Transcendence?

by Andur

  I admit that I can't win this fight and let go of the wheels. “There is much to do! Why can't I at least take a look at the current situation.”

  Den steps out of the way and I am brought back to Celestial's private tent. Arriving there, she instructs the guards not to let anyone inside. Then she rolls me inside. The tent is actually nothing like a normal tent would be.

  It's huge, luxurious and the room inside spans at least ten square metres. “Celestial? Why are you so silent? If there is something you want to say, say it. I can take harsh news.”

  Sera follows us inside and the guards close the entrance to give us some privacy. I am rolled a little farther into the tent and then Celestial pulls the breaks of the wheelchair and walks around to face me.

  Suddenly she kneels down and gets into a dogeza-position in front of me.

  “I am sorry!”

  “Hah!?” What's wrong!? Am I going to die!? No. That wouldn't be so bad! Am I going to be paralysed for life!? I already experienced such a life! Please kill me if it's that!

  “I am sorry for all the times I mistreated you at the Academy. And for blackmailing you into the current situation, while always thinking of my own good! I will at least try to be a proper wife from now on! So please forgive me.” Celestial looks up again.

  I close my mouth which fell open during her speech. “Hrm. I must admit, you surprised me … wait a moment! What does that have to do with the current situation!?” I point my index finger at Celestial. Something is fishy!

  Then I realize that her eyes aren't focused at me, but at something at my side. My head snaps to Sera, who is standing behind me. She immediately hides her hands. Was that sign language? “Sera? Do you have something to say? For example why your mother is acting strange all of a sudden?”

  “~No. I am just a moral help. Everything she says are her true feelings.~”

  I squint my eyes. “Sure. But the woman I know as Celestial would never apologize for something like that.”

  “~That's why I am here! I had a long and serious talk with my mother. About the past, before I was born. And I deemed it necessary that she has to apologize.~”

  “I see. But I still have the feeling that you found a weak point of hers. Tell me!” I look deep into Sera's eyes.

  ~Daddy. Don't you always say yourself that someone should never show all his cards. But you are deviating from the issue here. And that is to clear some things up. Celestial apologized. Now it's your turn!~

  Hah!? This little critter! “I have nothing to apologize for!”

  Sera shakes her head.

  “~Haaah... that's why I deem it necessary to become active. Dad. You treated mom like a slave for quite some time. And while you might think that it was a proper way to get back at her, it wasn't okay! So apologize now, and then we can start to work on other issues.~”

  “I hope you realize that you are talking to your father? There are some things which I can't tolerate in our relationship!” I look down at Sera, who is biting on her lip while thinking.

  “~I will tell everyone about the treasure box!~”

  My mind freezes. “I don't know what you are talking about.”

  “~In your lab. Hidden under a stone slate. There is a box with a false bottom. And inside...~”

  I reach for Sera, but she evades with more grace than I would have believed possible and dances out of reach.

  “~Do I have to speak further.~”

  I form a fist with my hand. “Such an apology has no meaning!”

  “~But it's a start!~”

  Tch! I haul myself out of the chair and get down in front of Celestial. “I am sorry for everything I have done to you! And I accept your apology!”

  “What does she have on you!?” Celestial whispers to me.

  “That's a secret! In return I won't ask what she has on you!” I whisper back.

  “Isn't it wonderful to leave all that old stuff behind you. And now we can finally talk about making up!” Sera pats our shoulders and smiles.

  I force a smile on my face. “Good. Can you help me into my chair now? Have you found out anything about the poison by the way?”

  Celestial grabs me and places me back in the chair. “It will take a few weeks. But with this you will make a complete recovery. You have to drink it.”

  A grey vial appears in Celestial's hand and I take it. I pop the plug off and smell the content. “Whoa! Shit. What's that! It smells like old dead fish and something else!”

  Celestial smiles at me. “~It's medicine!~ Drink it, honey.”

