tales of prophecy

Volume 1

A prelude to prophecy

Book 3

A New World

Are you willing to share your soul?

The Instruments of Creation of the Land of the Butterflies believe that God gave up Her body to initiate a yearning for meaning through experience and expression of possibilities. They say all of creation is the body of God and the Kingdom of God is built through sharing souls with the spirit of God put within every possibility.

Expensive and priceless, sharing involves sacrifice. Relinquishment of control and independence is required. About unity, it increases strength, lessens the burden, and empowers progress by working together as a single unit. Sharing is a form of love.

How much must York and his people share to initiate a new world strong enough to withstand the sacrifices demanded to continue to serve their duty as Instruments of Creation?

Reviews

The detail that goes into everything… makes the reader feel transported to an entirely new world, deeply immersing the reader into the narrative.
— Pacific Review
S L Bergen’s diction is nothing short of amazing.
— Hollywood Book Review
The dichotomy between Lakker’s Isa and Sunora’s Adele is intriguing and speaks volumes about the ideas of love, compassion, and purpose.
— US Review of Books

TALES OF PrOPHECY

Creation is about balance. For everything gained something was given up attaining it. There is a balance between give and take. An ebb and flow of existence tied to a rhythm which fluctuates like a heartbeat, alternating between compression and expansion. Meaning is derived from comparisons of images and the reflections they produce. Variance is perceived because of incongruences between definitions. Meaning is derived from the limitations or attitudes governing those definitions. If there is a change in attitude or limitation of the definition of elements supporting the meaning, then the meaning can be adjusted to also reflect that change. Truth, itself is not permanent. Even stone wears away eventually returning to its origin as the dust and ashes that built it. There is no truth that contains no fantasy, and no fantasy that contains no truth. In all things, the constant is the dynamic will to change, to experience and express the awesomeness of eternal growth of the Kingdom of God!

PRELUDE TO PROPHECY

Connected to the resilience of attachment, change requires sacrifice. One does not gain something new without giving up something familiar that has typically been assumed to be a given. Sacrifice taxes the attachment of a belief that the new image produced by change will be better than the old. There must be sufficient resilience in the righteousness of the change to attain a satisfactory balance between the image sought and the reflection produced.

Friends, I hope you agree that York is continuing to succeed in his quest thus far by remaining on the path of righteousness, serving his God to the best of his ability.

In Part 2, Lakker, by earning the trust, respect, and love of his Butterflies, York Sabastin was able to unite them in a unified castle willing to help him learn how to change civilization to reflect the will of God.

The next part is about testing his resilience. He needs sufficient strength to endure the tribulations of change required to build a new civilization. Will his castles accept the changes required? Will the Land of the Butterflies accept his authority to question and alter their society and culture? How much sacrifice will be demanded? What will it mean?

Please stay with me a while longer to find out how he manages the tribulations of change in the third part of a Prelude to Prophecy, The Land of the Butterflies: A New World.

Are you willing to share your soul?

Sharing involves sacrifice because to share requires relinquishment of control and independence. About unity, sharing allows participants to work together as a single unit to accomplish goals and objectives. It increases strength, lessens the burden, and empowers progress. A form of love, it too is expensive and priceless.

Wherever there is a social order, there is a hierarchy of sharing. It can be simply dividing tasks so that each participant performs a smaller portion that is manageable like one peeling the vegetables and gathering the ingredients for a another who chops them and puts them into the pot to cook. When prepared, all participants sit together to eat the meal which has been enhanced by the act of sharing. Each feels valued and important because of their contribution, the comradery that occurred, and the growth of skills that feeds not only their bodies, but also their spirits. That level of sharing is temporary and ritualistic yet generates attachment and relationship. Other levels involve much more sacrifice. Beyond being a soulmate, to permanently reside within another without a body of your own has greater potential than being apart. When together, one’s will is ever present to enhance, strengthen, guide and support the one who holds your soul within them.

The Instruments of Creation of the Land of the Butterflies believe that God gave up Her body to initiate a yearning for meaning through experience and expression of possibilities. They say all of creation is the body of God and the Kingdom of God is built through sharing souls with the spirit of God put within every possibility. The duty of humanity is to serve God in building meaning through obedience to the spirit of God within us. In other words, we need to share our souls with God even if that entails giving up our lives to free the spirit of God within us.

It is the destiny of all creation to make that ultimate sacrifice.

