Portal of Time III: Fiesole 1489, Part Three

by Jennifer Loyd

As Mimi is putting on her pearl and garnet earrings, she thinks of Kristen and André and wonders what has become of them. She will never see them again, and they must wonder what happened to her and Stefano. They’d never believe it all if she could tell them--how they had tried to go back to the twentieth century, only to find themselves plummeting down some kind of tunnel where they could see the future... The future! Kristen! Mimi suddenly remembers in horror that among the flashing images she had seen Kristen’s execution! She has to warn her, but how can she communicate with someone 500 years in the future? Stefano must not have seen... I have to tell Stefano, she thinks as she leaves the room and hurries down the corridor. If anyone will know what to do, he will....


“So tell me about this Contessa, Marlena di Evani,” Cristina asks Stefano as the two of them and Adriano are heading towards the dining hall to supervise the preparations. As maestro di casa, it is Stefano’s responsibility to orchestrate the evening’s entertainment.

“Nothing I can say could prepare you for the sight of her,” he replies. “Suffice it to say she will bring beauty and splendor to this illustrious court.”

“Then she is more than welcome here,” Adriano says. “We can never have too many beautiful women nor--”

He is interrupted as Mimi comes rushing to join them. “Stefano,” she gasps, out of breath. “I have to talk to you.”

“What is it now, Mimi?” he asks impatiently.

“It’s about Kristen,” she explains.

“Kristen?” He turns back to Adriano and Cristina. “One moment.”

Adriano and Cristina look at each other as the two step aside. “What do you suppose that’s all about?” she asks him.

“I wish I knew....


“What do you mean, she is going to be executed, what are you talking about?” Stefano asks incredulously.

“It’s true, Stefano, she’s going to kill someone and be executed for murder unless we do something.”

“That is ridiculous, Kristen would never kill anyone!”

“But I saw it!” Mimi objects.

Stefano sighs in exasperation. “You know Mimi, you are getting to be as crazy as Celeste with her psychic visions, hm? Now, if you will excuse me, I have some important business to attend to. Tonight, nothing must go wrong. Marlena, my Queen of the Night, will at last be mine.”

He goes back to Adriano and Cristina, leaving Mimi alone with her frustration. She must save Stefano’s daughter. But how?


“No, I’m sure we didn’t have any 15th century ancestors named Stefano,” Kristen says. “At least now we know where he ended up.”

“I wonder what happened? Mimi didn’t seem to want to talk about it,” André adds.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter does it? Stefano’s gone, we’re together and that’s all that matters.”

Suddenly André shivers.

“What’s wrong?” Kristen asks.

“I don’t know, I just had the strangest feeling, like someone was watching us,” André says, involuntarily looking behind him down the empty corridor.

“Maybe it’s the ghost of Stefano, come back to haunt us!” Kristen shouts teasingly, laughing, and André laughs too as the two of them head down the hallway...


The woman watches the two lovers as they disappear into the bedroom. She took a chance coming here, and it looks as though it’s going to pay off for her. Yes, things are definitely more interesting now. She smiles to herself. Mimi always was fond of André, she thinks, in fact he was the only one she trusted, the only friend she had after she joined Stefano. Well, Mimi, wherever you are, he’s not yours anymore, and he won’t be Kristen’s for long. A pity you can’t be here to witness my triumph....


Celeste, meanwhile, is in the attic of the DiMera mansion, looking at old portraits. Marlena and John would not believe her, but she knows there was evil in that room, and she must find the proof to convince them. Suddenly something catches her attention.

“Oh no!” she exclaims as she sees a portrait of Cristina diMera wearing the ring Marlena was holding earlier. “It is as I feared...I must warn Marlena!”


“So tell me Josh, how long before we conduct our first experiment?” Lanie asks impatiently.

“It’s too soon to safely send anyone back in time,” Josh replies. “We don’t have enough information yet, and personally I’d prefer we wait a few more days.”

“That’s right, you have guests staying at your place, don’t you?”

“Yes, Maggie May and Abigail. They’re on vacation here in Paris....”


In the Louvre, Marlena and John’s neighbors Maggie May and Abigail are admiring late Italian Renaissance art.

“Mom, look at this one!” Abi enthuses, pointing out Baldovinetti’s “Virgin and Child.”

“Oh, isn’t it beautiful!” Maggie May exclaims. “It reminds me of the painting Marlena has in her living room. You know, I hope she and John are finally together now. If any two people deserve to be happy, they do....”


Marlena walks into her bedroom to slip into something more comfortable while John waits downstairs. Maybe now that Celeste is gone, they’ll have some time alone. Poor Celeste, she thinks, she spent so much time with Stefano that now she senses evil everywhere. She pauses to look at the ring, wondering who could have sent it. How would anyone know her ring size, anyway? It looks like it would be a perfect fit. Curious, she slides it over her finger....

To be continued....

Part Four

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