LiTTLE CHERiNE Book 03 - post080

“I agree, naïve, but not a bad idea. Unfortunately it is not likely to happen, every law, whether antiquated or not, however obsolete it may be, widens the hold governments have on their citizens.”

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1649

The next day I paid the factories another visit. I found him at one of the factories and he stood with a stony face as he saw everything going haywire without reason or human intervention. I made my presence a frigid touch by his side and whispered to him. “Get the papers drawn up. You will tell your wife and daughter it is your idea, a small way of making up to them for what you have done to them. You even hint at the real reason and I will destroy you totally. By the way, you must move out of your home today. We are going to arrange for them to return there. It is and has been the home of your daughter and you will not deprive her of that one comfort and security.”

“I will do it.”

“A point was raised. What you create in the future out of your share, it is yours to dispose of as you wish. Only the past and present belong to Smaragda.”

The man has balls! He did not answer, just walked off, his back rigid with his self-control. He also had the sense to see he cannot win - many others would have not agreed so quickly, for I sensed he did not agree out of fear, just out of a realisation that he cannot win.

“Robert, when can we leave for our holiday?”

“Cherine baby, we could have left at any time you wished. After all, two weeks there will only be half an hour here.”

“But your mind will be on the problems here.”

“I thought you said I would be made to forget the future?”

“A feeling will stay with you that there is something you have to do. I would rather wait until this is over, but we must leave before the next problem comes.”

“May we first visit John Smithson and Feizal? I’ve been worrying about them.” She nodded her agreement, so I added, “Agreed.” She gave me a quick kiss, her little soul bright with her joy.

Anna would swing from one mood to another; she was still trying to adjust to her world tumbling down about her ears without warning. I knocked on her bedroom door.

“Anna, get your things, you are going home.”

“He will be there, I don’t want to meet him.”

“I don’t think he’ll want to meet you either, but if he does, you can’t avoid it Anna. Do not tell him where you have been. He is ready to settle what he considers a fair share for you and your daughter. I have been watching him and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Anna, he is not worth it. The sooner he is out of your life the sooner you might find someone to give you love and fill your life. At least you will not need to worry about money.”

“You had something to do with it?”

“Me? What could I have done!” I opened my eyes wide in feigned astonishment. She laughed and kissed me on the cheek.

“Thank you Roberto. You have turned out to be a good friend.”

“Oh you know me, I’m full of good intentions, but I end up fumbling from one catastrophe to another.”

We felt how happy Smaragda was to be home, in her own room. We returned home relaxed and happy.

“This might turn out to be good in the longterm, Robert. We’ve had this problem of too many men joining us and no free women for them to form a circle, for far too long. Maybe she will love one of our men.”

“You are not going to play matchmaker are you Dommi?”

“Of course not!”

1650

As I had half expected, all my loves are determined to go with me on my visit. I phoned John so as to ensure our arrival will not be inconvenient and he called back to let me know that Feizal asks that we jump to their desert camp. I warned everyone that I don’t want John to know about my father being a Cherinian, as I want to surprise him, once my father has settled down a bit.

Feizal hugged me and gave me a cheek kiss. He did not waste much more time with me, only briefly greeting me and asking after my health and then going directly to Cherine. Gallantly he told her, “I do not know which I wish for when I know you are to visit, for both as child and as adult you have great beauty.”

Cherine understands that his flowery phrases are partly a politeness and partly a game, so she repaid him in kind - in her own way. “I too find myself troubled, for I cannot decide which I prefer, your wit or the wisdom of your father. He is here?”

Finally we were all seated and I could not help staring at the men. From forty, they were already over two hundred! Among the new men there were a number of them who stared back at me with hard, cold eyes, but without their faces betraying their hostility. I was tempted to ask John why they are so hostile, but the protector warned me that all of them are armed and they are trying to mask their tension and feeling of excitement. It helped me sense them and Cherine instantly moved to sit next to me, her body stiff as she silently asked me what I want to do.

I sent to the protector and to all my loves, *Protector, do not attack, even if we are attacked, only protect all of us - and I am including our hosts. Something tells me we are only the excuse for what is about to happen.*

I could sense that Cherine did not agree and could not understand my instructions, but, for this once, she is determined to do as I ask. Quickly Sam cut in, helping me, *If we are attacked, Feizal will be humiliated and if we are not careful, he may some day hate us. If we save him and his friends and family, he definitely will hate us, as there will be no way for him to think of himself as our equal. If he can protect us, the humiliation and debt of honour will not be as strong and we can remain friends. It is important he and his real followers become Cherinians, so Robert is right.*

I concentrated on sending a message to John, warning him. He gave me a quick glance and then he tapped the carpet once with each hand, with his thumbs tucked in. Feizal did not even glance at him, but from the change in emoting of about twenty men, we realised he has signalled them.

A stranger, one of the men we do not know, bowed to Feizal and asked whether those who have not previously met the great Robert and his family may have the honour of being introduced to him. Feizal ordered them to come forward. He then turned to me and softly told me, “There is danger, it is being taken care of…”

I answered, just as softly, “We are your guests, I place the lives of my loved ones in your hands.”

He gave a relaxed smile and gestured for the men to introduce themselves, as if I had just agreed to meet them.

As the men stepped forward, their hands were suddenly holding revolvers and it felt as if time has slowed for me and I noticed that instead of each of them having a chosen victim to aim at, some had no gun aimed at them, while others had three or more. They were obviously well trained and fast, but not disciplined. If any of the shots were fired by them, the sound was covered by the louder noise of, I think they were Uzi submachine guns, and the attackers danced to the bullets smashing their bodies.

