Lords of Retribution (Lords of Avalon series)

by Richards, K. R.

  His thoughts were not pure. In less than a week, she would become his wife. For weeks, he had not allowed his thoughts to wander to thoughts of sexual union with Senny. As the passion blazed and fanned higher between them, knowing they would marry very soon, he could not help but imagine how it might feel when Senny’s soft, warm, naked body was beneath him.

  His mind easily slipped through the veil as they explored each other’s mouths. He knew the second they connected. He could feel her passion, indeed he fed on it. He felt her heart pumping the rush of blood through her veins. He could feel the heat, the ache, the need, or was it his own. For his cock came to life at the sensations he felt in her body as well as his own.

  He remembered dinner would arrive soon and that his lady was still quite weak. He lifted his head. He scolded himself for giving into such temptation. It would take some time for her to recover from her ordeal. She murmured slightly as the kiss ended. He rose from the edge of the bed.

  “Dinner is coming very soon, love,” he said, knowing his voice was deep and husky from his arousal. “We will save this for another time.” He gave her a wink and sat in the chair beside the bed. He took her hand in his and squeezed it. The joy he could plainly see on her face made giddy. He was ecstatic. He knew he was a very lucky man to have his Zenny.

  A few minutes later, their supper arrived.

  After dinner, the Avalon Society members convened in the library, the rest of Menadue’s gentlemen guests took their posts with the watch or settled into the study for their brandy or made their way to the billiard room.

  The ladies settled into the large parlour for tea and conversation before retiring. They had been told the gentlemen had much to discuss and would be retiring late.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Trevan joined Micah, Lyon and Harry as he entered the library. “Micah, how far did your groups get on the Greek scrolls?”

  “We made good progress. I believe we are about half-way through each of them.”

  “That’s about as far as Marrek, Creed and I got on the Aramaic scrolls.”

  Harry leaned closer to Trevan and sniffed. “Is that Lavender?”

  “And Rosemary.” Lyon nodded as he leaned closer to Trevan. He presented Trevan with a wink and a knowing grin.

  Micah gave Trevan a nod and laughed in amusement.

  Trevan looked stunned for a moment then remembered he had indeed bathed with Wenna and used her soap. He chuckled. He lowered his voice to a whisper, “You would be correct, but I ask you to please remember I am not yet wed. So keep this under your hats. Speaking of weddings, I must find Gabriel and Jack before we begin, if you’ll excuse me.”

  Gabriel entered the library. He was immediately called over to join Trevan and Jack.

  “Jack does not mind if we join in his wedding celebration. Wenna has agreed to marry on Tuesday, what of Zenny?”

  Gabriel smiled. “She has agreed. It all depends on her health. She is much stronger today. She sat up for two hours late this afternoon. As soon as she ate, she fell asleep. I think as long as she gets her rest and makes improvement every day, she will be fine.”

  “Wonderful. It will be a happy occasion for us all.” Jack gave them a wide smile. The three men grinned happily.

  Trevan’s voice boomed throughout the library, “Let’s get to the scrolls, and share what we have. Let’s be seated.”

  Once everyone took their seats, Harry joined Trevan in the middle of the large room.

  “Tonight, we want just a brief summary of what has been found thus far that could be of interest to the Knights of the Brown Order from the groups working on the scrolls, and an estimate of how much more time it will take to finish the translation. We’ll start with you.” Harry looked to Trevan.

  “I realize that it’s late and we don’t have time to go into too much of the details. Even though we are uncovering the surface meaning of the scrolls, we won’t be able to pinpoint their exact meaning until we are finished translating them and spend many more hours on the interpretation of certain words and phrases. With that in mind, I’ll give you a summary of what we have uncovered thus far.”

