

Sounds of Happiness

### George Thomson

### _Copyright George Thomson_ 2018

### Published by George Thomson

### Smashwords Edition

TABLE OF CONTENTS

### Chapter 1 - Dharwad
### Chapter 2 - Bailey

### Chapter 3 - Merrinda
### Chapter 4 - Daveed

### Chapter 5 - The Big Guy
### Chapter 6 - Growing Awareness

### Chapter 7 - Orientation
### Chapter 8 - Interlude

### Chapter 9 - The Wall
### Chapter 10 - Village of Livvon

### Chapter 11 - The Palace of Learning
### Chapter 12 - The Storyteller

### Chapter 13 - The Child
### Chapter 14 - Immanuel

### Chapter 15 - Richie
### Chapter 16 - Bastikuff

### Chapter 17Establishment
### Chapter 18 - The King

### Chapter 19 - United
### About the Author

### Map

Chapter 1 - DHARWAD

Dharwad loved walking. He forced himself to slow down and savoured the feel of the grass under his feet as he made his way home. He wanted to prolong the anticipation of his reunion with Bailey for as long as possible. This was the best day of his life. He had been separated from his wife, Bailey, for five weeks while he attended to business in the Royal Compound. But now, over and over as he walked, he was anticipating the moment when he would see the lift of joy that would flood her face when he told her his news. He knew her reactions better than his own. First, the corners of her mouth would twist into the hint of a smile, then the contours of her face would change, beaming with delight, and finally her eyes would light in an overflow of joy. He anticipated the moment when she would throw herself into his arms and they would dance for a moment in shared delight. The scene played over and over in his mind as he anticipated his arrival. After ten years of marriage, he loved her more than he had the day he had first asked her to be his wife. She seemed to grow more beautiful every day. As he pondered this he realised that _everything_ in the kingdom of Immanuel had become more beautiful as the years went by.

As he turned into the entrance to his home he felt something change within him. He paused for a moment to analyse what was happening. In the quietness, he heard a re-play of the voice of King Immanuel as he talked about the changes that were about to happen in his life and the life of his family. The words were as clear as they had been just yesterday when he was face to face with the King. "As you begin to work from the palace of the King you will be given special abilities to enable you to do your work efficiently. Treasure these gifts. Use them only in my service and never for selfish gain." He pondered the words for a moment. Was this awareness that he felt rising within him a part of this gift which had been promised? He was certainly experiencing something different from anything he had ever experienced before, a strong awareness that something was wrong. He knew that this was something that was coming to him from outside of his normal mental processes.

Now that he had identified the source of what was happening within him, the awareness became absolute certainty. He knew that Bailey was in pain. He took hold of the anticipation of reunion that he had been savouring and put it into submission. He would husband his wife with love. The sharing of his news must wait.

Inside, Bailey had been waiting impatiently for his arrival and her emotions were overpowering her reason. As she approached the door to let him in, her anger rose to the surface. Why could he not have used instatravel to come home to her when her need was so great? One small part of her knew she was being unreasonable, but anger was easier to cope with than the fear she felt for the safety of their daughter, Merrinda.

When the door opened in front of him, Dharwad was faced with a wife he had never seen before. The intensity of what was before him frightened him. He knew that if he had not been given that gift of foreknowledge he would not have been able to cope with the situation. He was confronted by a wife who hated him. What he knew in his heart contradicted what he saw, so he acted on the knowledge that was within him. As the first words of anger left her mouth he took her tightly into his arms and murmured into her ear, soft words of love and concern.

Chapter2 - BAILEY

At first, Bailey fought against the comfort her husband was offering, but gradually the murmur of his voice and the comfort of his arms created enough safety for her to let go of the cover of anger she was protecting herself with. As she let go, the fear began to subside and she slowly returned to being the rational, self-contained person whom Dharwad loved. It was not that she had no fear left. She still knew that Merrinda was in danger, but she also knew that she could trust the Great One and his messenger Alias, to protect her. As she relaxed she began to tell Dharwad what had happened during the morning.

Was it really only this morning that she had stood at the window, looking out into the garden? The scene outside had been so peaceful. It had brought joy to her heart. She had been so happy as she watched Merrinda her daughter playing, that it was almost too much to bear. Added to the pleasure she experienced, was the anticipation of the reunion which would take place later in the day. Dharwad, her husband, would be home. She looked forward to hearing what he had to say about the last few days he had spent away.

He had been given great honour by being sent on the mission from which he was now returning. It took him a step closer to being a part of the royal household. There could be no greater honour than that. She was immensely proud of him.

With all these thoughts going through her mind she continued to watch the scene outside. Her daughter was playing contentedly under the trees. What a joy that girl was. Merrinda was just nine years old. Bailey watched, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen, able to experience her joy without hindrance.

Merrinda was chatting away to Bear as if he could understand every word she said and every now and then the dog would wander over and join the conversation. She thought back to her own childhood and remembered doing exactly what Merrinda was doing now. Bear had been hers then, only the dog was different.

Just then a tremor ran through the house. She turned and looked at the display cabinet which contained her most precious and fragile possessions. Nothing had moved.

The tremor had been so slight that she had no fear for Merrinda. She returned her gaze to the scene outside and froze in shock. Merrinda had gone. What she saw did not make sense. She knew that what she was seeing was impossible but that did not alter the fact. Merrinda was gone. Then she realised that Bear and the dog had gone too. She let out a long piercing scream, followed immediately by another scream that ended in a sob. Her whole being cried out, "No!"

She stood in shock, unable to move. Then, in the midst of her distress, she heard a voice. It said just one word, "Bailey."

She knew that voice. It was a voice from her past. Turning, she recognised her friend, Alias. He was one friend she knew she could trust. He came to her now, sat beside her and said, "Will you trust me with your fears?"

She relaxed a little. His voice instilled calm into her troubled spirit. He had authority to work miracles. He was a messenger of the Great One.

He said, "Bailey, did you feel the tremor?"

"Yes."

"Did you feel it with your feet? Did anything move or rattle?"

She thought for a moment and said, "No, nothing moved. The tremor was in the air." Then memories of her own childhood came flooding back. "You mean it was the shimmering?"

Alias nodded.

She was thrown back into childhood with a vivid recollection of how she and her dog, Duncan, along with Bear, had been taken on that first journey into the unknown. As she recalled those events, excitement and fear fought for supremacy within her. Turning to Alias, she said, "Please watch over her. There is so much danger."

Alias looked at her and smiled. She knew what he was thinking. She remembered the intensity of her own excitement as she had travelled in the shimmering when she was Merrinda's age. She could not deny her daughter an experience like that. She gave Alias a nod of approval and was immediately lost again in her own memories, but the fear remained.

Dharwad listened as his wife told her story, his only comment being the assurance of his presence. His own concern for his daughter's safety was growing. He recalled all that Bailey had told him about the times when she had been taken to other places in the shimmering. He was sure that she had never been away for as long as Merrinda had.

He asked, "When was she taken?"

"I was just about to get myself a morning coffee."

It didn't take much calculation. "So, she has been gone about ten hours. Were you ever away that long?"

Bailey thought for a moment, then said, "I can't have been. I always went after I had gone to bed and returned before morning. My parents never knew that anything had happened. I was always in bed, asleep, when they woke." Dharwad was heavy with the weight of responsibility. He decided to act. "I will go immediately to the palace. I have an unconditional pass and can use instatravel to go and to return. Immanuel may have some answers. In any case, he needs to know what is happening in his kingdom." Before he left, he would look again in Merrinda's room to make sure there were no clues as to her whereabouts. When he reached the door, he knew that there _was_ a clue, a big one. It was so unexpected that he took a while to believe what he was seeing. Bear was propped up in the corner of the room in his usual spot and, sleeping at the foot of the bed was that bundle of fur, energy and intelligence that they had named Fella, but was commonly called the dog. He felt tears stinging his eyes as he took in the scene. Snuggled under the blankets, lying peacefully asleep, was that small bundle of delight whose face reflected a mixture of features that could only have come from Bailey and himself. Merrinda was home, safe, and soundly asleep.

He motioned to his wife, and with a shushing motion asked her to come. They stood together for a moment watching and wondering at the depth of their love for this small bundle of life which they had produced. Then, they left to fix a long-delayed and improvised meal before retiring to bed. Tomorrow, they would talk.

Chapter3 - MERRINDA

The next day when Bailey had almost finished cooking breakfast and Dharwad was seated at the table, Merrinda walked into the room. They had decided to talk with her quietly when they were relaxed and satisfied after eating, but one look at Merrinda as she walked into the room made the situation more urgent. Perhaps a stranger would not have noticed anything amiss, but to her parents, everything about her shouted that she was in distress.

The next moment, even a stranger would have known something was wrong. She did not eat. Instead, she threw her fork onto the table, put her head between her arms with her face against the table-top and sobbed out just one word, "Mummy." Lifting her head ever so slightly, she said again, "Mummy, do lions really kill things?" That one word, 'mummy', struck Dharwad to the core. All the love in his heart came to the fore. He had not heard her use that diminutive form of 'mum' for at least two years. He got to his feet, and scooping her into his arms said, "Come, we will all sit together in the big chair and talk about it." And that is what they did.

The big chair was a sofa at the end of the kitchen, close to the warmth of the fire. It was where they sat together for story times and games. It was the best place in the house.

She snuggled against her mother and repeated, "Mum, do lions kill things?" This time, there was less distress in her voice and more curiosity. It was Dharwad who answered. "You have no need to fear lions or any other animal. But, yes, there was a time when they were fierce and to be feared, but that all changed when Immanuel came to us and established his kingdom. Now all animals are at peace, as are all people." He stopped and thought for a while to decide how to explain the inexplicable. "I don't know exactly how it all happened, but I think it was something like this. Way back in the beginning everything was perfect and there was no fear of any animal harming us. Then the first man disobeyed the Great One and a curse came upon the earth. The Great One exiled man from the garden where everything was perfect and all the productive plants grew, and he set guards so neither they nor the animals could go back in. That garden was the place where all the dapiboska plants grew and, because they were locked out, they could not eat the dapti any more. There was no other suitable source of protein to build the muscle structure of the bodies of the animals that needed it most. Soon, many of the animals began to attack and devour each other so they could continue to live. It continued that way until Immanuel came and the dapiboska was re-established in the land. There is nothing to fear from any animal now." It did not take Merrinda long to realise that she must have been taken to a time somewhere in the past, sometime before Immanuel's kingdom had been established.

Dharwad told her that when her mother was about her age she had also been taken on journeys into the past and experienced things that later helped her to understand many things in life. "Mum will talk to you about some of that later, but now we would like to hear what happened to you."

Chapter 4 - DAVEED

Daveed was about two days travel from home, more when travelling with the sheep. He had been given the task of caring for the sheep. This ensured that, as the youngest of the eight boys in the family, he would always have a position of usefulness and importance, even without any other inheritance. Fortunately for him, he loved this work. Alone in the hills, he had time to himself. He enjoyed the bond between himself and his sheep. They knew the sound of his voice, whether raised in anger, shrill with urgency or murmuring soft encouragement. They always responded to him as leader of the flock. They knew the sound of his voice as he sang his love songs. Sometimes these songs were of a woman, sometimes they were directed toward his God, the Great One who made the heavens and the earth. The sheep knew the sound of his flute as he played haunting music which echoed back from the mountains. They never strayed far from that music. It spoke to them of safety and the provision of food.

This day was bright and sunny and the flock was quiet but, in spite of the tranquillity, Daveed was not at peace. He sang only enough for the flock to know where he was. He was gripped by a sense of unease, almost as if he was in the midst of a battlefield, sensing imminent danger. Perhaps this was because he had been practicing his fighting skills. One day he would be a slinger, fighting alongside his brothers in the army of the king. Already, here in the fields, he had developed remarkable skills. A shepherd needed such skills and a sling was a weapon easily carried. He had just taken the top off a thistle plant at a range of about thirty metres. Perhaps it was these thoughts of armed combat which engendered his feelings of being in danger, but he remained alert. He knew that sometimes the spirit senses what the body cannot see. It would be shame beyond bearing to lose even one of his father's sheep to a predator. In the midst of these thoughts he was totally unaware that he was being watched.

Standing on the top of a rock which formed a part of an outcrop on the hillside, was a young girl of about nine years of age. She could not have come across the pasture. If she had, he would have seen her. She had simply appeared. This is where the shimmering which had taken her from her play with Bear and Fella had deposited her. She had never felt so alone. On the way, a man, who had called himself Alias, had taken the dog and the bear from her and promised to keep them safe until she was ready to return. She had not liked that but was powerless to do anything but leave them with him. However, she had no time to feel her loss. She was engrossed in what she was seeing. This man's skill was remarkable. She had watched him run, in much the same way as she had often seen her father do when he bowled for the Palace Eleven on the cricket field. But this man had not held the missile he had thrown in his hand. He had placed it in a leather pouch attached to a couple of cords of some twine-like material, all of which he had produced from within his belt. His running action had ended with a throwing motion, not unlike what she had seen her father use on the cricket field. Then, the flower had come flying off the top of the thistle plant about thirty metres beyond where he had been standing. She was sure that her father would be interested to learn a technique which could produce such results.

Daveed had not yet seen Merrinda, but he had noticed something else. The sheep were restless, with every head turned in the same direction, watching something just over the brow of the hill. Like him, they too had sensed danger. He moved toward the flock, and then he saw it, a tawney, yellow shape crouched low to the ground, making its way stealthily toward the sheep. He had never seen a lion in these parts before but there was no doubt about what it was. He was instantly the warrior he had been training himself to be. He would protect the flock at any cost. He knew that he must get between the sheep and the predator. He must move quickly; the sheep were already restless and close to panic. If they took flight and scattered, the enemy would immediately go after the weakest and the end would be inevitable. If that occurred, even he could not move fast enough to save the situation. He paused and blew three sharp notes on his flute, each note the same, each note shrill and distinctive. The effect was immediate. The sheep clustered together and stood still. This was their signal to stand. They had been trained for just such a situation.

Merrinda stood on the rock observing all that was happening. She had no fear. In her world, all the animals lived happily together, each eating its own preferred vegetation. She was puzzled. There was something strange about this lion. If she didn't know better she would have said, something evil. Instinctively, she reached out to the Great One for understanding. She was surprised at the lack of response. At home, in the kingdom of Immanuel, the Great One was always available. Here, it was different. She had to concentrate hard to sense his presence at all. What she found was fragmented and hard to understand, but she knew enough to realise that she must remain quiet and still. She was in some kind of danger. She watched the man make his way between the lion and the sheep.

Daveed knew that he had now positioned himself exactly where he wanted to be. When he looked up, he saw the girl, standing on the rock a short distance away. This changed everything. Driving off the predator. was no longer an option. It would have to be killed. There was now a child to protect as well as his father's flock.

As Merrinda watched, the silence was shattered. The voice that shattered the silence was deep and loud, so full of authority that she would not have been surprised if the ground had opened up and swallowed the beast he seemed so determined to destroy, but no such miracle happened, just the voice of the man ringing through the hills. "You, beast and enemy of all that lives, I come against you in the power of the Great One, creator of all things and God of this nation. I bring you death." He was approaching it now with that same bowling run-up motion that she had seen when he took the top off the thistle plant. He had the full attention of the lion now. It was crouched low, facing him, ready to leap. He was now about twenty paces from it. Merrinda did not see the stone leave the sling. As he swung the sling, the lion let out its own roar of challenge. But before the roar could echo back from the hills it was silenced in a choking sound as a rock about the size of a cricket ball struck the back of its throat at a velocity of over two hundred kilometres per hour. The lion staggered and fell with blood dripping from its mouth.

The man had not stopped running. Horrified as she was by what she was seeing, Merrinda could not help but be fascinated. She continued to watch as, without a pause, he released the rod which was strapped to his side. You would not want to come under the discipline of that rod. It was almost a metre long, with a rough bulbous end which had once been the root base of a small tree. It was _brutal_ with the ends of the roots purposely left to do maximum damage to anyone or anything unfortunate enough to experience the impact of its use. Merrinda was horrified by what she was seeing but could not take her eyes off the scene. The lion was getting to its feet, trying to focus on the approaching enemy. They were only about three metres apart now. The throwing action was different this time. He was not slinging a stone. He had the rod in his hand. Merrinda watched as the man's arm swung in an arc around his body and the brutal club was released at almost point-blank range. She heard the thud as it hit its target. This time the lion, a fierce hunting female, lay still on the ground, but the man took no chances. He grabbed it by the long hairs under its chin, pulled its head back and quickly cut its throat with the knife which was always part of the equipment he carried in his belt. Having done that, he signalled the sheep their message of safety. Then he looked up to the rock where he had seen the girl. She was no longer there. That was a mystery he would never solve.

While the battle was in progress, Merrinda had stood on the rock with every possible emotion fighting for supremacy. She was not sure that she liked this world at all, and yet there was something exciting about the events that had just taken place. There were some things she would like to ask this man when the battle was over. She needed to understand what had happened. However, there was no opportunity to talk. As she watched he took his flute and began to play a slow, lilting tune. As he played, the sheep resumed their grazing as if nothing had happened. She loved the connection he had with his animals, and yet he could kill. She must get to know him better. A different world could be both exciting and frightening. It was at that moment that she felt the atmosphere around her begin to shimmer, just as it had at home when she was first taken. She knew there would be no talking and no way of changing what was happening. The shimmering would take her wherever it wished.

Chapter 5 - THE BIG GUY

If she had chosen the destination, it would not have been this. She was surrounded by a series of rough shelters, made out of a material she could not identify and all around her were men, just as rough as the shelters which they had made. All she could see was legs and bodies, and the only sound was that of rough voices, rude remarks and jokes of men who knew there were no women or children near. She was being jostled and bumped, until one pair of eyes looked down and exclaimed angrily, "What the **** are you doing here?" She was roughly picked up by hands which were none too friendly and carried to a spot a little further up the hill, slightly behind the main body of men. Here she was dumped unceremoniously on the ground behind a bundle of sacks, made of that same material which she could not identify. The harsh voice of the man who had carried her, called to someone she could not see. "Bozam! Take care of this."

Almost immediately, another man came to her. He greeted her with a puzzled, but not unkindly look. "Where did you come from?" She had to think about that and did not know what to say. The truth is, she needed answers herself. After a moment, she responded as honestly as she could, but added her own question. "I came in the shimmering. Where am I?"

Merrinda was fortunate to have been placed with this man. He was truly kind and used to dealing with children and their strange world of imaginary things. He had seven daughters of his own. He said, "I don't know what the shimmering is, but I do know you can't stay here." He thought she must have been playing and become lost. That would need to be sorted out when he had some spare time. For the time being he would keep her here.

Set back from the main camp, the view from the supply tent gave Merrinda a unique opportunity to observe all that was happening. The country itself was of immense interest to her. It reminded her of the place where she had seen the sheep-herder. Unlike the lands she knew at home, it lacked both the feel and glow of energy which she associated with normal landscape. To her, it lacked life. However, the sun, shining from over the hill behind her, gave the land some semblance of the kind of living energy she was used to as it glinted on the green of the trees and the varying shades of green, yellow and brown of the grass. A few rocks were showing in places where the vegetation was sparse. As she continued to look at the scene around her she knew that, in some different from home kind of way, she could come to love this place if she had to stay forever. But, somehow life here would be harder than it was at home in Immanuel's kingdom.

What she saw was like a scene taken from the Museum of Ancient History. The hillside on which she stood sloped down to a placid creek, largely without water, while the land opposite rose, sloping irregularly upward from the creek to the hilltop on the other side. On that hill there was a camp matching the one she was standing in. It was not only the camps which matched each other. It was also the men who occupied them. Between the camps and the creek, the space was filled with a large number of men, all with weapons either in their hands or close by. Some were standing, some sitting or lounging on the grass, all talking and laughing. They did not look as if they expected immediate attack, neither did they appear unprepared. The hillsides on both sides of the creek were covered with what she knew to be soldiers, except for a considerable space between them which was vacant.

At that moment, while Merrinda had her eyes on the men occupying the creek-banks, she heard the voice of the kindly store-keeper greeting somebody, "Daveed son of Jesse, what have you got for me?"

She looked up and immediately recognised the man who was unloading a heavily loaded donkey. Impossible as it seemed, this was the one man in the whole of this land whom she would recognise. It was unmistakably the sheep-herder who had killed the lion. She knew now that this could not be chance. She had been brought here for a reason. The hand of the Great One, the Father of King Immanuel, was somehow in this. Child as she was, her spirit had significant understanding.

Daveed placed the packages from the donkey on the ground beside the other stores and said to the store-keeper, "The bread and the cakes are for my brothers, and the cheeses are for the king's table." Then, as he lifted his eyes from the task, his eyes met those of Merrinda. He knew immediately where he had seen her before. Nobody else could have such fair skin and animated features. Without pause for thought, he exclaimed, "It's you again. How did you get here?"

Her confidence was growing, and she knew she could trust this man, so she simply stated what she knew. "The Spirit of the Great One, the creator of the heavens and the earth, brought me here in the shimmering. I think he wants me to see something that is about to happen." Daveed did not know what this shimmering was, but he did know that his God did some strange and unexpected things and took this event as some kind of omen to open his mind to the unexpected. He would wait and see what the Great One was doing.

As the two men talked beside her, Merrinda learned many things. The camp she was in was the camp of the Israelite people, led by their king, Saul, while the camp on the other side of the creek was the camp of the Philistines who were trying to take over the kingdom ruled by Saul. She also learned that, although Saul was king of Israel, the real ruler of the land was the Great One who created heaven and earth. Saul ruled under his authority, just as Immanuel did in her own country.

While the men were talking, one figure detached itself from the crowd of men on the opposite hillside. As he came closer, it became apparent that this was no ordinary man. He was massive, far bigger than any man could rightfully expect to be. He strutted back and forth in front of the Israelite army, displaying himself. Covered in an armour of bronze plate and wearing a highly plumed helmet, he seemed to tower to the sky. When he knew that he had attracted the attention of the whole Israelite force, he shouted in a voice that was as large and threatening as his body, "You army of cringing mice, I challenge you again to single-combat to resolve the dispute between us. If your man wins, the land is yours. If I defeat him, then the land becomes Philistine territory. Let one man's blood be shed, not that of a multitude."

Daveed watched with excitement and anticipation, waiting to see who would go out to defeat him, in the strength of their God who had given them this land to rule in his name. He could not believe it when nothing happened. He turned to his friend, the store-man. "How long has this been going on?"

His friend replied, "Today makes it forty days. I remember when he first came out. It was the day I received the last consignment of dates. They are almost gone now."

" _Forty days_! The big guy is right. We do have an army of cringing mice. I will go and talk to my brothers. One of them will go. I will not see either the name of my father, Jesse, or the name of the Lord, our God be put to shame any longer." With that he strode across the field and mingled with the soldiers. Merrinda watched. He moved from group to group gesticulating, obviously growing more and more angry and frustrated all the time. Eventually, he returned to the store tent and said, still with anger in his voice, "I am going to the king. This situation can't be allowed to continue." Then, looking at Merrinda he said, "But first, I will take care of this one." When he turned to Merrinda, his voice was gentle. "What is your name?"

"Merrinda," she replied.

He took her by the hand. She felt her hand being swallowed up in his and knew she was safe. He simply said, "Merrinda, come with me. Until we can get you home, I am making you my ward. We are going to the king's camp where you will be looked after until I have disposed of that big guy out there." Daveed had confidence in going to the king because he already served as a part-time attendant in the king's household and was a favourite with the king and his whole household. He also had a considerable reputation as a warrior in the hill country where he guarded the sheep. Secretly, he still preferred to be out on the hillside with the sheep. He had only taken a few steps, when he heard a voice calling, "Daveed!" Looking up, he recognised one of the king's attendants who beckoned to him and said, "The king is calling for you."

Merrinda was surprised that this camp was very little different from the rest of the encampment. Apparently, there were no special luxuries for the king when he was at war. Then she remembered the cheeses from Daveed's mother and wondered how many more special privileges were hidden away on the king's account. Surely, it was good for the king to feel honoured. When she saw the king, she was immediately struck by the strain that was showing in his features. But, as he talked with Daveed, the tension in his face drained away and his eyes became gentle. He said, "Daveed, what is this power you have to work magic on me? When I am with you, I grow strong and confident. What strength is it that you bring back from the hills?"

Daveed replied, "It is the presence of the Great One who gave the kingship to you and in whose name, we fight these Philistine upstarts, who think they can fight against God. Let me go and face that monster."

"You will indeed go out against him, but not like that. First, we must make a soldier of you." Daveed carried nothing with him except his sling, shepherd's rod and the knife in his belt. An attendant was called to bring armour and equipment from the royal store-room. Daveed was assisted into the armour and handed a sword by the king's own hand. The transformation was amazing. In metal-plate armour, with a sword in his hand, they were confronted by a formidable warrior. Merrinda was amazed, almost frightened by his fearsome appearance, but Daveed could not see himself. He could only feel the weight and cumbersomeness of the armour. As he moved around he felt slow and awkward in the unfamiliar attire. Much as he dreamed of fighting the king's battles with sword and bow, he knew he lacked the training to use them effectively. This battle would not be won by fearsomeness of appearance, but by cunning and faith. He looked the king directly in the eye and said, "Without training, I find these cumbersome and awkward. I must go in my familiar attire, with my familiar weapons. With those, my own weapons, I have killed both lion and bear and warded off human predators."

Merrinda could not contain herself, "I saw him kill the lion. It was huge and fearsome." The king looked doubtful. For any man to fight in his army without the best of battle equipment was a big decision. The political repercussions could be disastrous. If Daveed was defeated, he, as king and commander, would become a laughing-stock and could lose his position.

Daveed was no fool. He could see the king's dilemma and spoke again. "Merrinda is right, child though she is, the lion was no mean foe and it was fast and alert, much faster than that fool of a monstrosity out there could ever be, encumbered with his plate armour and heavy equipment, and the bear was bigger, even than he is." The longer Daveed remained in his presence, the greater Saul's faith in the God who had first made him king became. He waved his hand in dismissal and said, "Go, fight for your country and for our God."

What happened next caused amazement in both army camps. A shepherd was walking casually out to attack the challenger across the creek. The big guy let out an almighty roar of rage. Surely. there could be no greater insult than this, to send an untrained and ill-equipped common citizen against him. He would never even be able to boast about defeating one of Israel's mighty warriors. He called out, "Go home to your mummy, boy. It's time for your bottle."

Daveed immediately recognised his advantage. He must attack as quickly as possible, while his opponent was blinded by his rage, but first he would encourage the tantrum to develop a little further. His best weapons would be his own self control and alertness, along with his shepherd's tricks. He gave the big guy a casual wave and stooped to pick up a few stones from the creek. He had examined the situation carefully and estimated that, at the most, this should be a five-stone situation. The cumbersome monster before him was almost entirely encased in metal plating, but there were gaps. His joints had to be able to move and he had to see. This created his best opportunity. If he could achieve an accurate enough shot, then one stone would be all that was necessary. Each stone that left the sling would travel with more than twice the speed of any ball that had ever been bowled on the cricket field. Even a direct hit to the helmet would have a stunning effect. Surely three such impacts in quick succession would fell him. He smiled a little. That allowed for the unlikely eventuality of two complete misses. He cried out to his opponent, with that commanding voice that Merrinda remembered so well from his encounter with the lion, "Scaredy-cat, little, big boy, hiding like a turtle in your armour. Can't you find any pebbles of your own up there. I'll toss a couple up for you. The Lord, the God of Israel has sent me out against you. He will end your life today." With that, he began to run.

Daveed knew exactly what he was doing. From the moment he had left the Israelite camp, he had observed every detail of what was before him. Each detail of his attack had been planned, every advantage grasped. The sun was still low on the horizon, behind him. He would position himself so that he was directly between it and his opponent. If his release point was high enough, the glare would make it difficult for the big guy to follow the flight of the stone. One more thing demanded the highest possible release point. His opponent was far taller than any man he had ever seen but his shield-bearer, coming down the hill in front of him was of normal stature. The big guy, blinded by pride and humiliation, had made the one mistake which Daveed had hoped for. He was now in position at the top of a slight embankment, while his shield-bearer was just below him at the bottom of the drop. With his shorter stature, there was no way he could extend his shield arm high enough to protect the head of his superior officer.

At a run, Daveed advanced. Three more paces and he was on the top of the small mound for which he had been aiming. Then with that peculiar bowling action Merrinda had observed before, he released the missile from a point a sling's length above his head.

Merrinda, watching from her vantage point on the hill, saw what the big guy, with the sun in his eyes, was unable to see. The stone left the sling at a speed far greater than any ball her father had ever bowled for the Palace Eleven. She winced as she saw that the aim was true. She wanted to close her eyes, but fascination and excitement kept them open.

Daveed was placing the next stone in the sling when he heard the impact, not the clang of stone on metal but the soft thunk of impact on flesh. He dropped the stone, leapt into the air, with arms thrown high, and yelled, and the words echoed back from the hills, "Victory, our God wins." The rest is history. The Israelite army chased the Philistine warriors back to where they had come from, and for generations to follow, the severed head and helmet of the big guy could be viewed in the royal museum by any who were curious enough to be interested. In the midst of the confusion, Merrinda felt a slight shimmering in the air around her and the next thing she was aware of was waking up in her own room. Only the memories remained.

Chapter 6 - GROWING AWARENESS

Merrinda continued to make her journey through childhood. She excelled at school and was well loved by friends and family alike. She was a favourite at the royal court where her father worked and was welcomed into the king's presence as a member of the household. Her parents often found her sitting at his feet, chatting away without thought of it being anything unusual. In private he was her uncle Manny. On formal occasions he was 'your majesty, King Immanuel.' But beneath the carefree exterior the memories remained. They were shaping her life. She had seen a world where violence and imperfection existed. That was foreign to everything she knew and it had shaken her to the core.

While other children of her age spent most of their time in play, she explored the past. There were museums to explore, and her fascination with things which were different grew. She was in the Jerusalem museum now, absorbing the past as if she were a sponge soaking up a precious liquid. She found little satisfaction in purely intellectual knowledge. Today, she was concentrating on learning about pain and sickness. She had never known anybody to be sick. Perhaps the diet based on dapti had something to do with this. Certainly, the changes in health had taken place since the regeneration of the dapiboska plant throughout the world. Her parents thought this to be the case. They told her that change had taken place gradually over a period of about three years from the establishment of the kingdom.

She would have to talk to somebody about this. Uncle Manny would know. But for now, she would concentrate on exploring sickness and pain. She did not know where this extreme need to know came from. It confused her. She knew the source of her confusion. It arose from a conflict between what she believed and what she had experienced. The kind of sickness and pain that she felt a need to explore belonged to the past, but she had a growing conviction that her life's work had something to do with the future. Each year she had become more convinced that this conviction that held her so tightly, was something which had been planted within her by the Great One, uncle Mannie's father, under whose authority he ruled the kingdom.

It was six years since, as a nine-year old girl, she had been taken in the shimmering and had her only real contact with pain and suffering. There, she had witnessed pain, suffering and death, firsthand. Now, she was standing in front of a visual display of those events. It was accurate enough to bring back the full impact of the memories which were firmly etched within her. She held the picture in her mind, closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift back into the event, and experience the horror of it all. She saw the stone leave Daveed's sling and saw the big guy fall. She knew that he felt nothing. She would come back to that mystery later. For now, she would allow herself to do what she had not done at the scene of the actual battle. In her mind, she crossed the creek and walked among the multitude of wounded, dead and dying that lay in the wake of the Israelite charge across the creek.

She took herself deeply into the scene, using her imagination. It was the only means she had of travelling to the past. It is true that she had learned to control the energies of the shimmering, but only to travel in the present. Ability to use instatravel to visit the past or the future was granted to very few people and brought with it great responsibility. Using only her imagination, she reached out and held the hand of a Philistine soldier who lay groaning on the stony ground. She steeled every fibre of her body to remain in contact with him, both physically and emotionally.

For her, pain was a transient moment of experiencing something bad. She remembered the time when she had fallen from a tree in the parkland near home. It had hurt badly and when she looked, she was shocked to see blood pouring from a wound in her arm which had something hard and white protruding from it. Later she learned that this was bone, jagged and broken. Instinctively she had reached across with her other hand and placed it over the wound. To her, what had happened then was perfectly normal. The blood flow stopped and her arm returned to normal and all the pain had gone. Now, she realised that life had not always been like that. Something had changed when King Immanuel had come. Perhaps that is why some people called it the kingdom of restoration.

Now, holding the hand of the wounded man, she allowed herself to experience that pain again. This time, she allowed the pain to go on and on, gaining impetus from the groans of her companion. As her own groaning mingled with his, she began to realise the extent of pain in this past era. The pain she was experiencing only ceased to exist when her companion let out his own last gasp of breath and went slack beside her. So complete was her identification with him that, for a moment, she stopped breathing herself. This was the closest she had ever been to the experience of death. It left her with an immense residue of sadness. A considerable amount of time would be necessary to process this experience. When she was ready she would talk with uncle Manny about this and try to make more sense of what it had to do with her. She knew there was some purpose in the direction her experience of life was taking her. Why could she not be like other girls and just enjoy life for the joy it could bring her?

Time passed quickly and both her experience of life and knowledge of the past grew. It was a full three years later, shortly after her eighteenth birthday that she had the long-anticipated conversation with King Immanuel. It was a rare moment of quietness for both of them. They were sitting together in silence in the garden, doing nothing except enjoying the sound of the birds in the trees. She didn't want to break the peace and the comfortableness that was between them, but the need to know was too great to contain, or to carry alone. So she broke the silence, "Uncle Manny, tell me about pain."

When he turned to her, she saw something in his eyes that she had never seen before in such intensity. It was a concentration of love that enfolded her with an aura of complete safety, and there was something else, a touch of pain. She knew she had asked the right person. He began his response in a way that surprised her. "Merrinda, when you blew the candles out on your cake last week, you ceased to be a girl. You are now a woman. Would you please drop the 'uncle' and just call me Manny? What you asked was not the question of a girl. Welcome to the world of adult men and women where serious issues are discussed and strategies developed."

"Merrinda, pain is something that is experienced. It cannot be explained. When I am at home with my Father, I understand many things, but here, in this world I am like you and my experience is limited by the human mind."

She looked at him for a while, and then asked the only question that she could think of which might help her. "You lived in this world in the old times, before the Kingdom of Restoration. There was more pain then." Her mind went back to that time when she had, if only in her imagination, knelt beside the dying Philistine warrior, and she burst out with, "What was it like, dying?"

The memories roused by this question brought a sweat to his skin, but he was not displeased that she had chosen to ask that particular question. Her need to know about that kind of pain showed an awareness, at some level, of what lay ahead for her. For Merrinda, the way he approached his answer to her question again surprised her. He put his arm around her and held her close for a moment. As he spoke, he continued to hold her as if he wished to give all the strength he had. "Merrinda, when you were born, apart from your parents, I was the first to hold you. You are as dear to me as if you were my own daughter, perhaps in some way, even more than that. It is as if there is a doorway that is open between us that enables me to share my thoughts with you in a way that is not possible with anyone else. That is good for me and, I believe, for you also. I want you to know that there are troubled times ahead for you. You need to strengthen yourself for an experience of pain that is beyond anything you have ever known in your life till now. For this reason, I will tell you something of my own experience, of the time when I was dying."

He told her about his growing awareness of who he was as he grew from child to young adult. He had to make hard decisions. From Mary, his mother, he inherited the right to be as fully human as any man. From God, his Father, he inherited the right to be God, fully equal with his Father. He had chosen to put aside his right to be God and to live as a man here on this earth, always remaining in communication with his Father and doing everything that his Father wished. The pain came later. It came when the full awareness of his coming death became inescapable. "I could have gone home to Dad at that point, but if I had done that, what we are experiencing now in this kingdom, could never have happened. That was pain, a deep emotional, spiritual pain which I knew I must endure, even without understanding. I only knew that I was doing what my Father most wanted from me. I cried with tears, and I cried on the inside with great fear, as a huge darkness loomed before me. In this, I held on tightly to a promise that Dad had made to me. He had said that something of immense good would come from all this. He was right. Merrinda, never doubt what He says, even if it all looks disastrously wrong. He is the _only_ one who knows the future. Remember that."

They were walking together through the palace garden now. Merrinda spoke quietly, afraid of what the answer might be. "Manny, you keep implying that you know more of my future than you are telling me. What are you holding back? I do not think that I could bear it if you stopped being honest with me."

"I am not holding anything back. I do not know what is in store for you. I have talked to dad about you a lot but he will not tell me what lies ahead, except that I should prepare you for hard and painful times. I will tell you something from my own experience, that you might wish to remember when you are caught up in the difficulties of what lies ahead. I have always found that the most difficult times are the most rewarding"

He continued, "You know how I died, don't you? When I was hanging on that cross of execution, it hurt. Even now, looking back on the memory, I cannot imagine such pain; constant groan-provoking agony with no let-up. I was able to relieve my agony a little by focussing my attention on those who were suffering beside me. In that way, I was able to endure the pain and remain sane."

"That must have been the worst agony anyone could have ever endured," Merrinda interjected.

"It wasn't the worst. The worst was still to come. It was just before I died. Suddenly, without warning, I was entirely alone. I had fallen into a pit of black despair. The crowd was still around me, as were my dying companions on either side. But I was alone, as I had never been in my entire life until then. Dad had left me. My own father could not stand beside me to the end. Involuntarily, I screamed out to him. In my despair, I could no longer address him as father: I would address him as other men did, as God. I cried out, "My God, my God, why have you deserted me?" That was the deepest pain. It was then that I realised I was dying, dying like any man who does not know that God is beside him. I prayed like any other man, in blind faith. This time, I addressed him as a child would his father. I cried out into the darkness, "Dad, I know you're there somewhere. I'm dying and have no control of what is about to happen. I am handing everything over to you. Take control of my life-energy, my spirit. Keep me safe." I died in peace and here I am. He did keep me safe and something good did come out of it. This kingdom came out of it."

Chapter 7 - ORIENTATION

She would remember that conversation with Manny the king, and eventually, when the need arose, draw on it for strength and guidance. Three more birthdays had come and gone since that day in the garden and she was no closer to knowing what this mysterious future event was. Her life was as perfect and peaceful as any life could be, but she was restless as if awaiting her destiny. She had expected life to be more straight forward than this. She thought that she would meet a man, who would look into her eyes and they would mysteriously fall in love and know that they would marry and make a family together. Instead, that stuff had all turned into messy confusion. Perhaps this was where the predicted pain lay.

