‘You are my trusted advisor and dear friend, Noah, that’s who!’ Tory appealed. ‘If you think I should tell Maelgwn what happened, based on what we know at present, I will.’ Noah frowned as he considered how Maelgwn would take the news.
‘Governor,’ Noah began to rehearse an explanation. ‘A rare celestial event possessed your wife this afternoon, in order to communicate with your unborn children. This has left all three apparently unscathed, but unfortunately we have …’ Noah ceased his spiel as Tory’s facial expression contorted into one of agony. ‘What’s the matter? Don’t you like my approach?’
Tory gripped her belly and gritting her teeth, she smothered her moan. She didn’t wish to alarm Noah, who had yet to venture into parenthood.
‘Good grief! Is this normal?’ Noah begged to know, as the Governess continued to moan, obviously in a lot of discomfort. ‘Give me a nod, if I should be alarmed.’
Tory shook her head. ‘Just get me to our healing chambers.’
When Maelgwn arrived in the healing chamber to find his wife in the throes of labour, and Cadfan and Hatty making ready for a delivery, the expectant father became rather alarmed. ‘This wasn’t supposed to happen for a month yet.’ He voiced his surprise to make known his arrival.
‘Well, it’s happening now, En Dragon.’ Cadfan smiled. ‘So, if you are still of the mind to aid in the delivery of your babes, you’d better get those hands clean.’ The healer pointed the bemused father towards the basin, even though he knew where it was. ‘She’s nine centimetres dilated,’ he added to urge Maelgwn to get a move on.
‘But that’s the third stage of labour!’ Maelgwn rushed to the sink. ‘What happened to stages one and two?’
‘Your wee ones seem in somewhat of a hurry to get here,’ commented Hatty, as she passed by Maelgwn carrying a large pile of fresh towels towards the action.
Maelgwn grabbed hold of her arm and pulled the healer up to have a quiet word.
‘I know what you are going to ask,’ she said, her tone making light of his woes. ‘And it’s quite normal for twins to be premature. Tory isn’t a big woman, and I’m sure it’s getting awfully crowded in there. So, don’t fret, my pet’ she advised, sweetly patting Maelgwn’s cheek. ‘Enjoy the moment.’ Hatty winked to reassure him and went back about her business.
Her advice greatly improved Maelgwn’s attitude, but by the sounds of the noises emanating from his wife, she wasn’t too joyful at present. ‘How are you doing, sweet thing?’ he called out to Tory as he stuck his hands into the recess in the wall, where they were pelted with water and scrubbed clean, then gently dried by warm scented air.
‘Don’t sweet thing me, lover boy,’ she strained, as her contractions hadn’t eased for more than a few minutes since they’d started. ‘The next time you want a baby … try a test tube.’ She managed to squeeze out the punchline ahead of a great wail.
Maelgwn smiled, as his wife had yet to lose her sense of humour. ‘Where’s the fun in that, my love?’ he posed, but was spared an abusive response as Candace and Sybil arrived.
‘Goodness!’ Sybil exclaimed, as she witnessed the scene unfolding in the chamber.
‘It looks like action stations,’ Candace commented aside to Sybil, as they both made haste to Tory’s side. On the quiet, Candace was worried that the premature birth of her sister-in-law’s babies might be linked to Tory’s ordeal earlier in the day. ‘What brought this on?’ She looked to Cadfan, who knew what had taken place at Devaglen.
To Candace’s great relief, the healer smiled broadly. ‘I suspect destiny had something to do with it.’
‘It doesn’t matter why it’s happening now,’ Tory stressed. ‘What matters is that it is happening, so let’s just deal with it, can we? Ahhh!’ Her concentration was drawn to the task at hand, as Sybil and Candace got behind her to help support Tory’s body in a position that would aid the delivery.
‘We’re ready anytime you are.’ Maelgwn gripped Tory’s hand briefly in encouragement, before assuming his place between Cadfan and Hatty. ‘Oh Goddess,’ he exclaimed upon sighting the crown of his baby’s head forging its way forth into the world. ‘You’re doing great,’ he uttered, overwhelmed with admiration for his wife’s powers of endurance.