  Trevan began, “The first Aramaic scroll gives the whereabouts of Jesus’ disciples after the crucifixion and those remaining at the time Jesus the Younger wrote this scroll in what seems to be around A.D. 65. That information isn’t particularly important to us, with the exception of the fact that Joseph of Arimathea, Phillip, and ten other men considered to be Jesus’ followers, came to Glastonbury after the crucifixion. Also in their party were Jesus the younger, and Joseph, Jesus’ sons. Joseph’s wife and children also accompanied him. Lazarus, Martha, Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ daughter, who was named either Sarah or Tamar, went to France. There is the chance Jesus and Mary had two daughters and we just aren’t interpreting the Aramaic correctly, or perhaps Sarah is a title of some sort.”

  Trevan continued, “The other part of the scroll we’ve translated describes how Jesus came as a lad to the Summerland, Glastonbury as we know it. He and Joseph built a church in honor of his mother, Mary. He came with his uncle when he visited the mines in Britain. He makes mention of what I believe to be Cornwall as well, and there is a reference regarding Joseph’s wife. It alludes to her possibly being a Briton, from Cornwall. Joseph of Arimathea introduced Jesus to the Druids when he was young. Jesus was allowed to visit with them in Glastonbury for several months and study with them.”

  Trevan turned a page of his notes. “He then came back to the Druidic College at Glastonbury at least ten years before he began his ministry. He spent time studying in the college in Somerset. He was not here for the entire twenty year cycle it took one to learn the Druidic teachings, but it appears he spent a number of years in Britain studying at the College. He also traveled with his Uncle to the Far East and spent several years in various locations learning Eastern philosophies and religions. I’ll let Marrek explain what he and Creed have found on the second Aramaic scroll.”

  Marrek rose. “The second Aramaic scroll was written by none other than Joseph of Arimathea. He refers to himself as the Patriarchal head of Mary and Jesus’ family. Joseph, Jesus’ father, and his wife, Mary, were both of the Davidic line and hierarchy. After Mary’s husband’s death, it was to Joseph of Arimathea whom the duty fell to educate the young Jesus, whom upon becoming a man, would inherit the responsibility of carrying on the Royal Davidic line.”

  Marrek continued, “Jesus had studied with the Essenes for a time as a young boy. His father, Joseph, was an Essene scholar. A wealthy merchant, his uncle Joseph took the boy Jesus with him on his travels often. Jesus learned all manner of things through experience; sailing, mining, and different customs of the different races of people he met. Joseph of Arimathea was also a member of the Sanhedrin, and held the Roman title Nobilis Decurio, minister of the mines.”

  Marrek paused and looked at the scribble of his notes.

  He continued, “Joseph placed his widowed sister, Mary and her family, along with the remaining children of Joseph’s from his first wife, in a sort of country villa near Nazareth. Since the time of the young Jesus’ birth, he and his family had been sought, not only by Herod when a newborn, but by others wishing to eliminate the heir to the Holy Davidic line. Though they did not live as paupers as many believe, they did live humbly so as not to bring attention to the identity of their family. Their home was close enough to the major Roman city of Sepphoris, in Galilee, so they would have things they needed, yet isolated enough in the small town of Nazareth that the family did not warrant too much notice. There they lived in relative safety after being gone from Israel for most of Jesus’ boyhood. Joseph mentions Jesus’ family spent a great deal of his early years in Egypt.”

  He continued, “Jesus was with Joseph of Arimathea much of the time, for his education as well as his safety. While he lived in Britain and studied in the Druidic College in Glastonbury, his family came to visit him often. I have more to decipher, but this is what we have so far.” He looked to
the next table. “Micah?”

  Micah rose and began to speak, “Your information coincides with mine, Marrek and Trevan. The first Greek Scroll that I began deciphering in Glastonbury months ago, was written by Josephes, the son of Joseph of Arimathea. At the time this scroll was written, his father, Joseph, his mother Anna, Phillip, another of Jesus’ disciples, Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene had passed on. He studied at the Druidic College in Glastonbury. Although he does not give a detailed description of the Druidic twenty-year curriculum, he does mention some of the subjects taught there. He mentions another center of learning not too far from Glastonbury called Abri. I believe that Abri is we know today as Avebury. The center of Druidic learning was on an island, and by the description, I believe it to be Anglesey, in Wales.”

