LiTTLE CHERiNE Book 02 - post234
With us it is the female who is brave; it is the female who loves to explore new worlds. Us males prefer our books and music and greatly enjoy the study of abstract matters, such as poetry and social sciences. We males also are the spouse who usually devote ourselves to our children - with daughters being jointly adopted by other males, as it takes more than one of us to keep them safe.” He grinned at the disbelieving expression on the faces of the Arab soldiers.
1297
I cut in because of the horrified looks and exclamations. “Please keep in mind that we do not have the right to judge other species according to our instincts and beliefs. If they are eating bits of their babies, nature on their planet must have its reasons for establishing such a need - for instance, I can imagine that there is the possibility that infants which are not tasted don’t feel loved and grow up with a number of psychoneurosis.” I realised Ordinx was not emoting pleasure at my attempt to help and sensed he was blocking himself and waiting for me to stop talking. I blushed and closed my mouth.
One of the men, of the family of Feizal, asked, “Are the jelly babies the children of all the species mentioned, or are they of another species?” I’m sorry my loves, but I don’t think it was entirely my fault that I rudely burst out laughing. Ordinx waited for me to control myself, while the locals watched me with puzzled looks - at least my loves watched me with grins splitting their faces.
Ordinx dryly told us, “All stages of development, apart from one, are aware that they are all one specie - just as I presume you are aware, despite the differences of appearance among your own families?”
Sam asked, “Ordinx, do you mind if we ask questions during the narration, or would you prefer we keep them for afterwards?”
“If what is not understood is hindering your understanding of the tale, then I would be pleased to pause for explanations.” He looked around, saw nobody was going to speak and returned to his story.
1298
Ordinx hesitated and then spoke directly to me. “This is the first recorded time anyone of our species has experienced the life of another species. Teacher seemed to be certain that her soul returned in time to the birth of the individual she shared from, while our scientists theorised that it is more likely she shared the memories. Still, in subjective time, she lived through the six out of seven stages and it felt as if she spent nearly twenty six years of ours in the sharing. The seventh stage, when they name themselves, is when they become Cuinneara, which we think of as souls. It will be interesting to learn whether any other species thinks of life as a soul as being only a stage of their physical existence.”
I was curious about something else. “At times when I asked you questions about your people, you did not have the answers, admitting you have forgotten much over the great amount of time you have lived in the void, and informed me you will find out the answer and let me know. How is it you recall the writings of Geeta so well?”
“The entity of our World shared with me. It informed me that the sharing of the experiences of Geeta with you might be important to the development of the Cherinians, so I would have done so anyway. If our story grows too long, I can wait for when you have the time.”
I asked Feizal’s father, “Do you grow weary of the tale?”
In this the Arabs are just like everyone else; they love a good story and will stay up the entire night to hear it, if they find it interesting. I doubt anyone on Earth has ever heard a more interesting story, for we have never before learnt of how another species thinks. Finally it was Feizal who came up with the best suggestion.
“We are torn by our wish to hear the story, while also impatiently wait to hear Wendy sing and to hear the story of the Cherinians. We have enough beds, would you consider staying an extra night as our guests so that we have time for all you wish to share with us?” We were happy to agree, though some of our Cherinians would have to teleport to work and return later in the day, as soon as they can. As for the girls and I, we were happy to stay, especially when the girls learnt that they may go horse riding in the desert, should they wish it.
The musicians and servants returned and we were dismayed to learn that we were expected to feast again. Somehow we managed to eat enough for them not to feel hurt or insulted. Then the time for us to do a sharing with Feizal arrived and Alki took Wendy in his arms and placed her with the singers, whispering to her, “It is time, αηδωνάκι mou (my little nightingale), break everyone’s hearts.”
She did, but though tears wet their cheeks, the singers and musicians couldn’t make the decision to stop, each time wanting to hear her interpret at least one more song. Finally Feizal had to put a stop to it and tell them she will sing only one more song.
Feizal’s father asked Dommi, “She has never heard our music before, you say?”