It was not happening like that. Instead her whole life and expectations were in confusion. She found herself continually drifting into fantasies that were most inappropriate. There seemed to be no way that she could guard against such foolish dreamings. If she was honest she did not want to. She enjoyed losing herself in this world of unreality. Right now, she was lying in her bed, dreaming of romance, but it was not the face of the mysterious man who would appear to form this perfect bond with her that she was seeing. It was the face of her friend, her king and commander, Manny. Sometimes she fought the images. Sometimes she simply luxuriated in the fantasy. After all, what harm could imagining do. Perhaps, none at all, but the fact remained that while she still loved to be in his company, she was less comfortable than she had been and conversation flowed less freely. She did not have any fears or jealousy to keep her awake. She simply believed that he would never marry. With his true Father as the Great One, maker of the heavens and the earth, how could he ever marry any ordinary woman. Now, she sought him out less often than previously. In her search for information, she was turning more frequently to her parents.

She was with her parents now, pondering how to ask about what appeared to be a forbidden subject. The first years of the kingdom were never discussed but her need to know was almost a compulsion. There was nothing rational about this need, except that it seemed somehow to have some association with the mysteries of the future. She wished she knew more clearly how to tell the difference between her own imagining and what was coming to her from the Great One. She would ask. If what she felt she must ask about was at the direction of God, she would have done the right thing and have a clear conscience. If it was only to satisfy her own curiosity, the worst outcome would be embarrassment. She had survived the experience of that phenomenon before and no doubt would do so again. She knew that if she was to learn anything, now was the time to act. She decided that she would direct her question to her father. He could be relied on to answer clearly and factually, without undue elaboration, so she turned her attention toward him.

"Dad, I want to know about the time immediately after Immanuel established his kingdom. Why does nobody talk about those first two years. What could have been so awful?". She stopped there, realising that she was in danger of starting to waffle on. There was nothing her father liked less than people who waffle on. Always be clear and concise in what you say, was his motto.

Dharwad answered her slowly, "We do not talk about it because nobody knows what really happened; well we do, but not in a way we can offer any explanation, or understand. They simply disappeared. I am confused. I don't like confusion. That's why I don't talk about it. I don't know. I would tell you if I knew how." Merrinda was amazed. She had never before known her father to be the one who got lost in waffle. So it was her mother who came to the rescue. She encompassed them both in a gesture of silence and said two words. "Sit! Wait!" With that, she left the room. The tension was broken. Father and daughter looked at each other and waited. They knew that when mum was in this mood the only option was to obey. From experience, they understood that when she acted with this kind of certainty, she was to be entirely trusted. They sat and waited.

It was clear that her mother knew exactly what she wanted because she re-appeared almost immediately with a small book in her hands. The look on her face as she handed Merrinda the book, was hard to interpret. Could it be embarrassment? As she gave it to her daughter, she said, "I want you to have this. When I was about your age, I began to keep a diary of each day's events. It will take you through the events of my life to about three years into the reign of Immanuel. At that time, I realised that there was no point in continuing. The changes taking place under his rule meant that my memory had improved to such an extent that there was nothing that could not be recalled instantly. That is why there are so few books being written today." Merrinda realised that this was true. Most of the books she knew were in the schools or museums where records of the past were kept. Her mother looked her straight in the eye, and said, "There are some things in there that I would prefer you did not read. I am not forbidding you to read anything, only to respect my privacy. My experience of the events you are asking about are there, as are many other events leading up to the kingdom."

With a word of thanks and a smile that lit up the room, Merrinda left the room to take her new possession to the privacy of her own space, but it was some time before she could open it, overwhelmed as she was by her emotions. If her own mother thought she was worthy of such trust, nobody could make her feel like a foolish child ever again. In that moment, adult maturity was planted deep within her. Eventually, she did open the book. It fell open at random, just a little way from the beginning and she began to read. Immediately, she slammed the pages shut, blushing furiously. This was definitely one of those sections her mother did not wish her to read. Apparently, men and women felt the same things and did the same things in the pre-kingdom world as was common now, but her own mother, in her own handwriting? Gross! More carefully this time, she eased the pages open a little further into the book and scanned down the page. This was more interesting. She began to read.

Something unusual happened this morning. It was sudden and unexpected, while I was picking fruit in the garden with Mark and Irene. I heard a cry of shock behind me and looked around. Irene was standing with her hands to her head and a look of anguish on her face. When I went to her she fell into my arms, sobbing and saying something that sounded like, "Mb whersee, mblee didn't say oombye."

I held her tight, trying to ease her distress and said, "Irene, slow down. What has happened?"

She spoke slowly; her voice muffled against my shoulder, "Mark has gone."

Looking around, I could see that he was nowhere in sight. "He's probably just gone to get another bucket." The one he had been using had disappeared with him.

She shook her head violently against my shoulder, "No! He was right here beside me. He just disappeared. He didn't say goodbye, nothing!"

I remembered something. I suspect the Great One himself had put the memory in my consciousness. I recalled the times when, as a child I had been taken in the shimmering to visit the distant past. These had been exciting experiences and certainly nothing to fear. I said, "Did you see or feel anything at all when he left?"

"No, he just -. Wait a minute, there was something. The air seemed to vibrate slightly. That is what made me look around. Is that silly?"

I knew now what had happened. Even if Mark had used instatravel to go for a new bucket, which was unlikely for such a short distance, there would have been very little shimmering. Instatravel does not usually produce such an effect. We talked about it for a long time, but reached no conclusion except that Mark had been taken somewhere."

Merrinda paused in her search of the diary's mysteries, lost in her own memories of Daveed, the shepherd and Saul, the king. That had been an adventure indeed, but she could think of nothing to explain the mystery of silence. It was just an interlude in life, a memory to cherish and learn from. Interesting as that entry was, there must be something more. She continued to scan the page. She didn't have to go far. It was a recording of that same evening's conversation between her parents. Perhaps this would shed some light, or deepen the mystery. Her mother had told dad about the disappearance.

Dharwad was unable to shed any light on what had happened. In fact, the puzzle grew larger. He did not have any idea where Mark may have gone. He too, had remembered what I had told him of my own travels but, had quickly discarded that as a parallel. Then he added something more puzzling, "As you know, I was working in the palace grounds. During the day, reports kept coming in of similar events. I know of at least a dozen such disappearances which took place during the day. We sent Mistuth, the king's advisor, to ask Immanuel about it and keep him informed about what was happening. He said that he had never seen the king so tight lipped about anything before. The only answer he got was, "I cannot comment on that. It is my Father's business. I am talking to him about it and may be able to reveal more later."

This puzzled Merrinda as much as it had puzzled her father. She had never known Manny to be so close-lipped about anything. She knew she had found the root of the incident that had been shrouded in secrecy. Her search continued, as she scrolled through the diary. The disappearances continued over a period of almost two years. It became known as the time of the takings. But where were they being taken? The most obvious and troubling thing was that there was never any report of, even one, sighting of any of these taken ones. It was in no way like her journey into the past. Even more puzzling to her, was the almost complete lack of any ongoing grief at their loss. It is true that she had read her mother's account of the extremity of her mother's friend Irene's grief at the loss of her husband, Mark. She could understand that. It was natural and expected. What she found impossible to comprehend was the entry in the diary little more than a week later.

I saw Irene again today. I tried to talk to her about Mark's disappearance. Her reaction was strange. She went silent for a moment, almost as if waking from a dream, and then said, "Oh Mark? Yes, I remember, he's gone. He won't be coming back. He didn't belong." When I asked her what she meant by not belonging, she had no answer. I thought about it for a moment and realised that my own memory of Mark was fading. It is true that it was memory that had prompted the question, but now that I had heard Irene's answer, recollection was being erased. That is why I am sitting here now, at eleven in the morning, writing this entry. I want to get it down before it is lost. I have never before allowed my diary writing to intrude on my day. It is an activity reserved for the evenings.

Merrinda knew she would need some help to understand all this, and to realise why it was so important to her. Everybody else seemed happy to relegate it to the past without so much as a thought for those who had been taken. But, how could all those people just be forgotten, as if they didn't matter. Wherever they were, she had to satisfy herself that they were alright. She would have to talk to Manny about it, but first she would accumulate as much information as possible.

She would read the rest of the entries, or at least those that seemed relevant, but first she would talk to her mother. _She wrote_ the diary. She would be able to shed some light on it.

"Mum, I've been reading your diary." Was that a blush on her mother's face? Parents don't blush.

"Don't worry," Merrinda said, "I didn't read those bits. Of course, they both knew she had to have read a little of it to know that they existed. "Mum, what happened to Mark, Irene's husband? Where did he go? Have you ever seen him since he was taken?"

"Whoa! That's a lot of questions at once. I'm not sure I know what you mean. Irene's husband is not Mark. It's Harold."

Merrinda was shocked at the answer. "I know she's married to Harold now. I mean her first husband, before the takings. Mum! surely you must remember."

She had never seen a look like that on her mother's face. She didn't even know what it was, shock? concern? Mum looked lost. She put her arms around her mother and said, "You don't remember any of it, do you?"

The answer she got was a shake of the head and a, "No." Then, speaking slowly and deliberately, her mother continued. "I have no memory of what happened in that time. I would not believe that such a time existed if I had not found the record in my own diary. Believe me, I can't help. I'm sorry."

"Oh, mum! It's so weird, but I will find out. Manny will help. Thankyou for trusting me with your memories. I just can't believe that it is right that so many people should be just forgotten. I worry about them. Where are they? Are they happy, suffering, living or dead? Somebody has to care."

"My daughter, you are a special kind of woman." She said it, as if it were a blessing.

Merrinda knew now what her next moves would be. First some more diary, and then a talk with Manny. It seemed ages since she had spent any real time with the king, her friend. She was glad her mother was not still with her. Who was blushing now? Absence hadn't solved that problem. Luckily the diary took her mind from such thoughts. The entry was from a period about half way through the period of the takings.

I have just had an interesting conversation with Dharwad. He is working more closely with the king now, and has much more access to information. He said he can now discern a pattern and asked me to get my diary to confirm his suspicions. I was able to give him the names of those I had recorded as being taken. So, Mr. Diary, I am glad you exist. It is becoming very difficult to remember without you. "Thank you," Dharwad said. "That confirms what I thought. All those names are of people who opposed the authority of King Immanuel, or considered him to be an impostor." I could not believe what I was hearing. Mark was one of the most caring, peace-loving men I have ever known. I told him, "The only group Mark belonged to was a rather bizarrely named social club, the Ecstasy Group." Dharwad said, "The Ecstasy Group only masqueraded as a social club. In reality, it was a group of likeminded people who did not accept the reality of Immanuel's claim to the throne. There were many such groups, right throughout the world, with different agendas, but with the common theme of not recognising Immanuel's right to reign. All the disappearances seem to have one common factor, in every case the people involved belonged to such a group."

Merrinda knew that she had to talk with Manny before she reached any conclusions. Her concern was not so much for who they were as for their wellbeing. If they were still living somewhere in exile as she suspected, were they being kept informed of what was happening in the kingdom? Was there to be any opportunity for them to return if they chose to support the king?

So it was, that she left home quite early next morning, wearing her most attractive casual clothes. As she left, she turned and threw a kiss to her parents saying, "I will be in the royal conclave if you need me. I may not be home for lunch." Something about this exit drew her mother's attention. She turned to her husband and said, "Dharwad, you work at the royal household. Do you know of anyone there she may be interested in, a man?"

Dharwad shook his head in the negative and said, "She does have that kind of glow about her, doesn't she? I will keep an eye out."

King Immanuel was in the council room with his advisors when a messenger came discretely into the room and said, "Your Majesty, Miss Merrinda, daughter of Dharwad, is here, requesting an audience with you." Today was a busy day for the council, so they were amazed when the king got to his feet and said to the chief councillor, "Would you take over here for the rest of the session. You know my mind on all these issues. I trust you to judge wisely." This provoked some discussion among his advisors, but they felt immensely honoured by the trust he had put in them. They knew by his reaction that, whatever business Merrinda had with him, must be of extreme importance, and it was. Anything that concerned her wellbeing was a priority concern to him. As he was leaving the room, he called to the messenger, "Please tell the kitchen to have a plate of cake and coffee sent to the private alcove in the garden of meditation in half an hour's time. Request the sweet creme of strawberry with the cake." He knew Merrinda's preferences well.

This was perhaps the most private place in the kingdom, except for the Royal Communication Room which was reserved for his own personal use, for times of special prayer retreat spent in private with his Father. Nobody would dare to enter either of these spaces, except by royal invitation. It was for this reason that he had chosen the Garden of Meditation as the place to talk with Merrinda. His Father had been talking to him a lot about Merrinda lately and indicated that he should expect her to consult him on some weighty and difficult issues that would affect her future. He felt that privacy might be important. He had plans of his own that would affect her future, but those must wait until after today's discussion.

Merrinda was just becoming comfortable in his presence, having chatted for some time about trivialities, when there was the tinkle of a bell at the garden entrance. Manny knew exactly what and who it was, and said, "Bring it straight in, Lucile." Manny felt a tremor of delight run through his body as Merrinda's face lit up at the sight of her favourite treat. He knew he had got that right. After a moment he said, "What did you want to see me about?"

Merrinda had thought she knew what she wanted to say, but now that it came to the point, she didn't know where to start. She was silent for more time than would have been comfortable in other company, and then began to speak slowly and carefully, weighing every word. "I have been reading Mum's old diary. I want to find out about a period of time that seems to have vanished from memory. Nobody remembers. It is as if nothing happened. I need to know. Somehow, it seems that this has something to do with the reason for which I was born."

Manny could see that she was considerably distressed by what she could not understand and wanted to lighten her burden. "I think you mean the time of the cleansing."

"I know nothing about that. People disappeared."

Manny replied. "That is right. They were taken. My Father referred to it as the cleansing. I don't know how much I can tell you. Like everyone else, my memory of it has almost entirely disappeared but I am beginning to recall a number of things. What I am remembering is not the events themselves, but the conversations I had with my Father about it. It was something we talked about a lot."

"How can you not remember?"

"The thing is, it was not really something that happened _in_ this kingdom. It happened _to_ this kingdom. The ones who were taken had not accepted the authority of my reign. They were taken away to the kingdom to which they belonged. My Father always referred to it as the cleansing. Certainly, the beauty of the land increased with their departure."

Merrinda was not sure that she understood, but as she looked out across the garden, she was aware of the intense beauty of her surrounds, with the colours of the flowers, the foliage and the earth; all emitting an ever-changing, fluctuating glow, which made evident the life of the very earth itself. As she looked, she remembered the land she had travelled to in the shimmering. It had not been like this. There was no glow, although it still had a beauty of its own. In it, she had seen pain and death. She had never seen death in this kingdom, although she knew that it occasionally occurred when injury was so great that recovery was impossible. She had also experienced pain, but very fleetingly. She found it difficult to understand how King Saul and Daveed's people could endure it incessantly. She also knew emotional pain. Right now, she was facing a strong tension between what she wanted and what was appropriate. She was sitting some distance from Manny, but desperately wanted to move to his side and lean into him. She knew she must not. After some consideration, she asked, "Is the place they were taken to like the kingdom of Saul which I visited? Is that why I was taken there, so I would understand? If it is, I want to go there and tell them about this place."

Manny looked at her with considerable astonishment. He had not thought about the Land of Exile for a long time. He had no jurisdiction there. It was completely his Father's business, yet here was a girl, no, a woman, who was determined to visit them in the hope of bringing them release from their exile. Her capacity to love reminded him of his Father, but could he help?

He felt for her and felt a concern for the exiles growing within him. He was his Father's son and had inherited a great capacity for compassion toward those in need. He also knew that his Father could be trusted to do what was for the good. He reached over and, taking Merrinda's hand, said, "This is something I must talk over with dad before I say more. Can you wait in the garden until I see what he wants me to do?" He began to walk away, but stopped abruptly as he heard a prompting from the Great One, his dad. He turned back to Merrinda saying. "Come with me. I will teach you to talk deeply with the Great One for yourself."

Merrinda was amazed, but followed. Her amazement grew as he led her into the palace and took her in the direction of his special prayer retreat, the Royal Communication Room. Surely, he would not take her _there!_ She was sure that nobody except him had ever entered that room. He did not hesitate but led her straight in. She resisted at the doorway, "I cannot go there. I am not pure like you."

He put an arm around her shoulder and said, "It is my dad who has invited you. Never resist where he leads."

Going into the room, she noticed little different about it from any other room she had been in, except for an arrestingly strong sense of the Presence all around her. The room itself, was almost unfurnished, with only one chair, which looked sumptuously comfortable. The whole room was carpeted with a plush covering of a material she could not identify, and of a colour she could in no way begin to describe. Every time she thought she had a handle on it, it seemed to change subtly. It gave off a faint glow, much like the grass did outside, as if it was a living thing. She noticed that the glow was brighter close to the chair, which she could only think of as a throne. She expected Manny to take his position on that throne. He did not. He sat on the floor, eastern style, about three metres in front of the vacant chair, and gestured for her to do the same. She sat beside him, with about a metre of space between them, and waited. She did not know what to do, or what was expected of her.

Manny took pity on her, knowing that she must be feeling uncertain. "Did you wonder about the chair. I have placed it there for Him. It is intended as a visible sign that he is welcome in my house. It is also an aid for me to recognise his presence. Keep your eyes on the chair. It will help. You will not see him, but you will know he is here, and you will hear him with your inner being. You do not need to speak aloud to him, but you can if it helps. Remember, this is a family gathering. You and I must share what has been said. You will need to speak aloud to me, and I with you."

This process was not entirely new to Merrinda. She had spoken with the Great One on many occasions, but never in circumstances such as these, or in the presence of Manny. She hoped that He could not discern the kind of love she had for his son. He did. She hoped Manny's attention was on the Presence in the chair, because she knew she was blushing as the Great One's knowledge of what was in her heart was revealed. She heard, as clearly as if he was speaking directly into her ear, although she could not be sure if it was a voice, or just an inner knowing. There were words, "Merrinda, daughter and friend, tell my son that I am pleased with him that he brought you here. Welcome." She was about to pass the message on, but before she could form the words, the voice continued. "I know what is in your heart toward him. I approve. There are many women in the kingdom with a similar desire. I will not seek to influence him in his choice. It may be that he considers it better to remain single. He is my son. I will not search his heart unnecessarily, or intrude into his private life. I am telling you this because I know your doubts. I want you to know that you have my approval."

When the voice stopped, it was as if she had just awakened from a dream. Manny was looking at her and saying quite loudly, "Merrinda! What is it? Have you heard something you didn't want to hear?"

She shook her head, "No, what I heard was good. I cannot tell you. It was personal. I can tell you that he is immensely pleased that you brought me here. He said to tell you that. You have made him happy."

Manny looked at her with mischief in his eyes and said, "What about the sharing. Tell me what he said."

"No," Merrinda said, "it is personal."

"No secrets," Manny replied.

The voice that came from the throne was quite loud. They both heard it, "Son, shut up!"

Merrinda began to laugh, uncontrollably. Her king looked at her. "What is so funny?"

"You, you are, you look like a little boy who has just had a lolly taken away."

Manny looked uncomfortable for a moment, then could control it no longer. He joined the laughter. It was in that moment of shared laughter that he realised how complete his love for Merrinda, daughter of Dharwad, was.

It was late when Merrinda arrived home. Her parents gave her a quizzical look, inviting comment. She remained silent for a while, but decided she must tell them something, or they would start asking questions which could lead into dangerous territory. "I have been at the palace all the time. I didn't realise it was getting so late until I was walking home and noticed that it was getting dark. I asked Manny about the place where those who were taken are. You were right. They are people who opposed Manny's rule, even if only silently."

Her father was anxious for her and asked. "Is he going to let you go and see them and be a messenger to them? Is it safe?"

"He can't do that. He said that where they are, is not part of his kingdom so he has no authority there. It is under the jurisdiction of the Great One." Both parents gave an audible sigh of relief and relaxed with this new knowledge. She would not be going. They had not realised how concerned they had been for her safety.

Merrinda could not leave it at that. "I am still looking toward the possibility of going, if I can find a way in."

"No," her father said, "You must not attempt to go without permission."

She did not reply directly, but rather said, "Did you know, our king is the most surprising person. He never ceases to amaze me."

She could almost see her parent's ears twitch and knew she must continue. "He took me to talk with the Great One."

"That was very thoughtful," her mother said, "but hardly amazing."

"You know the room that he goes to when he wants to consult his Father about important things. He took me there."

Both parents were silent. No doubt they would talk together about it later. Her father, who knew the king well, working as he did with him as an advisor, was astounded. He was sure that nobody had ever been invited into that room before, never. It was unthinkable, yet it had happened. What his daughter was contemplating must be important business indeed. Confronted with a great unknown, over which he had no control, he had to know more. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he had to. The only way to find out was to ask, "What did the Great One say about your proposed venture?"

Merrinda's mouth opened in shocked silence, then she spoke, "We talked together for quite a while, with Manny too. Nothing was said about what I had come to ask." Until now, she had not realised that the subject had not been mentioned by anyone. She needed to explain, "It was all personal stuff. It was good. Don't worry, I will ask. I am going back on Monday, in fact, every Monday for a while until Manny is satisfied I can talk with his Father as well as he can. I _will_ ask. There will be opportunity."

The visits to the palace continued for some weeks. Merrinda had never been so happy. Not only did she have an increasing closeness to her beloved Manny; her intimacy with the Great One increased until she was as comfortable in his presence as she was in the presence of her own father. She did ask about the Land of Exile. The answers she got only made her situation more confusing. There was some kind of mystery that she needed to find the answer to. She tried to summarise what the Great One had said, but could find no answer to the question of how she could enter that place.

She had not been forbidden entry. By implication he had encouraged her quest, but then seemingly denied access by telling her that only he had the key to open the way. She remembered saying, "Well, use your key and open the door so I can go through." His reply did not help. It became more impossibly confusing, the more she thought about it. He had said, "There is another key which must be used at the same time as I use mine. You have _that_ key. It is in your heart." Her dilemma became more impossible when she asked what the key was that she held within her. It seemed a logical and sensible question to her, but he told her that he could not do that. She struggled to recall the exact words he had used. He had said, "If I told you that, you would use the key deliberately. If it is used deliberately it will not work." In many ways, she seemed no closer to the achievement of her dream than she had been when she had first read her mother's diary. Then she realised that she was. She knew two things now that she didn't before. She had permission, even encouragement from the Great One to try. She also knew that entry was possible. She deliberately and painfully opened her mind to a third piece of information she had been given. She did not include this with the other two. She did not want to recognise it, but she must. The Great One had insisted that she understand that there had never been anyone who entered that land who had returned. The implications were horrendous. Was her love for these unknown people great enough for her to face that? Now that she had opened the door to the memory of the warning, she remembered his exact words. "You do not have a key to open the way out. I have that key, but the time for its use is so far in the future that it can serve no purpose for you."

It was a sombre Merrinda who occupied her place at home over the next few days. This was noticed by her parents, but nothing seemed able to be done. This was about to change.

Chapter 8 - INTERLUDE

The household of Dharwad had settled into happy equilibrium. His work at the Royal precinct was satisfying and pleasant with no conflict or difficulty. Everything was running smoothly, and their home was gaining a reputation for being a place of peace and rejuvenation. Consequently, there was little time for Bailey to relax, but a great deal of time to revel in a sense of satisfaction and achievement. Merrinda was content but waiting. She wanted to explore and see if she could discover a way into the Land of Exile. She would like to do it with Manny but, to spend too much time travelling alone with him, would give rise to unseemly speculation. That must be avoided. If no suitable companion emerged, she would commence the search herself, next week. She was determined to let nothing interfere with that plan, that is, until Tuesday. Tuesday changed everything.

She arrived home in the middle of the afternoon on the day in question, and was about to walk through to the family lounge room, when she was interrupted by her mother, who spoke with something close to panic in her voice. "Merrinda! Don't go in there. Your father is there with the King. They must not be interrupted." This really perplexed her. The King had never visited at home before. Such meetings had always taken place at the palace, or in other public places. Decorum must be maintained. Whatever was happening must be of extreme urgency and importance but, meeting in the family lounge? Such meetings surely would take place in her father's study where administrative duties were performed.

She looked at her mother. Her mother shook her head. "Don't ask me. I don't know. It was as if he was asking your father for something only he can give, almost as if he was deliberately making himself subservient to him, which is ridiculous."

It was then that inspiration hit Merrinda. Her face lit up with excitement. "It must be promotion. He must really, really want dad for the position. Who could be better than dad for a position of viceregent, perhaps over a whole country, or even continent." Merrinda watched her mum's face relax. Her mother almost clapped as she said, "Dad will be so pleased, but what a disruption to our nice tranquil life." Merrinda knew that look on her mother's face. Plans were already being made.

It was almost mealtime when the lounge room door opened and Dharwad emerged, alone. Immanuel had unobtrusively left by the rear entrance. Bailey, Merrinda's mother, could not contain herself. With the packing already half done in her mind, she exclaimed, "When do we have to leave?"

Dharwad looked at her in confusion. "When do we, what?" Then it dawned on him, his wife's mistaken assumption. "No," he said, "it was not about me. It was about Merrinda that he came. I cannot tell you more. He wants to speak to her himself. Turning to Merrinda he said, "He left you something, love," and handed her an envelope. Inside was a card, meticulously embossed and set out in a design of staggering beauty. This was a rare gift indeed. Paper copy and envelopes were rarely used any more in the kingdom, having been made redundant by the possibility of instant communication. Such cards were only used when an event was of such significance that a permanent, visual memento would be appropriate to remember it by. Dad watched as Merrinda read it. When he saw her face light up, he knew that she had recognised its intent. Then, the smile on his face froze as she said, "This is the most exciting day of my life. Surely, he has found a way into the Land of Exile and will take me there tomorrow. He has told me that he wants us to go together because his authority will override any authority in that place." She threw herself into her father's arms and said, "Thankyou, dad."

He wasn't sure what the thankyou was for, but simply said, "Perhaps you had better wait until you see what Manny has to say tomorrow, and remember, whatever you decide, you have my blessing."

The card had simply said. "I have a surprise for you. Be ready for instatravel pickup tomorrow at eight-thirty," and was signed, "by royal authority, _Manny."_

She was ready and waiting, seated comfortably in the lounge long before the arranged time. Right on eight-thirty, she saw a very faint shimmering in the room. She would not have noticed it if she had not been watching for it. In an instant, she disappeared into the instatravel transport stream. She felt nothing, experienced nothing. It was exactly as if she had gone to sleep.

When awareness returned, it took a few seconds to take stock of what she was seeing and make sense of it. She had certainly not been here before. She looked at Manny and said, "Where are we?" It was very beautiful.

"We are on the summit of Mt. Alverstone," Manny said. If you go north, you will be in Alaska. We are now in Canada." While he continued to point out the various places of interest, Merrinda stared, awestruck by the beauty. With the sun low on the horizon, there were glints of colour on the rock faces, adding to the natural soft glow being emitted by earth and foliage. Foliage there was in plenty. She knew that this would have once been a place of almost perpetual snow, and devoid of vegetation. Now, there was green grass on the summit and trees in the valley below. They were standing on a flat area of grass, smooth and level, like a sporting field and, to use a measurement that was dear to the heart of her father, about the size of a cricket field. In front of her the land dropped away quite suddenly into a broad valley below, while behind her there was a sheer cliff-face of rich ochre and deep brown-black rock, rising high above them. The reflected sunlight was shimmering from the cliff-face. Manny had his arm around her shoulder, sharing in her delight. They were communicating more by thought than words now, as people close to one another do. She felt enfolded in the intimacy of the closeness of family, but she shivered a little as she saw how close to the horizon the sun was. It was not that she was afraid of the cold. The truth is, in this kingdom there was no cold, as there had been for the generations preceding it. Warm mists drifted over the land from the sea, bringing both moisture and warmth. The whole earth was productive and comfortably habitable. Manny responded to the little tremor of fear which had passed over her. "Do not be afraid of the coming dark. We will make our own light. There are some advantages in associating with royalty."

They were no longer alone. A third figure had emerged, as if from nowhere. Merrinda drew a breath of surprise as she realised that he was no stranger. She remembered him from all those years back when she had been transported to the old kingdom of Saul, and spent time with the shepherd, Daveed. It was the messenger, Alias, servant of the Great One. Today, in the role he had been assigned, he looked far more elegant than she remembered him. He seemed to glide from place to place as he spread a blanket on the grass and prepared a meal. There was something a little entertaining about the situation, with the king settling himself on the grass to eat with her, and acting almost as if he were her lover. He had asked her where she wanted to sit. She had not hesitated, and had said, "I want to face looking out over the valley where I can see forever." He had clapped his hands playfully and acted the delighted lover saying, "I hoped you would say that. I want nothing more than to sit where I can watch and admire you with the last of the sun's rays playing their light on the cliff."

Now, they sat for a while in perfect peace, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, a light comfortable contact between them. The darkness was complete. There was no moon, only the stars and the chaperoning presence of Alias. Selfishly, she wished he would go away. Then Manny gave Alias a signal, not to go away, but to initiate some prearranged task.

Alias turned, bowed to the king and to her, his companion, as if both she and the king were worthy of equal adulation. Then, turning to face the black space that had once been seen as the valley, he bowed again to some unseen audience. Standing, he raised his arms high and with a sweep of his hands, much like a conductor commencing the performance of an orchestra, he proclaimed in a loud voice, "Let the performance begin."

The stillness resumed, but it seemed more intense, if such a thing can be. Then, the darkness began to lessen around them and they were soon bathed in light. Only the area immediately around them was lit. It was as if the whole cricket pitch-sized area of flat land where they were sitting had become a theatre, a stage on which something was to be acted out. Darkness formed the walls of the theatre. At first glance, the light itself did not seem, in any way, to be extraordinary, except that it had a quality which enfolded her with warmth, almost as if the element it was made from was love itself. Then she realised that something extraordinary was happening between herself and the king, her companion. He had opened himself to her to such an extent that words were no longer necessary.

He squeezed her hand, and she picked up his thought, " _It is the Father's presence. Relax and enjoy what he has prepared for us."_ She knew she was not picking up everything he was thinking and hoped that the most inner part of her own thoughts was as well shielded. She knew they must be, or he would have pulled away a moment ago.

During the next hour or so we watched together as numerous performers moved on and off the stage, emerging from, and disappearing into the darkness. Not wishing to break the spell, I asked, without speaking, " _Are these all messengers like Alias?"_ The answer I got back was, " _Yes, mostly."_ The light remained constant, as if to avoid distraction from the performance. Music, song, dance and mime all followed each other. We were transported into another world. The finale was reached when the canopy of darkness, which had enclosed us like a dome, burst open with a brilliance of flashing light and movement. As our eyes became accustomed to what was happening, it became apparent that we were surrounded by a vast number of beings, all emitting an array of light, and moving with exquisite grace. The thoughts flashed between us, " _Are these what I think?" "Absolutely." "We are surrounded by an army of dancing angels." "Wow!"_

There was no doubt in my mind now as to why I had been brought here. With this demonstration of authority and infinity of power, there could be no doubt that Manny would be able to find a way to get me into the Land of Exile. He knew that I had needed this demonstration to prepare me to accept what seemed impossible. I kept these thoughts hidden, so as not to spoil his opportunity to surprise me with his offer of help.

The dance of the angels was beginning to thin. The field in front of them was no longer a mass of movement. It was more like an ordinary dance floor with space, movement and rhythm. Manny stood before her, took her hand and said "Will you dance with me?" Then, they were dancing. She didn't remember much of the moments that followed, but always remembered it as the day she danced with the angels.

The whole experience was so extraordinary, that she had no recollection of exactly how the next scene unfolded. She remembered shaking her head with the realisation that something had changed. The heavenly light had gone, except for a faint glow immediately around them. She was not sure whether that was coming from the lingering presence of the Great One and his attendants, or from her own happiness. It was beautiful. It was quiet. The moon was shining with a softness which gave a romantic quality to everything it touched. They were standing together in their own little glow, when Manny said softly, "There is something I want to tell you - ask you." She gave a little nod. She knew it had to come, whatever it was that she was to know about the land they were to visit. After this demonstration of authority, she knew it was possible now, so gave a little nod of agreement, but something was not quite right. Manny was looking at her with an intensity which she found almost frightening. It was then that she witnessed something she had never imagined possible. Manny was afraid.

Then everything went wrong; not wrong in the sense of being bad; wrong, weird. Everything was happening in an upside down, reversed order of functioning that she could not make sense of. Manny, the king, bowed to _her_ and knelt in front of her, as if she were the king and he, the subject seeking leniency or a favour. He took her hand and looked at her with an intensity which she could not quite interpret. She was beginning to be a little afraid herself. This was not the sequence of events she had predicted. He spoke, hesitantly, like a shy little boy, "Merrinda, you know that I love you. You must know that?" She nodded, wondering what disaster was looming. Yes, she knew he loved her. They were very close. Then, he continued, "I have a request. I need to ask you something that only you have the authority to give." I had never known him to be so hesitant. He continued, "Merrinda, daughter of Dharwad, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" It was my turn to do something entirely uncharacteristic. I went faint at the knees and sagged to the ground in a kind of shocked ecstasy. Then, I was being held tightly against him with my head resting on his shoulder. As my awareness began to return, I realised how close my mouth was to his ear. It was enough to simply whisper, "yes," and kiss him on the ear. He turned toward me. I kissed him on the mouth.

It was very late when we left for home. Time had passed so quickly. He dropped me discretely at the door to my own home, saying, "Tell your parents I will talk to them tomorrow. I will contact your father to make arrangements." Excited as I was at the prospect of sharing my news with them, I was glad it was so late. The news could wait until tomorrow. Right now, my bed beckoned. I was suddenly very tired.

I opened the door as quietly as I could and stepped inside. There would be no sleep for me tonight. Dad was walking slowly toward me. I knew he had been waiting for the slightest sound of my entry. Of course, he knew what was going on! Wasn't tonight's big question what he had spent so much time talking to Manny about yesterday! I almost laughed as he approached. If anyone's face could look like a question mark, that is what his looked like then. Instead, I opened my arms to him and said, "Thank you for waiting up." Holding me tight, he said quietly, "Did he ask?" I nodded against his shoulder. Then he said, "What was your answer?"

I stepped back a pace, pulling myself back from his grip and said, "I said _yes_." I wanted to see his face when I gave him my answer. I was pleased that I had. His face registered instant approval. It was not only his face that registered approval, so did his actions. He clapped his hands loudly above his head and shouted, "Mum! Break out the Australana." I wished I could have seen mum's face, but I didn't need to. I heard her _shout,_ "Yirra-lippa-dee." I had only ever heard her use that word once before. I don't even know if it is a proper word, but it certainly has a meaning for her. It meant supreme joy. She had done the same shout when dad got his last promotion. I would have liked to have seen her face, but I think hearing that sound was even better.

We were still sipping Australana two hours later. This was a rare treat indeed. It was only brought out on occasions of supreme importance. I don't think any of us really liked Australana very much. It was the celebration that was important. We were celebrating the present and looking toward the future. It seemed important at such occasions to renew and strengthen our links to the past, hence the Australana. Mum had been born and had grown up in Australia. We considered it our country of heritage. There would be a lot of talk, celebration and speculation happening in that country when the news was released. We had a lot of close relatives and friends there, including my Ma and Pa. That is what I call mum's parents.

I felt a little sorry for dad, at times like this. He was not Australian born or bred. He spent his early life in Syria. There were no close ties left, just one cousin, Samir. I knew dad was renewing his contact with the past. I could feel his sadness. Mum must have felt it too, because she left the room for a moment. When she returned, she was carrying a small box, wrapped in colourful paper. She handed it to him. "To the past, the present and the future," she said, raising her glass. "May they combine to make a beautiful, constant whole." We drank the toast together, and dad opened the box.

The wrapping contained a beautiful, glossy box that looked as if it had come from a jeweller. It was not a large package, no more than forty centimetres high and not a lot wider. Dad had clearly never seen it before and had no idea of its contents. When he opened the lid, I knew it was immensely valuable, at least to him. His face paled. I thought he was going to faint. I watched, as he took mum into his arms and held her in the tightest embrace and said, "You incredible woman! I do not believe that there is another person in creation who could do such a thing." I watched as he crushed her bones with the strength of his embrace, and she enjoyed it. I hoped that when Manny and I had been married as long as they had, we would be just as close.

I still could not see what the box contained. Dad had looked in from the top. I was viewing it from the side. I could, however, see the box itself. I had never seen a box like it before. The print on the lid, which was now hanging open, was in both English and Arabic. It said, _HENDERSEN'S Jewellers of Distinction._ The peculiar thing about it was that, although it looked brand new, the date was in the twenty-first century of the old, pre-kingdom calendar. I could not wait to see it opened and hear its story.

My parent's long embrace finally ended, and dad was withdrawing the package from the box. It was wrapped in a soft paper material, which I knew was in common use in the old times. When it was unwrapped, it was revealed as something incredibly beautiful, a figurine depicting four people, postured in what could only represent close family unity. The whole thing was moulded from tinted crystal, with the figures rising from a semi-opaque base. The figures themselves were incredible to look at, being faintly tinted, in a way that gave ever-changing effects of blue, pink and yellow light, shifting as it was viewed from different positions. Dad was spellbound. Perhaps it _is_ possible to go into a trance from looking at something of sheer beauty. Beautiful as it was, I knew there was something of even greater significance to my father.

I did not want to break the spell, but I had to know, so I directed a comment into the silence. "That is so beautiful. What is it?" It was mum who answered. Dad could not yet speak. "It is a statuette of your father, with his first wife and family." I had known that my father had been married before he met my mother, but it was seldom mentioned. This woman standing in miniature, along with the two children, had been instantaneously killed by a bomb which had landed on their house, in a time of war. For those of you who do not know what a bomb is, you will need to go to the museum archives, where descriptions and printed images are available. There are no moving-life-images of such things. They are best forgotten. I know that the injuries from such an event would be impossible to survive, even in today's world. That's why dad was crying and holding the statuette to his chest. Mum was beside him with her arm around him. It was not an unhappy moment, just a moment of intense emotion. Joy and loss were being melded together into an experience of new unity. The past and present were again being united into a strengthening platform for the future.

When dad was able to speak again, he said to my mother, "How were you able to get it? They are so perfectly as I remember them."

"It is something that I have wanted to do for a long time, without being able to find a way to accomplish it. There were no photos or representations of any kind."

"No," dad said, "We never kept such things. They weren't lost, they never existed. How did you achieve it?"

"Eventually, I went to the palace and requested a permit to travel back and see them."

Dad could not restrain himself. "You saw them, talked to them. Were they happy?"

