Cinderfella

Story: Cinderfella 2: A New Life

Chapter: 35 More Truth and Aotearoa

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Mature Readers only due to sexual situations and graphic sexual content

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Demetrius invites everyone to his home on Aotearoa and introduces them to his friends, the Maori. Demetrius tells more truth.

More Truth and Aotearoa

It was an Italian/Greek villa with the large rooms inserted in the side of the rise. Rooms broken off the whole and shoved into the side. Room stacked on a room. The most lived in was the one at the very top, but it's claim to fame was that it was all covered over. Both the Greeks and the Romans liked a sunny room. The top room was practically uncovered and covered by tree limbs and shade. Nothing about it said it's age. A year ago, a hundred or a thousand years ago, it would look the same.

"No more of my worries about where you go," I muttered as I shook my finger at him.

Demetrius shrugged a shake of his head, "Well, don't take it badly." He said in a pleasant tone. "I told you I was fine. Now, you know, I was fine, but you didn't know that. I've only had a few bad nights here." He walked around pointing at Seth and me. "All were about you two. Restricted by what I couldn't do to help with Deena Thorne." He shook his head. He balled his fists and placed them next to his tightly closed eyes. "I could see it!" He didn't have an option?

Seth looked shocked. "You didn't have to watch, Demetrius."

"Yes, I did," Demetrius looked at Seth, "I had to look. Deena was going to do it. We knew that." He shook his head. "It was killing me to just let it happen!!" Now, tears that were welling on the edge of his eyes were spilling down Demetrius' face. "You stopped being the target for him pretty damned quickly, Seth. It wasn't just for Erik! It was for you, Seth! There was a plan that included you and your family before Erik was even born! When she hurt you, I hurt!"

"You didn't stop her," Seth said softly.

Demetrius was now crying harder, "I couldn't!!"

It had been a long time, but I knew Seth still worked with issues that Demetrius and Lukus had to do with it. "I told you that, Seth," I said quietly. "He could not help us."

"I would have! I swear it!" Demetrius shook his head, "I couldn't!"

Others around us were growing concerned as Demetrius didn't even stop his tears.

"That had to be terrible," I said hugging Demetrius. I looked at Seth, whose eyes were showing understanding now a lot clearer. "It was for me. Forced to watch someone you love be hurt, knuckles broken and her attempt to humiliate you in front of me. Injured in a very sensitive area and all I could do was use bad language!? It was killing me!"

The long sense healed knuckles of Seth's hand moved slightly closer over his own crotch protectively. He knew more than anyone what happened.

"There was no choice!" He wailed, "The Children of Eve have choices we can't make!" He laughed a forced laugh with no humor in it. "I thought about it! I did! I would kill myself as a form of protest!"

"Demetrius!!" Seth gaped at this admission. "You didn't try that, did you?"

"Demetrius!" I sat us all down, with Demetrius between Seth and me.

"Tried and succeeded," Demetrius laughed bitterly, "Twice!" He looked up, "But You, You son of a bitch wouldn't let me die!!"

Seth backed away a little, maybe to prevent injury when God would smite Demetrius. Even as deadly serious as this was, it struck me as funny.

"Oh," I said to Seth, "I guess you never cussed at God." I chuckled, "Do you really think there's any word He hasn't heard? He knows words we never even imagined! Nothing will shock Him!" I said pointing up.

Seth grinned, "There were a few times..." He hurried on, "Never out loud!"

I nodded, "I suppose you never prayed in your head, then." I laughed as Seth looked away a little ashamed. "God's a grown Deity. He can handle it."

Even Demetrius was now bursting with laughter, "See!? Another reason I love you two! You're fun to be around!" He hugged us both tightly. "Every trip I make to you is fun..." he thought a second, "well, not that one obviously, and the one when Toby and Dennis got sick..."

"God wouldn't let you die?" Seth asked.

"No!" Demetrius said exasperated. "The first one was a sword through my heart. He began nodding as our eyes grew. "Yes, and I made sure it went through my heart! I simply reappeared whole and heathy a moment later." He bit his lip as he thought as he wagged his finger at what he was remembering, "But, I thought for sure..." He turned and threw his hands out and said quickly, "I got my head chopped off."

That one I stood up in shock, "Are you nuts!?"

"Well, it didn't kill me," Demetrius grumbled. "I reappear looking at the damage of the blood stains on the blade. It was a louisette."

Seth's eyes widened, "A guillotine!"

Demetrius only took a second before he nodded his head, "Yeah."

I hit Demetrius! I mean I balled up my fist and hit him hard in the jaw. Fisticuffs was a sport for some guys. A tavern or bar brawl for almost everyone, but you get a nobleman involved, move out of the tavern or bar, no gloves and guys go at it as fisticuffs to be civilized. Ha! I'd seen enough fights, though only a tiny few challenged me and never without a sword. I got him good in his left jaw so hard he spun and fell against a table! That did cause the others to be concerned. They didn't know how to act! Now I was crying. "Don't you ever...EVER do that again!!" I then grabbed him again in a tight hug. "Promise me."

Demetrius was wobbly from my fist's impact but returned the hug, "Did you miss the part where I said it didn't work? I'm still here." He moved his jaw back and forth. "You've got a mean left!"

"This isn't funny!" I said and pointed at him, "At that moment, did you think you would die!?"

"I hoped so," Demetrius nodded.

My finger shook in his face, "You promise me you'll never do that again!"

Demetrius smiled, "Or what? You'll kill me?"

"It's not funny, Demetrius!!" I screamed. "I love you, damn it!!"

"Just say it, Demetrius," Seth said quietly behind him. "Assure both of us. I don't want to lose you either."

"Say the words," I growled. "Don't just agree."

Demetrius raised his right hand as if swearing to testify in court. "I promise not to go looking for a way of ending my own life. A lot of that has made many of the Children of Lilith think the Bible is for you. Not us."

