They woke up early, dressed and headed to the little café for breakfast. Everyone was hungry and enjoyed their meals. They slowly walked back to the flat appreciating the beautiful area they were in. Carson thought it looked like a photograph he’d seen before.
When they returned to the flat Charles looked over a map and they discussed their plans for the next two days. Charles and Carson decided they would book a tour and see the sights. They were having so much fun deciding what the next day would bring that they almost forgot Charles needed to be ready for Dimitrios early. Charles made a mad dash to get ready. He was thankful Bev had once again set out his suit. He put on his glasses and just barely made it in time. Just as he came around the corner Dimitrios was waiting for him.
This time they walked leisurely and talked as they made their way to the Sojourners’ Council building. Dimitrios told him that the Council was always running late with the interviews so it was not necessary to hurry. He was right. They sat in the antechamber until someone came to the door and cracked it open. Dimitrios stood up and went into the room leaving Charles sitting by himself. Charles gazed at the large paintings lining the walls. They were pictures of places of interest around the world. He imagined himself stepping through the paintings and exploring. He was so engrossed that he didn’t hear the door open. Dimitrios laughed as he quietly called Charles’ name for the second time. Charles sheepishly smiled, stood up and followed him into the room.
A man sitting beside the door closed it upon their entry. The Prime Minister was sitting at the head of the long mahogany table. The room itself was a deep, rich, dark purple. The chairs the members of the Sojourners’ Council sat on were a dark brushed gold. Charles thought they looked very comfortable. The chair they offered him was a large black leather chair that looked out of place at the end of the table. Charles looked around the table and made eye contact with each member. The members had their names on their badges, along with the countries they represented from around the world. They all sat and looked at Charles for what seemed like a long moment before they began one by one asking questions. They asked many “how would you handle a certain situation...” questions. Charles was surprised by the number of questions they actually asked, because Nana had thought they would be limited in the number each member could ask. He wondered if the other candidate was asked as many questions. He couldn’t help but wonder if the reason he was questioned so thoroughly was because he was young. The members asked questions about: his first adventure, the auction where he won the lottery, how he was trained to use his crystal, his training on different cultures (one of the Council Members even spoke to him in French and waited for Charles to reply. Everyone laughed at Charles’ correct response, they wanted to know how he was taught to record coins in the ledger, they were curious about the family journals. They went on and on until there was a knock at the door.
The Prime Minister allowed the doorman to open the door. Carson, Bev and Airabelle stepped in. The Prime Minister stood up, welcomed them and introduced them to the Council. Carson spoke first and thanked them for the opportunity his family was given to come before them to possibly be awarded the opportunity of a lifetime. They all nodded. Then he looked at the Prime Minister and requested a private conversation with him in his chamber. The Prime Minister agreed and motioned to Dimitrios to follow. The three men exited the room. They were gone for about ten minutes before returning.
In the brief meeting Carson said, “Prior to the interview we received a list of the questions Charles would have to answer. We agreed to the approved standard list; however the questions we were given an hour ago are different.” He was concerned that they were asking that personal family secrets be shared which was against the Articles of the Individual Sojourner’s Privacy Rights. He requested they redirect their questioning to the ones that were approved and submitted to the Board of Fairness. Carson held up the questions and began to read them out loud. None of the questions he read were those that the Council had been asking.
The Prime Minister nodded and told him the Council had concluded their questioning. He invited Carson, and the family, to remain as guests. The family members would now be allowed to ask questions of the Council. Carson thanked the Prime Minister, shook his hand and Dimitrios’ hand. The Prime Minister admitted that he was fascinated, and the Council was mesmerized by the genius of Charles’ journal and his adventures.
Carson agreed that he too was in awe of Charles’ abilities. “Though he’s young, he’s smart and very talented.” Dimitrios smiled.
When the Prime Minister reentered the room everyone stood. He repeated to the Council what he had told Carson in his chambers. It was obvious the Council Members were disappointed they were not able to continue. The Prime Minister invited them to stay. He explained the process to Charles’ group. He added what the future would entail and what they could expect from the Council in the way of a commitment should Charles be chosen.
Then he opened it up for questions from Charles’ family. Airabelle was perched on Charles’ shoulder looking regal. He could tell she felt protective of him by her stance.
A Councilwoman at the end of the table by the Prime Minister was whispering to him and pointing at Airabelle. Charles became aware of the lady’s gestures and body language. Charles knew that the Sojourners’ Council was made up of the wealthiest of people. He was worried that the lady seemed distraught over Airabelle. She was beginning to get agitated and put her hands on her head. Carson was also becoming increasingly aware of her behavior. He questioned her about her actions toward Charles and his bird. A translator came forward at the request of the Prime Minister. The Councilwoman began to explain that the bird mesmerized her. She recognized the bird on Charles’ shoulder as a bird that long ago resided in her grandma’s attic on her large estate from her childhood. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The lady became very emotional. The Prime Minister believed it would be wise to conclude the meeting. He dismissed the other members. After visiting with the Councilwoman they all decided to travel to her estate.
