CHAPTER 24 – Regent of Airus
BOOK FOUR
Upon reaching the residential wing that would become their new home, Raphael and his party were greeted joyously by a waiting Daniel, Felipe, and Lady Martina. Daniel hugged his father around his waist even as Raphael planted a kiss on his head. Daniel exclaimed, “Oh, Father – this palace is beautiful and Grandmother says it is going to be our new home! Can I show Paulos his new room? Mother, let me hug you! Welcome, Commander Monteras and Master Mei Li! I am glad you decided to come with us here to Airus. This is going to be such an adventure!”
“Yes, Daniel, go show Master Mei Li, Commander Monteras, and your brother to their rooms, for they are all going to be sharing your suite together. Our Eagles will have the last two suites.” replied Raphael. “Milo, please go with the boys and watch them for us.”
Lorenna immediately headed to the room that Raphael and she would be using. After a few minutes she came back out, and said, “You know, Raphael, there is plenty of room in the other three sleeping rooms for the boys. Then, Master Mei Li and Commander Monteras and a couple of the Eagles can share the second suite. The rest of Eagles should then be comfortable in their rooms.”
Raphael nodded and remarked, “That is a good suggestion, my dear. We can set aside one room for the boy’s sleeping room, another one for their study room, then an office for me here, and our sleeping room. And we can all share the great room for gathering with the others. All of the balconies connect, too.”
Changing the subject, Lorenna nibbled at her lip and asked, “Was it difficult to watch your cousin pass, Raphael?”
“No, just sad, Lorenna; I barely knew the man, yet I knew him,” replied Raphael. “When I received the anointing from Lady Amethyst the other day in Medina, I felt his Oversoul communicating with me. That’s why I looked so distracted for a few moments. And when Lord Aeolus’ soul essence left his body, I could see it as a thread of golden light disappearing up through the beautiful painted ceiling of his bedroom. Those rooms are gorgeous, but Lord Pietro has informed me they will be sealed until Lord Aeolus returns to us. And now, I need to spend some time in meditation to prepare myself for the official ceremony which will take place in three days in the great Temple across the square from the palace. I have already met the High Priestess who will be officiating; her name is Lady Abbagail. She was present at the trial for Lord Michael Kadish. Perhaps we might even see my absentee daughter, Lady Arianna, as well.”
Raphael turned back to Lady Martina and asked her, “My lady, do you know if the palace has a small chapel or Crystal focus located within it? I need to connect with the consciousness of the planet of Airus. I have always been able to do this with the worlds I have lived upon before. Since I am to be the Regent of Airus, I would like to become acquainted with the planet itself.”
Lady Martina looked surprised at Raphael’s request, but then recalled he was a Crystal Master; he communicated with crystals as a matter of long practice. She looked over at her mate, Lord Pietro and asked him, “Was there a place where Lord Aeolus would go to meditate, Pietro? He didn’t share everything with his people, Raphael.”
Pietro nodded and replied, “I will take you to the lord’s secret garden. You will find there what you are seeking. It will be your primary place of meditation should you need to spend some time alone outside communing with our world.”
“Can we go now, Pietro? I feel a certain sense of urgency that has not yet dissipated even with the passing of Lord Aeolus…”
Pietro sighed and replied, “Certainly, my lord… come this way. Martina, Lorenna… I will be back later. Martina, perhaps you can assist Lorenna with some of her unpacking?”
Lady Martina actually grinned and commented, as she reached out to take Lorenna by the hand, “Come, my dear; I have some things to show you. Then, later on, we can share some tea until Lord Raphael has returned…”
Lord Pietro guided Raphael and his Eagle shadows, Eduardo, and Giorgio, through a labyrinth of corridors to another garden courtyard. He did not allow the Eagles to enter the garden, but had them stationed at the doorway, within beck and call should Raphael require their assistance. Then, the slender Airian lord waved his new lord forward into the space and asked, “Can you feel Her, my lord?”
Raphael gave his elder cousin a quizzical look, then he understood; the garden had a Crystal focus. He sent his consciousness out to touch Her and felt an ancient consciousness envelope his own and silently address him: Welcome, Lord Raphael. Have you come to sit with me? I am glad for Lord Aeolus has not been strong enough to come often of late.
“He is gone,” murmured Raphael. He turned back to Pietro, but his former father-in-law had disappeared as the door to the garden shut.
Come sit with me, my lord; let us share our energies…
Raphael plunged further through the narrow path. The garden was slightly overgrown and lush, with layer upon layer of verdant greenery and a large tree shading the center of the space. Finally, he pushed through to a tiny clearing and there saw a large rose crystal, smaller than the ones he had met before, but still sizeable. It was a pristine, clear point, pale pink. As Raphael gazed upon the crystal, he could discern tiny rainbows within the stone and felt the soft, loving energies of the crystal wrap itself around his consciousness. Welcome, Home, son of my sons.
Off to one side, there was a tiny fountain with a trickle of water. Tiny birds would flit to the lip of the sculpture, take a drink of water, and then fly off into the canopy above his head. The water, the humid warmth, the shade all served to lull him into a meditative state…
A tall, slender man stood before him, glowing with Light. His eyes were golden and his countenance a pale gold. His hair was white as snow and rested in soft curls upon his narrow shoulders. It was the Light Body of the Lord Aeolus. The figure smiled at his distant cousin and said, “I am glad you found my secret heart, this garden. I have come to let you know that I am no longer in pain and am at peace knowing that you will hold this world in your heart and hands for when the time arrives that I will return… and so, I shall. Now, however, I go to visit the world between worlds, so I may rest, heal, and return rejuvenated. I am told that my Oversoul of which I am, but a small fragment, will be Overlighting you throughout your reign here. Do not feel that you have been abandoned to a hopeless task, my lord. You are a Son of the sons of Airus and have a right to be here. If my brother had not fallen into darkness, you would have been able to return much earlier, Raphael, yet the time is right, for you have gained in wisdom, experience, and shall I say, patience through your travels and tribulations. You are well-prepared. And now, I go… but do not fear; you are not alone…”
With those last words, the figure began to waver, and then dissipated into the afternoon light. Still, Raphael felt a silent benign Presence watching over him.
The crystal did not throb as he had approached it like many had before, but he felt it acknowledge him and draw his consciousness into another dimension, a world between worlds where all was Light and without substance. He felt curious elementals reach out to touch his light body, to discern his energies, and to decide whether or not they would accept his presence as a substitute for their long-time lord.
Raphael felt himself challenged to drop any and all remaining psychic barriers protecting his heart center and then felt a corresponding willingness and vulnerability coming from the elementals as they gathered around to touch him etherically. It was like a silent sacred dance, like nothing he had ever experienced before. He felt tears run down his cheeks in response to the deep tenderness displayed towards him by the keepers of this world. Then, there was another sensation, as a more powerful Presence who approached him silently, moving like a flowing river of Light through the thick abundant growth of the garden and stood before him. He saw for the first time ever the feminine figure of another part of his Oversoul, the White Lady. Her soft silent voice echoed within his heart, and he felt all of his fear, hesitation, and trepidation melt before her presence. My Lady!
The Lady smiled gently and replied: It was time we met, my lord. You will require my assistance while you rule this world. My Divine Complement will be here, as well, to aid both you and your companion, Commander Monteras. We are reflections of each other. You work in your world and we, in ours, yet we work in concert. I will be here often to teach you the inner ways that you have not yet explored. While you are neither priest nor a warrior now, you have been both in past incarnations; yet, now, you are called upon to be the leader of these people. You are a stranger to them, and they are strange to you, yet in time, there will develop a deep understanding and appreciation emanating from both sides. And we will be here in the great Temple when you make your vows of fidelity to this world and its people. Those who are sensitive might even feel our Presence and wonder at this new energy. Those with an open inner eye might even see us and become bemused for we are as new to this world as you are… yet all belongs to the Creator of us all and we are but Her Servants. Rest now, beloved Son and welcome to Airus.