I could see my mother struggling with how to answer. I realised the strangeness of what had happened. She had seen Shuroos, his first wife, and their two young children at a time later than _he_ had last seen them. Finally, she spoke, "She is very beautiful, your Shuroos and the children are a delight. No, I did not speak to them. The terms of the permit did not allow me to reveal myself. I could only observe. They were very proud of you, finishing your university course in London, and were anticipating your return very shortly. It was at a very special moment, that I captured that image. Your precious daughter, Zarin was looking at her mum, and had just said, 'Daddy, home?' in her best two-year old speaking voice."

Before Bailey had left for Damascus with her precious travel permit, the palace official who had issued the permit had recommended a jeweller in the city. It was there that she arranged the making of the statuette. Merrinda could see that there was still anxiety in her father's face. Her mother had obviously noticed it also, because she said, "Dharwad, I almost forgot. When I showed the statuette to the king, on my return, he was very pleased with it and commented on its likeness. You know, I think he knows the face of everyone in the kingdom, and beyond. He gave me a message for you. He said to tell you that your family are in a safe place." The relaxation in her father's face was visible when she said this. It was an anxiety which had been with him ever since the kingdom had been established.

The whole atmosphere was relaxed now. Merrinda thought back over all that had been said and could not remember passing on Manny's message. She said, "Dad, I have a message from the king for you also. I don't remember passing it on."

"Oh, you passed it on alright. You're marrying him!"

Merrinda laughed and with a twinkle of humour in her eyes said, "Of course I passed that on. No, _this_ one is important. He wanted me to tell you that he would be calling on you this morning to talk about announcements and ceremonies."

Bailey, her mum, broke in, "I think that will have to be a family conference." Then the implications of what she had just said dawned on her. "This is amazing; a _family_ conference with the king. He is a part of this family! That will take some getting used to."

Dharwad looked at the clock. Merrinda did not need to. She was looking out the window, where the sun was just showing its first flush of light above the horizon. They decided that the best thing to do was to all go to bed for a while and try to get some sleep. They could eat when Manny arrived. They would be ready to receive him by ten o'clock, hopefully a little more refreshed.

The days and months ahead passed in a blur. The wedding would not take place until after Christmas. Christmas was an important event in the kingdom. It was the king's birthday. This year the festival of his birth would be followed by the celebration of his marriage. The new year would usher in a new era in the kingdom. The king would be allied even more closely with his people as he bonded himself with them through the most sacred bond humanity knows, that of marriage.

If the events which followed had occurred in the age of the old technology, every television set and every mobile device would have been transmitting the news and images of the progress of events. As it was, there was nobody who was not free to use the natural energies which had been released, under the reign of Immanuel, to experience the events as if they were present. The privileged few, close relatives and friends, were brought to be part of the ceremony, the pomp and pageantry, which were part of the occasion. I do not enjoy such things but I, as the chosen wife of the King, realise that they are part of something essential. People are united by these events. I knew that such occasions had become an ongoing part of my life. I would dedicate myself to being a part of it as a service to the people who belonged to the kingdom. I was confident that as time went by I would grow to enjoy even that aspect of my life with Manny.

The wedding ceremony took place in the palace gardens. I don't believe that the world had ever seen an event of such magnitude before. Certainly, there had never been so many people involved in one event at one time. The old technologies had limits. Now, with the release of the natural, created energies of the earth, there was nobody who could not be involved, either by personal invitation or through virtual attendance.

Chapter 9 - THE WALL

The next three years were a time of peace, prosperity and unity throughout the kingdom. The world welcomed Merrinda as the Imperial Consort and gave her equal acclaim with the King. In private Merrinda and Manny were happy and content. Merrinda learned more and more of the joys of intimacy with the Great One, Manny's father, and spent many hours in the room of communication talking with him, until she was able to speak with him as freely as with any other person, both in the private room and anywhere the need or opportunity arose. The only moments of discomfort they had occurred in relation to the Land of Exile. They did not know how or when to tackle the problem. Manny still supported her in her quest to visit the place and to take the knowledge of the kingdom with her. He still believed that if he could enter that place with her they would have safe passage back. Since he had conquered death, he was convinced that there was no kingdom that could hold him captive.

They set out on their first exploratory journey early one morning when they were both free of official duties. They knew exactly where the land was. It was how to gain entry that was the problem. They headed south. Immanuel had almost unlimited access to instatravel, so it took only a few moments to reach the location. When they reached latitude sixty degrees south they were stopped by an invisible barrier. A quick survey showed that there was no apparent break in the wall that was before them. It was as they had expected.

Further exploration proved that there was no access from any direction, even above. The whole area was enclosed in an invisible dome forming an impenetrable barrier. They could not even pass a hand into, or beyond it. The strange thing was that it did not seem to block other things. Their shadows were clearly visible on the other side when the sun was behind them. The waves passed through without the slightest interruption and, looking up, they could see clouds moving uninterrupted across the sky.

Under different circumstances they would have found this phenomenon fascinating, but now their only interest was to discover whether there was any way they could merge with the wind or clouds to gain entry. Merrinda did not believe so. The Father had told her that the key was in her heart, whatever that meant. Surely, if the key was in her heart, her deep desire for entry and the intensity of love she felt for these unknown people was sufficient to open a way. They had tried, both together and separately. Every formula of command known to man had been tested to no avail. The way was blocked. Merrinda had never seen Manny so unsure of himself. She knew that, if it had not been for the love he had for her, he would not have continued his search. He was not used to operating on the outer edge of his authority. But he was confident that Merrinda had the Father's permission to attempt entry and was convinced that, as her husband, he had the right to accompany her. He was sure that this was his duty. Nevertheless, he was uneasy. There was something that did not seem quite right.

They knew that beyond where they were, there was a land which had once been known as Antarctica. Back in the time before the kingdom, it had been completely covered with ice. What it was like now, nobody knew, except those who lived there. Even he, as king of the whole world, did not know. This was not part of his domain. It belonged to his Father, locked up for the future. In the end, they were forced to abandon their search for the time being, mentally and emotionally exhausted.

It was a full month before they were able to resume their quest, having both spent many hours in the room of communication, talking to the Father about their problem. The Great One was adamant that he could give them no further instruction about how to solve their problem. He neither encouraged nor discouraged them in their search. Nothing had changed. Entry could only be obtained by the key which was in Merrinda's heart. This was a secret to be revealed only when the right circumstances were encountered. Nobody could arrange it. The Great One had strongly reiterated that there was an extreme risk involved. Once her entry was achieved, it was irreversible. About the possibility that Immanuel could hold the gate open for her, he had no comment to make.

This time, it was a more sombre couple that set out toward the south land. Merrinda was still excited. She believed that her determination would find the way. She had spent hours in the museums studying maps of ocean and wind currents, hoping there might be some clue there, but she knew in her heart, that would not be the case. The new kingdom had brought with it such vast changes in climatic and atmospheric conditions that none of the ancient data would apply. This time she would follow the one solid piece of information she had available to her. She would listen to her heart. Her spirit must lead the way, not her logic.

For Manny also, it was different this time. He did not feel excitement, only anxiety. As her husband, he knew that part of his responsibility was to protect her. He took his Father's warning seriously. He would not let her out of his sight for a moment, but would maintain close physical, mental, emotional and spiritual contact with her at all times. He knew that this would be an exhausting day for him. Tempted as he was to relieve his own anxiety by commanding her not to proceed, he knew that as his wife, she was an independent person and, as vice-regent in the kingdom, had authority almost equal to his own. Above all, she had Father's permission to proceed. In spite of his fear, he would support her in her quest. He knew that behind that barrier, there lay the fifth largest continent of the earth. There could be millions of people there, whose fate remained, at the best, uncertain. He must not exceed his authority by doing anything that might prevent their restoration.

This time, they moved slowly, circling the perimeter of the enclosure. Manny had arranged his agenda in such a way that they had six whole weeks to complete the task. This created a big gap in his agenda, but he was determined that Merrinda would not do this alone. After four weeks of painstaking exploration, they had still found nothing. There was nothing but water, endless ocean and that seamless, invisible barrier. They sensed no unexpected fluctuations in energy or spirit activity, no evil, no barriers except the one that remained constantly to the south. Then, Merrinda gave a gasp, "What is that?"

Manny looked to where she had indicated, still holding tightly to her hand. His face grew tense with concentration. " _That_ should not be there." As they drew closer, it became apparent that, in fact, _it was_ _there_ , a landmass in the midst of what should have been endless ocean. It appeared on no map, neither had any report ever been made of its existence. _It did not exist but there it was_ , a strip of land several kilometres wide and extending beyond the horizon to the north and to the south. The barrier which they had been examining crossed it just to the south of where they were heading. They approached cautiously. This was a strange place. More than ever, it was important to remain alert to any hint of anything unusual or threatening.

"It's solid," Merinda said, planting her feet firmly on the earth. They had half expected it to be an illusionary image, like a mirage which disappeared at close quarters, but this was real earth, with rocks and grass and trees. Compared to the land they were used to, it was unproductive and unattractive. What grass there was, was brown and dry. The trees were strong but sparsely leaved. There was no sign of animal or bird life or habitation. It was the same both sides of the barrier. They knew exactly where the invisible barrier was. Merrinda kept her right hand firmly in contact with it as they walked slowly along its length. She was feeling for any change in vibration or energy deployment as she went. There was nothing, but they would walk the breadth of this land, feeling every step for any hint of variation from what was normal. They could find nothing out of the ordinary about it, except for one thing. _It shouldn't be there_.

Then something changed, they both felt it at the same moment, a prickling of the scalp and a rising of the hairs on the back of their necks. They stood together, stock still. Merrinda's hand was still on the wall, sensing nothing unusual, but they knew that what they were seeing was not right. It took a while to work out what it was. It had all felt ordinary and peaceful until they reached the crest of the hill where they were now standing, looking down into the valley. It took a while to work out what was not as it should be. Then Merrinda pointed. "That tree is impossible. At least, I have never seen anything like it before." They were close to where it was growing now. It towered above their heads, with strong ribs of bark weaving their way up its trunk. It was big. Even Manny could reach his arms no more than half way around. Yet it had been pushed over at an angle toward the land beyond the barrier and bent, for all the world as if some giant archer had drawn it back to fire an arrow into the land beyond the wall.

They were at the base of the tree now. The barrier was positioned in such a way that it placed the tree in a position that put its base in the kingdom and the rest of it in the Land of Exile. The wall wrapped around it, or more likely went right through it. Merrinda had tested that by flattening herself against the trunk to see if she could worm her way to the other side by following it, but to no avail. She could not get so much as a finger past the obstructing wall. Whatever had happened here, it was not an open door. They could still sense no presence of evil or disturbance of energies, but the hairs on the back of their necks told them differently.

They found that they could not easily leave this place. It held the promise of secrets that could be released to those who had the knowledge to unveil them. They puzzled together over the problem before them. Even with all their wisdom, knowledge and spiritual awareness, they could find nothing to alert them to danger, yet there were physical signs which were inexplicable. If they had no awareness of danger, why were the hairs on the back of their necks bristling so strangely. There was something incongruous about that. Such a warning signal could not be ignored.

Since the warning they were receiving was communicated through the physical responses of their bodies, they decided to explore their physical surroundings in more detail. They were standing just back from the bottom of the valley in which the tree was growing. To get a better view, they moved back a few metres so they could look down onto the land in front of them. On the other side of the flattish land which formed the base of the valley, the country rose quite steeply into rough hillside, sparsely covered with vegetation. However, it was the valley itself which held their attention. The base of the tree which they had previously examined so intensely was just below them and slightly to their right. About twenty metres beyond this, in the centre of the valley, two huge logs lay in parallel, as if they had been stretched out there by some humongous force. Merrinda could not escape the impression they gave of two giant warriors, slain in battle and left, carefully laid out with their feet in the kingdom to which she belonged and their heads in the Land of Exile.

Merrinda tried to express something of what she was experiencing as she viewed the scene in front of them. " _That_!" she said pointing to the valley below, "is weird. It confuses me. I don't know whether it frightens me or excites me. It looks as if some huge force has moved through there toward the Land of Exile. But there's nothing there now. We were down there a moment ago. I felt nothing."

"There's something about it that is not right," Manny said. " _It's not_ _there_ , not in our reality, yet we can see it and feel it."

"Another dimension?" Merrinda suggested."

"Perhaps, but it makes no sense. If it was really here I would know about it. This _is_ in my kingdom. There is nothing in this kingdom that I do not know of. I have puzzled and puzzled but find no solution. _There is no solution_. That stretch of land is not here."

Suddenly Merrinda realised that there was something she had omitted to do. Feeling a little guilty and foolish, she said, "Have you talked to Father about it?"

Manny nodded. "He will give me no answer, only to say that it is his place."

"Then we shouldn't be intruding?" Merrinda asked.

"No, that's not right. He said that you have the right of entry."

Merrinda was excited, "Then, it is a doorway. We can go in?"

When she looked at his face, she hardly recognised her own husband. What she saw was so out of character: he was king of the whole earth, in total command and yet what she saw in his face was absolute fear. Acting on impulse, she threw herself against him and wrapped her arms around him exclaiming, "My love, my other self, what is it?"

In that moment, Manny did something that she had never seen him do before. He cried. After a little time, when he was calmer and secure in the realisation of the depth of her love for him, he said, "I am so afraid that I could lose you."

But Merrinda was so excited by the possibility that her entry into the Land of Exile might be possible, even imminent, that she could not understand. With a hint of puzzlement in her voice, she said, "Why should you lose me? Didn't Father say that we had the right of entry?"

"He said that _you_ have the right of entry. There was no _we_. Do you absolutely _have_ to go in there?"

Merrinda was silent for a while, lost in thinking. "No, I don't _have_ to. In a way the need within me is _greater_ than that. I feel as if that is what I have been born for. I don't understand the grip it has on me but somehow it associates with my time with Daveed and King Saul's people when I was a child. When I was with them, I felt I belonged there. I loved them. They did not have what we have in this kingdom. _They_ were a people in waiting. They knew the kingdom was coming. I know that is somehow part of my need to go but I can't quite get the association. I don't expect you to understand because I don't myself."

Something changed in the king's face as she said this. "Yes, of course. I see now. That is why this place is both here and not here."

"What on earth did I say?" Merrinda asked, when she saw the change in her husband's face. "I was just recalling my time in the kingdom of Saul. What has that to do with this?"

"You were right to associate Saul's kingdom with this. You called them a people in waiting and that is exactly what they were. They were waiting for the coming of the kingdom over which we rule. You have given me a key to understanding. Let me think."

Merrinda gave him a nudge, "Can I think too?"

The king and the queen of the whole earth sat together in a bond of oneness, the kind of unity that all people long for but few achieve. They pondered the unknown which lay before them. The land beyond the barrier was, as Merrinda had inadvertently revealed, a land of waiting. They knew that land did not come under the authority of Immanuel. It was Father's. In a sense, while it existed now, it belonged to the future when all the kingdoms would be united. They knew this much and speculated that the small land, as they were beginning to call it, was a nexus between the two kingdoms. It was insubstantial and indefinable because it did not fully exist in either place.

It was at this point that Merrinda realised how great the compulsion within her was, to go beyond the barrier. It was desire born of love, as if she bled inside for the people beyond that barrier. If, at the end of their time of waiting, they did not know of the reality of the kingdom they had been exiled from and the true nature of the king with whom she had become united, what would their fate be? They could be annihilated, or worse.

She tried to communicate this to Manny and he seemed to understand but remained silent, pensive. After a considerable time, he said, "I think you are right. You have to make the attempt to gain access to this Land of Exile, or should we call it the land of waiting." He had been remembering a time when he had needed to decide to be on this earth with a similar mission and Father had sent him with his blessing. He continued, "I will make every effort to come with you or, at least to keep the door open. I cannot lose you."

Slowly and deliberately, they made their way back onto the flattish floor of the valley before them. They knew that the key to entry was in Merrinda's heart. Surely it lay within the intensity of her love for the people beyond the barrier. They only needed to find a way to use it. Manny was still very aware that there was something 'not quite right' about this place. It was never quite what it seemed to be. Even the ground was wrong. Sometimes it appeared to be solid and covered with grass. At other times it looked as if they were standing in the centre of a river, but it continued to provide them with a firm foothold. Merrinda was just a couple of paces ahead of him when he looked down and noticed something he had not seen before. Looking into the earth, or whatever it was that they were standing on, he could now see beneath the surface. What he saw was a pulsation of energy _and he knew what it was_. They were standing on, or in a huge power-generation plant of some kind. He felt danger, almost panic. They must stand back and think before proceeding further. He shouted, "Merrinda! Come back."

She waved her hand back at him and said, "Just one moment. I want to see this rock. There is something about it."

Now, he was as near to panic as he had ever been and shouted, even louder. "No! _This is an Imperial order_. Come back. _Now_!"

"She took one more step and reached out to touch the rock."

He never knew if she actually touched that rock. She was immediately lifted from the ground by some unseen force and propelled toward the Land of Waiting. Rushing forward he managed to grab her heel for a moment but to no avail. She was taken from his grasp and he could do nothing but watch as she was propelled through the invisible barrier, looking for all the world like a frightened witch who had lost her broomstick and could not stop her flight.

He stood, with his face against the barrier, beating against it and crying out, "Merrinda, my love. No! What have I done?" He stood against the unyielding barrier for a few moments and watched until she disappeared. She did not vanish gradually into the distance as would normally be expected. She vanished suddenly, as if she had been swallowed up into an invisible cloud. Seeing this, he knew beyond doubt that she had been taken into another time or dimension from which he had no way of retrieving her. He remained standing there. Occasionally, as if of their own volition, his hands dragged down against the invisible surface of the barrier that separated them. All the urgency he had felt to leave this place in haste, was gone. Right then, he would have been glad if the surging energy beneath him had swallowed him up also and taken him to be with his wife.

Then, he remembered who he was. He had a kingdom to rule. Millions of people depended on him. From the depths of his heart, he cried out, "Dad! Are you there?"

The answer came back in two words, " _I AM_!"

He was comforted. He felt enfolded in eternity, and as peace enveloped him, he said quietly, "Merrinda, go with my blessing and in the security of Father's presence."

Chapter 10 - VILLAGE OF LIVVON

Merrinda was dreaming. Her bed was rocking and the trees were moving like blurred images. She moved her hand across the mattress. It was hard and covered in something like animal hair. It was then she realised that something was wrong. This was not her bed. She opened her eyes and, trying to focus, realised that the trees were _not_ moving. _She was_. Her sight had still not fully come into focus, when she heard a voice beside her saying, "Manahas, she is awake." Immediately, she felt herself being lowered to the ground. Her progress stopped and the trees were no longer moving. She could feel the roughness of gravel beneath the fabric of whatever it was she was lying on and tried to sit up. It hurt. Everything hurt. She realised that she was not dreaming. This was real. She knew what had happened. The memory of hurtling through the air as she was hurled into the Land of Waiting, returned. But what was happening now was entirely unexpected. She hadn't expected to arrive without the ability to move. She was afraid, but it was not fear that held her immobile, it was injury. She had expected to be in control, not dependent on others.

As she looked around, her change in location was confirmed. People in the kingdom of Immanuel did not look like the people around her, neither did they hurt the way she did. A man was kneeling beside her on her right and a woman likewise, on her left. They reminded her of the people she had met in the kingdom of Saul. These were dressed in what she thought of as an even more primitive style than the people of Daveed's time had been. The dress for both sexes was similar. Above the waist they were naked. Below the waist they wore a skirt-like garment made from a tough but obviously soft and flexible material, which reached to the knees. They were armed in much the same way as Daveed and his contemporaries had been, but without the cumbersome shields or the simple sling.

She relaxed a little as she found herself liking these people. She was aware that she was fighting a sneaking sense of superiority as she observed how they were dressed. She was glad that she had carefully selected full-cover hiking gear before setting out on her search to find this place. While she could see that these people were comfortable and confident of each other's respect, she knew that she would be embarrassed to be seen dressed as they were. Then, as she attempted to sit up, she began to rub her hands over herself in an attempt to generate healing from her hurts. She was astonished to find that somehow along the way, she had become clothed in an exact replica of the garments her companions were wearing. It took a deliberate effort to avoid an exclamation of apology or embarrassment. Then, embarrassment turned to a puzzled amazement. There was no need for self-consciousness. She was being treated with absolute respect. In fact, they were addressing her in a most surprising way.

The man who had been kneeling beside her appeared to be the leader of the little party. He was now on his feet and addressing her in a formal but polite manner. It was with relief that she realised she could understand the language, only the accent was strange. He said, "Welcome to the land of Gnostalivva, your Majesty. Will you allow us to convey you to the village of Livvon? We can accommodate you there until more suitable arrangements can be made."

Unthinkingly, still suffering from a slight delirium, she gave a light-hearted wave of the hand and said, "Proceed."

Immediately the litter on which she was being carried was picked up and they proceeded on their way at a fast jog. They had only travelled for perhaps thirty minutes when the open forest opened up into a large clearing. On a small rise in the centre of the clearing, there were several small, but well-constructed buildings, built from carefully hewn stone. This was obviously the village of Livvon. They lowered her stretcher to the ground in front of an attractive dwelling with a tended garden. She judged this to be the residence of Manahas who, from the conversation she had heard, was the village chief. A small group of villagers had gathered around, curious to see who had been injured. They were all dressed in the same clothing which she was beginning to think of as the village uniform. What did surprise her was the small gasp that went up when they saw her and the spontaneous curtsy which they all gave.

Now that she was recovered from her injuries she felt foolish lying on the stretcher. She stood to her feet and looked around. The gasp she heard as she stood to her feet was even more intense than that which she had heard when they first saw her. What was so strange about her that brought this reaction? She tried to appear confident and in control of herself but inside, was uncomfortable and confused. She had wanted so badly to get here but, now that she had arrived in such an unceremonious way, she did not know what to do. How could she introduce herself? How could she begin to tell them about the kingdom for which they must be prepared when their waiting time was finished? Did they even know that there was a waiting time? Everything looked different now that it was actually happening. She needed time to think and to orientate herself to her surroundings, so she did the only thing she could think of. Turning to the man beside her she spoke with the greatest courtesy that her palace experience had taught her. "Manahas, honourable one," for that is how she had heard him addressed, "can we withdraw to the privacy of your quarters and discuss the business of my arrival?"

This was going to be difficult. How do you introduce yourself to somebody from another world, especially when _you_ are the intruder? She played for time by commenting on the tasteful decoration of the room into which she had been taken. She was surprised to see that the floor was not constructed of hardened dirt as she had expected. Whatever it was made of, it had been skilfully constructed. It had the appearance of brick or terracotta tile, tastefully coloured and patterned. She sat with her host on timber benches, draped with a woven material which was both soft to the touch and did wonders in its effect of softening the feel of the room.

As she had hoped, her host broke the silence. "Let us introduce ourselves. Then we can proceed to the purpose of your journey and how we can assist you. My name is Manahas, with the title of Chief Ruler in this village." A wide grin revealed the face of a man who was relaxed in humour, even when it reflected on himself. Through the grin he continued, "Well, the only ruler really. There are only twenty-seven of us living here. We are honoured to have you among us, Majesty. I have to admit that you have me at a disadvantage. I cannot place your identity. Have we met before?"

"No, we have not met," she replied and was silent for a moment while she opened herself to talk to Father. She was unsure how to introduce herself or how much to reveal and was surprised at how little she remembered of her life with Immanuel. Her pain at the loss of contact with her husband was intense, but only felt in brief moments. Most of the time it was as if the past had not existed. She knew that she must begin to speak. Father had been clear that he would give her what was necessary. This kingdom was still under his authority, although its actual government was in the hands of human rulers until the time of waiting reached its conclusion.

"No, we have not met," she repeated. "My name is Merrinda, daughter of Dharwad and of Bailey. I am the wife of Immanuel, king of the whole Domain."

Manahas looked puzzled and was deep in thought. Merrinda had been expecting rejection at the thought of such a mysterious concept, which she expected her host had never heard of before. However, it was obvious that what she had said triggered some memory in the Chief Ruler. He called for his wife. When she came into the room, he formally introduced her to Merrinda as Hendritia. When the introductions had been made he said to his wife, "You have a better memory for detail and obscure information. Does the name King Immanuel mean anything to you?" It was obvious that it did. She immediately paled and looked as if she would prefer that question not to have been asked. Then she said just two words, "The tapestry!" and asked a question. "Have we been betrayed?"

Manahas quickly regained control, as was fitting for one in his position. Merrinda was liking this man more and more. He had wisdom and confidence. She hoped that he could be persuaded to be an ally. She would _not_ like him for an enemy. He turned to her and said, "Your Majesty, forgive us for our lack of thoughtfulness. Please make yourself comfortable here, while we prepare some drink and cake for a welcome snack before the evening meal." With that he ushered his wife into the adjoining room where they conferred while the snack was being prepared.

When they returned, they brought with them three earthenware mugs of something that gave off an aroma reminiscent of coffee and a plate of what could be best described as flat cakes which tasted of honey and contained cracked nuts. It was all so well prepared and presented in such a civilised manner that Merrinda was forced to question her first assumption that these were primitive people. Her first assessment had been based entirely on dress standards. She would have to revise that judgement. Perhaps there had never been any need to develop clothing such as her people had. The clothing of her own people was still based on a pre-kingdom climate with considerable seasonal variations in temperature. If the climate here, as she suspected, was warm and comfortable, then there would be no need for full covering.

Sitting there with the food and drink before them should have been a comfortable, relaxing time but something had changed. There was an air of anxiety, even mistrust, emanating from her companions. She decided that she could lose nothing by trying to resolve one issue which puzzled her. She said, "One thing has puzzled me since my arrival. Ever since you first found me, you have not ceased to speak to me by the title of 'your majesty'. If you know nothing of me, how could you determine that such a title is appropriate?" Hendritia replied, with a hint of amazement in her voice, "But surely that is obvious. You are wearing the royal headband. If you were not a ruling monarch, that would mean death."

Without thinking, Merrinda put her hand up to her head. There most certainly was a band there. "I wasn't even aware that it was there," she said. "What depicts it as being royal?" Manahas and Hendritia looked at each other and said together, "The colour of course. Everybody knows that purple is for royalty. Apart from yours, there are only three in the whole of the earth, one for each kingdom."

With her hand still on the headband, Merrinda asked, "Could I take it off? I have no desire to be addressed as royalty while I am here. The mission that I am on is that of messenger, not a ruler." Hendritia visibly relaxed with this exchange and exclaimed, "You really are from somewhere else, aren't you!" But it was clear that nobody was allowed to be seen without a headband. It was Manahas who now took the lead and suggested that they proceed to a place which he referred to as the meeting house. On the way he stopped to have Hoosta join them. He was the eldest son of Manahas and next in line for the chieftaincy. The wait was a little longer than Merrinda had expected and her anxiety level rose when she saw him coming toward them with his father. He was dressed in what appeared to be full military regalia and armed with sword and javelin, which may or may not be of ceremonial issue. There was nobody close enough to touch her. Nevertheless, she felt a slight squeeze of the hand and instinctively knew what it was. She said a quiet 'thank you, Father.' She knew she was safe for the time being. The armed escort emphasised the seriousness of their current errand and, by implication, the mission she was on.

The house of meeting proved to be a structure consisting of one room, about twice as long as it was wide, with a small food preparation area curtained off at one end. It was adequate to house the entire twenty-seven adults in the village, along with their children, and provide space to allow for dancing or whatever this hall was intended for. One thing struck her as being slightly out of place. About half of the length of one of the longer walls was entirely without windows or other openings, and consisted of elaborately decorated panelling. Interspaced throughout this section of wall there were simple squares of flat, polished stone with lettering engraved into them. A closer examination revealed an unexpected discrepancy. Some of the stones appeared new, while others were obviously much older and more crudely engraved. Intrigued, Merrinda went closer. Was this what she had been brought here to see? Nobody said anything. They seemed to be waiting for her reaction. It didn't take long to realise what she was seeing. This was a memorial wall, but what could be so special about it that it required an armed guard? To a casual observer, it would appear that he was here to guard against any danger she might present, but his current position betrayed this. He was standing at the entrance to the building, facing outward as if to ensure that no one else gained entrance. He could not see what was happening in the building.

She spent considerable time examining the plaques. There was nothing that appeared to need guarding. This was a public building, obviously set up for community functions. There was nothing here that everybody in the village would not have already seen with some frequency. Her hosts remained silent, waiting, but for what? Merrinda was the first to break under the strain of the silence and said, "I can see that this is a sacred place. The history of the entire village is here, but what requires such careful guarding and why have I been brought here?"

When she said this, there was a visible relaxation in the faces of her hosts. Hendritia came over to her and, placing her arm around her shoulders, said "You haven't a clue what is here, have you? Finally, I trust you. You really have been sent to us"

Manahas spoke with great deliberation. "What you are about to see has been seen by few people and by nobody except for my wife and myself in this generation. Even my sons will not have the right of access until our deaths, unless the decree is changed. We hope that you, as the sent one, may be able to interpret what is here. Perhaps you may even be a part of it." Through all this, Father had been silent. Most things she had to do by herself. She was not exempt from making choices. In that respect she was the same as any other inhabitant of the earth and Father seemed harder to reach here than he was at home. What would happen if she got everything wrong. She could be exterminated in a moment if she was seen to be a danger to whatever this precious secret was.

There was nothing else that she could do but wait as Manahas moved over to the wall. With the tip of the knife he carried in his belt, he levered the edge of one of the memorial plaques up and removed it entirely. Revealed behind it was a small cavity with a concealed lever set into the panelling behind it. He gave the lever a twist and then tugged with considerable force, to remove the first panel. He did this with each panel in turn.

What was revealed behind the panels was a drawing, reminiscent of what may be seen in some cave where ancient paintings have been done. Closer examination revealed that this work had all been done on separate slabs of split rock, probably slate. She thought that clay was almost certainly the medium the artist used. It consisted of a series of simple line drawings. The representations were clear, or would have been to anyone familiar with the text of the story. She was sure it was a pictorial representation of a story, or possibly a series of illustrations used to illustrate a verbal presentation of an address or teaching. It was a remarkable work. The way it had been done on rough tiles which had to be fitted together suggested that it may be a copy which had been made to be transported.

She said, "This has to be a copy. I would love to be able to see the original."

"You are right," Hendritia said, "It is a copy. There were three copies made, one for each kingdom of the world. That was a long time ago when the Master of Holiness was sympathetic to belief in the one God, Moo-ahann, the maker of heaven and earth. But several generations ago all that changed and a decree was made that all such records were to be destroyed. The new Master of Holiness declared it to be a sin against humanity to single out any particular God or doctrine for worship or practise. If there was to be religion, it must be all inclusive. That is still the position today."

While Merrinda was still wondering how this copy came to be here, Hendritia continued to explain that it had been secreted away before it could be destroyed, and had been moved from place to place many times before finally finding its place of rest here. As they talked it became clear that Manahas and Hendritia were convinced that if the painting was discovered by the authorities, the whole village would be wiped from the face of the earth. Merrinda had learned something important here. The authority of this Master of Holiness was such that it could override the authority of the three monarchs who ruled the earth.

Together they looked at the drawings, then Hendritia asked, "Does it mean anything to you?"

The first part of the drawing was, without doubt, a representation of something that Merrinda knew. She said, "The first part, I know. I have heard it talked about by my parents many times. Its accuracy is incredibly true to what I know of the real event. You see that representation of bright light, and the staircase coming down from it. That is the way king Immanuel is remembered as coming to my world, which is now his kingdom. You see those six objects standing together in front of him. They are missiles."

"They are _wha_ t?" Manahas asked. "I do not know that word."

"No, neither would I if I had not heard them talked about by those who lived before Immanuel's time. From what I have seen here, I think you will be able to understand. You do know what war is. You fight and destroy to gain control over what you consider to be rightfully yours."

Hendritia replied with considerable feeling, "Yes, we know about war and the death and destruction it brings. We know the sword, the spear, the whorly-wang, the arrow and many other weapons."

Merrinda was quick to respond, "Then think of these rocket things as being like them, only many times more destructive. Just one of those would completely destroy this village and everything you can see surrounding it, all in one blinding flash. However, in what you see represented here, they were not used that way. They were used as messengers of the Great One, creator of heaven and earth."

"Oh, you mean Moo-ahann, we know him. What did these messengers proclaim? That must have been a powerful speaking."

"It was indeed. They announced that Immanuel was appointed as king over all of the earth and that he was the son of the one you call Moo-ahann. Those who observed that event tell of the messengers visibly spreading the sign of the earth's renewal across the whole land." They continued to gaze at the drawings. Finally, Merrinda said, "The rest is more obscure to me. The central figure of the woman who seems to divide the beginning from the end, is a mystery to me. Beyond that, there appears to be a general clarity of meaning. I do not know any of its detail. It belongs to the future. Only Moo-ahann knows with accuracy how it will be achieved, but its certainty is absolute. He has decreed it. Such a decree cannot be changed."

Manahan broke in with, "We, too, believe that the outcome of the prophesy depicted here is absolute in its certainty. That is why we continue to risk everything to preserve it."

Hendritia contributed her knowledge. "There is a great sadness in the picture. The people that can be seen walking determinedly to the right are proceeding straight over the cliff, apparently without being aware that they will fall straight to their death."

"Look closely, wife," Manahan said. They all looked and saw that there was something specific about the falling place. "We still have places exactly like that. It is a place for the discarding of anything that is no longer of use or would contaminate the land."

They continued to talk as they looked at what was before them. It was obvious to them that the other people in the picture were on a different journey. They were heading into the distance where there was a glow of light. Father had been talking to Merrinda about this. She said, "It is the same glow that spread throughout the land when Immanuel set up his kingdom in my world. Look, that is what the woman is showing us." The woman concerned was central to the whole portrayal. She looked as if she wanted to be mother to all those portrayed and guide them to the light. Once you could see it, it became obvious. She stood like a beacon and guide, strong, determined, and heavily pregnant.

Hendritia spoke with a firmness in her voice which Merrinda had not heard from her before, "Moo-ahann has spoken. You are that woman!"

Merrinda paled, stood stock still, and said. "That is impossible. I am not pregnant."

Hendritia looked at her in amazement. "How could you not know. You most certainly are pregnant." At first Merrinda was inclined to laugh, but then she stopped and thought. She had been so busy orientating herself to the new experiences that she had not noticed the signs. They were all there. Now that she knew, she gazed at the woman in the picture, absorbing every detail. When she knew that the image was so firmly fixed in her mind that it could never be lost, she turned from the wall and said, "Let's go. There is much to do." When they had finished restoring the memorial wall, they made their way back to the chief residence of the village. Father talked to her on the way. He congratulated her on her pregnancy and told her that he had already told Immanuel. Finally, he encouraged her with the assurance that all was well at home.

Merrinda and her hosts talked into the night. She learned that the village of Livvon was a part of the kingdom of Gnostalivva, ruled by King Hoolandon. It was a considerable kingdom, comprising the whole of the southwestern segment of what they knew as the world, formerly known to us as Antarctica. However, after considerable discussion, it was decided that it was not the king whom Merrinda should approach, but the Master of Holiness. He controlled the release and availability of all knowledge, philosophies and religion throughout the world.

Much thought and planning would have to go into this phase of her mission to prepare the way for the spreading of the news of the coming of the kingdom of Moo-ahann. To antagonise the Master of Holiness would make the mission almost impossible. To gain his opposition would mean the sentence of death for her and any who continued to follow. She needed to know more. "How can I gain access to this Palace of Learning, as you call it?" she asked.

Her question was met with silence, not shocked silence, rather the eager expectancy that the answer was there, waiting to be found. Manahas broke the silence, "I believe the answer lies in what you already know. Remember, before we went to look at the prophetic work, you said that your mission did not require you to present yourself as royalty but as a messenger. I can send you to the Palace of Learning, if you are prepared to go in disgrace."

"Perhaps I should ask, what kind of disgrace I am to be in."

"I am thinking about it. We need something that is sufficient to require discipline, but will not put you or the coming infant in danger of being lost to us. You must be presented as a married woman so that you cannot be required to be married to another. That could be seen as the answer in some cases to the problem of an errant woman. Your marriage and the legitimacy of your child must be beyond question so the child, when it is born, cannot be placed in protective care. There is real danger. I must think."

What Hendritia did next demonstrated the extent of the trust she now had for Merrinda. She gave Merrinda a wink and, turning to her husband said in a voice that held all the authority of her position as chief woman of the village. "What dithering old fools men can be. Wait!" With that she left the room.

Manahas lifted his eyebrows with a quirky twist of the head. "That woman is up to something. Now you know why we choose to govern a small village and not a city province. We would find the decorum and pomp of such a position beyond endurance. Now we must wait here and judge whether the plan she is hatching is workable. I have no doubt that it will at least be a good starting point. She is no fool, that woman of mine, no matter how hard she tries to give the impression that she is."

"Perhaps you should send her to the palace for discipline, then she would be fit to fulfil a _proper_ governing role," Merrinda quipped back. In this way they passed the time until his wife returned.

When she returned, she had a small roll of finely woven cloth in her hand. She handed it to Manahas and said, "Sign that." Merrinda watched with interest as he unrolled the cloth. She had never seen anything quite like it before. As she thought, it was finely woven cloth, treated in such a way that the surface provided an excellent writing material. Manahas read what was in the document, aloud.

I, Manahas, obedient servant of the kingdom of Gnostalivva have been entrusted with the care and training of this woman. Having found the task beyond my capability, I am bringing her to the Palace of Learning to be instructed in discipline, under the control of the most honourable Master of Holiness. You will find her to be a woman of considerable knowledge and insight but lacking the kind of discipline necessary to fulfil the requirements of her husband's household. She is Merrinda, the daughter of Dharwad and of Bailey; wife to the most honourable Iman-Yewell. Not only is this task beyond my ability, but time is of the essence. She must be prepared to take up her rightful post with her husband in the north, when he returns from travels five months from now.

With honour and respect

Manahas

Chief-governor of Livvon

As chief governor of Livvon, he put his mark at the bottom of the page.

The next ten days would test Merrinda to the limit physically, mentally and emotionally. Provided there were no delays, it would take all of that time to reach the Palace of Learning, to which they were headed. Even now, on the first day, her legs were aching unbearably. They had no instatravel here. The feet did the work. There were just the three of them. This was good. It allowed intimacy and trust to develop. They talked as they went. She was beginning to build a picture of the land which she now considered her home. As she walked, she thanked Father for his goodness. This was not as she had feared if would be. She had envisaged a terrible place of exile, overrun with suffering and torment. Although it was different from what she remembered of Immanuel's kingdom, it was still a good place to live and she was thrilled to discover that it was possible for the inhabitants to talk with Father, or Moo-ahann as they called him. This would make her task easier.