"Because we can kill ourselves?" I asked.

"What!?" Demetrius asked, then took what I said apart in his head. Then shook it, "No." But he thought some more, "Well, yes, sort of." He saw our confused looks and went on, "To make a point, the hardest thing to fight is a martyr. Martyrs the Church has made are going to live forever. Self-made ones like I was trying to be was to tell how strongly I felt against this test He was conducting with you."

"He wanted find out how strong a couple we are," I nodded.

Demetrius nodded, "To you. Freewill and compliance...that sort of thing." He smiled. "That took a few years for me to understand. No one knows the plans God has!"

"We were tested for what!?" Seth asked.

Demetrius grinned and pointed as Hana, Thomas, and Ahaka talking. Thomas heard a word from Ahaka, gave a sign language we used and Hana gave a word and signed in Native sign. This gave the many bouts of laughter. "Because of Toby!"

"Toby?" Seth asked, "To see if we could raise two boys?"

Demetrius shook his head, "Not to prove it to God, but to each other. You two never gave up on each other. You learned the harder it got, the better you made it when working together."

"He wasn't around then!" I objected. "How did testing us help?"

Seth nodded, "He's our son!"

"Yes, he is." Demetrius said. "It's hard work!"

"Damned hard," I agreed. "I couldn't give either of them up." I waved at Seth, "I know he won't."

Seth smiled remembering. "When he crawled into my lap at nineteen months old on the floor of the Inn in Royal Valley...he crawled into my heart and I could ever let him go."

Demetrius nodded and smiled with a lot of compassion. "The banishing of that woman and priest, the change in laws, your having children had to be proven you could handle it," He hugged me. "Here they are!" He faltered a little, "Well, Dennis is in A'Dore." He grinned, "But you know what I mean." He was about to turn away, but turned back. "Can I ask you? If you want to show I'm Human and not a god...or if you really don't like something I did...does it have to be so physical!" Holding his hand up, he showed where the laceration had been, but long enough any wound was pretty well gone. He looked at Seth. "I have a bruise here," he pointed to a place on his jaw, "don't I?"

Seth smiled as he looked, but honestly answered, "No. Not one."

We had a nice visit Ahaka. He was a nice-looking man in his thirties with jet-black hair. I chastised myself again and again, but...when someone comes in with an odd thing, you notice awhile. It wasn't just the hair! I'll start again. He was not really Polynesian alone, that gave him a lighter complexion than a Polynesian. It was late Spring or early Summer and the weather was warm. He had on a small cover over his crotch and backside. There was a dangling strand of beads that hung from his waist that would not keep warmth in. The other major distraction were dark blue lines there were several extending from a complex design over both sides of his nose. Another extended from his lower lip to cover his chin and another much more complicated one all across his forehead on both sides. I found out later there weren't any two alike! It was sort of twisted, but he spoke a little of a language found on an island Koror that was farthest North and closer to Japan. Islands were dotted all over the area. The people of Koror and Japan didn't communicate a lot. It was rough, but he was a funny guy! He had to be to be friends with Demetrius.

"There you are!" Dara said frustrated. "No one knew where you'd gone!" She looked at me and smiled. "I'm gathering you are responsible for this."

I nodded with a sigh, "I guess. I still don't understand a lot of it."

"Neither do we!" Dara said simply. "That's why we pick things up the longer we live." She looked at Demetrius. "Didn't you tell him that?"

Demetrius smirked, "I'm sure I've mentioned it once or twice in the past decade."

"How about we all come here for lunch tomorrow?" Dara asked. "I'll fix some local delicacies."

Thomas looked up and with a mischievous smile he looked at Dara. "None of those delicacies will be us, right?"

Dara turned and slapped Demetrius on the arm.

"I didn't say anything!" Demetrius said, "Why does everybody hit me? I wasn't even involved!"

"Leave Demetrius alone," Thomas came and stood in front his weird uncle's fairy godfather, "He didn't tell me." He held his hands out to keep anyone else from hurt Demetrius. "This Captain..." he pounded his forehead a little, "Something domestic..." he thought of a name, snapping his fingers to speed up the search and quickly raised his hand, "Cook!" He said in triumph, "He stopped over on his way back from another trip around the world. He told us about these people. Some were said to be cannibals!" He waved at Ahaka. "He's not a killer!" He looked cautiously at us and mostly to Ahaka. "I can't believe he is, but I want him to know I heard about it."

Ahaka stepped closer to Demetrius as Demetrius translated. I didn't need to know, but the conversation clearly got to the point where they may have eaten people, Ahaka looked ashamed and shook his head. He began telling Demetrius a lot and Demetrius nodded. Even I understood when Demetrius held his hands up and said, "whakamutua te korero."

Demetrius was about to say something when Ahaka said something else and stopped that with a finger and a quick "whakatū" sound. However, Demetrius knew Ahaka, Ahaka obeyed, but I got the feeling it like Demetrius and me! Father and son? "Yes, there were some who did participate in that practice. Ahaka says he has never eaten the flesh of a man, be him a friend or enemy. I don't think his father or grandfathers have either."

"Okay," I smiled, "You probably knew his father and grandfathers."

Demetrius nodded, "As a matter of fact, Ahaka's father peed on me!" He quickly told Ahaka who laughed at that and said something back. "He told me to tell you his father was three weeks old at the time." He nodded and said something to Ahaka. "There are several tribes with the Maori. He's a part of the Ngapuhi."

I heard Seth groan again. Here we go again with the no Bill, Thomas, Mike, or John names.

"Hang in there, Babe." I whispered to Seth.

"Some of the other tribes still do," Demetrius smiled at Ahaka. "He claims they've had no great campaigns and no god has asked for a sacrifice."

"Ano," Ahaka said to Demetrius.