As the figure of Light dissipated, Raphael felt a small bird land on the back of his hand, its tiny claws lightly scratching his skin, bringing his awareness back to his outer shell, his physical avatar. He looked down with wonder and saw a beautiful multi-colored jewel of a bird that cocked its head and looked straight into his blue green eyes with one of its own golden eyes. The bird gave a tiny peep, ruffled its feathers, and then launched itself into the air, landing on a branch above, where it began to trill a beautiful melody, a song to welcome the new lord of the land.
Raphael sighed and knew that his time here in the peace of the garden was ended, but he would return. There was within him a strong need, desire to join with and blend with the energies of the Planet, an almost erotic sense of union that cast a tantalizing spell upon his physical senses. He could have remained sitting on the cool stone bench for hours, yet there were others who depended on him and so he stood, stretched, and took a couple of deep breaths before heading back through the thicket to the door.
The door opened as his Eagles sensed his approach. Eduardo looked upon his lord and smiled. Raphael’s face was glowing and relaxed. He said, “Come, my lord; let us return you to your family. It is a long walk through these passages, but you just took an even longer one without moving.”
“How long?”
“You have been in there for three hours, my lord. The next time, we will come prepared with liquids so you can drink something when you complete your meditations,” replied Giorgio in his deep baritone.
“Yes, I could certainly use some tea, now, and perhaps a long bath and nap!” replied Raphael, feeling strangely refreshed. Then, without further words or conversation, the three men made their way back to the wing where Raphael’s family would be residing for now.
Lorenna and the children greeted the return of mate and father with enthusiastic joy. Daniel grabbed one of Raphael’s hands and led him into the room which their mother had selected as belonging to the boys and announced, “Mother wants us to live here with you in the same suite, Father. There is room enough for both of us to study and play. And can we go to the garden below sometime?”
Lorenna laughed to hear her stepson chatter on and remarked, “Daniel is adapting well to the prospect of living here on Airus! Paulos is still a little shy, toddling around and touching things, lifting up pillows and attempting to chew on them. He misses his little friends and the VaCoupe gardens, but he is young and will adjust. It would be good for the boys to be able to play outside, perhaps in the gardens nearby?”
“Well, I think we will have to check with Lord Pietro before we invade some private space without permission. We are new here, but I think all of us will have to do quite a bit of exploring. This is such a vast building, larger than almost any I have ever been inside, excepting, perhaps, the palace of the Dinos in Milan – your own home, Lorenna,” replied Raphael.
Lorenna nodded, but firmly replied, “This palace is bigger by quite a bit, probably at least five acres or more. Where did Lord Pietro take you?”
“To the meditation garden of Lord Aeolus. It is a wild, private place in the middle of this great edifice, rather over-grown, but peaceful and beautiful. I will go there often, my love. There is a crystal focus in the garden,” replied Raphael carefully. He wasn’t yet prepared to share what he had seen there, even with his mate.
There came a careful knock at the door to the suite, then Paul and Loki strode in holding two large trays filled with fruit, several covered bowls, pitchers of juice and pots of steaming tea, and a platter of soft, freshly baked breads. Raphael sniffed appreciatively at the aromas arising from the astonishing array of edibles. He murmured, “Oh, my… and I just said I wanted some tea! You men or whoever have outdone yourselves!”
“Father… father, oh, yum! It’s tea time, Paulos!” shouted a hungry Daniel as he dragged his younger brother over to one of the low tables and plopped him down on a cushion, then joining him by sitting on another one.
Paul laughed and replied, “It’s the cooks, my lord. They’re glad to have someone to feed now. Apparently, Lord Aeolus hasn’t been eating very well for the past several months. I will have to introduce you to the lot; the surprising thing is, they are all men – no women. Most of the palace servants are male, too. The place could stand a few more females, besides your ladyship and your niece, my lady.”
Lorenna nodded and commented, “I was wondering about that myself, Raphael. I, for one, could use a personal assistant to help me dress the boys and take care of our wardrobes, seeing that the suite is regularly cleaned. I know you are in need of an assistant, too, for your correspondence, setting meetings, making appointments, and the like. I will discuss our needs with Lady Martina at the next available opportunity, which won’t be until after your official swearing ceremony… what… in three days was it? Well, meanwhile, we can organize the clothes that we brought… and oh, Martina showed me a few of the new dresses that have been made for me already. I will be wearing one of them to the ceremony… and then, she showed me what you are going to wear, Raphael!”
“Can we wait, my dear; I am starving!” replied Raphael as he opened one of the teapot lids and sniffed, “Oh, it’s one of my favorites, mint. Lady Martina remembered!” He looked up at the Eagles who were hovering nearby, “Well, men, sit down and help yourself; we can’t possibly eat all of this. While you’re at it, invite the others unless they have their own. Where is Master Mei Li and Commander Monteras?”
“We do have our own tea, my lord, but I will see that Master Mei Li and the commander are invited in,” said Loki politely in his gruff bass tones. He bowed and left the room, but soon returned with yet another tray, followed by the Veyan master and Morovian commander.
Raphael handed each of the new arrivals with a plate, and commented, “I suppose we are breaking a half dozen rules or customs by sharing as a family with our friends? Well, since none of us here are Airians, we can plead ignorance. Now, enjoy the food and drink, my dear ones, my friends… my beloved family!”
Monteras grinned as he accepted his plate, “Well, it looks like we’re not going to starve here! When did Pietro and Lady Martina leave?”
“They weren’t here when I came back from my meditation session. While it will take some getting used to being here and not seeing everyone in the VaCoupe Family, I think I will manage to settle in. The beds are comfortable and well-ventilated, the gardens are beautiful. I saw an extraordinary little bird after I finished my meditation; it landed on my hand,” replied Raphael, his voice filled with a sense of wonder. “I think this world holds many wonders for us to discover.”
“When do we get to go out of the palace?” asked Master Mei Li.
“Well, from what I understand, we are here in the palace until I become the lord during a ceremony held in the Temple across the way… two more days from now. So, I plan to go to the meditation garden and perhaps explore Aeolus’ office, since it will be mine for the time being. It is going to be awhile before he returns to this world. I hope Pietro will assist in finding a personal assistant for me. I will miss having Master Polaño and Salaniel around. It seems like other people are always inheriting my assistants. Salaniel had to stay with Francis as he has made a commitment to take over Master Polaño’s position; he wasn’t going to be my assistant for much longer even if this new assignment didn’t come up,” replied Raphael. “I guess if the Eagles need some exercise, they can do it in the garden below this wing. It seems to be rather private with limited access, which is one reason we’re situated here – security. There may be people who object to me being their new leader.”
“So, there are three days of official mourning for Lord Aeolus?” asked a curious commander.
“It would appear so. Plus, I am going to cancel the daily court gathering for at least a month. I do plan to meet on the fourth day, however, with the same 50 men who were introduced to me by Lord Aeolus, in a kind of council meeting. I am sure to get a sense of how everyone is managing their grief during the meeting,” replied Raphael. “Meanwhile, I want to have some long sessions with Pietro and Da’vid to see what work still needs to be done with rearranging the government here and across the planet. After a suitable period of mourning, I would like to make a tour of the main cities so I can introduce myself to the local lords or leaders. I would like to see more continuity and unity between the different regions of the planet, with less emphasis on the capital city, namely Ostta. That sort of plan might meet some resistance from those who are accustomed to holding most of the influence on Airus. I intend to break up those cliches, but soon and still do it in a manner that is least likely to offend these proud Airians.”
