Little Cherine Book 06 - BPost003
“What is the point of having lots of weapons and huge armies if you can’t think better than your enemy? You were trying to plan three moves ahead and I managed up to five. Whether playing chess or planning a battle, I would always beat you. Dark Cloud, you have to learn to plan, form strategies and then stick to them - unless your enemy comes up with a surprise move. You must stay flexible so that you don’t stay with your strategy if conditions change, you must quickly think up a new one.”
3521
“I have to accept I was wrong. I thought you were a crazy and tiresome child of my enemy, but you have shown me you are smarter than I am. It is obvious you have a strategy. What is it Empathia?” She actually gave her a tight smile. “I would not ask anyone else, but you are crazy enough to tell me.”
“Wars are not won because your hate is stronger, they are won because you are smarter and use your strengths efficiently. I have a number of reasons for doing this. I want to see inside the person you are and become friends, I’m not interested in the person you show us, that is only real until you learn to feel your pain and accept it.
We face, all Cherinians, unknown dangers in our future, especially with Robert so determined to flit around saving or bringing back species. We nearly lost the battle with the Teddies, who says there is no other enemy more powerful? You have to become strong at developing strategies for us Dark Cloud.
I will make you an offer. Allow me to block your powers while we are on Earth and I promise to take it away again soon as we return to Freddie. You know I will keep my word. I want you to come with us so that we can learn about strategy from our history. You would be amazed at how much there is to learn, our Normals are brilliant at having wars and often tiny armies have won against impossible odds. By the time we return here you will be a truly dangerous opponent if you have not learnt to love us.”
“Robert hears us, he agrees?”
“Any one of us has the right to bind all of us!”
“I agree on one condition. You promise to play chess with me until I can beat you every game.”
“No, you don’t need a promise for that, it will be my pleasure. Shall I tell you a secret, something to please you? I think in a few days you will be able to beat Robert. Challenge him to a game then.”
Robbie groaned and Allan and Alki roared with laughter.
Robbie was busy, our return to Earth well on its way so we all sat with Alki and Allan at the taverna, us girls doing our own thing, chatting and teasing. We felt a growing tension in Alki and excitement in Allan. We began to tune in to their conversation and when we realised what the subject was we nearly decided to ignore them again. Everyone knows Allan is extremely fond of Alki, but subconsciously he looks up to him as a father figure and rebels against him just like a teenager. None of us find that strange, Alki has the same effect on all of us.
They were arguing about the law and governments.
“You are wrong Allan. Most people, especially once they have a family want strong law enforcement.”
“That is not the point Alki. So did your father and grandfather, but they also had a healthy sense of caution when it came to dealing with the officers who interpret and implement those laws. Don’t forget, policemen are not servants of the people, they are the servants of those in power. I remember in my younger days if we saw the police had set up radar traps we would flash our lights at traffic coming the other way. There was a feeling of ‘us’ against ‘them’ even if we did want those who were a menace arrested.
The law says maximum speed allowed is 120 kilometres an hour. The highways are built for faster speeds and so are the cars, but the law was brought in when we needed to economise on fuel as we were told that the Arabs were holding the world to ransom. Now it is the ‘safe’ speed.
I agree that someone travelling at 200 or even more in a situation where other drivers are not expecting it is a danger. However, when the police set out their traps they are not looking for those drivers, they are looking for the driver who is going just over the limit so that they can fine thousands each day. Girls, I know you are listening so I’ll add that in most cases those drivers are male - women are usually more careful. So, what do we have now Alki, an exercise in law enforcement or a method for a government agency to impose new taxes without them being voted in? What would you say if you got a fine because you were travelling at 125? You do know that most speedometers do vary slightly? Then we should travel at a maximum of 110 so that they cannot fine us? But then effectively the speed limit is 110! If we all did, how long before they wake up and change the limit to 110? After all, they would have an acceptable (to most people) argument that if you are driving at 120 when traffic is moving at 110, it makes you a menace.
3522
Our flashing our lights in the olden days was a ‘gentlemanly’ action, a sense of camaraderie among drivers. How did the authorities counteract? They spent our money on expensive advertising, promoting their point of view that by flashing our lights we were putting our own families lives in danger because transgressors felt safe to speed. By not flashing our lights, they argued, we were actually doing the other driver a favour by having him fined, as it could save his life if he has to drive slowly. In other words, snitch on your neighbour, snitch on your brother.