"Yet," Demetrius automatically translated, then looked at Ahaka. "Ano means yet. Tatari! Why yet? What does that mean? Ano?"

Ahaka chuckled and shrugged. This time Dara translated what Ahaka said.

"Well, I'll tell..."

"And you'll take too long." Dara waved her husband off. "The Maori believe in many spirits and gods." She waved at their home. "One hundred years before Ahaka's Grandfather was born, we built this to get away. There was a group on the Southern Coast of Aotearoa." She pointed to the green shoreline across the water. "They were curious."

"No one of our people had arrived yet." Demetrius whispered loud.

"Two things are still very important," Dara nodded. "The Tapu and Mana..."

Demetrius frowned at his wife, "Your way isn't shorter." He thought of how to explain better, but as no one had explained anything, I don't know if it helped or not. "Certain objects and people hold Mana. A holiness. That can be passed to the public! Some Maori believe if a highborn person touches a lower born...anything. He's polluting himself." Demetrius laughed short. "A lowborn can get killed."

"Somethings are just true with all Humans," My mind instantly when to some people we all knew and loathed. They were of noble births, but hardly noble. "We have problems people that are highborn. Doing things no one noble person would ever approve."

"Yes!" Dara nodded happily.

"They can descend highborn so long, they forget how are and why." Seth said quietly.

"That's it exactly!" Demetrius nodded pointing at us. "A man came to see these two people that moved on the mountain by the sea. He was scared, but he needed to know. It took a few years but he eventually got the courage to approach me. He was one who wanted to know this one!" He tapped his own chest, "That was..." he turned to Ahaka and said something who nodded and said something quickly. "That was Ahaka's great grandfather and his brother. I got to know these men." Demetrius chuckled. "They were not highborn."

"Finally," Seth grunted slightly and muttered quietly to me. "We find out why we've been brought this way."

"He saw me do some things no human could do," Demetrius held his finger up. He didn't always do that. Was he doing because Seth and I did? I'd have to watch and see. "Yet he never questioned who or what I was! His son came around and..." he grinned, "He got in trouble with one of the highborn. They were debating whether they should just kill him or chop his hands off." He waved at Ahaka. "He had yet to get married and had Ahaka's father! But I couldn't know that!"

"And?" Seth was waving at Demetrius to keep going.

"While they spoke with this highborn person," Demetrius said irritated, "Who wouldn't know truth if it hit them. Accounting for his great grandfather's and grandfather's time..." Demetrius looked at Seth and me. "As many as there were in the tribe then, they were brave enough to investigate! He told them what they were doing. Well, that couldn't be true. No spiritual or divine being be friends with one of the lowest."

My eyes widened, "Why were they so low with Mano or whatever?"

Demetrius frowned and looked a little annoyed, "You don't help speed things along with all these questions with answers I was giving you if you just listen. You jump to go in directions I was going but aren't ready for!"

I held my hands up in surrender, "I am so sorry." I smiled and yes, the whole thing was funny! "Please continue."

"How is this mano stuff measured?" Seth asked, "And how can you tell?"

Demetrius looked Seth in the eyes with a "now you?" look. I patted Seth on the back and Seth knew what he had done. Ahaka grinned, not really needing to clearly understand words to know what was going on.

"Now," Demetrius continued, "The problem is, Ahaka's great grandfather and grandfather had a horrible job and have for generations going back a long time. They dealt with the dead."

"Dealt with the dead?" I asked. "Like morticians?"

"You're doing it again," Demetrius said to me and kept on going. "Every manor of death from enemy attack to sickness from plagues or illness. The attack the attacker's verses the friendlies were broken up and had to be done quickly. Their own burned and gotten rid of and friendlies to give respect to. Illness and plague were to prevent others from getting sick."

Thomas' mouth dropped open. "That should make them very important! Instead of being rotten to them, they should kiss their own asses or take care things themselves!"

Demetrius held a hand up, "When it comes to dealing with death, people are a bit sensitive. No other man from A'Dore interrupt me. I was almost there." He smiled and went on. "His great grandfather told the why, but didn't believe him." Demetrius shrugged, "My name was called to help."

Demetrius looked like he was finished.

Seth was now doing the "let's go" motion a lot faster, "Well, did you?"

Demetrius frowned bigger, "What kind of storyteller would stop there? I failed, his great grandfather had his life taken, his grandfather never marries and Ahaka is just a figment someone's imagination!" He said in exaggerated sarcasm.

"Demetrius!" Thomas said rolling his eyes.

"I simply appeared in their midst," Demetrius said. "I wasn't there, then I was. They drew weapons and used some which didn't work. They fought me, I never attacked them. They were the aggressors. I escorted the great grandfather, the grandfather, brothers, sisters, and children here. I appeared in their midst a while alone. I spoke as a good friend of his grandparents, but almost never with the highborn. Even then, not really a choice." He folded his arms crossly and said. "No, they always started conversations on this high level, like they were above everyone or at least on my level." Then he did chuckle. "Right. Then they tried to force me to talk with them."

"Why?" Dara asked us. "Their minds were closed."

"I was getting there," Demetrius said. "I told them they were wrong. I told them in the next week they would hear from Ruaumoko. The god of all volcanos, earthquakes, and seasons." He looked at me. "They have quite a few every year." He raised his hand and a deep rumble sounded and the ground shook. Then he lowered his hand and it stopped.

I nodded as I remembered, "Something like you did with Candor shaking the house!"

"Yes!!" Demetrius shouted. "Perceptions!"

Seth nodded, "Yep, I remember him."

"You did that for everyone?" I asked.

"I never knew there was a limit," Demetrius shrugged. "I did for everyone." He raised both hands and the thunderous, rolling rumble grew as the shaking increased making things rattle until Dara brought Demetrius' arms down making it stop. Everyone except myself, Seth, Dara, and Demetrius looked a worried. Ahaka looked cautious, but not frightened. Hana had grabbed Thomas' arm and wore her worry plain to see.