Master Mei Li smiled and suggested, “Perhaps, my lord, before you go thrashing about, I can give you a few lessons on Airian customs. I gave one to your stepson, Francis, and Gareth a few months back. Remember, Lady Ella, the mate of Francis and mother of his first-born son, is from Airus, so she was able to give me some interesting information and tips about local expectations for behavior. She is, as you all know, a very refined young woman.”
“Thrashing about? If I were a haughtier person, I would probably be insulted by such a comment, but since it is coming from you, dear Master, I will refrain. Perhaps you can explain?” queried Raphael, glancing curiously at his Veyan physician who had an amused expression on his face.
“Well, for example, my lord; it is customary to wait to be invited to visit any of the settlements, not to just drop in unannounced,” replied Master Mei Li with a smile. “The people on this world regard hospitality as a virtue and want to put on a masterful show for their visitors, especially for a personage such as yourself, as their new Regent. I don’t think you will have long to wait, my lord, as everyone is going to be curious about how you look, dress, and act. You can count on being carefully surveyed, observed, and evaluated whenever meeting anyone new. I would advise you to take some lessons in presentation with Lady Martina, a gentle woman who displays exquisite manners, beautiful carriage, and elegant dress. You really must learn to dress to impress here, my lord. It is simply considered good manners and a sign of respect to your hosts.”
“Or they will come to regard me as a barbarian desert oaf?” chuckled Raphael. “I guess the days of my wearing my gown and robes out in the garden and crawling around on the tiles with the children are over.”
“Well, perhaps you can play with the boys in the garden if no one else sees you, my lord,” replied Master Mei Li, with another smile. He knew well just how stubborn Raphael could be at times and was attempting to be gentle with him without offending the independently minded Medinian lord. “Of course, it would be much more dignified if you sit and watch them play together. That kind of behavior could hardly offend anyone, my lord. I believe the boys will be studying together after they have adjusted to the climate and customs here. Master Jon’dra will be attending the classes along with your sons, as well. Jon’dra may be able to assist his young cousin, Paulos, with adjusting to this new environment, as they are close in age. On the other hand, Daniel is old enough to start in with more challenging subjects. He hardly needs any assistance with speaking languages, but still has to master writing and conveying ideas on paper or via comm. Those are skills he will require when he becomes a line communications technician. Oh, yes, my lord; Daniel has decided what he wishes to focus upon. He basically wants to follow in your hallowed footsteps. He has heard stories of your amazing visions, tactical plans, and reactions to enemy energies. He will have to become more grounded about his expectations but that can be addressed in the future.”
“You will have your hands full, Master Mei Li,” responded Raphael with a grin. “I am sure Felipe is grateful for your presence as he was expecting to handle the boy all the time outside of class time.”
“I am sure Daniel appreciates having you, his father, and his stepmother present in his life. He is a brave child, but very sensitive. Having you around, another sensitive male, is very helpful, my lord, and will assist in keeping him well-grounded,” replied Master Mei Li. “Plus, having his parents here, Felipe will not be compelled to always be with the young boy. Now that you are here, Felipe can resume some of his regular Eagle duties since he will not be required to be a full-time babysitter anymore. Daniel is no longer a baby.”
“Felipe’s father, Commander Strabo Diaz, will probably be delighted to hear of the change,” quipped Raphael. “I plan to pair up Paul and Felipe. They have worked together since last I was on The Golden Lion… at least, until Daniel was born. I guess the Eagles can all take turns watching the boys. I know Milo and Loki enjoy being around the children, too.”
The boys had finished their tea and needed to move. They ran out to the balcony and looked longingly down into the lush garden space there. Daniel came back and tugged on his father’s caftan (which Raphael had changed into earlier) and said, “Father, could we go to the garden? I want to watch the birds and butterflies!”
Raphael grinned and asked Lorenna, “Do you want to explore the garden, too; we could all go together.”
Lorenna quickly nodded. She had loved secret garden spaces ever since she was a girl. She took Daniel by the hand, letting Raphael pick up Paulos, who at age three was still slightly portable. A grinning Milo accompanied the little family in case Raphael needed assistance holding Paulos, who was a sturdy little lad.
Descending down the steps from their suites, the family unexpectedly met up with the captain of the guards of the palace, Captain Fernando, at the bottom of the stairs. The captain snapped a quick salute in recognition of Raphael’s rank as Head Commander, and then gave Lady Lorenna a deep bow. He said, “Welcome, my lord, my lady, to Airus. I was just performing a security tour to see if the palace was cleared of those who are not inhabitants. Are you going somewhere?”
Raphael smiled and responded, “Lorenna and I are just taking the boys to the garden. They could see it from the balcony above but want to see the flowers and examine the fountain more closely. The boys miss our gardens at home and since we are not supposed to leave the palace for a few days, I thought we would take the opportunity while things are quiet. It is good to see you, again, Captain. Lorenna, this gentleman is Captain Fernando; he oversees the palace guards. Perhaps, Captain, you and I should have a discussion on how to blend the guards and my escorting Eagles so the men can become accustomed to each other’s presence; but we can speak of this later after I officially become the Regent of Airus.”
“So, it has come to past, my lord? The guards and I had heard rumors, but no one bothered to inform us as to your status here. I will tell them, then. When are you to be officially introduced as Regent?” asked the curious captain.
Again, Raphael had found another chink in the manner in which things were run at the palace. He refrained from breaking into an angry harangue at the stupidity of the present bureaucracy, which, unfortunately, included both of his cousins. Imagine not first informing those men who were in charge of security of a change in leadership! Controlling his temper, he took a deep breath, and carefully informed the captain, “On the morning two days hence, I will be formally appointed your Regent at the Temple by High Priestess Abbagail. I expect to see all of your men formally attired for the event. I will make sure to address them when we return from the Temple, as I want to introduce myself to those who have the security and welfare for this sprawling palace as part of their duties. I also wish to extend my gratitude to your men and all members of the palace staff for their wonderful work in keeping such a beautiful building functioning. I want you to know, Captain, that I appreciate the work of those who are the foundation of our society and culture. I will speak to you later at length; I want to hear your ideas about how to improve the lot of the common worker in this city, perhaps even within this palace. I have a lot to learn about Airian culture and society and would prefer to learn about it from those who work the hardest to retain their lives hereabouts.”
It was apparent to Raphael that the captain was slightly startled… and pleased at the passion behind his address. The man quickly bowed deeply and then replied, “My lord, it is a pleasure to encounter a man who has such obvious and deep regard for all the people. I will convey your wishes to my men. We will see you in a couple of days, then. Enjoy your rest, my lord, my lady.”
With that final reply, the captain snapped another salute, turned away and resumed his lonely patrol of the silent palace.
Daniel tugged at his father’s hand, “Can we go now?”
“Yes, Daniel – come, dear ones… let us explore the beautiful garden!” said Raphael with a chuckle in his voice. He knew from the captain’s response to his short address that he had gained an important ally in the dedicated warrior… and most probably, his men, as well.
On the morning of the third day after the passing of Lord Aeolus, Raphael and his family descended from their suite and discovered the great hallway was lined with immaculately uniformed palace guards spaced out along the route to the entrance of the palace. As Raphael and Lorenna passed by, the guards snapped a salute, letting the party pass, then forming up position following the Eagle escort. The palace guard force was making it obvious to any observers where their loyalties now lay. Upon reaching the courtyard, the party was met by another guard squad led by Captain Fernando himself, attired in gleaming full-dress uniform. The captain saluted Raphael and Lorenna and announced, “My lord, we have been instructed to escort your party safely to the Temple; please follow my squad. The rest of my men will await your return to the Palace after the ceremony. Come this way, my lord!”
