XII. How I made a living (3)
About ten days passed. In Berlin, the magicians of the Sixteenth obtained a significant salary increase and some other benefits. Their code of laws was not changed. Hannibal had satisfied his hierarchy while securing economic benefits for the protesters. Many Nomes, following his lead, were engaged in a process of negotiation. The new head of the Madrid Nome had already given in to most of the strikers' demands for gender equality and, very surprisingly, equal pay. Iskandar had appointed a moderate to replace Lindor de Borja, a theoretician, who had been quickly frightened by the insurgents' resolve.
Esme had not spoken to me any more, she had returned to Madrid for the funeral. I saw her again a few days later. She had been instructed by her comrades in Nome with a message for the strikers of the Fourteenth. We had walked together on the the Seine river's quays.
"Did he suffer ?" She asked me.
I didn't answer.
"Giacomo, I deserve to know!
- Just a pillow pressed to his face. No magic, no trace.
- Clean, neat work, she said bitterly. "
We walked in silence.
"Now that you're sure, what are you going to do?"
- Nothing. You know, the Nome attack was planned with the utmost secrecy. I only said it to you, well almost to you… Lindor knew Iskandar had to intervene, he couldn't take the risk.
- Oh... But then...
- He wanted to marry me off. The laws have changed now. I am free, you see.
- Esme… you're much more rebellious than me anyway.
- When I was little, he would read me stories. It was he who took me hunting for the first time. And see bullfights. I have his blood on my hands too. "
I took her by the hand.
"Do you want to stay a few days?
- I plan to give the Fourteenth a hand. You might as well play the game to the end."
She stayed, gave us a hand to babysit Louis. The situation here in Paris was getting bogged down. The authorities refused any discussion. The magic brigades had long since ceased all activity on the territory, the chieftains, the creatures, the monsters began to stir again. Michel called on Alice and Erwan who contacted their acquaintances among the Celts, Nordics, and local demigods. The latter agreed to slow down their activity to let chaos set in, since it benefited local governments to the detriment of Paris. Alice even contacted in secret Jean d'Aubigné, and his troop of rebels who took advantage of the lack of reaction of the Fourteenth to strengthen their hold on the territory, and ensure the protection of the population left defenseless against the monsters.
After a few unsuccessful attempts to take over the Nome, which left some wounded, the leaders of the Fourteenth finally offered the strikers a deal, on the basis of what had been done in Germany. Vasseur and Desjardins refused, demanding a change in the law, the abolition of privileges, and gender equality in rights. Despite protests from some strikers, the Fourteenth was now facing its fourth consecutive week of strike and occupation. The magicians had totally appropriated the Nome, some water elementalists had tinkered with a system of showers there, those on land had installed large crops which helped to sustain the insurgents.
Counting on the fact that the leadership of the Nome should also be at their wit's end, and on the fact that the rest of Per Ankh had to put pressure on them to get out of the crisis as quickly as possible, Michel and Justine decided to negotiate separately with their main leaders, in order to undermine the authority of the Baron de La Roque. Michel counted in particular on the support of Anne de Montpensier. The only problem was that the latter did not carry him in her heart, far from it, and militated more for the restoration of the privileges of the nobility than their abolition. Esme and I saw them coming home, looking exhausted after meeting with her.
"And?
- She just insulted for three hours, but it was worth it: she's with us.
- How did you do ?
- Not difficult, she hates La Roque and considers that she was confiscated the Nome leadership under the pretext that she is a woman. Of course we should never have hung a red banner on the facade of the Nome."
He gave Justine a sideways glance. " Hey ! She shouted. We had an agreement on this!
- What about privileges?
- We had a fundamental debate on the absolute monarchy versus feudalism and the role of the nobles in it, and her conclusion was that, anyway, the only noble survivors of the Nome are parasites, and that she will not fight for them.
- What I love about this woman is that since she hates anyone, she is objective on everyone, said Justine, stars in her eyes.
- Oh, don't get carried away for Madame de Montpensier either, Michel warned her."