  “I have documented the fascinating details he mentions about the Druidic Colleges. I don’t believe that is why the Knights of the Brown Order are looking for the scrolls, so I will have the report of the Greek scrolls printed in the near future. We will keep them in the Avalon Society library for any interested parties to peruse. Owen and Harry also have things to say about the additional Greek scrolls.”

  Owen rose as Micah seated himself. “My scroll was written later by Joses or Josephes, the names are used interchangeably, who was the second son of Jesus. It was written in his later years and deals with some details of his mother and the Desposyni, the bloodline of Jesus. The scroll is small and it doesn’t give a lot of information we don’t already know. It verifies that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, that they had three children, Jesus the Younger, a daughter listed in this scroll as Damaris or Damar, which coincides with the earlier reference to Tamar, and the scroll’s author, Joses or Josephes. He describes his father Jesus as being the former heir to the Davidic line, and in the writing of this scroll, Jesus the Younger was then the heir to the Davidic Line. He tells some little known facts of his mother’s lineage.”

  Owen continued, “It appears Mary Magdalene was descended from the Hasmonaean House of the Maccabees, a priestly line which had centuries earlier moved from Jerusalem to Qumran. She was an Essene priestess. Joses also tells that Nazareth was the seat of a small group of Essenes, and that Jesus also studied the Essene teachings as did his children.” Owen looked up, “He mentions something that I personally find pertinent to this quest we currently find ourselves on. He mentions that the Light represents Truth and the Darkness represents Evil. That is nothing new, but Joses mentions it as a theme in the Essene beliefs, and as we know, it is also a belief in the Gnostic teachings. If you’ll remember, the Archangel Michael said to me after he saved my sister, Libby, the Light must prevail. Charlie also spoke those words before he died.”

  “And truth is also a theme in the Druidic teachings,” Micah added.

  “You are correct, Micah.” Owen acknowledged then continued, “Joses mentions that he studied the Pythagorean teachings, which were taught to him by his father, Jesus. Jesus first learned about them in Sepphoris when he lived in Galilee as a boy and a young man. He studied those teachings further in the Druidic College. I am unable to decipher the word they use for Glastonbury, but I suspect it more resembles the Summerland than the modern name of Glastonbury.”

  “Is the name they use close to the old Celtic name, Ynys Witrin?” Micah asked.

  Owen shook his head. “I tried that already it doesn’t seem to fit. Perhaps you’ll have a look at the scroll, Micah?”

  “Of course.”

  Owen continued, “The only other thing that might be pertinent to us is that Joses does mention that after the Crucifixion, Mary Magdalene and her children left Palestine for Britain and Gaul because both Peter and Paul were not fond of some of the Essene teachings, nor were they fond of Mary Magdalene carrying on in Jesus’ stead. There were other, more serious threats against the Desposyni, the family of Jesus. It appears the Davidic line posed a threat to the new Patriarchal Church. For their safety, Joseph of Arimathea brought them to France and Britain. The children were purposely split up to assure that at least one of them survived to carry on the bloodline, however in the later years, both Jesus’ sons lived in Glastonbury. The rest of what is in the scroll is either too obscure to guess at or just not pertinent to what we are looking for. I’ll turn it over to Harry.”

  Harry rose from his chair. “The scroll I’m working on was written much later than all the others, by a good thousand years. It’s from sometime in the twelfth century. A monk named, Roger Selgraver, penned the scroll. He lived at a Priory in Cornwall, near the river Fal. I was fortunate that August Trevelyan was assisting me with this scroll, for it turns out the Priory mentioned in this scroll was turned into a residence after the dissolution and is actually now his home, Priory Place.” He gave a nod to the now grinning August. “Apparently when Jesus was still a boy, he, his uncle and their party ran into some trouble with their boat in treacherous waters somewhere near the priory.”

  “The Manacles,” August provided. “They would not be the first to receive damage among those rocks.”

  “Nor the last I’ll wager,” Trevan added with a chuckle.