For this special day, Raphael was dressed in blue and white, Kantor blue (similar to French Blue), with different textures. His tunic was a blue silk, with embroidered cuffs, upright collar, and placket. His still-slender waist was encircled with a blue and white beaded Morovian belt. His trousers were white with Kantor blue ribbons down the seam line. He wore knee-high white boots, a blue cloak and a white turban perched on top of his white blonde hair. He was wearing the crystal pendant, his VaCoupe family crest ring, and his golden pendant of lordship… which, incidentally, was an Airian lordship, although to date there were no official lands assigned to it – something that was about to change. His thick wavy hair was tamed by several braids, tied together with a beaded Morovian strap. He looked every inch a lord.
There was a huge crowd waiting standing in the city square to watch the spectacle, the rare occurrence marking a change in leadership on Airus. When Raphael came into view, someone started clapping and cheering, a noise that grew and enveloped the square. Word had gotten around to the common people that here was the man who spoke to crystals, who revealed the crimes of Lord Michael Kadish, who flew the golden ship… and who was the talented tactician who was the primary planning agent behind the successful space battles against the huge enemy fleets. This man, who looked different from most Airians, built with a larger bone structure although not much taller in height had a presence that some of the most sensitive could feel, perhaps emanating from the great crystal pendant he wore around his neck or something else as yet unnamed…
Raphael was holding Lorenna by her arm, guiding his tall graceful mate through the narrow avenue formed by the military guard that cut across the square. Lorenna had piled her hair up into a traditional intricate braided bun similar to those once worn by Lady Julia on formal occasions. She wore a deceptively simple Airian gown that was slightly fitted over her slender hips and flowed like a waterfall nearly to the ground. The dress was embroidered with seed pearls on the bodice and had long open sleeves that fell over her hands. A small train trailed behind her as she walked, her golden beaded sandals occasionally peeking from under the long dress that was slightly shorter in front. Dangling ear rings decorated her dainty ears. She had no need for make-up; her face was glowing with pride and love for her mate. The crowd felt her high regard for the man who was about to become the temporary Regent of Airus, holding the reins of power until Lord Aeolus made his return in his next reincarnation.
Next, came Lord Da’vid, second Lord of Airus, and the nephew of the now-departed Lord Aeolus, son of the deceased (and not missed) Lord Michael Kadish. Lord Da’vid was holding the hand of his mate, Lady Sabina Dino Kadish, who was arrayed in a beautiful white sleeveless silk gown with a short damask jacket protecting her bare shoulders. Lord Da’vid was also dressed in white, both the color of mourning for this culture, and one of the colors of the House of Kadish (the other being rose pink).
Behind this couple came Lord Pietro, formerly secretary to Lord Aeolus, walking with his mate, Lady Martina. Behind the first three couples came several lords and their mates, each pair dressed in flamboyant fashion, yet all eyes were upon the first couple, the Lord Kantor, and his lady, as they reached the steps leading up to the Temple and began to ascend them, met, and guided into the temple precinct by the High Priestess Lady Abbagail.
Coming behind the lords and ladies was an extraordinary sight which next drew the attention of the watching crowd, as two great Felines dressed in full dress uniform (although barefoot) walked along behind the main procession. One of the Felines was carrying a young boy with curly blonde hair and great blue green eyes that matched those of his father. The second great Feline was leading another boy, white blonde with matching eyes. Some of the crowd speculated whether these children were the sons of their new leader, Lord Kantor. Other tall uniformed men followed behind the Felines in a short procession, followed up by a slender, dark-haired Morovian also in uniform and a small-statured Veyan (some of the more-traveled members of the crowd managed to identify his race) who was dressed in the traditional green robes of a physician. These men were followed by an honor guard, who upon reaching the temple stairs, spread out to prevent more of the crowd from climbing up the stairs and disturbing the ceremony that was about to take place within the great Temple. The uniformed strangers and the children climbed slowly up the stairs and then the great doors of the Temple closed behind them.
Lest anyone think that few persons were actually attending the ceremony, think again – the place was packed with an assortment of the wealthy and those who had simply arrived extremely early and were fortunate enough to snag a seat to witness this rare event. As the last arrivals – the uniformed warriors, the physician, and the children, took their seats in a roped off section of the temple close to the altar behind the Lords Kadish and their mates, conchs were blown signifying the beginning of the ceremony.
Lord Raphael Kantor stood alone with his back to the audience, facing the great crystal altar of the Ompedium, the great Temple of Ostta. There were great crystal vases filled with white lilies on either side of a sizeable crystal point. Before the crystal was a crystal bowl filled with pure clear water. Tall massive candles stood to either side of the great crystal. When Lady Abbagail stepped out on the dais before the altar, the candles lit casting dancing shadows upon the high domed and coffered ceiling above the altar. Yet, there was no shadow cast upon Lord Raphael. As he stood there patiently waiting as the priestess began to invoke blessings and prayer, his silent figure began to take on a kind of radiance that grew in strength, outlining his figure like a halo. After a few minutes, the priestess had Lord Raphael turn and face the crowd, and then they could see and witness what was causing such a phenomenon to occur. The great Feline crystal still resting quietly upon Lord Raphael’s chest was glowing like a sun, pulsing with a soft white light, reflecting upon Raphael’s face. There were sighs and ahs of wonderment as the people witnessed this strange sight.
Then, as the last prayer was spoken, Lady Abbagail held out her hands in blessing above Lord Raphael’s blonde head. Still, one or more people gasped as they perceived the faint outline of a feminine figure standing in the air above Lord Raphael, a tall, slender woman dressed all in white and silver, glowing with silvery unearthly light. The apparition lingered for a few minutes and then dissipated as the onlookers sighed, wondering upon what they had just witnessed. Finally, Lady Abbagail stepped down the stairs leading to the dais and before Lord Raphael. Although he was slightly taller than the slender priestess, she was able to touch him on his crown as he lowered his head slightly to submit to the final blessings. Then, she touched the sacred oil upon his brow, and the palms of his hands. Finally, she brought out a great pendant of lordship, a golden disk set with diamonds and precious stones which would be worn by the new Regent for the length of his reign over Airus. It was similar but slightly smaller than the pendant that had been worn by Lord Aeolus, a jewel that was now stored away until its rightful owner returned to take it up, once more.
Lastly, Lady Abbagail stepped to the side of Lord Kantor and raised up his hand in hers as she declared before the people gathered there, “People of Airus, please welcome Lord Raphael DeAires Kantor, Regent of Airus! May he long be the friend of the people and lead our world back into balance, peace, harmony, and abundance for all. The great Mother of us all now extends Her blessing upon this man and his Family, the Kantors.”
The congregation cheered and then laughed as they overheard one of the children say loudly, “What are you doing up there, Papa?”
Raphael smiled and waved to the audience and then went to pick up his son, who clutched his father around his neck, the child burying his curly blonde head into his father’s chest. The new Regent of Airus then walked out of the Temple still carrying the child and stood upon the porch of the great temple, to greet the waiting people gathered there. He waved with one hand until a great Feline warrior stepped up and relieved him of the boy. Then, the tall, slender lady who appeared to be the mate of the new lord stepped up beside him and began to wave at the people. The people closest to the steps could see the new regent take a series of deep breaths, perhaps to calm a case of mild nerves, then he climbed down the steps holding his mate’s hand and began to walk slowly back across the square towards the great pink palace of the Kadish Family.
Then, suddenly a bold man stepped through the line of guards and blocked the way forward for the new regent and his party. In a loud voice, he challenged the lord by shouting, “Who are you to take the seat of power from the Kadish Family? You, who is an off-worlder, a desert-dweller with sand in your sandals! You are not fit to wear the medallion of lordship upon this Planet! Who are you?”
