“Please explain why you think I am this Celestial?” Miranda asked.
“Oh, you most definitely are, Miranda. Even without the physical Atlantian attributes, there is no mistaking an Ancient gene.” She took Miranda's hands. “You have no idea how long we have waited for someone like you. The believers have never given up hope that the gods would send us a messenger, someone to remind us of all we have lost.” Zalana could tell the Celestial was uncomfortable and still did not believe she was the one.
“The best guess we have been able to come up with is that a few Atlantians must have escaped during the Battles of Chaos.” Zalana saw the confusion on Miranda's face. “The Battles of Chaos were many, many centuries ago. There is not anyone alive who actually fought in them. Zulien’s father was a boy when his grandfather was a warrior.
“It was a war between the political hierarchy and the Temples of Knowledge. The Atlantians were the primary race for the temples. They kept the scrolls, and from what we have in our data, people in our worlds traveled to their planet for learning. All the inner worlds were based on the Old Religion. The politicians, on the other hand, had been strategizing and building war ships for a generation to overthrow them. The temples never really had a chance.” Zalana looked down and shook her head in sadness.
“Shallistar was caught in the middle. Our warriors, and those of a few other planets willing to fight against the hierarchy, sided with the temples. The politicians were smart enough to promise those that stood with them power and riches. They destroyed Altantia first, knowing it would undermine the Ancients’ support, and the destruction of the temples drained the Celestials’ powers,” she said sadly.
“Ethram said his grandfather had come across a ship on the edge of the inner worlds, with one Ancient barely alive. He had spoken of placing his gene on an outer world planet, but Ethram's discovery of you was almost an accident. Thank the stars he took the chance to travel there. People of our inner world have a mating link with only one other person. My son would have never found you.”
Miranda shifted, still uncomfortable with that bit of news. “So, you think I am a descendant of the temple people?”
“As I said, you are. There is no doubt about that.”
“But I don’t know anything. No one ever taught me any great secrets of knowledge. I don’t have any secret scrolls, or anything. Even if I am related to these people, it seems I don’t have anything useful to show for it.” Miranda shrugged, but she thought of her obvious differences, the abilities that had made her always feel like an outcast.
“We think it is locked away inside of you, and we are hoping, with the little I know of the Old Religion and help from others, we can prompt you to re-discover some of the forgotten knowledge."
“Wouldn’t that just start another war?”
“We are better prepared this time. We have strong allies that reach deep into the hierarchy, and the politicians’ abuse of power has lost them most of their support.”
Miranda paled, panicking again. She could not bear to be the reason for a war, and did not understand why her beliefs could be so important.
“Let us not talk about wars and battles right now.” Zalana had already upset the Ancient once, and decided to change the subject. “I would like to know more about you. I confess, I am curious. A woman does not find out she is to have a daughter who is a Celestial Ancient and from the outer worlds, everyday.”
“I guess you’ve had to make a few adjustments lately, too.” Without realizing it, Miranda settled back against Zulien’s chest. He smiled at his mother and slowly wrapped his arms around her as she began to speak. “I was born in upstate New York.”
“Is that a province of ‘Kansas’?” Zulien asked.
Miranda smiled. “No, I will explain that one to you later. My world was called ‘Earth’. I moved to West Virginia, that is a state like New York, and grew up there. My grandmother had my gifts also, but she went away when I was a little girl so I never got to ask her about them. They say they skipped a generation for as long as we could trace back.”
Zalana thought of Ethram's magic. She would mention this to him later.
“I can sometimes forecast when something bad is going to happen.” Miranda thought about that for a moment. She seemed to only forecast tragedy, and she had had no warning about her ‘procurement’. It must not be a ‘bad’ thing. “You already know I have visions. Some come on unexpectedly, like the one I had about Zulien. Others are brought on when I meditate, or I am in a trance. I honor the goddess on full moons and observe the sabbat rituals…mostly, everyone thought Tempest and I were weird and avoided us.”
“We’ve been on our own for quite a few years. We tried to find a group to join who we thought believed like we did, and it was a disaster. The woman in charge thought I was trying to steal her followers and asked us not to return. Tempest and I just made our own way.”
“Does Tempest have powers, too?” Zalana knew Terena wanted to know what her daughter-in-law’s gifts were.
“Tempest has…something. We’ve never been able to figure it out. I sense some kind of power within her, not as strong as yours, though.”
Zalana's mouth dropped open. “You sense power within me?”
“Besides what I can feel in Tempest, you and Terena are the only people I’ve ever had this sense about. Yours is stronger than Terena’s, and hers is stronger than Tempest’s.” Miranda frowned. “Tempest’s feels different, though. I’m sorry, I guess I’m not explaining it very well.”
“Maybe we will discover more about this.” Zalana was bursting with pride. It must be why she had the power of visions.
