Chapter 85

It was good to be home, our trip to Kwa Zulu had stirred up a hornet’s nest of enquiry and counter-enquiry with some on the Council accusing me of being a loose cannon over to what was for them a very frightening escalation of our dealings with Minor Powers. A few enquiries by Mage Julia’s Intelligence Office had painted a very different picture with several hosts of Minor Powers now keeping a low profile and attempting to negotiate better or more friendly terms with the Council.

The main reason we were glad though was that Ketty and Niras had finally arrived to move into their new home next to ours and also to receive my age regeneration treatment. Everything was in place as the portal flared and they stepped through, both looking around with unconcealed glee at the view and furnishings.

“Oh, this is so beautiful,” Ketty sighed as drinks were passed around.

“Nice neighbours too,” I chuckled.

“True,” she replied with her beautiful smile, which took years off her.

“And now for the pièce de résistance,” I chuckled and simply allowed power to flow into her and restore her to her peak, although the final results took nearly half an hour to be fully realised.

I then did the same for Niras.

“Oh my, I feel better already,” he chuckled.

“I’ve also made sure that all your medical conditions have been cured or nullified,” I added.

“Thank you, John. Words cannot express how grateful we are,” Ketty replied as they both hugged, looking younger by the minute.

“Children might,” Morgana said with a broad smile.

“Oh, they’ll be along soon enough,” Ketty replied with a blush.

“Good, because Jude and I can’t wait to babysit,” Morgana chuckled.

“True,” Jude added as he came up to offer his congratulations.

“Well, at least you’ll know what the problem really is if they get fractious,” Ketty giggled.

“That’s very true, although we normally don’t have a great deal to do with children ... or normal people come to that,” Morgana replied.

“I’ve arranged for you to have driving lessons so you’ll be mobile very soon and can explore and get to know your new home,” Róisín added.

“Oh yes, they drive themselves around here, don’t they,” chuckled Niras.

“That they do, so be careful,” Róisín replied.

“We will, we’ll blend in and keep your secrets too,” Ketty added.

“I think like Loegria, you’d struggle to find anyone who would believe you,” Abi chuckled.

“Oh yes, magic does not exist,” Niras replied with a grin.

“Not in the way they think,” I chuckled.

“Yes, they think that it really is magic and doesn’t follow any rules,” Abi added. “Even the stuff that Theurgists do has rules; in so much as they have to ask.”

“So very true,” Jude acknowledged.

“Then again there are Theurgists and there are Theurgists,” Morgana added.

“How so?” Ketty asked.

“Theurgists like my Jude have an easier time and less rigour involved in framing the request, others have to be very specific, putting limitations around what they ask for ... and how they ask, come to that,” Morgana explained.

“Depends on the type of Angel,” chuckled Jude. “Some are very intelligent; others are like dealing with a computer where garbage in gives garbage out. Also I don’t generally deal with Angels directly.”

“What was he like... ? Jesus I mean?” Róisín asked.

“To look at, quite ordinary; to talk to, fascinating; to hear preach, awesome; with the ability to make you want to do so much better with your life,” Jude replied looking both proud and sad.

“Sorry Jude, didn’t mean to bring up bad memories,” Róisín apologised.

“It’s OK. I rarely get to talk about my friend,” he admitted. “You’d have liked him, very funny at times and a hell of a practical joker.”

At this point more friends arrived and Ketty and Niras as hosts went to meet them, whilst we Mages relaxed.

“Got to admit you made a great choice for them bringing them out here,” Morgana said in an aside to me.

“St Lucia was wonderful too, but the price we were offered for the villa was just too good,” I chuckled.

“Thinking of moving out here myself ... well along with Jude,” she added.

“Giving up the Savoy?” I quizzed.

“Yes, it was handy for the long office hours at the Bureau, but frankly the work I do at the Council is a lot less hours, if not so easy at times. I miss cooking and other domestic stuff as well, particularly now as I’d have someone to cook for,” she chuckled.

“Does he let you know what he’s up to?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Yes, but I’m not allowed to tell you ... or anyone come to that,” she replied with a grin.

“No side trips to the Courts of the Holy?” I chuckled.

“Nope. He says it’s pretty boring; full of Angels with agendas,” she replied. “I’m not allowed into the Heavenly Realm as I’m not dead or haven’t been dead and that’s where the best parties are,” she finished with a laugh.