On the journey she talked a lot about this, and realised the severe limitations that existed in her companions' ability to understand anything about the kingdom from which she had come. To live here, was to experience a completely different dimension of life and reality. It could not be understood through the logic of the human mind. In her world, the whole period since the commencement of the kingdom, had passed in little more than the time it had taken her to be born, grow to be a woman and conceive her first child. Here, many generations had passed. This was not only a different place, it was a whole different experience of reality. When she tried to explain about Immanuel's kingdom, it was difficult to achieve understanding in her listeners. It was with the realisation of this, that she decided she must abandon the role of rational teacher and become a storyteller. Understanding must come from the listener gaining insights from Moo-ahann. Those who opened their minds to Him would have already begun their journey into Father's kingdom.

The three of them, Merrinda, Manahas and his wife Hendritia were now bonded like a small family group. She shared this need to become a storyteller with them and took every opportunity to practice her skills on them. They were careful in sharing any of these things with people outside of their group. The identity of her mission must be concealed until after she had gained all the information available to her from this Palace of Learning.

Some knowledge she could not share with anybody. One of these things was the complete lack of dapiboska plants in this world. This was the thing she missed most, but there was no way of communicating her loss. There was completely no point of reference for the existence of such a thing. She still hated killing animals for food but recognised the need and enjoyed the result. When she had first been served meat as a food, she had not known its origin and enjoyed it without question. To be honest, she had thought that it was a kind of dapti, previously unknown to her.

There were other things about the land which she found hard to accustom herself to. She was learning to navigate. She would have no trouble making the current journey because there were defined paths with signs where other paths branched off, but she knew that there could be dangerous times ahead for her. How could she navigate if it became necessary to move through the country without the use of paths to guide her. She realised she had to learn. The problem was that there was no true north and south or east and west in this land of the circling sun. It did not rise in the east and set in the west but continually circled the horizon, sometimes just above and sometimes just below. It is true that she had seen one of the rare maps of the world that exist and it was marked with north, south, east and west but these were purely arbitrary directions for the purpose of reference. She would have to memorise landmarks everywhere she went and use them for future reference.

The other thing that she found difficult to adapt to was the fact that there were no light and dark periods which, in her world, had been called day and night. Here, the sun simply circled. She was surprised that, even when the sun was below the horizon, it did not get dark. She believed that this had to do with the refraction of light from the invisible barrier enclosing this world. This refraction probably contributed to the constant warmth and comfort the climate provided. In spite of the fact that there was no noticeable variation in intensity of light, people still referred to morning and evening, day and night, but this was controlled entirely by the body-clock which is built into all of us. She was beginning to adapt and to be able to tell the time of day with some degree of accuracy. There was so much to learn beyond what she had expected.

Chapter 11 - THE PALACE OF LEARNING

When they reached the end of the journey without incident, Manahas insisted that this was due to the protection of Moo-ahann. Whether this was literally true, there was no way of knowing, but his wife, Hendritia, was adamant that it was very rare to make such a journey without having to fight off at least a pack of wild dogs. Merrinda patted the sling she carried attached to her belt. It gave her comfort.

She was thrilled with the development of her companions' relationship with Moo-ahann. They talked with him now almost as much as she did. It was an encouraging sign for the future of her mission.

What now stood before them was the most impressive building in the land. They stood looking at it. Even Merrinda was impressed. This would be an impressive structure in any civilization. It was old, built in some previous era, using long forgotten techniques.

It stood, a vast pyramid, reaching high. It towered ten stories tall. The material was smooth, with a faint lustre about it. Nobody knew what that material was and all knowledge of its source or manufacture had been long lost. No wonder the fame of this place had spread throughout the world and no wonder the people who occupied it felt important. On their way here, they had met a number of people who were familiar with this Palace of Learning and its Master of Holiness, but she had been able to learn little about what went on inside the building. Everyone spoke of it and of the Master of Holiness with reverent respect, but nobody seemed willing to gain personal experience or enter the building. It had an aura of being a place of ideological worship but of no practical use to the people around it, except to engender fear and obedience. It was as if, with the prohibition of the recognition of the name 'Moo-ahann', this tower itself had become some sort of ambiguous god in its own right. She wondered if, by going in there, she could change that.

Merrinda, Manahas and Hendritia stood looking at the entrance to this formidable place. They could not pretend they were not afraid. The trembling of their bodies betrayed them. Manahas and Hendritia had faced armed invaders and attacks by wild beasts but, never had they felt such fear. "Once you go in there," Hendritia said, "there is nothing anyone can do to protect you. It is beyond the authority, even of our king, Hoolandon, to intervene. What are you hoping to achieve? Is there no other way?"

Merrinda was challenged by these questions. They were difficult to answer with any degree of logic or common sense. "I do not know what the purpose of my entry is. All I am sure of is that Father, the one you call Moo-ahann, has commanded me to do it. It _must_ be done. Its purpose will be revealed as time goes by. In the meantime, I will use the time to gain information which may be helpful later on."

Manahas wanted to argue against this decision and said, "Surely, you have the right to demand an explanation. If you know Moo-ahann so well, surely he would expect that."

Merrinda's reply was spontaneous, "I do not call him Father for nothing. A child does not question her father's command but responds, knowing that the father's primary concern is always for a positive outcome. Remember when I came to Livvon. He was the one who brought me there. It was out of my control. Think of that and then let me ask one question. Was there any other village in the kingdom that had preserved a copy of the prophetic painting?"

"No, there was not."

"Then I must trust Moo-ahann to prepare the way before me now, just as he did then. The real danger lies in the possibility of choosing to go my own way." Secretly and perhaps a little selfishly, she hoped that she would not be alone. The letter they carried with them stated that she had been entrusted to the care of Manahas and his wife. She hoped that they would also be expected to be responsible for her during the period of her discipline. This place terrified her.

Slowly and deliberately, with what would appear to an observer as great composure, they approached the only entrance to the building that they could see. But there was an observer. Hendritia had spotted him and told them that if they looked at the balcony of the fourth level up they would see someone who appeared to be watching them.

Merrinda spotted him easily. Being careful not to stare, she observed every detail she could gather. She was beginning to feel vulnerable again, as if her whole inner being was naked. He was not dressed as they were but was clothed in a long flowing robe of white material, trimmed with blue. She thought that he was wearing a headband, as all citizens of the kingdom did but she could not determine its colour accurately. She thought it was yellow, with perhaps something else. She put her hand instinctively to her own head and felt that the black band she was now wearing was still in place. She wondered what yellow signified. It was something she had not come across before. There was something eerily frightening about the way he was watching them. She had to work hard at warding off the feeling that she was a pawn at his disposal. Sent as she was for training in discipline, she would no doubt, be expected to act somewhat like a pawn. She would wait and see.

They entered through an ornate archway and found themselves in a small alcove with passages running off to the left, the right and straight ahead. They would not have known which way to go if they had needed to make that decision for themselves. As it was, they were not going anywhere in a hurry. Guarding the entrance, were two heavily armed men. They were wearing the headbands of the common people and clothing similar to their own, but their duty was obvious. Our three heroes, trembling in their bare feet stood still in what they hoped was a submissive pose. The guards kept them waiting for an inordinately long time. Merrinda was taking in all the information she could and thought to herself, 'watch these two, they enjoy their power a little too much.' Manahas whispered to Merrinda, "Another piece of information, notice their clothing. It is much browner than ours. That means they come from the kingdom of Toskiff. The Toskiffians can always be identified by that colour."

When the guards had satisfied their need for control, the one on their left said in his best commanding officer voice, "State your purpose!" Merrinda put another piece of information in her memory bank. These were little men, playing strong man roles. That could make them dangerous, but they could also be easily manipulated. Manahas, as leader of their little group, stepped forward. and said, "We have a letter, addressed to the honourable one, the Master of Holiness, to be delivered to him." The guard put his hand out to take it. Manahas stood at his tallest and said, with authority which sounded more convincing than that of the guard, "It is to be delivered directly to the Master of Holiness."

The guard was clearly at a loss as to what to do. After a moment, he turned to the doorway and called, "Seer, Come!" There was silence, then the sound of approaching footsteps. A woman appeared, dressed in the same white and blue robe which they had observed being worn by the man on the balcony. Merrinda could easily see the headband on this occasion. It was yellow, with a single star in the centre at the front. The guard spoke to the seer quietly for a moment, then she approached Manahas and said politely, "You are welcome to the Palace of Learning. Please follow me."

They followed her up the hallway which seemed to lead into the very centre of the building. She and Manahas walked side by side, conversing as they went. Merrinda liked this woman but was frustrated that she could not hear all that was being said. From what she heard, she learnt that they would be unable to see the Master of Holiness himself. It was one of the Consecrated Ones that they would be taken to. That was as high as their guide was authorised to go and they should understand that they were being granted a rare privilege to be allowed an audience at that level. Very few ordinary citizens were taken beyond the first level, but, because the communication was addressed to the Master of Holiness himself, she would take them to the highest level possible. Eventually, after climbing three flights of stairs, they were ushered into a room and instructed to wait. "You may sit on the bench while you wait but please stand to show your respect when the Consecrated enters."

It seemed like an hour but was probably ten minutes later that they heard approaching footsteps, and a man, dressed in the now familiar blue-trimmed white gown entered. They dutifully stood and waited expectantly before him. He was not a big man but had the air of someone well acquainted with authority. They noticed that he wore the same yellow headband as their previous guide, but this time, it was distinguished by having four stars. They were beginning to understand that the stars must represent a badge of rank or authority. He addressed Manahas, as head of their little party, "I believe you have a letter for the Holiness?" He held out his hand with an air of authority which they knew must be obeyed. He did not hesitate to unroll the scroll and read its contents. "I see, hrumph, I see!" After that not very informative comment, he said, "Wait here. I will ensure that the correspondence is delivered to the revered Holiness. I will return when I have a reply. It may take some time." With a wry smile in Merrinda's direction, he added, "The discipline of a little waiting may not go amiss."

It was about two hours later that they again heard footsteps approaching the doorway. Surprisingly, the time had passed quickly. Taking the threat of a long wait seriously, Merrinda had availed herself of the opportunity to practice her storytelling, using the people they had recently met as characters and the Palace of Learning as the stage for their appearance. So, it was to the sound of laughter that their messenger returned. As he entered the room, they stood, in polite silence, to await his pleasure. When he looked at them, it was difficult to determine whether the look on his face was one of amusement or displeasure. This would be a difficult man to read.

This time he turned to address himself to Merrinda. "His reverence, the Master of Holiness, welcomes you to the Palace of Learning. You will remain under my authority for the time being. I will be addressed as Master. You will take orders from nobody who does not have the four stars of authority on their headband and will always be addressed simply as Merrinda. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Master."

Turning to Manahas, he said, "You and your wife are to leave for home immediately. You will return here on the first day of the new moon in the fifth month from now. Wait where you are. You will be escorted from the building." Then, turning back to Merrinda, "Follow me." There was no time to do more than give a brief wave to her companions before she followed her still nameless master from the room. As she followed her guide through the corridors, she began to wonder if she would ever be able to find her way around this place by herself. On this level alone, there had to be room to house the inhabitants of several villages the size of Livvon. She saw several adult men and women of various ages as she continued along the passages, but there seemed to be no children. Later, she learned that this was an institution of total chastity. It was believed that only those who could survive the discipline of such stringent restriction on emotion and behaviour, could apply sufficient dedication to the life of learning and wisdom. Only on the ground floor where the Seers lived were relationships between the sexes allowed and, even then, any children resulting from the relationships were immediately adopted into the villages in which those Seers served. This was seen as necessary, so as not to impede the possibility of their progression to the next level of authority.

As could be seen from outside, with the structure built in the form of a pyramid, the ground floor was by far the largest single living area in the building. She observed the activities from the balcony of the fourth level quarters which she had been allocated, overlooking what she considered to be the back of the building. There, people were coming and going in considerable numbers. A few discrete questions and well-tuned ears told her that these were Seers, coming and going. There was a great number of these people, who were considered by the general population to be trained in wisdom, knowledge and religious belief. As well as those permanently living on the premises, there were unknown numbers of them scattered around the communities which made up all three kingdoms. These were the teachers and religious guides assigned to all major villages and towns. They were also a kind of police force assigned the task of reporting any errant beliefs or practices so the appropriate authorities could take action.

Where Merrinda and her companions had entered the building, from what was apparently the front, there was very little movement of people coming and going. Mainly, people could be observed standing well back beyond the cleared space. From there, they would observe the building for a while and then leave as unobtrusively as they had come. These were the tourists. They seldom approached the building, let alone sought entrance, such was the fear engendered in the populace by this place. This was a place that was treated as if it were a God, and the people who issued decrees and knowledge from within were the creators of all things of significance.

For Merrinda, life in the Palace went on quietly, with few tasks to perform, except menial ones, like cleaning and tidying. It was almost as if she did not exist, or they did not know what to do with her and chose the easiest option, that of ignoring her. She spent a lot of time on the balcony where it was quiet and she could relax among the plants. It was here that most of their food was grown. She would have been bored beyond measure if it had not been for the fact that she had Father. She found a multitude of thoughts and ideas forming in her mind, or being put there by Father. She wasn't sure which. Did it matter which? She was sure that they all came from the Great One, whether directly or indirectly. Some of these insights formed themselves into stories in her mind without any conscious thought.

She tried sharing some of these little yarns with members of the staff which she met from time to time but decided that this was not a good idea. Inevitably, they looked at her in a most peculiar way, as if the very fact that they were listening could contaminate them, and get them into serious trouble. She was glad that she had tried because it confirmed two things which she had suspected. The first was that new ideas were not acceptable here. Only what was passed down from level five was truth, and needed nothing added to it, except where it needed refining to make it suitable to be passed on to the lower levels. Truth must not be contaminated, just adjusted to suit the needs and understanding of its hearers, so as not to do them damage. Their job on these floors was to further refine the information and teachings passed down to them so that it was suitable to be assimilated by the masses in the outside community. These must be protected from anything that would raise questions or doubts. In that way the ground floor Seers could take what was required for outside living to the villages and towns throughout the world. In this way, they believed that a unified and peaceful community could be maintained. The second thing that she learned from this abortive episode of story telling was that her purpose here was not to share or teach, but simply to observe and learn. But had she learned this too late? Increasingly, people were not talking to her. She wondered if some cardinal rule had been broken.

When she had been in residence for six weeks, in the midst of sweeping one of the corridors, she was approached by one of the older women. She knew this woman by sight but had never had personal contact with her. She carried herself with an air of authority which Merrinda doubted she had in reality. She wore the same four stars on her headband that everyone else displayed. When this woman had approached to almost touching distance, she shrieked in a voice meant to carry authority. "Slave! Stop your sweeping." Merrinda, deliberately kept sweeping without looking up. She had been told that she would be addressed as Merrinda and nothing else. Keeping her eyes demurely on her task she swept on, only to be interrupted by "Merrinda! you _will_ pay attention!" On being addressed properly, she stopped her sweeping and raised her eyes, taking in the woman's figure and face. Finally, she raised her eyes to the headband and took note of the four stars of authority displayed there. This was a woman who was to be obeyed, in spite of her rudeness. She stood and waited. When the woman saw that Merrinda could not be intimidated, she issued her command with authority and curtness. "You are to report immediately to your Master. You will find him in room twenty-four, corridor five. I will not sully myself further with your company. Your presence is a disgrace to this community. Everything you have touched has been contaminated. Go!"

Merrinda was glad that she had taken the trouble, not only to observe but to remember. She knew exactly where room twenty-four was. It was no time at all before she was standing at the entrance to the Master's space. She was apprehensive but not afraid. She had always found him fair and ready to listen.

Furthermore, she did not believe him to be immune from a woman's persuasion. She had no doubt that if the situation became difficult, he could be persuaded to her viewpoint. Chaste he might be, but not unaware. She admired him for both his integrity and his humanity. For a little while, she stood in the entrance to the alcove in which he was working and watched. He was completely absorbed in the document on which he was working. She did not want to interrupt, neither did she wish to appear to be spying on him. She spoke quietly, "Master."

He lifted a hand to signify that he had heard and took a moment to finish whatever it was that had his attention. Then he beckoned her into the room. She had learned to read his face now and relaxed as she observed that his eyes were welcoming. He was happy to see her. At his invitation, she sat on the stool close to where he was working and waited expectantly. She always enjoyed time in his company. In spite of the fact that she was one of the very few people on this floor who did not wear the four stars of authority, he always treated her with respect. He looked directly at her face as if he wished to interpret her expression rather than her words, and asked, "Was Wonka rude to you?"

For a moment she was puzzled, then at a loss as to how to respond. She did not want to get the woman into trouble. "If Wonka is the woman you sent to summon me, then she did her job very effectively. I was left in no doubt as to where I was to go."

She realised that he knew her very well. There was a reason that he had watched her face and not just listened to her words. Then he spoke in a firm voice which she now recognised as his voice of authority. "I am doing something with you that I have seldom had need to do. I am issuing a command, not as a friend or advisor, but as your Master. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master."

"I command you to tell me everything that happened between you and Wonka. As Master of this floor, it is necessary for me to know these things, even as it is necessary for me to have this talk with you." She told him everything that had been said. He said quietly, as if talking to himself but knowing she would hear and understand. "It is unlikely that she will progress to the next level while I remain Master." He looked at her for a moment and then said, "You were sent here to learn discipline. I have not found you undisciplined in any way. What really happened?"

She sat contemplating what he had asked and saw many pitfalls if she did not answer astutely. Her true identity and purpose must not be revealed in this place. Then she heard a voice, "Did you not disobey your husband?" It was Father, reminding her of what had happened immediately before entering this land. She remembered her husband, King Immanuel, commanding her to return to him. Quietly, and a little sadly she responded, "I disobeyed a command my husband gave. It was not a request that a husband makes of a wife. It was an executive directive that he had the authority to give because of his position. I had no right to question it. But, I am glad I came here. It has given me opportunity to observe how others act under authority."

As she spoke those words, a light came on in her mind, giving her the answer to a question which had been puzzling her ever since she had passed through the barrier to this world. She now knew what the key was that had opened the door for her entry to this land. As Father had said, it was in her heart. It was disobedience to her king and ruler, Immanuel. This was a land for those who did not accept their king's authority. She had lost the distinction between husband and Master. Only one question remained. Could the door be opened again for her return to her husband's side? This memory brought with it an overwhelmingly immense sadness for the loss she had suffered. Even so, she paused in her contemplation and realised that she was not ready to return yet. There was work to be done. But a seed of hope had been sown. Perhaps, continuing obedience to the promptings of the Father, her commander, might be sufficient to gain her the right to return when the time was right.

She talked with the Master for a while longer, then he told her the reason she had been called. "I am sorry to have to tell you, but this will be the last opportunity I have to talk with you. It has become apparent that you are with child and _that_ is something that cannot be hidden. As you have seen from Wonka's reaction, some on this floor believe that to have contact with a woman in such a condition is to be contaminated. I am sorry that this is so but there is nothing I can do. When you leave here, you will be taken to the Master of Holiness himself. He will determine what is to be done with you. As a mark of respect for the integrity that I have found you to have, I will escort you to the next level myself."

As promised, he went with her up just one flight of stairs, walking by her side as with an equal. At the top of these stairs there was a small alcove with a closed door at the end. There was no other opening. He lifted the knocker attached to the door and struck the strike plate firmly, three times. The sound of a bell could be heard from the other side. While they waited for a response she thanked him for the respect he had shown her and wished him fulfillment in the years of service which still lay ahead of him, secretly hoping that he would one-day graduate to that highest of all offices, Master of Holiness. If she had known the things that she would learn in the days to come, she would not have wished such a thing on him.

When the door finally opened, they were confronted with a stern-faced woman, bearing the mark of five stars of authority. No words were spoken. She simply beckoned Merrinda to enter and walked ahead of her up a further three sets of stairs. This was no surprise, Merrinda was well aware that no communication was permitted between restricted levels, only official communiques which would be either hand delivered or passed through a slot in the door. She was too big to pass through any slot provided. At the next alcove she was met by another woman, wearing eight stars, who took her a further two staircases higher. She knew that this would be the highest level; the ten-star level of the Master of Holiness. She waited alone in the alcove; it seemed that at this level no personal contact was permitted between levels. She was amazed when the door finally opened, to be confronted with a man wearing the lowly one-star headband. He greeted her by name, welcomed her to the Sanctuary of Learning and said, "Master wants to meet you. If you will walk with me, I will take you to him."

The walk along the corridor was a revelation of the unexpected. He took time to allow her to explore the entire floor. Being the top level, it was not a large area but sufficient to accommodate the twenty or so people who lived here. The fact that it was completely surrounded by balconies at least doubled the space available. On the balconies, a variety of crops were grown. There were even a few animals housed. What amazed her most was the fact that most of the people she met were women and children. They were all wearing the simple black headband just as she was, except for her guide, who wore one single star. She needed to clear her mind of all preconceptions. The whole of her surroundings was no less surprising. She had been expecting ornate opulence. What she saw was simple, but tasteful. She felt at peace in these surroundings, and thought, 'this does not feel like the _palace_ I had expected. This feels like home.'

Finally, they emerged onto a balcony which overlooked a large expanse of countryside, with the view fading away into the distant hills. This was a private balcony, only about ten or twelve paces in length and about six paces wide, the same width as the rest of the balcony which ran around the entire building at each level. There were several stools scattered around and a number of plants which seemed to be entirely for ornamental purposes. One of these drew her attention and excited her. It was a bush about her own height, if she stretched her hand up to full reach. The leaves, if they could be called that, were large, thick and succulent. The stem was solid, tree-like and branched. It reminded her of the dapiboska plant which grew at home and provided protein, as well as being delicious to eat. This had to be related to the plant she so fondly remembered, but it was wrong. It was covered in long, needle-like spines making it virtually untouchable. Very carefully, she manoeuvred her fingers between the spines and squeezed gently on one of the leaves. It was hard and unyielding, completely lacking the inviting softness of the dapiboska. It was at this point of her investigation that a voice interrupted the silence.

She turned, startled to be caught examining what might be a precious and private collection of plants. As she turned, pain seared up her arm. Those spines were every bit as viscously sharp as they looked. She was looking into the eyes of a middle-aged man of average height and a build which provided evidence of a well cared for body. She was trying to remove the spines without losing her dignity completely, when he said, "Here, allow me. I know how mean that thing can be. I call that plant dopey. I keep it to remind me that some things in life need to be handled with care. However, its fruit is delicious, if you can avoid the spines." As he removed the last of the spines he said, "I think that is the last of them. I am sorry I can do nothing for the pain. You may have some swelling for a while but it will mend." She rubbed her other hand over the injury, without thought, as she was in the habit of doing. Equally without thought, he grabbed her hand and looked at it intently saying, "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" she said.

"Your hand, it was red and already swelling, now the skin is normal and clear of all injury. How did you do that?" He continued to look at her with a degree of interest that she had been hoping to avoid. Then, with a visible effort, he detached his mind from whatever had been occupying it. "I must apologise," he said, "I have been very rude. Sometimes I become so occupied with my search for knowledge that I forget that people also are important." With that, he removed a flat stone cover from a small container which was resting on the floor nearby. Merrinda had looked at that object .and thought that it was a stool. She would have to remember not to sit on it if she was ever invited back here. It could be hot. What was revealed was a simple but effective slow combustion firebox. When the lid was removed and free-flow of air allowed into it, the glow of the coals began to increase in brilliance. By the time he had placed an earthenware pot on it, flames were leaping from the coals it contained and heating whatever was in the pot.

They were sitting together now on wooden stools, watching the flickering fire and drinking the hot liquid from the pot out of small earthenware mugs. Merrinda found it very pleasant. He explained that he had allocated her a private room adjoining his own quarters but opening onto the common balcony which was available to all residents. There she could mingle freely with any of the residents and become acquainted with their way of life. They talked together for an hour or so, becoming increasingly comfortable as time progressed. Then he escorted her to the room that was to be her sleeping quarters. Before he left, he said, "In the morning, food will be brought to you by one of the boys. It is a service which makes them feel useful and adult. When you have eaten, I want you to return to my private balcony, where we have just talked." Then he added something that disturbed her greatly. "I want to discover who you really are."

With the drape pulled across the door to provide perfect sleeping conditions for her, she drifted into sleep. In spite of the comfort of her room and the darkened environment, she slept fitfully. Her recent meeting with the Master of Holiness troubled her. What did he mean by, 'I want to discover who you really are?' She thought back over the conversation she had just had with him. He was an enigma to her. It was obvious that here, on the tenth level of the Palace of Learning, he had absolute authority, but he appeared to exercise it with care and concern. He acted more as if he was the father of a large family than an all-powerful dictator. In the outside world, from which she had just come, he was considered as someone close to God, if not actually God, an object of worship and absolute authority. What she saw now raised more questions than answers. If what he had told her was true, any decrees or commands that he issued were diluted or lost in their progress from his office to their release to the people by the Seers on level one. She found this enigma to be without any solution. It raised the question. Could he be trusted or was the picture he was painting for her a trap to elicit her trust and entice her to reveal her true identity. She made a decision. Tomorrow, she would reverse his plan. She would take the initiative and have her question regarding him answered, 'Who are _you_?' With that, she slept peacefully until morning.

The morning began just as had been predicted. She had not been awake long before a voice called from outside the curtain. "Your breakfast is here." She pulled the curtain back to reveal a bright-faced boy holding a basket with a bowl of something that smelled delicious and a bun-sized loaf of bread, similar to what had been eaten in the village. He did not seem inclined to talk, so she thanked him politely and gave him a look of appreciation which she hoped conveyed the idea that she thought he was doing well. She must have transmitted the appropriate message because his face lit up in a delighted grin. She decided that she liked that boy. He must have been close to twelve years of age but had obviously not yet obtained that milestone in years. If he had, he would have been wearing a headband. She ate slowly, not really wanting to face the forthcoming interview. When she could not make the meal last any longer and had taken an inordinately long time to wash and make herself presentable, she made her way to the Master's balcony.

Hesitantly, she retraced her steps from what she remembered of yesterday. Nobody else was in sight, so she made her way through the open doorway, out onto the patio which was Master's private balcony. She knew that if she was to take control of this interview she needed to gain control of her own uncertainties. When she stepped onto the balcony, he was waiting for her, sitting on the same stool that he had occupied yesterday. He rose to greet her with apparent welcome. Then they were sitting together as they had been the day before.

Wishing to take control of the situation, she opened the conversation. "Master." As soon as she had said that word, she was met with an upraised hand that clearly communicated his desire for her to be silent. He had something to say to her. He spoke directly, and if she could believe the voice, kindly. In the face of this, she found it difficult to maintain her attitude of doubt, so far as his sincerity was concerned. He said, "No, do not call me Master." Then, he looked at her with such a look of sincerity that she could not doubt him any longer and said, "Merrinda, daughter of Iman Yewell, I welcome you. I welcome you as a friend and an equal. I will call you Merrinda because that is who you are. I have read that ridiculous letter you brought with you, placing you under my authority. You are not under my authority, or the authority of any man."

Merrinda's heart was melting with something she did not understand. It was a feeling of kinship. She said quietly. "You are right. I am not under any authority except that of Father."

He looked at her in surprise saying, "You mean Dharwad?"

"No. Not that father." Ever so quietly she said, "I mean Moo-ahann."

Fear gripped her as her companion leaped to his feet, staring at her intently. Just as quickly the fear left her as she saw his face break into a surprised and delighted grin. "You dared to say the prohibited word. You are a friend indeed." He sat again, as quickly as he had stood. This time he was sitting facing her with hands outstretched, clasping her own. He spoke again, "From now on, you will call me by my name, never my title. I am Tom. That is my name, Tom, son of Yosef. You will honour me by calling me Tom. Friend. I, too speak with and follow Moo-ahann." He stood to his feet saying, "Come, follow me. There is something I want to show you."

He led her into the very central room of the building. It was quite dark here. Little natural light could gain entrance. Partly, this was due to the low ceilings in this part of the building. She wondered about this. The reason soon became apparent. The central room was enormous, running almost the full length of the structure. He took her to the end of this room, where there was the usual doorway in the form of a narrow archway. On going through this she discovered herself in a narrow passageway containing nothing except a stairway. There was a surprise at the top of the stairs. Here there was what she assumed to be another doorway but it was completely blocked by a large slab of stone. She knew that she had discovered the reason for the low ceiling in the room they had just left. There was another room above, an eleventh level.

Tom paused here with her and said, "What you are about to see now, is the most precious possession of the combined kingdoms. Very few people are ever allowed in here, only those who are trusted with the work of care and interpretation of what is contained inside." He reached up into the shelf above the doorway and, after some time, withdrew a straight rod about a metre long from its place of concealment. Merrinda was surprised to see that this rod was made of steel, not timber as she would have expected. He placed one end of this tool into one of several holes in the slab which blocked their entrance. Having the rod in position, he gave the protruding end three sharp hits, using a timber mallet which she had assumed to be a randomly placed piece of useless timber. Then, he pushed gently on the right-hand side of the slab and it swung open. At some time in the distant past, the mechanism had been meticulously engineered for just this purpose.

He swung the door closed behind them, saying, "You need have no fear here. You cannot be locked in, neither can you be surprised from outside. She could see that this was so. The locking mechanism was clearly visible and easily manipulated from inside. It was now apparent that the whole door swung on a simple pivot mechanism at the centre top and bottom of its structure. She trusted him well enough now to be able to turn to him and utter just one word, knowing that it would be interpreted in the way she intended. She said simply, "Tom"? It was the first time she had used his name. It seemed strange but she would grow used to it.

The room they were in was large enough to play a game of tennis in, if that was what you wanted to do. It would be an interesting game as the lighting was unusual. Strong light came in from above, along one side of the room, but that was the extent of the lighting. This left the room with one side strongly lit with natural lighting while on the other side the lighting faded away until it was quite dim. Merrinda was not planning a tennis match and looked at what was actually in the room. A bench ran down the bright side of the room, while the other side was fitted with shelves containing a variety of items. What the shelves contained provided a mystery that needed solving. Some shelves contained books. There were perhaps one hundred of these. Then there were handwritten documents and diaries, similar to the one her mother had kept. At the other end of the shelves there was a multitude of scrolls, made out of the same material as that on which the letter she had brought with her had been written. The central shelves held a number of small items of equipment which did not appear to belong here. She recognised some of these. There were several of those obsolete communication devices which she had heard her parents refer to as mobile phones or iPads and miscellaneous small items.

She was drawn to the books and was surprised to find that some of these were mechanically printed and bound. Surely, they could not have been produced in this kingdom. She had not seen any evidence of a culture sufficiently advanced to produce such products, unless another part of this world still held a surprise for her. Without even opening them, she was confronted with another mystery. They were printed in different languages, many of which she could not begin to read.

She and Tom were not alone in this room. On the other side of the room, where the light was bright, three people were working, two men and a woman. Each was working separately, surrounded by books and documents. Two were reading. The other was copying from a printed document onto one of those scrolls which seemed to be in common use in this civilisation. She and Tom had remained silent during this time. Like a library, this was a place that engendered silence. Now, he took her down to the end of the room, where a bench was located against the wall. They sat there and talked quietly about the things which puzzled her.

He explained that this room was the reason for the establishment of the whole Palace of Learning. Its structure and hierarchy had developed over generations. This room contained his life's work and the work of scholars for generations before him. They had each built on their predecessor's achievements. Each, in his turn, had been devoted to the task of unravelling the mysteries of the past and discovering truth about the origins of their world and its civilisation. He said, "My whole life is devoted to the search for truth. It is a slow but rewarding labour. It has been this search that has led me to put all my faith in the existence of Moo-ahann and learn to know him. The evidence that has been unearthed here leaves no doubt as to his existence and my experience confirms it. That is why I was so overjoyed to learn of your own belief. I think you have something to teach me. Will you trust me, wife of Iman Ewell?"

He stood saying, "Wait here. No, better still, go over and be seated at the scholars' desk where we can talk in private." He returned shortly with a small book and a scroll. Firstly, he opened the book and placed it in front of me. It was handwritten and I could see immediately what it was. It was a diary. He said hopefully, "Can you read it?"

I was sorry to disappoint him but had no option but to say, "No, I am sorry." I could not understand the language. I am almost certain it was written in German. I do not think he was really expecting that I could help that way, just hopeful. "Never mind," he said, "We have a number of documents in this language. When there are enough examples to work from, it is possible to learn the meaning of the words and phrases and begin to interpret what has been written. I have an interpretation here. If you had been familiar with the language, we could have checked the accuracy of the work we have done. That would have been invaluable for all our work in that language, but before we look at the scroll, there is something else I want to show you." With that, he opened the book near the middle. It had fallen open as if it knew the place he wanted to see. The reason it opened so easily became obvious. There was something concealed within the book. Merrinda knew immediately what it was.
"A photograph!" she exclaimed.

Tom was enthralled. His thirst for knowledge never slept. "You know how this was made?" he burst out.

She replied carefully, "I know a little. We still have these at home and there are many in our museums of ancient things. I cannot tell you much. They are not done by hand. It is like capturing a picture of what you see and freezing it in time." Merrinda had questions of her own. Tom's curiosity would have to wait a little longer. She asked, "Where did these come from? This whole collection does not belong here. Surely, it has come from somewhere else."

The reply came quickly. "They were all collected over a period of time from a small area of land in the south. It is a wonder you have not heard stories of it. The area of their discovery is just to the south of your own village of Livvon. Nothing has been found for a long time now so perhaps it is not talked about anymore." Merrinda almost forgot herself and told him that it was possible that there was something else there now. Her whole attire had gone missing when she 'landed' in that same area. What she was hearing confirmed her belief that the way she had come was the doorway to this Land of Exiles-in-waiting. She managed to stop those words from coming out of her mouth.

Then he turned to her and, looking directly at her as if he would discern the truth by what he was seeing, he said, "Who are you? Since your arrival here, I have had the records searched. You may think that I am isolated up here at ten-star level. I have more contacts than you realise. No record can be found of any man of importance by the name of Iman Ewell. So, I ask again, who are you?" With this he unrolled the scroll which he had told her was a translation of the German-language diary and said, "This contains the only reference to anyone of that name that can be found. Please look at it and tell me if it is of any significance to you."

He showed her a passage near the end of the book. In this passage the writer had described the same scene which her mother had written about in her diary before she was married. It described the coming of Immanuel and the proclamation of his kingdom. The recorded facts were the same. The only thing that was different was the attitude of the writer and the form in which he had recorded the name. She picked out one small section, " _\---the Deceiver has been revealed. By what trickery all this has been achieved we do not know. In a defiance of all that is holy, his name has been announced as Iman Ewell. This spawn of Satan is no God with us, but what can I do. The crowd has gone mad for him."_ She skimmed on until she came to another passage, written nearly three years later. " _We are nearly all gone now. Somehow, I have escaped until now. Only a few opposers of the reign remain. Nobody knows what has happened. They have just disappeared. All trace has gone. Even the memory of them is becoming difficult to find. I am afraid and alone. Even my wife has joined the followers of the Deceiver."_

Merrinda could not help but feel this apparent disclosure of her identity as a threat. When that letter of introduction had been written, her husband's name had been broken into two parts as a deception to conceal her identity. Even through her anxiety, she could not help but smile at the twist of fate which decreed that, in the one document in which it was recorded here, it had been broken into that same form. Tom was watching her with that 'I will know the truth' look. He knew that she had made a decision when he saw a slight relaxation of her features. She realised that her trust of Tom as a seeker of the truth and a friend overrode all else. She would confide in him and hide nothing. It was only as she began to talk that she fully realised the correctness of her decision. She felt the presence of Moo-ahann enfold them in a cocoon of confidence.

They talked for hours, not noticing when the other workers left for home. She did not withhold anything. It was only, when eventually, he said, in a voice that could hardly be heard, "Merrinda, I am sorry. I cannot talk any longer. My voice has gone from too much talking. We will continue tomorrow and learn from each other. There is so much I do not understand, perhaps cannot understand."

"I know," she said. "That is why I have been practicing being a storyteller. Facts from one world cannot always be understood in another. We will go home now." It was interesting that she was, so soon, able to refer to her little room as home.

When he met her the next day, the first thing he said was, "Storyteller, would you tell me a story." Having listened, he said, "The whole household must hear this. I will arrange something." Over the next few days she also learned much about what he referred to as the household. On this tenth-floor level, things were organised very differently from in the rest of the Palace of Learning. By the rest of the establishment, this difference was usually accepted, simply as the fact that, being on the ten-star level, they had special privileges. But there were other purposes being served. Here there were women and children. To Merrinda, when she first observed this, it appeared to be a promiscuous society, but this was not the case. She learned that the guide who had first introduced her to Tom had a wife and three children. Tom, being the head of the household had five wives with children from each of them. Altogether she counted sixteen children, ranging in age from infant to twelve years of age. She discovered that Tom was just as committed and faithful to his five wives as she and Immanuel were to each other. He would not betray their trust by joining himself to any other woman.

She had asked Tom also about the children. She was puzzled that there were no children over twelve in the household. "Ha, yes. Now that was a little device that I invented because I was concerned at the lack of communication which existed between myself and the community. I had no ability to pass on my knowledge to the community at large and no ability to gain information from the ordinary people in the communities which make up the three kingdoms. Everything was filtered and diluted or not passed on at all, and many in the lower levels of this Palace of Learning are hungry for power and control. They encourage my isolation."

As she listened, Merrinda learned about the system of communication which Tom had inherited when he became Master of Holiness. He said, "It does not matter what decree I issue, by the time it gets to the people, it has always been altered beyond recognition. The stamp of my authority is used to make proclamations which increase the comfort of the lower levels of the Palace and increase the awe in which they are held. The decree, prohibiting the use of the name Moo-ahann has never received my authorisation and I have been helpless to change the situation." He gave a chuckle. " In a move to rectify this, I asked for more special privileges. I said that I would only have younger women as wives. I was surprised when they swallowed the proposal so readily. I think it evoked some satisfying fantasies in the minds of the celibate.

To provide a reason for the introduction of younger women to replace the older ones who would be leaving. I introduced the idea that, when the children reached the first stage of adulthood, at twelve years of age, they would leave the household and live in the outside community. One or two of the older women, depending on the number of children involved, would accompany them to act as mother. My stated purpose in introducing this idea was that it would ensure that the number of residents at this level did not build to such an extent that the balance of power in the Palace of Learning was threatened."

He paused for a moment and then continued, "My personal goal was to establish a system that allowed me to disseminate information from this level, directly to the community. From this we developed the concept of a Garden of Meeting. Come with me. I will show you." I followed him as he led me to his private balcony. From there, we looked out across the forest. He said, "All that land which you can see constitutes the Garden of Meeting. Everything to the left of the river belongs to the lower levels. They are free to roam there, while all the land to the right belongs to this level. It is there that I am able to meet with the children when they return for a visit. The women do not return. They are free to establish independence, or remarry as they choose. An older man will always accompany the young ones. It is from these visitors that I am able to maintain contact with the community. It was by this means that I conducted the search for your non-existent identity."

