Little Cherine Book 02 - BPost003
'Ancient father, my sense warned me…but I cannot explain it to you. Would you allow me to pass to you the fullness of my memory, perhaps you could then judge and advise me.'
721
'No dragon, Ancient, Elder or family may judge you. But in the hours when we miss you sorely and your flame is no longer with us, your memories will warm us. You would honour me and all your race with the gift of your memories.'
The hours passed and none stirred, not for comfort, food or drink. By the time the moon had crossed half the starry sky, the elder and Ivera sank to the ground. Still, none slept.
As the sun rose the elder chuckled, stretched and curled, tucking his head beneath a wing and slept. They all relaxed and soon the family was silently bringing Ivera up to date with the family news. For as long as the elder snored in sleep they must keep watch and their conversation was soon bubbling with the familiarity of family. They promised her that now they know of her valley, they will visit. She protested that she will not return there.
'You will return. No dragon has taken the sacred life of another dragon for as many years as I can remember.' His head came up from under his wing and he stared solemnly at Ivera. 'You must return and take your Man form immediately.'
'I cannot. The prophecy would come true. I must stay away from Allerest.'
'The prophecy is true. You are female and you know it. I understand your fear and your unwillingness to accept what is, but to deny it now would only kill your unborn son. I have transferred our lore to the foetus. Though he needs to be born of a woman and will stand as Man in shape, there is dragon in him. Let me tell you about this miracle, your son.
We are come upon the time of Parting. Man with his towns and cities will no more be part of the family of life in our world. Man cannot rest with what is. Their minds are filled with ambitions, they need to control their own lives and those not of their race. We see land, we see the moon and stars and we see beauty, we see life. They see land and they want to change it. They see the moon and stars and they want to own them. They are not owned by the mother earth. They are owned by their own greed and dreams.
It is not a matter of right and wrong, they just never belonged here with us. Time was blended out of chaos and now, like a river that grows from many streams, the river of time is growing apart into different streams. They and us will be poorer for the Parting, but they must go forward to their own destiny.
The elders of all the races are certain of the Parting. We cannot see what will happen afterwards. Some think that as time forks, we and our world will fade away, until we only exist in the dreams of Man. They fear that for our world to continue to exist, all races must be here. Others fear that the Parting will leave an emptiness in our world which will cause great evil to grow. There will be a time of turmoil and changes. Gaea has been kind to us, but we may have to find a new balance.
When the land grows dry and brown, rain comes to restore the balance, to give life a new chance. Your son is that rain. He is of three races. He will be blessed, and maybe cursed, with the gifts of each of the races. From the Elf people he will inherit the sensitivity and empathy to all life. From Man he will inherit the power of dreams and the ability to solve problems. From you, Dragon daughter, he will inherit our innocent sense of humour, our golden auras, our affinity for magic and our strength. But, that is not all. In your valley you met the Mer-people. When they stopped and stared at you, they did so because they saw, as dolphins do, the child within you. They gifted the child with their joy of life and their ability to make a game of survival. And, last but not least, when the Ancient Unicorn lowered his horn, it was not directed at Allerest as you thought, it was pointed at your child. Your son will have the ability, at times, to foresee the future and perhaps have other abilities that we suspect Unicorns to have.'
‘Ivera. Your child is not the child of one mating. He will be a child of most of the races on this world. It is not clear whether his gifts are for us, to show us the way after the Parting, or for Man, so that they do not lose all of the magic and love of this world when they leave. Either way, he is a blessing to all life.'
“That is it. I have no idea what happens next. Language was too flowery eh?”
Cherine flung herself onto me and began to sob. Even as she was crying she turned to the others. “I told you! Told you.” Who had the heart to tell her my story sucks? They all just sat there touched by her love and belief in me.
“You left the story wide open. It could take off in a dozen directions. What a cool idea.”
“Thank you Meli. You are welcome to it. I will not be writing any more. I am glad I tried, it is always good to know your own limitations.”
Alki was suddenly excited, “What are you talking about? You think a story is only made up of sentences? How well you express them? Roberto, I see potential here. Remember you wanted the pictures you love to be put on the internet for free? You know how much we are making from the advertising? This is what we do here.”