Circumstances beyond his control had prevented Maelgwn from being present at the births of his first two children. Now, finally, he was to witness the event and the expectation was more intense than the prelude to a battle, a war, or even death! Even with the scope of his adventures throughout the galaxy and history, the miracle of birth was proving to be the most extreme experience of all those life had to offer. Even the awe-inspiring conception paled by comparison, for Maelgwn felt more love for his wife at this moment than ever their physical union had inspired.
With the next contraction the tiny head was completely exposed, and as Maelgwn knelt down to ease his child’s passage into the world, he felt truly humbled by the power and wonder of creation. Following Cadfan’s careful guidance to the letter, the blood-splattered babe soon slid safely into its father’s waiting arms and Maelgwn cut the umbilical cord.
‘It’s a boy!’ Tears spurted from the proud father’s eyes as he announced the birth of his second son. Marduk has returned, he thought, as he gazed down at the newborn, its face being wiped clean by Hatty with a warm, damp cloth. ‘Welcome to the human race.’ He gently kissed his son’s tiny wrinkled brow, whereby the babe’s eyelids parted to reveal eyes of deep violet. ‘He has your eyes,’ Maelgwn was delighted to inform Tory, but she had other things on her mind at present.
‘You’d better pass the little fellow on.’ Cadfan waved Maelgwn back to his station. ‘Number two is coming through,’ the healer chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the proceedings.
Hatty took the firstborn from Maelgwn to tend to his post-birth checkup and, feeling like an old hand at midwifery now, Maelgwn knelt down to take possession of the second twin. He looked to his wife who was puffing and straining from her efforts. ‘Have I told you today?’
Tory, finding a coherent moment, returned her husband’s fond gaze. ‘I love you too,’ she replied, ‘and if you can end this in the next five minutes,’ her voice became strained as the next contraction intensified, ‘I will love you all the more.’
‘I do believe I can grant that wish,’ he assured, as a second little bald crown showed itself. ‘A couple of good pushes and you’ll be drinking tea.’
‘Boil the water, baby.’ Tory put on a determined face and even managed a smile, before she bore down for all she was worth.
‘Whoa!’ He advised her to refrain a moment. ‘We have a head.’
Canfan quickly checked that the umbilical cord wasn’t wrapped around the child’s neck before he gave Maelgwn the all clear to guide it out.
Tory collapsed back into a reclining position — the trial was over. ‘Is it a girl?’ She had to know.
‘She is.’ Maelgwn carried the tiny babe over and laid her upon his wife’s naked body. ‘And she will be a perfect little replica of her mother, I expect.’
‘So the prediction has come to pass,’ Tory mumbled, lost in the wondrous delirium of making skin contact with her newborn babe. ‘You’d better tell Noah he’s a prophet, after all.’
‘So he is.’ Maelgwn recalled Tory mentioning the historian’s prediction, which was completely out of character for Noah. ‘How did it go again?’
‘It will be twins, a boy and a girl, Noah said. Unique in their purpose.’ Tory ended her recitation with raised brows, unsure of what the second part of the prediction meant, but right now she didn’t really care.
‘Well, he’s as healthy and strong as any full-term baby, twin or no.’ Hatty gave her expert opinion as she brought the boy child over to join his family.
Praise the universe, thought Tory on the quiet, as it seemed her celestial encounter had benefited her unborns as suspected. The secret that her restless conscience harboured seemed no longer to be of any consequence.
4
CHANGELI
NGS
When a child was born on Kila, it was not named until after its time and date of birth in Chaliada were known. This meant that the astrological chart could be drawn and consulted in order for the child to be given a name that was appropriate to its calling in life. This was part of the science of Sonics — that every word has an individual vibration. The right name would attune the soul-mind to its true purpose in life, and reinforce its destiny. This practice had been strongly adhered to by the early Atlantean race on Gaia, and the scheme had been adopted by the Chosen Ones and perfected.
An intricate PKA (psychokinetically activated) database had been developed long ago, into which all the particulars of a newborn were fed. Once the information had been analysed, the database compiled a list of all the most beneficial names and the parents usually chose one of these. Citizens were not bound in any way to adhere to the astrological name selection process, but in the best interests of their children, it was strongly encouraged by the adepts of Astrology, Healing and the Mind and Earth Sciences.