She smiled mischievously at him. I returned to Pyramides Street, where Alice was getting dressed up for her gig. I prepared food for Louis while she finished putting on makeup. I, who had never learned to cook, had made a lot of progress since the beginning of the month when Michel was practically being kept at the Nome.
Alice finally came out into the living room. I tickled Louis on the stomach: "Guarda quanto è bella la mamma!" I slipped to him. "Mama!" He shouted delighted. Alice smiled and kissed him on the forehead. "Odysseu!" He then telled. It was the only long word he could pronounce, and he used it for just about everything.
"Are you coming home tonight?
- Johann will come and pick me up after my recital, I'm not sure."
I kissed her on the cheek and she left. Louis once again demanded "Odysseu!"
- Mostrami con i gesti, I complained.
- Seu ! He shouted.
– Non sono un poliglotta Louis. »
He started screaming again, gesturing. I noticed he was pointing at the big cheese knife.
"No, that is not possible. "
I let him scream for a little while. I always scolded him in French, I hoped that this way he would associate Italian with positive memories and that it would become his favourite language. I put him back on the ground, he went on all fours towards the table where was the weapon.
"Louis, You are getting on my nerves, I won't leave the knife to you. "
I picked him up despite his protests and put him back on the living room rug. The time to turn around to put away the device, and Louis let off steam on the wisteria that rose to the wall, then began to tear the leaves.
"What did we say about the plants?" Come on, let's read the Odyssey. "
I took him to our room to read to him. Louis instantly calmed down when I grabbed the book. At least the kid is sensitive to great literature. I had illustrated boards to accompany the reading. I wondered how many words the kid understood in Greek, but he seemed to understand most of the story. It was my uncle Antonio who had read this book to me in my childhood, actually it was the only book he'd read, repeatedly, with Dante's Divine Comedy of course. Suddenly in a flash, I saw Lindor's terrified face again, the book fell from my hands. "Hey !" Louis protested. I kissed him softly on the top of is head and picked up the book. Soon he began to yawn. I lay down next to him on the bed, watching him sleep in his heavy child's sleep.
Alice found us like that, lying next to each other. I had fallen asleep without realizing it, and woke up with a start when I heard the keys click.
"You are lovely," she whispered.
- Already home?
- He was being annoying.
- Maybe Michel was right about him too. "
She gave me an exasperated look.
"Michel is always right when it comes to my guys, but I'll never listen to him. I prefer to remain naive. "
I finished waking up, poured myself a glass of water. I was not at all sleepy. I grabbed my coat.
" I'm going out. You're watching over the house?
- Okay. "
I didn't worry about them. I had enchanted the apartment with the most powerful spells I knew of, and Lupin, who was an expert, had agreed to take a look. His protections were at least decent.
In the street, I turned, watched the light from the enchanted lamps go out in the apartment. I imagined little Louis huddled in his mother's arms, deeply asleep. A dull anguish drummed in my heart. I walked along the banks of the Seine, then took the direction of the Nome. I knew Michel was on duty there that night. I found him outside the door, chatting with Thomas Dupré. They turned their heads to me, surprised. Thomas looked a little embarrassed to see me.
"You can go to bed if you want," Michel suggested. "
He hesitated a moment, tried to say something, then finally whispered a few words, and walked inside. I sat down on the steps, in his place.
"They're not used to you," Michel excused him. "Thomas is making an effort, believe me.
- I know, I whispered. He is far from being the worst. "
Michel did not answer. He looked exhausted.
"Maybe you should get up and go to sleep too, I suggested.
- It's my turn, he replied simply. Why aren't you home?
- I couldn't sleep anymore. Your wisteria is in pieces, well, the bottom of the trunk.
- I'll try to get her back in shape. Poor old girl, he added. "
He had picked up the plant in the backyard of the Folies de la Butte cabaret where he had grown up, when the building had been put up for sale. We sat in silence for a while. The night was warm. A question suddenly crossed my mind:
" How did you do ? With Sekhmet I mean.
- You never asked me.
- I'm asking you now.
- You doubt the extent of my powers?