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I looked at Alki, wondering what the hell he was talking about.
“We put your chapter on a site. We invite people to write the next chapter. We choose the best one and add it. We give the winner a certificate. Then the same for the next one. If we do this right we will have enough hits per day to make a profit from the advertising.”
“Not the way it is Alki. We would have to re-work it. For instance, we create a cast of characters. The main hero and friends, or whatever. Then we get Meli to write the opening chapter for each kind of story. Action, Drama, Western, Science Fiction, War story, Love story, you name it. Even a who-dun-it detective story. We choose the three best chapters in each category. The story branches out. Shit if this works we could end up using all the memory available on the net. Each story starts as one, becomes three, then nine, twenty seven and so on. Like the grain of rice story…I think we better limit it somehow. I like the idea of a certificate. Make thousands of people proud that they are authors. We are also encouraging culture - of a sort.” I added wryly.
“You two want to talk business now!?” Marian sounded exasperated.
I grinned at her. “With all the wives you are giving me, I have to keep thinking of what I can do to earn more money. You not planning to have any more daughters soon are you?” I asked in mock fear. That got the girls giggling.
While this was all going on I got my healer to check on her and the baby. Her healer confirmed everything is going well. Reminded, I turned to Diana. “Diana. I am going to project you as an eighteen year old. You stay that age until after our babies are born. No eleven year old body can handle twins.”
“Not yet Robbie, please. When they get bigger.” My healer confirmed it would be alright.
“Marian, you chosen what time to have Bernadine?”
“She agrees to wait till eleven in the morning. I told her you do not like waking up early.”
“For her I would get up at five. Okay, eleven is fine. We will come over at ten. You better go back home and get some sleep, take our old pappou with you.” He pretended to chase after me into the garden, calling out that only the little ones have the right to call him that.
I had not expected to have such a lovely ending to this night. It turned out even lovelier. Soon as we were in bed, Cherine cuddled on my chest and when her kisses became ardent the other girls pretended nothing was happening, despite them sharing our feelings, allowing her to have this night with me to herself. They truly had been touched by her devotion to me earlier. Even Meli made that night lovelier. She sent us the image of herself in bed with her mum and dad, being held between the two of them, feeling happy and safe.
Despite what Marian had said, I was up bright and early to call and remind our doctor to be present. She teased me, saying I am wasting her time since she is not needed. I felt though her joy at being present at the birth of one of our babies. It is still a miracle to her. I asked who will be the doctor when she gives birth. She floored me when she said she wants my mother and me. She meant my healer of course.
Maria has installed in her clinic copies of my birthing-bed. It is proving to be quite popular and we are starting to get enquiries from other clinics. I leave all that to Alki, but it pleases me.
I searched the web and got a copy of the song I wanted. I burnt a CD and took it over with us.
When Alki let us in, we all felt the wave of love that Bernie greeted us with. It was a long hour, but once she began to move, her head soon appearing, I felt a moment of awe almost religious in intensity. My new love is being born, our new wife and lover, our companion.
Soon as I knew she can hear us I put on the CD and Pat Boone sang his song of love for her (Oh Bernadine). I stayed out of the way, letting the parents celebrate and have their moment of tenderness and love. Cherine sent them the love and joy from Bernie and they both cried.
The 9th of June, another day of celebration for all of us. Cherine sidled up to me, put her little hand in mine and tugged. I looked down at her and bent lower for her to whisper.
“Soon every day of the year will be a day of celebration.”
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“Not for a while my love. After the twins we all wait. But one day, yes. Won’t it be wonderful, a miracle.”
“You are my best miracle Robert.” I decided it was the fault of Alki and Marian, this crying thing can be awfully contagious.
It was finally time for me to also greet Bernadine. I took her in my arms carefully. Her baby blue eyes stared back, not properly focussing yet. The smile though, that was deliberate and just for me.
“You stay as you are my love. I want to know you as a baby for a while. To feel the magic of having this bright new life join us.”
“Oh Robbie, she can’t do that. Wendy is going to sing for her.”
“Okay, but only for that. I want time to get to know her as she is. None of you girls seem to appreciate how lovely it feels to hold a baby, to love it so innocently.”