Next thing I knew we were being advised to snitch to the taxman. If your brother does not pay the taxes he really should, you will have to pay more, so snitch. Be a nation of snitchers so that the authorities can have total control over all of us. Let me ask you Alki, if your son came home from school, his nose bloodied and with a black eye, and he confessed to you his school friends beat him up because he snitched on another school friend, would you be offended by the beating or more ashamed that he had snitched? Why is it then that we try to instil these codes of conduct in our children, but find it acceptable for adults to snitch? Aren’t the school authorities, their rules, all for the good of our children? I sense we find it more important our kids are brought up with strong morals and a sense of honour than have them slavishly obey every petty rule.”
“I’ve seen American stories on television where the child is told to inform a parent or teacher if another child is taking drugs. Are you advocating that it is wrong to teach them to snitch under all circumstances?”
“Everything becomes wrong if taken to extremes. If I find out that my neighbour goes out once a week and rapes a woman, of course I would call the police. That is not snitching, someone else is being hurt and I also have a duty to help protect potential victims.”
They paused for another round of drinks and Allan smiled. “I recall a film, something like candid camera, where a motorist driving in town is stopped by a policeman because he was picking his nose. The policeman goes through the process of showing how the driver had to take his eyes off the road to place his finger in his nostril and that he therefore was a menace to pedestrians and other drivers and he fines him. It was funny because it was embarrassing for the driver, but I also had the feeling that somewhere some petty bureaucrat watching the same comedy was busy wondering if they could actually justify putting through a ‘nose-picking’ law. Why drivers only? How about the person who does it in public places? Isn’t that person a health risk to others when he flicks his snot onto the floor? The habit is disgusting so most constituents would approve the passing of such a law. I think the only thing stopping that petty bureaucrat is a feeling he would be made to appear ridiculous by the press. That then brings his attention to the press and the media in general. Couldn’t it be argued that press freedom is sometimes detrimental or contrary to national interests? The Cabal have convinced much of the public that it is so. He will think, what tiny unimportant by themselves laws could he have passed without anyone noticing that cumulatively they whittle away the rights of free speech? And so it goes Alki, until we can proudly implement a ‘nose-picking’ law.”
Alki was amused. “Are we close to appointing such laws?”
“I don’t think so, not in Greece - at least I hope so, but in America I think they are very close.”
“I don’t believe you!” Lynda said, outraged. “Our Freedom of Speech is our most protected right!”
“Lynda, Sam showed you what Arthur wrote, the stuff she had to delete from the diary. Would you say it has not happened in his reality?”
“It won’t happen in ours!”
“Don’t be too certain of that love. Unless people are willing to fight for their rights, they will lose them. That is how government operates, always. They never outright tell you they want a law to control you, they show how implementation of a new law will make you safer, save you money and so on. Watch out for the ‘nose-picking’ law.” And he burst out laughing.
I waited until everyone was serious again. “Lynda, once we are on our own, I’ll explain about the Cabal and their tools, the multinational corporations and banks, and how the governments have handed over their power to them. Allan, not all governments. Us Cherinians will never have those kind of problems.”
He answered, his voice grave, “We will Sam. Not as long as you and Robert are in charge I think, but we will. Did not Robert say he would become an enemy of all Cherinians? What else would he be fighting?”
Alki smiled, enjoying his memories. “This reminds me of Roberto and his arguing that our laws with respect to paedophiles is wrong.”
3523
“I remember. He did not touch on one aspect that worries me.” We all groaned. “Just let me get it off my chest, okay? Our discussion about snitching reminded me. I do face the same problems that Robert did, I cannot find an acceptable solution.
There has been and there is a concerted drive world-wide to stop child abuse and sexual molestation. Robert has already argued some of the pros and cons, but I have a different problem that troubles me. Let me first outline briefly what is happening.