3RD INTRODUCTION

Book 1 of the Land of the Butterflies, A Prelude to Prophecy, Preparations, put our Instrument of Creation where God could provide him the lessons he needed.

In Book 2, Lakker, York Sabastin gained the comfort and strength to initiate a process to reflect his changes and is beginning to understand what they mean.

Unfortunately, like the caterpillar now sealed safely in its cocoon, it has begun the process of dismantling its form and realized that reformation into the new form means it losses the old image in its entirety. The caterpillar can only hang on to its spirit while progressing toward a more accurate reflection of a forthcoming image of a butterfly.

Change has been initiated and there is no longer any possibility of going back to the way things used to be.

Our Instrument of Creation must have the resilience to attach a New World to the Land of the Butterflies to create the power necessary to initiate movement toward his solution for Earth.

Now the hard work begins. The question is whether the attachment to a new world is strong enough to withstand the implications the change has dealt his culture. What must he give up? What must he ask his castles, and indeed, the whole of the Land of the Butterflies to sacrifice?

The third step is to initialize movement toward realization of the meaning of the promise. This is a critical step which tests the strength of attachment to ensure it is secure enough to weather the ramifications of the changes demanded.

PROLOGUE TO A NEW WORLD

September 26, 2020,

Dear Friends,

How much are we willing to contribute before using up the potential held within the possibility we hold? How eternal do we want to be? Judgement Day is upon us. Can we sacrifice our independence? Share our souls through our collective obedience to the will of God? I hope and pray that we have the courage and fortitude to do so. Let us not fail our destiny through clinging to our stubbornness and maddening foolish, empty pride.

The door is open for our redemption. Are we willing to take advantage of the potential it holds? Are we ready to step into a new world? Can we learn from the experiences that our Instrument of Creation lived through in the hopes of learning how to carry out his assignment with respect to Earth? Hoping so, I will continue telling the third installment of the Land of the Butterflies, A Prelude to Prophecy – A New World.

With love, prayers, and hope,

Tara

37 NEW STRANGERS ARRIVE

Tara appeared at the last minute for lunch. She looked tired, uncomfortable, and ate only a small amount. She was feeling the strain of the growing embryos within her. York held her hand throughout much of lunch but appeared strong and fully in control, not worried. When he nodded his head and cleared his thoughts, the whole castle felt the warmth of God among them. They were touched with peace and tranquillity. When dinner began to be served, the castles realized God had been consciously among them despite none were worshipping. Smiles and warm feelings lit on all their faces as they ate at the Lady’s Table. After worship, even if omitted today, they would all be able to carry out their duties with less effort and greater satisfaction than usual. Lakker and Sunora Castles were doing the work of God. That afternoon, God was guiding their every thought and move. When asked, any of them would say they had flowed like water through time, touched success, seen the future, and walked on air, while a song spoke in their hearts until well after they had closed their eyes and slept the night in peace.

However, they did indeed worship that day. Adele sang a song of praise for them at lunch. York held Tara in his arms while he worshipped in the Great Hall, turning again to stone, as Tara became a light held in his arms. The castles had been unable to keep their eyes shut. Their hearts needed to see their leaders bathed with the blanket of Koe Sai Serena. Delightfully, God was pleased that the sight strengthened their hearts and increased their faith. With God still around them, York carried Tara to her room and laid her upon her bed. She slept, shining with the presence of God within her. Unafraid, York kissed her before he left. Sarah sat with her. She could not touch her. Something held her hand back. Therefore, letting her hands follow the invisible aura over Tara, she marvelled at God. It felt right. Yes, life was indeed good.

York returned to the Great Hall alone to sing and dance for joy. He and Kion then slept soundly together in his room. The babies kicked their father’s arm, and he smiled while he slept.

After his nap, York sat for a time with Tara. Her skin by now was more normal. Sarah went for a walk and then to help Katie with the final preparations for Essy’s arrival in the morning. They set up rooms as they had for the celebration. No deaths had occurred then, and it may prevent any complications from arising. Four strangers, it was a good number, but five would be better, there was more safety in five. Sarah sighed.