Under Tom's authority I now established a routine in the household. In the mornings I would tell stories to the children and anyone else who had the time or inclination to listen. Then I would spend two or three hours in the record room copying the scroll which I told you about. After that, Tom and I would talk, forever sharing information. I was happy, fulfilled and safe but it was not to last.

I had been in the household for no more than six weeks, when Tom came to me one morning and said, "How are you progressing with the copying of the scroll?" I could see that this was not just an idle question. I thought that he had another task for me to consider. I suppose, in a way he did, but not anything that I had anticipated. I told him that I had almost completed it. A couple of days should finish it. Then he surprised me by saying, "Would it be possible to get it finished tonight?" There was urgency in his voice. I told him that it could be done if I worked past bedtime and gave up our afternoon chat. I fully expected him to laugh and say that it was not that important. I knew he valued our talks as much as I did. He surprised me again. His manner and reaction were a bigger shock than his words. He said abruptly, "Do it. What you are doing here, finishes tomorrow." Having said that, he turned without a word and left. Shock gave way to wonder as I realised the reason for his sudden departure. He was crying. I was not so proud as to think that the tears were for me. The tears were for the loss of his wife, Bonnetta, whom I knew simply as Bonny. I know that he loved her in a very special way, but that could not alter the fact that she would be leaving in the morning with the three twelve-year old children from the household. I hurried to finish the task before me. I assumed that they would be taking the scroll with them. Again, I was wrong.

It was halfway through what would normally have been my sleep time, which passed for night in this land of the circling sun. I gave a sigh of relief and tiredness as I wrote the last word. I was sitting there half asleep, waiting for the ink to dry so I could roll the scroll up for storage, when I heard the door open. Half asleep, I expected to see Tom come through the door. Very few people knew how to open it from outside and I doubted that he would be resting quietly after having walked out on me so abruptly. I was right. It was Tom, still a little red around the eyes but I could ignore that.

As he entered the room, he spoke, "Merrinda." That one word was a greeting. We had learned to understand each other well in the short time I had been here. He continued, "You have finished?" That short statement was a question.

"Yes, it is done," I yawned.

He smiled and said, "I came to apologise and to prepare you. Tomorrow is a sad day for the household."

I nodded, "You will miss the children and Bonnetta. So will I".

"It is a sad day." he repeated. "It is not only Neeta and the children who are leaving." I felt enfolded in warmth as he said that. I don't know if he knew what he had done, but by using that name for his wife, he had included me in the intimate inner family circle. Nobody else used that name. It was _his_ special name for her. The feeling of special warmth was not to remain with me for long. He continued, "You are leaving also."

This was a revelation to me. I thought I was pretty strong and unshakable. Hadn't I ruled alongside my husband in a kingdom larger than any preceding it. I had faced so many difficult situations and changes. I had coped with coming here, to a completely strange and foreign world, but those four words left me shocked and incapable of comprehending. I could not have heard what I thought I had. I could not leave now. My time here was nowhere near complete. This was my home. It was shock that made me respond the way I did. I stamped my foot hard on the floor and yelled, as out of control as I had ever been, "You can _not_ just throw me _out_. What have I done?"

Immediately I had said this I knew how stupid I had been. My mind had begun to work again and I was apologising profusely. Tom also apologised for being so abrupt and explained that news they had received had made it apparent that it was becoming dangerous for me to remain here. There was no time to lose. We simply rolled the scroll and he handed me a pouch with some other things in it which he said would be self-explanatory, and escorted me along the hallway and down the external steps to the Garden of Meeting, where the others were waiting for me. The only pause in my hasty flight was the moment which was allowed for me to change into my travelling attire. As he passed me into their keeping he once again enfolded me into the close family circle by using his intimate name for his wife. "Neeta will explain everything as you travel." I think he knew exactly what he was doing this time. He had given me a family.

Chapter 12 - THE STORYTELLER

No time or energy was wasted. Neeta, who had now merged back into being Bonnie, simply said, "We will walk for the rest of the night, then sleep and _then_ talk; none of us have slept." It was clear that she was in charge. We walked most of the night almost due west, keeping the river to our left, ensuring that we remained safely on our side of it. As our normal time for waking approached we were climbing into the hills. The river was narrow at this point. Bonnie, who had planned the route, led us across the river here. The whole of the Garden of Meeting lay behind us. We were now in country freely available to anybody. Without thought for anything else, we finally settled to sleep.

Merrinda slept deeply for several hours and then woke with a start, as if from a dream, but she could not remember dreaming. She was immediately alert, wondering if the Great One had woken her for a purpose. She turned her mind toward him but was aware of nothing, except that her eyes were drawn to the valley below. At first, she didn't see anything, then it became apparent that there were people down there. Looking closely, she was shocked to see that they were soldiers. They reminded her of the soldiers she had seen in Saul's army, except that here there was no opposing army. They were armed with spears and bows, with swords at their sides and were practicing attack and kill on animal skins stuffed with straw. As she watched, she was glad that she had changed into her travelling attire. She now had her traveller's belt with her, holding the sling she had brought with her when she entered the land. She also had a long knife for eating, hunting and defence, and a club similar to the one Daveed had used in a previous time, only a little smaller and lighter than his had been. She was confident in her ability to defend herself or secure game for food but not to defend against attack against a whole army.

She lay quietly, watching. She could see that there was a formidable force in the valley below. The closest of the soldiers were no more than three or four sling-throws away, but she felt confident that she and her companions would not be discovered, so long as they did not make any undue noise. They were screened from view by a sparsely growing hedge of shrubbery through which she could observe the activity below without being seen. Their own party consisted of six people. There were the three children, now at twelve years of age and considered young adults, herself, Bonnie and a man of about eighteen years of age who had come from his place in the community to bring messages and escort them from the palace. His name was Clive. He was one of Tom's children and it was, no doubt, he who had brought the information that had caused the arrangement of her hasty departure.

She watched for a couple of hours and then decided to wake Bonnie and inform her of the situation. She shook her gently by the shoulder, hoping she would not cry out. Bonnie woke slowly, without drama and looked at Merrinda questioningly. Merrinda said, "If you look through those bushes you will see that there are soldiers down there." Bonnie looked and said, "We did not expect it so soon. Neither did we expect them to be openly training here, but they have chosen their position well. Where we are, has to be the only spot from which they could be observed." She thought for a moment and then continued, "We will wake our companions gently." As they were doing this she said, "It was this, that Clive came to warn us about. They have an attack planned against Tom, or should I say, the Master of Holiness. The lower levels want to dethrone him. I do not think they can succeed now that he has been warned. No army can storm level ten of the tower. There are only two entrances, each with only a narrow doorway. However, life there could become very uncomfortable and dangerous. When they find that they cannot master a surprise attack, they will lay siege to the place but that will not succeed. Help is already on the way."

Merrinda was aghast. Why would anyone want to dispose of him? She asked the question and was even more surprised at the answer.

Bonnie answered with a question, "What would you say if I said 'because of you'?"

There was no time to answer. They collected everything they had and began walking south. Bonnie was busy organising proceedings. They walked for an hour, then rested and ate a long-delayed breakfast. Merrinda took the opportunity of asking, "What did you mean when you suggested that the attack on Tom and his household may be because of me?"

Bonnie replied by telling her that stories had been circulating ever since she arrived in the land. These stories had reached the palace about the same time she did. She said, "Tom dismissed them as glorified gossip until he met you."

Now, Merrinda was intrigued. She asked, "What stories?" She had heard nothing and could think of nothing out of the ordinary that had occurred. Bonnie's reply was that when she arrived, the palace began to be bombarded by stories of miraculous happenings. She said, "There were two stories that dominated the gossip, neither of them believable. One was that when you were first found you were badly injured and it was expected that it would take months for you to recover if, indeed, you recovered at all. As the story went, you miraculously recovered in the half hour it took to travel to Livvon, stood to your feet and proceeded with life as if nothing had happened. The other story was even more unbelievable. Apparently, according to the gossip, you arrived wearing the royal headband and this miraculously disappeared shortly after arrival and you became an ordinary citizen." Merrinda shook her head and then realised what had caused Tom to begin to believe the stories. She remembered his reaction when her hand healed so quickly after the episode with the prickle-fruit tree. As for the headband, she knew exactly where that was. It was secreted away, where only she knew, and the black one she was now wearing had been given to her in Livvon.

They travelled on, with a growing sense of unease. To the south, there was a dense bank of cloud and they were travelling toward it. By what they could see, it was, in turn, travelling toward them. In the next couple of hours, they would be in one of the rare rainstorms that occurred in this land. The precious things like the scroll, were sealed in waxed rolls so should be safe but life could become very uncomfortable if they did not find shelter soon. The track they were on, was unknown to them and little used. They had chosen it specifically for that reason, to avoid detection. The longer their whereabouts could be kept concealed, the safer they would be, but there were no traveller's shelters on this little used route.

At first, they looked for the perfect shelter of a cave, but found none. As the cloud came closer it became obvious that the only answer was to provide their own protection. They chose a somewhat level spot on a slight ridge where a grove of small trees was growing. They dragged a small log into position across the ridge and proceeded to secure the flexible stems of the saplings to it with vines that had been growing in the gully nearby. They continued to use the vines to strap the saplings together and form a framework for what they hoped would be a reasonably weatherproof shelter. What they had achieved so far was a dome-like structure ready for thatching. It would be a rough thatch but would keep them dry, provided it remained reasonably calm. It was already raining, but fortunately there was no wind.

At first, the rain seemed pleasant on the skin as they continued the work of thatching, but as time progressed, Merrinda found herself shivering violently. Cutting grass with their hunting knives and laying the thatch was a laborious process but eventually it was done. They ate the last of the food they had brought with them and decided that the best way to spend the time while it was raining, was to sleep. After the lack of sleep the previous day and the labour they had just endured, this was not difficult. No watchman was necessary. Nobody would be travelling in this weather. However, Clive slept across the open end of the shelter, like a shepherd guarding his sheep.

The three freshmun, as any youth from twelve to seventeen years of age was known, were the first to wake. After that there was no sleep for anyone. The new day had begun. Merrinda was wrong in thinking that the freshmun were the first to stir because, when she went outside she found a small fire burning. Clive was bending over it and tending the cooking of a portion of a small goat which he had obviously hunted and killed for the pot while the rest of them slept. She had been talking to Father about Clive. He was proving himself to be the kind of person that she would like to take with her when she set out on her storytelling mission. Father had surprised her by saying, "No, I have other things for Clive to do. I will show you who will accompany you, when the time comes." These conversations with Father were the foundation of her life now. When she talked to him, she felt close to his son Immanuel also. Sometimes, while she was talking to Father, Immanuel seemed so close that she could almost touch him, but there was never any real contact and she could not speak to him.

As the journey progressed, her companions looked at Merrinda in amazement. They had expected a pregnant woman, travelling such a distance on foot, to need special consideration. But this was not the case. When they reached Livvon she was fit and healthy, only her feet were sore. This would be another story of the miraculous Merrinda which would circulate throughout the land, no doubt growing in its incredulity as it spread.

It was Hendritia, the chief's wife who first saw their approach. Her amazement at their unexpected return gave expression in a shout of delight as she ran to greet them. "Manahas! The Special One has returned." She ran straight to Merrinda and clasped her in an embrace. Finally, releasing her, she held her back at arm's length to satisfy herself as to her health and the progress of her pregnancy. By this time, they had been joined by Manahas and several villagers. Hendritia was still babbling with surprise and excitement, "But, what are you doing back so soon? Shouldn't you still be at the Palace of Learning?"

Merrinda made herself tall in front of her and, placing her hands on her hips and with a mischievous lilt in her voice, said, "Respected one, wife of the chief, I must report to you that such was the impact of the letter of introduction you sent with me that I have already been returned to you, cured of my indiscipline, meek and submissive." While this was going on, Bonnie was talking quietly with Manahas. The result of that conversation was that Manahas clapped his hands sharply and issued a command to the curious villagers, "You will all return to your homes now. We will meet for meal-sharing this evening at the house of meeting. Until then, the meeting house will be occupied for restricted business."

As the villagers dispersed, Merrinda noticed that the freshmun were being escorted away. She later learned that they were being taken to a recently vacated house which they would share with Bonnie. Merrinda was interested to see who was left when the villagers had dispersed. There were five of them left standing there. The chief and his wife led the way, Merrinda and Bonnie followed, while Hoosta went separately, in a different direction.

All the memories of discoveries made came flooding back as Merrinda entered the hall. Her eyes went straight to the wall where the display of village and tribal history was still intact. She felt a tremor of excitement with the knowledge of what it concealed and of what was about to be revealed. Bonnie was still acting as leader of the group, and as the wife-extant of the Master of Holiness, had the right to do so. Merrinda knew that if the choice was hers alone, she would take this woman with her on her mission but was well aware that this was impossible. The freshmun had greater need of her. It was Bonnie who told Manahas and Hendritia everything that had happened. They were appalled when they learned that an attack was being made on the Master of Holiness. But even that could not prevent their curiosity from overpowering all other concerns when they saw the pouch and accompanying roll. Even Merrinda did not know all of what they contained. When she looked up, she noticed that Hoosta, who had briefly left the group, was now stationed at the door. He was fully armed and guarding the entrance. Such was the importance of what was about to be revealed.

Firstly, Bonnie handed the sealed roll to Manahas. When he cut the seal it revealed two scrolls, one inside the other. Merrinda knew that the larger scroll was the one she had copied and the smaller was the commentary she had written to accompany it. It contained her own experience and quotes which she remembered from her mother's diary. There was even a brief account of how she had arrived in the village of Livvon, even though she did not think anyone would understand it.

There was animated discussion about these things but not much time to waste on talking. There was the communal meal to be held later. Manahas went to the wall of memories and removed one of the panels. He then took the scrolls and inserted them into a cavity which looked almost as if it had been made for them. Merrinda did not remember its being there before. The next words Manahas said confirmed that her memory was correct. As he replaced the panel he said to Merrinda and Bonnie, "Moo-ahann must have known that you were bringing those scrolls," and then added, almost to himself, "Why else would we have believed it so urgent to make that cavity for future use?"

Next, they unsealed the large pouch and checked that the contents were safe and dry. This was like a treasure-trove of unexpected things. There were three small scrolls and a metal object of considerable interest. Merrinda thought that the scrolls were meant to be examined first but the metal object drew their attention so strongly that it could not be ignored. It was a round disc, made of bronze and about the breadth of a hand in diameter. Nothing like this had ever been issued from the Palace of Learning before, perhaps because very little had ever bypassed the lower levels of authority. Closer examination revealed what was inscribed into its surface. The central portion was dominated by the unmistakable seal of the office of Master of Holiness. Around the seal and engraved into the metal were the words, ' _storyteller by holy decree'._ It was obviously made to be attached to a traveller's belt.

With the disclosure of this object, all eyes were on Merrinda. It could not be intended for anyone but her.

"Let's look at the other stuff first", Bonnie said. "I can tell you what is here and what it is for. My husband talked to me about it in detail but I did not know about the disc of commissioning, which is obviously Merrinda's." She took three identical scrolls which were each wrapped and waxed against possible water damage and said "These are to be delivered by fast messenger, one to each of the three kings of the world as soon as possible. They each contain an identical message, under the seal of the Master of Holiness. The message is a decree which will irrevocably rescind the Decree of Silence issued by his predecessor three generations ago. It will allow the name of Moo-ahann to be spoken again and any citizen to act, speak or worship in that name."

There was only one revelation left to be made. It had not been carried in the satchel but in the mind of Bonnetta, wife of the Master of Holiness. She now turned to Manahas and said, "I have a message for you from my husband, or should I say, my husband-emeritus. This village is entrusted with the responsibility of making copies of the scrolls which Merrinda brought with her and distributing them throughout the world. Keep the originals safely hidden in case of a resurgence of opposition in the future. As the copies are distributed, they will be re-copied until there is no one who does not know of Moo-ahann and his kingdom. You have the authority of the Master of Holiness and his protection for as long as he lives." When Merrinda heard this, she knew, beyond doubt, what the task was that Moo-ahann had in mind for Clive. He would take charge of the copying and distribution of the manuscripts. Having been brought up in the Palace of Learning as Tom's son, he was the only one fully equipped for the task. She would talk to Manahas about that later.

Tonight, would be a night of celebration and planning, tomorrow a day of action. Merrinda wanted to commence her mission as soon as possible. She wanted to make the most of the time ahead before the final days of pregnancy and childbirth put too many restrictions on her. But any thought of immediate preparation for travel was interrupted by the arrival of a dust covered messenger with news that must be made known immediately. He had come from the royal palace of King Hoolandon, ruler of Gnostalivva. The village of Livvon fell within his territory, as did the Palace of Learning. The messenger was taken straight into the chief's home to confer with Manahas. Merrinda and her group knew that such haste signalled both urgency and importance, so decided to wait.

It was only a short time later that Manahas came out to them and said, "I think you should stay and eat with us before you prepare to leave. There is important news to share and, if it is acceptable to you, the messenger would like to travel back to the capital, Livvenpax with you. It would be unfair to expect him to travel unrested and unfed. Merrinda accepted the invitation and said, "He may certainly travel with us. It will be an advantage to us to have someone who knows the paths. I am not sure that I can take him all the way to Livvenpax. I have no plans to visit the Capital. It could be too dangerous."

"Wait until you have heard what he has to say," Manahas responded.

During the meal, the news was shared. The story that emerged was that king Hoolandon, when he received news of the impending rebellion against the Master of Holiness, sent forces against the rebels. Very quickly and with little bloodshed, the rebellion was quashed. The rebels had been surrounded while still training and brought as prisoners to the king. They would never be allowed to return to the Palace of Learning. Those who were willing and deemed suitable, joined the king's own army. The rest became servants in the king's household where they could be constantly watched. In this way the prestige of king Hoolandon was increased and the influence of the Palace of Learning diminished.

Merrinda immediately realised the significance of this. Moo-ahann, whose name could now be spoken, had prepared the way for her. There would be a period of quiet in the land. She would be able to travel freely under the protection of the king.

"There is one more thing," the messenger said. "King Hoolandon would like to meet and talk with you. He requests your presence at the palace." Merrinda now knew that she would be escorting the messenger all the way on his journey to the royal household. Such a request could not be taken lightly. As it happened, they did not leave in the morning. Very early in the morning, before she had a chance to begin preparation for travel, she was visited by the chief, Manahas and his wife, Hendritia. They were very apologetic for interrupting her preparations, but said that there was something which they needed to discuss with her.

Merrinda welcomed them and said, "I was going to come and see you. I would not leave without saying goodbye."

"It is about the goodbye that we have come to see you," Manahas said. "We are hoping that we will not have to say goodbye."

Merrinda was puzzled. She knew that she had to leave. What alternative could they possibly be proposing. She had come to love and admire these people. She thought that they were wasted in the role of small village chieftaincy. If she were king, she would have long since promoted him to the governorship of one of the larger towns. He should be in control of a large population. Few people were suited to such a task. She waited to hear what they had to say.

For the first time since she had known him, she saw Manahas look uncertain, even a little embarrassed. Then he stated his request. He started by saying, "Last night I had an unusual dream. When I woke I could not remember anything, except a belief that I had been in the presence of Moo-ahann, and a conviction that we must accompany you on your travels. I would have ignored it if Hendritia had not told me about her own experience the moment I woke."

He looked at his wife and she continued the story, "I woke in the early hours of the morning and was startled to see someone standing beside the bed. At first, I thought it was Manahas, but it was not. I should have been afraid but I wasn't. Then he spoke to me, 'Don't be frightened, I am a friend. My name is Alias'."

Merrinda remembered something from her past and could not contain herself. " _I know Alias_!' she exclaimed, "He is a messenger from the Great One."

"That is what he told me," Hendritia said. "Then, he added the most impossible request. 'You and your husband must go with Merrinda and assist her on her journey'."

Manahas then made his request, "Is such a thing possible?"

"Possible! Is it possible!" Merrinda shouted, and gave them both such a hug that it is a wonder their juices did not come out both ends. Then she added, "but can you arrange it?" It was decided to delay departure until the next day to allow Manahas time to hand the responsibility of the village leadership over to his older son, Hoosta.

The decision to delay departure proved to be advantageous. It meant that they could travel freely, with the messenger well rested. He had been exhausted. The job of messaging is not one to be taken lightly, especially where long distance and the necessity for speed are combined. When they finally left, there were four of them in the travelling party; Merrinda, Manahas, Hendritia and the messenger. They travelled north, with no clear agenda, except to reach the Capital, so Merrinda was happy for the messenger to act as guide. Their plan was to break the journey into short sections and stay in a different village each night. The messenger, being the only one in the group who was sufficiently familiar with the paths and byways, was able to do this without relying on chance. Each time they paused in their journey for food or rest they told stories to each other. They all wanted to learn the art of storytelling and be prepared if ever there was a large group which needed more than one voice to enable everyone to hear.

On the first night, as they felt the weariness of evening approaching, their guide led them onto a barely discernible track which, quite quickly opened up into a clearing where a village was located. It housed, perhaps thirty people. They introduced themselves to the village chief and gained permission for Merrinda to share her stories with the villagers. Always, the stories had the common theme of a kingdom where Immanuel reigned in a land that was blessed by the presence of Moo-ahann. When questions were asked, Merrinda always tried to answer clearly and simply. One question was already becoming common, "Who is Immanuel?"

She would answer simply, "The name Immanuel means _the God who is with us."_ It was during this first storytelling session in the village that Merrinda realised once again how clearly Moo-ahann had guided her in the selection of her followers. They were sitting silently after a session of storytelling, when Hendritia and Manahas did something that dramatically changed the tone of the evening. They began a slow, rhythmical clapping. Then, still clapping, they slowly rose to their feet, bowed dramatically to the audience and began to sing. Their voices were astoundingly strong, and purposeful. Merrinda could not help but emit a chuckle of laughter as she realised what they were doing. They were singing and miming one of her stories, every movement overdramatic but clear in its meaning. It was obvious that they had done this before. It must have been part of their village entertainment. They were a well-practised pair. Nobody who ever saw _this_ performance would forget the story, or its interpretation. The rightness of their actions was confirmed by the strong presence of the Father. What was happening here would set the pattern for the remainder of the journey. Sometimes they would stay for more than one day in a village so as not to disappoint those who were hungry to listen and had travelled a considerable distance to be there.

Something else happened during that first night of their journey which caused Hendritia a great deal of thought. She woke with a feeling of unease. She had not been the wife of the chief of a village without learning from the experience. Over the years, she had developed a heightened awareness of what was happening around her. So, she shook herself fully awake, looked around and, finding nothing of concern, went outside. A short distance away somebody was sitting on the ground, rocking slightly back and forth, as if in distress. It was a woman. She rubbed her eyes to clear them of the remaining blur of drowsiness. It was a pregnant woman. Merrinda!

She approached carefully, to avoid startling her and called her name softly. When there was no response, she called more loudly and sat beside her. Merrinda welcomed her with, "I'm alright." She didn't sound alright, so Hendritia responded to the tone rather than the words. "What's wrong? Don't tell me, 'nothing'."

Hendritia waited. The answer, when it finally came, surprised her. Merrinda said, "Who is Immanuel?"

The shock of this question left Hendritia speechless for a while, and then she burst out. " _How can you ask_? He is the one you constantly proclaim. He is your husband, king of all things."

Merrinda nodded in agreement. She knew that, but there was still a conviction that, somehow, she was getting it all wrong. He was king of all things, except the land of waiting, this world. She nodded again, as if to convince herself, and said, "He _will_ be king of all things when the barrier between the worlds comes down." It left one small question, and a niggling doubt. Why was her message so urgent if it related to something so far in the future? Hadn't Father been very clear that the key he held to open the barrier lay far in the future. Sometimes she got angry with him when he wouldn't tell her some of the things she most wanted to be sure of.

"Come back to sleep now," Hendritia said. "You must think of the baby."

"I think of little else." Merrinda replied and then burst out, "I so want to name him after his father, but how can I give _him_ the name, Immanuel. It would cause confusion. He cannot have the name of his own coming king. I so desperately want to do all that is right for him. He is all I have of Manny, now." She did not even stop to question why she was so sure it would be a boy.

With Merrinda a little more reconciled to the loss of the dream of naming the child after his father, they continued their journey. They were seldom without followers. Many would follow them from one village to the next, simply to hear the stories and be near her. There were two names, apart from that of Merrinda herself, that were continually on the lips of those who followed. Those names were the once prohibited name, Moo-ahann, the other was the still mysterious name, Immanuel. Merrinda still struggled with how to answer some of the questions relating to this name, except to repeat that it meant God with us and to tell stories reflecting the splendour of the kingdom she had come from.

It was a tired but excited group which eventually arrived in the city of Livvenpax. In its own way, this was a beautiful city with wide streets and well cared for parklands. As they entered, their interest was intensified by the variety of buildings, constructed variously of timber, stone or mudbrick. It was a prosperous settlement. But, beautiful as it was, there were things she missed. One was the beauty of the glow from the earth and foliage, which she remembered from her own world. The other was the lack of the feeling of vigour that was inseparable from daily life in the world ruled by Immanuel. Here, she was tired.

To reach the palace took longer than they had anticipated. The pressure of the crowd, filled with the anticipation of great stories and unexpected miraculous events made travel difficult. Merrinda's first commitment was to those who wished to hear what she came to tell, so she stopped in one of the parkland areas and sat down to rest and satisfy the people's curiosity. Usually, Merrinda would start by telling a story of Immanuel and his kingdom. Today, she was tired. Manahas and Hendritia began their now familiar rhythmic clapping, and began to sing. At first there were a few shouts of "We want Merrinda," then the hypnotic effect of the dance took over. Some joined the dancing and copied the mime. They repeated some of the songs so that the words and mime could be memorised. This was something new, but this was also a more sophisticated audience than they had previously sung to. Merrinda knew that these songs would be repeated far and wide. It would only be fully understood when the kingdom became reality. She was not sure, even herself, how or when that was going to happen. As time passed and the crowds continued to press upon her, she became concerned that this delay might cause offence at the palace. There was no guarantee that the palace officials would not consider that the common people were being given more consideration than was being offered to them as officials.

It was just at this point, with anxiety growing within her, that she noticed a small delegation coming toward her. Even if they had not been wearing the headband of the royal household and carrying arms, they would have been recognisable as official representatives. Nobody else could carry themselves with that distinctive air of importance and dignity. She stood as they approached and greeted them with the respect that their position demanded. She was relieved as she noticed that they were in no obvious hurry but willing to chat politely, listen to and observe what was going on. It was only when Hendritia and Manahas paused in their singing that the leader of the delegation said, "When you are ready, we are here to escort you to the Royal Presence. Welcome to Livvenpax."

From where they were, she could see what she assumed to be the royal palace complex. It consisted of one dominant building of significant size and grandeur, with a number of smaller dwellings, all neat and well-kept, surrounding it. The whole settlement was set in attractive parkland and, to her amazement, there was one patch of what appeared to be cultivation. As she got closer she noticed that the garden, for that is clearly what it was, was being tended by workmen using metal tools. This was a highly developed city by the standards of the world to which it belonged.

They were shown to a small cottage close to the palace. This would be their home for the duration of their stay. From here, one of their escorts took Merrinda into the palace itself, saying that King Hoolandon wished to speak with her. This would prove to be an important meeting. It would change their travel schedule considerably. She was relieved to find that she was comfortable in the king's presence but still treated him with the dignity his position deserved, addressing him as Majesty. She knew about royal households and had prepared herself beforehand by asking about modes of address and protocols. What surprised her was that he, in turn, addressed her as Majesty. It was not only the form of address that surprised her, it was how comfortable she felt with its use. However, she did say, "When we are not alone, would you please drop the title and simply call me Merrinda. _That is who I am in this world_. Here I am simply a messenger of the Great One."

For a moment he looked embarrassed, as if he had been caught doing something inappropriate, then said, "Would you prefer that I dropped the title altogether? I can call you Merrinda here, but would rather give you the dignity of your standing."

She was astounded by her own reaction. Tears came to her eyes and she said, "No, in privacy I would like to be reminded. It is not the title that I miss, it is just that when I heard myself being addressed that way, it brought back the memory of Immanuel, my husband. He seemed so close. I do not want to surrender that, except when necessary. In this world I am simply a messenger." To emphasise the statement, she touched the simple, black headband she was wearing. "Yes, I would like the indulgence of the title in private but I must be addressed simply as Merrinda in public."

She developed a strong friendship with king Hoolandon and his family, but most of her time was spent as a travelling storyteller visiting the surrounding areas with the news of a coming kingdom. When she first came to Livvenpax she had intended staying only a short time, but king Hoolandon persuaded her to stay until the birth of her child. Everybody agreed that this was a sensible thing to do. Nobody had been looking forward to travelling with a heavily pregnant woman or a newborn baby. As it happened they remained until the child was three years old.

Chapter 13 - THE CHILD

Apart from the storytelling, there were other events that took place in that city which would remain in her memory for as long as she lived. The birth itself was traumatic for her, not because of the pain or dangers involved. What she could remember from Immanuel's kingdom caused her no fear of giving birth. Childbirth was quick, simple and without pain. It was an occasion of great joy. So she had difficulty understanding the atmosphere of anxiety that surrounded her as her time approached. By the time the day came for the child to be born, she was beginning to experience periods of anxiety herself. Disappointingly, Father would tell her nothing. This was a do-it-yourself situation and she did not know what to expect in a strange world. When it happened, the pain which accompanied the birth, surprised her. But she looked at the child with a surge of love that surpassed anything she had ever experienced.

In a different way, her pain surprised those who witnessed the birth. She was entirely unaware of the stories that were spreading throughout the palace community and beyond. According to these stories, Merrinda had given miraculous birth to a child, _without_ pain. As the stories spread, belief grew that this was a sign from Moo-ahann that her stories were telling of things that were absolutely real and must be listened to. From now on, when she spoke there would be crowds following every word. Sometimes these crowds would follow for long distances.

As Merrinda held her baby for the first time and experienced that love and overwhelming joy, it was tempered by a sense of guilt. Somehow, she had failed the child she had given birth to. She had a son but he still had no name. Her need to name him after his father had not diminished, however she knew she could not do that. Her whole task was to proclaim the coming of Immanuel's kingdom to this world. She must not give way to her own selfish desires and confuse the message. Personal desire must be sacrificed for the sake of the ministry she had undertaken. But no other name seemed acceptable.

Still feeling a little sore, she moved from the bed and sat in the window alcove looking out over the garden. A man was approaching the palace. Maylene, one of the palace attendants, was with her. They watched together as he approached. Merrinda had not seen anyone like him in this world. He was dressed in the same fashion as others she had known, but he did not seem to care about his appearance. His clothing was aged and tattered. His hair was long and his beard came down to the waist. He was clean but ungroomed. She turned to Maylene and said, "Who is he?"

Maylene did not answer.

Merrinda looked at her companion and saw that she was petrified with fear. She repeated, very gently, "Who _is_ he?"

With a tremble in her voice, Maylene said, "He is the oracle. He knows _everything_." As she spoke those words, she ran from the room. Puzzled, Merrinda waited, little knowing that Maylene had hurried to return a small trinket which she had stolen from the palace collection of beautiful things.

Merrinda had little time to ponder these things before the king himself came into the room and, since she was alone, greeted her with his familiar, "Majesty."

She simply raised her eyebrows to him in a question and responded, "Majesty." It was a game they played now, this use of titles.

"There is someone who wishes to see you," he said.

Merrinda remembered the strange man and said, "Would it be the oracle?"

"How did you know about him?" the king asked. Merrinda explained what had just happened. When she got to the part about Maylene fleeing from the room, the king smiled and said, "Yes, he does have that effect on some people. He lives alone in a hut by the creek, up in the hills. He says that he can talk more easily with Moo-ahann up there. He has been visiting here periodically for years and I have come to trust him. It was he who first brought me the information of the impending rebellion at the Palace of Learning. I believe that he is a true oracle and that he does talk with Moo-ahann. He has a very rare gift. He simply calls himself 'Oracle'. He has surrendered all other identity." After this recommendation, Merrinda indicated that she would love to meet this Oracle.

She was still standing at the window with baby in her arms when she heard footsteps behind her. She glanced around to see Maylene stealthily entering the room. She entered with a question on her lips, "Is he gone?"

Merrinda shook her head, no, he was not gone. But before anything could be said, a voice came from the doorway. The voice of the oracle was as rough as his attire, but also kind. He looked first at Maylene, shook his head and said, "Hello, frightened one. Never be afraid of the messenger of the Great One. Moo-ahann has great plans for you. He loves you very specially. One day, when you are feeling brave enough, you must come to visit me. We could learn from each other." Then he turned his attention to Merrinda. She looked into his face and saw kindness behind the rough exterior, and something else which did not seem to quite belong in the context of what was happening in the room. His eyes were dancing with excitement and with something else that she could not quite decipher. She thought, 'he looks as if he has seen a vision.'

He held out his hands and said, "I must hold the child."

Merrinda did not hesitate. She placed the child gently in his arms and watched to see what he would do. A whole pantomime of silent interaction took place. He gazed at the infant, with the same kind of fascination he would have had if he were the mother himself. Then, he looked silently up to the heavens for a moment, as if communing with God. Finally, he turned his attention back to the child and spoke to it. His rough voice softened as he quietly said, "You have made an old man very happy. I saw you in a vision. Now, I have seen you with my own eyes. Your name is Immanuel. You will rule this world under the authority of your father, and your kingdom will never end until all kingdoms become one."

When Merrinda heard this announcement, her heart leapt with such an intensity of joy and pride that she could hardly stand. Then she had her own affirmation. She heard a soft laughter that was not coming from the oracle. She gave a soft laugh herself and said, "Father, you are such a tease. You wouldn't tell me, would you." If He had a physical presence in the room, she would have hugged him. Instead she hugged his representative, Oracle, and took her Immanuel back into her own arms, gently murmuring, "See, your name is Immanuel, just like your daddy's. You look _so_ like him." She held him close, dreaming of a family that was torn apart because of her conflicting loves and wondering if there would ever be a time when they would be reunited. She would talk to Father. That always made her feel better; well usually.

Maylene had watched all this with wonder. Was what she had witnessed meant to be kept secret between the three of them? She knew that there was no way she could keep silent about what she had seen and heard. Even before this, the stories surrounding Merrinda had just kept growing. She knew that she would never be able to look at Immanuel and see him as just an ordinary child and determined that if it were humanly possible she would devote her life to looking after Merrinda and her child, but first she would talk to Oracle. He had invited her. She would go.

It was only a few days later that she took the invitation of Oracle seriously and set off by herself into the hills to visit him. She found him easily enough. His place of living was no secret but few people ventured there out of fear of having their lives laid open. She had no such fear. Having met him, she now knew him as a kind and gentle man of exceptional knowledge. He was waiting for her when she arrived and they sat comfortably together and talked. They were still talking as evening drew near. He had told her everything he knew about Moo-ahann and the promised Immanuel, and some things about herself which greatly encouraged her. In the end he said, "You must return soon or the tiredness of the evening will overtake you. Before you go, I have a message for you from the Great One himself."

Now, she _was_ afraid, just a little, but still invited him to speak.

He said, "When Merrinda sets out again on her mission, you must make yourself available to care for her and Immanuel. She will need you to release her for the task ahead. Bring her comfort. Sometimes she is very lonely. She misses her husband. That is a great loneliness to her. Go now, in peace."

From that day on, Maylene made every effort to be available to care for young Immanuel when Merrinda had to be away or simply needed help, and a strong friendship developed between them. Finally, when her son had celebrated his third birthday, Merrinda reluctantly recognised that it was time to resume her travels. It was only when they were well on the way that she noticed that Maylene was a part of the company now following her.

It was a large group that set out with her as she resumed the journey north and then east toward the Palace of Learning where she would renew her acquaintance with Tom, the Master of Holiness. The nucleus of the following still consisted of Merrinda and her two chief assistants, Manahas and Hendritia. But, when they stopped and became involved in storytelling and organising the crowd, it always seemed like a miracle, or a personal gift from Moo-ahann that Maylene appeared and, without any fuss or suggestion of reward, took over responsibility for Immanuel. There was no one else that she would rather entrust that task to.

In another way, it was also reassuring to have Maylene on hand and so closely associated with her child. Maylene had been there when her own question had been answered when she asked, 'who is Immanuel'? Sometimes she needed the reassurance of that shared knowledge that the unbelievable was happening. The responsibility of raising the king of the whole world was frighteningly heavy. She realised that the Great One had prepared her as well as was possible. It was not by chance that she had been given the experience of being Imperial Consort, with Manny as her husband, before coming to this world. Neither was it by chance that Maylene had chosen to accompany them. She was very aware that something had happened to Maylene when she went to visit Oracle. She had come back from that visit with an uncanny ability to know things that should not logically be known. There was no doubt in Merrinda's mind that Maylene had become a genuine seer in her own right as a result of that visit. She needed someone with that kind of insight if she was going to navigate her way through the pitfalls of raising such a child.

She was looking forward to spending some time with Tom but the important thing was what was happening on the journey, the storytelling along the wayside and in towns and villages. The success of her mission could be judged by the fact that large crowds were now seeking her out and often waiting for her to arrive. Both she and her message were now widely known and with it a resurgence in faith in Moo-ahann and the expectation of a united kingdom.

They approached the Palace of Learning from the front, where the tourists gather, with a considerable crowd of followers. Some had followed to learn more of Merrinda's way but others had followed out of curiosity to see the Palace. Merrinda commanded the crowd to wait, while she, with the young Immanuel by her side and accompanied by Manahas and Hendritia, made her way to the rear of the building and into the Garden of Meeting where she knew Tom would be waiting for them.

What should have been a happy reunion, turned into an anxious and tearful farewell. Tom welcomed Merrinda with a hug and was delighted to be introduced to young Immanuel. Immanuel surprised them all by going directly to Tom, as if he was a well loved and familiar friend, and by interjecting into the conversation with a few words of his own as if this were an ordinary and intimate family occasion. Tom listened to the news they brought from the outside world with interest. His delight at being reunited with Merrinda and meeting her new companions was obvious. But what he said next, revealed that he was deeply concerned about the future.

He spoke directly to Merrinda. Just hearing the tone of his voice alerted her to the fact that what he had to say was unusual and important. He said, "Events are taking place here that demand urgent action if all that both you and I are working towards is not to be destroyed."

"Tom, what is it?" Now there was both urgency and concern in her own voice. Immanuel stood silent at her side throughout this exchange, as if he were taking in every word.

