Cinderfella 3: Life Continues - 43. Caleb

I have no family, but am so busy!!!  Another one before Christmas?  We'll see.  

Have a Merry Christmas!!

Caleb

I tried to use my abilities when I could just to be sure I could and it didn’t fade on me. It quickly became just a part of me. I caught myself doing it absentmindedly and played with a spoon or fork absently. I don’t imagine any of you ever twittered your fork.

My attention was brought back as Seth put his hand on my hand. The fork in my hand was spinning rapidly, but I wasn’t really touching the fork. The metal made contact with my skin only lightly. The driving force for the spin could not be seen. Any person near me would swear it was a great trick I was doing somehow. How was I doing that? It just looked like it was spinning, right? The trick was, it wasn’t a trick. That was the trick. The fork was spinning. Everyone at the table knew the truth of any of my tricks. Knowledge didn’t always help even here.

There were several staring eyes on me. Here, no one was pointing a finger and shrieking, “Witch!” That happened in the Northeast where these Puritans were coming from. It still was, but now they were coming across the country? For what? These men were going to burn people at the stake! What I was doing with the fork would get me burned at the stake. I looked at Seth and smiled at him and kissed him quickly. That could get me burned at the stake.

Seth just smiled and squeezed my hand gently and lowered both of our hands to the table. “So, when do you want to try to contact Caleb?” Seth asked me.

I shrugged, “It’s a weekday tonight and tomorrow.”

“How do you schedule a week where every day is Sunday?” Seth asked.

I shook my head in a little frustration. “I don’t see Caleb putting up with too much of that.” I chuckled. “He was in love with books. By doing what he does, he has access to those books.” I smiled. “I know he would put up with a lot to be allowed access to those for a while.” I sat back thinking. “I think he was the one that got me interesting in the Old Scriptures and other testimonies. My professor taught me about a few, but…He used to send me portions he was working on to show what he was looking at. He said languages were not the problem. Most of the old scriptures were written in Hebrew. There is even some Egyptian. We wrote, but it took two and a half weeks or longer for letters to get there and two half weeks on longer to get a reply. An entire season lost…”

“What kind of person is he?” Demetrius asked. “Is he easily scared or startled?”

I shook my head and chuckled, “No, I think Caleb Dupont takes after his French father, more than his English mother.”

Seth grinned, “Why do you say that?”

I began to motion to the space in front of me. “He’s always been a little guy.” I smiled at them both and stopped the objection that might be coming, “Not that there’s any reason you can’t be short, but…he was…” I struggled with the word, “sort of tiny. I wasn’t huge at thirteen, but he just broke five feet. I always wanted to get him something to eat from the kitchen! His mother worked there, for God’s sake. Didn’t she feed him?” I asked everyone. “He was not undernourished, he had muscle under his shirt. It was just…compact.”

Demetrius rolled his eyes, “I mean, would he scream and run away from you if you suddenly appear.”

“Oh,” I said. “Naturally, he’ll be suspicious at first.”

“We can simply walk up to him in Vatican City.” Demetrius said simply. He looked for something that told him I got what he was saying. “We can go this evening!” He again was waiting and getting a little irritated. “Now, I ask for a sign that tells me you have something. I mean this night, tonight. At eleven in the morning here, it will be eight in the evening there in Roma. They have endless services there all day!”

Seth sat back from Demetrius and me as his eyes widened. “No!” Seth said with serious doubt in his voice.

“Yes,” Demetrius insisted looking around me nodding, he frowned, “was it you?” He pointed at Seth, “or you,” he said to me, “that said you didn’t want to sit around strumming a harp! These people have services for priests and bishops, services for monks and friars, nuns, for just men, for just women…”

“Demetrius,” I didn’t stop the laughter as my eyes rolled, but I couldn’t really comment. I didn’t go to mass or services, no Rosary, and they had a prayer service where that prayer had been going on for hundreds of years!! Nonstop! A group started it, joined by others that had to attend to other things, the others sat and began the voices and took the prayer forward! It never ended!! That was their job! They had to go to services! I didn’t. Here I did appreciate my titles. No one dared to come up and ask me about going to Church. Neither my Dad or Seth’s Dad could tolerate them long. “Don’t say there wasn’t time. It’s been there over a millennium.”

“A few times,” Demetrius said with a smug smirk. “Do you know how many churches, chapels, prayer rooms, and all those things they have there?” He asked for an unexpected number because it was incredible. He shook his head, “Neither do they!!”

“You,” I laughed harder at him, “are making this up!”

“How do you know?” Demetrius looked too offended. More than he would be if he really was, so he wasn’t. “And how are you going to prove it? You have to go and show me.”

