Chapter 21 Telepathy

Chapter 21 Telepathy

Late the next morning, after Kulrick finished up at the office, he decided it was time he visited Olivia. He'd not been to her house since their assignment twenty years prior, and was uncomfortable about returning. Still he was becoming increasingly unsettled and was a man who had risen to prominence by confronting rather than avoiding his fears.

Squire Rogoletti answered the door. His eyes opened wide in amazement.

"Who is it?" came that lilting voice from the dining room.

"Only the High Council," answered the Squire. With a sweep of his hand gestured for Lord Kulrick to enter.

"Well strike me dead" said Olivia walking to the door. "You're the last person on this earth I expected this morning."

"It’s been awhile," Kulrick said, taking her hands and squeezing politely.

"Please my Lord, come inside and tell me what brings such an auspicious visitor to my threshold."

"I’m concerned about Climatus," he replied. "There have been some issues of late, that I find troubling. I was hoping you might be able to help dispel my fears."

"I’ll certainly do whatever I can," she answered, taking his hand and leading him into the dining room. "Now take a seat and tell me what's troubling you."

Once settled, the High Councilor began. "We've been following, for some time, the activities of a young girl named Liope, who lives in Middletown..., in what is today referred to as the Valley of the Men. Since that valley is the epicenter of your Coven, I"m assuming that you know something about her condition."

"Liope is the daughter of Cateyln, a virgin, pregnant with twins, one of whom is a dark sister."

"That's my understanding."

"Then what more can I tell you?"

"Well, first you could elaborate on how she became pregnant."

"We believe it is the result of wearing Miranda’s scarab."

"That’s absurd."

"Did you come here to ridicule me?"

"Sorry Olivia, he said backing off, "I’m not myself this morning. Your opinion adds weight to a possibility that concerns me in a very personal sense."

"You asked a question and I answered you honest and directly.

"Climatus was recently given one of the other scarabs, to replace Mirandas."

"I know. The exchange happened in this very room."

"Did Climatus tell you she was leaving the country?"

"To visit her Mother, so what?

"I suspect there was another reason for her departure?"

"And what was that?

"Several weeks ago we discussed Liope. The question came up as to what action I'd take if she found herself in the same situation...Specifically, pregnant with a dark sister."

"And what did you tell her?"

"At first I tried to be evasive, because I didn’t believe there was any liklihood of that happening. When I tried to put her off... she insisted I answer."

"...And you told her you would insist upon an abortion."

"Yes, words to that effect."

"So what do you want from me, Lord Councilor?

"Is she?"

"You really need to ask her."

"Is my wife pregnant?" He asked again with a rising intensity "Those scarabs were created for a purpose and the one I saw was very much alive and attached to my wife."

"Really! Those relics are over six hundred years old.

""Please tell me Olivia...he said moderating his tone, is there something going on that I should be aware of?"

Olivia considered the question. While Climatus was already safely across the border, Lord Kulrick was a powerful man, capable of excesses. "Climatus is pregnant."

"Thank you for that," he replied, "and now I have a more pressing concern."

"Yes?"

"Is it a normal pregnancy?"

Olivia paused, knowing he'd find the answere if not through her through his own sources. " No," she answered, "Climatus conceived twins and one is a dark sister."

"Oh please No…. not that."

"Yes that. She met her Mother and they're on their way to Nirvana. She plans to spend time with Liope, Uta and the midwives, until she delivers."

"Until she drops dead!" said Kulrick tears of anguish streaming down his face. "How could you allow this to happen?"

"It was not my choice."

"Have I no choice….?"

"It appears not.".

"I won’t stand for it. I simply won’t."

"I suggest you calm down and get hold of yourself. I'll not down play the dangers, but there is also reason to hope."

"There is only one outcome to these cases and you know it. Utter hopelessness."

"Then there's nothing more that I can tell you. If you contemplate some form of belated intervention I suspect you're already too late. Liope and Climatus will either deliver or perish. The window on abortion has slammed shut."

"You helped plan this whole thing…didn’t you."

"Climatus is my friend and asked for advice. I answered her questions and counseled abortion. Beyond that I took no overt action. She made up her mind long before ever coming to me. You know Climatus as well as I do.

"Damn you for meddling!"

"If you want to blame me go ahead. but it was your hard headed insensitivity that drove her away."

"Good day Olivia, " said Kulrick standing up.

"You came her for the truth my Lord, and now you have it."

His composure melted and he sank heavily back into his chair. "I can’t just let her die," he pleaded.

"Before you go charging off to make matters worse…think hard on the matter. I said there's hope and I meant it. The last thing she needs now is an outraged husband."

"Kulrick sat, head burried in his hands, rocking back and forth."

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Lilith and Liope sat together at the kitchen table. Breakfast was over and everyone else had departed for work of the market.