She smiled. “Ask our Chinese Cherinians, the first time they met her she sang for them, on her own, and though it sounded too strange to mean anything to us, they wept at the beauty of her song.”
He sighed. “For whatever good I have done, Allah has blessed me by allowing me to live long enough to hear her.”
Sam had decided she likes him (should I worry that she shows a preference for elderly men so often? - I’m kidding); she leant over and with a solemn look told him, “You will hear her again, many times, for you are not close to the end of your life. You will know I speak the truth when you wake up tomorrow morning.” None of us interfered and allowed Sam to send her healer - she instructed it to rejuvenate him to the appearance of about thirty five, so that he continues to look older than his son.
1299
Feizal lavishly rewarded the singers and told those serving us to withdraw again, only allowing his warriors who already knew about us to remain. He then gestured, with a slight bow, to me, indicating I should take over.
“Meeting John has been a very strange experience for us. We had postulated the possibility of others with talents who are not part of the organisation, existing. However, we never imagined they knew of us and were sacrificing themselves to help us! Learning of this has been the most beautiful surprise we have ever enjoyed - heck, I still find it difficult to believe that people with hearts as beautiful as yours exist.” As is usual when I talk to a group, I had come to my feet and was moving about. Cherine came to her feet and I picked her up, comforted by the warm feeling of her against my chest and of her arm around my neck.
“We know that some of you do not speak English well and have difficulty understanding us, but if you allow yourselves to relax, forget to concentrate on the words, but allow yourselves to feel what we are saying and emoting with the help of Wendy, you’ll understand all that matters of our story.”
I sat with Cherine on my lap and Dommi at my side and the rest of our loves took over the telling of our story. Lua joined Wendy, humming and dancing to the spoken words, helping to bring them alive for even those who could not speak any English - though the presence of Claudia also helped. As they always do to me, I was overwhelmed by the beauty and talents of my loves and wept along with the audience. Cherine did not protest even once as I squeezed her to me, but she ensured her bright eyes could watch our loves from the first to the last second.
As the telling ended, Eddie spoke, “If you will forgive me for spoiling the mood, I need to give warning of what could be the greatest danger we will all face.”
I was instantly fully alert again and asked, “Are there other groups with psychic powers who are a threat to us?”
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)6th May, 2019
* posted on Steemit: 6th May, 2019
@nikosnitza
If you wish to have your name added above, I would be honoured.
When Teacher says that, it does not mean the question or the answer is not allowed; it only means that the question is too vague for him to answer. She learns to break her questions into smaller parts, so that what she is asking is correctly understood by Teacher.
Όταν ο Δάσκαλος το λέει αυτό, δεν σημαίνει ότι το ερώτημα ή η απαντηση δεν επιτρέπεται. Αυτό σημαίνει μόνο ότι η ερώτηση είναι πολύ ασαφής για να απαντήσει. Μαθαίνει να σπάει τις ερωτήσεις της σε μικρότερα μέρη, έτσι ώστε αυτό που ρωτάει να είναι σωστά κατανοητό από τόν Δάσκαλο.
Guinneara einai I psixi otan apoxorixetai to soma e?
Magepse pali I Wendy!!!?!
Gia na doume t tha ginei parakatw twra pou kseroyn oloi tin istoria twn eksogiinwn....
Nai, to teleftaio stadio tis zois tous einai otan ginoun "Cuinneara" kai vrethoun sto void san psihes...to mono einai, to vlepoun san meros tis zois tous - eno emeis to vlepoume san meros tou thanatou mas (to na eimaste mono psyhes).
To oraio einai oti olloi apo tin oikogeneia pou pethanan protoi, perimenoun san Cuinneara gia na erthoun oi ypoloipoi - kai tote, tora pou einai psyhes kai katalavainoun kai aisthanonte tous allous pio 'vathia', anoigoun tois kardies tous stin pio dynati agapi kai mono tote lene ta antio tous kai skorpizoun, afinoontas to void na tous stelei stin epomeni zoi tous.