- Facing a war goddess? Yes. "
Michel was just an earth elementalist. He was incredibly subtle, yes his flowers were proof of that, but not very powerful. He only mastered air as another element. His combat skills were limited to his experience in the trenches. He had really started working on his hieroglyphics and divine words after the war, in Algeria. He did not know anything about statuary, would have been incapable of fashioning a figurine for a ritual of execration. For most of the magicians of Per Ankh, his capture of Sekhmet meant two things: either the descendant of Champollion hid extraordinary qualities, or some mysterious dark forces had helped him banishing the goddess.
"You're right, I didn't have much to do. I arrived too late. Sekhmet had already satisfied her appetite, she devoured all of Europe. The Spanish flu killed as many people as the war. She was at the end of the race, on the verge of collapsing.
- Why didn't she become Hathor again sooner?
- It was one of her most powerful incarnations. She was born in Verdun, you know."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Not possible, she escaped in 1918.
- Iskandar likes to lie, blurted Michel.
- He protected us, I realized. Imagine what would have happened if it had been known that she was released during a confrontation? How would the trial have turned out? The other Nomes have already all turned against us because of the colonization. Imagine what the Fourteenth and Sixteenth would have suffered! "
He lowered his eyes.
"I know, he whispered.
- You execrated her?
- Yes.
- Who made you the statuette?
- Menshikov."
Of course, the Menshikovs knew a lot about execrations and invocations.
"He helped me," Michel added suddenly. "Got me to Siberia, saved my life a few times. His sister Nina taught me the basics of water magic.
- Water ?
- Water washes away the gods.
- Can you master water Michel?
- Just a little bit.
- Also, you're hanging out with the Russians!
- I don't hang out with the Russians.
- Okay, you find them nice.
- So what ?
- It is unusual in Per Ankh. It's a bit ... Let's say that the Russians are apart, they are a bit excentric.
- Because the Bellini are not excentric?
- Yes. Why do you think Jabari wasn't so fond of the idea of an alliance with us? But I'm talking about you Michel, it's you who hangs out with suspicious people.
- Why do you even care!
- Nothing Michel, but now you understand why you worry people, why you fit in so badly."
He sighed, looking exhausted.
"It's just… I tried, I swear, I was warned. I tried, I did everything as they wanted. I learned elemental magic, I passed my exam, I even made it on purpose to be one of the last so as not to attract attention. I fought in the war, I served at the Fourteenth. But it's never enough, it's never enough for them. So what else can I do? "
He took his pained and innocent, almost childish expression that always melted my heart. I put my arm around his shoulders, not sure how to explain it :
"You… you don't understand, you are too much you. You can't help but shine. He turned his face to me, shocked. "You ask too much. You should stop, make yourself discreet, mediocre, disappear for a century or two. You want to know too much… you're too curious. No, too ambitious, that's the word. "
He sighed.
"You know I won't be able to do it. To do otherwise.
- I know. Even if there's a target on your back." Gods, how am I going to do it? How am I going to keep you alive?
"I always tried to do as they wanted, and where did it get me? I was a fucking military hero, I won the war, damn it, and I didn't save nobody. My brother is dead. My mother also died from Sekhmet and the epidemic. At least now, I feel like I belong. "
It was true. I was in fact amazed at his authority. Michel had never been a popular member of the Fourteenth, although he had earned the respect of most magicians with his prowess in war. Now they turned to him, questioned him, obey him. I suddenly realized he was crying.
"Are you having a breakdown? I asked him.
- Just unwiding. "
He started to laugh. Before long I too found myself laughing out loud, with a fit bordering on sobbing.
"What the hell are you doing!" interrupted Justine Vasseur. "Some of us here are trying to sleep, tomorrow we have a big day! "
Michel continued to laugh. She turned to me:
"What are you even doing here, the Wop?"
- It's ok, Justine, don't worry, Michel finally said between gasps.
- What, don't you worry? You're supposed to be on duty, he's distracting you!
