by D. N. Carter
“Ah, master Paul. Come…come inside and sit. We have this night spent too many an hour discussing you,” Niccolas said, his eyes heavy.
Sister Lucy motioned for him to sit down. Puzzled, Paul grabbed a spare chair from against the wall and pulled it around and sat down upon it.
“Me, why do you discuss me?” Paul asked quizzically.
“About what would be best for you…and Alisha,” Sister Lucy answered softly.
“But why? You made your feelings on Alisha clear yesterday. Surely you two have not been here, up all night have you?” Paul asked, suddenly realising it looked as though they had.
Both nodded yes silently as Sister Lucy chuckled, raising her drink.
“But you are not well!” Paul said, bewildered almost.
“I am fine dear boy. Though some persons unknown deliberately swapped my boiled water for untreated water…for what reason I know not…yet!” Niccolas stated.
“Paul,” Sister Lucy said in the way she always had when she had something of importance or reverence to say. “Paul…we wish to inform you of things that we are honour bound not to reveal to you. But we have agreed this night, that some things you must know for your own peace of mind and safety,” she explained.
“What things?”
“Things that may either save your life…and Alisha’s…or get you both killed,” Niccolas answered.
“There are things that are happening right now and things that will come to pass. Things your father does not wish you to know of…but he is being unfair,” Sister Lucy continued to explain.
“But why? For what reason?” Paul asked immediately.
“That is the dilemma we find ourselves in for we truly do not wish to go against your father’s wishes, nor break our bonds and sworn oaths, but we are likewise bound by a promise to protect you too,” Niccolas explained.
“A promise we also made to my husband as he died. He was killed protecting your family when you were still a babe. It was I who looked after you in your early years as a consequence,” Sister Lucy said, looking at him intently to see his reaction.
“But I thought…I…actually, I guess I never thought about who looked after me immediately after my mother died…I was too young to know,” Paul replied, utterly puzzled.
“Your mother was a very dear friend of mine. More a sister to me. My husband was her cousin, believe it or not,” she explained.
2 – 3
“You mean we are related?” Paul asked, shaking his head.
“In a fashion. But as I said to you last eve, not as blood relatives despite you sharing the same surname,” Sister Lucy continued.
“But was I not born in England?”
“Yes. And I was present the day you entered this world,” Sister Lucy replied and smiled, placing her hand over his on the table.
“Why have I never been told these things?”
“Because there was no need. But we think perhaps now is the time you learnt certain things,” Niccolas said and sipped some wine. “You must understand that your family tree goes back many many generations. And the shadow of the Eagle of Rome did not want your line to continue. To that end we had to take measures to safeguard you all, including your father.”
“Shadow of the Eagle!” Paul said, half coughing, his throat dry. “But, I have but this very night dreamt of an eagle casting its shadow across the land,” Paul explained confused.
Sister Lucy looked at Niccolas as both frowned an acknowledgement of sorts between them. “That does not surprise us in the least,” she said looking back at Paul.
“Paul, without breaking our bonds of oath or going against your father, you must understand that there are forces and people out there who wish to see your family line erased forever. You must therefore always be on your guard against people and assailants who would do you harm. As for your dreams…we fear that is one of the reasons those people would have you harmed for you have a gift…a gift of foresight but also deep insight. You sense and see things others cannot, nor understand, and now as you mature, those gifts will start to manifest in many ways that will cause you fear and concern. But that same gift will also drive some people to fear you and even accuse you of being an agent of the Devil himself for they will not understand you and what you do,” Niccolas said seriously whilst looking at him hard.
“The Devil! I am not evil…. am I?” Paul shot back, alarm on his face.
“Evil, absolutely not. But people fear what they do not understand. Now as you grow, you are beginning to experience changes. Your dreams are just one of those changes. You must learn to understand them and act accordingly, but all the while keeping very guarded. Knowledge truly is power, and knowledge is what is opening up to you in ways most of us cannot handle,” Sister Lucy replied squeezing his hands tighter. “And do not resent your father for hiding matters from you. Ignorance can be bliss and he has only ever wanted you to be safe but to also have a childhood.”
