Merry Christmas my dear friends
A little gift for you for the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024.
It's not a very long episode but I think it is worth telling.
I
-°-oOo-°-
The ninety-wo years war Gamble
I
-°-oOo-°-
Two Devils, two Paladins, one Assassin, one Saint and a Damsel in Distress
I
-°-oOo-°-
Earth -1847 I. dies Veneris ad. IV Non. Iun. MCLXXV a.u.c.
(3rd of June of the year 422 B.C.)
I
-°-oOo-°-
Earth -414 IR1. Rouen English Monarchy
Lancastrian War (1415–1453)
I
-°-oOo-°-
Pemberley. d'Arcy apartment.
15th of March 1844
(19th of May 1431)
I
-°-oOo-°-
Jane looked at Maureen with a slight frown…
Her sister wife was visibly in a hurry and just by looking at her face at the same time pissed off and visibly excited.
- Something happened?
- We've got a Joan possibility, answered Maureen. I just got the dispatch; Lionel's last attempt opens on France in May 1431.
Jane who was very invested in everything that made Maureen either happy or angry made great efforts not to show the smile she was feeling coming up.
- How long do you have?
- It's the 19th of May, we still got eleven days.
Which was good news since it gave them enough time to avoid operation Wrath of God, also dubbed by Jane as operation bloody mass murder. Well, avoid was perhaps too optimistic. Especially with Maureen in her present mood. There would be lots of wardens who were about to die, that was unavoidable. But, with eleven days still pending, Maureen could with a little bit of luck, launch the whole thing without ending with everybody within the Rouen Prison eviscerated, beheaded or sucked dry.
Well, Cauchon would probably die… Maureen's hatred for the man was too hot to convince her that he had only been a tool -which by judging his own memoirs he never had been- of Henry the Sixth.
Jane reckoned rapidly in her head.
At the date Maureen alluded, Jeanne was already sick but had not yet been tortured or badly manhandled. They still had three days to avoid that…
- Has Geoffrey been informed?
- It is him who called me, answered Maureen. He knows that I do look for an occasion to save Jeanne form the English.
Of course, he knows.
To the point that he has bought what was left of the Rouen Castle and had rebuilt it to be a perfect image of what the castle was in 1431.
As of now Maureen dear, you probably know that place better than those who had built it.
Here Jane couldn't help but smile.
Rouen Castle had only been bought and rebuilt to give Maureen -and the other women of the Clan who shared Maureen's little Crusade moment- the best reproduction of Joan's keep and like with everything Maureen embraced, they had trained and rehearsed Jeanne's Liberation.
Many times…
- I will prepare myself, said Jane while cleaning her brushes.
- You come?
- At the date you've pointed at, she's been sick for a few months, she will need my help. It is because Cauchon fears to see her die that he will have hurried up the legal proceedings and is finally envisioning torturing her. You will need me to cure her, and I believe she will react a little better when facing me. I'm quite sure that when we arrive at her cell your sword will have seen quite a lot of work.
Maureen took a long breath and nodded.
- You are probably right; I have prepared that mission for so long, I will not be in the mood to show leniency.
- You do tend to rather seldomly show leniency when it comes to people who have the reputation or the habit to torture others… But for what we know from the painstakingly wide-ranging reports Cauchon did send daily to his master, she hasn't been tortured yet… Her sickness hurried everything up. Those people who are detaining her are politicians. Even Cauchon has, until then, shown restraint considering what the Lancaster brothers had asked of him in the name of Henry! From the very beginning of her custody they had shown restraint. They never were in a hurry, since a political victory for the Priesthood was still possible.
The Regents of England had never wavered in their demands. They wanted Joan dead and they had wanted her dead a long time ago.
And Cauchon had refused at multiple times to follow orders.
Jane went on. There was still a possibility to avoid major bloodshed.
- If you still have a chance to save Jeanne it is because of Cauchon's reluctance to follow his masters' orders. Not because he likes or respects his prisoner but because he is making every possible effort to cover his sorry ass like any shitty politician who's been handed a hot potato. He's in a bend there and he wants to have a perfect case to present to the Pope should said Pope decide to intervene. He knows that, aside from torture, there is no legal way to prove that Jeanne hasn't heard the famous voices.
Maureen grumbled while frowning at her sister.