Essy was thirty-five and her daughters (Gilly, sixteen, Sunaffa, thirteen and Morae, ten), were from a strong healthy castle. They were miners and dug in the rocks for copper and gold. Automated, mines did not require muscle and brawn. The Cromwells understood rocks, materials handling, and strange forces that held a grain of bornite or chalcopyrite in tiny fissures in a massive quartz host. They used ingenious laser machines to cut through the rock, electric jolts to break the bonds, and fancy sorters to collect the valuable minerals and replace the voids left behind with waste. In microscopic layers, they cut and replaced the rock beneath their castle in arcs around tunnels only large enough to walk through. The walls and backs were smooth and clean except where beautiful crystals extended beyond the surface. They never blew up the ground as Earth mines minerals. However, mining was not without the dangers that exist everywhere. Faults are real, and tunnels sometimes failed. Essy had seen the brutality of tons of rock on unsuspecting souls. Over the years, her castle had had to deal with many cuts, slashes, and punctures of all parts of a person’s anatomy. They had mended women, as Sarah had mended many of Lakker, had survived to bear young, and experienced all the complications and dangers involved. Though the cause was different, using similar techniques could save the infants and their mothers at Lakker. It did not matter what caused the infliction. It was the damage done that produced the effect on the physical reality of bearing young. Essy would have valuable experiences to help guide treatment of those who had suffered at the hands of their previous Sire.

Gilly and Sunaffa were women, and York would be able to bring them into his castle traditionally, along with their mother. Like Quinn and Rae, they could integrate easily into his quarters. He could keep them isolated, but they would not have to be alone. Sarah did not know what York would do with Morae. He would likely leave her in an isolation ward for six weeks. She would be lonely.

Four separate rooms had been prepared. After cleansing, Sarah would monitor them for four days then gradually allow the women more time in the castle. They would not be much risk to the castle, but at this time of year the castle would be a very high risk to them. York hoped exposure to few individuals would protect them until they knew their immune system could handle the environment at their new home.

Sarah was satisfied with the preparations. She returned to her office to monitor the health of Lakker. Then she met again with Jane to discuss her plans for their treatment. It felt strange to share such work but did give her more confidence. Correspondence with Angie would proceed after that, with Rae present as well. Then she would go back to sit with Tara until supper.

York spent little time with Tara. Katie and Ana sat with her soon after she awoke. She stayed in bed and talked to them. Tara joined the castles at dinner then returned to bed exhausted again.

The nursery saw York until dinnertime, and tonight he would not dance. His service was not required today. He looked forward to spending the evening as well as the night with Tara. Tomorrow morning he would be busy and wanted to have had a good sleep.

At about two in the morning, he walked through the castle with Katie and son. The baby still nursed in the middle of night, so Katie had adjusted shift change to coincide with his schedule. She called York on the intercom when the baby awoke, and by the time York walked over, they would almost be ready to inspect the castle. Isa now slept without being disturbed in the middle of the night. It felt strange to York, but he learned to enjoy the walk with Katie.

Marren Sunora was bringing Essy and her daughters. They would arrive around ten in the morning if all went well. After the morning meeting, York would service Oron then prepare to meet the new strangers personally. Weather permitting; he would escort them through the front door. His castle was constantly changing, and it felt good. York was pleased with his castles and excited about the new strangers God was bringing. York sang at supper. He carried Tara back to his room. She slept beside him while he laid thinking. Just as God was not going to heal Earth, She was not going to heal Tara. Both were his responsibility. He would learn God’s lessons and succeed.

When Tara awoke again, they talked for a long time. Tara let him sleep beside her at night. One night alone had been enough. The castles united in a single goal. Tara’s strategy had worked better than she had hoped. Life at Lakker Castle was good, and her job nearly done. It was not yet time for York to share the seeds of his plan, however, he spoke of many things, and they found some moments of laughter. Both felt comforted. The night slipped away silently.

York rose early, spent some time with Ana then brought both her and Rae back to Katie’s room. They made hot ciders and carried them to York’s room so that Tara could join them. Tara was thankful. She needed to continue to belong even if it hurt too much for her to get out of bed. York summoned Sarah. While Katie and York inspected the castle, Rae stayed with Tara. Sarah examined Tara and immediately contacted Angie. Tara’s internal organs were beginning to fail. Time was running out for Tara and her fetuses.

When the inspection was complete, Ana helped Rae and Sarah move Tara to the infirmary. York took the news quietly. He stopped to see Tara every time he went by Sarah’s office and went out of his way to go by often. However, he carried a look of strength and determination with him. York had faith. At breakfast, he sang inviting God to help them accept Her will. Each offered York their blessings and grew stronger by doing so. Much would happen today, but it would be full of hope, and God would not disappoint them. Somehow, despite the fact Tara’s chair stood empty beside York, the castle could feel Tara’s presence among them. They felt her trust in the Lady and knew joy, not sorrow.