Niko and his parents arrived. Gradually the others came. Themi, Tasso, Andrea, all the men with their families or loved ones. Diana popped over to help Socrati join us. He literally drooled over Bernie and could not believe it when Alki asked him to become her godfather (νονός).
Once we had all arrived, I waited for Marian to feed her and then we all went to visit Meli in her world.
We arrived, but milled around, confused. Bernadine had not come with us. I was about to return when I saw a small cloud drifting down to us. I guessed, but kept it to myself. Once it was low enough they all saw the little angel sitting on it. A real little cherub, she was no older than three years. Her eyes searched me out and I felt her approval soon as she saw me. As the cloud touched the ground she sat there, stretching out her arms to me. I picked her up and kissed her cheeks tenderly.
Daniel appeared with his whole village. They laid out soft blankets for us to sit on and large baskets of fruit, breads, cheeses and drinks appeared.
“Alki, Marian. Today is a day of double miracles for you. How do you like the world of Melina?”
“I am humbled. How can she do all this. They look so alive, so real!”
I called to Daniel and he came to us. “Daniel, these are the parents of lady Melina. They are amazed and cannot believe you are real.”
He gave a small bow to them and stretched out his hands. They touched him nervously. They felt his warm flesh and this made it even more unbelievable. I saw something I had missed before. Daniel is a sort of taller idealised version of Alki. This confused the hell out of me, since I had accepted that he exists independently of Meli.
Suddenly I thought of something, kicking myself for not doing so earlier. I grabbed hold of Dommi. “Come with me, a bit of motherly love will be needed.”
We left, found her and brought Lua back with us, changing her to a girl of about ten. She was bursting with excitement and ran towards her father, then stopped and stared at him. He glanced at her, busy serving his guests, his eyes passed over her and he returned to what he was doing. Suddenly he froze. He looked up again, doubt and fear in his eyes. She stretched out her arms and as he rose she ran to him. He swooped her up with a cry of incredible joy.
We had to explain to the others who did not understand what is going on. When they did, their hearts went out to the father and daughter who is no longer his daughter. Confusing it may have been, but there was not an eye dry, a heart not touched by the ache, the pain and love in this big proud man as he held her in his arms.
I went to him and led him to a blanket. “Daniel, her new name is Lua. You see her as she is on the world lady Melina sent her to. Is she not lovely?”
“My prince, that she is. There is still so much of my darling daughter in her, I cannot believe it. Oh why could not the kind lady Melina have sent me with her?”
“You would then not have known each other. No, sit Daniel, you are now a part of our celebration. There is no need for anyone to be served. We are here as one, to celebrate birth and re-birth, to feel our hearts bursting with love.”
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“The new one, she is yours?”
“My wife Daniel. But much more than that. I cannot explain.”
“Will I see my daughter again?”
“Often. She soon will learn how to come here as and when she wishes. Please recall though, if she is to be a healthy child in her own world, she must be made to see that she belongs there, that here is only where she visits for a few sweet moments to be with you. Do not allow her to yearn to stay here. Her infant body cannot survive for long without her.”
Alki was too restless to sit and eat, drink and be merry. It was as if he wanted to experience every inch of this world of his daughter. I took him for a walk, was struck with embarrassment when he knelt to examine one of the white star flowers that seemed to be growing everywhere now. As we walked he touched leaves, flowers, the bark of trees.
“It is so real, in every detail!”
“Now you know why we are all so deeply in love with her. She is a miracle and this is but a part of the miracle of her.”
Overcome, he stood, silently weeping, his shoulders shaking. I tried to make the moment lighter for him. “Just think Alki, if this is the world of Meli, then it is a Greek world.”
He looked at me a second or two and laughed. “Thank you Roberto, but it is no longer necessary. This is far bigger than pride of nationality. This is almost too big to be a pride of mankind.”
“One thing it can never be bigger than, Alki. Our pride in your sweet daughter.” He nodded.
I had not noticed, engrossed as I was in Alki, that we were being trailed. I felt a tiny arm wrap itself around my leg. Bernadine was looking up at me, her eyes full of adoration. Alki saw and knelt, pulling her to him.
“You too kori mou, so soon?”