- He needs her to admit either having lied about said voices or having known that the voices were the Devils'. Because even if he doesn't believe in God being the one behind her, he cannot just erase what has happened those last years. With Joan's help, the French have turned the stakes and have stopped losing again and again… That cannot be just forgotten. He needs her to confess working for the devil. Once he's pulled her there, he will be free to have her burned.
Her comment stopped Maureen in her track.
- He still is a criminal…
- Not in legal terms, dear. He's a lawyer, a Theologist and a legally appointed judge. He covers the whole range of what should be needed to get her condemned if she is guilty.
- She isn't…
- Please remember that, even if we will soon know, the truth of her allegations is not why we intervene! Won't you agree with me that even should we find proof about who's behind her, it won't change our mission at all… Is she somebody's puppet or is she really God's tool? That will be what we could discover and I'm not sure that I can, as of now, embrace the whole range of consequences finding a proof in either direction will produce.
- I'm not doing that to find the truth. I'm doing that because a woman who has sacrificed everything is about to be burned alive by some fake Priestly Judge.
- That's where our opinions differ, love. He is not fake, dear, he is totally and genuinely the spokesman of the English Branch of Catholicism. Bishops in the fifteenth century, like every other one, everywhen, tend to prefer a mute God a lot more than one who gives orders. In a certain sense they are all very satisfied that God has chosen a girl to hear his instructions. Imagine them facing a High-Ranking Noble pretending to have been chosen by God to listen to his guidelines.
- God knew why he wouldn't choose one of those lying aristocratic bastards. Nobody would have believed them.
- Our husband is one of those aristocratic bastards! Are you pretending he would lie?
- Each and every time it would have suited him. I didn't fall for him because of his honesty but because he is the most stunning and brave male around. Not to mention that he saved me from worse than death…
- And, because, with us, he is kind, loving, respectful and considerate…
Maureen nodded and a smile reappeared on her lips.
- There's that indeed! And because of that I very much doubt that he will enjoy having you with us in Rouen.
- He will accept that this mission needs the best healer available. And since Alana has gifted me with my own Operation Wrath of God outfit, I will wear it with pleasure. As you know, I even trained with Geoff while wearing it. And since, as you've often witnessed, I'm quite good with my Rigby handgun, I shouldn't need you or Sun to provide me with any extra protection.
The OWG outfit was a gift from Alana who had obtained from the Atlantean computers a complete set for all those women of the Clan who weren't like Maureen and Sun always ready to wear good old stainless steel military armors and who still could find themselves roaming the multiverse and facing firearms, arrows or swords.
The outfit was very stylish in a pseudo Roman Napoleonic style and even had a shield that looked like a slightly oversized Spanish decorated fan. The thing looked flimsy and a non-upgraded woman -or man- would probably not be able to hold it after having been hit by a bullet, but Jane and the others had trained just that with her husband and they had learned how to hold it to maximize the protection while never losing their grip.
And because of Maureen and Geoffrey's insistence, Jane was amongst the best fan-wielders in the world. She even mastered the dozen offensive moves the fan gave to its wearer.
- I won't deny that having you with us is good news, said Maureen. I'm quite sure that our soon to be escapee will prefer to deal with you once out of her cell.
- Having a healer is always a good thing but, as you know from former older experiences, the Christians crowd in these centuries do tend to be rather extreme in their reactions when facing what looks like sorcery.
- You always got them to accept you. The fact that you plainly exhale condensed goodness is always helping.
Jane shook her head while sending a grateful smile in her sister's direction.
- I very much doubt that I exhale anything like that, but it does seem that people recognize that I do love them.
- As long as they recognize also that, should they try to hurt you, condensed death will rain upon them, it should work out.
- How many time must I convince you that a smile opens a lot more doors and hearts than frowns?
Maureen couldn't help but relax and smile.
This was a very old and a lot of times rehearsed dialog. She knew that it would end like usual with her giving up arguing but nothing would, ever, convince her to think like Jane truly did, that people were, deep down in their hearts good!
Mankind had given birth to a few very good and admirable people, and she really thought that it was her duty, when one of them appeared in her vicinity, to protect them. But, as of now, she had only met one and that one was, most of the time, sharing her life.
The situation was clearly still bearable.
- As long as you persist in facing bad people who exhale bad vibes in your direction, you'll find me frowning at said bad people.
Jane couldn't help but walk over, hug her sister-wife and whisper in her ear.
- I love you too…
I
-°-oOo-°-
- No, I won't, answered Geoff. It is Maureen's pet mission and I will not spend my time interfering with it. I'll get you there and I'll be back the following day to get you back here but I won't stay. I know Maureen, she would be miffed.