- I'll go, I promised. "
Michel was still laughing out loud. As I walked away with a smile on my face, I heard Justine scolding him:
"We'll see if you'll enjoy yoursel as much fun tomorrow with La Roque, La Barre, Ameilhon, and the rest of these bloody hyenas… And what if they had forced the entrance to the Nome this night ? We would have looked clever then! Etc., etc… "
The next day at ten o'clock, Michel Desjardins, Justine Vasseur, with Nanosh Zavatta standing for the spellcasters, Santana Abenon for the Sunu and Assumption Galas for combat magicians, went to the Ministry of the Interior to meet their hierarchy. In front of them : the Baron de La Roque, the Marquis de La Barre, Anne de Montpensier, Hubert-Pascal Ameilhon and the chief healer Sylvestre Plissoneau. The Berlin and Amsterdam Nomes had offered themselves as mediators but had been turned away on the usual grounds that "French affairs will be settled in France and between Frenchmen."
The Fourteenth had continued to annoy the rest of Per Ankh, with their usual arrogance, by appealing to the civil authorities, in this case the Ministry of the Interior on which the Nome depended (officially, as counter-spying organ). Only a few senior officials and elected officials were aware of the precise nature of the Nome's activities, but the incumbent Prime Minister, Raymond Poincaré, knew perfectly well the magicians of the Fourteenth, who had provided his close protection during the war. The Interior Ministry therefore had provided premises for the negotiation.
The latter took place behind closed doors, and, at the Nome's HQ, I anxiously awaited, in the company of Esme and Erwan Le Bihan, further news. We were alone in the empty armory. Aside from Le Bihan, the other wizards avoided us both. Esme was as anxious as I was, wringing her hands and mumbling in Spanish. Erwan, the only peaceful one, smoked a pipe with his eyes vague.
"They don't risk anything you know" he said to me.
I turned around, it had been an hour since I imagined all the dirty tricks I would have done, was I La Roque. Imprisoning all the leaders of the movement would have been a good start.
"What do you know about that ?
- A few Druid friends have our backs. If the Nome falls… Let's say they have no interest in the Nome falling through treachery. I tried to relax, but nothing was helping."
The negotiations lasted until late at night. I began to doze off when exclamations rang out. The five delegates were in the courtyard, reading aloud a document. The strikers had wrested from the authorities some changes in the Nome's laws : gender equality and the definitive abolition of any privileges linked to the magicians' origins. I knew that commoners would continue to serve predominantly in the ranks of Elementalists and Healers, but that was no longer inevitable. Unlike the german magicians, the French, had chosen to attack their legislation.
The Nome was in turmoil. Two fire elementalists, Letizia Paoli and Henri Dupuy, launched fireworks from the roof. Everyone crowded around the delegates to congratulate them. "We'll evacuate the buiding tomorrow," Justine promised. "I don't want to see your ugly faces any longer!" Erwan winked at me. Esme took my hand.
"Come on Giacomo, they're going to celebrate and we'll see them tomorrow. "
I realized I was exhausted. I hadn't been able to get a full night's sleep in days. I waved to Michel, surrounded by other magicians, then we left the building, leaving the French to their victory.
Esme was staying with us, where she had left her things ther. Alice was in the living room with Louis. She was to leave the day after tomorrow for the United States. I left the big bed in the bedroom for my cousin, just stole some pillows, and rather than settling on the sofa, made a big pile of cushions in the middle of the carpet, and fell asleep there.
When I woke up, it was passed two pm. Michel was in my arms. He had laid down on the carpet beside me and was sleeping soundly. Louis had decided that it was past time to sleep and started to ride me, screaming. I grabbed him by the waist and pulled him out. I heard loud voices in the kitchen, Alice and Esme were chatting there. I was considering moving Michel to one of the bedrooms, when we heard a heavy knock on the door. I opened it on Vasseur's panting, panicked face.
"Your vision bowls aren't working? We've been trying to contact you for hours. Where is Michel?
- Sleeping."
I pointed to her the shape lying on the carpet.
"Wake him up!"I obeyed her without hesitation. He grumbled a while, but eventually rose up. I went to get him a clean shirt and pants.
"Desjardins," Justine cried, "mowe your ass! La Roque has summoned us, at his place! We should have been there twenty minutes ago.
- Has the Nome been evacuated? asked Michel, yawning.
- Yes, but it's not about that anymore. They want to punish at us, maybe fire us. We are still subordinates.