"Don’t be in a hurry to go," said Liope, "Sit with me for awhile and let's make small talk. Have another cup of tea."

"Suits me," replied Lilith, "It gets pretty boring over at Dumar’s until he gets home. How're things going with Young Jernigan?"

"As good as can be expected, I guess. Yesterday was quite an experience. It would be nice if things ever settled down"

"Why didn’t you tell me you were expecting a baby."

Liope held up two fingers.

"Two! You've got to be kidding"

"I wish I was"

"That Jernigan has some powerful stuff…"

"Hmmm.."

"So, It was Morgolic, wasn't it.... I just knew it was."

"You can put that notion to rest?"

"Who then?"

"Had to be the Scarab... I didn't do it with either one of them....I'm still a virgin. Had to be the Scarab."

Lilith blanched.... "Oh my God... Oooh my god."

"Whats the matter ?" asked Liope, puzzled.

Lilith reached into her blose and took out the Heirloom. "This look familiar?"

"Ah, yes it does as a matter of fact...it looks the same as mine did, after it died. Where'd you get it?"

"Mom gave it to me... said it was time I wore it for awhile. Said it was something a young Witch was supposed to do. Symbolic you know, a right of passage."

"What happened when you put it on?"

"It bit me. Then the morning after we rescued Morgolic, I looked down and it was dead."

"Oh my god.."

"I've been so scared. You see I missed my last two periods and sometimes in the morning I feel queazy. I keep trying to get up the nerve to tell my mother."

"I think we need to get Uta to take a look at you."

"You're right, I can't bear the suspense any longer."

"I have a personnal question."

"Yeah?"

"Have you been doing it with Dumar?"

"Not yet, everytime things start to heat up, I get to thinking about my period."

"Could be we have the same problem."

"If you say so. Lilith suddenly wanted to change the subject. "How're things with Young?"

"I wish I knew where to start. I’ve been sweet on him for awhile, but with this Morgolic thing and me and Young having to join under common law and all the lies and what not… It's overwhelming, taken with all the rest that’s going on."

"He’s the one appointed for you isn’t he?"

"How do you know that?"

"I listened in on the silent conversation you had with your mother."

"How did you do that?"

"My mom taught me how."

"But I never even knew you were there. I thought I could shut others out. Like when Albiana tries to get in, I just pull down the shade."

"Albiana isn’t a witch. Didn’t Cateyln teach you anything?"

"Cateyln hasn’t exactly been around a whole lot."

"That’s right. I keep forgetting you’ve been raised by your father."

"Maybe you could show me how."

"OK, It all starts with the silent conversation. That’s the first level of telepathy. Try talking to me without saying anything."

"Like this? said Liope. She thought the words, "I’m sure glad I have you for a friend."

"Yeah, I'm your friend alright, but not so loud. It's like you’re screaming at me."

"Maybe if I took this off. " said Liope, laying the pouch of stones on the table . "These stone really seem to amplify telepathy. Is that better, she thought?"
"
"Much better…whats in the purse?"

"The stones Morgolic gave me for safe keeping."

"Mind if I take a look?"

Liope poured the stones from the purse onto the table.

"Oh my goodness! This is incredible! My mother has an emerald. So does your's I think…but you have an assortment and look.... one of the rubies. No more than a dozen of those in existence. The husbands each had one. You need to keep these hidden and not tell another soul."

"When you touch them, you get the strangest feelings."

"May I?" asked Lilith.

"Sure."

Lilith picked up the Topaz and shuddered. "Must not be my birthstone she said weakly. I see what you mean about the vibrations. Sort of like music and hot to the touch."

"At least you held on to it.... when the elves touched them they burned their fingers."

"What a shame," said Lilith wickedly.

Liope collected the gems back into the pouch, leaving it on the table.

"Ok, now I"ll talk silently to you. Lilith posed a mental question. "Where did Young sleep last night?"

"On a pallet by the window, nosey" replised Liope.

OK that works. Now the second level of telepathy is to feel another's emotions. Ask me something emotional and see if you can tell how I feel about it. Go ahead."

"Has Dumar tongue kissed you?"

"Oh yes and he's a good kisser... sometimes I don't want him to stop..." asnered Lilith.

"So you and Dumar are getting acquainted... Oh my gosh... This is getting serious. Are you falling in love with him?"

"I think so." Lilith replised, "Hey! you’re good at this."

"So what’s the third level?"

The third level is being able to slip into another person’s mind and start nosing around, without them knowing you're doing it.

"What do you mean nosing around."

"It's called spirit jumping. You jump your spirit into someone and gain access into their minds. Not just what they’re thinking, saying or feeling but once you're inside them, you can call up memories and get access to anything they ever experienced."

"Without them knowing it?"

"Once you get the hang of it, all that anyone will think is that they’re recalling a memory that just popped into their head."

"Can you demonstrate that?"