Paul shook his head disbelievingly.
“If you dream of the eagle, do not simply confuse it with just being the Eagle of Rome, for there are many interpretations and hidden symbolic connections to the eagle, least of all being the one in the Bible that refers to a time in the future when a great eagle will cast its shadow across the whole region whilst a great war and conflagration engulfs everything… but it does not say who will be the victor. Saladin has an eagle as part of his emblems and coat of arms. Some see and actively conspire to see him start a war where his banner of the eagle casts a shadow across the whole of Outremer…but others see it as relating to an even greater eagle that will descend only in the end days…which is many many years ahead of us. But that is the danger of the gift you have. Knowing, recognising and understanding what you see, sense and feel is what will set you apart and make a difference,” Niccolas said softly as if to emphasise the point.
“So how does this affect me and Alisha?” Paul asked, looking at them both, desperate for answers.
“She has the same gift. Any child you produce would be a child apart… different in many ways with no chance of an ordinary life…that is all I… we…can safely tell you,” Sister Lucy explained, looking at him intently.
Paul pulled his hands away from Lucy and sat back. His face was white. Images of all the dreams he had had seemed to flash through his mind as he recalled all the different elements in them…and of a little boy who kept calling out. He shuddered momentarily and shook his head emotionally. In silence he stared at the small window as the sun started to beam through it and shine upon him almost as if to emphasise some point.
“What are you saying, that if I and Alisha were to have a child, it would be some kind of Messianic figure?…for that I do not and cannot believe,” Paul said in a shaken broken voice.
“NO! That is most definitely not what we are saying. I fear we may have said far too much already,” Niccolas responded, his voice raised.
“Then what are you saying? You are beginning to scare me,” Paul replied and asked, clearly upset.
“All in good time, Paul. If you will let us explain. But it is something that will take time…time which is very short indeed. But know this, Jesus, or the biblical Jesus as you presently understand him, is not as simple nor as straightforward as you would believe,” Niccolas explained as Paul looked at Sister Lucy. She nodded silently in agreement.
“Your dreams…they appear and feel real do they not,” Sister Lucy stated rather than asked. Paul simply nodded his head yes looking even more ashen faced. “My husband died so that you and Alisha and your entire family would be safe. Safe enough to live an ordinary life…for you are all ahead of your times. Much of what we know is not meant for us or our times, but for a much later generation of people a long time off in the future. And we act as guardians of that future. I do not expect you to understand that, but I am asking you to believe us and to trust us on this matter.”
“Enough!” shouted Philip suddenly as he entered the room in a hurry. He grabbed Paul by the arm an
d heaved him to his feet. “Do not break your oaths this hour,” he said angrily as Paul looked at him shocked. He had never seen his father look so angry. “Come with me now, Paul. This lesson…or whatever it is, is over,” Philip said, his face uncharacteristically aggressive.
“Philip…we have not broken our promises or oaths…but it is time he was made aware of certain facts…do you not agree, if only for his own safety?” Niccolas explained.
“No it is not time. I do not agree. It never will be time. Do not ever bring this up again. You swore and vowed to me this day would never come!” Philip shouted back, which made Paul nervous as he studied his father’s face full of anger. His grip was getting tighter around his arm. As Paul tried to release his father’s grip, he simply gripped tighter and began to pull Paul towards the doorway.
“You cannot keep these things from him. It is not right,” Niccolas said as he stood up slowly.
“’Tis my decision. This is my family so do not interfere or push me on this matter,” Philip shot back.
“How dare you!” Sister Lucy said angrily as she banged her fist down hard upon the table, standing up, and immediately stood in front of Philip. “Don’t you dare? Your family! Who was it who fed, changed, bathed, nurtured and cared every day and every night for Paul the first few years of his young life?” Sister Lucy demanded, her eyes piercing a look at Philip that shook Paul with its intensity and clear raw emotion. He had never seen his father or Sister Lucy angry before, and yet now, he was seeing both of them angered.