Lord Raphael placed his mate behind him and stepped boldly forward. He held up his crystal pendant and quietly replied, “I AM the White Lion! Son of Lord TorSeth Kantor, adopted son of Lord Demetrius VaCoupe, Head Commander in the Fleet. I am the Placeholder whom your now departed Lord chose to act on behalf of the people of this planet, the home world of my fathers. I declare myself a Friend of the People, all of the people, whether they live in Ostta or in the far reaches of this magnificent Planet. Now, step aside or face retribution!”
As Lord Raphael spoke, the great crystal began to throb and send out shards of light that broke like rainbows over the heads of the crowd until the crystal glowed like a miniature sun in the lord’s hand. The light seemed to frighten the man who had spoken out, for he raised his hands and looked away, faltering in his stance of defiance. Then, Lord Raphael added, “I AM also a Crystal Master. If you are done, please move aside, sir, so I can return to the palace peacefully with my family.”
Lord Raphael dropped the crystal which had diminished in brightness and stared at the man who had opposed him. Just as one of the nearby guards was going to reach out to take the man into custody, Lord Raphael stopped him and said, “Let him go so he can tell his friends that I have come in peace to work with your people. I was given an assignment by my elder Cousin, your former lord, now deceased. He only knows why he chose me to lead his people, but he can’t tell you. Here I am. Do you question the wishes of your dead lord? He is not here to argue with you, and I will not waste my time doing so. Now, step aside and let us pass!”
Now looking rather bewildered, the defiant man stepped aside as if entranced by what he had seen. Some people standing nearby noticed the strange man was dragged further into the shelter of the crowd by a group of darkly-clad men who then began to push through the tightly packed masses attempting to leave the square. The keen eyes of Commander Monteras and those of Captain Fernando made note of the passage of this group of men, with Fernando signing to one of his sergeants to follow and report back where the men went.
Raphael’s party finally made it safely to the palace. He was aware that there might be some opposition to his becoming the temporary leader of Airus, but to be physically confronted nearly on the doorstep of the palace was a bit disconcerting, especially when he had his mate and children nearby. He had four of the Eagles see that his immediate family were taken immediately to their suite, while he lingered behind. First, he addressed the palace guards who were gathering at the foot of the steps: “Men – I AM Raphael DeAires Kantor, son of Lord TorSeth Kantor, deceased. Your former leader, Lord Aeolus Kadish, has chosen my humble self to lead you during the years when he will be gone from Airus. So, I have chosen to act as Regent, as a placeholder for the Lordship, until your lord has returned as He has promised. Meanwhile, I will do my best to work with the people of Airus to bring a sense of renewal to your world. We will repair what is needed to be repaired. We will learn to work together for the good of all the inhabitants of the planet, in this city, this continent, and all the continents of this beautiful world.”
“Men, I am honored to be your leader. I have noticed things that are not being done. Your captain told me last night that you, the very men who handle the security of this great palace of the Kadish Family, you were not informed about the change of leadership. I was appalled to hear this – such things will not happen again on my watch. And if they do, kindly inform me or my team, and we will correct the omission as soon as may.”
“I will be introducing changes in how the security for the entire city is conducted, as well, so what just happened will not occur again in this beautiful city. Yes, I am a stranger to you all, but with such occurrences happening if not corrected and eliminated, soon no citizen will be able to walk safely from one end of the city to the other. Peace will return. Distant relatives of mine contributed to the troubles suffered by many of the citizens of this fair city and those who live outside her gates in the countryside. So, I have been chosen to correct these things and… at the same time, do my best to hold the balance with the planet. Great things are possible when we align with Source, my men. Let us work together for the good of all here, in Ostta and in every gathering place across this beautiful world! Now, I must consult with your Captain Fernando and others about what just happened. You are dismissed, to return to your regular duties or take your leave. Thank you for attending this our first official meeting!”
The men cheered in response and then, slowly, the groups broke off, with some returning to duty and others going home to their families.
Raphael lingered to consult with Commander Monteras, Captain Fernando, Lord Pietro, and Lord Da’vid. As the men gathered in the entrance hall, he said, “If what happened out there in the square is an example of the welcome that I am going to receive here in Ostta, then we have some work to do, gentlemen! I have never been confronted like that anywhere on Medina. The energy of that fellow was also quite ‘off’. I suspect there were still some implanted individuals here who may have been missed earlier by the Command forces. I’ll have Monteras here notify the Line Communications department on the Green Dragon and at Alyona Command Center to see if we might need to land some troops, again, and perform some more sweeps of the population.”
Lord Pietro looked upset at the mention of Command troops entering the city, again, but he knew better than to second guess Raphael in security matters relating to the last possible vestiges of the dark agents on Airus. Any sort of division coming from a small minority of people had the potential of growing and recreating the problems that had previously existed under Lord Michael Kadish, younger brother to Lord Aeolus. He cautiously replied, “Do what you think best, Raphael, but keep Captain Fernando advised regarding the intel received from the Command forces. We do not need to alarm the people while they are still in mourning for their lord.”“I understand your concerns, Pietro, but any opposition might be coming from implanted individuals – which has to be stamped out and cleared immediately lest more people are infected,” replied Raphael with some authority in a harsh tone. “Now, let me divest myself of these…garments. They are beautiful but simply not at all practical for what we need to do here, now. I am going to pull on one of my uniforms and a Kantor blue robe – and no, I am not Aeolus, to sit idly by and let those who are out of alignment run loose in the midst of a large city. If I can be blunt right now, I mean no offense to Lord Aeolus, but it was his failing rule here, in the city and on Airus, that was a root cause for the disturbances and miscreations that did take place. It will be dealt with and in a speedy manner. I would also appreciate some input from the priestesses here; Lord Pietro, if you have an ‘in’ with Lady Abbagail, I would like to have a consultation with her and some of her healing priestesses. And when Lord Aeolus is reborn, he is going to receive a slightly different education on guiding his people. This encounter today is evidence that the planet has fallen in frequency or people like the man who just confronted me in front of the palace guard would have been unable to function here at all. The Airian people need to learn to work on their individual and collective frequencies, to raise them through clearing trauma-based memories, like I have been doing all my life. I can now see the purpose Lord Aeolus had in selecting me as his successor. I will not allow the same follies that were overlooked in the past to happen under my watch. My methods may seem harsh at first but coming into alignment with God’s will is imperative. Then, you can work on the love and light stuff with a higher degree of expectation of success of any endeavor.”
Raphael abruptly turned and entered the palace, leaving the other men standing on the porch in a daze. Lord Pietro looked at Lord Da’vid and said, “Our new lord has a temper if you haven’t noticed. We best make the appropriate connections for him. Next, I will attempt to mollify him by introducing his new personal assistant, Charles Mantos. Then, I was planning to hold a family dinner in the dining room here at the palace, although the room is really too large in scale to be intimate.”
“Charles Mantos, the retired commander? Do you think the man will be willing to work with Lord Raphael?” asked Lord Da’vid, who was quite astonished. Mantos had been hired on about a year ago by Lord Pietro to assist with the work being done in straightening out the administrative nightmare left behind by the regime of Lord Michael Kadish.
Pietro nodded and replied, “When he heard Lord Raphael had been called upon by Lord Aeolus, Mantos immediately suggested himself as an assistant. The man has held the same rank as Lord Raphael as a Head Commander but was forced to retire when he was injured in an attack. He is extremely efficient and hard-working. Actually, I think the two men will work well together. Both have similar backgrounds… in that they have both been in the Command. I don’t think Lord Raphael has ever had the opportunity to encounter Commander Mantos in person, but I intend to bring Charles to the council meeting tomorrow and introduce them to each other.”
