Being told "you have to fall in love or everything will end in disaster" feels like the sort of information that would rather complicate that from actually happening. That whole "Is this the one?" "If I tell you, it won't happen" sort of deal.

Well--he was already betrothed to her, so choosing a partner based on personal preference was off the table. The difference comes when his past self never felt anything for Kathy, and walked out on her in a huff when she questioned his virility (ignoring your fiancee's overtures will give that impression.) Then the next morning, Jinjur's plans with the lion attack came to pass, Kathy and Sandy were killed, and Fred took the blame, stripped of his rank, his possessions, and exiled.

So he wanted to change that, and after approaching Professor Brown (who he knew had a working time machine--a DeLorean--because he'd seen it) for help, they determined that Fred had to ignore his mother's instructions not to fall in love (otherwise Lucretia could not control him) and to let Kathy into his heart.

Future Fred began tinkering with things, like putting pheromone-laced soap into Kathy's tent, to try to get his past self to at least start lusting after his fiancee, instead of treating her like a contractual obligation. Gradually, his plans worked.

Thing is, with the changing timeline, other things unforeseen might also be changing...

To be clear, it wasn't my intent to be criticizing or questioning the story, just that, broadly speaking, the lowdown past Fred is getting here, and how it's being presented, feels like it threatens to add mental hurdles to the equation. Future Fred's machinations began more subtle, I believe, before he started to get more hands on as they approached the timeline finish line. He has enough mental hurdles as it is that they're trying to get him over, and all I was really trying to convey was that, from my point of view, they may be inadvertently adding more by spelling things out like this. Telling someone like Fred "this is your destiny, don't screw it up" feels like something that would cause enough anxiety to interfere with how he's "supposed" to behave and feel.

I'm not offended or anything--just explaining. And yes, "but no pressure, Lieutenant."

Fred was already hung up on the potential for the many interwoven treaties the Brigade had signed to start a world war if Songween were to die without an Heir. He knew that it was up to him to avert that.

http://www.hirezfox.com/km/co/co102...../20130116.html

http://www.hirezfox.com/km/co/co102...../20130121.html

http://www.hirezfox.com/km/co/co102...../20130123.html

http://www.hirezfox.com/km/co/co102...../20160919.html

YESSSSSSSSS!!!!! Slapped him upside the head and explained everything in detail! OK Fred... you got the ball - run with it!

Vix

Moreover, it's like one of those three-dimensional webs, not just a classic flat orb.

As my college "Creative Writing" teacher once told me long ago... "Pivotal Point."

Yes, yes, yes. I had a very similar discussion with Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel the night before he married Alexandrina Victoria. Talk about cold feet and counter plots!

Wibbly Wobbly Time Threading.

One of the ideas being that you go back, kill your parents, why are you still around?
Perhaps you create an alternate pocket of time that only exists while you're there?
Meaning the reason you don't vanish is because when you return to the future, you find no trace of your parents deaths.