“What are you talking about Alki?” Niko took Bernadine from him and swung her onto his shoulders. She held him by the cheeks.
“It is Roberto, Niko. What else? She joined his circle last night. Even before she was born!!” he ended with pride. Niko pulled her off his shoulders, holding her up to his eyes.
“You too? And I was hoping you were going to love me.”
“I do. Very, very much. We are just waiting for Robbie to grow.”
“What!!!”
At my shout she began to cry and shrank back to a baby. Meli was instantly by her side, taking her from Niko.
“How could you shout at her Robbie. She’s just a baby!!”
“So are you Meli mou. Don’t try to use my instincts against me. None of you are normal babies.” I took Bernadine from her, cradling her in my arms. “If you ever again show you are afraid of me I will be very hurt. Come back to us as our birth-day girl please.”
As she reverted, I turned to Niko. “Niko, I had no idea. I am sorry.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not ready for it either. Gosh, but these kids can turn our lives upside down!”
“You have no idea Niko.”
As we turned to rejoin the group, I saw Samantha standing by herself, concentrating. A shimmer grew in front of her and I ran, calling on my protector. As I ran, the shimmer coalesced and an alien was standing before her. She stretched out her hand to it. It pulled back, visibly recovered and gave her something that resembled a hand. It was not even looking at her, it just stared at its own hand.
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I slowed down, my panic subsiding. “Sam? Your friend?”
“I invited him Robbie. Is it alright? I did ask Meli first.”
“This is her world. I am very pleased with you my love.”
I did not stretch out my hand. I put my hand to my heart with a slight bow. “I am honoured that you have come to join us in celebration of the birth of Bernadine. Forgive me, I may be presuming, ascribing our behaviour to you, but I feel you are in shock. What troubles you?”
“The last time I saw my form, your race were probably still barbarians - more than half a million Earth years ago. I had forgotten. I did not know I could take it!”
Meli had come to stand by, the others all waiting discretely, waiting for us to call them to join us. Her eyes reflected her shock.
“What is it Meli?”
“Robbie, he is one of our bat people, those brought here as souls, for them to have a home away from the void.”
This led to a heated discussion. The alien kept on insisting it is not possible. His skin that reflected light in tiny rainbows now darkened. We tried to explain about the world of Meli, explaining we do not truly understand it.
“What may I call you. I do not have a name, apart from calling you ‘friend of Samantha’?”
“It would be, in your tongue, Ordinx. A clumsy sound, but it will do.”
“Ordinx, if Melina says you resemble her bat people, then it must be true.”
“My prince, I beg of you, you must not approach him so closely. I fear for you.”
“It is alright Daniel. This is a close friend from another world. He is not of your bat people. If they look like him,” I turned to Meli, “why do you call them the bat people. They do not resemble bats.”
“They do not like direct sunlight and sleep during much of the middle of the day. They are also blind Robbie, look, he does not have eyes.” I saw then that what I had taken to be eyes were but a variation of hue on his skin - sort of like the impression of eyes on the wings of certain butterflies. This led to more explanations from both sides. It turned out he does not need eyes, he has some mental method of seeing us and the world. I described radar, asking if that were his method of seeing. His answer stunned and frightened me.
“Robert, you are the leader of all our peoples. We plead with you, enter my mind so that you may know us.” Before the words had ended Cherine had jumped between us, her little body tense as if I were under attack.
“Cherine love, one of these days you will do that and get us into trouble. Do not fear Ordinx, he is a friend.”
“If you go into his mind, then Sam will say you are contaminated again and take over.”
I thought she was making a joke and grinned back at her, to find she was being very earnest. I ignored Ordinx and the others and knelt by her, holding her slight trembling body.
“That is not what you really fear my love, you know my Sam would not do that.” I stared over her shoulder at Sam, who shrugged as if to say she did not know. “I think you fear I may become contaminated. Can’t you see love, there are different kinds of contamination. There is one kind that is the most wonderful of all.” She stared into my eyes, her fear growing again. “Relax baby, what I am talking about is knowledge. If I can learn about and from them, it may change the way I think, the way I see the world, broaden my vision, and that would enrichen all of us.” I gave her a kiss.