"Excuse me," Beau said quietly. He was a bit concerned, but he and Val were so quiet, I forgot they were there. "We get here and the three of you start talking." He waved a circling hand with a finger pointing at Seth, myself, and Demetrius. "Mr. Demetrius gets upset you bring The Blue Mustached Man over..." he stopped trying to remember, "I'm lost from there."

Val nodded, "Me, too, Beau."

"His people has participated in some rituals when they consume someone." He brought Ahaka forward. "He never has. Nor his father or his grandfather..."

"Brace yourselves!" I ordered to everyone with a chuckle. "When you go back each generation...Christian and my parents four parents and then their parents and so on...that was a whole lot of people!! I can guarantee without even looking, there were a few people in each of our histories who were less than honest and even hardcore criminal! I'm not talking about just theft, murders, rapists and quite a few that were just plain mentally sick!" When everyone's crazy but you, you really need to think about that. If everyone else sees logic in the craziness, but you, aren't you the crazy one? I don't know! I needed to study that. A doctor for feelings? Should I start that? Later. That will be a huge rabbit, if you wanted to know. I would have to spend time with that rabbit. I would have to show cause and effect, show observation from multiple men who arrive at the same destination having seen what each did. The new discipline will take time to grow and change as needed. It wouldn't be in my lifetime. Who knew what discoveries we would make until then! The brain is a powerful organ. Very often, I'm surprised when we give medications, tell the patient what to expect and have it happened. The I find out, it wasn't the medication at all, but a placebo! It worked because they were told it worked? Yep! The brain was a powerful organ.

"Ano," I said to Ahaka, "What did you mean?" I pointed at Ahaka. Then looked to Demetrius who nodded as Ahaka began speaking.

Demetrius let a few sentences pass as he understood, "He claims no battle champagnes needed ceremonies, or god needs appeasing to prevent an eruption..."

Ahaka nodded, "Ano." He said again and smiled at Thomas and made a hard clomp of his teeth once in Thomas' direction and then laughed.

It was a joke! Obviously. Right lik?

I made it a point to get to know this man as much as possible. Yes, I knew what it was. I was jealous! I was an only child with Demetrius! Christian and Seth were included...with me! It was pointless, but I felt it, okay? Believe it or not, I fought the urge to ask him how long he knew Ahaka. This was an I'm the one that is crazy moment. Ahaka and I talked. Actually, we said something and if it still wasn't gotten, acted it out! Adult parties with a dozen guests would play situation games like it. That worked if you counted on a lot of similar education. It worked and I learned a few things. Ahaka was one of the children of his mother's and father's seven. Only three survived. It was tough making it to birth! Then a year, to five years...being alive was a miracle!

Even animals often showed they had a sense humor. This is a little rabbit topic I'm showing you. There were these two dogs in A'Dore...yes, we had a lot of dogs and cats, but these were two much alike. Same color and breed. A couple of hounds. They were brothers was my guess. One was always picking on the other! I swear! One would be lazing in the sun and relaxing, his brother came by and nipped him. Not hard and never drew blood, the one nipped would look quickly in the direction his brother should be, but was in another! Don't feel sorry for the nipped one, no, he would wait until his brother got busy with an itch and let the bone he was chewing on alone where his brother would come and take it. Not because his brother even wanted it, but to irritate him. I've got dozens of examples.

"I guess I owe you an explanation," Demetrius said beside me.

"For what?" I asked.

"You two are very much a like," Demetrius said and nodded at my "how so?" demeanor. He moved closer to me. "Really, you're not at all related."

I turned to him. "You do this by practice!" I pointed at him. "You try to tuck me in securely and then mess it all up by telling me things like, you're just alike and yet so different!"

Demetrius laughed, "Well, you are! Even as a baby, you always wake up happy."

I had been told by Dad and some others that kept me, told me I did that. I greeted each day with a smile. I was told by some of the ladies of the queen, who occasionally had to be queen a day or two. These ladies made that possible. "Who told you that?"

"No one," Demetrius replied simply. "Being happy is just someone you are." He pointed at Ahaka. "Him, too." He chuckled. "He was born happy, but I was never his fairy godfather."

I nodded, "Oh."

"He didn't need one," Demetrius shrugged. "You asked for help from one." He pointed at Ahaka. "I was his neighbor." He chuckled. "I don't have to tell you, my free speaking with them and not with the highborn changed a lot of thinking and a lot of lives."

"People often forget who the Savior was friends with," I chuckled. "He spent most of his times with tax collectors and lepers. They were below the acceptable line." I sighed and looked at Demetrius. "I had no problem with the Old Scriptures and when they said what happened when. It's recorded history. However, there is a huge space of time between what you said happened and the flood! There are thousands and thousands of years between unaccounted for! Where are the dragons?"

"Dragons?" Demetrius asked.

"Yes," I nodded, "From Revelation. Giants, the offspring of angels and humans, those cute baby angels we see are hardly cute...Cherubs?"

"What are you looking for?" Demetrius asked.

"Truth! Answers?"

"There may not be any," Demetrius pointed out.

"Maybe not," I nodded. "I will promise this, we won't find too many answers by not looking. I want to know and understand everything. That you were friends with Ahaka is fine..."

Demetrius stopped me by placing his hand over my mouth, "Stop. You're doing it again. You miss things when you do." He thought and nodded. "A neighbor's child was born, he learned to walk. I think I helped him twice." He held his hands down pretending to help a tootler learn to walk. "If I hadn't been there, he'd still be walking."

I smiled at Demetrius. "I did and do need you more. I am a little overwhelmed by how much you love me..."

"Why?" Demetrius demanded.