“As far as leaving our planet, I guess it worked out pretty well, under the circumstances. Both our parents are gone, so we’re not really leaving anyone behind to miss.”
Zalana was relieved. “I was concerned about that. Being uprooted into this unusual situation is difficult enough.”
Zalana was also relieved to see Miranda had placed her pale hand over her son’s as it rested in her lap. She was so proud of his restraint. For his part, Zulien hoped his mate did not notice the stiff erection resting along her spine.
Miranda surprised herself with a yawn.
“Mother, perhaps we should continue this discussion tomorrow.” Zulien stroked his thumb over her hand.
“I’m sorry,” Miranda said. “I don’t know why I should be so tired. Apparently I’ve been sleeping for days.”
“It is not a true sleep,” Zalana explained. “At least, not a regenerating one, from what I understand. Ethram's magic puts you in a kind of holding pattern. From what I can remember, it is a time of dreams, waiting to wake in your mate’s arms.” Her voice was wistful. “We do not know who our genes were matched with. He could be a tradesman, royalty or a great warrior.” She smiled at her son. “When we were finally procured, we only knew we would wake to a life with our mate and protector.”
Zalana cleared her head. “When you are released from deep sleep, it is like you had never closed your eyes.”
Miranda’s brow creased in thought. “I think he took me from my cabin after I had gone to bed. I guess that would explain it.”
Zalana stood up. “You get some rest, Miranda. We can talk more in the morning if you would like.” She leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “Zulien, take care of our little Ancient.”
As Zalana reached the door, Tempest began yelling. “Miranda, where are you? I am telling you, Tali, if you guys have taken off with her again, you’re going to wish you had left me on that primitive planet.”
“We did not take her away the first time, Tempest. The Procurer secured her.” Tali were still trying to figure out how to deal with his unpredictable mate.
Miranda sighed. “I had better let her know I’m all right, before she rips this place apart.” Zulien followed her to the door. “Tempest, we’re over here.”
“Humph.” She strode quickly over to her friend with Tali following close behind. “Have you
seen the grass? It’s blue,” she said with astonishment.
“I saw it this afternoon. It’s beautiful in the sunlight; sapphire and turquoise.” Miranda looked around and she moved towards the remains of the stone alter in the middle of the clearing. “Tempest, this looks like a miniature Stonehenge, like the one we made near the orchard.”
Tempest frowned. “Some of the pillars are a little out of place, but I bet they could be put back.”
Miranda studied the sky. “Zulien, do you think you and Taliquant could help us fix it tomorrow? It looks like there will be a full moon, and I could really use a cleansing ritual.”
Zalana almost fell over. “You know the placement of the altar stones?”
“I think so. We had a place with pillars like these, only much bigger. No one knew who put them there, but there wasn’t any rock with the same composition anywhere near them. We used to wonder if they were placed there as an altar. Tempest, you remember, don’t you?”
“Heck ya’. You had me clearing the rocks out of the edge of the clearing for a week, and then chiseling them so they would fit together. I will never forget that project.” Tempest automatically reached to her back, remembering how much it ached after the first day.
“Tali and I would be honored to help you re-build the altar.” Zulien looked over at Taliquant. His friend actually looked a little disappointed. He was planning on having his joining well underway by then.
“This is going to be so cool, Miranda. What do you think will happen with three moons in the ritual?” Tempest was giddy with excitement.
“I don’t know. The one in the middle will be full, and the two on either side will be crescents. It’s going to be interesting, for sure.” She turned to Zalana, “Would you like to join us?”
Zalana actually did slide towards a rock this time. “By the stars, I would be honored.”
“Terena too, of course.” Miranda laughed nervously. “With all these moons I may need the extra bodies for grounding. It is quite a liberating experience.”
Tempest nodded. “I can’t wait.”
Zalana had to tell Terena. Their value in the community would go up exponentially. “What should we wear? Should we bring anything? Do you need a robe?”
“This shift I have on is lovely, and no, you don’t need anything special. Heck, I’ve done the blessing in jeans before. The goddesses look inside, and I don’t think they care about the wrapper.”
Zalana planned on wearing what she considered her ceremonial robe, just in case. By the stars, how would she ever be able to sleep tonight?
“If you have some bread and a little wine, that would be nice. Juice will work if not. I like to leave an offering.” Miranda ran her hand over one of the standing pillars. “This is so strange.”
“Ethram said his people knew of several ruins of the old temples. We thought they were all destroyed and were amazed when he brought us to you here. He could not have picked a better place for the joining,” Zalana smiled.
“Okay, but what the heck is a joining?” Tempest glared up at Taliquant, feet spread and hands on her hips in challenge. “It better not be what I think it is, big guy.”