Airabelle slowly began to remember why she felt apprehensive when traveling on Hub business as they approached the estate. She began to get melancholic as she remembered her life; why she was afraid of being stolen for all the prior years. She started to explain to Charles and his family that earlier in her life she and her mate had been threatened by a man to be stolen away in the night. The two of them had eventually been separated. She was positive now that her mate was stolen, taken from their cage. Carson began to get nervous as they approached the massive estate of the Councilwoman. Bev took hold of Carson’s hand as Airabelle continued to tell her story.
The Councilwoman was ahead of the group. As she walked beside the Prime Minister, she tried to convince him subtly, in secret, to give her custody of Airabelle. She reminded him of her loyalty to him and the times she had sided with him to make alliances. The Prime Minister began to understand what was occurring. He recognized her greed and became aware that she wanted to acquire Airabelle so she would have the pair of matching birds.
They walked through the estate and made their way through the huge maze of a house. The lady stood beside her husband who had joined them and was curious as to why they had visitors. The Councilwoman told a grand story of the bird she remembered from her childhood.
The Prime Minister asked her to show them the other bird in question. She pointed to a door. Her husband opened the door, turned on a light and everyone followed him up the steps. The stairs creaked as they made their way through the cobwebs. As they entered the attic another presence sensed Airabelle immediately. It began to awaken from its sleep-like state and started singing a positively haunting song.
She instantly recognized his hypnotic voice. Airabelle turned bright blue and began to flap her wings wildly. She yelled to Charles, “He’s here, he’s here. He’s not a dream after all!”
Everyone began to toss items around in the attic. The dust flew as they searched for her ma
te. The Councilwoman yelled out to the awakened bird to hold on she was coming for him! Everyone was desperately searching.
Airabelle took flight in the dusty attic, circling trying to locate him. She told him to keep singing, they must to find him in the cluttered attic. They began a special song, a song of their own, called the “Siren’s Song”. Airabelle called out, “Airasten, Airasten keep singing so we can find you.”
A dispute broke out and everyone began arguing. Carson overheard the Councilwoman talking to the Prime Minister about how he could confiscate the bird. Carson confronted her in French so she knew he could understand what she had been saying all along. Carson made an offer to the couple that was very generous for the other bird. They became angry and began to yell. Carson stated that the other bird had been forgotten for years in their attic. The Councilwoman’s husband became enraged and lunged at Carson. The Prime Minister interceded, pulled him away and took the Councilwoman aside.
In the middle of the commotion Carson and Bev found a private area to speak to one another. Carson asked if she felt comfortable enough to ask Dimitrios to take her back to the flat. At first she requested to stay. He explained that he wanted her to use his travel connection Passageway, hidden in his suitcase, to return to the home office to get Vivion’s original journal and her receipt for Airabelle from the vault. Bev realized where he was going with this and reluctantly agreed. Bev asked Dimitrios if he would help her. They quickly disappeared. She explained Carson’s request to him on the way.
Carson could see Charles was getting emotional because the lady and her husband were being unreasonable. He pulled Charles aside, to the back of the room and said, “I was hoping to settle this by my offer. I have a card up my sleeve have no fear. I can read the worry in your eyes. You must hide your fear and believe this will work out in our favor.”
Bev and Dimitrios were only gone for half an hour. Charles wondered what she could have done in such a short amount of time. Everyone continued searching for Airasten as Bev walked back into the attic. She brought with her Vivion’s journal in a travel journal case. As Bev neared Carson she handed him the receipt. He promptly put it in his pocket.
Carson walked up to the Prime Minister and whispered in his ear. They had a discussion with the Councilwoman. She agreed that Carson could show the contents of the journal in an attempt to clear up the mystery. The search stopped and Airasten became quiet. Carson slowly opened the journal. It crackled from age. Vivion appeared. Airabelle stopped flying and landed. She gasped at Vivion’s life-like image. She had forgotten how much she missed her old friend. Vivion greeted her. Airabelle greeted Vivion in return. Carson asked Vivion if anyone had tampered with the contents of the journal as it was now being called into evidence by the Prime Minister’s office. Vivion answered in the negative. Carson then asked her to tell the witnesses in attendance the story of Airabelle and how she came to acquire her.
Vivion explained that while she was touring a small quaint town in England, she stumbled upon a tailor shop that had the clothes she needed for her clothes library. Upon entering the shop she felt heartbeats that were unexplained. She searched the shop for the mysterious rhythm, not knowing what to expect. She came to a large object that was covered with an old torn sheet. She inquired from the shop owner innocently as to what was hidden under the sheet. He gladly removed the sheet and to Vivion’s astonishment there were two of the most beautiful birds nestled together. She could faintly see the heartbeat of the two. She asked the owner about the two birds.
He replied, “I keep them covered because it seems that when people enter my shop, and the birds begin to sing, the customers fall in love with one another. I had one husband come in the shop ready to tear the place apart after he lost his wife to a regular customer of mine. So, I keep them covered. When they are covered they sleep. I uncover them at night.” Since they were uncovered they woke up and began singing.