"You tried to kill yourself, Demetrius!" I said in a loud whisper. "There are many things we cannot do. Killing yourself is at the top." I hugged Demetrius. "Don't do it, please." I nodded, "Yes. I understand why you chose what you did." I smiled. "You end your life, no one else's." I tapped him on the chest. "But it does hurt others." Demetrius was about to say something try to dismiss it, but I stopped him. "No," I lowered his hand, "It would have hurt me very badly. I don't know which is worse, physical, or emotional pain. Physical pain normally heals. I think emotional pain is horrible! It just keeps going and going." I hugged him again and it was tight again. "You can't do that to me."

"I won't," Demetrius swore.

I loved my mother, but I barely remember her. Mostly, I remember feelings about her. I did remember many times when she would get me up from bed. She was pretty. Beautiful. Her hair was brown, like coffee with extra cream in it. Her eyes were dark brown and usually hung loose and hung past her shoulders. She always sang to me these songs only she knew because she made them up. I could cranky because I didn't feel well. It happened. Her voice was so soothing. She died and I didn't really understand what that meant. Dad didn't believe in telling me lies or cute little stories. Mom wasn't asleep. She was dead. She didn't want to go, but had to leave. That part that made her who made her what she was left her body was gone. I could tell you all the things I thought and misunderstood, but I understood a little more when we lost Dad next five or six years later, but he had to leave, too. That was why I was determined when Christian got so sick and was going to die, I would do whatever I could to keep him here, or die trying! Demetrius would never do that to me. He couldn't. Seth and I had that in common. It a crucial age in life of children, both of our Human caregivers, our mothers were our everything! We slept when they said, got up when they said to get up, ate when they said eat and what to eat. They were the closest thing to a god there ever was. They were the givers of our lives and we knew it. We had "instincts" we use moment one, like the brushing of the cheek of an infant and the infant knows to search for a meal that should be "right there!" I trusted that Demetrius would always be there.

Dad was quite a guy. A great guy! A powerful man and not ugly. Black hair was normal in A'Dore. Maybe every fifth person had brown and every tenth person had blond hair. I always wondered why. The people from the farthest North, such as Europe, Russia, but there were countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and others seemed to explode blond hair and blue eyes. Was it a coincidence that less sun meant lighter hair, skin, and eyes? Did defense from the sun cause the differences? Hair color, eyes, and many other factors spread, but when? Why? Why is it that most people from Europa had pale skin and multi-colored eyes? Yet, we came into this part of the world, they had the slanted eyes and dark hair? Isolation localized most features and spread as Humans did.

God. I was nowhere near ready to push one god or God. I would never tell anyone to believe what I say or they will burn in Hell. I didn't know it was true! No one from any other religious group could prove their versions of God were true. There was the need for cause and effect to prove everything! Otherwise, it's just belief. I wanted to believe something, so I took what I did know and put it together on my own. I was basing my eternity or lack of an eternity on this, so it was kind of important.

It was agreed we'd come back after breakfast and give everyone a nice relaxing day in the warm weather and even the beach. It wasn't a long walk to the shore below. I'd gotten used to the warmth and would miss it now that we were back. I looked at everybody there and had them clasp hands. It was almost like...two people carrying a full glass of...whatever. The one that just plodded along and didn't think about it did fine. The one that concentrated too much about not spilling made themselves shaky and made a terrible mess. I was worried too much. I was going back to where we were staying, not home. Back to Gitchi, the palace there of the cold and wet northwest of the continent we lived on in the Northern Hemisphere! Nearly the exact opposite side of the world! This was no hop, skip and jump. I didn't want appear in front of anyone in A'Dore or Royal Valley.

"You're thinking about it too much," Demetrius chuckled. "What do you think about there? What do you feel?"

I looked at him from the corners of my eyes. "If you want to do this, be my guest." I gestured toward the inner circle.

Demetrius raised his hands in sign of a "just saying" gesture.

I closed my eyes to concentrate and was a little annoyed Seth was nudging for my attention right now.

"What?" I asked, looking at him annoyed, then knew why it suddenly was cooler to me.

Seth was nodding and looking around, "We're here."

I looked around the room we had been sparring in before we left to go to Gitchi. I was shocked! "Great!" I said with resolved resolution, "That's just great." Anyone who heard me knew it was not great. "There is nothing!?"

Demetrius was smiling, but he said, "You got there, lost no one..." he shook his finger at me, "not so much as a hair blown out of place. Brought them back the same way, what do you want?"

"I don't know!" I shot back. "A pop or whine and then a pop! Something!"

A door opened and a head came in and immediately went away again, but I heard, "They're in here!" Reese said loud behind him to unseen people and a muffled comment and Reese saying fussing, "And that was true fifteen minutes ago, they weren't here then, but they're here now!" Then Toby's head came in below Reese's and his face lit up as he hurried over to us. He hugged the both of us to him.

Both Seth and I greeted Toby with the traditional hugs and kisses. I looked up at Demetrius. "His fire stick things have a kick when they go off. I never even felt the wind change!"

"Eabha had the thunder, lightning, and explosions with clouds of smoke..." Seth said grinning.

"You can do earthquakes, volcanoes and even people burning in the Lake of Fire," I agreed. "One minute there and the here a second later. No fireworks!?"

Demetrius was smiling, but shook his head in my direction, "Why are you blaming me!? I didn't do a thing! You didn't include any of that. You! Don't get mad at me." He shrugged, "maybe she can show how to do that."

There was a theme that ran through all of us. Every single one of us were very happy men. Even the most serious of us, such as Val, were still very happy. It was a challenge for Toby to see it all to understand. He knew the truth and love how well we got along. I looked at Toby. "I transported your Daddy and me to our room the other night. So, we can be ready to go home when this is over. I needed see if I could take us to Uncle Deme's house."

Toby nodded, "He lives far away?"

