Vivid Dream Reality 2

by Savannah Maun

  The next morning at our Taigoa session, I noticed that Katie and Ash were exchanging significant glances and made sure to stop Katie from just disappearing after we had finished. Ash stayed behind as well, hovering protectively beside her. I decided I couldn't talk to one without the other which was going to make my conversation that much harder, so I tried the silent treatment to see if they would break. I just sat on the bench with Vee besides me looking at Katie expectantly.

  She smiled, looked at Ash beside her, almost to give herself a boost in confidence. “Err...”

  She was really struggling, but I could see the truth. Still, it would be better if it was out in the open. “I tell you what Katie. When I fell in love with Vee, I was put under truth spell and literally had no choice but to tell the truth. It was strangely liberating. Would you like me to do the same to you?”

  She nodded a bit sheepishly. I had learnt this spell during our journey. I indicated for both Katie and Ash to kneel in front of me. I looked each of them in the eye and touched their forehead saying “I ask for truth, by Lagbit's will, I ask for truth.

  “Katie do you love Ash?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Ash do you love Katie?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I release you. Now was that so hard?”

  They both hugged each other and pretty much ignored us. We got up and left them to it. Another bonded pair. There were all sorts of questions of how that was going to end up, but I believed that love conquers all. They were happy so I was happy.

  It is normal to have a celebration when a pair declare they are bonded, which is normally organised by the families involved. Since Katie was my guest and we were already celebrating Vee's pregnancy, Mary and Kayla suggested we make it a joint celebration.

  Mum had managed to transform two people at the same time and the next day had managed three but found that a strain. It did mean we could probably double our number of transformations to ten per real day fairly safely. I asked mum to tell me if she either felt stronger and we could experiment again or felt it was too much and we needed to slow down. She was on such a high with the pregnancy and her involvement to come that I don't think anything could get her down.

  The celebration was a combination of all things I like in a good party. Good food, good drink, good company, good music and great dancing. It was nice that Vee and I were not the sole focus and we could celebrate with Katie and Ash. The rest of the week was relatively routine training. Trying to communicate with Inda, my new wind familiar was initially an exercise in frustration but became less so with each day. By the time we were leaving, I was getting more of a handle on it.

  Apparently, the second familiar is always easier than the first, but until you try the ceremony you don't know if you are going to get any more familiars or not. Most druids are happy if one decides to bond. It was unusual to have three and it indicates a very powerful druid.

  When I woke up to the real world I could feel both Andi and Inda present in my mind. Professor Baldwin, came in to chat, partly because they were doing brain scans today and partly because the sensors indicated a different pattern than normal. I had to explain that I tried to increase the number of people that I could help by asking Myra to treat more than one person at a time. She found two doable but three was a stress. He had noted that instead of a brain surge from me followed by a brain surge in one of the people to be transformed, this time after one brain surge from me, two different people had a brain surge and then after the next brain surge from me, three people had a brain surge. That fit with what I had attempted, so he didn't think he needed to continue his observations.

  I spent the next couple of hours as their guinea pig, trying to map out how my brain was different. They were quite excited after the MRI. They found something that they thought was unusual, that they could check other people for. There was an urgency because there was a lot of pressure on them to publish their results. Professor Baldwin told me that he expected to publish his paper on Friday, which was in three days time. Initially, a summary article would be published online, but there were several distinguished journals that wanted the full article.

  I thought I would have a couple of hours to relax after that before our dinner with Vee's parents, but we had to pack everything up to move to the rental that Simone had organized. We did, however, get an unusual surprise. Karl and Larry were none other than Clair and Belle, our apprentice maids. After their transformations, they had a long chat with mum and decided that we needed maids in the real world and they were perfectly suited for that. When we arrived back they were packing our suitcases for us.

  They were taking the view that it is easier to ask forgiveness than seek permission, but they were very tense, worried that we would reject them. We sat them down and wanted to reassure ourselves that this was what they really wanted. They explained that in their family households there was a big division in the sexes. The women cooked and cleaned and the men provided. They had spent their childhood dreaming of cooking and cleaning, as strange as that sounds. Being free to do that, was not a chore in their eyes, it was an expression of their femininity. Plus they loved fashion and playing dress up. I was like a life-size version of a Barbie doll. Vee was more particular about what she wore and things like makeup and hair. I had no clue about any of it. I had spent a life with no thoughts in that direction whatsoever, so I liked the idea of having someone to help me with it and told them so, to their huge relief.