Children are being taught at school about sexual predators, what to be careful of and how to react in many situations, including the internet. They are told they have the right to say no. I agree wholeheartedly with all of that. They go on to tell them to talk to their teacher, a nurse or other staff member if anyone does try to molest them. Anyone! Remember that, for it means they are including their own families. Again, a great idea. Or is it? Didn’t Robert quote a statistic showing that about thirty percent of molested children are molested by teachers? This is fanciful but imagine this situation. I am a teacher and a child molester - or I would be if I was not afraid of being exposed. A little girl confides in me (hoping I will take care of her problem) that her father, brother, uncle or whoever is molesting her. What a lovely scenario for me, I now have a little girl I can molest safely - her family will not dare do anything about it if they find out and her confidence in grownups will have been shattered, so she is not likely to try approaching anybody else - I would make certain of that by brainwashing her - which, as we all know, teachers have been trained to do.
Actually, that was an aside, what worries me is something else. You are all Cherinians, so most of you do not know what Normal kids are like. Eleni will confirm to you that Jessie told her I played with her peepee. I have not and Eleni would have known if I had, but she did not know how to react. Calling her a liar would be wrong, so she had to break a rule of ours and monitor her thoughts so as to ask her the questions that would make her admit she had lied.
What of a Normal father. He has told off his ten or twelve year old daughter, or forbidden her something she wants to do. She is very angry with him and the next morning at school she goes and reports he touched her there. The father gets arrested and if he is lucky he is proven innocent, but his life is still ruined. Everyone will say where there is smoke there is fire. He is likely to lose his job, his wife and family and be an outcast socially.
If he is found guilty he goes to prison where the other criminals decide to punish him by raping him and in all likelihood infect him with Aids. Humiliation, pain and a death sentence. What of the child? She grows up with the guilt of what she did or else she convinces herself he did what she claimed. Another damaged adult.
How many times I’ve seen children accuse other children of doing things they did not do - I think I did it too. In our earnest wish to protect children we create a situation where innocent adults can be destroyed by a child. The children are not warned of the serious consequences to the adult and when they are, after they’ve made their allegation, it is too hard for them to confess - they are also afraid by now of what will happen to them if they do, the person they accused and the authorities are now seen to be a threat to them.
Should we make it clear from the beginning, of all that could happen to the person they accuse? Not just the legal stuff, but how else their life will be destroyed? Obviously we cannot, for then countless children who need help will keep quiet. Without your gifts, how does any court handle this? I can’t help wondering how many innocent adults will be destroyed. Protecting the children should only be part of the role society takes, innocent adults should also be protected, but I cannot think of a practical way.”
Alki sighed. “Just like Roberto, you do not offer any solutions.”
“Actually I thought I did Alki. Knowing there is a problem and looking for an answer is a step in that direction. If only those who are in a position to do something about it, would.”
“Themi could have, but now that he has children we dare not risk it.”
“Allan, please don’t get Empathia started on this. If she finds the problem interesting she just won’t let go.” I was only trying to lighten the mood, but Allan looked as if he was taking it seriously. Cherine said to him, “Don’t you dare!” and that was the end of that.
3524
For a while it looked as if we were going to have some drama. Empathia found she could not block Dark Cloud and was forced to admit it. She pleaded with her to allow Robbie to do it, but Dark Cloud was adamant she will not allow him in her mind. Freddie stopped, I don’t know in what time zone or reality.
“We would love to show you our world and have you as our guest in our home, but we cannot take the risk of allowing you to arrive with all your powers. My family and all Cherinians are safe, but the Normal Terrans would not be. You have done nothing to hide your hatred of me and all Cherinians, so be reasonable Dark Cloud, let me help.”
“Reasonable!? You blocked me and then you allow an infant to release my mind and you ask me to be reasonable!!”
Robbie smiled. “You’ve won that argument. There is nothing else I can do, I have to place you in stasis - at least for you time will not have passed, however long we stay there. I promise that the first thing I will do on returning here is release you.”
“I will fight you if you try. Why should I believe you? It makes sense that you would leave me there for millions of years so that your beloved Shiyra and her people age and die as a species before you release me.”
“You know you cannot fight me, but you are welcome to try.”
“Alright.” She turned to Empathia. “You call yourself my friend, will you leave me alone in an endless sleep?”
“No, I’ll come with you.” She went to Cherine and threw her arms around her. “I’m sorry mum, I have to.” She began to cry and we had to concede this round also to Dark Cloud. Robbie stood helplessly without an answer to her manipulation.
“It is alright my baby, you do whatever you have to. We’re going to miss you though. Come, stop crying, be a brave girl.”