“Ordinx, I would be honoured but, not now. This time and place are for celebrating. Bernadine, come to me my love.” She came without any timidity and I was proud of her. I introduced her. Ordinx awkwardly but with dignity folded down to his equivalent of crouching on his knees.
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“I see great beauty in your soul. The world of Robert is greatly gifted to have you join them. Will you too call Ordinx ‘friend of Bernadine’?”
She stepped forward, looking at him a moment and then hugged him. Daniel gave a cry, pulling his daughter to him and began to weep. I checked, just to be sure, and my healer confirmed there was nothing to fear.
Meli pointed into the sky, at the horizon, and we saw a cloud. It was coming from over the mountains and as it swiftly approached I realised what it is.
“Ordinx, would you not rather stand to greet your people? See, they come.”
He stayed crouched, his face reflecting his amazement. They did not approach us. They landed at a distance and waited.
“You may approach us.” Meli called out to them.
“Your heart lady Melina is too great. We have the guilt of the death of friends to trouble us. Please do not ask us to risk another.”
“You do not see who is with us?”
“The One, he is not of us. He comes out of our past and our future, but is not of this world. Have you brought him here my lady, is he a new one saved and brought to join us?”
“Meli, I would like to know what he means by that.” My tone was stern and one of the distant figures took a step forward.
“Please do not be angered prince Robert. Her heart saw us lost and gathered us, bringing us to her world, giving us life again.”
“Where did she find you?”
“We are of the souls that were lost to the void.”
“Oh God!!”
All ideas of celebration were lost. This was too important. I took Ordinx, Cherine, Meli and we approached them. We talked for a long time. They confirmed that at the time of their deaths there were no void Worlds, such as those of the aliens or our Kaleidoscope World, they did not even know about them. They had upon death been consumed by the void and thrown to some unknown to them part of the galaxy. Ordinx explained to them about the gifts that grew amongst their people and of the development of their Worlds that over the millenniums have grown to a multitude.
I felt the impact of this as a terrible urgency. I called to my protector and told it to try and find the Sparklers. It responded by telling me they are too distant. I asked it to go to the void and try to think of ways to contact them. If it could not, I would join it later.
“Why this urgency Robert?”
“Cherine, they left us in great turmoil. If they do not keep their promise and commit suicide, or even decide I was wrong, it will be a catastrophe beyond anything that has happened till now. I must prevent it. You don’t see? These people here, they are proof that the void does not destroy souls.”
Ordinx turned to me, his voice full of grief. “My people they have told me of their guilt. We owe a great debt to the father Daniel and his people.” He stood up. “My people are infected with a spore that causes unpleasant sensations to their skin but is not dangerous. They did not realise this would be fatal to those of your race. Lady Melina was never affected, how could they know? There will be no excuses that are acceptable to them or us. They saw the Lady of this world was here and came to tell her they have decided to make reparations by returning themselves back to the void, in the hope their next world will be safe, where they cannot cause harm.”
“That will be an unforgivable act Ordinx. They would cause harm to the soul of lady Melina. The grief would change her forever.”
“To kill again would cause the debt to grow - now that they know of the harm they could cause it is not acceptable.”
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“You have healers, why do you not use them to rid them of this infection?”
“They are far older than I. They do not have healers.”
“Then use yours. Show them how to develop their gifts, they will then have their own healers.”
“Amongst our people not one was able to develop their gifts. Only those that were born with them.”
“May I try then?”
One of them volunteered and Cherine and I tried to form a link. We could not. I then explained about the dancing. It relaxed and we called it. It could not hear us. It seemed there was no way then to help.
Cherine spoke, “Please open your mind to me, welcome me into your world. I will cause no harm.”
“No Cherine, you will not do this. I will, I am stronger than you at this.”
I let myself float out of my ‘body’ and sent myself into the alien mind, to find that it was not alien.
If I had thought I was entering a human mind I would have not known the difference. Once I saw the soul timidly appear I saw the differences. I played and danced with it until a degree of rapport had been established. I then asked it to allow me to carry it with me to the void. It was convinced it would die, but in desperation to find a way to assuage the grief and guilt it bore, it agreed.