  She surely made this stuff extra stinky and bad tasting. I gulp the content down while trying for it to make no contact with my tongue.

  Then Celestial brings me a glass of water, without being asked and I take it to get rid of the taste. Somehow I want to know what leverage Sera has on her. But do I need to know, as long as she is acting this meekly?

  I have to change the hiding place of my treasure box in any case!

  At that moment a bell is rung. One of the guards wishes to speak to us. Celestial walks outside while I continue to stare at Sera.

  “I just want a harmonic family. That's all.” She hugs my leg while looking up at me. That cheating! She is cheating and she knows it!

  “We will see ...” I pat her head.

  Celestial returns. “There is a captive. And the guards don't know what to do...” Celestial has a disturbed expression.

  I shrug my shoulders. “Didn't I say that we take no prisoners? Throw him back out to the others. He can walk home!”

  Celestial nods. “Yes, but she says that she is your mother. And she wants to speak.”

  “Aw. Crap. Shit.” I scratch at my cheek with a disturbed expression.

  “What's wrong? That isn't an expression someone should have when he hears about his mother!” Sera punches my leg.

  “You have no idea. My side of the family consists of assholes, sadists and child torturers. Fortunately I got rid of most members of that family arm yesterday.” I nod while smiling and Sera is looking at me with a shocked expression.

  “Really? Who? My parents will be thankful to you for eternity!” Celestial looks at me with question marks above her head.

  “Well, I slit my second brother's throat and my father burned in that big bonfire. And the guy whom you hit with that rock was my third brother, thanks by the way.” I continue to explain my family situation to Sera, whose jaw dropped during my confession.

  She looks down on the ground. “I lost three birthday presents per year!”

  One moment! Why does she calculate relatives in birthday presents? What's up with that reasoning!?

  Then she looks up again. “But from what you explained my grandmother isn't completely out of the picture. We will go and have a look at her!”

  Sera starts to toddle towards the exit and I turn my wheels to catch her. “One moment! You stay here and I will talk to her! There are still issues! For example why she is showing up now!”

  “For example because we are her only remaining relatives?” Sera smiles at me and I put her down.

  “Anyway! I will talk!” I start to wheel towards the exit, but then Celestial starts to push me from behind and I place my hands on my lap.

  We are at an improvised prison tent five minutes later. Inside are four soldiers guarding a woman. She has brown eyes and violet hair like Violetta. She seems to be an older version of hers. I wave for the guards to leave and they file out of the tent.

  Celestial says nothing while standing behind me. Then I look towards my mother, Irda Arenzien. “Hi.”

  She tries to smile. “Hello Ascathon. How are you doing.”

  “Like you see, father and my brothers got me into this chair. But the doctor says it won't be permanent. Why are you here.” I look at her with suspicion.

  She sighs. “I don't know. Maybe because my foolish husband finally got killed because of his ideals and took two of my sons with him?” Irda starts to knead her hands. “I know that I was never someo
ne who deserved the name mother. But I want to see Violetta at least. Please.”

  I tilt my head. “She is in Sarn.”

  Irda starts to cry in front of me. Hey, seriously? Don't press onto the emotional button all of a sudden! She was never emotional in front of me before!

  Suddenly Sera toddles past me and starts to pat Irda's hand. Didn't we leave her back in Celestial's tent!? I look behind me and find Sera's personal guards at the entrance. They look apologetic at me, nonono can't be! She got them too!? “I like her. She can stay. Right daddy? I always wanted to meet my grandmother.”

  Irda looks a little shocked at Sera, but then she suddenly hugs her. “You must be his daughter. To talk like that at this age.”

  I smack my forehead and sigh.

  ***

  What felt like several hours of talking led to Irda's acceptance into my household. Sera had quite a few words to say in that matter too. I just wonder Celestial's parents will react to that.

  Violetta will be happy without a doubt.

  57 - Testament.

