Viewpoint

In Short

This science fiction story follows Richard I of England—the "Lionheart"—during his historical imprisonment, as he explores a method to transcend time through sheer force of will. After successfully leaping centuries into a modern, sterile office, he finds that the weight of his own history and memory makes his survival in the future impossible. It is a quiet, contemplative piece that explores the psychological limits of bravery, suggesting that fear is not a weakness of the spirit, but a natural, restrictive byproduct of being human.

The Story

The narrative opens in the dark, suffocating environment of a prison cell, where Richard Broom—the historical Richard the Lionheart—and his fellow prisoner, the Italian thinker Contarini, discuss the nature of time. Contarini argues that time is a river that only the soul can navigate, claiming that fear is the only thing chaining them to their current misery. He insists that Richard, possessing the blood of kings and an unusual immunity to fear, is capable of escaping through pure contemplation of the eternal.

Richard attempts the feat and suddenly finds his consciousness ripped from the dungeon. He wakes up in a bright, futuristic office in the Empire State Building, surrounded by synthetic materials and hummable, unrecognizable technology. Disoriented, Richard treats his surroundings with a soldier’s caution. He experiences the architecture—the glowing ceiling, the "wood" that feels like glass, and the terrifying expanse of a modern city seen from a skyscraper window—as an affront to his senses. His memories are shattered by the jump, causing him to lose his sense of self; he is merely a man reacting to an alien world.

As he wanders through the offices, his fear begins to mount. He finds a porcelain dish, which he uses to prop a door open, hoping to maintain a link to his own reality. He encounters the office’s owner, Edward Jasperson, who has returned from a coffee break to find this strange, bearded man in his workspace. The sight of the "soft," frightened modern man and the sudden, overwhelming rush of his own royal memories snap Richard’s consciousness back to the past.

The story ends abruptly back in the dungeon. Richard is once again a prisoner, disillusioned and shaken by his brief glimpse of the future. The physical world he inhabited—the office—seems to him a dream, but the fear he felt there remains a permanent, haunting scar. Meanwhile, in 1960s New York, a baffled and terrified Edward Jasperson reports the intrusion to the police, left to wonder about the mysterious, bearded man who vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a missing ash tray and a lingering, irrational dread.

How It Unfolds

The prisoner’s conceit Richard and Contarini debate whether the soul can transcend the physical limitations of prison through mental focus. Contarini believes Richard’s royal blood and lack of mortal fear make him the perfect candidate to navigate the "river" of time.

The temporal shift Richard succeeds in his attempt, experiencing a violent, mind-shattering transition that deposits him in a high-rise office. He wakes up disoriented, struggling to piece together his identity while contending with the alien, glowing environment of the future.

The encounter with the future Richard explores the office, reacting with horror to materials and machines he cannot comprehend. He eventually encounters the office worker, Edward Jasperson, whose presence and the subsequent return of Richard’s memories force him to flee back to his own time.

The return to reality Richard finds himself back in the dungeon, permanently changed by his experience. He realizes that his "Lion-hearted" reputation is now a mockery because he has finally encountered a fear he cannot conquer.

The People

Richard Broom (Richard the Lionheart) A legendary king currently suffering the indignity of imprisonment. He possesses a stoic, battle-hardened bravery, yet he is undone by his inability to detach from his own history. His journey into the future reveals that while he can face death on the battlefield, he cannot reconcile his existence with a world that defies his understanding.

Contarini A wiry, intelligent Italian prisoner who serves as Richard’s mentor in the metaphysical. He is a man of great insight who understands the theory of time travel perfectly but is held back by his own self-admitted lack of "saintly" status. He represents the intellectual curiosity that drives the experiment, even as he remains chained by his own acknowledged cowardice.

Edward Jasperson A 1960s office worker who embodies the "soft," modern man in contrast to Richard’s warrior archetype. He is an ordinary, perhaps somewhat timid, individual whose life is briefly and terrifyingly interrupted by the impossible. He serves as the grounded, panicked witness who confirms the reality of the event, grounding the story’s surreal conclusion in the mundane world.

In Its Own Voice

"A fearsome thing is a thing you're afraid of--and it has nothing whatever to do with whether others are afraid, nor with whether it is in fact dangerous."

This observation sets the philosophical stage for why Richard finds the future more terrifying than any war.

"I am not afraid of any man living. But you are afraid of neither the living nor the dead, nor of man nor devil--which is a great deal more than I can say for myself."

Contarini explains to Richard why he believes the King is the only one capable of the temporal feat.

"The memory ties one too strongly to the past--to one's own time."

Contarini delivers this final, somber verdict on why their attempt to escape their circumstances ultimately failed.

What It's Really About

The story argues that humanity is defined by its context—that we are inextricably linked to our own time, place, and memories. The central tension is between the "eternal" soul, which Contarini believes can transcend time, and the human mind, which is anchored by the weight of personal identity. Richard’s failure to adapt to the future suggests that even the bravest among us are prisoners of our own perspectives. When Richard finally remembers who he is, he is forced to return to the past; he cannot exist as a man without a historical anchor. Ultimately, it posits that fear is not just an emotion, but a boundary that separates different eras of human existence.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy "what-if" scenarios that lean more toward psychology than physics will appreciate this story. It feels like a classic Twilight Zone episode—sharp, atmospheric, and focused on the internal life of its protagonist. The pacing is tight, moving from the philosophical musings of a dungeon to the jarring, sterile environment of a modern skyscraper with precision.

The story’s primary challenge for a modern reader is the historical framing of Richard the Lionheart, which relies on a romanticized, slightly archaic view of medieval kingship. However, this period flavor actually enhances the contrast between the two settings. What stays with you is the final image of a "hero" who has been broken not by a sword, but by a glimpse of a world he cannot fit into. It is a haunting meditation on the idea that "home" is not just a place, but a specific moment in time that we are doomed to inhabit. If you prefer stories that prioritize character development and thematic depth over complex science-fiction world-building, this will prove a rewarding read.