- But, we would also be safer, said Jane who had hoped that he would stay with them.
- Your dress coupled with your fan will stop even the sharpest dart or arrow. Don't forget to wear your hoodie on your head and even from behind nothing will be able to hurt you.
He looked at his second wife and first daughter.
- And Sun and Maureen have trained together for years now. They are a good and effective team. Even elite Legionaries with lots of combat experience stand no chance against them. Those garrison troops used as jailers won't stand a chance. They either run or they die.
Jane looked at Maureen and Sun who were storing their backpacks -and hers- within the storage compartment of the Light Bubble who would be used to transport them to minus four one four. To get three people to another layer of the multiverse the Light Bubbles were the best and most discreet mean of transport. Especially if the Light part of the device wasn't used.
- Those men do their jobs, they do what they are paid for to do…
Geoffrey who had while saving Maureen out of Wicklow killed quite a few scores of prison guards couldn't help but make a face.
- Prison wardens especially in an inquisition-led prison are, in my experience, either sick psychopaths, religious fanatics or hiding cowards. Those in charge of such prisons do like cronies serving them. As I see it, nobody forced them to choose their current occupation.
He pointed an accusing finger in Jane's direction.
- Don't you dare enter a crusade to save them! They are human scum of the worst sort and are not worth your compassion, believe me. And even if there are some of them who are not torturers like the others, let it be God's task to save them. Your task is to ensure that the three who enter that fortress get out safe and in good health in company of the prisoner we decided to free.
His eyes, while staying full of love and compassion, got a little harder.
- It is a prison and there will be more than one prisoner! I forbid you to launch a general rescue of all poor prisoners, Jane.
Before she could word her opposition, he went on.
- If you have the occasion, open all the cells you see and even tend to the worst injuries you encounter. I know that it would be silly to try and stop you saving lives, but I urge you not to waste time -not even a minute- trying to get them out of there. You are there to get Joan out of a place where she's about to die. Free all the others you can but once free, it's up to them to use the opportunity you gave them to get out of there. Promise me that you will be reasonable and not try to have everybody follow you out to the prison.
- We could, at least, let them follow us in the secret passage…
- That secret passage is your life insurance. It gives you an easy way out. I very much doubt that anyone who oversees the prison still knows about that secret door and passage and it would be best to have that ignorance continue. The moment somebody else but you knows about the secret passage it will only be a question of days before the whole Church management will have been informed. Your way out is to stay our secret! Who knows, we could need to use said secret passage again in the future.
- Fluffy will be with us… We could always use her teleportation abilities.
- Indeed, and that will come handy should the secret passage have been broken, flooded or caved-in somewhere. But as long as said secret passage exists and is usable it would be smarter to use it and not publicize its existence to strangers.
Jane took a long breath and forced herself to totally calm down. He was right and she wasn't responsible or even in charge of the lives of anybody in their target Universe's.
But, perhaps, Joan of Arc…
It was at that precise moment that it appeared before her mind eye.
Of Arc…
d'Arques…
- Could she be family?
Geoff's immediate head shake showed her that the had already thought and researched about the coincidence.
- Her father's name was clearly d'Arc with a 'c' and not d'Arques with 'ques' which has always been the way my ancestors wrote their names. But since Domrémy is a long way from Normandy it could be that one of Jacques d'Arc's ancestors' decided to simplify the name. Or the name got simplified by a lazy clerk. I will have to ask the man about his family when we are done with the whole mess.
- What whole mess?
- That bloody war between England and France, answered Geoffrey. It had lasted long enough -ninety-one years already- and I very much believe that it needs an outsider's meddling to be quickly resolved. If nothing is done it will last for another quarter century of bloodshed and mayhem.
He sighed lengthily.
- We have already found a Timeline that's more into the fourteenth century, there, we are already doing what's necessary to see the war being stopped earlier. But we try to do it in such a way that the war ends with one clear winner who takes all. Lionel is very interested to see if a united Anglo-French Kingdom will take over the whole of Europe.
- If you and Lionel are meddling, I don't see how the world will be able to avoid that…
- It's not so easy as it seems. We do believe that too much interference would just show our own preferences, not the real flow of history…
- The real tide of History ceased to flow the moment Lionel meddled for the first time. Why stop in the middle of the ford? You want to have a united Anglo-French dynasty in place? Just do it and cut the population's losses. Look who would be the best King of the whole thing and crown him… The people will thank you.