  Norfolk, Sarn-Valley

  Ascathon

  I am finally back at home in my mansion. There is nothing more wonderful than being at home! Though we have a slight situation at the moment. The whole family is being gathered in our living room and we are having something like a family meeting.

  My mother's arrival split the family into multiple camps.

  There are Idala and Arduin on the left side of the table. They have doubts about Irda's intentions and I think that they would start a fight right here and now if Celestial wasn't present. Then we have Violetta, Sera and Liandra on the right. They are on Irda's side, who is sitting beside them. The fact that Liandra chose to speak up for Irda just adds fuel to the fire, but she isn't aware of it.

  Liandra and Violetta are so close to each other that Liandra aided her adopted sister without thinking, which is seen by her parents as open betrayal!

  Then there is me and Celestial at the head of the table. We are trying to create something like a peace treaty. Celestial is trying to achieve peace by talking to both parties.

  But right now I am fed up with this entire bullshit talk. I guess the master of the house has to speak a final word.

  *BAM*

  I interrupt the heated discussion by hitting the big table with enough force to shake it. “This is my house! And my principality! I allow who can stay here and who is thrown out! So this entire discussion is useless! If one of you freeloaders isn't happy with another freeloader, he can leave through the door and take the Gate to wherever he wants. Preferably not coming back at all!”

  Nobody answers. I guess reminding them of their status as ~guests~ did the trick. The only ones who are smiling happily, are the kids.

  I guess you can't shock children by labelling them as someone who doesn't pay for his lodging.

  I look around, but neither Idala, nor Arduin, nor Irda keep eye-contact with me. So I lean back and fold my hands on the table. “Now that's done. I would appreciate it if there are no fights inside the family. Try to be ~nice~. I am a little edgy at the moment, because I am not in my best shape.”

  *Knock*

  The door opens and our secretary Sarah peeks inside. “There is a courier with a message from the Jarl. He wants to be let inside, to speak immediately to the leader of the house of Asceron. His message allows no delays...”

  I sigh. “Let him in.”

  Sarah nods and opens the door. Looks like the courier followed her to this room. An oddly dressed guy enters the living room. He has a big sealed parchment in his hands. Without a hint of insecurity, he walks in front of me and hands me the parchment.

  Looks like he knows me? I take the document and wait for him to leave, but he shows no hint of understanding my expectations.

  After a few seconds he decides to share his intentions with me. “I have instructions to wait until I have personally seen to it that the message is read loudly and understood.”

  I shrug my shoulders and break the seal on the parchment. Then I start reading.

  “To all noble leaders of Norfolk who own a principality or kingdom. Yesterday evening, at the seventh Sjen of the three hundredth and ninety fourth year of the unification of Sarn, the Jarl Ibrahim the Great was murdered by the leader of the Inquisition, Norent Grant. Everyone has to report immediately to the Jarl's hall in the capital. Delays are not acceptable!”

  I turn the sheet of paper around to see if there is more, but that's all. Then I look towards the courier. “That's a very bad joke!”

  The courier shakes his head. “That's not a joke at all. I saw the Jarl's dead body with my own eyes. I will excuse myself now and report that you have received the message.” He turns and leaves the room.

  The Jarl dead? Murdered? Like Fingulf? What else will happen today? I place the parchment on my lap and start pushing the wheels of my wheelchair. “Sarah! Den!”

  Sarah immediately looks around the corner again and I start to give orders without delay. “I will be in the capital for some time. And I need Den with ten of his best men as escorts!”

  I wheel out of the room, leaving the family behind. Then my chair is suddenly pushed from behind and I look to find Celestial behind me.

  “I am coming with you.” She starts to roll me towards the exit of my mansion.

  “There is no need. I have Den! You should stay behind and keep our parents from murdering each other.” I object.

  Celestial shakes her head. “No, I won't let you go alone to the capital! End of discussion. Sera is there anyway. She will surely find something compromising under my parents' personal items.”