Da’vid nodded, but still thought it was a rather extraordinary idea. Retired Commander Mantos still walked with a limp due to an injury received in the last battle of the great war when his ship was fired upon by a larger vessel and took on quite a bit of damage. He was lucky to have survived the barrage; others of his crew weren’t quite as fortunate. He had been commanding a small battleship during the fight over Serana. Then, after retiring, for some strange reason, he moved to Airus rather than returning home to his native home world, Maia. When questioned why, he merely replied he had chosen to live in Ostta on a sort of whim.
Charles Mantos was a somewhat secretive individual and kept his inner thoughts to himself, so Lord Pietro tentatively approved the notion of assigning the man to be the personal assistant / secretary to Lord Raphael. While, Mantos was relatively new to Ostta himself, he was in fact familiar with the city having attended the university in Ostta while a boy. He had relatives on Airus who had fostered him from age 4 to 16 years when he entered into the Medinian University Ship. Interestingly enough, he had started out as a line communications technician much like Lord Raphael and had worked his way up through the ranks, eventually reaching Head Commander status. Unlike Raphael, he had also trained in navigation and eventually ran a smaller ship as its commander. In short, if Lord Raphael accepted the man, there was the potential the two of them would make an extraordinarily powerful duo, both being intelligent and highly trained individuals.
Lord Da’vid thoughtfully followed Lord Pietro into the palace, followed closely by Commander Monteras who was still conversing with Captain Fernando on how to treat any possible fall-out arising from the earlier confrontation.
As warriors, Monteras and Captain Fernando understood each other. Now, the commander instructed the guard captain on what would be expected to happen if the individuals involved in the confrontation were successfully captured. He said, “Lord Raphael will expect to scan the men himself. I would request some healing priestesses be present, too, so the results of the scan can be carefully weighed. If the men are enemy agents or even implanted, they should be immediately executed. Are your men prepared to do such a thing? If not, Lord Raphael will not hesitate to order several squads of warriors from The Green Dragon here to fulfill this duty.”
“Should we order any judges to be present? After all, this was just a minor confrontation in full view of the public, my lord,” replied Captain Fernando, somewhat astonished that Lord Raphael would take it upon himself to interview any men brought in.
“Captain – Lord Raphael has been involved in handling this sort of thing since he was a young commander. He can detect anyone who is implanted, even if the device has not yet activated. Yet, if this particular individual – the man who confronted Raphael in the square got near enough and was implanted, I can guarantee the device has activated by now and so he is a danger to everyone around him. If there are still others who were not discovered during the earlier sweeps performed by the Command troops, then they will be found out while Lord Raphael is the ruler here,” replied Commander Monteras.
Captain Fernando was astounded and impressed, “I can see that things are going to be taken up a few notches now that Lord Raphael is our Regent. It may shake up the complacent lords around here, but frankly, they need it. My men are going to be impressed by the caliber of our new leader. He has already made it evident to me that he truly cares about the common man, which is, frankly, a refreshing change from the days of Lord Michael. Lord Pietro and Lord Da’vid have been working hard, but they are challenged by the mess they inherited from the previous administrator. Sir, this will be a welcome change for all of us here in Ostta. I look forward to seeing Lord Raphael in action in the coming days! Now, I need to see to the patrols. I will see you at the Council meeting tomorrow?”
“Yes, Captain, I will be there if there is going to be one. Send word if anyone was brought in under suspicion and we will deal with them in the morning. We’ll need some healing priestesses and a Shay healer, too, although we have a Veyan physician who can also detect and deactivate any devices that might be found,” commented Commander Monteras.
“Oh, good to know. I’ll will send a messenger to Lady Abbagail today so she can prepare. Then, I will let you know if we find where that man and his friends went to ground,” replied Captain Fernando.
Followed by a concerned Lord Pietro and Lord Da’vid, Raphael had made his way back to his rooms, setting two of the remaining Eagles on guard at the entrance to the residential wing. He stopped briefly to check on the condition of Lorenna and the children, who were resting in their rooms. Lorenna was slightly upset; the confrontation painfully reminded her of what had happened to her own father and elder brother. Then, when she saw Raphael, she knew that he was angry… not upset. She sensed that he was determined not to be victimized by any implanted idiot or misguided ideological miscreant on his watch. Lorenna actually smiled and sighed. Finally, here was a man who was willing to step up and defend his family despite being surrounded by strangers. She climbed off the bed and went to give Raphael a hug, but he cautioned her with a grin, “Let me remove this… costume off, my love. For the next few days, I will be wearing my uniform, until people get the message that I am not going to allow such nonsense to reoccur to anyone in the city or anywhere on Airus. It may have seemed to be an unimportant incident that I am blowing out of proportion, but I sense something very misaligned behind it. Now, let me take these garments off.”
As Raphael disappeared into the bathing room, he added, “Lord Pietro and Lord Da’vid followed me here. Commander Monteras is speaking to Captain Fernando. Where did Master Mei Li go? And how are the boys?”
“The boys are fine, Raphael; they are actually both sitting out on the balcony enjoying the sunshine. Master Mei Li went out with them, so they should be well. A couple of the Eagles are sitting nearby, just to give everyone a sense of security,” replied Lorenna.
It was just minutes when Raphael reappeared. He was dressed in an older uniform with one of his linen blue and white Medinian robes thrown over it. If Lord Pietro got his nose out of joint, that was his issue, decided Raphael with a snort. He was in his suite, with his family and would dress in a manner that suited him. Lord Pietro did make a slight grimace upon seeing Raphael wearing his command uniform, but he wisely refrained from making any comments about it. Instead, he began to describe where the previously scheduled council meeting would take place on the morrow. “My lord, we do have a smaller council room that should work well in this instance…”
Raphael had just entered the room and headed straight to one of the tables where there was some cold tea waiting. As he poured out a cup, he broke into Pietro’s comment, “Pietro – we will wait to see if any men are rounded up tonight. If so, then the council meeting will be canceled. I intend to attend to this… situation and I need time to do a scan of the city and surrounding countryside. I do not need to be distracted by the concerns of a group of wealthy individuals who can afford to hire security for their large houses. I believe Monteras is going to contact the Green Dragon and have their Line Communications Department do a couple of surveys, as well. Now, is there anything else you would like to add?”
Lord Pietro was stunned. He wasn’t used to a leader taking command of a situation like Raphael appeared to be doing. He looked over at his cousin, Lord Da’vid, who responded with a comment of his own: “Cousin… Raphael, Lord Pietro said he has found a personal assistant for you. His name is Charles Mantos. He is retired from the Fleet and previously held the position of a Head Commander, like your own rank. He was wounded in action. He has been working with us for over a year now and seems to be quite efficient. We were intending to introduce the two of you tomorrow. Would you still be interested in meeting him if we do not hold the council meeting as planned?”
Raphael smiled and replied, “Ah, finally some good news! I would be pleased to meet this retired Commander Mantos. Where is he from? Is he an Airian? I don’t seem to recall ever meeting him although I haven’t met everyone in the Fleet as yet, especially since I haven’t been stationed onboard any ships for decades.”
“It is my understanding that Charles Mantos is originally from Maia, although he attended college here in Ostta and then went onto the Medinian University Ship,” replied Lord Pietro, who was finally regaining his sense of balance. “He explained that he moved to Ostta after retiring ‘on a whim’, but when he heard that you were going to act a regent here, he immediately volunteered to work with you.”
“Hmm, interesting; well, I will meet with the man and see how well we get along,” replied Raphael after taking another sip of tea. “Now, was there anything else you wanted to share with me today? I suppose you were hoping to celebrate my ascension to the regency, but I will tell you now, I am not in the mood for a party. If you could see that my family and men are served here in our rooms, I think I’ve had enough with the outside world today. I expect to receive a report in the morning as to the status of what Captain Fernando and his men discover about the individual who confronted me and if he has any associates. Now, I need some peace and quiet so I can perform a preliminary scan. Thank you for your concern, gentlemen. I will see you in the morning!”