  So they packed our bags for us. Ran us a bath and then helped choose what I was going to wear, followed by helping me with my hair and makeup. It was all approved by Vee and we headed off to our restaurant reservation. The Cardinal Kingston was the pub where I had first met Vee's parents and made the joke that she was pregnant. Now, of course, it was no joke, but I still wasn't sure how they were going to take it. Intellectually, even I considered us a bit young to be having a child, even though I wanted it to happen and was looking forward to it. Katie of course knew, but, hopefully, hadn't told Roni who was also there.

  Besides our table, there was a camera crew who were setting up and another table between us and the entrance with six of our security detail. More were waiting in the car park, just in case. We were there a little bit early, so we were able to set up and wait for Sue and Terry.

  I thought of several dramatic ways we could tell them that they were going to be grandparents. My initial idea of presenting the positive pregnancy test, which was still in my handbag as a plan B, lost out on the basis that it is essentially a stick that has been peed on. Even if it has got a lid, it is not something you want to give someone in a restaurant. I thought of giving them a pair of knitting needles, as they need to start knitting some socks, but that seemed a bit lame. In the end, I went with the classic dessert with writing on it. Deep fried brownie with vanilla ice cream and chocolate writing. Choosing the words was really tricky, as what I wanted to write was too many letters and wouldn't fit. I ended up with 'one in the oven'.

  It took me ages to come up with that. Which is why I felt a momentary flash of irritation when as soon as they sat down, Vee just looked at them with tears in her eyes and blabbed, “I'm pregnant.”

  After group hugs, a few 'I'm too young to be a grandmother' and lots of tissues, we were able to calm down and enjoy our meal. All of the emotional drama was beautifully caught on camera. I don't think they have actually read our website and you don't generally discuss your sex life with your parents so I could see them delicately trying to ask, without asking, who the father was. I explained that I was the other mother and that our altered biology was responsible. They are pretty accepting parents and they took it all in their stride.

  This was all recorded and later made an appearance on our TV show. The feminists loved it, but virtually everybody else hated it. The church of this and that all denounced it. According to Andi, someone was paying huge amounts of money to campaign against us on a PR front. Andi did trace the money, but the information she gathered
didn't make any sense. For the next three days, we were vilified. All the choices we had made regarding the transformations were criticized and compared with better choices. In particular, the candidates we had chosen for financial gain were compared against quadriplegics or MS sufferers.

  On Friday, Professor Baldwin's short paper was published online and the Tia bashing worsened. I had been given this life-giving gift and I was wasting it. I was being irresponsible. I was not mature enough to handle the responsibility.

  We had not been idle during this time. There was a reason behind this attack, but unfortunately, whatever it was, there was no electronic trail for Andi to follow. We changed our candidate selection to only security. We had been thinking of staying in England and just moving to a more isolated address so that we could control the security arrangements better. Now we were looking abroad. Mexico was out since Andi knew our security would never be enough. The General in Fiji was very happy with the progress of his daughter and had offered his protection until our island was ready.

  The question was whether we trusted him or not. Thus far, there was no reason to not trust him and it wasn't like he would get nothing out of it. He could charge us taxes and our presence was likely to generate publicity and probably more tourism for the country.

  The final straw on that Friday was a private members bill introduced to Parliament to take ownership of the national treasure, meaning me, and direct how to use this national resource. I am guessing a lot of backroom deals had taken place, which meant we had no obvious warning. Now that we knew what was going on the rest made sense. The money that was being used was from contributors to the party.

  Before they could vote to eliminate all my rights, apparently I was not a human anymore so did not qualify under human rights, we decided to leave and went straight to the airport for the first flight out.

  Chapter 18

  We didn't even bother packing. Leaving everything behind, even the camera crew, we just jumped in the car with our headsets and drove straight to the airport. Every elf might be in danger eventually, but I was in danger right now. I had a security escort of twelve besides Vee and the maids, so we were in three cars. Roni had already booked the flight based on immediate availability. In fact, she booked two, one that she was hoping we would make to Paris and another half an hour later to Germany, in case we missed it. The second leg could be organized after we were on the plane.

  We had no problem getting there, parking or getting into the airport. Andi was telling me that we had been spotted entering, as there was some chatter. I took everyone into the Ladies to get out of view and listen to what Andi was saying and when I pulled out my phone, she started showing me images of men in airport security vests with automatic weapons closing off the exits.

  “OK everyone, we have a problem.” I showed my security people the images that Andi was showing. I went through a few scenarios with Andi and it led to only one conclusion. I was going to be captured. If I was not careful the people I loved and cared about were going to be hurt. “They have blocked the exits and information has already been passed to prevent us from boarding. Until the legislation has been passed, they are going with the potential terrorism excuse. This load of bullshit is purely for the press of course. What is really behind it are politicians that just want to control what I can do.”

  “We'll protect you. It's what we do.” This came from Davina's second in command, Sheila.