"Far!?" Thomas blurted. "He lives so far away the seasons are the opposite than here." I won't bore you. You already know. Thomas left Toby know as big as the world is, we were on the almost exact opposite side and thousands and thousands of miles away. Especially when Thomas picked at weighted exercise ball to show by example where we were now, the great Pacific and pointed to where we'd been on the opposite side!

That knowledge went in and I watched his eyes grow as he understood the difference!

"Tomorrow," I smiled. "We'll take a little vacation, sit in the sun, play on a beach and meets some wonderful friends of Demetrius'."

It was unbelievable!! Even to Mister "Show Me." That was me if you hadn't got that by now. Why would anyone lie about that? I knew Demetrius, Dara, Lukus...hell, I trusted all of them! Toby trusted Seth and me and we said, but he was having a struggle with this one.

We even sent word for Kohona and his Aunt Ayita to come and for them to plan on getting away for the day. Yes, Kohona was a tribal leader and would be treated as an adult, but he wasn't an adult. Thomas was an adult! A fact that I had to remind myself of all the time! Toby could be a grandfather, but he was my child! The same with Dennis!

Dakotah was interested, but there could be tribe business needing his attention.

Seth chuckled, "Everything taken was brought back." He stuck his foot out. "All toes, fingers and other things are where they're supposed to be."

I nodded, "We'll be checking each other later a lot more carefully," I assured, "We'll let you know."

"See!?" Thomas pointed at Seth and me. "I missed that!"

I looked at Thomas puzzled, "You missed what?"

"That!" He thrust his hand at us. "The free speech about what things is and what we do with them!" He looked at Seth, "You were just speaking about your penises. Dad could never do that."

"I created a monster," I said quietly to Seth. "Oh, Thomas, your Dad was raised a certain way by a parent who just lost his wife." I shook my head and took Seth's hand, "That's something one of us will face one day." Then I faced Thomas. "Leave my brother alone! He's a brilliant leader and loved by a lot of people." I grinned. "More important, he is my hero. I'd kill for that man on his simple say so. I don't have to know why."

"Your Dad was in a precarious place," Seth explained to Thomas. "A young king and taught to give everyone a fair chance."

"He explained to you what was happening with you, didn't he?" I asked Thomas.

Thomas nodded and grinned sheepishly. "I know. Something you made him promise to do on the way to Blethos right before Uncle Seth."

"He did it." I asked to be certain. "He doesn't lie, so..."

"I talked about everything!" Thomas laughed. "Every so often he'd ask me something. Just the stuff that might have happened with me, if I'd ever had something and we'd have a day or two of long very uncomfortable discussion. For him!"

"Be nice about your father!" I chastised gently. "So, he gets a little uncomfortable speaking graphically. His world was different! It always has been. Like yours, he always had his duty for his future. Mine was, too. I was the spare!" I put my hands out to demonstrate to my right, "The heir and," I moved my hands left, "the spare? I was the spare." I grinned at Thomas. "I was thrilled when you were born! That doomsday feeling went away. You were healthy and happy."

"But he's a guy!" Thomas insisted. "What's the big deal?"

"To Christian," I said quietly, "it just is a big deal. He's one of the few true gentlemen left in the world. I know you had friends in the guard, training. I did. Even then, I don't really think they were as free with me as anyone else. I know Christian did. These friends didn't expose him to the real world. Course conversation wouldn't have been as forthcoming."

"Yes," Thomas chuckled and then said together, "We need to be an example."

"Yes!" I said happily.

I tapped Dakotah on the shoulder. "If you need to get back, I can do that." I said simply. "If you did it on your own...I can't tell you when you'll get back." I smiled. "It's up to you."

I didn't want to change. Could I stop it? I could just decide to never use the magic again. I did fine up until now without it. I felt I had to use until after the confrontation with those men from the Church. These Paladins were not priests, monks, friers or even necessarily Christian. How did I know that? How did Demetrius know about Deena before the attack? He said again and again, he could not read minds. Then how did he know? Could I know like they did?

"Erik!" Seth said again louder.

"What!?" I said as loud. He was never scared of me. I would never hurt him, but I did surprise him. He was bigger than me! I realized he'd done it a few times. I just hadn't heard him. I reached out to him and said, "I am so sorry, my mind was elsewhere."

Seth nodded and touched the gas wall lamp. "I could see that. Are you done here?" He pointed to our evening things we did ritually every night. At my nod, he turned that lamp down and extinguished the flame. "Of course, with your mind, you could end up on the moon! Only you would know how to get back."

He was at least joking about it. "The moon." I repeated with a chuckle. I waved at the sky I knew it was too overcast to see any moon phase in the sky, but it was there. "It's not even connected with Earth. It's like this huge distant mountain in the sky. Do you think we'll go there?"

"I'll guarantee it. Somebody will." Seth nodded. "We've been fascinated by it forever! We won't see it, but our grandchildren will."

"I've looked at the moon with those Seers." I smiled. "The ones that project distant things closer? Nothing's up there."

Seth chuckled as he got in bed with me. "You state that almost as fact. You don't know."

"That's right, I don't." I nodded. "I will say I saw no connection from Earth to the moon. Even if we went just creatures that flew..."

Seth grinned, "I meant, you could find yourself alone. I just want you to come home."

"Well, now that's in my head, I might!"

"I know you were doing it again," Seth said slightly irritated. "Is there a problem with having this kind of power?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. I'm sorry I'm bothering you with thi-"

"No!" Seth sighed and forced us both down with him above me. "I'm sorry." He sighed, "I remember many, many times...even one recently, where you had to tell me again, I am no longer cursed or damaged. I know you get tired of telling me so often. I'll remind you when necessary."

"You had something very traumatic happen!" I defended.