“I plan to!” I asked. “When?”

“If we’re there at noon, it will be nine in the evening there and we’ll just be walking with them.” Demetrius shrugged.

“Walking up hungry,” Ceto said firmly. “You sat down, but haven’t eaten or drank a single thing!”

I grinned as people were looking at us and nodding to us.

“You were having such a good time,” Max said, “I almost said not to remind you.”

I held my hand up to them, “Sorry. It’s been an eventful few day.”

They even had some more of the special island coffee that had the word danger in the name for Seth! If I drank too much, I’d stay awake for days!

Then, I knew it, no one was stressed, anxious, but now I voiced my realization. “No one’s scared here.”

Demetrius nodded looking about the hall. “No, they aren’t. There is no threat, until a new one shows up.”

I nodded and asked where these approaching men were now and how long we had. Then I knew! I almost dropped my coffee! It was still very hot, freshly poured and would have burned me if I had dropped it! Seth was alarmed, but Demetrius was trying to hide the humor he saw and doing a terrible job of doing that. I’ll describe it to you, but…it was so fast! I was a bird maybe? I saw what had to be what a bird would see from the air and I rose high above the trees. There were the many spheres that were sunken because that was construction in Gitichi. What was also interesting was now there was actual snow! Those little delicate white things that fell from the sky, up higher they were lasting longer! It was lovely. I flew away from and coastal area and flew quickly across many evergreen tree tops. I got an impression about the distance. A day away, two? I was still going, but not long. I never dreamed of this! Any of it! I never considered it was possible! Maybe I was sick and was dreaming this. Yeah! That’s it! Delusions! “Why hadn’t I thought of that sooner? It makes sense!” I saw men moving in one direction. I knew they were a week and a half away. How did I know this!?

“Erik!” Seth put had one hand and was looking worried at me and he tried to get me to sit up again as he took my coffee and set it down. “What’s wrong?”

“What makes sense, Erik?” Demetrius asked holding the other hand.

“My fever must have broken! That’s it!” I chuckled, “Having those little warriors doesn’t mean you won’t get sick. Somethings hit you’ve never had and they help defeat it, but have to work on the defense.”

“What are you TALKING about?” Seth asked in a loud voice. “Your fever!? You don’t have a fever.”

We were still in that hall for breakfast, but now my son and nephew were looking on concerned as were all the others that gathered for breakfast.

I frowned, “Why didn’t you tell me about some of this…” what do you call it? “Stuff?” I bellowed at Demetrius. “No warning, just suddenly I’m some crazy bird flying I don’t know where,” Demetrius began nodding as he smiled, “to see the men heading this way! I wasn’t ready!!”

Demetrius sat back a little, “You got to that already?”

I looked at Demetrius, “It was longer for you?”

Demetrius nodded, “Much,” he chuckled, “We can use it a little after birth. We learn to reach that toy or ball, but learning to bringing it to yourself takes time. Sometimes our manual dexterity works so well, we ignore magic and have to be reminded to use the magic.” He shrugged. “You seem to be getting a rushed course.”

Martha was near me with Lukus and Dara. “That’s the way it goes.”

“It does?” Seth asked. “How does that follow?”

“He’ll be doing advance things in just a few days,” Martha explained. “He’ll need to know how to use it.”

Demetrius laughed, “You hoped this was a due to a fever instead of being real?”

“Yes!” I said flatly. “You have these?”

“It’s similar, but unique.” Martha nodded. She turned her head slightly and laughed, “You still can’t explain sweet, but we both know now.”

“No,” I agreed, “but I can describe cold. That was very cold!”

Dara nodded, “You felt it or just knew it?”

There was a difference? Yep, there was.

Demetrius said we needed to stand out by being what we are.

“The first man legally married to a man?” I asked.

“It’s the Church!” Seth shook his head, “They’d stone us!”

“Not that!” Demetrius rolled his eyes and groaned. “The whole Royal Family thing.” He put a hand on my arm. “You both were born as a prince. Two rival kingdoms, but a prince. Erik had it longer than you did, Seth…even if you were king a little while, but…”

I touched Seth and smiled. “Take this as I intended it. You will stay here.”

“What!?” Seth’s eyes widened, “Why?”

“Safety.” I said instantly.

“You did fine when you took us to Demetrius’ home…”

“That’s right,” I nodded. “I will go, see Caleb who you don’t know and who doesn’t know you. Nothing should happen. I visit Caleb, see where he is on all this and introduce you later. If he’s amiable. He is working with the Church. I can’t believe a person raised in A’Dore taking the medicine the Church is handing out every day.”