Tom said, "I want to ask you to do something for me. It is a matter of urgency to me, that these packages are taken to a place of safety." Merrinda was about to speak but he held his hand up to prevent her, and continued. "To carry these items will endanger your lives. Think carefully."

It was Manahas who spoke next, "Tell us what you want and we will discuss it together." Merrinda looked at him for a moment, as if she would challenge his right to take the decision from her. And then she realised that she had brought him and his wife with her, just because of their wisdom and experience in leadership. She remained silent and waited.

Tom told them that the packages contained some of the most important documents that were kept in the Palace. He explained that what they carried constituted the history of the peoples of the world since its beginning, including some sketchy, personal accounts of what the first arrivals had written down, before memory of those events was completely lost. He said that one of the packages contained the Book of the Oracles, perhaps the most important document held in the Palace of Learning. That book contained documents which had been written and added to over the generations since settlement. He said, "Such documents are irreplaceable."

Manahas wanted to know more, "Surely, the danger of carrying such documents would not be great? If the risk of their capture became too great, they could simply destroy the documents and return for other copies."

Tom's reaction was almost violent, in the explosion of the one word which came from his mouth, " _No_!" Then he continued, a little more calmly. "That must never happen. These are not copies. Events here are moving so quickly that there has been no time to make copies. They must be taken to safety and copied for distribution throughout the three kingdoms of the world. What they are must be kept secret."

"We need help," Hendritia said. "I am going to get Seer." Merrinda knew who she meant. She meant Maylene, but there was no time to say anything. Hendritia had already left to find Maylene.

While they were waiting for Hendritia and Maylene to join them, Merrinda told Tom what the oracle at Livvenpax had told her concerning her son, Immanuel, at the time of his birth and naming. When Tom heard this, his face lit up and he said, "Can I hold him for a moment?"

Merrinda's only answer was to pick the child up and give him to Tom. Merrinda was bemused to see how at home Tom was with a child in his arms. Tom did not look at them. He looked only at Immanuel and said, as if he believed the child could take in every word he spoke, "Immanuel, I give to you the blessing of the Master of Holiness, of the Palace of Learning and of Moo-ahann, creator of all things. No decree, or event in the future can take that from you." Then he added in a quieter, more contemplative voice, "Perhaps you will take over the role of unifying the kingdoms of the world when the Palace is gone."

As he placed the child back on the ground to allow him to return to his mother, Merrinda voiced the question that was in the minds of all of them, "What do you mean, when the Palace is gone?" Tom told them that he had been troubled by recurring dreams and visions in which he stood where they were standing now and saw nothing but a pile of broken stones and rubble.

He had barely finished speaking, when they saw Hendritia and Maylene returning. They were still about half a sling shot away when Maylene suddenly stopped, as if transfixed to the spot on which she was standing. It was only a few seconds before they saw her pull herself together, but it was a puzzled Hendritia and a very sombre Maylene that joined them. Merrinda had expected that Maylene might be hesitant to meet Tom, the Master of Holiness, but what she saw was something entirely different. Before she had time to introduce the two of them, Maylene approached Tom and said, "You are Tom. I have heard of you from Merrinda and also from Moo-ahann. Both reports are full of praise. You must prepare for disaster." She waved her arm toward the Palace of Learning and said, "I see this building derelict, inhabited only by animals, with birds nesting in the windows. Of you, I see nothing. Whatever you decree now must be obeyed."

They knew that there were no more questions to be asked. The decision had been made by a higher authority than theirs. When they left, it was with heavy hearts and increased loads. Their task might be dangerous, but would not be difficult. Now, to fulfil Tom's wishes, they would need to change their agenda and seek out the smaller villages. Tom had said to them, "Seek out the least known villages and when you find a chieftaincy that you judge to be trustworthy, leave one of the packages with him to be stored, copied and distributed. Do this for each package until they are all safely disposed of."

When they resumed their travels, they turned east toward the city of Boff. Here they would meet King Oolman who reigned over the south-eastern kingdom, which was named Andrasia. Originally, they had expected this to be a relatively short journey but the need to place the manuscripts in safe places made it considerably longer. The difficulty consisted in crossing the great Central Range which ran across the whole world from south to north. The tracks across this range were narrow and sometimes ill-defined as few people made the crossing due to the steepness of the terrain. When they left the Palace of Learning, a large crowd had been following but, as the journey progressed, no more than half a dozen supporters accompanied them. Most of their followers had deserted them when they had decided to travel southward, following the crest of the range until the task that Tom had left with them had been completed.

They could think of no better place to secrete the documents than in this remote mountain country, which few wished to visit. They had talked about it a lot as they travelled and realised that this was an ideal location. They were now in the very centre of the land, at the point where the three kingdoms met. If Moo-ahann had arranged the situation himself, they could not have been more perfectly positioned.

Apart from the physical effort required to navigate the steepness of the tracks and the danger of falling, this was a pleasant land to travel. It was incredibly beautiful, and game and other food was plentiful in the fertile valleys. The people who populated this area were few and proved to be tough and friendly. Neither did they have to be on the alert for thieves. There were not enough travellers to attract such people and the rough justice of the few inhabitants would soon eliminate any who attempted to establish themselves in the area. The biggest fear was for Immanuel who had to be watched constantly. Merrinda's appreciation of Maylene grew in this time, as did her reliance on Manahas and Hendritia. Having raised children of their own, their experience proved invaluable. They were often able to foresee dangers and make changes to avoid high risk situations before they occurred.

They were halfway through the second day's journey along the range when they had a fortuitous meeting, or was it planned by the Great One. They had stopped for their midday meal when they saw two men and a woman walking toward them. Spontaneously, Manahas and Hendritia broke into one of their songs. They all began to dance and sing. This particular song was used so often that what they were doing was now a polished performance. The three strangers paused and listened. Then they applauded and joined the group. So, it was an enlarged group that shared the midday meal. Maylene kept looking at the woman and eventually said, "Should I know you?" The woman shook her head and said, "No, I don't think so unless, no it can't be. What family do you belong to?"

Maylene replied, "I am the daughter of Lucian and of Merlitia, who live in the city of Livvenpax. We have always had work in the palace of king Hoolandon of Gnostalivva."

This was enough to gain the interest of her companion who said, "Then you have to be my niece. I am your auntie Ava. My husband is your uncle Ben. You must stay with us tonight, all of you." Maylene remembered a time when she was a little girl. There had been an auntie then who had suddenly disappeared from her life to marry a man from the hills. It would be good to spend a night in a proper house for once. As the evening progressed, one fact became evident. The people of this small community were absolutely trustworthy. As guests, they had learned a lot, not only about this family, but also about the community. There were only three other houses and what looked like a meeting hall. It seemed that Uncle Ben was trusted as the unofficial leader of the community when communal decisions had to be made.

The evening was well advanced when Merrinda glanced at Maylene. She knew immediately what was in Merrinda's mind and gave her a brief nod. That nod said, 'Yes, these people can be trusted.'

Merrinda then turned to Maylene's uncle Ben and said, "Ben, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Is there anyone in this community who has the skill to copy important manuscripts accurately?"

Ben did not need to even pause for a moment before he answered, "There certainly is. There is a young man next door who is a considerable scholar. He was raised in the Palace of Learning and tutored by the Master of Holiness himself. He claims to be his son, but I have no way of verifying that."

Merrinda nodded and said, "That is almost certainly true." She went on to explain about the scrolls that they were carrying and to tell them all that she knew of Tom and his restructuring of the Palace of Learning to enable just such situations as had occurred here. She would talk with their scholar and see if he was aware of any other Palace trained academics in this vicinity. Was it possible that there was a network of such people? They would certainly leave one of the documents here for copying.

The next morning, Merrinda had Maylene's new-found uncle Ben introduce her to their scholar. They found him in a tastefully furnished dwelling, well suited to his activities. She was surprised to see that he was surrounded by children, aged from about Immanuel's age up to eleven. She realised that this was a school of formal education. Unnoticed as yet by the occupants, she was able to observe proceedings for a while. As she observed, she realised that the education being given here was of a considerably high standard. This observation caused her to reconsider her plans. She knew that she must talk further with this young man. She knew also, that when she did that, she wanted her seer, Maylene, present with her. She would like someone with her who could confirm or question what she perceived Father to be saying. She asked Ben to just introduce her now and arrange a meeting for later.

Uncle Ben arranged for the scholar to be a guest in his house that evening and Maylene was able to join her in talking with him. He was an interesting young man in his early twenties, perhaps a little older than Maylene and surprisingly mature in his attitudes. When challenged about it, he admitted, "No, I am not a son of the Master of Holiness." Further discussion revealed that he had worked with the Master from the time he had become a freshmun. His first task had been that of sorting and collating the materials stored in the Palace, and later he had moved to the more responsible task of copying. He had left with the first group of freshmun to leave the Palace under Tom's new policy of dispersion of the children when they reached freshmun status and had been their guide and protector until they reached the villages which would care for them. His association with this group of Palace children had resulted in his being called one of the sons of the Master. Eventually he stopped correcting the error and just accepted the title.

In response to Merrinda's queries about the possibility of their being a network he said, "I have never thought about it in those terms but, like any family, we keep in touch. I certainly know the communities within travelling distance from here and visit them from time to time." He suggested two possible locations where the other documents could be taken to be copied by suitably trained scholars. He promised to talk to Ben and Ava about the placement of the documents.

After the scholar had left to return to his own dwelling, Merrinda and Maylene talked long into the night. He had made an extraordinarily strong impression on both of them. His integrity was beyond doubt. Seeing the school in operation at the scholar's house had caused Merrinda to question her whole schedule of travel. Immanuel was now almost five years of age and had not received any formal schooling. She did not trust her own judgement in this situation. This was why she had sought Maylene out for their meeting with the scholar. She said, "Maylene, help me. I have invested so much of myself in my storytelling and planning of this journey that I do not know if I am capable of even considering a change of schedule, let alone knowing what Father wishes."

Maylene was flattered that Merrinda should think so highly of her. She was also surprised by what she had just heard. "What do you mean by a change of schedule. Aren't we travelling on to the city of Boff in Andrasia?" Merrinda told Maylene that she was considering remaining in this community for several years and taking advantage of the schooling that was available for Immanuel. Then she asked Maylene the question that had been worrying her. "Would it be right to interrupt my storytelling for such a long period of time? Surely that is my mission?"

Maylene's reply was instantaneous and to the point, "The mission Moo-ahann has given you is to raise the future king of the combined kingdoms. Everything must centre around that. You and I can educate him in matters relating to palace procedures and expectations. You _must_ add to that what Scholar can give him. You will not find a better school or a more qualified teacher anywhere. The storytelling can wait. Already your stories are circulating throughout the world." So, the decision was made to stay. They would stay until Scholar was satisfied that Immanuel knew all that was required.

Chapter 14 - IMMANUEL

I'm one of the big kids now. I had my fifth birthday yesterday. I came here with my mum, uncle Manahas and auntie Hendritia. I like it here in the hills, where there are not big crowds of people staring at me all the time. It feels different here. We're a big family. I have a new auntie and uncle, but they have gone away for a while. Nobody thinks that I know what they are doing but I know more than they think. Everybody seems to think that because I am only a kid I don't understand what is happening but I do. I hear lots of things. They talk all the time as if I am not here. Maybe, now that I'm a big kid, they will take more notice of me. I know that uncle Ben and auntie Ava have taken those scrolls away to be copied but I won't say anything. It is supposed to be a secret.

Merrinda was worried about Immanuel today. He was normally so independent. She was used to having to keep a sharp eye on him in case he strayed too far and wandered into danger. Today, he was under her feet all the time. She hoped he wasn't sickening for something. She didn't want him to miss his first day of school tomorrow. This was all new to her. She hadn't anticipated that this event would stir such strong emotions. How could such a small change cause such a surge of pride. Wow, she had a schoolboy son. He was growing up so fast. Meanwhile, Immanuel had his own concerns.

I knew that I had to be brave. Mum expected me to be excited and proud of my new schoolboy status. I'll tell you what I was. I was scared. School is scary and mum keeps reminding me that when I get there I will be one of the little kids. I don't want to lose my big boy status and have to start all over again.

Well, now that I'm sitting in class and yesterday is behind me, it's not so bad. There was one moment that I want to forget. I cried when mum left me at the school and I was all alone. I think mum cried too, but I don't know why. I wasn't leaving her and I don't look after her. But now I've got two new friends, Bob and Anne. I sit between them in class. We're the three little kids. There are fifteen kids in the school altogether. You might think that is a lot for such a small community, but some of them come from other communities that do not have a school of their own. They come here because Scholar is so clever. They are the boarders.

For Merrinda and Immanuel life quickly settled back into normality. He went to school. He came home. He played. He slept. In fact, he did all the things that most people expect to do. There was one exception. He had to learn some things that other people did not even dream of needing to know. He not only had to learn how to be an ordinary child; at the same time, he needed to learn how to be a king who would have greater authority than any king before him. It would have been easier if this could have been hidden until his time to rule, but that could not happen.

_Mum has been telling everyone for as long as I remember._ _I don't blame her for that because I know that if she hadn't it would all have come out anyhow. Papa, other people call him Moo-ahann, keeps telling people. I know that he told that seer fellow back in the city of Livvenpax when I was born, and then he told the Master of Holiness, and I know he has told others because they keep talking about it. This makes some of the other kids at school act funny with me. I don't like that. I just want to be an ordinary kid. I don't know how I would cope with all that without having Papa to talk to all the time._

There's something else that nobody else knows, not even mum. She thinks it's all pretend, but it's not. Sometimes I visit another world. It's not pretend. It's real. Pop, that's my dad, lives there and so do Pa and Ma. Pa and Ma are my grans, mum's parents. Their world is bigger than this one and Pop is the king of all of it. He helps me to understand a lot of things, but I can't just go and see him when I want to. I don't know the way. I think Moo-ahann arranges it. I just find myself there sometimes.

Merrinda was worried about Immanuel. He had been in school for two years now and was progressing well but was secretive about some things as if he didn't trust her. A couple of times he had disappeared for a short period of time. On one occasion she had been unable to find him for two hours and could find nobody who had seen him. It was as if he had vanished. He told her that he had been talking to Pa but if that had been the case she would have found him. She remembered when she was a girl of his age how she had spent hours talking to Bear and her dog. Surely he could trust her to understand about his world of imaginary friends. If he had been older she would have thought that there was a girl involved but he was not even eight yet. There is no way he could have been talking to Pa, even the shimmering could not take him through the barrier between the two worlds.

Now he was missing again and this frightened her. Everybody had been warned to keep close to the village because there were wild dogs on the prowl. A number of sheep had been taken in recent weeks.

I knew that I had to get away by myself for a while. I needed to think and to talk with Moo-ahann. I was confused about my gift of touch. There was nobody else I knew who had this ability, except for my mother, but she was so completely in control of hers that I don't think she would understand. I had known for as long as I can remember that mum could touch somebody where they were injured or hurt and they would get better. About the time I started school, I noticed that I could do the same thing. I think that I had always done it but it was about that time I began to be aware of it and to use it. At first, I began to use it whenever somebody at school hurt themselves. This caused problems because it drew attention to my difference. Some of my companions began to pester me about every little thing until I had no time or space to do anything else. Then there were others, particularly some of the big kids who made fun of me and followed me around shouting things like "freak and mutant."

I know that I have to talk to Moo-ahann about this or I'm going to spoil everything. Yesterday I did a terrible thing. One of the big boys who keep teasing me held out his arm to me and said, "Hey, freak-boy, if you are so clever, fix this." I could see that his arm really was sore. It was red and swollen, but I was so angry that all I wanted was to hurt him back. That's when I did the bad thing. I didn't really intend to do anything wrong, not intentionally. As I reached out and touched his arm, my anger took over.

Immediately my hand made contact with his arm, he shrieked and fell to the ground screaming. I knew he was bad, probably dying. It was no longer just his arm that was red and swollen. Now I was the one who was distraught. I screamed one word, "Papa!" I could not call him Moo-ahann. I wasn't a big boy anymore. I was back to being a baby, desperate for help. I didn't touch him again but Moo-ahann did, and the boy was able to get to his feet. He went away staring at his arm which was as smooth skinned as the other. I did a terrible thing. I've got to talk to Papa. I wish I could talk to my dad in the other world but I can't go there without being taken in that shimmering thing. It might be a long time before that happens again.

When I looked up I knew that I had wandered too far. I would be in trouble, again. There are so many things to learn when it comes to behaving properly. Moo-ahann says that I am learning well. That makes me feel good, to know that he is proud of me. What I did the other day was a terrible thing but I know something that I didn't know before. I know that the touch can be used to curse as well as to bless. I know that is something I need to be careful of. I won't allow it to go wrong again.

Merrinda had searched everywhere close to the house in which they were living. She was really worried now and knew that she had to extend her search. If she didn't find him in this next sweep she would need to enlist the help of the other villagers. Now, she was walking along the edge of the gully that separated the home area from the grazing land. They called it 'the gully'. It was really a narrow gorge which ran for a considerable length along the edge of the settlement area and formed an effective barrier that even the sheep seldom crossed.

She knew it was unlikely that Immanuel would be over there. There were few places where a boy could cross. Nevertheless, she carefully scanned the country on both sides of the barrier. When she saw him, her first reaction was relief but this was quickly followed by fear. She knew that he had seen her at about the same time she had seen him. But he had not seen the thing that had made her afraid.

I was looking for a way to get home across the gully when I saw mum looking at me from the other side. My first instinct was to hide. I knew that I should not be where I was. The truth is that I did not quite know how I had got there. I had been so intent on trying to sort out what had gone wrong the other day and with talking to Papa about it, that I had been entirely unaware of where I was going. The problem was that I knew I could not expect mother to understand. I was in trouble, but it was too late to hide. I had been discovered. As I looked at her, I could see that she was yelling at me. I was too far away to hear what she was saying but undoubtedly, she was angry. I felt myself shrivel up inside. She is fearsome when she is angry.

Then I noticed something else. She wasn't just yelling. She was gesturing and pointing. The strange thing was that she was not pointing at me. So I looked around. When I saw what was there, I froze. I was looking straight at one of those wild dogs we had been hearing about. It was not alone. I knew that there would be an alfa male close by. He, along with the female I was staring at, would control the pack. I was old enough to know that I must not panic. These animals were the chief danger to life in this part of the world. I had seen my mother fight off such packs before. She could do it again. She was armed, but too far away to help. Even a sling could not help at this distance.

I was not armed. There was not even a stick within reach. Helpless and frightened, I looked around. Perhaps, if I stayed still they would go away. They seldom attacked humans. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that they seldom attacked adults. Then I noticed the rest of them. There were eight of them in the pack. I was surrounded on three sides with the gully on the other side. I had learned enough to know what this meant. This was attack formation. My only hope was to talk to them.

Merrinda, watching from the other side, could do nothing except pray. Through the fear that was almost overwhelming her, she felt proud of her son. He had learned well to maintain such control. She could fault nothing he had done. His attention was focussed on the alpha female. The beast was close to him now, and the final lunge was inevitable. She could do nothing, except pray.

I watched that female approach. I could see the pupils of her eyes now. She was a beautiful animal and close enough to talk to. I began to tell her how beautiful she was. I had seen enough of behaviour among my own kind to know that there was not a female alive who did not like to hear how beautiful she is. I hoped it was the same with dogs.

The most amazing thing was happening. Merrinda watched her son. Nothing would stop her from watching to the end. It looked as if he was calmly talking to the animal. The animal stopped in its approach, and with that, the whole pack stopped and waited. Then, the miracle occurred. She lost her aggressive stance and assumed a submissive pose.

I went on to tell her that I recognised her role as joint leader of the pack, alongside her mate. Then I told her about myself. Like her, I had been born to lead the pack, the biggest pack of humans that had ever been known. She continued her approach toward me but now, she was crouched low to the ground, almost crawling submissively toward me. She had accepted my authority. The whole pack was around me now, acting playfully. The alpha male had taken his place beside his mate and was licking her and rubbing against her in obvious expression of approval and recognition of their mutual right of leadership.

Merrinda had found a way across the gully. It was an insignificant pathway, but with care, she would be able to take her son home that way. After observing what she had seen, she could no longer be angry. She admired his control. She had also discovered more of the wonder of who he was. He greeted her with apology, "I'm sorry mum. I was talking to Moo-ahann and didn't know where I was going. Those dogs won't worry the sheep any more, not our sheep anyway."

This encounter with the wild dogs unsettled Merrinda. She couldn't help wondering if it would not have been better for Immanuel if she had married here, in this new world which was now her own. For all these years she had been clinging to the hope that she would, one day, return home to Manny. The more she thought about it, the more impossible that seemed. She thought back to the events her mother had written in her diary. Nobody who had passed through the barrier between the two worlds had ever returned. To live in this world, was to live in a completely different dimension. It had to be viewed in just the same way as passing through the barrier of death. That, too, took you into a different dimension. There was nothing to hinder her marriage here, except the fact that she knew nobody that she wanted to be united with. She must let go of the memory of Manny and any false hope of returning to him. Immanuel needed a father as he grew into manhood, and she needed help.

The next twelve months proved to be relatively uneventful. Immanuel continued to progress well, both at school and in the community. Merrinda's fears for his development as he grew up without a father gradually subsided but did not quite disappear. As these fears subsided, something else happened which took her by surprise. It was as if the realisation of the need to release herself from the false hopes of ever returning to her former life had released the desires of her body which had, until now remained submerged. She found herself looking at the men in the village and among her followers in a different way. She talked constantly to Father about this and knew that he would not let her do anything foolish without giving her a warning. He told her little. It seemed that he was loth to interfere in such matters.

Shortly after Immanuel's eighth birthday, Scholar called her aside. Like any parent she was a little fearful of what he may want to talk to her about, but his message was simple. "I have taken Immanuel as far as I am able in his learning. Your son is a rapid learner. He is as far advanced in his education now, as I am. Experience will teach him the rest."

When she announced that the time had come for her to leave the village and resume her storytelling, she was met with disappointment rather than surprise. There was only one request. Uncle Ben said, "You must stay another week. If you are going to Boff, the capital of Andrasia, you will need a guide. There is a little-known route down the mountain which will take you directly there. If you choose to go alone by the regular route, the journey will take you weeks longer. Please allow me to organise a guide for you." Merrinda was quick to accept this offer and relaxed for a little longer. The next few days revealed that uncle Ben was being unusually deceptive. It was not a guide that he was organising.

The evening before we left was a special occasion. I had been watching mum all day and anticipating the moment when she would realise what was happening. I knew a secret. Children often do. They hear things. I watched her as we made our way to the meeting hall which was also the school. She knew that this was going to be a farewell feast so she wasn't surprised when the cooking pit was opened to release a delicious aroma of slow-cooked meat, along with everything else that goes to make up the flavours of a feast.

She still hadn't twigged that anything out of the ordinary was happening. About twenty excited people were waiting for the festivities to commence. She still didn't know. I found it exciting, knowing something that she didn't. I looked into the cooking pit and saw that everything was just as she would have expected. She would have been surprised if she had been able to see under the first layer of simmering deliciousness. I knew that pit contained enough food to feed many more than the twenty or so people who had come from the immediate surroundings. This is what uncle Ben had been planning. To arrange a guide, would only have taken a few minutes. Anyone from the village could do that job.

Then, I knew the moment had come. I watched mum's face, trying to look as if I wasn't. Uncle Ben clapped his hands loudly, three times. She still didn't know. She thought that he was calling for silence so he could give thanks to Moo-ahann for his goodness to us. I knew differently. Soon, mum did too. There was a slight sound of movement from the direction of that gully that I had such good cause to remember. Then we were overwhelmed by a seemingly endless multitude of people who had been concealed down there, waiting for uncle Ben's clapping. Now I saw the surprise on her face. I thought that I would burst from happy excitement. I am sure that there is nobody in the whole world who deserves a happy surprise more than my mum. What followed was a feast I will never forget.

There must have been two hundred people there that night. They had come from the whole surrounding area. I think that everyone from within four days travel must have made the effort to be there and I was bursting with pride for her. I knew with absolute certainty that she had to be the most popular and well-loved person in the whole world. That made me the luckiest boy in existence. Even now, I still feel some of that excitement when I recall that night.

When their departure finally took place, it became apparent that uncle Ben had been true to his word. They had a guide for the journey down the range into the kingdom of Andrasia. He accompanied them himself. Merrinda was thankful for his company. She had no doubt that, even with the help of Manahas and Hendritia, they would not have been able to find this pathway by themselves. Having his company also made the parting from the familiarity of the village easier to bear.

Merrinda was surprised by the crowds which were waiting for her at every town and village along the road. The news and information which had been circulated with the distribution of the copied manuscripts had been more eagerly received than she had realised. The backing she had received from the Tower of Learning trained scholars had ensured the acceptance of her message. She was not the only one receiving attention. Everybody was pushing forward to catch a glimpse of the young prince, Immanuel. The idea of God-with-us was becoming believable.

This was a big change in my life. I knew that I would have to get used to being the centre of attention and tried to stand tall and look as if I was comfortable and sure of myself. I missed Maylene tremendously as I learned to cope with this new experience of being the centre of attention. She had decided to remain in that mountain village. She seemed to think that Scholar needed her more than I did. When I think about it, she is probably right. He has so much to do, whereas I am able to look after myself now. An eight-year-old boy does not need a nanny.

They reached the outskirts of Boff, the capital of the southern kingdom of Andrasia, in the mid morning some three months after their departure from the village in the hills. It was an excited and joyful band of travellers which made their progress toward the city. Merrinda and her son Immanuel were leading the party, accompanied by their chief assistants, Manahas and Hendritia. They had not yet reached the main city precinct, when they were confronted by an armed unit of soldiers, carrying the royal flag of Andrasia. Merrinda and her followers were commanded to stop.

The commander of the armed group stepped forward and issued the challenge, "Who leads this group?" Merrinda stepped forward two paces and was met with the added demand "By what authority do you enter this city?"

She stood still before them and spoke with authority equal to that of the commander before her. "I seek permission to enter this city on assignment from the Master of Holiness. I carry his authorisation."

Still the officer before her held his ground, "Produce your authorisation."

Merrinda hesitated for a moment and then reached down to the bronze disc that she wore attached to her belt and tilted it forward for him to see. The officer was not satisfied. He said one word, "give," and held out his hand.

Authority was back in Merrinda's voice as she responded, "It is by direct command that I wear this authorisation and it is by direct command that it cannot be removed. You may approach and read it."

Merrinda had to admit to a certain degree of satisfaction as the officer of the troop had to kneel before her to read the inscription. The words on the face-side were clear, 'Storyteller by Holy Decree'. The seal of the office of Master of Holiness was unmistakable in the centre of the disc. This officer did not take his job lightly, and Merrinda admired him for that. He turned the disc over and read the words on the other side, 'Merrinda wife of Iman Ewell'. There was no doubt in his mind concerning the authenticity of the disc and its authorisation. He addressed himself to Merrinda, "You may enter. I will take you directly to the Palace, but you will come alone."

Merrinda stepped forward another step, until she was face to face with the commanding officer and signalled to Manahas and Hendritia to advance with her. There was movement among the ranks of soldiers, as hands went to swords, making ready for instant use. Merrinda was holding tightly to Immanuel's hand and keeping him close beside her. She said boldly, "You overstep your authority. I will not be separated from my son or from my two chief assistants," indicating Manahas and Hendritia. The very slightest hint of a smile lit the eyes of the commander as he gave permission for the entry of this small group. He could see why this brave woman had been chosen to be the emissary of the Master of Holiness. He would escort them to the Palace with pride.

In equal recognition of _his_ authority, Merrinda turned to the crowd behind her and ordered them to disperse. Those who chose would wait her return.

When they arrived at the palace, they were ushered into a small foyer and told to wait until the king was free to see them. They were provided with no seating, so they stood for what seemed an inordinately long time, waiting the king's pleasure. From her intimate knowledge of palace procedures, Merrinda knew that this was meant to indicate extreme displeasure on the part of the king. They could not expect hospitality from King Oolman of this country of Andrasia.

Finally, two guards appeared. Manahas and Hendritia were led off in one direction while Merrinda was taken to a small meeting room where the king was waiting for her. She kept a tight hold of Immanuel's hand. This drew a frown from the guard. He obviously would have preferred her son to have gone with the others but he made no objection. Merrinda made her obeisance to King Oolman, but this did not diminish the scowl on his face as he observed Immanuel. He commanded, "The child must leave."

Even as he spoke, a boy who was two or three years older than Immanuel entered the room, completely unannounced. It was obvious that this child had freedom of the palace. It was also obvious from the softening of the king's features who this was. This was prince Oolman the Second who would reign when the current king died. The age-lines in the king's face left no doubt that this would not be very far in the future. One glance was enough to alert Merrinda that there was a dangerous situation here. When love and catastrophe mingle they make an explosive mix.

When the young prince caught sight of Immanuel, his face lit in the brightest smile imaginable and he went straight to him in welcome, looking as if he would embrace him. Instead, he looked at his father and said, "Play!" Without waiting for approval, he led his new-found friend into the next room. Nobody made any objection.

When King Oolman spoke next, it was not with anger but steely determination. " _My son will reign_ over this kingdom. There will _not_ be any Prince Immanuel to have authority over him. If it were not for that seal of authorisation you wear, I would destroy both you and your son. As it is, you will leave this city immediately and make as rapid an exit from Andrasia as possible. I can enforce no laws against you in so far as storytelling is concerned, but I _will_ enforce this country's laws against public gatherings and inciting to rebellion. Am I understood."

"Yes, Majesty, you are understood."

Meanwhile, in the adjoining room other events were taking place.

As soon as I saw that boy come into the room, I knew something was wrong. I had met people like this before. His face was flatter than is normal for most people. His neck was short and his tongue constantly protruded from his mouth but he was kind and gentle. I loved him and wanted him for my friend. I knew that he would never rule a kingdom. He could not, but I wanted him to know that he was truly my friend, so I gave him a hug and said, "You're O.K." Immediately, I knew that something had happened. When I looked at him, his face had lost all its strangeness and he was like other people. I have to learn how to control this touch. What had happened here was good and even more than I would have wanted, but I had not controlled it. Perhaps that was alright. I knew that I needed to talk to Moo-ahann about that. It was at this point that I was called back into the room where mum and king Oolman were waiting for me. My friend, the prince, did not come with me. When I entered the room, no words were necessary. I knew we were leaving immediately.

Chapter 15 - RICHIE

They were travelling north now, into the northern kingdom of Toskiff and knew that they had crossed the border between the two eastern kingdoms when they saw the brown clothing which set the people of Toskiff apart as a separate nation. Anxious as she was to continue north and make herself known to the king of Toskiff, they did not journey directly to the capital. They stayed where they were for a few days to allow those who were following them to catch up and become part of the party again. Since leaving the capital of Andrasia, Merrinda had deliberately hurried to avoid the possibility of her followers falling foul of the laws and anger of king Oolman. Only Manahas and Hendritia had come with her.

It was while they were waiting for any of her followers who were attempting to join them to catch up, that Hendritia had a dream which would not only change their plans but have an earth-shattering effect on their whole future. After considering the implications of this dream, they did not travel directly to Gupta, the capital of Toskiff, but detoured a considerable distance to the east into lesser known territory.

This was to prove to be the most dangerous decision that they had made so far. By the time they had travelled for a week on this path, they began to have serious doubts about the wisdom of their decision. The country was deserted, alternating between swamp and dry hillsides. For Merrinda, there was something about the desolation of this country that disturbed her.

It was not only the barrenness of the land which disturbed her, it was also what was happening within her. Somewhere, deep within her being, all her restlessness was coming to life again. Perhaps the emptiness of the land was bringing to life a secret fear of her own approaching barrenness. She was getting older. Too many birthdays had passed since she had left the kingdom she had ruled with Manny. She was into her thirties now, life was passing by. In the early hours of the night she was restless as she lay listening to the sounds of the camp and heard the happy chatter of those around her.

She was surrounded by crowds but she was alone. She tried to tell herself that she had her friends and that the whole country adored her, but it didn't help. She was alone. There was nobody who was just a part of her. It was true that she had her son but it was as if the two of them stood together on some kind of an island in the midst of the crowd. She did not know where this desperate need had come from. She had endured the years of separation from Manny until now. Some point in time had been reached from which there seemed to be no return.

She thought back to the time before she set out on this mission and tried to recall the events. She remembered that long conversation she had with Father when she was so eager to come here. He had told her that he had a key that would unlock the barrier between the two worlds but it could not be used until a time, so far in the future that it would be of no use to her. He had also reminded her that no one who had gone into this place had ever returned. She did not regret coming. She loved these people and could see the hope that she was bringing them, but she missed Manny desperately.

All these thoughts surged to the forefront of her mind as she allowed her mind to dwell upon them. She had no doubt now that it was possible for her to remarry here in this land. She had entered an entirely different dimension of the experience of life. Wasn't that the same as if she had died? Isn't that what death is, passing from one dimension of living to another? She thought back to the world from which she had come. Some of those who had been left alone when their partners had been taken and transported to this world in those early years of the kingdom had remarried. No questions were ever asked about the validity of those marriages. In all this Father remained silent. There were some decisions that had to be made alone. She would wait and see what the future brought to her.

They continued determinedly on their way and were eventually rewarded. The country opened out in lush fields abounding in game and produce that could be easily gathered. The track became more distinct and villages now dotted the landscape. They were storytellers again and these people were hungry to hear. Life was good and Merrinda was happy, except for the lingering need within her. She looked at Immanuel. He needed a father.

This was an unusual land which they had entered. It was clearly part of the northern kingdom of Toskiff but seemed to function as an independent region. Everywhere they went, there was one name that was repeated with great frequency. It was the name Richie. A picture began to build of who this man was. He had originally fled to this region as a refugee from the law. Nobody knew what crimes he had committed but he had fled to this remote part of the country and established his own small kingdom.

It was hard to get a clear picture of who he was. Everywhere, he was held in great respect and the villagers scattered throughout the community were happy to pay him a small annual tribute. In return he provided protection and kept the peace. Collection of taxes by the king's revenue officers had always been haphazard and infrequent and the benefit gained could never be observed. The official revenue collectors never visited this area now. It was too dangerous. In general, the villagers felt that they were better off under the current regime.

As the picture built, it became apparent that Richie and his gang of followers, mostly refugees like himself, lived a nomadic life, having no set village existence. They were held in awe by the settled inhabitants and being nomadic, could easily outsmart any of the king's men who were sent to recapture them. However, just recently a contingent of soldiers had been sent to search for and capture them. This contingent of the king's men had been led by a much more astute officer who used guile rather than brute force against them. He had attacked with a small force, while leaving other men hidden in the trees. When Richie and his men, generally referred to as the Ricktites, had defended their camp with the strength and skill for which they were known, the attackers had fled as if defeated, with the full force of the Ricktites in hot pursuit. The unprotected camp was then attacked by a larger group of soldiers who had remained concealed until the camp was left undefended. Everything was either plundered or destroyed. A large percentage of the women and children were taken captive. The rest had fled into the surrounding forest where they found concealment.

When Richie and his men returned, they were devastated and impoverished. Their survival and control over the area depended on their ability to regain their wealth and strength quickly. This story would have caused little concern for Merrinda and her companions, except that Richie and his men were on a desperate search for both wealth and women. A tribe without women was weak and without hope of ever gaining strength. They would never molest the villagers within their domain but any travellers were at severe risk if they had women or valuables with them. Merrinda and her followers had inadvertently entered a battlefield situation where the normal rules did not apply. They listened carefully to the villagers but nobody knew for certain where Richie's men were at the moment. The general consensus was that they were somewhere in the south.

In spite of the dangers, Merrinda was glad they had made the detour into this remote area. They had been received with hospitality and the news of the coming united kingdom of Immanuel had been received with enthusiasm. Of Richie and the Ricktites they had not seen a thing, neither did they wish to. Now, they were a cautious group of travellers as they headed toward the north-west on the shortest route they could find back to the security of the more civilised regions where the king's protection was firmly in place.

That evening, around the campfire, they talked and checked their weapons. Merrinda's five companions each carried the normal traveller's weapons. They had short hunting-spears which could be carried easily and readily thrown with a fair degree of accuracy. In addition to this they each had, strapped to their waist, a heavy mallet-like wooden weapon, designed for close combat where it could be used to stun or kill. The third weapon they all carried was the hunting knife which was long and sharp and capable of being used as a short sword or dagger in close combat. All these were useful for defence against the occasional would-be thief as well as for the provision of food but would be useless against a heavily armed force.

Merrinda was different. She preferred the weapon she was trained to use. She had spent endless hours as a child and young woman training. When she had returned from that visit she had made as a young girl to the kingdom of Saul and of Daveed, her father had been intrigued by the sling. Together they had made one and learned how to develop that bowling-like action she had seen Daveed use. They had practiced a whole range of different techniques for different purposes. None of this had anything to do with warfare. There were no wars in Immanuel's kingdom but there was sport, and a whole new group of events involving the sling had been developed. She had become expert in its use. It was this weapon that she carried instead of the hunting spear. She liked the fact that she could use ordinary stones as missiles. Unlike the spear its usefulness was not lost after one throw and missiles were readily available in most places. Her companions still laughed at her for using pebbles instead of proper weapons, in spite of her many demonstrations of its proficiency.

There were about twenty other adults, along with a number of children, following their party. These were armed with little more than sticks and knives and some of them carried a considerable amount of money and valuables from which they were determined not to be parted.

That night I had a disturbing dream. I dreamed that I was in a land, not very different from the one I was in at the time. I was standing on a hillside looking across a valley from which the land sloped to the crest of a hill on the other side. While I watched, a huge man emerged, as if from nowhere. He seemed to tower above the trees. Then he issued a challenge. "Come and get me. Kill me and you live. Otherwise ." I woke in terror. I knew that this dream had a significance that was beyond my understanding. I decided that I must run the risk of a moment of anger from my mother. She didn't like being woken in the night, but I had to tell her.

When Immanuel told me his dream I was immediately reminded of the time when, at about his age, I was taken in the shimmering to the kingdom of Saul. There I saw that huge man, whom I always remembered as 'the big guy,' causing fear which overcome an entire army until Daveed accepted his challenge and defeated him. I talked a little with Immanuel about this. Then I took him back to his own bed.

I accepted the dream as something that Father had given to Immanuel to pass on to me and help me equip myself for the difficulties that lay ahead. Preparing the way for the kingdom of 'God with us' was no small task. _That_ was indeed a giant.