The head of the Institute of Astrology on Kila was another of the Alexander kin, Cleo, who was married to the Head of Astronomy, Daniel Alexander, son of the Vice-Governor. This was a most fortunate union, for the two sciences went hand in hand, as did their Adepts. Most of the Chosen were in similar professions to their spouse, which served to keep the Ying and Yang energies well balanced in all fields of endeavour. The Chosen had not purposely devised this harmonious arrangement, but it was surely part of a divine scheme being hatched on some celestial plane of awareness.
It was Cleo who delivered the name list to new parents, for she could aid them to make an informed choice if they were in doubt. She came calling only hours after the event and her arrival was always greatly anticipated by new parents. The Astrologer was fortunate enough to catch Maelgwn and Tory whilst the babies were snoozing off the ordeal of birth.
Although immortals didn’t require sleep, until their babies experienced a physical death — thereby activating their immortal gene — they would need and suffer all that mortals did.
Tory had found her second wind. The fortunate thing about being an immortal was that her body had completely recovered from the physical effects of her pregnancy — except for her oversized breasts laden with milk, which Maelgwn was admiring with relish.
‘So, what names have we to choose from?’ Tory, feeling trim and terrific, invited Cleo into the lounge to take a seat. ‘What did the charts have to say about our babies’ vocations?’ Tory sat herself down on the lounge chair beside her husband and took hold of his hand to listen to what the Astrologer had to say.
‘Well,’ began Cleo, a little awkwardly. ‘For the first time in the history of our astrological naming system, the PKA database only came up with one name for each child.’
Tory and Maelgwn looked to each other, not knowing how to react to the news.
‘Now, just because this hasn’t happened before, doesn’t mean that there is any reason to be concerned,’ the Astrologer told them confidently. ‘It just means that their charts were so specific that the selection of names was narrowed right down to one.’
The proud parents were most relieved to hear this and, praying that she liked the names that had been chosen, Tory dared to ask, ‘And the names were?’
‘Not surprisingly, as they were born in close succession, the meaning of their names is practically identical —’
‘Cleo, please,’ Maelgwn interrupted, ‘just tell us. The suspense is unbearable!’
‘The suggested name for your firstborn, the boy child, was Avery,’ Cleo advised, and the news was rather well received.
‘Avery,’ Tory repeated, getting a feel for the name. ‘I rather like that … it’s strong, and yet it has an intellectual ring about it also.’
Maelgwn gave his wife’s hand a squeeze to agree with her view and then looked back to Cleo. ‘And our new daughter, what name shall she be known by?’
‘The name suggested was Lirathea.’
‘Why that’s beautiful.’ Tory was delighted. ‘But I’ve never heard it before, what does it mean?’
‘It means, “excelling elf counsel of the Goddess”,’ Cleo informed, and although Maelgwn seemed intrigued by the meaning, Tory’s stomach turned. It seemed the secret she harboured about Devaglen might still be of consequence after all.
‘And so Avery means?’ Tory dared to probe further, her eyes closing as she waited to be enlightened.
‘It means, “elf counsellor, wise counsellor”.’
The realisation shocked Tory to the core, and so Maelgwn beat her to the pertinent question.
‘Hence our children’s vocation must have a lot to do with the inhabitants of the Otherworld?’ he presumed.
‘A very intimate association, according to their charts.’ Cleo handed a PKA orb over to Maelgwn, which was the kind of thought-recorder used most often by the Chosen.
The Nefilim, being mentally-inclined beings, preferred the model of thought-recorder that read and transmitted via the third eye area. Whereas the Chosen, being more emotional, physically-based creatures, preferred to channel their thoughts into a handheld device.
The orb Cleo presented to the parents contained the charts of their offspring and an analysis of the astrological data. ‘Their psychic aptitude is predicted to be far superior to any of the Chosen who have gone before them. And their vocation is deeply imbedded in the areas of ET communication and humanitarianism.’
‘Good heavens!’ Maelgwn smiled, pleased, honoured and proud. ‘It sounds as if Avery and Lirathea are here to teach us, rather than the other way around.’ He placed a hand on his wife’s knee, and gently squeezed it, excited.