Ordinx had preceded us and the void seemed ablaze with souls of the aliens. They had left their Worlds to greet the first new one of their kind. They let me know their joy and then I saw I was free to return. Without thinking, I returned to my own body from habit.
I looked around and my healer sent me an urgent message. The babies, they are weakening fast, they do not have the reserves to last so long without their souls. My Bernadine, her body was on the point of failing. I had to do something urgently, I did not have the time to get her back.
I placed her tiny body upon mine and sent myself into her. There was a resistance, but I forced my way through. I felt a danger but could not identify it. Everything seemed to be speeding up. Within seconds I had reached the point where I no longer understood much of anything. I had regressed, almost becoming a baby again.
I had knowledge, but a very limited ability to reason and realised I was linking to the body, becoming a part of it. I had to allow it, to save the body, but I had to prevent it or else I would be lost. I called for help, but my protector saw the body of my loved one as being of more importance. The healer could not help and left me. I fought to slow down the linking.
I saw a huge face come into view over me. It was Cherine. Then Dommi came. The next one terrified me, it was my face.
*Do not be afraid my love. We put Bernie in you until we find a way to get you out.* I smiled to show my understanding. *I am coming in. Welcome me my love.*
Dommi entered my world and I flew into her from my joy and as a reaction to that mother love of hers. She cradled me, as I had cradled my little Wendy and I felt safe and comforted. Cherine appeared also, her form dancing as if there was a gale wind.
*Dommi, he is linked to the body. How do I part the links without killing them?*
The tiny flickering soul of Bernadine appeared. She too was distraught. My urge to protect her was still prime. I sent her a message. *Do not fear my love. You have my body to keep you with us.*
*That will not work Robert. You must find a way to let go of her body, she cannot survive for long in your body.* I did not react and Cherine sent her message again. *If she tries to stay in your body, Bernie will die. You must let her come back into her own body. She will die Robert.*
The fear I heard helped me to think. I struggled and broke one link. I sent to them that Bernie must take it quickly, each link as I break it off. It was the most painful operation, as if I was deliberately and crudely amputating myself. At times I must have screamed with the white hot agony of it, but with each link I broke I grew more determined and stronger.
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“Bernadine, is she okay.”
“Shh Robert, relax. She is back in her body. Your healer and the protector are repairing the damage. Luckily we were forewarned by your problem and did not let her link to your body.”
I lay curled up, agony shooting through me as I tried to fit again in my monstrous body. Not that I cared, but I could see that everyone had returned, silently watching, their faces showing the leftover traces of the fear they had felt and their empathic sharing of my agony. I felt various healers enter me but they were helpless. I did get some slight relief from the healer that belongs to the son of Tasso.
“God, but I was stupid. I nearly killed your daughter, I am so sorry.” Alki and Marian stared at me, as if not believing what they heard.
“How did you nearly kill her Roberto?”
“I knew that the time we spend in Meli’s world is not as the time spent here. I should have remembered her body is too small, too new to last that long. I allowed myself to be distracted.” The guilt was tearing away at me. I saw the face of Alki grow a bright red and realised with shock that I had never seen him so angry before. Resigned to what was to come I thought to myself, I deserve it.
“You fucking idiot!! I have had enough of this. Eisai malakas!!” He thrust his open hand, palm facing me, into my face, his other hand, palm facing me, slapping the back of his hand. A moutzoma, an insulting gesture of utter contempt. “None of us knew, not even you. You fucking think you are some kind of God? You know everything and are to blame for everything that happens! You saved our daughter and you assume the guilt - you do not have the right to. She is our daughter and we do not give you the right!!”
At the start Cherine had made as if to intervene. Now she turned around and hugging herself to him began to cry. Her face buried in his shirt we heard her muffled voice. “Thank you pappou. Thank you.”
Distracted, his face bemused now, he put his arms around her tenderly. My body gave its last shudder as I established full unity with it. Groggily I sat up.
“Never again. Whenever we leave our bodies, my healer stays here to warn us if there is a problem. That my dear Alki you must accept was stupid of me not to think of before.” My girls all crowded around, each trying to embrace me. I made sure I held each one a while before returning to what I thought was important.