With the intensity of her son's night-time experience still playing in her mind Merrinda and her followers were now travelling north, with the swamp on their left and a barren hillside to the right. There was little cover to help them. On the other hand, this gave them security. The lack of cover made ambush unlikely. If the directions they had been given were accurate, there should be a path leading off through the swamp somewhere just ahead. That path would take them directly to Gupta, the capital of Toskiff which was their planned destination. Merrinda was walking in front of the group as surely a good leader should, when she felt a tap on the shoulder and she heard Hendritia say from behind her, "Don't look behind but we are being followed." She immediately stumbled and dropped a stick which she had been carrying. Stooping to pick it up, as if it were her most precious possession, she glanced behind her. Hendritia was right. There were at least five people following some distance behind their own group.

Hendritia came up beside her in an apparently casual manner and said, "I don't like this." She looked to the right and to the left and then replied, "I like that even less."

"What?" Merrinda asked.

"Look, carefully ahead, just over the rise."

Sure enough, there was movement on the path ahead. Because of the rise in the path ahead, they could see nothing, except a few heads above the crest of the hill. As they made their way toward the top of the rise, it became apparent that there was a considerable number of people ahead. They knew they were trapped. Apart from a hurried consultation with Father, there was nothing they could do. They were surrounded now on three sides, with the swamp on the other side. Retreat was impossible in any direction. Merrinda felt as if this whole charade was being played out in slow motion. They were confronted by a considerable force. It was impossible to get an accurate count but there were well in excess of two hundred men surrounding them. Their attackers stopped at a little distance from them, well beyond spear throw.

Trapped, as they were, they watched. One man detached himself from the group which was blocking the road ahead of them. He took his stand just beyond the distance a spear could be thrown. Observing this, Merrinda realised that she would have no difficulty in reaching him with the sling. She quickly put that idea out of her mind. Even if they could take this man out, it left a bare minimum of one hundred and ninety-nine men standing against them. Nobody in their right mind would take on those odds. Observing the men who surrounded them, she noticed something unusual about them. They wore no headbands, except for the one whom she assumed was their leader. He wore a headband. It was yellow. She could not be sure from this distance, but it looked as if it had stars all around it. Who would dare to wear the sacred headband of the Palace of Learning in this place.

This had to be Richie. She looked at him. He seemed to radiate an air of authority. He could not have been much more than thirty years of age but it was obvious that he had the complete respect of his whole company. She began to understand why she had so often heard him referred to as King Richie. However, what she saw was hard to reconcile with the hard rebel identity which he had. He was obviously loved by his people, not feared. He stood a little taller than average with a ruggedly handsome face which she thought was spoiled by an unkempt black beard. Then he spoke. His voice came to them with the determined precision of a man who was used to being obeyed. "We wish you no harm. You may pass in peace on one condition. Leave your possessions with us, _all your_ _possessions_. You may then pass in peace." He seemed to be addressing himself to Manahas whom he appeared to have identified as their leader.

Merrinda remained silent, listening. She knew something that their opponent did not at this stage. She knew that it was not Manahas who was leader. She spoke quietly to Manahas saying, "Let him continue to address you for the moment." The three of them consulted together for a while, then Manahas said, "Do you think we could persuade those who are carrying money and valuables to hand them over without a struggle." While they were considering this, Hendritia broke in quietly, "When he said, 'all your possessions', I think he meant our women as well as our valuables." They knew that she was right. Manahas could not contain himself and said loudly, "That is _monstrous_."

That one word triggered something in Merrinda. This was the dream that Immanuel had given her to consider. All the implications of what she had seen as a girl when Daveed defeated the Big Guy came flooding back. With a quiet confidence in her voice she said, "Give him our refusal. Moo-ahann has brought us here. He will defend us."

As leader, she knew one thing. Her whole party would die, rather than submit to such a demand. When Richie heard Manahas' curt refusal, his response was immediate. "You have three minutes to change your mind. After that we will use force." Then there was silence.

In the silence Merrinda squatted on the ground with her companions around her. She was doing something that puzzled them. She was unpicking the stitching at the back of the pouch which held her slinging stones. When the stitches were removed, it was apparent that there had been a second layer of soft leather stitched to the back of the pouch. The pouch itself was still undamaged. What was in that concealed space had been her secret since the day they had first set out from Livvon. She kept it a secret still, holding what she had taken from the pouch tightly in her hand. When she stood, she addressed them all in a whisper, "You will be safe, Moo-ahann has promised." Then she had a whispered conversation with Manahas.

After this Manahas took a few steps forward, toward where Richie was standing and, with the most authority that he could muster shouted, "Richie, king of the Ricktites, we greet you in friendship and respect. Everywhere we have travelled in this region we have heard nothing but glowing reports of your fairness and respect toward those around you. Is it with fairness or respect that you come against us with such an overwhelming force?" He paused and then said, "We offer you a solution that will settle this situation with honour. We challenge you to decide the issue by single-handed combat between the leaders of the two groups. Whoever wins, takes everything. Such a challenge will be remembered in history as an example for all to follow."

Richie looked at Manahas, mentally summing up the possibilities. The idea appealed to him and the odds were surely stacked in his favour. He was facing a man past his prime. He responded firmly, "The challenge is accepted. Let the leaders step forward and the challenge begin."

Without hesitation, Merrinda stepped forward three paces. As she made this advance, she produced the object that she had been keeping concealed in her hand since removing it from its hiding place. She reached up with both hands and placed it around her head in place of the ordinary black headband that she was wearing. She had not only accepted the challenge of battle, she had also accepted the challenge of authority. If Richie chose to show himself as being eligible to wear a band proclaiming that he exceeded the authority of the ten stars of the Master of Holiness, then she would show her true colours. A gasp went up from all around her. She was wearing the purple headband, reserved for royalty.

When Richie advanced a few more paces, he saw before him a woman, armed with nothing except a hunting knife and a nulla-wanger hanging by her side. He saw the other thing that she held in her hand but did not recognise it as any kind of weapon. He had never seen the like of it before. It appeared to be a small piece of leather with rope attached to it. He stood and commanded, "Stop. I will not fight an unarmed woman."

Merrinda stopped. She did not stop to bring the conflict to an end. She stopped to pick something up from the ground. She had kept her eyes on this spot from the time she had stepped forward. She looked at what she now held in her hand. She held two stones of the right size for use in the sling. They were not perfect. They were very rough and not quite round, but they now joined the two she always kept in her pouch. They would do in an emergency, or for special use. Her answer to the command to stop was to place one of these stones in the sling. She deliberately placed it slightly off centre and swung her arm in an arc. This was not the full-blooded action she used in hunting. This was something she had learned in slinging competitions in the other world. If she got it right, and she did not expect to get it wrong, the stone would leave the sling spinning violently as it went on its journey. If she had judged the stone correctly the roughness of its surface would create a considerable roaring sound. Accuracy would be lost, but the sound would be terrifying.

She had not planned this throw as an attempt to kill or maim. It was not a battle shot, rather it was a reply to his perception that she was unarmed. She needed to demonstrate that this was _not_ an unfair contest. She aimed at a spot a full metre to the right of her opponent and at head height. She winced when she realised that her aim had not been as accurate as she had hoped. Such an imperfect missile was difficult to control. On its present course it would hit him between the eyes. She was not the only one who observed this. Richie stood still, with his eyes fixed on this thing that was coming toward him like some supersonic wasp. Merrinda's mind was working at super-speed, in battle mode. She could not help but admire the courage and skill of this man. At the last moment he moved aside, almost enough. He did not flinch or put his hand to his head. He simply straightened and resumed his attack, clearly accepting the challenge and ignoring the blood that was flowing from his ear.

Merrinda, without taking her eyes off her opponent, placed another stone in the sling. This time it was one of the smooth, round ones that she always carried with her. These were selected for accuracy. There would be no more playing of games. She waited. She wanted her opponent to release his spear. If she could avoid the flight of the spear, her opponent would be unarmed, except for the close combat use of the sword. He would be vulnerable as he approached. Then, her worst fear was realised. He was not going to use the spear as a throwing weapon. He was reserving it as a close combat, hand-held weapon which would give him a large advantage because of the reach it provided.

There was no time to waste. The distance between them was shortening. She called on the only power she knew who could help her. As she began her final run-up toward the point from which she would take her last shot with the sling. She shouted with all her might, "For Moo-ahann and Immanuel!" For one fraction of a second, Richie faltered. He knew those two names and wished that he could withdraw from the contest. It had been for the public utterance of the name of Moo-ahann and his hope in the coming of the kingdom of Immanuel that he had been exiled. Merrinda watched as the stone made its journey over the short distance that remained between them. Unbelievably, it missed. Her admiration for this man's alertness and self control knew no bounds. She wished that she could withdraw from the contest but it was too late. It was no longer a fight for principle or possession, it was a matter of sheer survival. She knew that in the next few moments one of them would be dead. She might admire the man but she didn't want to be the one who died. Her missile missed because of the alert cunning of her opponent. When she was committed to releasing the stone, a moment before the final act, he had fallen to the ground and the projectile had passed harmlessly over his head.

She could only wait now and test her own alertness and agility. He did not choose to use the spear. It was too cumbersome. The sword was more versatile and gave more than adequate advantage in reach over Merrinda's hunting knife. He dropped the spear and left if on the ground. He wanted both hands free. Merrinda had divested herself of the sling in the same way. He was within range of her now and made a thrust toward her. She stepped back and had little difficulty in avoiding it but this was only the preliminary move. As he had planned, she was now off balance. Without pausing, he swung the sword in a backhand arc, slashing across her body. Just in time she regained her balance and took another step back, out of reach.

Just as Richie had chosen the sword as his weapon, Merrinda had abandoned any thought of using the hunting knife. She had her rod in her hand, that weapon which Richie had spontaneously named the nulla-wanger. It still didn't give her sufficient reach to combat the sword, but it had the advantage of being able to be used as a close combat throwing weapon. She remembered how she had seen Daveed use it this way against the lion, all those years ago. The backhand swing of the sword which Richie had just used caused him to be off balance for a moment. Merrinda knew that before he could act again he must wait for the transference of weight from his left foot to his right to be completed. With a quick flick of the arm and wrist she released the heavy rod that she held. There was no doubt about the result. Richie lay still with blood pouring from his head. The weapon had struck him, in the exact spot where the first stone had caused damage to his ear.

For a moment she was elated. This was the triumphal culmination of her experience of battle. All her senses had been heightened and life had been experienced in a more intense way than she had ever known before. She could understand why men went to war, but the next reaction was even more intense. She had killed a man. This competent and good man's life had been terminated for ever. Guilt overwhelmed her. She had no thought as to what it would look like to others who were expecting her to celebrate the victory. She fell to her knees beside the inert body and bent over it. Beside herself with grief she was emitting an unearthly wail as she clamped her hand over the wound to his head. It was not an action of hope but of despair. It needed no second opinion to determine that death was inevitable. Gradually, her wailing diminished. In silence, she lay her body over his, as if to give him comfort and warmth. To any distant observer they would have looked like two lovers lying together, but her silent partner was never going to bring joy or fulfilment to anyone, ever again. She felt his body go limp and knew that all hope had gone but remained where she was, not for _his_ comfort but her own.

But something was still happening. When he opened his eyes, Richie knew beyond doubt that he was dead. He was looking into the most beautiful, green-blue, angelic eyes he had ever seen. Then, he recognised the face. It was the face of the woman who had defeated him in battle. He felt nothing but admiration for her. He had thought his sword thrust had missed its target, but he must have killed her. They were here together. It took Merrinda a moment to believe what had happened. Then she realised that she was lying in the open with a virile, living man, in what was surely a compromising position. She leapt to her feet and stood, embarrassed.

When the angel left him, Richie knew that she was no heavenly being. The realisation that he was still alive took a while to assimilate. Then he stood and, clasping her hands in his, looked at her and said, "You are so beautiful." As he looked around, he realised that _everything_ was extraordinarily beautiful. The colours were brighter than he had ever seen before and a faint, pulsating glow was being emitted from all that he saw. It was like being born again into a new world. Soon this brilliance faded and everything was normal again. He released her hands, a little embarrassed. They were about to return to their respective friends, when Merrinda felt a small hand clasping her knee, and the voice she loved best in the world said, "Mum, papa sent him back." She lifted Immanuel into her arms and carried him back to her people.

As she walked back she pondered his words and wondered where he got such wisdom at so young an age. In many ways he was like she had been as a child but she didn't remember understanding such deep things. She used to talk to Bear and Fella. Immanuel, talked to Pa and Ma, her own parents. He also talked to Pop, who was his father Immanuel, and to Papa, his grandfather on Immanuel's side, known to most people in the world as Moo-ahann. She thought that he had probably inherited this ability to retreat into his own imaginary world from her.

There was no enmity left between the two groups. They camped together that night. There was a lot of talk and exchanging of stories. Merrinda and Richie talked together for hours. The bond which now existed between them seemed unbreakable. She felt a pleasant certainty that her days of loneliness were coming to an end. It would take time, as these things do. The courting rituals would have to take their course, but the end was inevitable. She went to sleep that night, tired beyond measure but with a contentment to match.

In spite of the exertions of the previous day she woke early and knew that she was not alone. Immanuel was sitting beside her. She reached out and gave him a hug. "What are you doing here?

He said, "Mum, I'm glad you're awake. There's something I want to ask you. I know you don't like me talking about my visits to Ma and Pa, but there is something that I really want to know. I never seem to get a chance to ask them when I am visiting."

Merrinda decided that this was a perfect opportunity to gain an insight into her son's secret world so she said, "What's the question? I will answer it if I can."

His question puzzled her. "Who are the pretty people Ma and Pa have in the big room?"

She didn't know what he meant and tried to recall what she could ever have said about a big room or pretty people. She had to enquire, "What do you mean by pretty people?" She thought that he was probably imagining things, just as she did when she was a girl. "Tell me about them. What do they do?"

"Mum! That's silly, they're not real people. They're pretty. They change colour." To Merrinda, it sounded as if he was describing the statuette her parents had of her father's first wife and family, but who could have told him about that? She remembered it clearly. It was an outstanding piece of work and stood on a shelf in the lounge room. That _was_ a big room, but who could have told him about it? In other circumstances she would have believed that he had seen it. It was so clearly in his mind. She could not help but compare what her son was saying with the time that she had been taken from the garden when she was a child and visited Daveed's land, but this could not be the same. There was no way through the barrier between this world and her parents' world.

Before she could think of a way to ask him who had told him about what he had seen, he told her himself. He said, "I was going to ask Pa but I came home before I could." To Merrinda, it almost seemed as if the impossible was happening and Immanuel was travelling through the barrier. _That_ was something she could not believe. She had to be careful here not to say anything to spoil the world that he had created. She asked, very carefully, "Tell me _exactly_ what happened. How did you get to see Pa and Ma?"

It took a while for Merrinda to come to a point where she could understand exactly what was happening but she was left with no doubt that Immanuel was being taken to visit his father and grandparents in the other world. She had to believe it. He told her of a number of visits and then he said something that surprised her. He told her that Moo-ahann, his grandfather had taken him to be with him while she was battling Richie. He said to her, "Papa said that he had taken me to be with him because I should not see what was happening." Then he added, "When the man who got hurt came to Papa, he sent him back."

Her whole world was in turmoil again. If the barrier between the two worlds could be broken, then she could return to Manny and her plans for marriage here were thrown into confusion. Then she realised that nothing had changed. This travel was not voluntary. He was being _taken,_ not travelling of his own volition. There was little chance that that would happen to her, rather the opposite. Father had said that her door could only be opened at a time so far into the future that it would achieve nothing for her. Her frantic mind relaxed. Nothing had changed. Then her son said something that brought the unrest flooding back and made the necessity to make a decision inevitable. He said, "Papa says that when I am older I will be able to take myself to visit him."

All this had put her mind into turmoil. There were some things that she knew for certain. If it were possible for Richie and Manny to stand before her, side by side, there would be no contest. She would belong to Manny. It was the years of loneliness that worried her. There was another consideration that was trying to push itself to the forefront of her mind. Her son was visiting his father. It would be an unnecessary complication to provide a second father. With her mind clearer, she settled herself to face the day ahead, knowing that she would not allow the budding relationship with Richie to develop further. She wished that there were more women with them to divert his interest. Part of her wished that she would never see him again but that would not happen and she had to admit that she would miss him if he left. She was already learning to rely on his wisdom and experience in leadership. She knew that he would follow her wherever she went and bring as many of his people with him as chose to join this new venture. He was already talking to them about this. His own commitment to her mission was unshakable.

Chapter 16 - BASTIKUFF

That morning, much discussion took place due to the desire of Richie and his men to join the group. This melding of the two groups caused the delay of their departure for the capital for several days. Merrinda insisted that all who followed her showed their loyalty to their country by wearing the black headband of citizenship. They had to await the making of these in a nearby village before the journey could begin. The Ricktites consisted of close to three hundred adults along with the children who were left to them. Almost two hundred of these decided to follow Merrinda. This was a big change and needed considerable thought.

Richie, having felt its impact, was a great fan of the new weapon, the sling. He coerced the help of his men in the making of sufficient of these to arm the majority of his followers, having decided that, as a traveller's weapon it was superior to the spears which they possessed. With Merrinda's help, he and his men were now training in the use of the sling. Richie's admiration of Merrinda grew as he discovered how much more difficult it was to master than had appeared to be the case when it was in her hand.

The two groups were melding well and the Ricktites were learning to accept Merrinda as leader and no longer needed to have commands passed on to them through Richie who was now part of the core group of followers. The Ricktites already had a strong belief in the authority of Moo-ahann and were absorbing the teaching conveyed in Merrinda's stories. Their expectation of the coming of the united kingdom was growing and, along with it, a conviction that they were entering a period of justice and peace. Merrinda was confident that by the time they reached the capital, Gupta, they would have lost their rebel roughness and would not attract undue attention. To minimise the risk of appearing as a possible threat, they broke into several smaller groups as they approached the larger towns. However, by the time they reached Gupta, the capital of Toskiff, this ploy to avoid attracting attention was no longer working. They had collected so many followers that everybody was aware of their presence.

Because of the obvious presence they now had, King Bastikuff was preparing for their arrival well before they reached the city. He knew something that they did not. He had received an official notification from the Palace of Learning that Merrinda and her followers were now an outlaw group to be eliminated from society by whatever means possible. His personal opinions and beliefs were at variance with that policy. As a firm believer in the absolute sovereignty of Moo-ahann, and a supporter of the possibility of the united kingdom which had been prophesied long ago, he decided to delay the release of the decree from the Master of Holiness until Merrinda and her group could be sent on their way.

On the outskirts of the city, Merrinda and her followers were met by a small contingent of officers from the palace who officially welcomed them into the city. She, along with her chief assistants and her son, Immanuel, was escorted to the palace of the king. The rest of her followers divided into four groups and were shown to different locations in the city, where they could set up camp and entertain the people with their songs and storytelling.

There was no opposition. Only the king knew of the recently issued proclamation against them. Until he released the news there were probably only two or three other people in the whole kingdom who had any knowledge of it, but it could not remain like that for very long.

After a very brief welcome to Merrinda and her company, King Bastikuff took them into a small conference room and shut the door. Having assured himself that they were all capable of reading for themselves, he unrolled a scroll in front of them and allowed them to read. It was the official proclamation against them from the Palace of Learning. Richie shook his head in dismay and said, "So, my freedom has been short-lived."

"There is one difference," Hendritia replied. "We are all outlawed with you this time." They spent considerable time in that conference room making plans for the immediate future. There was no doubt that this development was a result of a second, successful attempt to oust Tom from the position of Master of Holiness. The seal on the document was that of Wonka, who had led the previous attempt against Tom. There was no news of Tom's fate. They feared the worst.

King Bastikuff was giving them all the assistance he could. He insisted that they did not tell him where they intended to go. "I would rather not know," he said. "That way I will not need to tell any lies." He told them that he would give them a full three days start before making the declaration public. He would then have to be seen to be taking decisive action and would send a contingent of armed guards to the west where he had seen them go. The three days delay and the organising of the guards would mean that they had a four-day lead on any pursuit, but their travel would be slowed because of the women and children. All this time, Immanuel had been standing with them. Not yet being a freshmun, he was unable to participate in the conversation, but his ears and his mind were active.

I like king Bastikuff. He is not much older than my mother and, like Richie, his presence creates an aura of authority and certainty. Throughout the years it has taken us to travel this far, I have become increasingly interested in the country and the people we meet. I know that one day, I will be king over this whole world and I am not frightened by that. I know all the prophesies and I have talked with Pa and with Moo-ahann about it. My visits to Pa and Ma are becoming less frequent now that I am older and I know that once I become a freshmun I will only be able to visit on my birthday. However, I am now visiting Papa, whom you would know as Moo-ahann, more often. All this land that we have travelled is his kingdom. I will rule under his authority and always seek his advice and direction. If I do that properly, there will be no danger that can defeat me or ruin the kingdom.

Standing in that room with king Bastikuff, I wished that I could say these things but I was not an adult, not even a freshmun. I had learned the value of being polite and living with the rules of society. As I thought about that, I was aware of a little shock of surprise as I realised that those rules did not apply when I was talking to Papa. He always treated me as an equal, except when it came to his authority.

I think that, even as a boy, I had been able to see into the heart more fully than the adults did. I did not expect the supremacy of Wonka as Master of Holiness to last very long and knew that the kings would not tolerate it.

Early next morning, Merrinda and her companions left the palace with the king's blessing. They gathered together the groups of followers that had been scattered throughout the city and were escorted in ceremony from the city. They headed directly west toward the main pass through the Great Central Range. This would take them directly into the adjoining kingdom of Gnostalivva. When the guards had left them about two kilometres from the city, Merrinda stopped and addressed her followers. She feared to enlighten them about the real cause of her concerns but warned them that it would be extremely dangerous ahead. She said that they would be travelling into unknown regions and was certain that there would be severe hardships ahead. She emphasised that it would be best for all of them if any who were at all fearful returned to the safety of the city. She was surprised and a little fearful when only about fifty people turned back.

An accurate count was impossible, but they estimated that there were over one thousand followers, still determined to come with them. The storytelling in the city had been fruitful. Their following was far larger now than when they had entered the city.

Now that escape was the main object of their journey, Merrinda's plan was to take her followers across the Great Central Range, into the completely uninhabited land that occupied the north-western portion of the land. Nobody knew exactly what was in there. All sorts of stories were told of the horrors that awaited those who were foolish enough to venture near it. If the tales were true, evil spirits lurked there and the mountains threw themselves on any intruder. No real information was available because nobody could be found who had been there, or who had returned from there. This was the Prohibited Land. It was believed to be entirely unliveable.

She discussed the matter at length with Manahas, Hendritia and Richie. For Richie this was history repeating itself. He had once before fled to a remote region for exactly the same reasons. They agreed that if they could get into that place and establish settlement there, they would be safe from attack. Her first priority was the safety of her son Immanuel. He would be eleven years of age next birthday, fast approaching his freshmun status, when he would begin his first advent into the responsibilities of adulthood and serious preparation for his role as the unifying king. They agreed on one thing. Before any attempt was made to cross the range into the Prohibited land, they must inform their followers and give them the opportunity to turn back if they chose to. They would not cross the range here where they were expected to be.

They had travelled north now for a considerable time along the western borders of the kingdom of Toskiff. In all that time they found nowhere that offered any hope of serving as a point for crossing the range. It provided a formidable obstacle. Neither had there been any hint of pursuit.

King Bastikuff had been true to his word. He had diverted two small expeditions to the south and, as a decoy had sent a large contingent of his own men across the range into Gnostalivva to enlist the help of king Hoolandon in hunting them down in the south. Being the place where Merrinda had come from, it seemed the logical place for them to flee to. None of the kings were intent on any real outcome of their efforts, but knew that they had to put on a good show of support for the new Master of Holiness.

Meanwhile, Merrinda and her followers had made their way to a small village toward the northern extremity of the Great Central Range. It was here that she decided that she could no longer delay telling her followers of her intended destination. They must be given the opportunity to return to the safety of their own homes and familiar things. When they heard that their intended destination was the Prohibited Land, the shock that went through the group was palpable.

Merrinda and her friends had anticipated just such a reaction and she asked Richie to speak to them as well. A huge amount of trust had been built up in Richie's integrity as many of those present had been his followers during the time he had led the Ricktites. He re-enforced what he was saying to them with quotes from the ancient prophesies and writings which he had studied and copied during his time in the Palace of Learning. His knowledge and association with the Palace swayed many. His main claim was that if they followed Merrinda and her son, they were following the destiny laid out by Moo-ahann and would be blessed for their obedience. In the end, about seven hundred people indicated their commitment to enter the Prohibited Land and claim the promise of blessing.

Merrinda was immensely pleased with this result. It was a fearful place that she was leading them to. As she looked around, she wondered why she had chosen this place to make the announcement. There could not be a more frightening spot. When she looked to the west, the peaks of the range were raised to their highest. As if to reinforce the impossibility of travelling that way, there was the awesome sight of fire spewing from the mountain-top, and further ahead they could hear a fearsome rumbling sound. As the rumbling increased, the ground beneath them shook, until standing became difficult. As she stood there waiting for the trembling to diminish, she realised that only Moo-ahann could have chosen this spot to make the announcement. She was sure that if she waited, she would find the reason. She did not have to wait long.

When she looked around the crowd, she saw excitement. These people trusted her completely. Then she noticed Richie talking with two young men whom she had never seen before. They must have come from the village. Inexplicably, they attracted her attention with an intensity which she seldom experienced. They were young and strong. She remembered what it had been like to be that age. She smiled as she saw their eyes constantly surveying the young women in the group, in what they thought was a discrete fashion. As she watched, she began to realise what had attracted her attention. There was an energy about them. They reminded her of Daveed, whom she had met in that other land when she was only nine years old. They were young men on the cusp of the exciting adventure of full adult responsibility. They were wearing the black headbands of full citizenship, so they were no longer freshmun.

Merrinda knew that there was something important about these two young men and determined to meet them. She pushed her way through to where they were standing talking to Richie and said, "Richie, who are your friends?"

Richie replied by turning to the two young men and saying, "Meet Merrinda, our leader. Why don't you introduce yourselves and tell her what you have just told me."

The slightly taller man on her right, looked Merrinda in the eye and said, "I'm Mat, this is Hez," nudging his mate in the ribs as he spoke.

Having looked so directly at Mat, Merrinda was sure of one thing. In a few years this man would be a leader. "What is it that you have to tell us?" she asked.

His reply was interesting. "When we were just freshmun, I asked my mother if I could take Hez with me and visit my auntie in the village three days travel to the south. With her permission to do this, we went instead, to the west into the Prohibited Land."

Merrinda interrupted, "When you say into the Prohibited Land, do you mean into or toward?"

"We went right through a pass and crossed to the other side of the range. Where the gorge took us out to the other side, there was a wide, fertile valley which stretched into the distance, where we could just see the ocean. We can show you the way if you will let us travel with you." Merrinda now knew why this had to be the spot where she made the announcement to enter the Prohibited Land. She said, "Go and tell your family what you are doing and we will leave in the morning."

The journey into the Prohibited Land proved to be both safe and easy. Mat had led them along the bank of a large stream which flowed from the mountains. By following this they soon entered a narrow gorge which led them for a distance through the range, with mountains towering on either side. In the central section of the range, this pass had opened up into a large area of open country with plains and rolling hills.

This was an incredible place. We had walked for three days along this narrow gorge. In places it was so narrow that we had to walk in single file, wending our way between boulders which had fallen from the cliffs in some previous event of earth-shaking. When I saw this, I knew that Moo-ahann had provided us with a safe refuge. No army would dare to enter this pass in an attempt to attack us. In a place like this, one man could defend against an army indefinitely, slowly picking off any enemy who dared to approach too close. It was undeniably a miracle that we had been led to this place.

It was here, in this area of open country, that the stream which we had been following through the mountains had its source. I knew that we had not yet reached our final destination but if this was a sample of the land we were being led to, I could not wait to get there. Looking around, I could see that we were still entirely surrounded by mountains which appeared to be completely inaccessible to travellers except for the continuation of the gorge on the other side of the open country. I knew that it was to this, that our guides, Matt and Hez would lead us. I could not wait. The adults did not seem to be in such a hurry.

Merrinda was tempted to stay there and make that place their first settlement. However, she decided that it would be better to move into the main area of the land which Mat and Hez had viewed as freshmun. The area they were in now could form an outpost. For future reference, they named this region Respite.

They continued travelling for another two days along the passage which proved to be their pathway into the land that the boys had discovered on their first freshmun's adventure through the mountains. The passage this side of Respite was broader and a little less formidable than it had been on their eastern approach but was still made inaccessible on either side by formidable cliffs and rugged mountain peaks. As they made their progress along this passage they had to cross numerous small streams which emerged from the mountains on either side and, by the time they reached their destination, they were following a rapidly flowing river. When they emerged from the enclosed space of the gorge they encountered exactly what their guides had pictured for them: a wide fertile valley which stretched all the way to where the ocean could be seen in the far distance. The river, which they had followed through the mountains since leaving Respite, could be seen snaking its way toward the distant coast.

Soon after emerging into the open country which I knew would become our new home, I found myself standing alone on the top of a small rise. I had been travelling with a group of friends about my own age but now I was alone. Not even Bettine and Don were with me. I knew what had happened. When we came out of the gorge into the open, I had felt the presence of Papa so strongly with me that I stopped and began to chat with him. My friends were used to this and just quietly left me talking with the Great One, Moo-ahann. They were a little in awe of this and never asked about what had been happening in these times, except for Bettine. Sometimes she asked and I could talk about what Papa had been saying to me. That is probably why I had allowed her to become one of my best friends, in spite of the fact that she was a girl.

From where I was standing, I could see across the whole area into which we had entered. There were about seven hundred people milling about and forming themselves into small groups as they looked for a place where they could camp comfortably. The group I was most interested in was standing by themselves close to the river. I knew that they would be discussing our future among themselves, just as I was with Moo-ahann. This party consisted of my mother and her chief assistants, Manahas, Hendritia and Richie. Like everyone else I would have to wait to hear what decisions they reached. That is one of the things that will change next year when I become a freshmun. Then I will be able to join these discussions. I am looking forward to that. I will need to learn everything I can. There are huge responsibilities ahead of me. Papa understands that. That is why he has been talking with me. He treats me as an adult already but now, in this community, I will wait for the decisions of our leaders like everyone else.

Chapter 17 - ESTABLISHMENT

Merrinda and her three chief assistants were now standing on the riverbank, surveying the area around them. They had decided that they would not need to look further afield than this for a place to establish the primary settlement in this land. Where they were standing, the river was shallow and slow-flowing. It could easily be forded to provide access to both sides to establish settlement. The hilltop just behind them would provide an ideal site for the primary group of residences where Merrinda and her advisors would establish their own housing. From that hilltop, the entrance to the gorge which provided access to the land could be seen without restriction. There would be no surprises. Anybody approaching from outside of the region they were occupying could be seen long before they could become a threat.

For themselves they would build simple, but substantial housing, using the stone that was freely available nearby. For the time being, the whole camp would remain here, where there was an abundance of food and game to be found. This would have to change in the near future as the immediate area could not sustain the whole group of seven hundred people indefinitely. Tomorrow, they would send scouting parties out to select other areas which would support immediate settlement. Their immediate aim would be to select five sites, each of which could support up to one hundred and fifty people who would be able to live permanently off the game and foraging which the areas provided.

As they looked over the camp which was already settling for the night, they could see that the task of dividing their followers into smaller parties would not be as difficult as they had feared. A process of natural selection had already taken place during the time it had taken to travel here. Observing what had already happened in the camp, Merrinda revised the original decision and decided that there would be six separate settlements, including the one which would develop around their own base camp. It made sense to follow the natural division rather than a purely mathematical one.

The next day Merrinda addressed the people, laying out her proposal for the immediate future. Manahas followed with practical advice on what to look for in a permanent settlement site, drawing from his own experience as a village chieftain. This day would be devoted to the task of dividing into the six groups which would form the basis of new settlements throughout the region. By the end of the day each group was expected to have selected a leader and four assistants who would become the expedition parties with the task of selecting settlement sites for the establishment of their villages. They would have four weeks in which to locate a suitable spot and return to the base camp.

While they were waiting for the expeditionary teams to return, Merrinda and her chief assistants moved around the camp talking to people and listening to their hopes and aspirations. This also gave them opportunity to select those who would join them in their own settlement on the site they currently occupied. They selected a small group of practical and capable people who would be useful in government and in building a communication network throughout the kingdom which was now becoming known as Renewal. To this they added a number of volunteers from two of the naturally formed groups which had exceeded their limit of one hundred and fifty people.

They established a base camp where they were and spent the next six months exploring the extent of what would become their kingdom. The whole of the land proved to be completely cut off from the rest of the world by impenetrable mountain ranges to the east and south. Access in any other direction was rendered impossible by open ocean frontage. The only known access to the east was the way by which they had come, while to the south there was only one section that looked as if it could possibly give access, a less rugged section of range with a valley running through the mountains as far as could be seen. Although it was unlikely that this route would continue right through the range, it was decided that a future settlement should be established on the fertile plains there, with an outpost on the hill which overlooked the valley. This would be the village of Clearview.

Their main town would be established where they had set up their base-camp. This would become the town of Promise, guarding the entrance through which they had approached the land. For the time being, they abandoned the idea of establishing an outpost at Respite as the situation of Promise made that unnecessary for defence purposes. Instead, they had plans for that site to become a leisure and recreation retreat. It was a beautiful place, with hot springs and promise of many more interesting discoveries. The whole of the next year was exceptionally busy, establishing the settlements and systems for effective government and communication.

With the basic work of establishing a community behind them, Merrinda and her fellow-workers were at a critical point in the establishing of the kingdom. The kingdom itself had to be bound together with a sense of purpose and belonging, and the work of gaining further followers from throughout the rest of the world needed to be pursued.

Focus now must begin to shift to the prince apparent, Immanuel. He needed to be prepared for the task that lay ahead of him. Already, at eleven years of age he was well known and admired by all, and knowledgeable about what was required of him. Merrinda could not do all this herself.

The inhabitants of Renewal needed activity. Merrinda and her advisors gave much thought to how best to provide activity that was both bonding and productive. Richie was experienced in army type training. It was with this kind of activity that he had built a cohesive and loyal following when he had gathered the Ricktites together. But Merrinda was determined that there should be no focus on warfare. At the same time, she knew that the whole kingdom must be prepared to take decisive and immediate action if they were attacked. There was a threat posed by the new Master of Holiness that could not be ignored. As interim leader of the developing kingdom, she had formal discussions with Richie and asked him if he would take responsibility for this task and he became Minister for Local Affairs.

He undertook to organise the citizens of Renewal into groups from which teams would be selected to compete in a large annual competition. The events would include athletics, javelin, archery and sling. Merrinda suggested that he should consider training in her favourite sport of cricket as a teambuilding exercise, but Richie knew nothing of this activity and declined to have any part in it. She accepted this for the time being, but determined that it would be achieved at some time in the future. She wanted it to be established as a permanent memorial to her father.

Manahas and Hendritia were given joint responsibility as Ministers for International Advancement. Under their leadership small parties were organised to be sent into the other three kingdoms of the world with the purpose of nurturing the spread of hope for the future uniting kingdom under prince Immanuel. Over a period of time their activities resulted in a steady stream of migrants into Renewal. A pattern developed, where these were first introduced to the kingdom at the village of Respite, which had been established at the location where they had first been tempted to settle. It was an eminently suitable situation for this, being very beautiful and having hot springs for bathing. To those arriving in the new and strange territory, it appeared as a little bit of paradise, reinforcing their hopes for the future.

Finally, there would be the office of Minister for National Unity. This would be the most politically sensitive and dangerous task of all, visiting the three kings and seeking to obtain their support and understanding of the advantages of the uniting of the kingdoms. Every assurance would need to be given that their thrones were not at risk and that they would not be replaced but united under Immanuel when he came to the throne. His ascendency to the throne would be achieved when he reached the age of full manhood on his eighteenth birthday. One false step in this task could anger any one of the kings or their advisors with disastrous results. As yet Merrinda could not think of anyone suitable for this task. If there was no alternative, she would take that function herself but she did not want to desert her other responsibilities in Redemption to do that. She was talking to Father about it. He seemed to be saying simply, "Wait."

It was during this period that Immanuel celebrated his twelfth birthday. This was an important day in his life. He was no longer a child. He was now a freshmun. Little apparently changed, except for the addition of some duties which he had not undertaken as a child. He now had public appearances to make and duties to perform. Tentative plans were already in place for him to accompany his mother on a tour of the other three kingdoms. This would not take place for another three years and then, only if his acceptance was such that his safety was assured. The day of his birthday seemed little different from all those which had preceded it but a change was taking place in Renewal. The first evidence of this would be seen on the following day.

Immanuel had left early in the morning with several friends to hunt in the forest country for game for the evening meal. Toward the end of the day, Merrinda was relaxing in the garden, after a morning of consulting with the leaders from the village of Clearview in the south, when she heard a sound she had not heard in any populated area since she had left the old world. It was the sound of horses' hooves. Looking up, she saw something that surprised her even more than the sound of the hooves. It was the sight of Immanuel and his three companions coming to her. Immanuel was proudly on horseback.

For a moment she was shocked, and then wondered if there may still be time to save the situation. She was well aware that in this world, horses were not viewed in the same way as they were in the kingdom that she had come from. There, horse riding had been common and of great enjoyment to both man and animal. A lot of memories of pleasant rides and competition came flooding back. But there was no time for such memories now. Here, horses were sacred animals, untouchable by humans. They were completely dedicated to Moo-ahann and his servant, the Master of Holiness. Surely Immanuel and his companions knew this. But, before she could act, they were seen.

The path that the freshmun were returning on was concealed from view, except for a small space where Merrinda was standing, but she was no longer alone. Three women had emerged from the shrubbery and now stood beside her. When she saw who the older of the three women was, her unease turned to dismay. This was Esme. Merrinda braced herself for the inevitable outburst. There was no malice in Esme whatsoever, but she was often sharp and unthinkingly abrupt in her reactions and speech. There was no doubt that a serious taboo had been broken. She did not know how to avoid this incident from causing a setback in Immanuel's acceptance as the future king.

Merrinda could do nothing except to stand in silence and wait. What happened next was entirely unexpected. There was no anger in the reaction of Esme and her friends, rather the opposite. Certainly, they stood for a moment as if in shock, then clasped each other in mutual embrace. After a few whispered words they lifted their hands skyward and broke into a song of praise to the Great One. Merrinda doubted if what they sang was from any known lyrics but its intent was obvious. After a few moments of song, they stopped and bowed before Immanuel in submission with a reverence that almost amounted to worship. Esme spoke for all three when she said, "Your majesty, King of all Kings, promised son of the great God, accept your servants' allegiance. We must proclaim the revelation of your coming." With this they ran off to the town to spread the news of what they had seen and understood.