There was normal chatter and laughter as all headed to their duties. York took Oron to one of his examining rooms. He did not hurry, and his mind was not elsewhere. Oron was a woman of Sunora, and this was her moment. This was an especially blessed conception because it signified to the castle that the future would hold life.

Marren arrived exactly at ten in the morning. Essy and her daughters were excited. They had followed the developments at Lakker Castle with considerable interest. Wanting to become part of this incredibly different place, they were eager to meet York Sabastin, though were not prepared for it. The stories did not do justice to the man who stood before them when they stepped out of the transporter into the morning sunshine. The air smelled fresh at Lakker. It was cool, but the dew had lifted from the grass. The young, handsome man before them looked like an ordinary man, not terribly tall or powerful, and not dressed as they envisioned a prophet in a long flowing gown. He wore typical green tights, a loose fitting, brown shirt, and a plain, nondescript tunic. The only strange thing was that he wore a sword. Most men did not wear a sword except for special occasions. The Cromwells had not thought of themselves as warranting a special reception. Yet, this man treated them like royalty.

He bowed before them, kissing their hands as Marren introduced them. After hugging Marren, he watched as she climbed back into the transporter and sped away. Guards were visible on the surrounding wall and in the guardhouse, but none stood in the open other than the man who would be their Sire. Silent, while standing very seriously before them, he led them off the driveway and down the pathways into the garden. After they had crossed a footbridge, guards began dragging their trunks up to the back door. It was pleasant to walk outside. Somehow, it seemed appropriate to be here, walking in silence. He was in no hurry. The way he walked, and the places he paused to look up into the trees or off into the horizon, made it obvious he was looking for something as well as showing them the sights and sounds of their new home. Eventually, he stopped before the great front door of this majestic castle.

Turning toward them, he quietly said, “Essy Cromwell and daughters, Gilly, Sunaffa and Morae, welcome home. Let us worship before entering Lakker Castle. In the days to come you will become of Lakker and of Sunora and shall live beneath the Sabastin Flag. Seek you now the blessings of God!”

He turned his back upon them and facing the door, tilted his head back, raised his arms to the sky then let them slowly fall to the tops of the wall on either side of the castle. Their new Sire stood silently thus and did not move. Essy wondered if they had come among a crazy man but dared not do anything for fear of doing something wrong. They must have stood there feeling foolish for fifteen minutes or more before they heard a voice from the Guard house shout to them, “He is waiting for you to join in worship; kneel, touch each other, and his tunic.”

They followed the guard’s instructions. They had never experienced being in the conscious presence of God before. They felt invaded by someone who knew their every thought. It was as though God washed their minds. In moments, clean and new, they felt a candle light within their hearts and knew they were entering a holy place. Then, with a tingling sensation that began on their cheeks, wrapped around them, and fell to their toes, the presence within them disappeared. However, they knew they were changed. They felt light and incredibly alive.

York let his hands fall, turned to them, and smiled. He opened both huge doors, took Essy’s arm on his right and Gilly’s on his left, instructing Sunaffa to take her older sister’s arm and Morae her mother’s arm. Together, they entered Lakker Castle.

It was dull inside compared to the brilliant light outside, and they saw nothing for the first steps. They heard the echo of their footsteps in a Great Hall, and when their eyes adjusted, they felt honoured and blessed to be here on the arms of a child of God. He was a prophet and God was very close to him.

The hall was deserted, except for two guards standing with mounted arrows crossed before a hall door. When the Cromwells and York approached, the guards swung their arrows outward. They nodded to the Sire. When he nodded back, they opened the doors and took each of the Cromwells to a room. Showing her inside, they explained the instructions and left. The door gave the distinctive click of locking into place. They had entered a new world, the likes of which they had never known before, and proceeded to cleanse their bodies. In two hours, they would be clean in both body and spirit. At lunchtime, they ate in their rooms but could hear all said in the kitchen through the intercom.