“I’m not a girl, I’m a baby. I will go with her as a baby.” She shrank and Cherine quickly picked her up. Now Empathia cried as a baby does, her cries loud and non-stop. Cherine cradled her, rocking her, but it did not help. She walked over to Dark Cloud and handed her over after a last kiss.
“Hold her so that Robert can place you together.”
“Cherine, I can’t …”
She swung on him. “She chose Robert. Do it.”
“But listen to her, her heart is breaking.”
“Do it Robert.”
He went to Dark Cloud, bent and taking Empathia’s tiny hand kissed it. He then stared into Dark Cloud’s eyes and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Look after our baby girl Dark Cloud, she is very special.”
He went to a chair and closed his eyes.
“Wait!” He waited. “You can block my mind if you leave me the ability to sense other minds.”
She had to put down Empathia as she suddenly began to grow. Her little face was all scrunched up in anger.
“You had a winning strategy, you mustn’t give in now!”
“You said that when circumstances change I must be flexible. I’ve won and now it pays me to go to your world and let you teach me how to fight. Now Robert is in my debt, is that not also a victory?”
Impulsively Empathia kissed her cheek. “You are my best friend ever! I love you.” Happily she tugged at her hand and took her down to the water.
Robbie said softly to Allan, “You did not realise? She is a child, a new soul and the way she hates is the way a child does, why did you think we had to let Empathia help her?”
3525
“But she carries the knowledge of the elderly souls that make up her soul.”
“As a species they were childlike, the Inguel believe they must have developed on a planet that was gentle and did not impose aggressive or predatory instincts on them.”
Allan looked dismayed. “If you are right, you will have to look after them Robert, other species will find it is like stealing candy from a baby when dealing with them.”
Alki was not convinced Robbie is right. “Perhaps you have an idealised picture of them Roberto. Their art shows a vibrancy and strength which hints at qualities you may be ignoring. I agree about Dark Cloud, she shows a total lack of abilities in matters of war.”
“Are you saying she is not dangerous pappou?” I asked.
“She is, it just makes her more unpredictable. From what you have shown me she has powers that could cause damage if you are not careful.”
We saw Empathia was teaching Dark Cloud how to skim pebbles over the water. Neither of them were any good, but it was the first time Dark Cloud has ever joined in play with her and we saw it as a step forward.
“Are you returning home or to the wedding?” Eleni asked.
“The wedding. We have two glorious creatures waiting to marry us, I think they have been patient enough.”
“I think we should go home first. Dad, Empathia will want to marry us, but she cannot until Dark Cloud has opened her heart to her.”
“No. She must wait. This wedding is for Latreia and Agapi. She can have her own when she is ready.”
Cassie giggled. “When she is ready, I think Dark Cloud will also be ready to marry us.”
Robbie looked upset. “Don’t give Empathia the idea. Dark Cloud belongs to her own species. When she is ready and strong enough we will have to help her teach her own people, she belongs with them.”
Us girls looked at each other without saying anything and though the men noticed they wisely kept quiet. Empathia is investing far too much of her love and empathy in her alien friend, they are bonding and as they do, so will we. It is also obvious that as she bonds with Empathia, she will take on Terran characteristics. Her soul is new and the instincts of her species are not strong and our company (Empathia’s) will imprint her and lead to her identifying with us - Diana and Jade both confirmed our thoughts on this. The soul and mind, when created out of a number of personalities gets confused and needs to lock on to an external one, so Robbie’s opinion about the instincts of her species are not the overriding factor.
Empathia offered to have Robbie also block her gifts so that they will be the same, but Dark Cloud asked, “How would that help? You would then be a baby and not able to teach me,” so she gave up on that idea.
“Dark Cloud is right, now I feel bad about doing it.” While we reassured him, telling him he could not take the risk on behalf of the Normals the two girls came back to us.
“What do you want me to do?” Dark Cloud asked Robbie.
“You don’t have to do anything apart from not attacking me when I enter your mind.”
“I will try not to.”
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Five
Unless you’ve really been paying attention you may not recall; these are the girls Robbie and his wives have not married yet: Lucy, Noelle, Gina, Goldi, Lynda, Empathia, Latreia - Agapi does not count yet, not till her family decides. Chantel does not count either as she neither feels the need for love nor lovemaking. She sleeps with us and watches, but it is out of curiosity only, not even her body reacting yet. Does sex require an instinct she does not have? At this time her presence is mostly an intellectual decision on the part of the machines.
