Chapter 12 - The Truth of Things
January, 1754 - New Orleans, New France
Fear binds, but true faith frees us to become who we were meant to be.
A canary yellow sun hung outside of Elisa’s window calling her to arise to a new day. The calls from the white cotton sheets to remain beneath the covers went unheeded. This was Elisa’s first night ever in a bed of her own. It was also her first morning in Madame Beatrice’s boarding school. She needed to get up. The halls were filled with the sounds of adolescents and young adults. Elisa dressed quickly and rushed downstairs to morning assembly.
Mornings were for inspections and the perfection of foreign language skills. Elisa learned quickly that although her understanding of the English language was nearly perfect, her pronunciation was lacking. The other kids teased her, but Elisa didn’t care. She’d gone through so much just to get to New Orleans that the teasing of spoiled children seemed a mere trifle. All she had to do was to play along long enough to allow her time to find her beloved and return to her baby girl. Together, the three of them would run away and start a new life together. Back at the plantation, anyone who was asked said that Ola was the child’s mother.
Elisa’s time on the plantation served her well in Beatrice’s home. She completed the chores assigned to her in less than half the time as any of the others. Her disciplined life back home had taught her to make the best use of her study time. That, too, she finished as quickly as any of the others. She quickly finished her work to take on the chores of others so that they might cover for her when she needed to slip away into the streets of New Orleans to search for her beloved. This afforded her plenty of time to ask about her beloved. Elisa quickly figured out that no one had heard of her husband but, every day, she met someone who had heard of Paul. No one person knew much about him but, from what they shared collectively, Elisa was able to piece together a perspective of who Paul was. He was the best known Negro man who wasn’t in the arts. He made his money in the import-export business. Few knew exactly from which ship he did his business. Everyone simply assumed that he worked with some white captain who, because of the types of items Paul sold, didn’t want to be publicly associated with him. Still, after nearly three months in New Orleans, Elisa had little idea of where Paul and her beloved might be. In April, Elisa got a break of sorts.
Elisa wandered the city one clear afternoon as she often did. She was still looking for information about her beloved. Suddenly, a young, dusty blonde-haired man touched her on her shoulder. At his touch, Elisa immediately felt an energy unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
She turned and he said, “Bonjour, este-vous Elisa?”
“Oui.” Elisa replied.
“Can we speak in English?” Chase asked the strikingly beautiful Elisa. Chase explained, “I would prefer that not everyone be a part of our conversation. My name is Chase. I understand that you are looking for a Negro man named Paul?”
Chase was very handsome with the face of an angel and looked as though he were about eighteen or nineteen years of age.
“Yes, I am. Do you know him?” Elisa asked expectantly.
Chase smiled and answered, “Yes, I do. In fact, I know him quite well.”
“Oui, oui, oui! Where can I find him? Is he with another negro man about your height?” Elisa shouted.
“My lady, there are plenty of those around here,” Chase laughed.
“The man he’s with has the most wonderful smile you’ve ever seen,” Elisa said. She smiled to herself as she thought about her beloved’s bright smile.
“Ah, yes, I’ve heard of this man. And, who is he to you?” Chase asked.
“He’s my husband.” Elisa said as she began to well up.
As awareness swept over Chase’s face, he said again, “Ah…”
“Where is he? Tell me!” Elisa demanded.
Chase grabbed Elisa’s hands pulling them down from his vest, “Relax. It’s important that we not draw attention to ourselves. Are you alright?”
Elisa, feeling faint and sweating profusely, replied, “I’m fine, I’ll be okay, but please tell me.”
Chase helped Elisa to a bench, “Okay, okay, I’ll tell you what I can.”
Before Chase could say anything else, Elisa replied, “He’s on a trip working as Paul’s personal bodyguard?”
Stunned, Chase hardly knew what to say, “How did… what did you just do? Did you already know?”
An equally confused Elisa rubbed her eyes and responded, “Didn’t you just say that? I heard you clear as day. What? You didn’t? You think I’m a what?”
“A mind reader,” Chase audibly confirmed, “and you’re one of us.”
“One of whom? Tell me because what you’re thinking does not make sense,” Elisa said in a quiet desperation.
Chase looked around and then leaned over to whisper into Elisa’s ear, “What we are is a gifted blood line with special abilities that make us very different than most. Some say that we are descendants of the angels who mated with humans as mentioned in Genesis. That is what our leadership tells us anyway.”
Elisa looked up at Chase and asked, “And, what do you think?”