It is impossible to tell how each of them felt when they first heard their Sire sing. Each was alone in a strange place, after a morning of adventure that had changed the way they saw themselves and their world. The power of York’s songs had grown, not diminished, in his months at Lakker Castle. The song was for each of the Cromwells, and it touched them in every crevice of their souls. Then a voice they would learn to recognize as Isa, welcomed them from all Lakker, and a sweet young voice welcomed them from Sunora. Pirette sang third. At the end of the songs, they heard the sounds of clearing tables, women talking, and many sounds of motion. The doors unlocked. Wrapped in the large towels left in the rooms for them, the Cromwells crowded to the windows in the hall door. Watching worship, they became frightened of this man, who turned to steel before them, and of the woman on the bed rolled out into the Great Hall, who glowed with a light so bright that it hurt their eyes if they did not squint them almost shut. When the man of steel kissed her, such a wind blew through the castle that the Cromwells thought they were about to be struck dead. They listened again to their Sire sing praise to God. They were confused and afraid as they realized the castle thought God chose them. The castles expected them to teach them wondrous things. The Cromwells feared there had been a mistake. They did not know what they had to offer.

The guards motioned for them to return to their rooms, and the doors locked when they pulled them shut behind them. The Cromwells rested. They had seen unusual events, hundreds of women, and at least half if not more were wearing white! They had heard songs so powerful that their own lives had changed. In addition, had walked in the grounds of an ancient castle, and the prophet had directed them to see, hear, and touch the life abundant around them. As the scenes repeatedly drifted through their minds, they felt ecstatic. With all their hearts, they loved this place.

It was late in the afternoon when York knocked on Essy’s door. Without waiting for her to answer, he walked in. Embarrassed, Essy sat at the desk, wrapped in a towel, and writing at the console. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he talked small talk. He chatted about her trip, work, and why she had wanted to immigrate. Within the hour, Essy forgot that she was not properly dressed to be before another, especially a man, and felt quite comfortable. His interest was genuine, and she enjoyed talking with him. When she asked about the plans for her integration into the castle, York explained that the cleansing would have protected the castle from them, but that she and her daughters were at considerable risk. The environment at the south end of Pistol Lake was radically different from Cromwell Castle. Viruses not harmful to the natives could prove dangerous to them. They had come from half a world away; there was no way of knowing how their immune systems would react to the alien ecosystem. He planned to claim and take them to his quarters. They would be isolated until joining the castle at dinner then return to isolation. The castle doctor would monitor them for forty-eight hours. If they developed any sickness, they would remain in isolation until they were well again; if not, they would begin to spend more time in the castles. York would assign duties to them and limit exposure to few people for the first six weeks.

“Morae is just a child and not old enough to be taken to a Sire’s Quarters,” said Essy with worry in her voice.

“I cannot leave her in the children’s dormitory. No one is there throughout the day. I feel it would be better if she remained closer to you and her sisters. I will not touch any of your daughters unless they request me to do so. They will join the youth and learn to dance. When confident in her safety, Morae may wish to move to the Sunora children’s dorm. I do not want to lose any of you if it can be helped.”

“Thank you, Sire.”

“Your daughters were all listed as virgin. Have they remained thus?”

“Yes, Sire.”

“When were you last touched by your Sire?”

“This Sire did not appeal to me. I never danced for him. Morae’s father was the last to touch me and left six years ago.”

“And do I appeal to you?” Essy blushed. “You frighten me, Sire, but I am willing to permit you to touch me. It is a requirement of immigration; I will respect your rights.”

“In my castle, the women I touch want to be touched. Your immigration does not bind you. I cannot allow a dance in the Great Hall, but I invite you to dance here if you want me.”

Essy looked at him for a while. She wanted to please him, to be happy here, and for her daughters to have a better life than she had envisioned for them at Cromwell Castle. Touching him was more complex than a simple matter of whether or not she wanted him to touch her. It was like a test. A wrong answer would have ramifications that could affect their happiness in this castle. She reframed the question. Was she running away from her old castle or to something new? If she was running away, she should not dance unless her heart told her to dance. However, if she really wanted to be part of a new world, she should seize the opportunity to embrace him thus becoming one with the new world. She also needed to protect and encourage her daughters. If they felt they belonged, they would feel at home and secure. How they felt would affect their survival. She did not bring them away from Cromwell to die.

“I will dance,” she answered.

“I can see that you will, but do you want to dance? There is a difference between being willing because of a sense of duty and wanting to be close with another because it is right in the heart.”

“It is right in my heart. This feels awkward, that is all.” She held her towel round her with one hand, stood, and walked over to him. With her free hand, Essy touched his face. She was nervous but confident she should touch the Sire. He looked into her eyes and smiled. He wrapped his arms around her, and they fell back onto the bed together.