“The things you learn,” I chuckled.

There was a stirring from the guests as Verenestra and William arrived.

“Oh my Gods, who ... or what is she?” Ketty gasped.

“Ketty, may I introduce you to Princess Verenestra and her consort Mage William,” I interjected as both Ketty and Niras seemed utterly shocked by Verenestra’s appearance.

“Pleased to meet you,” Verenestra said with her most charming smile.

“Forgive me,” Ketty almost stuttered. “But you look like the Goddess of Order statue in the oldest temple in Cumhuryeti. Oh, pleased to meet you too, your Royal Highness, you too, Mage William.”

“Oh my,” Verenestra stated, eyes narrowed. “You are of the hidden realm? A colony of your people I secreted away to save them from the depredations of my people? But how?”

“You set Loegria aside?” I asked shocked.

“I did, a branch of Eridu’s people. But I thought them to be impossible to find such was the direction I placed them. No one, not even the Daoine Sidhe travels beyond the realms of the single path,” Verenestra replied.

“They, or rather some of them, found us,” I chuckled.

“Our legends have it that we were the H’Alulimi of Erdu, chosen of the Goddess of Wisdom, set upon the path of science. It’s been dismissed as the fanciful writings of primitives trying to make sense of the world,” Niras said, his eyes unable to leave Verenestra.

“It was a long time ago and most of Eridu’s people were illiterate, only his priests could write in a crude version of cuneiform,” Verenestra replied.

“So you put them there to keep them safe?” I asked.

“Yes, though they’ve changed much, they cannot do magic I sense,” Verenestra replied.

“No, we can’t, something to do with a frequency our brains use which locks us out of quantum,” Niras replied. “Though the Mages have since given us the ability to use that channel via a small implant in our brains,” Niras added.

“That was never my plan, I’d hoped you’d grow your own Mages and society,” Verenestra semi-apologised.

“We developed science and learning,” Ketty replied.

“I’m so pleased for you, I’d always hoped you’d do well away from us and our interference,” Verenestra stated joyfully.

“So now we know the how and why of Loegria,” I chuckled.

“Indeed, John,” Morgana acknowledged.

“Any more hidden colonies, Verenestra?” I asked.

“Sadly not, once my ‘insanity’ became known, I was watched carefully. I did not dare act again nor tell anyone, not even my mother,” she sighed.

“I think Dorry will explode once she finds out,” Ketty chuckled.

“Well, they’re due here in an hour or so,” Morgana chuckled.

By this time Ketty and Niras had returned in a manner of speaking to their peak, which, in Ketty’s case, made her look like she was eighteen, whilst Niras looked to be early twenties.

“Oh my, you don’t realise the toll age takes on you when it creeps up,” chuckled Niras.

“Enjoy it while you can,” I replied. “You deserve it.”

“We’re also looking for jobs too, although we have enough to live on very comfortably for the rest of our lives,” Ketty added.

“What would you like to do?” Morgana asked.

“Teaching for me,” Niras replied.

“Something to do with building design,” Ketty added.

“If you need certification come and see us. I’m presuming you have the skills,” Morgana replied.

“We believe so, much of the higher skills you teach here are what we now consider basics on Loegria, plus I believe I can come up with a few ‘innovative’ designs that haven’t been used on your Earth yet, but are well within the norms of your construction techniques,” Ketty explained.

“Sounds like you’ve been doing your homework,” I chuckled.

“Just don’t want to be bored,” Ketty replied with a grin.

“A very good idea,” Morgana acknowledged.

“We thought so too,” Ketty chuckled.

“Won’t you miss Loegria?” Abi asked.

“Yes and no. Our lives were pretty much constrained by who we were, even after we retired. I couldn’t simply just choose to go out as I was always recognised and occasionally it wasn’t friendly at all. Here, we’re nobodies, which suits us fine,” Ketty replied with a happy smile.

We were interrupted by the arrival of Dorry and Olmer, which was swiftly followed up by Dorry’s recognition of Verenestra’s likeness to an ancient statue and the resulting explanation.

“Oh, it’s so beautiful and wild here!” Dorry gushed when we finally could tear her away from a friendly if confused Verenestra who wasn’t used to Dorry’s ‘full court press’ style of questioning.

“Not too far from a major city as well as the amenities that go with it too,” I added.

“Yes, it’s worth considering if and when Olmer and I decide to fade from public view,” she replied with a smile.