Lord Pietro and Lord Da’vid both gave Raphael a respectful salute, turned and left the suite. There really wasn’t any point in disputing the wishes of their new leader. It was clear Raphael needed to settle and focus in on the work he had set out for himself.
Later on, Raphael made his way to the secret meditation garden of Lord Aeolus. This time, he allowed his Eagles to accompany him into the garden as he was going to attempt a deep scan of Ostta and knew he needed someone to look after his body. It had been a while since doing any scans, but upon being seated, he fell immediately into a deep meditation, reconnecting with the elementals who had earlier introduced themselves to him. He asked them to survey the energies of the city for him. The elementals were intrigued by his request, but readily cooperated. It seemed that Lord Aeolus had never done such a thing with them.
The elementals brought Raphael’s attention to a large group of men who were in the process of planning some riots. They were using the ascension of the new leader of Airus as an excuse. Raphael noted that the frequency of the individuals concerned was extremely low and their resonance grating to his senses. Raphael interpreted this to mean the men were either implanted and/or were actually enemy agents who somehow had managed to avoid the clearances made by the Command troops soon after Lord Michael Kadish and his associates were arrested. How and why, they would have escaped notice was difficult to tell, but even as Raphael’s focus rested upon them, he felt their energies stir up even more – they had been discovered. Apparently, Captain Fernando had someone tail the group earlier in the day and now a party had been sent to gather up the discontents. So, he would have to arrange for these men to be interviewed the next day or later.
Raphael hoped that Ostta had ample facilities to hold such a large group. There were at least 15 individuals being rounded up. He was gratified to learn that Captain Fernando and his men were eager to contain any possible signs of misaligned activities. The new regent wondered why the men had not shown themselves prior to his ascension day. In reply, the elementals indicated that the men were kin to some of the former associates of Lord Michael who had also been implanted. Part of their purpose in attacking Lord Raphael was in seeking revenge for their kin being imprisoned and summarily executed. Lord Aeolus seldom left his well-guarded palace so there was little opportunity to infiltrate that huge dwelling place. Likewise, Lord Aeolus was not involved in the judgment of Lord Michael, while Raphael attended the trial and was instrumental in establishing the guilt of the men. He could well understand why he would be considered a target for this group, although why they would not make a more blatant attack on him was slightly confusing.
Thanking the elementals for their assistance, he expanded his scan out to encompass the city, seeking out any disharmonious pockets of energy. Besides the group who now in the process of being actively rounded up, the city seemed rather quiet outside of normal daily activities. It was still late afternoon, so people were still working and moving about. Still, any troop activities were bound to attract some attention from the city’s residents and so it did even as Raphael performed his remote viewing of the situation. Guessing who had been caught, the citizens lined up to shout at the prisoners, while they walked grimly inside a large column of heavily armed guards. The men had their hands tied and were being prodded along by the warriors. Some of them displayed signs that they had put up a considerable fight before being taken. Some of the soldiers were also limping or holding their arms; there were men wounded in this action. In seeing this, Raphael knew it was time for him to break out of his meditation and return to being actively involved.
Milo and Loki were with him, so when Raphael’s eyes opened, they were aware that he was awake, again. He said, “Men, we’re going to Lord Aeolus’ office so I can communicate with Lord Pietro and others.”
Milo quietly handed Raphael a flask of cold tea to drink, which he gratefully accepted. Then, the three men left the wild secret garden and made their way to the office of the former lord of Airus. Raphael had hoped he would have an interactive comm set up in his residence, but the job had not been completed as yet, so the office was the only place he knew where there was a comm short of walking all the way through the palace to the administrative building.
With some occasional backtracking, Raphael finally found the entrance to the office and entered it. Fortunately, the room was not locked, but neither was there any guard posted. He was determined to improve the security measures at the palace and elsewhere throughout the city, at least until the frequency levels of the people rose considerably higher, so Raphael added another item to his list for when he spoke again to Captain Fernando.
Raphael punched in the code for Lord Pietro. Surprisingly… or perhaps not, the man was in his office. He looked a bit harried but listened to Raphael as he relayed what he had seen during his meditation. Lord Pietro turned pale and replied that he had just received word from Captain Fernando that a patrol had been sent out to round up the troublemakers. He murmured, “One of your visions, my lord?”
Raphael shook his head and replied, “My scans usually capture present time events, although I can see into the future and past. It would appear that I saw into the near future. Well, good – Captain Fernando is actively performing his duties. Now, I would like a palace guard to set at the bottom of the steps leading to my wing and another one set at the entrance to this office. There is literally no one in this side of the palace other than myself and my two Eagles.”
Lord Pietro was at a loss for words; he wasn’t used to be instructed on how to run the palace. Raphael next asked, “Who is the Major Domo of the palace anyway? You’re not – you were secretary to Lord Aeolus. I want to meet the palace staff and sort out assignments. Also, is the palace guard separate from those who patrol the city? I think it would be to our advantage to unite the two groups. I would like to be introduced to any other officers who are in charge of general patrols. I want this city secure for its citizens without interfering overtly in their daily lives, just safe enough for any person to walk at night from gate to gate without being accosted. Is that even possible right now, Pietro? If not, that is yet another thing we need to work on. As you can see, I am not about to sit on the gilded chair all day and be admired by courtiers. I am a working Regent; without Lord Aeolus present, I am in charge, short of you and Lord Da’vid. I know Lord Da’vid is technically the administrator of the planet, but he is still learning his position and he doesn’t have a military background like I do.”
Raphael paused a moment, reflecting on something mentioned earlier in the day and then queried, “You said… or Da’vid said you have found a personal assistant for me… and that the man has a military background. Very good! I would like to meet him at this office in the morning, say about 9:00 a.m. I expect him to be prompt and ready for work after his initial interview with me. Then, could you inform the 50 individuals who were going to attend the council meeting tomorrow that I am pushing it back by one day so I can work with Captain Fernando and his men, plus my new assistant, on setting new security measures into place.”
“Since the men who created the disturbance earlier today are being arrested, schedule their hearing the day after Council. I want the same three lords who attended Lord Michael’s trial to be present, as well as Lady Abbagail and several of her healing priestesses. I will have Master Mei Li Zang with me. All of the men, without exception will be scanned and if implanted, executed immediately. I already asked Captain Fernando if his men were prepared to do such a thing and he replied, yes. So, is there anything else you need me to know, Pietro? Oh, thank you… that was a lovely ceremony this morning. Too bad it was immediately blighted by that confrontation in the middle of the city square. That sort of thing will not be tolerated as long as I am in charge here, my lord,” said Raphael with emphasis. “Any questions?”
Pietro looked a little overwhelmed and replied, “No, my lord. Do you wish to see me tomorrow? If not, I will head directly to the administrative offices with Lord Da’vid to begin our work. We still have much to sort through despite all of the time we have been working on it. When your assistant has adjusted to his new duties, perhaps he might have some suggestions on how to streamline things, my lord?”
Raphael nodded, “Yes, I intend to have at least one or two working meetings per week until things are running more smoothly. By the way, Captain Fernando was not initially informed in the change of leadership on the day that Lord Aeolus passed away. I find that a huge oversight, Lord Pietro; something I do not want to see repeated. I suggest you obtain yourself a personal assistant and one for Lord Da’vid to see that such details are handled smoothly. I guess I am too used to being served by a man like Master Polaño who was able to anticipate all contingencies and prepare for things to run without mishap. Salaniel DeAires was also very detail oriented. I miss the efficiency and work of both those valuable individuals. Still, we have to work with what we have here, so endeavor to hire more helpers, Pietro. The palace budget can surely afford additional staff. One more thing, all gatherings in the audience room are canceled for at least a month out of consideration for the death of Lord Aeolus. There is too much to do for me to settle down and listen to the chatter of a group of overly self-indulgent aristocrats. So, I’m going now. I will see you briefly tomorrow so you can introduce my new assistant… what was his name, again?”
