell you this, it
     involves a man high at court, some say closest to the throne.”
    Could it be Wolsey? The cardinal? I could feel the rise in my eyebrows at the import
     of the man of whom she spoke, the man who was second to only the King and who some
     said was the true ruler of England.
    “Are you still loyal?” She laughed as she spoke.
    “Yes my lady, I am always loyal.” I nodded my head in agreement.
    “Go then Aris. Fulfill the first task, only then will you earn my trustfor the second.”
    I bowed and assisted her onto her horse. She turned to look at me once more before
     she rode away. She heeled the animal and it jumped into a gallop.
    I felt a cold chill and spoke to no one but the trees. “It is obvious by her eyes
     that someone in this realm should be very afraid.” I mounted my horse then rode from
     the clearing.
    #
    “One, two, three, four, five. Eyes open. Wide awake.” His eyes fluttered a few times
     then stayed open.
    “Astounding! It’s like watching a film. Except I am in it. I can almost taste the
     air and feel the earth beneath my feet.”
    Sarah watched him. She noticed his voice remained deeper and his words were a bit
     strange for a Latin American from the twenty-first century.
    He was silent for a moment before he spoke again. “Man, let’s go back there. I want
     to know what that broad wants from me.”
    Sarah smiled as her client returned to his full current self. “No, enough for today.
     We’ll revisit England next session. How do you feel?”
    “Kind a weird, same as last time. But calm. I feel really calm right now.” He stretched
     his arms over his head and yawned. “Why is that?”
    “It’s a product of the hypnosis. Your body relaxes and your heart beat slows. Your
     blood pressure lowers. It’s as if your body is sleeping yet your mind is alert.”
    “Yeah? Well, I like it so far.” He straightened the chair back to a sitting position.
     “Want to go get some coffee?”
    Sarah stopped herself from saying yes. She needed to keep a safe distance from him.
     She didn’t understand all her feelings about him but one thing was for certain, she
     didn’t want to explore them any further. “No, sorry. It really isn’t protocol to have
     coffeewith my clients.”
    “How about the other night?”
    “That was an accident. And it was