York did not want to make the mistake of neglecting these new strangers as he had Rae and Quinn. Immigration is difficult. Tradition had developed to protect immigrating women. Clearly, the Sire was the quickest and surest way to keep a strange woman alive in a strange castle. Belonging to the Sire would help Essy establish a comfortable spot because he could give her work that supported her skills and ambitions. Without this connection, she might feel lost and forgotten, lose faith, and the will to survive.

York was satisfied her desire to dance was genuine. He did not try to make loving him difficult – he relaxed and let nature run its course. Soon Essy would no longer be a stranger in Lakker Castle. Already having a position, she would begin working as soon as possible. York wanted her to be happy with his service. It would give her strength.

Life was all about relationships. If secure in being loved and needed, you tended to stay healthy through all kinds of personal turmoil. In addition, it was easier to die when the time came, if you felt close to another. God never meant us to spend life alone but to have a close relationship with Her. Furthermore, if firmly grounded in faith, they could enjoy good relationships with other people. None could argue that God was not pleased with York Sabastin and Lakker Castle. God was ever close, and they felt blessed.

York escorted all four Cromwells to dinner. All of Lakker and Sunora tried to make them feel comfortable. They added a table across the room from York so that they could sit together. Tara did not come to dinner but listened to the songs of welcome from her bed in the infirmary. Isa sang. Katie escorted the Cromwells back to the hall. York was the one required to take them into his quarters whether he touched them or not. Sarah examined them and found nothing to alarm her.

The Sire visited with Tara. He was surprised at how quickly her health and strength were deteriorating. Tara had incredible faith. If God meant for her to live, she would. However, if God wanted her to die so that York would learn something very important, Tara would die with grace. She was very determined. She had refused to give in to being sick, but after Sunora had become of a single mind in the intention to survive, she had allowed herself to let down her shield. She felt calm and content. If she died, her castle was safe, and the future was sure to be good. Unless God needed her to teach something to York, her job was completed. Rest now would keep her alive until God made her will known to them all.

Angie had sent a transporter to Lakker earlier in the day. It was full of some very sophisticated equipment. She wanted to reduce the pressure on Tara’s internal organs by replacing scar tissue with an elastic polymer. Sarah had been busy most of the day, securing a line with the Harrison Castle, and familiarizing herself with the equipment. Angie also suggested placing Tara in a suspension bed. Elevation would relieve all external pressures. Sarah had followed her advice and Tara was obviously more comfortable in the weightless tube. Rather than eating big meals, Sarah had been feeding Tara small amounts every few hours, and total intake was almost normal. She had set up an intravenous drip to strengthen her blood and assisted her struggling liver by pre-filtering blood. Sarah had confidence that Tara would not get worse for at least a few days. In the evening, she would set up the machine Angie had sent. Angie would test her muscles and proceed with remote operations to replace scar tissue if she were able to relieve enough pressure from Tara’s kidney and bladder to offset the risk of the operation itself. Her womb was growing, and there simply was no room for it to expand. Something had to give, and all would compromise the ability for survival of both mother and foetuses. Terminating the pregnancy was simply not an option. They did not commit murder even if death was imminent.

When Sarah asked York to leave, he did so without argument. He went to talk to the younger Cromwell women, and gave both Gilly and Sunaffa the opportunity to dance just as he had their mother. Gilly did not want to dance and would trust her mother to help her belong until she gained confidence in her ability to dance. She heard about the dance classes and competitions to entice the Sire and wanted to be part of it. Sunaffa wanted to dance. She felt very insecure in this castle and needed to belong desperately. She was also a bit of a rebel and liked the idea of finding out about life sooner rather than later. Morae was not a woman, so York gave her a choice of remaining here throughout her period of isolation or residing in the Sire’s Quarters with her sisters and mother. York thought she understood the ramifications. Because she lived there, she would be privy to activities and not shielded from the facts of life. She had to trust York not to touch her. He, that she would not demand him to do so. She would belong by mutual consent opposed to physically belonging in the Sire’s Quarters. If she was a rebel like her sister Sunaffa, York was taking a big risk that she might demand his attention. Realistically, he risked her health far more if he left her alone in an otherwise empty hall of his castle. She told him she would not ask him to touch her, and he agreed to take her to his quarters. He took them all to the closet just inside his quarters and gave them all blue dresses. He escorted them to rooms and locked them in. They were home. There was no longer any opportunity for them to change their minds and go back to Cromwell Castle. They were now totally committed to living under the Sabastin Flag as long as it flew over Lakker Castle. Then York fetched Alison and took her to his bed. They slept.