  I sigh while I think about the problematic critter. Yeah, she is probably right.

  ***

  There are multiple tables inside the Jarl's hall. All in all enough places for about a hundred people. There are still traces of a recent battle. People are arriving one at a time. It looks like everybody was ordered to report here like me.

  It saddens me a little when I look at the Jarl's body in the centre of the room. It was enclosed in ice to preserve it for everyone to see. I recognize two of his mistresses beside him.

  There are still some seats left open, but I have the feeling that it can't take long until everyone is here. From what I see, the entire upper class of Norfolk is present in this room.

  Norfolk's territory is huge compared to the other countries. There are about fifteen principalities and ten small kingdoms which swore loyalty to the Jarl. The numbers of the principalities are changing frequently.

  It depends on whom the Jarl trusts enough to give him a principality. The leaders of a principality are like caretakers for the Jarl's property. He can take his country back at any given time.

  The issue is a little more complicated in the case of the kingdoms. They joined the Jarl on their own accord when he unified Norfolk a few hundred years ago. Their leadership is handed down by succession.

  So there should be about fifty to a hundred people invited, depending on how many are following the request. Like in Celestial's and my case, we came just with the two of us. But there are others who showed up with three or more people.

  There are mostly just guys with their women. Norfolk has a patriarchal society and there is no limit on partners. I look around while eyeing the beautiful wives of the other rulers until my eyes fall onto a particular pair of eyes beside me. Celestial is looking at me like an insect.

  “What? There is no rule against looking!”

  “There is! From now on! You are doing it too obviously. At least try to hide it to a certain degree.” Celestial folds her hands under her chest, which emphasizes her bust in a fortunate manner.

  I don't know if she did it on purpose or not, but the heads of several guys snap around to have a quick glance.

  “There is no help for you. To look somewhere else while I am sitting beside you!” She closes her eyes and shakes her head. I roll my eyes and smile.

  “You are right of course. But i
t's simply my nature to wish for more than I have.” There! Take that and chew on that sentence.

  Celestial's expression drops and she starts to chew on a fingernail. “What did I do wrong!? Tell me! I will try to change it.”

  Now my expression drops. I didn't expect that answer. I thought she would retort in kind and have a verbal duel with me. But nothing of the sort.

  “Celestial, maybe you should consider to tell me what kind of leverage Sera has on you. That's simply not your character. It baffles me every time you don't shoot back at me.” I scratch my cheek and try to smile.

  Celestial grins at me. “Then tell me what's inside that box. It doesn't suit you either to accept my help so easily.”

  I fidget around on my chair. “What makes you think that I accept too easily?”

  “When you went away with the fleet, you didn't bend to my wishes, nor accepted my help. You are too proud to do that. You accepted my help with the wheelchair too easily since Sera threatened you with the box!” She smirks at me.

  “The contents of that box can never be revealed! To nobody!” I place my hands flat on the table to emphasize how important the matter is.

  “Then I can't reveal my personal problems either!” Celestial looks away. Then she sighs. "We might have created a monster..."

  I look down onto the table. "It had to be expected. She is the be best of both of us..."

  We stay silent until the door to the hall opens and a fine woman enters.

  I recognize her as one of the Jarl's mistresses. “So that one survived, huh?”

  “Wasn't it obvious? There are only two bodies and the Jarl has three wives.” Celestial waves at the block of ice with the bodies inside.

  “Hoh? You have done some research on the Jarl?” I smirk at her.

  “Of course! I did a lot of research on this country! It's necessary for managing our principality. I even know that the guy three tables to our right is Duke Erwin. He owns the principality on our southern borders and he has a grudge against you! After all there are about twenty thousand soldiers from Mislow sacking his villages at this very moment. And the guy with five women over there is King Naheel. He owns the biggest iron mines of the north! And his income went down by four percent since you put higher taxes on his goods.” Celestial smiles at me.