“And,” Demetrius leaned in, “You two have giveaways.” He said in a loud whisper.

Seth’s eyes grew hearing that and said, “We do not!”

At that same time, I asked Demetrius, “Do we?”

He shrugged slightly, nodded as he spoke and pointed down. I know I didn’t give it much thought on any level. We were partners in life, but we were also best friends. We enjoyed spending time together and we often joined hands, looped a finger in a belt, an available pocket…anything for contact. It was kind of cute. That wasn’t our message, but it was well received now. At home. Not the heart of the Church itself. I looked down at the two pinkies we had locked together. My smile was sincere, but the whole thing was cute. I would understand the sudden need to brush teeth after something this sweet. Cavities hurt, but pulling teeth hurt a lot! Don’t risk it. It still doesn’t tell what sweet is. I waved the thoughts away physically, “Anyway, I will go…”

“I have to go,” Demetrius boasted. “I have to show him where.”

I walked with Demetrius down a street and I was the one starring at the sights. I was in Roma! It was early evening, but busy. We had lamps even in Royal Valley, but there were many street lamps lit here with reflectors to increase the light. One steady flame became three, five or more in reflection. I was overdressed! I wore something Demetrius put out for me. I didn’t wear clothes like this in Blethos or A’Dore. Colors were very hard to make, especially blue and purple. To have it come out right and the same hue was very hard. One end can’t be darker than the other! I wore a purple shirt. All one hue. Here there were a lot of black robes, but also red and white robes. Some layered over the other, like the white over the red. Some were pressed and looked almost regal. The crucifixes were shined and gleamed! Others, had the look of having been worn a while. Monks, Abbots, Friars, Priests, nuns, sisters (brides of Christ?) and this was one of the only times I saw more clergy that regular people. We were scattered around here and there.

“How do we…” I was about to ask when I felt him. Caleb. He was in no great hurry, but I sensed he wanted to return to his room for more research. How did I know? I don’t know, but I felt him approach at brisk pace that said he didn’t want to waste time! At a market, Caleb got a little bit of cheese, gave a quick shout to a man who knew him, nodded quickly who handed a small loaf of day- old bread someone put aside and a little something stick-like and gave a coin to the man there to take the money. The Vatican had its own shop? Even fasting ends and then where you get what you need? And it was prearranged. With as many going to and from something at this hour, you had to.

I got in behind Caleb who turned and ran into me. Caleb was wiping me off before he saw me. “Mi dispiace tanto, non ti ho visto…” He did have a growth spirt to sixty-five inches or five feet and five inches. He was in his late twenties! There wouldn’t be any other growth spirts. He looked fine to me.

“That was great, Caleb!” I said, “But shouldn’t that be et ego paenitet, ego non video?” I watched as his jaw dropped open as his eyes widened. “It’s been a while since I took Latin, but I think that was right.”

Now he was making a sound as a slow inhalation allowed air in. Yes, I was a prince, but I was in a part of this world he didn’t know I would be. I recognized him and but not so full of my own sense of importance to think everyone would know me on sight. He was from A’Dore and I counted on that, and the part we did know each other. So far, so good! The whole world knew the story and about my marriage. We had more than a friendship once. Now, you know me and my family’s history. Seth was and is the only man for me.

I watched a few emotions cross Caleb’s face as the look of shock was getting old. Surprise, happiness, then confusion, realizing what was happening and then kicking himself for not doing it. Surprised and happy to see me, at first, he was going to hug me, stopped. Should he hug me? I could almost read his mind!

“You still aren’t eating!?” I asked him as I held one of his arms out. “I know you took a vow of poverty? Or was it a vow of silence?” I grinned. “There’s a vow for everything, so it seems! We parted as friends…” I held my hand out. “Are we still?”

“You’re Hi…"

I quickly held my hands up, “Please, none of that! You left A’Dore just before my marriage and…”

“I was trying to remember if I could touch you!” Caleb said back. “Yes, we’re still friends!” He threw his arms around me and we hugged.

He was eating. How I knew this was during the hug, I felt his frame. He was compact. He wasn’t thin or emaciated and the muscle under the robe was fit and firm. He was not ugly. There were a few people…female and male that would find Caleb nice looking. The big wooden cross took up nearly half of his chest! I admit, it was a big cross and the only adornment worn.

“Why are you here?” Caleb asked. “It’s great to see you, but…why?”

“To see you,” I smiled and saw his eyebrows rise, “I’m not joking.” I assured. “Do you know what’s happened back home?”

“Home.” Caleb repeated, “Do you mean A’Dore or Blethos?”