  I put my hand on her arm. “Andi has run the numbers and there is no alternative, I will be taken, I need you, and the rest of you to do a different job for me,” I said gesturing to everyone, apart from Vee who was behind me clutching me strongly. “They must have no leverage to use against me. Vee must be protected, her parents, my parents, anyone they think they can use to force me, must be taken away from them, kept safe. Andi will let you know where I am and we can plan a rescue, but the rescue must include getting off this island. If you stay with me then we will all be taken.”

  “No. No. We will not let them take you.”

  “I order you all to stay still and quiet in here for the next five minutes.”

  “You can't order me.” Vee said, “I never took the oath.”

  “No, darling.” I kissed her passionately on the lips. “But you have an extra passenger to protect and my biggest fear is they will use you to force me to do their will. Andi tells me that at the moment their orders are to arrest me and anybody with me. If you do not seem to be anything to do with me, you should all escape. I will go shopping, blatantly and openly. I need to go now my love. Look after my brave guards, I will need them to save me later.” I kissed her one more time, then I hugged her quickly and disengaged before she could object I was out the door. I mentally asked Inda to hold the door closed for a few moments. I heard sobbing and 'Tia' from behind the door, but I had no choice and resolutely marched away.

  I didn't go anywhere near the shops, I moved as quickly as I could to find an exit distant enough from that toilet that there would be no association. Andi had been careful not to do anything that would give her away, but her main priority was my safety so now all bets were off.

  ◆◆◆

  Mr Smith's POV

  I was frustrated. Yes, we had managed to capture Mrs Dione, but they were supposed to bring everyone with her. In particular, I needed her wife, her pregnant wife. Since Mrs Dione had given herself up alone no one used any initiative to find her companions. Now her wife was missing, fuck even her parents were missing. With no other options, I was going to have to break her. I needed to motivate her, to let her know what consequences awaited failure, to get the most out of her.

  ◆◆◆

  Tia's POV

  They had handcuffed me and put me in a van with no windows and then injected me with some sedative. I woke up in another hospital bed, at least I wasn't chained this time. It was a small room painted this horrible pinkish beige. There was a small window with bars across it and the door looked heavy duty. And why the hell was I naked again.

  I queried Andi, we were in an abandoned mental hospital with electrical surveillance and minimal guards. Things were looking up. Six guards on my hospital floor with cattle prods and no guns. Roving patrols into the grounds with a minimum of eight stationed on the floor below, all heavily armed. It was an extremely isolated location. One guy in charge on the floor above. This was doable. The majority of the major doors were electrically controlled.

  Davina was already on her way with thirty elves and had managed to get hold of some guns and rifles. Andi was feeding her all the information and also helping with our planned escape from Britain. Inda was having fun pretending to be a ghost and scaring the soldiers with unexplained sounds. I could hear her chuckling in my mind. My communication with her was getting much better. I think she was also sending me a mental floor plan. I didn't have an image, but I knew that beyond my door was a corridor, going to the left was an electronic steel door and to the right, there were more rooms like mine leading to a more open area where there were people. It was less about objects and more about where the spaces were, and objects moving through that space disturbing the stillness.

  When I concentrated I could feel people moving in that space. I asked Andi if they could hear me and she said yes. I needed to use the toilet and to get some food and something to drink. “Hello, can someone hear me,” I said loudly. Then I concentrated again and felt someone get up from a sitting position and move down the corridor towards me. A face appeared in the small glass window in the top panel of the door.

  It then disappeared and shortly three of them came back. It didn't bode well for me that they had left me with no clothes, no sheet or anything to cover myself and the guards were all male. I could tell by their voices. They peered through the window again to check that I was not close to the door and then opened it cautiously. Two of them were holding electrical devices like cattle prods and the third was holding a pair of handcuffs. Seriously, three strong men and they still need to put me in handc
uffs?

  I sighed, stood proudly from the bed and held my hands out in front of me. They led me to the bathroom when I told them I needed it. They stood over me while I urinated. At least I didn't have to pull my panties down in front of them since I didn't have any. I could feel a rising level of anger in Andi and Inda. I mentally asked them to calm down, now was not the time to reveal our resources. I was then led to another bedroom like mine, but this one had been converted into an interview room. It just contained a table with a chair on either side. I was led to one chair and then my ankles were handcuffed to the chair legs.

  Two of them left and the third stood in a corner still holding his cattle prod. When one returned he was carrying a tray with food and a plastic cup of water. It was clearly just a microwaved meal, at least it was vegetarian, macaroni and cheese. Although I suspect it was chosen because you can easily eat it with a plastic spoon. I ate it slowly and carefully and drank all the water. Then I sat back as much as I could. There was a camera on me, so the guard didn't need to speak into his walkie talkie.