Sarah managed to put Tara into the machine to Angie’s satisfaction. It consisted of a suit like an extra skin that extended from under Tara’s arms to just above her knees. Remotely, Angie adjusted it to fit snugly. Its purpose was to define every microscopic detail of Tara in space. Strapped into the grid of the skin around Tara was a small box containing laser knives and the material required to create the elastic polymer. Hundreds of miles away, Angie could manipulate the box and everything in it just as though she was there beside Tara. She could operate, monitor all vital signs, and be made aware of complications faster than a living surgical team. Angie used a process similar to acupuncture rather than anaesthetics, and Tara would feel a stinging sensation rather than severe pain throughout the operations. Angie was extremely nervous though. Sarah had had to wait until the aura around Tara had worn away for Angie to be able to satisfy herself that she had an accurate simulation of Tara. Studying the scars, she was confident that she could create a pocket for Tara’s womb for about six weeks, but worried that the dimensions could be out enough that, rather than save Tara and the infants, she may kill them all. This type of operation worked on a microscopic scale, cutting scar tissue from healthy tissue, cell by cell. Welds of artificial cells would connect the polymer to the surrounding cells in a strong, pre-engineered pattern. The polymer itself had a biological component made using cell material from the patient herself. If successful, the polymer replacement would no longer exist in twenty-five to thirty years. Normal flesh would replace it. There were, however, serious risks involved: allergic reaction was the most severe complication, the creation of the polymer caused damage to the spots providing the cells; internal bleeding and shock also played a big role in the outcome of this drastic step. For Tara to have any benefit, Angie was recommending the rearrangement of a little more than five pounds of flesh. This was major surgery and would take over twenty-four hours to accomplish. If the location of a cell were off by a micron, Angie could not only destroy the cell, she could do irreversible damage to critical organs already dangerously taxed.

She refused to proceed. Angie knew the only way she could help Tara was to go to Lakker Castle. She had to test every micron of the sleeve to ensure the computer image was extremely accurate. As this was only the beginning of intervention, she could not afford to weaken Tara now as her stamina needed to last for at least three more months.

Sarah and Jane at Lakker and Angie at Harrison Castle did not sleep that night. They rerouted secured lines from Angie’s other clients through Lakker Castle. They ran diagnostic tests to ensure firmly secured links. Angie trained Jane and Sarah to recognize some critical circumstances should they occur in the clients while Angie was in transport. A large group of Angie’s sisters assisted in packing equipment, and transporters went back and forth all night. Twenty consoles were in use as people at Harrison Castle instructed women at Lakker in how to set-up the equipment at Lakker, and then began the transfer of transmission and control from Harrison Castle to Lakker Castle.

Even Essy came out to work. Rae and Ana also helped. At the normal shift change at two in the morning, York joined the team of Lakker and Sunora women running messages from one person to another to coordinate the activities. They managed to condense seventy-five hours of preparation into ten. Although they were exhausted, ten of the women at Lakker remained in front of consoles for the additional two hours from nine-thirty to eleven-thirty when Angie would arrive. Extra guards had been up all night but still offered to help maintain a line from Lakker Castle to the moving transporter so that Angie was always in contact with Lakker and her clients. No critical incidents occurred, and York went to the Great Hall and worshipped.

When she arrived, Angie did not waste any time. An intense individual, she handed care of her own children over to complete strangers. Promising to see them at suppertime, she kissed them and asked for an escort to her new laboratory. A guard took the children to the nursery, as she knew not what else to do with them. Another simply took her to her lab. Angie Harrison knew how to command authority, and without hesitation, all met her every demand. Pleased with the job the women at this castle had done, she praised them openly. Instantly, both Lakker and Sunora accepted her as a member of their castles.

When York tried to introduce himself, she brushed him off. Strained and tired by the sudden move, she apologized for being too busy to deal with a sire. York forgave her and let her be. He went to the nursery and made friends with two very frightened little children, a five-year-old girl, and a two-year-old boy. There was no one around who York could expect to know how to protect these children. Therefore, York just played with them, praying they would not get sick. At lunchtime, he asked Francy and Kion to look after them, requesting they keep them in a small room away from the other children until Sarah, Rae or Jane was available to examine and establish a place for them.