"Give me your hand. OK here I come."

"I don’t feel anything…are you sure this is working…? Wait, I’m remembering walking home with Young Jernigan, and he suddenly grabs and kisses me."

"There you see, that’s how it works."

"Where did you find that memory?"

"It was close to the top of the pile."

"You’re in my mind, rummaging about, and to me its nothing more than a recollection."

"That’s the way third tier telepathy works. Now you try it on me."

"Woa! Back off. This is supposed to be subtle... now squeeze my hand and come across. Easy now...OK, you’re in, You kicked the door down but you’re in. Now pretent it's your own mind…take a look around."

"I see Monrovia, a wide street and men wearing black and wearing leather aprons...

"Those are miners and they wear leather aprons for sliding down a wood rail deep into the caverns."

"That's so cool."

"It's also so wrong. You should never do that to someone without their permission, unless there's a strong and compelling reason. A person's private thoughts are deeply personal and mom warned me, over and over to respect a person's privacy."

"I see her point. How close do you have to be to do it?"

"Touching is best but you can leap into someone from a foot or two. Like a spark jumping when you rub a wool shirt."

"What if you get into someone and they run off?"

"That’s the danger of it. You body is left sitting there without a spirit."

"How long can that last?"

"Your body can sit spiritless for a long time…"

"What if you jump into someone and they get killed?"

That's really bad… Once a person dies their energy flows out of them. Energy is what animates the spirit.... after about a half an hour its gone.

"And then what?"

"Without energy to hold them, spirits get drawn off into the nether world."

"I can see why spirit jumping has it's down side."

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That night after supper Liope and Young Jernigan excused themselves early and went up to their bedroom. As they entered they were surprised by the presence of four Elves.

"Who are you?"

"Bogey."

"What are you doing here?"

"We’re the security detail. Has everyone gone to bed?"

"Not yet. What do you mean the security detail?"

"Simple, I sit by that window. Boomer sits over by that one and Beamer goes and sits outside the door, at the top of the steps. Once everyone goes to bed, Goober will go downstairs and sit in the stairwell."

"Is this really necessary?"

"You’ll have to ask Trueaxe about that. Don’t worry on our account though; After awhile you won’t even know we’re here."

"Oh this is just great! but I guess we're stuck with it for tonight anyway. Don’t you Elves be looking at me when I get changed for bed."

"I don’t know about this, said Young, "This is not something I'm used to."

"Put you night shirt on and come over and sit next to me. There’s something I have to tell you."

Liope and Young put on their night clothes and Liope sliped into bed. Young turned the lamps down and cames over and sat on the edge of the mattress.

"It's time you know that I’m a little more pregnant than you’re aware of."

"Huh? What do you mean more pregnant? You either are or you aren’t."

"Oh! I am allright, but I’m carrying more than one baby."

"How many?"

"Two.... and there’s more."

"More than two?"

"No, only a boy and a girl, but they're different."

"I know the difference between boys and girls…you think I’m stupid?"

"No… what I mean is really different."

"Go on."

"Like I said, there are two babies in here. One I call the good boy and the other is the bad girl. It takes different things to keep them happy. The good boy need love and kindness…like most babies do; however the girl is different."

"The girl is bad you say."

"Yes, very bad…instead of love and kindness for nurturing she needs hate and violence."

"You kidding me?"

"No. I’m very serious… So you see it isn’t going to be an easy matter keeping everybody satisfied."

"This is bizarre! First the security guards and now the babies…Are the two related?"

"Yes, the security guards are here to make sure nobody tries to kill my babies."

"Why would anyone want to do that?"

"Because they are very special to the Elves."

"Wow! So that's why they're all here."

"Exactly."

"Do you mind if I crawl in next to you? The guard is sitting on my pallet."

"If I let you, do you promise not to try any hankey pankey?"

"I promise."

"OK, lay down, turn around and put your butt up against my stomach."

Young spoons with Liope and feels her breasts against his back.

"Wow! Is that ever soft."

"What‘s soft?

"...Your night gown."

"Yeah right... now go to sleep…"

As they doze off, Young suddenly cried out and leaped out of bed.

"Bees! Bees! "he cried out holding his temples..."swarming inside my head. Ahhh! Get away from me… get away from me."

He hopped around the room and banging his head against the wall. Then the pain began to subside.

"What’s the matter up there?" yelled Orin from downstaris. "And what’s this Elf doing sitting in the stairwell?

Liope got up and walked to the top of the stairs.

"He’s part of the security detail," she yelled down at him. "I'll explain things in the morning."

"Is everything OK honey her mother called up."

"We're fine replied her daughter."

"Talk to me Jernigan," insisted Orin.

"Just a cramp in my foot Dad."

"Good night everyone."

"Good night."

"I think I’ll sleep on the pallet after all."

"That might be a good idea."