- The backlash, of course. He's overreacting as always.
- You've seriously damaged his authority, though, Esme said. Of course he had to react.
- Michel, continued Vasseur, still out of breath, he's not alone. Iskandar is there.
- Oh fu... "
He did not finish but dressed up in two movements and ran after Justine. "I'll contact you when I can" he shouted before slamming the door.
The rest of the day was a long torture. Neither of us wanted to leave the apartment, in case someone tried to contact us. We cleaned up, I tried to resume on developing an anti-poison, but quickly gave up. Alice and Esme chatted about everything and nothing, practiced flamenco dancing (Alice was much better than Esme I must say). At around six, Alice went out to buy some food, then Esme showed us how to cook an duck stuffed with oranges. Alice was doing worse than me in the kitchen.
"How do you eat?
- Usually I go to a restaurant. And I'm rich now, I am paying myself a maid.
- How did you do before?
- Before I did not eat. Fortunately, my friends have always taken good care of me." She finished maliciously.
We ate, then Esme remembered something and opened her trunk, saying, "Hey Giacomo, I brought you something from Sicily for the occasion." She pulled out a bottle of limoncello, lemon liqueur. I grinned, "You know me too well. "
Evening fell. We were still waiting, smoking on the balcony, drinking limoncello. In the living room, Louis was sleeping under a grove of silver roses. Michel had spent months working on some notebook that had belonged to André Le Nôtre, which he had found in the library of Nome. (The druid had been Louis the XIV's gardener). His Versailles roses had bloomed in early spring, revealing the splendor of their velvety and precious petals.
"He looks like a little prince." Alice observed.
It was true. He was anything but Egyptian. Louis's blonde locks ate his blue eyes. "He took after his father," she added. Hermes I marveled. There were no demigod with us, the very idea was kind of terrifying.
"Who called you earlier?" I asked her.
She had received an iris message in the kitchen.
"Chiron. He's worried about me. They are not untirely convinced of my neutrality, up there. Also, they find that I hang out with too many people. Which means, too many foreigners, not enough Greeks. Finally, he forbade me to meet any magician in the coming months.
- He really doesn't suspect a thing ...
- The pros of having an ocean between us... I think I know the Fourteenth Nome better than the Colony now.
- Who is Orsini? suddenly asked Esme.
- Do you read the scandal press or did you just listen to Michel complain?
- He told me that he gave him a fit of jealousy.
- Johann finds it hard to admit that I can see other men without them necessarily wanting to undress me.
"Dump him," Esme said. "It's a bad start.
- My dear, all men find it difficult to admit the existence of a possible male-female friendship.
- Be like me then, have fun but go away before you fall in love.
- If only ... Usually I have fun and fall in love every single time. Anyway… All of this doesn't solve the real problems with our legislation.
- Los hombres son basura… she nodded.
- Hey! I said.
- ¡Si, tú también, Giacomo Bellini! "
In the meantime, Michel finally came back. We jumped to our feet. He had a big smile on his face.
"So ?
- We're moving, he told me.
- They banished you? I immediately worried.
"Promoted. I have to take over the Two Hundred and Fifteenth Nome.
- Sarajevo, I whispered. It is a mandate-Nome.
- A what ? Alice asked me.
"A Nome which for some particular reason is not inhabited or only by one or two magicians," Esme clarified.
- Sarajevo and Belgrade are the two Nomes that watch over the Balkans. There is only one magician left in Belgrade, an old man of 1,500 years old.
- Sarajevo handle Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and other regions. Kosovo, Vojvodina, the rest of Servia and Macedonia are Belgrade's domain. Albania has its own little Nome, Michel sumed up.
- But why is it so? Alice asked me. The Balkans are a big territory, there could be hundreds of magicians, like here in France.
- War, I explained. It's a sad story, but the Greek, Italian and Austrian Nomes have allied themselves against them. Sarajevo and Belgrade were aging Nomes with no children. They were destroyed. Some bloody fights happened, especially against the Greek heroes, but also, and above all, the Slavs and Setne.
- Setne? Alice said. This one's yours, right?