3526
It did not feel right that we are marrying Latreia and Agapi when some of the other girls have waited much longer, even if only counting from the day they decided they wanted to marry us. Just before arriving we took Agapi aside and under privacy had a chat. She agreed she should not marry us now as this wedding was to have been a special event just for Latreia. She said, grinning, she will have to wait for nearly twenty years, which is kind of humorous, the daughter married to us so long before the mother! We suspect Agapi did not feel too bad, because she saw it as a way of avoiding confrontation with her family on arrival, but of course she was wrong, the second we return they will know. Each circle most definitely constantly senses all those who are part of their circle.
Robbie took a chance and creating a covered platform delivered us all in one go. He cannot make us invisible, but he created a shimmer around us so that it cloaked us to a degree, perhaps making us look like a mirage, wavering, existing and not. He certainly took us down fast!
Henry asked us whether the wedding is still to happen as everybody has drunk, danced and eaten, and Robbie said to Latreia with a smile. “It seems everything about your marrying us is being done arse backwards.”
As we walked over to the party, we saw Tasso and his family come together, radiating concern. I knew Robbie was waiting, hanging back, wanting to see how Agapi will handle it. She stiffened her shoulders and went directly to them, joined within seconds by Latreia. We listened as she explained.
Robbie allowed her to finish and then joined them.
“Irakli, we don’t know how it happened, but it was not deliberate. Gianni, it does not mean she does not love you, just that she loves us. Tasso, Stella, we are not certain how to handle this. It is the first time any Cherinian has broken out of a circle, never mind joined another, it is perhaps similar in a way to a divorce. I am troubled by it, I’d thought the pull of the circle was so strong it could never happen.”
Klo asked, “Are you afraid one of your girls will leave you?” provoking some nervous laughter. That of course did play a small part in his worry, though he had not admitted it even to himself till now.
Stella asked, “You have a whole harem of beautiful girls and you have Cherine and you still loved our daughter so much?”
“Yes.”
“Then her happiness is our happiness.” Tasso said. “Roberto, I do not know if you can feel it. Soon as you arrived we felt something had changed, but we did not feel that Agapi was entirely out of our circle, I do not know how to describe it, but it felt as if she had brought something with her that made our circle…stronger?”
We had been too worried to be aware, but with his words we felt it too. In a vague sense it was as if our circle touches another or is echoed. Robbie was thrilled by it, determined to do all he can to understand what has happened. Mentally he was anthropomorphizing nature, seeing this as a sign that she favours Cherinianism, at least to the extent that she thinks out the rules more comprehensively than she has for Normals. I, on the other hand, see this as a gesture by Arthur. He is a more likely candidate when rules have to be bent or created to suit love; I really doubt nature cares about specific loves or broken hearts.
With much laughter and snide remarks about grooms who get cold feet at the altar, we gathered for the wedding ceremony. As we stood before Alki, he asked Robbie, “Seeing what the date is, should I also have the attitude I had then, so as to make the occasion more authentic?”
Robbie, Cherine, Dommi and Wendy were wise enough not to agree so we did not, but Latreia replied enthusiastically, “Oh yes please.”
Sternly he said, “In that case I have to advise you that I think you have gone too far this time Roberto. Marrying a baby! I cannot agree to this, you must wait for her to at least become a ten year old.”
Latreia stared at him, dismay and fear on her face while she urgently tried to sense from his emoting his true intentions. Alki is too wily for her to succeed, so he was able to enjoy his little joke until Robbie and Cherine burst out laughing. Alki bent over and kissed Latreia, “Just teasing koukla mou…” He hesitated and looked at her in a calculating manner. “Hmm, perhaps I should make you wait. If you mature a little you might realise I would make a far better husband and lover.”
3527
Dommi spoke sharply. “Alki, are you trying to make a mockery of our wedding by flirting with our bride?” Shaken he tried to apologise until Robbie said, “If you can’t stand the heat stay out of the kitchen pappou, an old man like you trying to seduce a baby! It has to be senility.” Talk about a pot calling the kettle black! J
With all the drinks our guests had drunk they were openly enjoying the oddness of the ceremony and Latreia had the happiest and funniest wedding any of us have ever had.