I looked at Caleb seriously, “Here it is. There is something happening in A’Dore, Blethos, and Creid…Creid, who is now our strongest allies and friends…good friends to both A’Dore and Blethos who are incidentally one kingdom now…”

Caleb nodded, “Because of you.”

“Is the fact that I married a man going to be a problem?” I asked, “I’m still happily married to that same man.”

“Do you love him?”

I knew my face showed it before I even smiled. “Oh, yes. Very much.”

Caleb grinned, “I guess he loves you.”

“Very much,” Demetrius answered for me. “It just oozes out of…”

“Thank you, Demetrius.”

“You look very happy.” Caleb smiled. “Is he the reason?”

I nodded instantly, “Yes, he is.” I saw Caleb look at Demetrius. “Oh, this isn’t him. Sorry. This is Demetrius, good friend and member of my family now. In fact, Seth and I wouldn’t be married without him!”

Demetrius looked around quickly. “Isn’t there a little some place as you head down Belvedere? Near Pellegrigrino. It was called L’angolo once.”

Caleb grinned, “You’ve been here before?”

“I’ve heard,” Demetrius said. “That’s Italian for the corner and it was hopefully still is!”

The place was more not a hole in the wall. This was the Vatican! There were no holes in any wall here. Here they served…men. I saw no nuns in those habits or wearing anything else. I don’t think a female was allowed in here. To get here…well, when they were renovating the area, sort of remodeling what was there and this sort of dark recessed area was there. The buildings were old! One section had two of the buildings less than a foot apart. Not enough for a person. But they could sit. In booths, men visited and were just men. Human beings who socialized. It’s what we do. We found a place to sit.

“You traveled thousands of miles to see me?” Caleb asked and ordered all of us a drink. “I keep running into the same thing. Why?”

We spent the next few minutes to an hour or more explaining what happened, my marriage to Seth, our sons and the more recent attacks by Wahkooha. Explaining Demetrius was more difficult. The problem all of miraculous things couldn’t be seen now.

“What can you tell me about Lilith?” I asked. “Adam’s first wife?”

“Lilith?” Caleb asked, surprised. “That depends on which version of Bereisheet you use.”

“Bere…” Demetrius began repeating.

Caleb nodded quickly and chuckled, “Sorry, that’s Hebrew for Genesis.”

“There are two Genesis?” Demetrius asked.

“Why are there conflicts?” I asked. “The Church wasn’t around back then.”

Caleb gave men an “are you sure” look. “The first account of Lilith was in the first one, tells us God created man and women making them in His Devine image. The second version of the Yahwistic, God puts Adam in a deep sleep and makes Eve from Adam. They put the two versions together and they referred to the first Eve. Lilith. They got get rid of her long before there was a Pope anything.” He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder and shrugged. Where Caleb pointed was where the Pope lived. He was probably taking some of his robes off to end the day! I could drop by!!! (You know, I wouldn’t do that to anyone.) “The wording of the day tells of two separate women, but Lilith is considered a myth.”

“You didn’t sound like you thought she was a myth,” I said.

Caleb shrugged, “I’ve read too much.” He chuckled. “I don’t believe she was ever a demon. She was created Human!”

Demetrius nodded, “She never was a demon and she still is very Human.” He smiled at Caleb. “She’s my mother.”

I kicked Demetrius under the table! “Jesus help us, Demetrius.” I muttered the real supplication and let my head fall forward a bit. “Just say come right out and say it!”

I watched Caleb sit back a little as his eyes narrowed. “She lived thousands of years ago!”

“She certainly did,” Demetrius agreed and looked at me confused, “Coming right out and saying it. isn’t that what I just did?” He waved at Caleb. “He either helps or steps aside, those paladins are just little more than a week away! Is he going to help or not? There’s not a lot of time.”

I sighed, “True, but scaring him off will not help…”

“What’s going on?” Caleb asked. “You are Prince Erik of A’Dore.” He looked at Demetrius. “I don’t know you.”

“Quit coaxing!” Demetrius stated. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” I said replied quickly and simply.

“Let’s speed this up,” Demetrius said taking my hand and pointed at Caleb’s hand. “Follow me, but you don’t forget Caleb.”

I took Caleb’s hand and our surroundings changed. It was no longer the dark recesses of any Corner. This wasn’t dark. We were back in Gitchi. The weather had been a bit cool in Roma, at about fifty degrees. Here was cold. I was that big entryway in front of us. Behind us were the doors to take us out in the cold city. Left and right were corridors that led to rooms, stairs and other rooms. Traveling this way was going to take time. Usually, my traveling partner knew what was going to happen and we were both standing. I had been sitting at a table and stumbled to my feet now. I had Caleb’s hand to bring him here and if I hadn’t, he’d be on his ass!