- An old magician, over three thousand years old. He had made the Balkans his fortress. Iskandar sends you to righten the land?
- Yes, to lift up the House of Life's power, pacify the last centers of civil war." Come on, nothing more? Well, it's the kind of suicide mission Iskandar likes to give. "I have to leave tomorrow, I am not allowed to contact the others before I leave. La Roque doesn't want to see me at Nome since I challenged his authority. Iskandar proposed this compromise instead.
- It's as much a gift as a punishment." The House does not accept failure. "Young promising magicians often take their first steps in Mandate-Nomes. You're going to need help, a lot of help...
- And a new costume, added Esme. You aren't you going to come dressed like that to the assembly of the Nomes, right? You need Egyptian clothes.
- I have linen clothes," he replied.
- I mean a real Egyptian garment.
- We're about the same height," I said.
I went to fetch my ceremonial costumes from the wardrobe.
"We're trying them on, right? Alice grinned. Alright, let's dress up our chief of Nome a bit. I was dreaming of it for a long time.
"Find some makeup then," Esme said.
- Am I allowed to wear makeup?
- My dear, there is no such magician that doesn't wear kohl, she whispered to him.
- I knew I would end up liking it, smiles Michel. "
Alice took out her box of colors. I returned from the bedroom, a long blue dress with moiré fabric, and a white one on my arms. At the same time the doorbell rang. Justine and Assia entered.
"How come you're already there, did you get my message?" Alice wondered.
"We were at the Louvre, we ran," Assia replied.
- I was so freaked out, Justine added, you spent hours inside with Iskandar and La Roque…
- They made me fill out tons of paperwork. And I'm not supposed to meet you… Michel reminded.
- No, you're not supposed to contact us. We called the others, Letizia and Thomas are bringing a case of champagne.
- Oh yes, more night din to say goodbye to our abominable neighbors, I rejoiced.
- What did La Roque tell you? Michel asked.
- He's sending me away as well. I have to go in Cairo, to do some training." She smirked mischievously. "This is a true victory. They told me, I am the first commoner woman to achieve the right to a higher education in Cairo since Louis XI. "
Michel kissed her on the cheek. Esme and I each grabbed him by an arm and led him into the bedroom. I finally put the blue dress on him.
"So?
- Mmm, you look beautiful in that dress...
- But?
- But, I prefer you without." I grabbed the flaps of the dress. "Without anything on.
- Todavía estoy aquí," said Esme.
- Vuelve in Madrid! I scolded. "
She laughed and covered his eyelids with kohl and powder. I put one of my amulets around his neck, the one with a papyrus plant. Alice applauded as we took him out into the living room. She had poured the rest of the limoncello into six glasses.
"Whoa! Justine exclaimed.
- Cathegory is prince of the thousand and one nights, complimented Assia.
- I'm hiring you" Alice agreed, you'll make all of his outfits from now on.
- To happy endings! Esme raised a glass. "And to Sarajevo."
Hardly had we emptied the glass, the doorbell rang again. Michel moved Louis in the back room, and soundproofed the walls using a hieroglyph. Other magicians joined us. Letizia, Thomas and Erwan finally came with the promised champagne. Alice sang, others took out instruments. After midnight, drunk, we began, admist laughters, to collect our things and toss them in my Duat locker. Once the space was cleared, we began to dance. The party continued until the morning's early hours.
We went out, in dawn's gray light, climbed Montmartre to watch the sun rising in the east, over the city. The birds were singing. In the morning light, the Sacré-Coeur seemed made of pink marble. We had been drinking. We breathed easily. The air was sweet and tender like a piece of honey. Crazy, how beautiful it was then, this piece of clear sky above Paris.
Traduction
Italian:
Guarda quanto è bella la mamma! : Look how beautiful mum is !
Mostrami con i gesti : Show me with gestures
Non sono un poliglotta Louis : I'm not a polyglot Louis.
Spanish:
Los hombres son basura… : Men are trash...
¡ Si, tú también, Giacomo Bellini ! : Yes, you too, Giacomo Bellini!
Todavía estoy aquí : I'm still there.
Vuelve a Madrid! : Go back to Madrid!