Seth was nodding as I said that. "What happened to you happens so often in our lives..." Seth sarcastically replied. "We're okay, Erik." He assured. "You and I are okay, Toby, Dennis, you and I are okay, we're family, we have friends we think of as family and they're okay. Those that traveled with us are okay." He smirked, "You might want to run an inventory to be sure." He threw his arms out. "I won't mind a bit!" He kissed me. "Other than burning their hands a little, which they recovered from, you never hurt anyone." He settled down beside me. "As a warrior," he looked at me seriously, "and you are a warrior, more than I am and you know it. How long had we been married when I found out you made the Praetorian Guard? Three years after we got married when I found your red uniform in a trunk by accident!" Seth shook me in excitement. "Praetorian Guard!"

I looked away slightly. "Well..."

"No!" Seth did what I did to him. He moved so that looking away didn't help. He was the center of what I saw. "Don't dismiss that! Jason told me you were the best student he ever had!" He stopped in horror. "Oh, no." He looked at me concerned. "He made me promise not to ask you about it and I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

"We'll tell him the truth," I said logically. "We tell each other everything." I shook my head, "But really, there wasn't a lot of skills used..."

"No!" Seth declared. "That is NOT true." He shook his head adamantly. "That's not true at all! He told me the skills you needed you had! You just needed to hone it in a particular direction." He smiled. "You could fight, but you needed to put all of his teaching into one situation. Everything such as catching and preparing meals, cooking, getting fresh water, a tough one considering you're surrounded by water, nothing you would drink. A dry shelter when it rains. Staying alive!" Seth sat up a bit. "If it's so easy, why are there so few of you?"

I chuckled and nodded, "I just didn't think about how long and just didn't quit."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Seth stated. "Never surrender because you never give up!" He was tapping each syllable of his point on my chest. "How many tried that year?"

"I don't know!"

"Eleven!" He answered his own question. "The whole year! You were the only one who made it."

"He told you that!?"

"Sure, he did." Seth nodded. "I asked. It's good place you earned." He brought me closer. "You won't hurt anyone. Why the worry?"

"We're born," I said simply. "We aren't responsible for our birth. Others make decisions for us a while, but...in the end, we are responsible for ourselves. You and I were born the sons of kings." I smiled. "We were given a life of plenty..." I caressed his face, "Well, after Arthur you didn't have all that. Don't I owe something for having that life?" I paused thinking.

"To whom?" Seth asked.

"Everyone!"

"Why?" Seth asked.

"Because they didn't have it!" I shot back. "They could be just hard-working people that can't seem to make it. Yet Darius and Deena sure as Hell never lifted a finger, yet never missed a meal." I shook my head. "I've been hungry. Especially with that two months during Praetorian Training." I was about to say something, but shook my head, "Maybe later I'll tell you what I ate the last weeks." I shrugged. "I've never gone without long. I want to improve the lives of people."

"You can't do that for everyone!"

"No," I agreed. "We have with other people, such as Toby's and Dennis' mother." I was on a roll now, "And what do we know about their mother and a little about their father, but what do we really know?"

"No one would be coming for them," Seth shrugged. "We don't even know what part of Blethos they came from."

"Or if it was Blethos!" I pointed out. "It could have been A'Dore originally or even Creid."

"Creid!?"

"Yeah," I said reluctantly, "I didn't get a Creid feeling either." I thought a moment, "Well, I don't remember any stories such as hers circulating."

"No," Seth agreed, "No grapevine information at all."

I stared at him, "Grapevine? Is that a vineyard saying?"

Seth grinned with a shrug, "Idunno." He grinned. Merging "I don't know" into one word. "Whenever a good piece of gossip or rumor surfaced. Whether they didn't want to give or know the source, saying you heard it on the grapevine saved on confrontation. They heard it through the grapevine."

I thought about and grudged a nod, "Sure, you stand in the vineyards for hours sometimes. You talk to other guys there."

"And now some of those guys are women," Seth nodded.

My eyebrows rose, "You bring that up at this point to explain the gossip." I objected. "Men are terrible gossips!"

Seth laughed. "They are! The grapevine stuff is older than our having women in the vineyard." He looked just annoyed enough and said, "Why bring the vineyard in at all? Most is done away from the vineyard." He folded his arms over his chest indignantly. "He doesn't work for the winery or the vineyard!"

"Who?" I asked.

"Eb!"

Mentioning Zeke's large, bearlike father was funny! He was Royal Valley's Blacksmith! Then thing was almost everyone came to him eventually for shoes for the horse to the parts that made up the bridle and other horse stuff. He started at the edge of town when it was Thorn Valley. Now, "Royal Valley" town engulfed him and swallowed him up. He was a friendly guy and everyone loved him. I was guilty as anyone. I pictured women in the marketplace asking had they heard the latest? Someone always had. Men were as bad, standing with manly stance and sharing what he heard about so-and-so down the street. I had trouble seeing that being done over beating molten hot iron, but...

"We're off topic! How'd we get here!?" I blurted.

Seth shook his head and laughed, "I have no idea!" He snapped his fingers, "Oh, yeah, you were doing that deep thinking thing with the new talent," He smiled. "No one will be hurt."

"Maybe it doesn't make sense," I admitted. "I was given a lot, so I feel a little responsibility. The Scriptures spelled it out." I said logically, "About its easier to send a camel through the eye of needle than for rich man to get into Heaven."

Seth nodded. "We didn't get that often."

I nodded, "I guess not, it was pretty much against Arthur."

"Explain it, please?" Seth asked.

"Sure," I smiled. "Assuming they were talking about a real needle and not an allegory or parable. Dependence on wealth is a trap. There are important things to learn from the poor, using that wealth is important. God provided a way for the wealthy to get in..." I tapped on Seth. "Just like I said. Our view on ourselves, how we see others in this world and what we do with that wealth is so critical. I hope Toby and Dennis pass it along." I smiled at him. "Understand?"