My loves were not the only ones sickened, but I demanded of them that they remain calm and still. I promised them they may cry in my arms afterwards, once we are home again.

John urgently whispered to me, “Thank you - and please pretend you did not realise what was about to happen before he did.” I nodded my agreement.

Feizal barked out orders in his language and once people were doing as he ordered and a row of his original men stood before my loves as protectors, he stepped to my side. “You are not a foolish man Robert Teller, so do not ask that I believe it of you, but I shall remember your courtesy. My family and I are in your debt. If our honour is important to you, I expect you to call on us whenever you need our help, whatever the probable cost.”

“You knew they were planning to kill you?”

1651

“No, but I felt uneasy, as if a rifle is pointing at the back of my head.”

“This is the first time any of my wives have seen people killed. Would it be remarked on if those who need to return home, leave now?”

“Some will remain?”

“Yes. Cherine, Samantha, Claudia, Theresa, Aganthi and Jade will stay. Dominique must return with the others, for they will need her.”

Within minutes of the girls returning home, I sensed Alki wanted to come to us, but I asked him to stay and hold my loves, providing them with the feeling of security they need right now. At my request, he saw to it that all Cherinians who arrived at our house stayed there; that nobody jumped to us.

Feizal asked to be excused for about an hour and he left us with John.

“Robert…Feizal will not change his mind, he will not become a Cherinian - but he would like you to remain a friend.”

“I owe him a lot, John. Can you at least give me a hint? I don’t understand what is holding him back.”

He shrugged. “Culture, religion, traditions - seeing you marry your own children. There is too much different to all he believes in.” He touched my shoulder. “You must not think he is critical of you, he accepts that your ways are different. However, though he sees they do not suit him, he does not consider you evil. I think he even hopes you can grow the Cherinians fast enough to change the future of our world. A beer?” He opened two bottles and continued. “I’ve been trying to understand why so many things have gone wrong for our species, just at a time when we should be soaring, shattering the chains that wasted so many lives. Take for example what happened today. They have been planning to kill Feizal, myself and our original forty supporters for a few weeks; the man who asked to be introduced to you, he spoke to his imam about us and was ordered to kill us.”

I now realised why Feizal needed time away from us and wondered how our Cherinians will react to learning about them killing the imam. I’m not certain of what the ethics are, should I be trying to stop them? The narrow-minded attitude of the imam has already cost over sixty lives, to let him live is likely to cost many more. I feel bad about not doing anything to stop them, but I cannot, this is not my fight and if it were, I am not certain I would react in a different manner. What I cannot work out is how I should deal with such an attack as a Cherinian. The problem is that Feizal had to do what he did and is doing while we wait for him, so as to keep the respect of his followers, whereas, I think, I would have to stop it without killing anyone, so as to keep the respect of our Cherinians. If I had stopped them, what then? Do we just let the sixty men go so that they warn the world of our existence and swell their numbers?

The rest of our visit is not worth remarking on, since everyone was too strongly affected for us to talk as friends. It is likely they were eager for us to leave as they probably have dozens of loose ends to tie and we needed to return home to be with our loves and to discuss what happened with all the Cherinians already waiting for us at our home.

I sensed that everybody had something they want to say, but all were hoping someone else would start the conversation. I was just about to start, when Samantha spoke.

“Before we discuss what happened today, may I ask Robert and all of us a question?” I nodded and she sensed everyone else is happy to let her, though I saw a look of dismay starting on the face of my Cherine. “During a number of times of crisis we have refused to vote, because each of us have felt that we trust Robert and want him to be our leader. Robert, the question I have is, do you remain our leader even when you do not act according to the Cherinian dream which you dream for us?” My little girl amazed me, she did not even spare Cherine a glance as her tiny hands became fists and her dark eyes lit up with her anger, only sending to her, *Cherine, wait!*

I, of course, replied, “No, the dream comes first.”

Samantha now gave Cherine a smile, confusing her, and told everyone else, “I thought so, some things really never change.” She sternly looked around. “Because none of us have wanted to upset Cherine, we have tried to treat Robert gently, but it is now time we finish with the flimflam and make clear what his position is. Cherine, from the beginning we have made it clear to Robert that the Cherinians prefer a dictatorship, but our effort to dress it up in a way that would make it more palatable for Robert has caused him to think he has certain rights which he does not have. Yes, we are a dictatorship, but Robert is not the dictator, we are. We, the people, are the dictators and it is our decision to use Robert as our servant, with the title of President of the Cherinians.”

1652

There was such a burst of laughter that Samantha was forced to stop. She stonily glared at everyone, but soon as the laughter subsided, she continued, barely able to control the grin that was struggling to stretch her lips. “Cherine, every time Robert tries to resign against our will or attempts to replace himself with another, he is committing treason against the Cherinians. It is our will he is attempting to subvert and we must no longer tolerate it.”

I called out, “And what will be my punishment if I continue? Will you cut off my head?”

“Of course not - and your humour is in bad taste and almost treasonous. Each attempt to subvert the will of the people shall carry a penalty, which is, an automatic extension of your term by a further thousand years.”

Cherine threw herself at Samantha, hugging and kissing her between her laughter. Sam has done well, at such a time, laughter truly is the best medicine.

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God of Lightning

I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.

Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου

(Alexander Zenon Eustace)
^{9th October, 2019}

* posted: 9th October, 2019

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