- As they would also probably here, should I meddle, acknowledged Geoff. Both Kings who fight the current war are either unsympathetic and, in my opinion, unworthy of their current royal position or too young.
- Those Kings would be Henry the Sixth of Great Britain and Charles the Seventh of France, if I remember well.
- You indeed do, and if Charles is a little better Statesman than Henry will be, I still can find no sympathy for either one of them. I play with the idea of paying a visit to both of them to remind them of their duties. Depending on their answers I'll perhaps have to decide which one of them -or probably neither of them- is able to steer the region towards a better future. There's also Charles' son who will be known as Louis the eleventh who is available. As you know that one will be known as the smartest and most conniving ruler of France's History. With a good mentor and some smart advice, he could become a real powerhouse.
- He is not known for his good deeds, said Jane.
He shot her a loving smile.
- Always remember that I'm not in the good deeds business. Louis will be known for having been an efficient King who has been able to crush his most troublesome Nobility. He didn't get all the Aristocrats to reenter the ranks of obedient vassals, but he crushed the most dangerous of them. Should he be well counselled he could be the one to take over Europe and stand up against the Ottomans.
- He was born in 1423 if I remember well. He's eight, still a little bit too young to take over.
- But the perfect age to come under your wing…
Jane who had seen quite a few young promising future rulers spend time in Pemberley couldn't help a smile to appear.
It had, at first, been informal visits by mothers with children but, soon, it had taken a very different form. Now it has become a real royal academy where future rulers were taught and trained by the best people available.
- And, in a few years, said Louis could be tutored by some experienced and almost unemployed Statesman.
- Lizzy won't like it…
- Quite the contrary, you'll see. Your dear sister hates to see us gallivanting along the Timelines to meddle and change History but she's quite smart enough to understand that having all those young people learning their future craft with highly experienced people like Fitzwilliam, Napoleon or Talleyrand can only increase their competence.
He let a snicker escape.
- She clearly would hate to see Fitzwilliam follow my example and jump from one timeline to the other but I'm quite sure that she's already reveling in the perspective of having our preferred white Knight tutoring another bunch of future Monarchs. She quite liked Theo's sojourn, didn't she?
- She did, agreed Jane who had taken a great liking for Galla's son. Theo is a very smart and compassionate young man. And he is fun. It is very difficult to not like him. From what I remember from Louis the eleventh that one was not sympathetic at all.
Geoffrey who had, since Lionel had opened Pandora's Time Travel Box, studied a lot of books about France's and Europe's History, shook his head.
- It depends on which Historian you study. Louis was renowned to be simple and on the thrifty side of Monarchy. Because of that he was quite liked by the people around him and the people in general. At least his non aristocratic people. Add that the turmoil in France transformed his youth into a very unpleasant and unsatisfying experience in the parental department and you will get a suspicious and chary of those who came to see him.
He shook his head.
- Add to that that his father was until Jeanne's arrival, quite the depressive loser who was sure that France would be vanquished and because of his belief he never visited his son to ensure that nobody knew where to find him. His fear about seeing somebody assassinate his heir was rather predominant in his mind. That doesn't make him a bad father, just an absent one.
Jane who was a lot better informed about England's History looked up when Geoff uttered the 'a' word. Assassinating children came very high on her not to do list!
- And so did his mother who, to reassure her depressive husband, tried to always stay with him and the rest of their children. In other words, they were not there for Louis who had to spend his early years hidden in the Loches fortress. But he used his forced sojourn to the best of his ability. At eight, which is now in this timeline, he is already speaking Latin and Greek and his Mathematical knowledge is far superior to that of most of his contemporaries. Having the great luck to have you, Lizzy and Fitzwilliam in his life could totally change his world vision and his perspectives. He would still be clever and knowledgeable but with a lot better uprising.
Jane who knew her English History a lot better than her French one couldn't not make the parallel with the current King of England who since he was born in 1421 was a few months older than Louis.
- You do know that both young boys who could probably benefit from the teaching and study conditions our family offers?
- I do and, looking at Alexandre and William's lasting friendship, it could be an even better idea to give those boys the chance to know each other a little better. But if we do that, the chance to have one and only one King for France and England will diminish.
Jane couldn't help but nod.
Geoff was, as often, right. If she knew both boys in the same more or less motherly manner, she would probably be reluctant to push one at the expense of the other. Even if one was clearly smarter than the other which seemed to be the case.