Our guests had to adjust to the fact that we returned with a new child and a number of aliens they’d never met. When they heard that two of them (actually three since Merlin is not of the same species as Shiyra) have been extinct for millions of years they were fascinated. Our poet, Luigi, was excited, filled with visions. Themi had a thousand questions and Charlie wanted to know about their philosophies. Robbie had to stop them and suggested they party, have a day of rest and we will return to do a storytelling.
We wanted it to be very special for Latreia and recalling her response to the tropical beauty of the islands, we decided to go to the planet of lacy hard-water for our honeymoon. When others heard where we are going, we felt their silent yearning so we took them back to Freddie with us. Freddie was amused to see us back so soon and teased us that we cannot bear to be parted from him. While we teased him back, Robbie taking Dark Cloud, jumped.
“I’m sorry things worked out this way, though you did see a part of our world from a beautiful vantage point. I promised to release the block soon as we returned and I’ll do it now.”
“For how long?”
“A week, maybe two.”
“Leave it then, I do not like having you in and out all the time.”
“I was hoping you would say that. I think Empathia may be right, you are showing signs that suggest you will be smarter than I thought. Not that I’m not still angry with her for taking matters into her own hands. I’ll deal with that later.”
“She did not have the right?”
“Because you have the right to do something does not give you the right to do as you wish. She should have discussed it with me first.”
“Why, so that you could refuse her?”
“She is a baby and does not have experience; she should have gone to those who are wiser.”
He left her looking grim and she was by now familiar enough with our expressions to understand Empathia is in trouble. Her quickly suppressed smile and the look in her eyes made obvious her intentions. She really thought she is going to score another victory over Robbie.
I haven’t written for a few days so here is what I’m going to do. I’ll give Dark Cloud one sentence: She is spending more and more time with Empathia and asks for her advice, always looking for subjects that will anger Robbie.
Now I want to concentrate on Latreia, our bright and beautiful little wife. I don’t know how Robbie manages with so many of us, even we are beginning to find it difficult. So many hearts, so much love, at some time or other we all end up aching from too much love. As for sex, we have to be satisfied more often with sharing experiences and then we let Robbie have his sleep.
It was obvious, from his emoting, that Robbie does not intend having full sex with Latreia yet. Her body burns with the need to be his woman, but she never complains or tries to coerce him. Her tactic or sweet nature may be making it more difficult for Robbie, but it also makes him more loving towards her.
Soon as we arrived in Freddie we all pitched in and helped Robbie and Aganthi in creating houses for our guests. We did not concentrate them in any one area - we made an exception for Luigi and placed his home within a short walk of the taverna, since he spends most of his time there. He claims that his Muse is an espresso addict and she abandons him if he does not keep her in constant supply. We thought he should walk there as jumping would have meant he does nothing but sit.
3528
Having a large stock of food machines means everyone can eat at home, usually only eating with us at the taverna if we invite them - I say ‘usually’ since they do feel free to eat there when we eat at home or are absent for other reasons.
We had a good laugh at Keith when, after a drink too many, he asked Kyria Maria for the bill. She brought it to him without comment and since by then he’d realised his mistake, he paid in an awkward manner, aware of our amusement, but understanding he now has to pay as a joke so as not to look even more foolish. His girls, Annabelle and Vanessa spend most of their time with us as the scientists have roped him in on a project of theirs. That guy is one really lucky professor, both girls are a delight and they adore him. They do feel a bit awkward around us as they keep themselves at about sixteen for his sake. Lately we have noticed they are beginning to look more like thirteen and the morning after the first day they’d done so, they had that glow that told us the previous night had been very special for them.
Robbie said that since he cannot follow his usual routine of taking his bride to a tropical paradise, he wants to spend time with Latreia every day, even if only a few hours. We all have made certain we are very busy and with so many guests, so much to catch up on and loved ones to bond with again, we have no problem in staying absorbed, so that Robbie does not feel a need in any of us for his presence. Sometimes I think he is a little bemused at our dedication to anything and everything but him.
“How long will it take to get to the lace world?”
“To be honest, I don’t know. It depends on how much I concentrate on you instead of the jumping. The way it’s going till now it could take years.”