Okay, I'm not skipping over anything...exactly. Seth was just staring at me. He didn't want anything, I suppose, but he was just...looking. He'd smile knowing I saw him and smiled or even blew a kiss! That man loved me! I loved him. We had long gotten over being offended at us being a couple. A'Dore was the kingdom we could access the most, so any diplomatic visitor knew that or was escorted from any royal business and any audience. Terry and Sam were only a little out of the way, but it took longer to go there than A'Dore! But not anymore! Of course, we'd have to break the staff in...carefully. In both kingdoms, we had fathers who introduced the military life to sons, who joined when it was their turn. Christian even told me about a woman that wanted to join. She wanted to be a guard! What did I say? Could she do the job? Remember Daisy in Royal Valley? We were looking for locals to stand guard. The man who initially denied her because of her gender was soon suspended in the air by just one of her arms. She wasn't...dainty. At all. She was tough! Hell, she was bigger than Seth and probably win! Not fat, but bulky. I liked her! I did! I wonder if Daisy wanted to meet this other rule breaker in A'Dore. There were guys you knew were FSE. Friends of Seth and Erik? Remember that? I sort of objected to that. Mannerisms did not really predict what a man, or woman, was inside. I probably had some, but I couldn't tell you what they were. Seth did not. Zeke and Gabe. Garth and Bent! Who could tell!? There was no FSE tattooed on either of them. Stewart, the man that started our annual Love Festival...he, sort of did. No guessing about him. The female of our species were paradoxes. Then longer I lived, the greater the puzzle. There is beauty in the Human form, female and male. I know, I've said it before, but what I found pretty about any female or male, you probably won't see. Females, the one like Daisy or the one in A'Dore...might have things I thought were attractive. I can't imagine what, but... As long as they do it with the other person in a place of reverence, who cares? Daisy kicked many asses! All successfully. I'd be glad to fight alongside her. The Natives were right. There were many genders beyond the male and female.

We came to Breakfast to be greeted locals we all knew. Kohona and his Aunt Ayita was with us, but Aunt Ayita was looking with an air of caution. We told her the truth and that everyone, including Kohona were going on a trip. What the individuals considered a trip told them something, but until they did it, was an unknown.

As the pace of eating slowed down, I smiled at them. "If you're ready? Take the person's hand next to you."

I saw them do it and the surrounding blurred. We stood on the grassy hilltop from the day before. I kept my eyes opened this time. Two hours ahead or several behind for the day. The sun was up and the warm and breezy.

"Uncle Deme lives here?" Tyer found his voice and asked as close as he could to reverence.

"When I let him," Dara muttered appearing from out of nowhere, but it was visible to Toby.

I nodded and stomped my foot in the green grass, "He lives down here." I waved them toward me as I walked backward. "Under here, really."

Demetrius did have a lovely home up here. It was high enough to handle storms of wind and rain, withstand floods and a bird's perspective of the surrounding area. The water's edge and the land beyond it. Demetrius' house was on the Southern of the two island masses. Little islands that broke off from when there on one and mass. On the map (yes, there was a map of the area) it showed the Northern Map over-reach for the southern land mass and almost touch each other. The Maori only inhabited the Northern Island, Aotearoa, remember?

Opposites again. North is warm, South is cold. I only say it because I did it and while standing there, I had to remind myself again and again what was happening. It wasn't odd. I was. Flushing the toilet was interesting at first, too. Now, with the modern high pressure...clockward verses counter clockwork and it just blows your...never mind. Do I mention traveling on the other side of the road?

Aunt Ayita said softly, taking her nephew's hand for support. Not to give support, but get support.

Toby looking for answers he didn't have, "Where are we?"

"Aotearoa," Seth answered. He looked up and waved way from us. "Here's a local now!"

"Where?" Toby asked.

"Here," Thomas began explaining and held the invisible ball or globe in his hands and began to explain.

I waved our arrival to Ahaka.

Now, I don't normally go along with this, but...it was so obvious when Thomas got to the part the story about the Maori people as Toby's eyes widened and he began signing to me.

I looked at Thomas and shook my head, Tell Toby the rest. I pointed at them. All of it.

Thomas me a "you're no fun" look and told Toby about the past and the Ngapuhi tribe. Thomas and Toby were cousins. Siblings, almost. In the past decade, it was not fair, but the situations reversed. You know this.

It was later, I was enjoying the sun's warm and my mind wandered to those men approaching us and I saw them. Men huddled against the bitter cold, wrapped in cloth and furs against the wind marching...sort of. It was too cold to hold any formation. The I saw a face. It had an evil smile and I saw Demetrius tied and about to be touched by a glowing red iron rod. He couldn't die, but would he feel the awful pain of being tortured? Why wouldn't he just disappear? Why was he letting it happen!? Demetrius!!

"Erik!!" I heard Seth call me, only, I could only tell by the tone he'd been doing it a while.

I got my fist ready before my brain was working clearly as I scrambled to my feet ready for...whatever! I was breathing hard and I know my heart-rate was rapid. I was Seth looking at me so worried, as was Dara, Reese, Beau, and Toby.

"I'm sorry," Seth confessed holding the empty drink mug.

I felt wet and sticky and knew what was on me had been in the mug.

"You wouldn't wake up!" Seth explained.

"You were dreaming," Toby confessed. "You kept shouting for Demetrius."

"I didn't understand any of it." Reese admitted.

Beau pointed at Toby, "He doesn't hear to understand," he said simply. "He sees."

"We're in danger because of these men that are coming," I said, "The Children of Eve and the Children of Lilith. Mostly, Demetrius."

"That's impossible!" Seth declared. "He couldn't kill himself chopping his own head off!"

I nodded, "There's a man leading them. He has a way."

"What is it?" Reese asked.

I shook my head, "I don't know. We need to find out."