“Che diavolo!?” Caleb blurted out in shock. “What just happened?”

My language professor was right. French, Spanish, Italian and other romance language were easier after taking Latin. Latin was the parent language for all of them. Diavolo meant devil, which meant hot, so Caleb said, what the hell? Normally, it would have been funny.

“Where am I?” He demanded from us. “How did I get here?”

I held my hand out toward Caleb, “You’re in a village in the northwest portion the continent you were born on.’

“Where!?” Caleb asked. Not because he needed to hear it again, but it was impossible to believe!

“Where some tribes of Natives call Maȟpíya Wókičhuŋze.” I said cautiously. “Or Gitchi for short.” I shrugged at Demetrius. “How is this a good idea?” Caleb looking at me and Demetrius, but at the same time looking at his surroundings. He had never seen this before and couldn’t know where to run. “We’re scaring him!! How is that helping?”

“He has nowhere to run!” Demetrius said loud. “If he did run, where would he go? It’s freezing out there!”

I frowned, “This isn’t a way! You need to keep his confidence up. This won’t do.”

“He’ll come around!” Demetrius insisted. “They always do. He has to.”

I shook my head. “You guys never knew what it was like to be just Human with no magic to bail you out.” I tapped my chest. “This Child of Eve will use it, but it’s not the first consideration.” I approached Caleb who increased my distance from him by stepping back.

The sun could be seen as the door to the front opened. Caleb took off toward the outdoors.

“You don’t want to lose him,” Demetrius said. “You have to take him back.”

I tapped my head at my temple. “He can’t get away.” I sighed. That bird-like view came back. I was over head as Caleb ran for his life and at the same time, tried to figure out where he was. This was not Italia. Some mountains rose around him. Hardly anyone was outside because it was freezing. He looked frequently behind himself but raced on. He hands were getting numb from the cold.

“What are you doing?” I asked in a disappointed voice that was already tired of looking. “What are your plans?” I asked him. His eyes widened and he turned to leave, only I was there, too. “Think, Caleb. Do you believe I’d hurt you?”

He turned again and was about to do it again and he did, but I appeared in his path when he turned a corner again.

“STOP!!”

“What are you?” Caleb asked.

“The same guy you met when we were children,” I said. “I’m no demon, witch any evil creature.” I said firmly. “You’re better than this! I need your help, Caleb!”

“My help?”

“I never thought you were the kind of man to run around in a blind panic simply trying to get away! What are you wanting to do?” I asked.

“Get away,” Caleb said. “Get home.” He shrugged. “Give me a break, this will only happen once in my life. I’ll have a reaction.”

“I told you where you were,” I said hugging myself against the cold air. “You are almost six thousand miles from Roma. The Pacific Ocean is right over there.”

“That’s…” he struggled with a word that fit, “impossible!”

I pointed at the sky, “The sun says it’s just around mid-day. It was evening where we were before.”

“How?” Caleb asked.

I stuck my hand out. “I’ll do it again. I’m freezing. Trust me?”

Caleb slowly took my hand. I knew the cold was affecting him, too as he was shivering.

We were back in the gathering room, where we ate and met. Demetrius and Seth were in discussion that was just under a heated one.

“…you can take us there!” Seth insisted. “They didn’t leave Gitchi…”

Only he and Demetrius were there. It was mid-day and everybody was busy. Seth raced over and hugged me.

“Thank God, you’re alright.”

“I’m fine, Seth,” I looked at Caleb and smiled. “Caleb, this is my husband Seth….”

Caleb was relaxing. “That story says you were scarred.” He looked at Seth. “I see no evidence.”

“Thanks,” Seth nodded shaking Caleb’s hand. “Are you going to help us?”

Caleb frowned, “What can I do to help you?”

“Have you read the Book of Enoch?” I asked.

Caleb’s eyes widened. “Enoch? Of course, I have!” Caleb said, “It was in the Ethiopian Bible and originally in Ethiopian Ge’ez language. I had to learn that language, too. There are other portions I’ve come across, but the Church tried to regulate what goes in so it remains consistent.”

“Or sayings something the don’t want out,” I muttered.

Caleb nodded and laughed with no humor, “That’s right.”

“Have you read about the Watchers?”

Caleb’s brow wrinkled, “Yes.”

“Can you tell us about them?”

Caleb pointed at Demetrius, “Do I get told about Lilith and your friend here?”

I nodded. “That’s fair.”