‘You don’t know how right you are,’ Cleo commented, amused by his perception. ‘For their lives will very closely revolve around their parents, more so than is usual, even for children of the Chosen kind.’ She raised both brows in emphasis. ‘These children will be exceptional in every regard and therefore may be prone to be difficult if misunderstood or disciplined rashly. For they will do and say things that seem incredible, but despite how outrageous their acts and claims, we advise that you endeavour to be patient and give them the benefit of the doubt.’ As the parents nodded in understanding, Cleo thought she’d best clarify her explanation. ‘Now, don’t get me wrong. Avery and Lirathea will need firm guidance and correction in the ways of the physical world. But in the ways of the Otherworld … their knowledge will be absolute.’
‘Good Goddess, have we not truly been blessed, Nin?’ Maelgwn put the question to Cleo and when she nodded surely, he turned to view his wife, who did not appear so sure. ‘Is something the matter?’
Tory could not look her husband in the eye, for she hated to dampen his excitement. Still, she nodded to confirm that something was amiss. ‘I fear …’ she could say no more, choked by her welling tears.
‘Tory?’ Maelgwn placed an arm around her and pulled her close. Her reaction was so unexpected, he suspected postnatal hormones might have something to do with the sudden depression. ‘What do you fear? Tell me.’
‘I shall go.’ Cleo rose, well used to witnessing all manner of extreme emotions during naming visits. ‘Shall I post a bulletin announcing the names of your newborns, or do you need more time to think it over?’
‘Tory?’ Maelgwn prompted her to make the decision.
With a sniffle, Tory composed herself and raised her head to nod. ‘What the universe has decreed, so be it. You may make the announcement.’
Cleo gave a slight nod and then a smile of approval. ‘Many congratulations, as we see much prosperity and peace arising around these children and truly, Nin, there is no cause to fear for them.’
The Governess did her best to appear reassured whilst a feeling of foreboding ate her up inside. What really frightened Tory was that she wasn’t exactly sure why her children’s names made her feel thus. ‘Elf’ was an old-world name given to one of the lowest forms of devanic entities back on Gaia, so obviousl
y her children’s calling and her celestial encounter were no coincidence. She had already established that the devanic entity had done her no harm, and could not! So why then was fear and guilt festering in her heart and ruining this momentous moment? Why couldn’t she just accept that her children’s destiny was as simple as Cleo had predicted? Deep in her soul Tory felt that there was much more to Avery and Lirathea’s destiny than could be readily accessed by any current human understanding. That was when Tory realised it was fear of her own ignorance that scared her most.
Alone with her husband, Tory confessed all she knew of her encounter at Devaglen, and her seemingly irrational dread surrounding the destiny of their children.
‘Aw, honey.’ Maelgwn wiped the tears from her face, and kissed her forehead to reassure her. ‘I suspect you’re making a mountain out of a molehill. And even if you’re not, you cannot assume responsiblity for the encounter at Devaglen.’
‘But I was the one who kept insisting that I go there.’
‘Well then, don’t you think that your insistence was, for whatever reason, meant to be?’ He ended the argument with this rationale, and Tory gave up the guilt trip. ‘Whatever is to become of Avery and Lirathea will have been devised by their higher selves to aid their own divine purpose.’ Tory’s gaze hardened to a stare suddenly, and she wore the most curious frown on her face.
‘Déjà vu,’ she explained.
‘There you go, then.’ Maelgwn felt this was the universe’s way of substantiating his view. As Tory sat more peacefully considering what lay ahead, Maelgwn thought he may as well come clean with her also. ‘I too have a confession, or rather an announcement, to make.’ Maelgwn unclipped the thought-wave neutralisers from his own wrist and his wife’s. He held up his right palm and placed it against Tory’s, their fingers enfolding the hand of the other to mentally convey parts of their conversation.
‘I have decided to resign as Governor of Kila, in order to spend more time with you and the children,’ he stated out loud, but the silent reason he conveyed to Tory, told a very different story. Marduk has ascended back to Logos and I suspect that his soul is now resting peacefully in the next room, along with the soul of your aunt Rose.