Vivion asked if she could purchase the pair from him at any price—to just name it. So, he thought carefully and named the price of a year’s worth of wages. He’d be happy to have them out of his shop because of the controversy. Vivion agreed. He wrote her a receipt for two Blue Birds of Love and Fortune. Then, she asked their names.
He said, “Airabelle, I think he calls her. And she calls him Airasten, I believe.” Vivion asked him to write the names on the receipt. She told him she would be back for them the next day because she didn’t have room in her carriage for the cage.
He agreed and would have them waiting and ready for her. He felt like he was the fortunate one. He warned her about the power the two birds exhibited when together. He thanked her over and over again for taking them off his hands. Then she left the shop. The next morning as the shop opened she arrived to pick up her birds. The shop owner was distressed speaking in a foreign language telling the story about how one of the birds was missing, asking Vivion over and over not to take the money back. He vowed he had nothing to do with the theft of the other bird, honest. He told her that his wife was so happy with the sale last night. He feared that she was going to be so upset with him for losing the sale that he’d have to move out. On and on he went.
Vivion was so upset with herself for not coming back that same night to get them. She ran to Airabelle who was waking up, looking for her mate. She was singing half a song over and over. Vivion sat down by the cage and tried to sing to her but Airabelle just kept singing her sad song. Vivion was so worried that she covered Airabelle. She walked over to the shopkeeper and asked him if he was a Sojourner.
He finally admitted he was and said, “Only in a Sojourner’s presence can they wake.” He kept apologizing.
Vivion knew she could not leave Airabelle. She allowed the owner of the shop to keep the money and took Airabelle. For a year Airabelle sang her sad song. Vivion would cover her and try again the next day hoping she would forget. One day Airabelle showed signs of improvement so Vivion began to tell her a new story about her past. She wrote the new story in a different journal. She hid the original journal. Later she went to court with the Sojourners’ Council. She swore the truth in case some day she should come across Airabelle’s mate. The court agreed and certified the journal. Anyway, Airabelle didn’t believe her new story for months, but one day she repeated the story and seemed to accept it.
Vivion turned to Airabelle and apologized. “I’m so sorry. I searched for your mate for the rest of my life. I was unsuccessful. Your duet of the Siren Song with Airasten was hauntingly beautiful. It kept me searching in secrecy for years upon years. I longed to hear the song one more time.” Suddenly Airasten began to sing and Airabelle joined in. Vivion looked astonished and said, “How can that be? Is it true they have been reunited again after all these years? They must never be parted again.” She closed her eyes and put her hands to her heart. “That is beautiful. That was my heart’s desire.”
Carson thanked her and was about to close the book when Vivion said, “No there is more…”
Carson said, “Please continue.”
“The police continued to followed up on the crime with me when I was back in America. They would from time to time throughout the years think they had a lead. They told me that the perpetrator must have been in the shop when the owner and I were talking and witnessed the deal we struck. Since it was close to the end of the workday for the shop owner the thief hid and waited for a chance to take the birds. The owner left the shop, but returned shortly after because he forgot his working case that held the money from their transaction. He left through the back door that night which was close to where the kidnapper must have been hiding. They suspected that the criminal heard the shop owner come back for the money and hid in one of the dressing rooms. The police believed the thief must not have wanted the cage because it was so large. He must have decided to take Airasten first. He took him from the cage and then slipped out the back door. Later the thief returned for Airabelle. The door must have locked behind him when it closed. He tried to get back inside. Sever
al pedestrians came forward and said they spotted him. At the time they inquired of him why he was trying to get into the shop. He made up a story about helping the shop owner. On page one hundred of my journal is a sketch of the man they had described.”
Carson turned to the page in her journal and a hologram of the kidnapper appeared. The Councilwoman put her hand to her mouth. She recognized the man in the hologram. She turned away and said, “I don’t believe it! You can’t prove this is the truth. He may have bought the other bird.”
Vivion protested. The woman demanded to see the receipt as proof of the purchase of Airasten.
The Prime Minister said, “It may be impossible to locate the original document. Be reasonable.” He pleaded with her, and then said, “The bird, prior to this day, was in your attic without purpose and lost to the world. Can’t you see the beauty of the situation? What was once lost is now found.”
She argued with him that she was in possession of something unique and she was not willing to let it go without the receipt; perhaps it was Vivion who stole the other bird? She raised the question, maybe things were not as they seemed and she was the true owner. She wanted the Prime Minister to consider the situation carefully; because of her grandfather’s standing in the world she didn’t believe he was involved with this crime.
The Prime Minister then turned to Carson and said, “At this point the burden of proof rests with you Carson. Can you produce the receipt and solve this perplexing mystery?”
Carson looked intently at the Councilwoman and asked her, “If I go to the trouble of producing the receipt will you accept it as proof and turn over custody of Airasten to my family? Will you agree not to take further action attempting to acquire them in the future?”
The Xidoran Prophecy Page 42