“Please, whatever it is, if this is what it can cause between you, then I do not wish to know of it,” Paul interrupted, his father’s hand still gripped tightly around his arm.
“You see what happens when you cannot control how you feel towards Alisha, for it already opens old wounds and a whole new set of unwanted problems,” Philip said curtly.
“Philip…that is unfair and unbecoming of you to say such. ’Tis not fair at all. Paul cannot control how he feels any more than you can…or could…or should we all remind ourselves of our pasts?” Niccolas stated.
Philip hesitated as he looked at Sister Lucy, then Niccolas and then to his hand gripped firmly around Paul’s arm still. Quickly he released his grip and stood back.
“My Lord…what unfolds within me…? Paul…,” he said and looked at Paul.
“Father…Sister Lucy and Niccolas are as much a part of my family as you are. You know that and should trust their motives and counsel on whatever matters they are concerned with regarding me and my welfare… for have you not entrusted me to their care, guidance and education these past years?” Paul said nervously.
Philip shrugged and relaxed his shoulders as the anger left his face.
“My son…you are indeed growing up fast and you speak wise words for one so young still…but understand this, once you know certain things, you can never unlearn them…ever!” Philip explained sadly.
“True, Father…but should I not have that right to decide for myself? Question everything, you keep telling me. And now when I do, this happens,” Paul replied.
All stood in silence for several minutes as Philip struggled to find the words to reply. He shook his head several times.
“I am so sorry…I am not sure why I have reacted thus…but I sense something and it is something I cannot as yet fathom. My concern is for you…and coupled with what your charts show…I am finding it difficult to keep my own views and emotions in balance. Please…all of you…forgive me?” Philip asked solemnly. Paul could feel tears well in his eyes as he felt washed over by emotions, seeing the clear pain and confusion in his father’s eyes.
“Father, you keep saying that one day you will tell me all there is to know about you and Firgany, your involvement with the Templars…but you never do. It makes me question just who exactly you are…and who I am,” Paul said emotionally.
Philip looked at Niccolas and Sister Lucy. Both shook their heads almost disapprovingly at him.
“My son. I promise you this day, when Firgany arrives, we shall indeed sit you and Taqi down and explain much. But there are some secrets that I am afraid I shall never reveal to you. One day, when you have children of your own, you will understand this. Before you answer, know that I will tell you everything you need to know. The rest you will have to find out for yourself and those parts I cannot reveal for it will negate everything I have lived for. You must trust me on this matter, Paul…if you never trust me on anything else,” Philip said softly and stood nearer to Paul. “You are unlike your brother. I love you both equally…but you have something that is different and I am afraid that difference could lead you into harm’s way. Now know, I love you, my son,” Philip continued to explain, then raised his arms to embrace Paul. Paul momentarily shied back surprised. His father had not hugged him in many years except after the accident in the harbour. Awkwardly Paul hugged his father back. The tightness of his father’s hug surprised him. “Now Paul, I would beg your understanding and ask that you leave me alone to discuss some other matters with these two.”
“If that is what you wish,” Paul replied and stood back still bemused. Sister Lucy feigned a tired smile and nodded he should leave with a quick look towards the door.
Port of La Rochelle, France, Melissae Inn, spring 1191
“An eagle that casts its shadows across the entire land?” Gabirol thought aloud, interrupting the old man.
“Yes. But as I am sure you know by now, most ancient writings and stories wrap their true meanings within allegory and symbolism, especially the Bible, where many are cloaked behind a veil. This was something Paul would learn about very quickly,” the old man said.
“Why cloak Bible prophecies in symbols?” Gabirol asked.