“Okay, so nothing went according to plan. That does not mean we do not have our celebration. Dommi, some coffee and tea please and then Wendy can do her song for Bernadine. It will still be beautiful Wendy mou, even here.”
“What about the alien you took to the void Robert?”
“His kind took him over. They sent me off, that is how I ended back here Niko. I forgot and out of habit returned to my body and found…” a lump formed in my throat again and I could not speak. Alki snorted with disgust and turned his back on me.
The girls around me parted and a lovely girl of about ten walked up to me. I stared at her, not believing what I saw. She had rich chestnut hair that reached halfway down her back. Her slim body was incredible, almost as lovely as Diana. Her eyes were a deep chocolate brown, huge for that tiny elfin face. She was totally unconscious of her nudity or her effect on me.
“You are the most gorgeous just born baby I have ever seen!”
She smiled, a lop-sided little grin, with a dimple showing in her cheek. “You know me then?”
“Who else could you be. Did you do this on purpose?”
“Do what Robbie?”
“Make yourself so beautiful.”
“No. I was happy with the way I would look. I only made one tiny change. I bet you can’t work out what it is.”
“I have. You are going to upset your sister. She has been the champion up to now.”
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She looked down at her sex bump and when she grinned back at me she had that naughty look of Cherine. The damn little minx enslaved me there and then and I knew I would never recover. I looked for Cherine, but saw nothing but pride and love in her eyes as she too stared at her little sister and felt the wave of emotion that had slammed through me.
“I bet none of the others has had such a weird welcoming at their birth. Thank you.”
“You are thanking me? Actually, Samantha might dispute that.”
“You wanted me to stay a baby for a while, but I had to come and tell you not to feel pain. It hurts me inside,” she put her hand over her chest and then over mine, “I think you left something that makes me feel what you do.” I felt it too now. Softly I prayed it will fade away. The way I keep hurting myself, I cannot bear to think of her feeling it too.
“She has given us the most wonderful gift on her birth day. Oh Bernie!!” Claudia hugged her and we all felt the love she felt, as if Bernadine were her true baby sister. There were tears in all their eyes as they sent her love and gratitude for protecting their Robert. The silly girls actually saw it as a gift.
Before I could speak, she took my hand, tugging at me. I got up and she led me towards our bedroom. I stopped, my heart hammering, but not willing to let this happen yet. She giggled.
“Don’t be silly Robbie. Not yet! I just want to kiss you before I change back. I don’t want everyone looking at us.” Since they all only heard what she said I blushed at what they must be thinking I wanted to do, so I let her pull me out of there.
Soon as she closed the door she asked me to sit on the bed. I did so. She climbed up onto my lap, facing me, and her soft lips came to mine. Tenderly I kissed her, the kiss a wine that made me dizzy with love. As soft as it began, as tender as my emotions, she slowly lit a fire, our kiss turning into a bright flame of passion. I hugged her to me tightly not wanting to let go. With a final twist of her body she pulled away.
Her face flushed she stared at me. “Now you will also dream of the day I come to you as your wife.” She left me and returned to the lounge while I sat there stunned.
I suddenly forgot about Bernadine. I jumped up in a panic and ran through to the others. “Lua! What about her. Is she still with Daniel?”
At the nod from Meli I sent my healer to Lua’s little body while I let go of my body, letting it fall wherever it may as I dashed into her world.
Wendy arrived almost immediately too and grabbing Lua to her they disappeared. Daniel stared in shock.
“Daniel, I warned you. She must not spend too long here. Her body is that of an infant, it cannot survive such a long absence of her soul. I have to go, but I will return to tell you how she is. Wait here.” I dashed off to find my healer struggling with the tiny body, Wendy and her healer helping. Though they could not see me I saw her mother and Wing struggling to bring the baby back to life.
*Wing. Stop that, we are trying to repair the damage. Tell Lisa she must wait. Just keep sending Lua your love.* He jerked in fear and surprise and then put his hands over Lisa’s, stopping her. He talked urgently in Chinese, but we saw she did not trust his words. It is a difficult thing to ask of a mother, to do nothing while her dying baby is being cared for by invisible beings.
As we helped repair the last links, her tiny body began to breathe again, her heart fluttering no longer. We stayed until my healer confirmed all was well. I let Wing know and we left.