  “Their party came ashore at a place August suspects is now called St. Anthony’s Headland. The Monk explains that they erected a small chapel on that spot and dedicated it to Jesus’ grandmother, St. Anne. They carved the story on a marker stone and left it near the Chapel, which August tells me is no longer there. The monk says there would have been an earlier religious community on the site of the Priory and St. Anthony’s Chapel at the time Jesus and Joseph were stranded on the Roseland Peninsula. While their boat was being repaired, Jesus and Joseph stayed with that community.”

  Harry continued, “I don’t know what happened to the original stone. I do know that Roger Selgraver found a document stating that someone carved the story, taken from the original stone that was engraved by the hand of Jesus, into pictograph form in 933 on the stone of the Norman arch that was built over the Saxon arch on the south door of St. Anthony’s chapel.”

  Harry continued with a broad smile, “According to August and his brother Arthur, the pictographs are between the dogteeth decorating the middle arch. There is a Paschal Lamb and cross carved into the stone on the Saxon Arch which dates even earlier.”

  “There is. It is off center on the arch,” August offered.

  “What do the pictographs say?” Micah asked excitedly, “Can you read them, August?”

  “I have tried to interpret them for my entire adult life and I confess I have been unsuccessful. All of the symbols are different, so it says something,” August provided with a shrug.

  “We have to go to Priory Place.” Micah said matter-of-factly as he looked to his colleagues around him.

  “Some of us do need to go to Priory Place if it is safe to do so,” Harry agreed. “There is more.” Harry looked to August.

  “The scroll mentions the numerous tunic crosses that show up near the old Wheal Jesus and Corpus Christi mines and nowhere else in Britain. The monk says they are a testament that Jesus visited the tin mines with his uncle, Joseph of Arimathea,” August informed them.

  “Tunic crosses?” Micah asked in fascination.

  “Yes. They look like standing or marker stones and they have a regular cross carved on one side and the figure of a man in a short tunic with his arms outstretched on the other side,” Gabriel offered.

  “How does that represent Christ?” Jack asked.

  “The Monk says that the shorter tunic implies the person was a youth, and the arms of the man are open as if in blessing. Selgraver says the stones were erected as markers showing that Christ came to the Wheal Jesus and Corpus Christi mines as a boy. The cross on the back of the stones implies that the mines were visited before the crucifixion and identifies the man, or the youth rather, as Jesus,” August provided. “And as you know, Corpus Christi translates into body of Christ.”

  “Fascinating! I’d like to see those crosses as well,” Micah admitted with an enthusiastic gri
n.

  “We still have one quarter of our scroll to translate. That is all we have for now,” Harry offered.

  He continued. “It would appear the value of the scrolls, from what we have discovered thus far, would be the proof that Jesus was married and had children. There’s the possibility that the knowledge that Jesus studied at the Druidic colleges, in the Far East and with the Essenes could also be a reason. The esoteric knowledge and the Pagan ties would not be something the modern Christian churches would approve of. However, we won’t know for certain until we finish our translations.”

  “We’ll convene again tomorrow in the library after breakfast and see if we can’t finish our interpretations of the scrolls.” Trevan clapped his hands together. He added, “And we’ll decide who will go to Priory Place with August to try and decipher the pictographs on the arch at St. Anthony’s chapel.”

  “I will go,” Micah volunteered immediately.

  “It might take awhile to interpret the pictographs. You’d leave your wife for that long?” Lyon posed with a mischievous chuckle.

  Micah was torn. He did not want to leave Libby for a long length of time. He thought a moment and answered, “We simply need to make rubbings and a drawing of the symbols. We can return to Menadue and try to decipher them here. Each of us has our own specialties in foreign languages. Between all of us, surely someone will recognize these symbols.”

  “That is a very good idea, Micah. We’ll talk more about it tomorrow. It is dangerous for any of us to leave Menadue at the present time; therefore, whoever makes the trip to Priory Place will have to take along a sufficient number of men,” Harry said in a serious tone.

  Micah nodded and stated, “We will.”

  “Sweetheart, you’re still awake?” Micah Wychcombe, the Viscount Wincanton, smiled at his wife as he entered the room. He began to remove his clothing.