“Charles Mantos, my lord. Yes, I will escort him to the palace and let Captain Fernando know that you wish to speak to him, also. Good evening, my lord,” replied Pietro eager to get off the comm with his startling new leader.
When he flicked off the connection, Raphael looked up at Milo and Loki who were standing there stoically listening to the one-sided conversation. He grinned and said, “Guess I am creating a bit of a tempest in a teapot, men. Well, Lord Aeolus knew I was a very different person than himself – just how different, Lord Pietro is finding out now. Let’s go back to the suite and have a bite to eat. I’m hungry!”
Meanwhile, Monteras made connection with the Communications Department of the Green Dragon by utilizing one of the interactive comms in the Administrative Building. He advised them about the incident in the city square and requested another close scan be done of the city and then to send the report to Lord Aeolus’ comm number, since that would be Raphael’s contact for now on. The 2nd Level Commander of the department personally spoke with Commander Monteras and confessed to having been trained long ago by Line Commander Kantor. He asked, “How is the Commander doing these days? You referred to him as ‘Regent’?”
“He’s the Regent of Airus now; having just handed over the Lordship of the Pleiades to his nephew and stepson, Lord Francis Dino VaCoupe,” replied Monteras. “He just got this new ‘assignment’ from Lord Aeolus himself, so there might be some locals who take issue with someone who is not a member of the Kadish Family and has never lived on Airus. Despite all that, Lord Kantor-VaCoupe is the blood son of Lord TorSeth Kantor, who unfortunately died during the wars. Now, could your teams get this scan done pronto? We want to make certain there are no more existing enemy agents within this region or on this planet. Then, pass on your report to Commander Charles Lo’Telle at the Alyona Command Center. Charles would be interested to see that some things may have been missed during the initial scans of this planet. I’m not blaming anyone; there was a lot going on at the time. Thank you, sir, for your assistance in this matter. And let your Top Commander, Peter, know that Lord Raphael might consider calling in some temporary back-up in case the local guards are not up to the task. We’ll stay connected, sir.”
Commander Monteras rejoined Raphael in the suite, advising him that he had spoken to Captain Fernando and contacted The Green Dragon so they could make a back-up report on anything that Raphael was able to discern during his meditation. Then, Raphael told Monteras what he had seen and his communication with Lord Pietro. He grinned as he described how upset Lord Pietro was when he spoke about calling in some more troops to quell any uprisings. “I don’t think Lord Pietro has been around violence much. I know he kind of froze when we encountered the scene outside of Babbos years ago. Today, I made it clear that I will not tolerate any secretive sects existing within the city, especially ones set on avenging their deceased relatives. Or anyone who might have held sympathies with what was being done here by Lord Michael and his associates. Tomás, I actually ‘saw’ a large group of men being rounded up by the city guards – apparently before the event actually occurred. It was yet another thing to unsettle my former father-in-law. You and I have come to accept my visions as reality or potential; others, like Pietro don’t understand and perhaps fear these powers of mine. It’s not that I am particularly unusual as many of our priestesses have the same or similar abilities. It seems that because I have never been officially trained that people seem to want to discount or disbelieve in my abilities. Well, I’m not planning to show off – just want to get things done here while I’m in charge. Lord Pietro seems incapable of really governing things and Lord Da’vid is still more or less in training and doesn’t have the military training or experience on how to direct warriors or guards when necessary. Oh, apparently, I will be getting an assistant tomorrow, a retired Head Commander, Charles Mantos.”
Monteras replied, “Oh, I think I’ve heard of the man, although I have never met him. I heard he is a fierce fighter. Apparently, he was wounded in the last battle when his small ship met a huge warship and took quite a beating. He should be a good asset for your team here, my lord; he has taken on fire and survived.” He paused and scanned Raphael’s energies quickly – yes, Monteras could do some of the same things as his soul mate; he just didn’t advertise the fact.
Raphael grinned when he felt Monteras checking on him and commented, “I’m fine, Tomás. I got upset over the confrontation, but now, I’ve calmed down. Things have been set in motion. I’m glad to have you here, old friend, and Captain Fernando seems to be a solid asset for establishing… or should I say, re-establishing the rule of law here in Ostta. Things have been left to fall slightly to pieces. Unfortunately, that seems to happen when a ruler is in decline, especially if whoever is supposed to be his successor doesn’t step up and act. Well, I am not going to hesitate. By the way, I have canceled the council meeting tomorrow. I want to have a wider discussion with the leaders of the security forces for both the palace and the city, including you, Captain Fernando, my Eagles, and some of the sergeants or troop leaders under Fernando. Hopefully, my new assistant, Charles Mantos, will want to join in. Any reports received from The Green Dragon will be added to the pile. Then, the next day, if everything goes well, we can hold a council meeting. I told Pietro, again, that any meetings in the audience chamber have been canceled for at least a month, perhaps longer. I am not going to waste time sitting around with a group of over-dressed fops when things need to get done.”
Monteras laughed and replied, “I suppose Lord Pietro didn’t like hearing your opinion of the wealthy inhabitants of this city, my lord. After all, he is one of them.”
“I know. He tries but is really not a detail-oriented person, I am finding out. Too much gets missed. That is going to be remedied,” said Raphael firmly. “Now, I hope someone remembers to send us our dinner!”
Just then, a knock on the door announced Paul and Felipe, as they carried in two groaning trays. Felipe laughed and said, “The cooks are overjoyed to have someone to prepare meals for, my lord. It looks like we will eat well tonight!”
The smell of food brought the boys in from the balcony, with Master Mei Li following them in a more sedate fashion. Raphael asked the men whether they had also received some trays. Paul answered, “Yes, my lord; and if you would forgive us, we’re headed back to our suite to eat before the others devour it all!”
Lady Lorenna appeared, dressed in one of Raphael’s caftans for comfort. Nevertheless, she joined the boys in being seated on some cushions at one of the low tables. Raphael laughed at the sight, “My Maian lady is turning into a desert dweller! Here, I’ll join you. Boys, how are you now?”
“Fine, Father,” replied Daniel. He then commented, “They found the men, Father, who were threatening you. They found them all. I saw it.”
Master Mei Li nodded and said, “Yes, my lord; your young son also has precognitive abilities. When grown, he will make an excellent line communications technician. I shouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t go far in his chosen focus within the Command.”
“And unlike me he won’t be misused since people now have more understanding of those abilities. Setting up the Alyona Command Center proved a turning point for the line communications departments throughout the Fleet,” said Monteras.
Lorenna was curious about what Raphael had discovered during his meditation. Raphael replied, “Just what our son, Daniel, reported is what I saw, but over two hours ago now!”
“And I ordered a verification report from The Green Dragon, which we should be receiving tomorrow morning before the meeting,” replied Monteras.
Raphael nodded, “This all feels rather like we are setting up camp on the edge of unknown territory, dealing with all sorts of unexpected events and people. Hopefully, things will get sorted out in the following weeks and months. Goddess knows this planet has needed some firmer direction for quite some time; I just didn’t realize that I would be one of the men leading point.”
“You are a wayshower, my lord,” commented Master Mei Li with a smile. He was pleased Raphael seemed happy to tackle the challenges that lay before him and his new team. He was, indeed, a pioneer and had always been one since coming into his second life as a Pleiadian. Now, he truly had an opportunity to prove his worth to yet another set of people, the inhabitants of Airus.
Raphael nodded and replied, “I know, Master Zang; by the Grace of our Source Creator, I continue to serve our people in my own unique way. I hope to continue to do so for many years to come!”
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