Chase smiled and said even more softly than before, “I see the paradox of our existence as being no different than mortal men. For each of us, it still comes down to faith. At least with them there is a conclusion to the story. But, for us it is only mentioned that we were born. Maybe the Good Book is missing some pages for the likes of us? Regardless, those of us who walk in the light and are willing to serve are called the Circle Knights. There are twelve Knights called the Elders, to whom we report. And, they in turn report to a group of like-minded fully mortal saints called the Circle. These are mortal and religious leaders from around the world, some widely known, but others quite obscure. It is said that Saint Augustine founded the order, but that’s just what some of the other knights say. Most of us have never met a member of the the Circle or an Elder beyond the one to whom we report. I report to Paul and, he never tells any of us anything about the other Elders. He simply shares with us their latest directive.”
Elisa, her eyes still moist and yet hopeful, asked as she continued to look out towards the Mississippi, “And my beloved?”
“He is one of us now,” Chase confirmed.
“But, he’s not gifted like us. Is he?” Elisa asked.
Chase smiled, “Oh, yes, he is. And, very much so from what I hear. Did he never share these things with you?”
“No,” Elisa said shaking her head. She sat silent for a moment. “And, in truth, what rips at my heart is that when Paul came for my beloved, he did not struggle more or respond when I called out to him. Is he not searching for me, also?”
“Ah, a lover’s doubt, such a curse upon the young. Your beloved had little choice in the matter. Paul has the ability to control man and spirit alike. He only has to say a word into the right ear and fleets will sail and armies collide. Your beloved was no match for him. Some can resist him, but they are rare and far between.” Chase, seeing the longing in Elisa’s eyes, thought for a moment, “I’ll tell you what I know, but it’s not much. Through our own means, Paul came to hear of an extraordinary young man at your plantation. One of our scouts secretly investigated the reports and found that they were quite modest regarding his abilities. Paul decided right then that this young man could be his new bodyguard. I was his interim bodyguard, but the Circle Knight Elders apparently preferred that I revert to my previous role.”
“And, what role do you play? Providing sugar cane for young girls on the river walk?” Elisa asked.
Chase sighed, “Oh, I wish that was the case. Let’s just say that my ability to track targets and eliminate them with no collateral damage made me uniquely suited for my role in the Circle Knights.”
Elisa was not afraid but felt compelled to ask, “Are you here to eliminate me?”
Chase tilted his head, “No. Actually, I planned to tell you that your beloved had tra
veled to the Northwest Territories. I planned to provide you a horse and a bag of coins and, then, to send you on your way to spend the rest of your days on a fool’s errand. But, when I first touched your shoulder, I knew you were one of us. Often, our gifts do not reveal themselves until triggered by an encounter with another like ourselves. Sometimes it takes a second or third touch.”
“And, what now?” Elisa asked.
Chase replied, “Well, what would typically happen, should you decide that you want to be one of us, is that someone would be assigned to you to assist you in mastering your gifts.”
Elisa looked into Chase’s eyes, “Gifts?”
Chase nodded, “Yes, gifts. Normally, you receive your primary gift first, but then some time later you receive your secondary gift which may or may not be greater than your primary gift. Most often, the primary gift helps you manage the secondary gift.”
“And, my beloved?” Elisa asked again.
Chase frowned a bit, “I’m sorry to say that he left last fall with Paul. And I don’t really know where they are, or if they are even on this level of existence.”
Now that she could read his mind, Elisa knew that Chase was telling the truth. She also saw in his mind that Chase believed that Elisa’s best chance of ever finding her beloved was to become a Circle Knight herself and hope that Paul would return with her beloved or that she might encounter someone familiar with his whereabouts.
Elisa blurted out, “Yes, I’ll do it. Will you train me?”
Chase took her hand and said to Elisa, “They don’t usually assign me to indoctrinate new members to our way, but I will ask if they will make an exception in this case since I was the one who triggered your gift. Ordinarily, you’d be groomed by someone more senior. Knowing a bit about how Paul thinks, I’m pretty sure that he will claim you for his own order, known to those who know, as The Willing. We are what many would call counter-intelligence. Other Elders may want you for their orders as well but, since we found you, you’ll likely stay with us.”
“This all is just so unbelievable. And, they treat people like me equally?” Elisa said referring to her own race.
Chase confirmed, “Yes, they do, at least at the highest level. I’m told that the Inner Circle is comprised of men and women of every race.”
Elisa, reading Chase’s mind, leapt ahead, “And, yet, they do not allow everyone a place at the table.”
Chase sighed again in quiet acceptance, “No, not everyone.”
The two of them sat in silence before the mighty river. Elisa reached for Chase’s hand as discretely as she could.
She said, “You will always have a seat at my table.”
“And, you at mine,” Chase replied.
Elisa continued, “And, may we swear never to lift up arms against one another.”
“It is so, my lady.”
Again, they sat in silence staring out over the great river.
At last, Chase offered, “But there is one more thing I should mention. Another reason I think Paul will claim you for his own, is because…”
Reading his mind, Elisa’s mouth flew open, “C’est mon…”
Chase answered for her in English, “Yes, he is your ancestor born many centuries ago, but still alive today. You, my darling, are a descendant of Paul.”