Since the wedding Latreia has lost her confidence and is shy around Robbie. Men think we only have to get them to the altar and then we are in control. After the wedding, blissful as that moment may be, it is frightening. The man of our dreams has married us; will he now regret it, can we hold on to him? Will he see us as we really are instead of the impossible ideal he did, and feel disappointed? With all those worries a woman normally has the comfort of becoming as one in their bodies and the reactions of his body give her the comfort she needs that given time he will settle for the person she really is. We have such a difficult path to tread when dealing with men. Their egos are so fragile and they make impossible (unrealistic) dreams, idealising us because of their need to see us in a romantic light - which is especially true of Robbie. Latreia will not have the comfort she wants for quite a long time and she is also inexperienced. Whatever our mind gathers for us while in the womb and thereafter, it needs time and experience for most of it to mean anything.
Robbie understands and is unfailingly gentle and takes every opportunity to emote love and tenderness. He is wise enough to emote moments of sudden passion when he looks at her, which he quickly suppresses. She is made to feel that he wants her desperately, his body aching to join with hers, but his heart, his love for her is stopping him.
I know from my own reactions that emotions do not always make much apparent sense, but if we trust them they make a kind of sense without us having to fully understand them.
“Can I also see the fairies Roberto?”
“I’ll have to ask them love. We must not impose on their goodwill. Give me some time to arrange it.” I’d been wondering about them for some time now and his words disturbed me; does it mean they really exist? My instincts were warning me Robbie is having fun at my expense, but the girls don’t know anything about them. How could he pull it off without their help?
Many wanted to see the houses painted by Jade and though none of them would disturb Dark Cloud in her home, Robbie made the area off-limits. She still spends most of her time there, in and outside her home. Only Empathia visits her there, though nobody (apart from Shiyra and Merlin) avoid her if they come across her when she is walking outside her little valley.
“Okay love, we have their permission. I think we should leave our wives here to look after our guests. It is a pity they’ll miss out, but we have a responsibility to our friends. Late this afternoon we’ll jump aboard.”
I clamped down on my suspicions, as I did want Latreia to enjoy herself first. As they came out the other side of the gorge, Latreia burst into tears and sobbed for a long time. She said it was too beautiful. With that kind of motivation I was certain Robbie will ‘arrange’ for her to visit as often as she wants. As for me, I was even more confused, all the girls had stayed close by me. I think they are laughing at me, but I also sense they are also puzzled.
3529
He took her to see the creature he fought and she was impressed. They sat on the ledge looking down on us and he pointed out to her the different ecologies he created and she asked him why we don’t have clouds, just the occasional haze.
“Freddie sees to it love. We want the water to recycle and go back into storage. That river drains our resources, so I have to be careful.”
“But rain would come back and all the flowers would love it. All those poor insects never have rain?”
“Freddie, would the ceiling tension prevent the clouds from interfering with the Sparklers?”
“I think so Robert. How would moisture affect them?” Robbie asked Sol and she said it would not bother them, though they do not like lightning, so he asked Freddie to allow condensation to take place so that Latreia and her insects can have clouds and rain. We were amused but also touched. Our Robbie has not changed, willing to try the impossible if any one of his girls wants something. I suppose it pleased him as he hardly ever gets a request from us.
We had our first rain the next day and it caused quite a furore. The Anadir were excited and ran or jumped to get to the rain. They even helped the Eminixx. They have not enjoyed it for so long it was a treat for them.
“You do realise the rains will have an effect on the landscape?”
“It might not be a bad thing Ordinx, I never could understand what I felt was wrong about this place. It did not look weathered. I think it will make our world look more natural.”
Tina asked, with a smile. “How long do you think it will take for the Anadir to run to avoid the rain?”
Ordinx laughed, too happy to answer her seriously. “I don’t know Tina, but even should that happen, we will be the envy of those still living on our Worlds in the void.”
“If you enjoy the rain, why did you make your Worlds so arid? You have volcanoes but no rain?”
“You know what Orshiir? I think we forgot about rain.”
Meli giggled. “I can imagine thousands of years from now your people will have forgotten and your philosophers will argue that the rains were named the Gift of Latreia, or Adoration for symbolic reasons. I’d love to write a treatise at that time on why rain was seen as a gift of adoration and the links it would have to life-giving forces.”