These women had knowledge that had been shared with no one else. They had come from one of the small villages in the mountains where one of the manuscripts from the Palace of Learning had been copied and they were familiar with its contents. In it there was an ancient prophesy which stated that their king would come to them, riding on a young horse, a mare that had not yet given birth to a foal. For them, the fulfilment of this prophesy was the key to the recognition of the coming king who would unite all kingdoms.

Although the content of this prophesy had been lost to the general populace for generations, it was probably from this writing that the sacredness of the horses had developed. Until this event took place, these three women had been the only doubters in the whole kingdom of Renewal. Now, their joy knew no bounds and a second, perhaps more significant miracle occurred. The volatility of Esme's angry discontent disappeared and she became the calm and relaxed woman that Moo-ahann had always intended her to be.

The news of this prophesy and its fulfilment spread rapidly throughout Renewal. Like a wildfire of excited elation, it was fanned into a blaze of excited anticipation of the coming united kingdom, by the fascinating story of the miracle of transformation which had taken place in the life of Esme. The whole world wanted to meet her and hear her story.

Merrinda now knew why Moo-ahann had not allowed her to find anyone to fill the position of Minister for National Unity. If she searched the world, she would never find anybody more suitable than Esme for the tasks that were the responsibilities of such a position.

As Minister for National Unity, Esme organised a delegation to spread the knowledge of the prophesy and its fulfilment. After consultation with Merrinda and her chief assistants, it was decided that her two friends who had witnessed the event should travel with her. Richie and a small contingent of men would accompany them for their protection. Their first stop was at the village which had originally copied the prophesy. There, they organised the copying and distribution of further copies and the training of storytellers to spread the news of its fulfilment. As part of the work of this delegation, her two friends remained in the village. Being former residents, they were readily accepted and listened to. Along with the copyist, they were probably the three people in the whole world who were most familiar with the prophesy and they had witnessed its fulfilment. This sudden increase in authority and prominence suited Esme's personality and she rapidly became a decisive and effective leader.

That experience with the horse was the most remarkable thing I have ever known. It changed my whole outlook on life. This was the day I became a freshmun. As such, it was my last day of childhood freedom. After today, I would begin to undertake duties which would provide serious training for my future role as Supreme Ruler of the whole world. I think Papa knew how daunting I felt the future to be, and gave me this gift to remind me that he was in control and the world was full of good things waiting to be discovered.

Of course, I had seen horses before but they were just another one of the many species of animals that wandered the land. I also knew that they were sacred and must not be touched. The whole day was a new experience for me. I was with a group of freshmun. That was new and strange but I wasn't alone. My best friends Don and Bettine were with me. We had all become freshmun in the last few weeks and today, we were reunited.

When I first saw Flash, I knew that she was something special. She was beautiful and so alive. My admiration for her soon turned to something else that I have never yet been able to quite define and I stood, rooted to the spot as she slowly and deliberately approached us. The group of freshmun that I was with, parted to make a passage for her. They were simply obeying the rules of the taboo that was in place. I too, would have moved aside if I could have, but I remained rooted to the spot as if I had become welded to the ground by conflicting convictions.

My mind was in turmoil. As she approached, I was remembering the story that my mother had told me from the most ancient writings of another time and another place. In that place, also, there had been a taboo. There was one tree that belonged to Moo-ahann alone and must not be touched. The first man and his wife had touched it and lost their right to continue to live in that most beautiful of places and to rule the world. I felt that history was repeating itself. If that had been all that was in my mind, I would have moved aside. The thing that froze me was the voice that I heard so clearly saying, "She is my gift to you. Reach out and take her." I knew that voice. It was the voice of Papa. I was confused. Could that voice be mimicked by Evil? I did not believe so, but the confusion remained. I could not move.

In the end, I did not touch that horse. She touched me. She laid her head on my shoulder and gently caressed my face. I heard the gasp that went up around me and knew that my companions expected me to die. I would not have been surprised if they were right, but I did not die. Instead I felt such a bond with her that I knew my world had changed forever. I felt a totality of renewal all around me. I knew that an ancient curse had been broken.

Another three years passed with Immanuel's popularity growing throughout the world. The authority of the Master of Holiness and the Palace of Learning had diminished to such an extent that the three kings had openly withdrawn their support for its authority and issued their own decrees, announcing that the authority of the new kingdom of Redemption now superseded all other authorities in the land, except for that of Moo-ahann. A further joint proclamation was issued, proclaiming their intent to unite under the rule of Immanuel when he ascended to the throne.

Social changes were also taking place in the kingdom of Redemption. For some time, Merrinda and her various Ministers of government had felt that there was a need to establish their own distinctive national dress. The village of Clearview in the south was becoming renowned for its production of superior woven materials. This had begun from small beginnings when they had undertaken the production of headbands for the whole of Renewal. Merrinda organised representatives from all the villages that now made up the kingdom of Renewal to visit Clearview and select materials which might be suitable for a national dress design. She had some ideas of her own but wanted to see how others were thinking before she made a decision.

She had anticipated the outcome of the choice of colours and, in fact, was quite pleased with it. The main criteria for both colour and style had to be practicality. It must allow freedom of movement and the colour must provide camouflage in the forest for successful hunting. The chosen colour was not the easiest to manufacture, but would set them apart from all other nations. The cloth was a fairly unexciting shade of dull green which would provide good cover when stalking prey. What set it apart was the golden thread which had been woven into it. This made it stand out as something beautiful, without spoiling the camouflage. In fact, by breaking the colour it became more effective. They knew they would be throwing out a challenge to the other nations in dress standard. Merrinda had hoped that she might be able to encourage a change in style. She had particularly hoped that the women would accept a more complete covering of the body. She believed that many of the older women would be more comfortable with this but there was an overwhelming belief that such a style would take away the feeling of freedom which they currently enjoyed. The final style was not very different from what they already wore. What _was_ different was that the material was softer and more free-flowing. She knew that her weavers would soon be in demand to teach others their techniques.

Other changes were taking place in the kingdom also. Not the least of these was with Immanuel himself. He would be celebrating his fifteenth birthday in a few days time. When Merrinda looked at him she had a feeling of pride accompanied by a sense of loss. She was losing her boy and discovering a new man who was her son. At this moment, he was sitting on a bench winding a piece of twine tightly around a small sphere of what looked like wood which had been carefully carved into a ball. That must have taken a lot of skill. Whatever it was that he was making, she was filled with pride for his skill and patience. As she continued to observe, her heart turned over. Manny must have looked almost identical to this young man who was his son and hers. Her heart ached for the husband she had lost.

Finally, she broke the silence, "What are you making?" Immediately, she knew that she should have remained silent a little longer. She had broken his concentration. He clasped the ball desperately in his hands to stop the thread from unwinding any further. Slowly, he unwound the section of twine that had loosened and began winding again. All he said was, "Mum, I've got to finish this." She sat beside him while he finished and tied the thread off. Now that it was safe to leave his work for a while, he said, "I'm making a cricket ball."

She was puzzled. "How did you learn to do that? You have never played cricket?" She had given up the idea of cricket teams after Richie had vetoed the idea. She knew that he had been right. They did not have the equipment to play. But here was her son making something that looked as if it just could resemble a cricket ball when it was finished. Then she remembered that Immanuel was different from everyone else in the kingdom, including her. He travelled. "Have you been to see Pa?" she asked.

"Yes, I often go there. He is teaching me to play cricket. I want to play for the Palace Eleven. But I know I won't be able to. I can never stay long enough so I will have to do it here, if I can make this work," he said, picking up the half-made ball. The next day she watched them practicing. Immanuel was trying to teach his friends to bowl. Their bat was roughly made from a piece of timber. He had covered the ball with goat hide. She did not think that would last long and decided to have a word with her weavers. She was sure that they would come up with something tough and durable.

Gradual changes were taking place in the whole kingdom as Immanuel developed into manhood. It was as if the very land itself was preparing to welcome the release that his rule promised. There had been times recently when she had felt that the animals had been trying to talk to her. Certainly, the horses were communicating, not audibly but just as effectively. Flash, the filly that Immanuel had first ridden, was helping the weavers design a riding mat for its own comfort and that of its rider.

If Merrinda had known what surprise the next day would bring, she would not have been able to sleep for the eagerness of anticipation. Early that morning, Immanuel led a group of freshmun, of both sexes, on an expedition along the foothills of the main range. This was an area that was abundant in the more unusual plants, many of which were edible. This was one of the tasks of the freshmun, the collecting of food plants and fruit. They had filled most of their carry bags with products that could be eaten, but Immanuel was not yet satisfied. There was something else that he wanted. His mother had a particular fondness for those horrible things that were called prickle-fruit. He had not yet told his companions what he had in mind. He knew how much they hated the prickle-fruit bushes, considering them to be the most undesirable weeds in the kingdom.

When he finally announced his intent, a moan went up from his companions. If he had not been _Prince_ Immanuel, he was sure that they would all have deserted him. When he explained how much the Prince Mother loved the fruit, they gave themselves to the task, even knowing that the harvest and preparation of such fruit was impossible without inflicting painful damage to those involved. The spines which covered both leaf and fruit were so sharp and fine that they tended to break off beneath the skin and remain a source of irritation for days afterwards. Even Immanuel did not know what it was that so attracted his mother to it. He believed that there was some memory from when she was young that she associated with it. There was no doubt that it was good to eat, but only if somebody else prepared it for you. Well, this would be his treat for his mother. He would prepare it.

When they reached the place where they knew a large grove of prickle-fruit grew, a ripple of relieved giggles and outright laughter ran through the group. There was no prickle fruit. Something was wrong with the whole patch. Immanuel had been so looking forward to surprising his mother that he did not share the relief. He wanted to reward his mother for the interest she had shown in his attempt to make a cricket ball and now his surprise was spoiled. They examined what remained of the plants they knew so well. There was not a single fruit and the plants were inexplicably changed. They looked much the same as they always had, upright and branched, with hard woody stems and large green cactus-like leaves. The first difference that they noticed was that there were no prickles. Closer examination revealed that, while the stems remained rigid and tough, the leaves were slightly soft, with a springy texture. It was very puzzling. They hoped that whatever disease had afflicted these plants, it would not spread to other fruiting plants which they relied on for food.

When Immanuel arrived home with the sack of provisions that was the share set aside for the royal household, he was feeling a little deflated. There would be no surprise for his mother.

As they unpacked the supplies, he told his mother about the prickle-fruit plants. She was as puzzled as he and his companions had been, and wanted a more detailed description of what they had seen. Reaching into his belt-pouch, he took out one leaf of the diseased plants. He said, "I didn't want to put it with the foodstuff, in case it contaminated it. What he placed on the table was a single leaf about thirty centimetres long and fifteen centimetres wide. It had an even thickness throughout of about five centimetres and was symmetrically rounded at the ends. One end still had the stump of a hard, woody stem attached.

If he had previously been expecting to surprise his mother with his gift of prickle-fruit, what he had anticipated was nothing like what happened now. Her reaction bore no resemblance to what you would expect from the dignity of the office of ruling Prince Mother. She leaped to her feet and, after a swift feel of the leaf's soft flexibility, let fly with her own mother's seldom used cry of delight, " _Yirra-lippa_ - _dee_!" This was followed by a spontaneous dance interspersed with shouts of delight and praise to Moo-ahann, all punctuated by words he did not know but understood to be expressions of praise and thanksgiving. His surprise was as great as hers. What _was_ this thing that he had brought home, which he had thought to be nothing more than a diseased piece of a plant?

When she had quieted to something resembling the mother he knew, he said, "What was that all about? What is it?"

She looked at it and said. Sometimes you visit Ma, Pa and Pop. Do you mean that you have never seen this?"

"Never," he said, "What is it?"

She thought for a moment and then said, "Have you ever eaten dapti when you have been with them?"

"Yes, it is absolutely my most favourite thing."

Her response amazed him, "If I am right, this is from the dapiboska plant. That is what dapti comes from." She carefully cut the leaf and was reassured that she was correct when it bled slightly, almost as if it was meat. She grinned, "We'll have dapti tonight." She knew that the redemption of the land had begun. They were indeed, living in Redemption.

Manahas and Hendritia had been busy as Ministers for International Advancement. Messengers had been going back and forth between the kingdoms, putting arrangements in place. It was time for Prince Immanuel to visit the kings who ruled the other kingdoms and begin to establish a personal relationship with them. After a lot of consideration, Merrinda had decided that, for this visit, horses would be used as their means of transport. Aside from the obvious presence of Prince Immanuel, the party would consist only of Manahas, Hendritia, Richie and Esme, who was now also the wife of Richie. Merrinda believed that the horses would provide sufficient protection. Most people would either be filled with awe and admiration at the sight of the young prince fulfilling the ancient prophesy or so frightened of the holy beasts that there would be no danger of attack. Their speed and superior awareness of what was happening around them would also ensure safety.

The route that had been chosen would take them firstly to the northern kingdom of Toskiff, then south to Boff, the capital of the southern kingdom of Andrasia. From there they would travel west into Gnostalivva and then north back home to Redemption. This was the first time that Immanuel had undertaken the responsibility of leadership. The agenda for the visit and its implementation would be under his control, with his companions acting as advisors. It was at his command that two pack horses had been loaded with dapiboska leaves to be given to the kings as personal gifts from their prince. Merrinda raised some objection about this saying, "It is true that the leaves of the dapiboska plant will last for a long time, but I am fearful that they will begin to decay before you reach Andrasia. I would not want that kingdom to miss out on the blessing it brings." Immanuel was unperturbed, "They will not be destroyed. Moo-ahann has given me this instruction. He will preserve them."

The world had never known such a momentous event as this tour of Prince Immanuel. Always, word went ahead of him and people lined the routes, even in the smallest villages and along the country roads. If there were any voices of dissent, they were drowned by the populace. Quantities of the dapiboska plants were given to each of the royal households. Some of this was prepared for eating at the great receptions for the prince and his attendants. The rest was planted in the royal gardens.

The truth was always hard to determine but remarkable stories were circulating. There were claims of old people being revitalised and illnesses cured. These stories were impossible to verify because they never happened while the touring party was still in the area, but followed after. The frequency of the accounts certainly lent weight to their credence.

Chapter 18 - THE KING

The final king they visited was Hoolandon of Gnostalivva in which the village of Livvon, where Merrinda had first lived, was situated. He remembered her with great affection and promised to travel to Redemption and visit her as soon as it could be arranged. As minister for International Advancement, Manahas promised that if he did that, they would take the opportunity of electing him as chief sponsor at the king's coronation when Immanuel turned eighteen. Manahas declared that this was only fitting, as Gnostalivva was Immanuel's birthplace. He had been born in the palace complex of king Hoolandon.

From Livvenpax, the capital of Gnostalivva, they journeyed north toward home. They would enter the land of Redemption by this shorter route and save the long journey back through the other kingdoms. Immanuel and his friends had found this pass through the southern range on one of their horse riding expeditions, or rather the horses had shown them the way.

Their welcome back to Redemption and the royal household at Promise was tumultuous. The popularity of Immanuel was now unquestionably established. The people of Redemption were revelling in the anticipation of his ascension to the throne and the land itself was blossoming. A phenomenon, unknown in the world when Redemption was a forbidden land, was becoming evident. Not only were the people revitalised and prospering, the land itself was flourishing in its productivity. Those who remembered the countryside when they first entered it, maintained that it had grown in beauty and productivity.

On an occasion shortly after their return, Richie was talking to Merrinda about their experiences on the Royal Tour. He told her about the stories that followed and the rumours of healing and miraculous renewal of youth and strength that had followed them as they travelled. He ended by saying, "There is no way that any of these things can be verified."

Merrinda looked at him, as if she was looking at a child who was slow to learn and said, " _You need verification_? Look around you. How long is it since we entered this land?"

Richie needed no time to answer. The memory of that day was still as fresh in his mind as if it had been yesterday. "Almost seven years," he replied.

"Think back. When we first came through the pass and arrived here, how many old people were there among us?"

Amazement flooded over Richie's face. How could he not have noticed? He was very subdued as he said, "There were many who were really old who wanted to come but could not undertake the journey because of their frailty. Among those who followed us here and have come since, there were many ageing, some quite frail."

Merrinda let him go no further, "How many aged ones are there now?"

"How could I not have noticed?"

"I don't think anyone noticed," Merrinda said. "It has all happened so slowly and naturally."

Richie nodded in agreement. "I think some have actually grown younger and nobody has died."

Richie corrected her. "There are three who have died. They did not support Immanuel's claim to the throne."

As she heard this, Merrinda realised the difference between this kingdom and the one Manny ruled. There the unbelievers had been transported to this Land of Exile, here they had died. There was nowhere else for them to go.

Immanuel had been a freshmun, well into his fifteenth year, when he undertook that first royal tour. He was now approaching his eighteenth birthday. That birthday would be a time of great celebration. It would not only be his birthday, it would be his day of ascension to the throne. This was an exceptionally busy time for the Ministry of International Advancement and they conscripted the help of the two young men who had shown them the way to Redemption, Matt and Hez, who were rapidly becoming natural leaders in Redemption.

The royal palace was now a place fit, not only to be the living quarters for the king, but also a place where official visitors could come and feel that they were in the presence of royalty. Special quarters had been constructed to accommodate King Hoolandon, King Oolman and King Bastikuff when they came to participate in the upcoming coronation ceremonies. These three kings were to be treated with utmost respect and afforded maximum recognition of their authority.

The buildings that formed the new palace complex were different from any other structures in the kingdom of Redemption. They were constructed of cut sandstone slabs, with the surfaces of the stone smoothed to show the beauty of the grain. Skilled masons had been imported from the kingdom of Andrasia which was the only area where such aptitude existed. This was King Oolman's public declaration of support for the upcoming coronation of Immanuel as Supreme Ruler of the United Kingdom of Unity. How could he not give his support? It was Immanuel who had brought healing to his son on that first visit and he, himself was once more youthful and full of vigour due to the renewal of the land and the introduction of the dapiboska plant.

The buildings that provided accommodation for visiting guests, meeting rooms and residential workers had all been finished and were in use. The main royal residence was almost complete and it was this that Merrinda was currently inspecting. She was well satisfied with the progress and quality of workmanship. There was just one more room to inspect. This was a room which adjoined the royal suite and like it, had a splendid outlook over the river. As yet, it had no designated purpose. She had asked Immanuel about it and the only answer he had was. "Bettine suggested it and it fills the final unoccupied space, so there it is." Merrinda was anxious to discover if the last of the work on this room had been finished.

When she entered, she fully expected to see workmen still at their tasks but the room was free of labourers. However, it was not unoccupied. She was surprised to find Bettine standing in the centre of the room with her back to her, looking out the window. She was obviously lost in her own thoughts and Merrinda did not want to disturb her, but it was too late to withdraw. For a moment her awareness locked with Bettine and she knew what was in the younger woman's mind.

Her mind went back to a time when she had been much younger and dreamed of marrying a king, Manny. She knew that, in this place, Bettine was rocking a baby in her arms. This was the nursery. She did not know if that awareness came from Moo-ahann or if it was just wishful thinking. What she did know with absolute certainty was that there was nobody better suited for the role than the girl who now stood beside her. She doubted if her son could rule effectively without her. She could do nothing to influence the future, or her son's choices; well not much. For now, she would talk to Bettine in much the same way as Moo-ahann had once talked to her about his son, Manny.

She spoke quietly, "Bettine, I am sorry to intrude. I did not know you were here."

Startled, Bettine turned and stammered, "Majesty, I am sorry. I am the one who is intruding."

"No," Merrinda said. "You have a right to be here. You are my son's best friend and one of his chief advisors. I think of you as family."

Merrinda looked at the woman before her. She was no longer a girl but an exceptionally beautiful woman. She wondered if Immanuel had noticed the change. Sometimes the things that are most familiar are the things we do not see. Perhaps it was not only her son who was blind to what was in front of him. A shock of revelation overwhelmed her as she realised how much she had come to love this young woman, this friend of Immanuel. There was a tremor in her voice as she said, "Bettine, will you do something for me? I would be greatly honoured if, when we are not in public view, you would call me Merrinda-mom instead of Majesty."

When the coronation actually took place, there were no interventions of Divine acclamation, or voices from the heavens. The youthful appearance of the three ageing kings was sufficient affirmation of the Divine initiative, as was the enthusiasm with which the new National Anthem of the United Kingdom of Unity was sung. After this, the kingdom settled into peaceful equilibrium.

Something happened during that period leading to my ascension to the throne that changed my life more significantly than the event of the coronation did. It was a few days before the completion of the royal residence. I had been talking to Mum about the palace design and how pleased I was with it. I must have been mentioning Bettine a lot in what I was saying, and why not? She is about the best thing in my life. She is still the only one with whom I can comfortably and completely share my conversations with Papa. It was when I mentioned this that mum said something that shocked me to the core. She said, "What are you going to do when Bettine marries?"

My immediate reaction was, "How ridiculous. Bettine isn't going to get married," and then I realised that she was as old as I was. Of course, she would marry. I didn't like that idea. I didn't think that I could function in the kingdom without her. In an instant she had ceased to be the girl of my childhood and became a woman. I desperately wanted to meet that woman. I think mum found me difficult to talk to for the rest of that evening. It wasn't long before I excused myself and went to my own quarters.

There was an urgency within me that could not wait. I must see her now. I would not wait until morning, no matter how inappropriate the hour was. It was as if, by tomorrow, I might find her married and gone. I instatravelled to her home. As yet I was the only person in the world who could use that means of travel. After my coronation, it would become available to everyone and there would be no more need for long and wearying journeys. When I arrived at her house, I acted like a naughty little boy and threw a pebble against the shutter of her room. It was only a moment later that I saw the shutter open and her face appeared, looking out. I beckoned to her to come out and soon saw her approaching down the garden path. What a brave girl she had always been, and here she was again, daring to break the rules to meet me in the middle of the night when the whole world was sleeping. I was not worried about that because I knew Papa. He is more concerned with the intent of our actions than the rules that are made for our protection.

As I saw her approaching down that path, I knew that I would have to restrain myself strongly if I were not to break all the rules in the book.

As Prince Immanuel, I had visited royal households and had many beautiful women presented before me. How could she have taken so long to reveal herself to me in all her beauty? I wanted to take her in my arms, hold her tight and never let her go, but knew that there were rules and protocols that I must obey. However, I would not submit to all of them. I needed to talk to her and I knew exactly the place where we would be safe and secure from any interruption, if she would come with me at this unearthly hour. The moment she arrived, I said, "Will you travel with me?"

I saw her face light up in anticipation. She knew exactly what I meant. She said, "You mean instatravel?"

I had told her when I had first started the adventure of learning to control the technique of instatravel. Nobody except me had ever travelled this way before but I knew that I could take her with me if I held on to her. I'd like to hold her. Almost before she had finished saying, "Yes," I told her what I wanted her to do. Then, with the very slightest sensation of shimmering, we disappeared from where we had been standing. I felt proud of my newfound ability to control this procedure.

Bettine had been anticipating her first experience of instatravel ever since Immanuel told her about it. She was disappointed at first. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but when they commenced their journey, she felt nothing. It was no different from going to sleep, except for that slight shimmering which preceded the loss of awareness, but when they reached their destination, it was beyond belief or description. Awareness returned almost instantaneously. In that first moment, nothing was normal. Everything around her was glowing with a beauty beyond description. She did not feel that she was looking at it. She was part of it.

She knew exactly where she was. This was the place where Immanuel often retreated to when he wanted to speak to his Papa alone. Immanuel had taken her here just once before. This was the safest place in the kingdom. They would not be disturbed. There was nobody in existence who would dare to come here without invitation, except for the presence of Moo-ahann. She knew that he was with them now and felt warm and safe. As the scene around her stabilised she heard Immanuel saying, "Sorry about the rough landing."

Shaking her head, she couldn't help laughing, "Don't you dare ever do it differently when I am with you."

Now that we were here, I didn't know what to do. That's not quite true. I knew what I wanted to do. I didn't know how to do it. I'm not much good at all that soppy stuff. I had known Bettine for most of my life and what we had together was special. I didn't want to spoil that or change it. I wanted to add to it but I couldn't escape the fact that I didn't know how. In the end I just blurted out four words that expressed the practical core of my need, "Will you marry me?" Immediately I had spoken, I found myself sprawled on my back with Bettine's arms around me. She didn't seem to share my reticence about becoming involved in soppy stuff. Maybe I would learn. The thing that thrilled me most was the fact that buried somewhere in everything she said was a "Yes." Until I heard that, I had not realised how afraid I had been of rejection.

My one regret was that I had not been able to make this occasion something romantic and special for Bettine to remember. I need not have been concerned about that because Papa had something planned that would make this moment remain in our minds for ever. I should have known that he was listening. This was his special place just as much as it was mine.

All these years later, I still look back on the events of that night with a kind of delighted awe. I am still amazed that Immanuel should feel embarrassed by what he calls his lack of romantic acumen. The fact is, I like it the way things are. It is the one area where I feel that I have some kind of advantage over him.

In those moments after Immanuel asked me to marry him, I have to admit to being completely out of control and I don't know what would have happened if Moo-ahann had not intervened. I think that is why Immanuel chose that place to make his proposal. It is a safe place in every sense of the word. Moo-ahann is always there. He was certainly there then. We both heard his voice at the same time, "Enough of that, for now _. Come_."

With that one word, everything changed. We came as commanded, not by any act of will or decision of our own but by a power beyond measure. This was not instatravel. It was something else, far beyond anything we could be in control of. I did not lose consciousness as I had done with instatravel. What I did lose was contact with my body. I could feel it but I could not see it. Immanuel was nowhere to be seen either, but I knew he was with me. I could feel him, still holding onto the hand I could not see. The journey did not take long but the distance travelled must have been tremendous. The stars were swirling all about us. I must admit to being a little afraid but it didn't last long.

The end of the journey was more dramatic than its beginning. There was a shimmering, not unlike the sensation I had experienced when I instatravelled to Immanuel's special place, only, this time, it was more pronounced and ended with a sudden series of jolts. Instinctively, I knew that we had passed through some major barrier, into an entirely different dimension of experience.

I was so shaken by all this that everything remained blurred for a moment. What emerged out of that haze was beyond description. I will try to put it into words so that you might have some hope of understanding, but there is nothing in our world to liken it to. I could see myself and Immanuel now. We were in an extraordinarily beautiful room but it was not the room itself that was so astonishing. It was the _Presence_ which filled the whole space. I was gripped by an intensity of fear, the like of which I had never experienced before.

In front of us, there was an ornate chair. In the confusion of the emotions that I was experiencing, engendered by the intensity of that _Presence_ all around me, I could not distinguish between my own absolute terror at what I was seeing and the eager anticipation for whatever was about to happen.

It was only Immanuel's presence with me that gave me strength. Even so, I could not prevent a little gurgle of inappropriate laugher from surfacing from within me. For all its grandeur, that chair did not look very comfortable. Then, as I looked more closely, I realised that there was no need for it to be built for comfort, as the seats on which we sit are. The person sitting there was not entirely like us.

At a glance, he appeared much as Immanuel might look when the years have matured him. The difference was that his energy was not entirely contained within his body. I could both see and feel the force which was emanating constantly from him. That force was continually mingling with other energies which occupied the room. These were barely visible, appearing more as a constantly moving and fluctuating glow which filled the room. Immanuel saw my puzzlement and said, "They are angels."

I knew that the person sitting on the chair could be none other than Moo-ahann. The likeness to Immanuel was so evident. My whole attention was on Him, as his was on me. All this happened in a moment, then he stood to his feet. I say 'stood to his feet,' because I have no other words for it. He had not been sitting as we do. He had never quite been in contact with the chair; not as we know contact. He floated a few inches above it, as if suspended on a cushion of air. I wished that I could do that. It must be the most comfortable form of relaxation possible. He went to Immanuel first and gave him a hug saying, "Welcome. What took you so long? Aren't you going to introduce me?"

When the formality of the introduction was over, he approached me and held out his arms. I had been going to take his hand in a handshake, but he embraced me. That embrace changed everything. Instantly, all my fear had gone. I was completely absorbed into something I had never experienced before. There are no words to describe the beauty of that moment. I was completely united with Moo-ahann. There was no separation between us. I was a part of him and yet, somehow, more entirely myself than I had ever been before. My awareness of _everything_ was intensely magnified. With his embrace I had become complete.

The greatest wonder of all was the realisation that I was not alone in experiencing this. Somehow, in that embrace _he too became complete._

As he released me, he spoke, "Welcome, bride of Immanuel. You have become one with my own flesh."

When I had moved back to Immanuel's side He continued in a lighter vein, "You have been patient with my grandson. I am pleased that you have that ability. You will need it from time to time. He can be so dumb." He was smiling at Immanuel as he said that.

He added one more thing before we left. He said very simply, "You have earned your reward." At first, I thought he meant that my reward was to be with Immanuel, but that had already happened. What he meant was that I could now call him, "Papa" as Immanuel did.

Chapter 19 - UNITED

Merrinda had not been forgotten like the others who had been taken to the Land of Exile. Bailey was sitting in the lounging room, experiencing one of those moments of sadness which sometimes overwhelmed her as grief for the loss of her daughter flooded over her. Merrinda was still missing. This past six months, since King Immanuel had returned alone from that expedition he had undertaken to help Merrinda find a way into the mysterious Land of Exile, had left her bereft and puzzled.

During that whole period, almost from the beginning, they had been having weekly visits from someone who claimed to be Merrinda and Immanuel's son. But that was impossible. When he first started visiting, he had been a very young child. At his last visit, he was a fully grown young man. Nobody could change like that over a period of only six months. There is no doubt that he looked very much like a younger version of King Immanuel but there had to be another explanation. She had talked unendingly with her husband, Dharwad and with the king about this. She believed that the visitor was a messenger of the Great One, sent to comfort them. King Immanuel was sure that the visitor was truly his son and talked about some impossible to understand theory of different dimensions of experiencing in different worlds. That didn't make sense. Merrinda had not gone to a different world. She had simply passed through a barrier in this world.

With these thoughts going through her mind and her vision clouded by tears, she suddenly tensed. Somebody had appeared in the room, where they had no right to be. She froze in shock and crumpled to the floor. As she fell, she screamed, "Dharwad."

In the adjoining room, her husband heard the faint croak which she had intended to be a scream and knew that his wife needed him.

### * * * * * * * * *

When Bettine woke the next morning, she knew that she had been dreaming. Such events and such happiness do not exist in real life. It was only as she was dressing herself for the new day that reality revealed itself. Dressing was simple and automatic in Redemption. She had almost slipped the headband into position when she saw it. Unmistakably, in the front centre of the band, there was the deep purple star of royalty. Immanuel had given her this when she had said, "Yes." But, reality was different in the clear awareness of the waking day. She felt shy and awkward, not wanting to answer questions.

Using the least used paths. she made her way to the palace complex, hoping to talk to Immanuel but he was already busy with state affairs when she arrived. It was Merrinda who greeted her. As soon as she caught sight of Merrinda-mom she knew that the news was already out. She hadn't seen her looking so pleased with herself for a long time. Merrinda greeted her with a hug and the words, "Immanuel told me. I couldn't be happier."

Bettine talked with Merrinda-mom at length that day. Royal protocols for the marriage would have to be observed. The announcement of the upcoming event would be made immediately. From the day that announcement was made, Bettine would live in the royal household under strict supervision of the women. There she would learn all the procedures and protocols that would equip her for royal duties. When the announcement was made, she would be given the title that was now hers to assume, Bettine, Promise-wife of King Immanuel. The actual wedding ceremonies would take place in two years time.

In the days following these events, Merrinda could not understand why she was feeling so unsettled. These should have been the happiest days of her life. Her world was in perfect order and everything she wanted for her son was set in place but, within herself there was a void. Seeing Immanuel and Bettine so happy in each other's company had reawakened her distress at the loss she had suffered when she was separated from Manny by that barrier. Even Richie, poor substitute that he had been, was no longer available to her.

Immanuel had noticed this shift in his mother's mood and one day, shortly after this, when they were sitting together in the relaxing room, he said, "Mum, I am concerned for you now that I have become king. Is there anything that I can do for you to make your life here more fulfilling. It seems that you have lost your sense of purpose now that I have taken over the kingdom."

Her reply was simple, "You are my reward and my pride in you is now my purpose. I am ready to be of assistance in anyway that I can, but mostly I just want to watch and appreciate what you are doing."

He smiled and said, "Mum, there is one thing that you can do for me now, but I am embarrassed to ask."

"Tell me. What is it?"

He replied, "You know that I often visit Ma, Pa and Pop. Remember how I said that when I became an adult I would no longer have to be taken to visit them but would be in control and take myself? I want to visit them now, but I have a confession to make. I may be ruler of the whole world but right now I am frightened. I am not yet very familiar with instatravel and have never journeyed through the barrier by myself.

She looked at him and saw the fear of her precious little boy still alive within him and her heart melted.

He said, in a voice that was not very different from that of the child he had once been. "Would you give me a hug?"

She took him in her arms and hugged him, exactly as she had when he was still little. As she held him, she felt the slightest shimmering and thought that he had trembled. She did not realise what had happened until she became aware of her new surroundings. She was in a big room that was somehow familiar. For a moment, she thought that she was alone, then she saw the body lying on the floor. She was no longer looking at the room. She was looking at the woman lying on the floor where she had fallen. Merrinda knew that she must give this woman the healing touch. The moment she knelt to do this, she recognised who it was. She was kneeling beside her own mother. The touch she gave her was healing indeed.

When Dharwad entered the room, he saw two women sitting on the floor, hugging each other with tears running down their faces. When he recognised who the second woman was he also needed to sit down. His voice was husky and not much louder than the scream his wife had made, when he said, "I'm here too."

It didn't take long for the shock to recede, and normal conversation to become possible. However, Merrinda did not want to talk. Dearly as she wished to see her parents, there was one thing she wanted infinitely more, but she was afraid. Instinctively she turned to her mother, "Mum, I want to go to Manny, but will he want me?"

"Of course he wants you. Why wouldn't he?"

Merrinda had to let her fears out, "I have been away nearly twenty years. Has he married and forgotten me?"

It was Dharwad who responded, trying to answer the confusion that was in the faces of the two women he loved best. "There is a puzzle here. Obviously, where you have been, a considerable time has passed. You could be excused if _you_ had forgotten or remarried. Here, only six months have passed. I don't know how that works but I do know that he has never stopped desperately missing you. But don't go right now. He is in - \- -." Dharwad was too late with the final instruction and explanation.

With the briefest "See you later," Merrinda had instatravelled from the room.

This was, perhaps, the biggest day in the calendar of events in the year for her husband, King Immanuel. At this time each year, the Festivities of Unity were celebrated. The last ten days had been spent in friendly competition on the sporting field. Combined with this there had been an exuberance of music and dance, with a focus of praise and thanksgiving directed toward the Great One who had made such a good life possible. Right now, King Immanuel was in conference with the seven Kings who ruled over the seven kingdoms of the earth, to which they all belonged. He had no authority of his own, except in this city and the palace complex in which he was now in conference. As Supreme Ruler of the world, his authority was exercised through the offices of the seven Kings of the seven kingdoms which made up the government of the world.

They were about halfway through the agenda for their meeting, when King Immanuel suddenly paused. Somebody had spoken to him. He knew that voice. It was the Great one. Silently, he responded, "Dad?"

Father responded with the repetition of the one word that he had heard before, "Come." He knew that he could not leave the conference in mid speech. But he knew he must. There was one authority that overruled even that of the Supreme Ruler of the whole world. He announced a brief adjournment and left the room.

Merrinda had gone directly to the private apartment that she had occupied with Manny. She knew immediately that there was nobody there and had to seek the help of one of the maids. For a while, she could not work out why she had been given such a strange look, until she realised that she was still wearing the same hiking clothes that she had been wearing when she left to find the Land of Exile. She grinned. It might cause a stir, but she would not waste time changing now. She knew that it would take her some time to adapt back into the pattern of thinking in this world, where dress standards were of such importance.

Meanwhile, back in the conference room, the meeting had not been left without leadership. A new leader had entered the room, not through the door but through the ceiling. It was a Messenger of the Great One. When he announced himself, the conference erupted in applause and a great shout went up, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised."

Never had a formal event been conducted in such a stimulating and entertaining fashion. Their admiration for King Immanuel, Supreme Ruler of the world knew no bounds. Who else could have arranged such a conclusion to the week's events. When the business of the meeting was concluded and their new chairman announced that King Immanuel would be accompanied by his wife, Queen Merrinda, at the final celebratory feast tonight, a resounding cheer echoed through the hall.

When Merrinda learned that the King was engaged in such an important event, she knew she could not interrupt. However, she was determined that she would get as close as possible. She would make her way down the Great Hallway and wait at the door of the conference room.

Immanuel saw her almost immediately she entered the hallway and ran toward her.

Merrinda caught sight of him at almost the same moment, but she did not run. It wasn't that she was hesitant to meet him. Not now that they were together in the same place. The truth is, she could not run. Her body was so shaken with laughter. The sight of the King, dressed in full royal regalia, running down a hallway was so ridiculously funny that she could not help herself. She was still laughing when she felt herself being picked up and carried down the hallway, still at a run. This would look more ridiculous than what had caused her own outburst of laughter. She was his wife. It was her job to protect him from ridicule. "Put me down," she said.

Still running, if a little more slowly, he replied, "I will not. You disappear when I let go of you."

He was pushing the doorway to their private apartment open as she said, "Never again. I'm staying forever."

Nobody saw them for the rest of that day, but if you had pressed your ear to the thick timber door you would have heard silence, interrupted by mysterious giggles, groans and soft words, the sounds of happiness.

### The end

About the Author

### George Thomson was born into a farming community in South Eastern Queensland, Australia. It was there, with a whole riverbank to explore, that he developed his sense of adventure and joy in discovery. He says, "If I can impart some of that to my characters, I will feel that I have achieved something worthwhile." After spending a number of years on the farm he went on to study Theology and counselling and is now retired and living a relaxed lifestyle on the banks of the Mary River, not far from where he was born. In his spare time (when he is not talking to his wife or fishing) he enjoys gardening, a little bit of artwork and some writing.

### George Thomson has previously written two other books:

### 'The Bear the Girl and the Dog'

### In this book the author traces a line of biblical history, as a fantasy journey through time. The events are viewed through the eyes of a young girl and her friends. His second book is titled:

### 'The Biovantic Bear'

### In this book he expands the story of The Bear the Girl and the Dog into the present-day world by following the adventures of the girl into adulthood. While the first book is designed for a younger reading audience, the second is written for adult readers.

### Both books are available as e-books, through the Smashwords website or from the site from which you downloaded this copy.

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