Angie said hello to Tara before she allowed Sarah to bring her to lunch. York sang. His song was for Angie and her children. Angie laid her head in her hands and cried. She was exhausted and worried about her children. The reality of what she had done began to filter through her. An overwhelming number of pregnant women surrounded her. Even though she had known about the birthrate expected at Lakker Castle, she was unprepared for the reality. She had risked her children’s lives and had not had time to think. At the end of the song, she again apologised to York and inquired as to the whereabouts of her children. York took her arm and escorted her to the nursery. After hugging her children, she said, “I am so tired, Sire. Please have someone isolate my children. It is not too late. Then please show me to a room. I need to sleep. I have not slept in almost forty hours. Forgive me. I do not have the energy to honour my obligations to you. I need to operate later, or we shall lose a mother and her young. I understand she is the leader of the castles. I will do my best.”

York just nodded and began to sing a lullaby. She could barely stay on her feet but walked out of the nursery and halfway to the Sire’s Quarters before York picked her up. He carried her to a vacant room is his own quarters. She was a small woman and not heavy. She fell asleep in his arms just as one might expect of a child. A guard had accompanied them, opened the door, and stood guard while York took Angie Harrison to bed. He laid her on the bed, loosened her dress, and removed her shoes. Then York covered her with a comforter, kissed her forehead, and left her to sleep. He unlocked the door, instructed the guard to wait, and to follow the directions given to her by Angie when she awoke. He told her not to disturb Angie unless warranted by circumstances she outlined. Finally, York went to worship with Tara, who looked more comfortable today, and York was pleased.

He was all smiles and full of laughter when he found Kion in her research area. Spirits throughout the castle rose to reinforce his sense of security. Kion moved slower but never complained. They slept for a long nap.

The Cromwells remained healthy. Sarah could find no indication of infection or viruses setting in. Angie’s children had connected themselves to Francy, and she was enjoying their affection. Seven strangers were in the castle, and still no harm had come of it. That was cause enough to celebrate, but they had not been at Lakker Castle for twenty-four hours yet. The danger of severe allergy was past, but anything could happen in the next thirty hours and in the course of the following weeks.

Angie slept until dinnertime, ate, and went back to bed after reviewing the monitors in her lab and saying hello to Tara and her own children. She was satisfied that Tara would be fine until well rested herself. Angie would conduct the operation when she was fully alert. She planned to do an initial replacement only tomorrow morning and the bulk of the operation the following day. She needed to know how Tara’s system would react to the polymer. The release of the stress on her organs had to be slow and carefully monitored to prevent shock and rebound complications. Angie planned to spend the afternoon with her children, then after dinner, she would try to set things right with the Sire. Only then did Angie think her life would be able to settle into a routine.

She would be busy in this castle. It was full of challenge, but Angie thrived on being necessary. When that woman had come to Harrison castle, a strange feeling had come over her. A voice in her heart had told her to immigrate. Angie always followed her heart, and when told she could bring her children, there simply had not been any reason for her not to sign the certificate of intent. Even though she had been busy, she had begun to search out information about Lakker Castle and York Sabastin. She even found out about Sunora Castle and some of the other women who were immigrating. The more she had learned, the more pleased she was to be going. Change was afoot on the Land of the Butterflies, and it was moving in the direction she thought it should go. Angie had felt that, although they had a good relationship with God, people were too isolated from one another, especially women. They conversed over the air but not in person. Castles were the only places keeping doors consistently locked. As a research doctor, Angie had seen far closer the intricate society existing at castles everywhere. She felt she belonged in the world, not only at Harrison Castle. If permitted, she would have hugged and kissed the women and children she grew to love as she fought to keep them alive. It was a question of faith, not in God, but in humans. Women here did not have much faith in their own ability to survive. Over-protected, they felt the outside world was full of peril. Angie did not believe that quite so whole-heartedly. Under the right circumstances, Angie was convinced limited travel of fertile women was a realistic possibility for the future. They should be able to reduce the risks. Unfortunately, she was so engrossed in saving lives that she did not have the time to do research on ways to protect women to render them free as men.

For your reading pleasure here is the beginning of:

TALES OF PROPHECY VOLUME 1

THE LAND OF THE BUTTERFLIES, A New world

PROLOGUE BOOK 3