“As an example, let me take the fish. This has many meanings on many levels and as you will learn this night, stretches far back into antiquity. But in its simplest terms, the fish is ever-watchful with its unblinking eyes and as many of you here must know, was one of the most important symbols of Christ to early Christians. In Greek, the phrase ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God Saviour’ is ‘Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter’. The first letters of each of these Greek words, when put together, spell ‘ichthys’, the Greek word for ‘fish’.
Fig 13:
This symbol was used long before Christians used it. It was Clement of Alexandria who advised Christians to use a dove or fish as their seal. But know that in Luke 8:10 it says ‘To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand’. And many prophecies and parables, it must be remembered, were given while the prophets lived in hostile foreign lands. That is but one reason why God’s messengers cloaked the prophecies in symbols to protect the messages. You may recall earlier it was stated that the secrets hidden were and are meant for a much later generation. If you here this night wish to get an insight into those mysteries, you would do well to study the prophecies of Daniel, who wrote much in symbolic language.”
“I do not understand this!” Simon the fishmonger said, perplexed.
“Well that’s not surprising from you!” Sarah instantly replied.
“Simon. Try and understand then, that just as a military planner sends secret messages in code to keep his enemies from intercepting and understanding them, so God, or his messengers, have cloaked prophecy in symbolic language. Symbols were not used to prevent us from understanding the messages but to stop other opposing forces from erasing them or destroying them or finding out things too early,” the old man explained. “Also by using symbolic images and prophetic pictures, one can condense thousands of years of history into a very small space. Each prophetic symbol is clearly explained in Scripture. Once you understand the meaning of the symbol, Bible prophecy becomes plain. Here, you may take and keep this if you wish, Gabirol,” the old man explained and passed over a parchment with text detailing various symbols.
Gabirol leant across and took the parchm
ent and sat back and started to look at it carefully.
Symbol Clarifying Text What the Symbol Means
Metals in Daniel 2—gold, silver, brass, iron Daniel 2:38-40 Four successive world empires beginning in Daniel’s day
Head of gold in Daniel 2:38 Daniel 2:31-32 Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom – Babylon
Toes of image in Daniel 2:41 Daniel 2:41 A divided kingdom
The rock cut out without hands in Daniel 2:34 Daniel 2:44, 45 God’s eternal kingdom
The tree in Daniel 4:10 Daniel 4:20-22 King Nebuchadnezzar
The cutting down of the tree in Daniel 4:14 Daniel 4:24, 25 King Nebuchadnezzar’s loss of his throne to temporary insanity
The band of iron and brass around the tree’s stump in Daniel 4:15 Daniel 4:26 Nebuchadnezzar’s empire preserved
The mysterious writing on the wall of Belshazzar’s banquet hall in Daniel 5:5 Daniel 5:26-28 God’s judgement pronounced upon Babylon
Four winds in Daniel 7:2 Jeremiah 49:36, 37 (See also Revelation 7:1, 2) Winds equal devastation and destruction. The number four symbolizes the directions of the compass – North, South, East, and West.
Sea in Daniel 7:2 Revelation 17:15 Multitudes, peoples, nations
Beasts in Daniel 7:3 Daniel 7:17, 23 Empires or kingdoms
The lion, bear, leopard, and dragon-like beast in Daniel 7:3-8 Daniel 7:4-7 Four successive world empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome
Ten horns in Daniel 7:7-8 Daniel 7:24 (first part) Ten kings or kingdoms—divisions of power
Little horn in Daniel 7:8 Daniel 7:24, 25 (last part) A diverse or different power; one that is not political, but religious in nature
Eyes like a man in Daniel 7:8 Ephesians 1:18 Eyes equal understanding or wisdom. Eyes like a man indicate a system based on human, rather than divine, wisdom
Clouds of heaven in Daniel 7:13 Matthew 16:27; Revelation 1:7 Angels
A prophetic day Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6;
Genesis 29:27 One year
Time, times, and half a time in Daniel 7:25 Revelation 12:6, 14 1,260 prophetic days or 1,260 literal years