Ashiir laughed. “You would be a very strange Anadir if you did so Meli. At your age it is far more likely a male would write the treatise. Girls are too busy challenging their environment for them to be analysing it.”
“It’s not my gift! It’s Roberto’s!” Latreia protested. We grinned at her, she still has much to learn about our modest husband.
There has been a side effect I think Robbie will enjoy. For the first time ever we are starting to feel gusts of wind and soft breezes are growing more common.
Latreia tends to spend a lot of time with her mother, but most of it, when not with Robbie, is with her twin brother. We expected Robbie to get a few twinges of jealousy, especially as Iraklis keeps himself at the age of eighteen. He is tall for a Greek and perhaps inspired by his name, he has sculpted himself in the shape of a sleek but muscular athlete. He laughs easily and we enjoy his company. A number of the girls affect him, especially Diana, and he gets tongue-tied when we tease him. Luckily I do not have that effect on him and he talks to me about things he is interested in and what worries him.
“What do you think will happen Irakli? Will you stay with your family, or will you look for a girl outside of your circle?”
He laughed. “Unless I do, we will not be in danger of over-populating our planet, unlike another family I know.”
“If you find a nice girl, do you want to start your own circle or bring her into the existing one?”
3530
“Samantha, I am still under a year old, I have not given it much thought.” We knew the truth, but kept quiet.
Gianni grinned. “She is asking you Irakli, because if it was Roberto he would have at least three wives by the time he was a year old.” After the teasing ended Cherine gave him a hug, leaving him confused but happy.
With the kids of Tasso mostly adopting ages from eighteen to twenty, Tasso and Stella never appear as youngsters, always above thirty. I guess they still think the appearance of age is important for respect. They think that what we do only proves we are the exception, they cannot see yet that the old rules have changed. Perhaps I should suggest to the kids they age themselves to about fifty - what would the parents do then?
I’d decided Robbie created the fairies out of void energies, teasing us with illusions. It did worry me that I had felt weight when one of them stood on my hand, but decided he had made it part of the illusion. It only goes to show how stupid I can be at times. He had his fun, teasing me, but then invited all the girls and a number of our friends for a trip to fairyland. As we entered the gorge I noticed Robbie was holding Candy in his arms and after looking away for a moment, I saw she was gone. I pulled at his arm and he looked at me with a smile and a wink. I was not surprised when the same fairy sang a song for us. I waited until we had returned to the taverna so that everyone could enjoy their moment of magic.
“I’ve worked out the Candy part of it but the rest Robbie, who are they?”
“How would I know Sam?” He was laughing at me, I could feel it. “Why don’t you ask Sol?”
Obvious! The Sparklers!
“Well done Sol, we might find this gift very useful at some time.”
“Useful? How could that be?” Why was I sensing amusement?
“If we are attacked and need to impersonate leaders of the enemies? Just a possibility.”
Cherine giggled. “She is trying to look clever so that we don’t laugh at her for being fooled.”
I put my hands on my hips, standing real close to her. “And are you laughing at me Cherine?”
“No.” She giggled again and clutching her tummy as she laughed said, “Yes,” and everyone else joined her. Robbie was watching with an indulgent smile. I took his hand. “Come, let’s have some fun of our own while they sit here giggling like silly schoolgirls.”
“I love watching schoolgirls giggling, do you mind?”
It was only much later that I remembered the Sparklers do not have any weight and I’d never felt anything in the mind of Candy.
At breakfast, Latreia asked Robbie, “Can I change our house please?”
“Change? Oh, you mean redecorate it?”
“No. I want to change everything. If Aganthi and Jade agree to help me, can I?”
“Don’t ask me love, ask your wives.”
We agreed enthusiastically and were then pissed off when we were excluded from the group - they even went so far as to post a ‘privacy’ sign that excluded me also. That was silly of them as it means I cannot write about it. Robbie did make one suggestion, they should put their plans on paper first and they promised to do so.
That seemed to be the effective end of their honeymoon, temporarily I hope, us girls not having had a chance to share because of it dying too early. Her mind was so filled with pictures and ideas that even at night she was not as involved in our loving, only reacting if directly stimulated. Robbie decided it might be better to leave her alone until this dream of hers is completed.
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)8th December, 2019
- posted: 8th December, 2019
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