Taliquant was once again distressed. He wanted to do the joining, not talk about it. Zulien was standing behind Miranda and put his hands on her shoulders. Again, the calm feeling spread through her. “Tempest, this has been a most unusual mating. Sometime, Tali will tell you what was involved to bring you here safely. There was quite literally a battle, with three battleships destroyed, and an almost a treasonable audition with the Magistrates over your procurement. Look around the edge of the glade.”
Tempest squinted and saw there were guards spaced at the foot of the hills.
Zulien continued, “Those are the Magistrate of Battle’s personal warriors. He has left them to guard us so the joining could proceed uninterrupted. There is still a lot of danger for you both. By now, the royals will know you are on Shallistar, and by morning they will be searching for you. If you are not joined, we have no claim to you, even if we are your mates. Because you are from the outer worlds, I am sure the Magistrates are hastily drawing up some new edict declaring you belong to all citizens of the inner worlds. They will demand your return to Latisqua, and most probably arrange your assassinations so you cannot spread teachings of the Old Religion.”
Tempest let it sink in. He was saying they must have sex to be protected from the politicians. Cripes! She glanced at Tali. He was a foot and a half taller than her. Someone’s math was seriously off. “Are you sure that’s not a load of bullshit to get me in the sack, big guy?”
Taliquant tried to work his way through his mate’s question. “It is no kind of excrement, and I will not put you in a sack… unless that is what you desire, my mate.” He was quite pleased with his response.
Miranda burst out laughing and Taliquant was exasperated, thinking he had further disgraced himself. “Tempest, I think you’ve met your match,” Miranda smiled. “Taliquant, it might be safer to bag her anyway.”
“Very funny, Miranda. In case you’re not following their little story, we have to have sex with these guys or risk being killed by a bunch of paranoid aliens, so excuse me for wanting to see if it was a bunch of crap,” Tempest scowled.
“Three Debayluth battleships sent by the hierarchy to intercept you, were destroyed. We had to pretend your decay in front of royalty, and one of my finest warriors has been completely disgraced. This is not ‘crap’, Tempest. They are after the Ancient, and they will use you to get to her, if they can. I do not even trust my mother is safe until the joining and ceremonies are completed. The hierarchy cannot interfere with bonded mates, though they may still attempt an assassination.” Zulien felt Miranda begin to quiver, and pulled her close. “Taliquant and I have been warriors for many centuries, Miranda. Along with the guards, we will keep you protected. The Magistrate is reassigning my ship, the Quillant, and permanently grounding the two of us.”
Miranda gasped. “I am so sorry, Zule. Please don’t let him do that to you. I’m sure there must be some other way to keep us safe.”
Taliquant grinned down at Tempest. “They gave us a planet.”
She looked up at him. “What?”
“The Magistrate of Battle has promoted Zule and me, and he is giving us our own planet. We are going to coordinate the security, but he wants Miranda to be safe enough to re-build the Temples of Knowledge. You have to admit, my mate, having your own planet is going to be pretty cool.” Taliquant was quite proud of himself.
“This story gets weirder by the minute. I am about to go searching for a rabbit hole.” Tempest could see the question in Taliquant’s face. “Don’t ask.”
Miranda turned to Zulien. “They’re giving us a planet?”
Zulien leaned down so Tempest could not hear, and whispered, “The Magistrate did say it would be a lesser one.”
Zalana had drifted towards Ethram's quarters. This would be in her son’s hands now, and she also could not wait to talk with Terena.
“It is difficult for Tali and me to understand your reluctance to the joining.” Zulien glanced at Taliquant, who gave him a nod. He had certainly had no luck trying to explain things to Tempest.
“We know you feel the mating gene, because even in your sleep you move towards our protection. In the inner worlds, as mother explained, it is the time young women dream of. They wait for the day the Procurer comes for them, delivering them to the arms of their mate. We want to be sensitive to your ways, but our own ways make it impossible to do anything but protect you. It must be done.”
Miranda looked at her feet. “So, if we agree to this joining, what happens next?”
“The hierarchy will have to back off on their insistence to acquire you. They may try to insist we move to Latisqua, but I think the Magistrate of Battle is dealing with that. Our mothers are preparing the mating ceremonies. They will be held together and quickly after the joining. After that, no one can tell you what to do, other than your mate,”
Zulien explained.
Tempest thumped Taliquant on the chest. “I knew there was more to this. If you think you’re going to start ordering me around, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“I will only offer advice to keep you safe, my mate,” Tali assured her. “It would be nice to keep you of even temper,” he added.
The Major of the guards came running up to Zulien. “I apologize for interrupting your joining, Commander,” the nervous man looked at the group. They should have been locked in their quarters instead of roaming around the grounds.
“Yes, Major, what is it?” Zulien asked.
“The Magistrate of Battle has informed us that the Magistrates of the Old Ways and Commerce have called an emergency commission of the royals. They have stated that they were responsible for locating and procuring the Ancient, and due to her heritage they are demanding she be returned to Latisqua for her safety.”
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