My healer returned to find me shaking from the shock and fear, my face lacerated where it hit the corner of a table. As it began the repairs, I saw Wendy rise, looking for me. I gave her a grin and closing my eyes again returned to Daniel.
“My prince.”
“Relax Daniel. She lives. It was too close though, she had stopped breathing. You must remember, the time flow here is not the same. In a month or two she will be able to stay longer. For now, it is your responsibility to see that she does not stay long. Not longer than a half an hour of your time.”
730
I soothed him as quickly as I could, Meli having joined me, and then we took our leave and returned. The pain in my face was gone and I looked up to see Claudia holding a cup of coffee and a cigarette. I grinned at her.
“They giving you hell for encouraging my bad habits?”
“No. Dommi kissed me for thinking of it.”
“She is a wonderful mother isn’t she?”
“You are right.” She paused, turning to look at her. “I think she will be my only mother now. She really does love me.” Dommi began to quietly weep inside herself.
“That means that Tina is really your sister then, since you share a mother.”
Alki stood up, pulling Marian, who was holding Meli and Bernie to her. “I cannot take anymore of this. Everything is too intense around this family. Let’s go home wife.”
“Alki, do me a favour and bear with us a short while. Our Wendy still has to sing her song of welcome.” Alki wiped his hand over his face and sat down, Marian putting her babies down so that she can hold him.
“Bernie, grow up a little will you, a baby does not have the ability to enjoy this… believe me, I know!” They tittered as Bernie and Meli grew, Bernie back into a three year old. I nodded negatively and she carried on, becoming a five year old. I could not help staring at the beauty she was already.
Wendy stood in the centre of the room. She looked around and then sank to the carpet, until she was sitting, her skirt flared out around her tiny legs. She had sat facing Bernie, hair a curtain over her face. Softly a beat began. Beneath it began a second beat, the heart of the infant in tune with her mother. As the melody softly grew it was of the soothing warmth and comfort of being safely held. It played in variations that soothed us all. Almost imperceptibly (αμυδρά, ανεπαίσθητα) the outside world began to intrude. As it became more insistent there was an undercurrent of fear of the unknown.
A sense of love came to comfort, that of a mother and a father love. It called to the child in each of us so that I found myself staring at my mother, tears upon my cheeks. The infant was soothed and we felt the calm. Then that mother/father love were felt to be drawing at the infant, calling it to come out and join them. It wanted to, but the fear had returned. It was as if it knew it would never know this peace and wellbeing again. A little storm of emotions tore at the infant and as it turned, being prepared to meet the new world, we all felt the pain and despair it prepared itself to meet.
Even as we sorrowed for it and wished we could reassure it of the love it would find, so did a golden shaft of love touch her. It flowed around and within her, a cocoon that is there to hold and protect her for the full span of her life. Held now by the mother/father love and cocooned by the golden certainty of love and joy, the infant emerged and the world celebrated with joy and ecstasy at the coming of this beautiful soul. The song faded as the infant turned, searching and finding the source of the golden cocoon that made her life a celebration for her too, and those baby blue eyes found the glow within the soul of…it was me.
I could have died from embarrassment. I must have projected for Wendy faltered. She whipped around to look at me and burst into tears. Diana and Claudia ran to her and took her within their arms. They were joined by Marian who held her, crooning to her, her mother’s heart a balm. The rest just stared at me as if not able to believe I had done this - hurt our little Wendy.
For the first time ever I would have welcomed the protector punishing me. It could not of course, especially since little Bernie now shares my feelings. As I stared back in misery, Bernie burst into tears.
“He didn’t mean to, he didn’t mean to…” Alki tried to hold her to him, but she wriggled to get away and ran to me, throwing herself into my arms.
I felt the sadness in Alki and this tore at me. I had to control my pain, bury it for my baby. As I struggled, closing my heart, Cherine began to cry and Dommi held her. Only my babies seemed to not be crying. For the first time since the morning, Laura projected herself as a five year old. She went to Tina and Rosie and sat staring at them. Suddenly they also burst out crying.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)24th April, 2019
* posted on Steemit: 24th April, 2019
@nikosnitza
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