- If I remember well, said Geoffrey, Henri's reign had been a chitty one which ended not good at all. He's the one who's considered responsible for the war of the Roses, isn't he?
Jane nodded reluctantly.
- It's a little more complicated than that, said she, but since he is the King who will have eluded to do what was necessary to avoid that civil war, he can, probably be considered as a major factor in said war's happenstance.
She frowned at her husband.
- But that's a war we will not let happen. You agree on that, don't you?
- Of course, love, I do. That is a war that will not happen even if, to prevent it, I have to exterminate half the English nobility.
He looked towards the Heavens.
- Avenging Agincourt, at least and at last!
Jane's frown was as deep as uncommon…
- Don't frown at me in such a manner, love, it was only an attempt at British humor.
- Don't make fun with England's historical accidents, Monsieur mon époux. The war of the Roses was probably one of the more catastrophic events of England's History and avoiding it would be a huge success in more than one manner.
- I already promised that I would do what's necessary to spare England such a disastrous episode. I don't know, yet, how we will do it, but be sure that we will ensure that the next King of England, be it Henry or Louis, will have a successful and politically quiet reign. Which means that some ambitious aristocrats will have to either be taught humility and patience or be disappeared. If my knowledge is as accurate as I believe, I fear that Somerset and York will either be two very frustrated Dukes or very dead ones.
Here he stopped smiling.
- Because, should they show too great a reluctance to get back in line, I will use all the knowledge I have gathered on four continents to make them understand that the playtime is over.
- We still have two decades to avoid those things to happen, said Jane with a very serious face.
Geoff sighed and went over to embrace his wife.
- I'm not really interested in intervening in the hundred years war so late in time. The worst have already happened, and millions of innocent lives have already been wasted. France has lost a quarter of its population and France countryside is a field of smoldering rubble…
- On both sides thousands of soldiers have died, too…
- I strongly refute the term soldiers when speaking of the men fighting on both sides in this war. Since Agincourt, it has stopped being a war. It has become a wanton slaughter of French civilians of epic proportions done by mercenaries or, most of the time, by badly organized looters. And all military commanders on both sides have shown, greed, recklessness and a total lack of respect for the civilians living in the country. Civilians they all pretend being under their protection.
He gritted his teeth while shaking his head.
- Jane, dear, soldiers like that deserve to be skinned alive… I have commanded troops for decades and I know that it is very difficult to force soldiers to stay decent human beings. But, each time I have been in charge, I have been able to do it, so I know that it is possible. The only reason those so-called officers didn't do it was because they haven't tried it hard enough. They are greedy and power hungry and having badly managed troops is the best excuse a commander in chief can have to hide his own failures. And I am very much tempted to go out there and provide them with the fate they deserve… What IT's sats have shown me is even worse than what we've seen in Gallia after the German barbarians invaded. It is, in my opinion, totally unacceptable coming from people who pretend being soldiers and or part of the nobility. Even the Mongols who were specialists in applied terror, avoided perpetrating those types of abuse after the towns had surrendered. I am really tempted to enter the fray and begin killing those criminals whoever and wherever they are…
- We are here to save Jeanne, that's all.
- It's never only one action, dear, and you know it. Once Jeanne is safe what is the next step you envision? What will we you do once she is free and once more in good health? Bring her back to the French Court to give her the possibility to go on furthering the French Army's morale? With her safe and saved, the French will probably enter another level of motivation and the war could go into an even higher gear! I wonder if that is really what we want? Saving her must only be the first step. Considering the schedule, I agree that saving her has the highest urgency ratings. But once she's saved and out of her fortress cell, what is the next step Maureen and Sun envision?
- We could take her with us?
- You could but would she like it? Would she accept your interference in what can very well be seen as her very own crusade. And don't forget the little detail of God giving her orders and guidelines. Charles did disguise himself and hide in the back of the hall when she first came to Blois. And still she found out where he really was.
- There are weaving powers, said Jane, she could have that would explain how she did it. God really doesn't need to be involved.
- I agree with you but the real question still remains! What if she has really been 'guided' by some superior power.
A superior power like me?
- Indeed! Acknowledged Geoff. You could do that, couldn't you?
Easily, and now that we have learned to modulate our thought lengths, we are even able to give our mind voice the soothing or threatening undertone we desire. We have learned a lot with you about dissimulation and comedy…
Jane was immediately frowning.
Could there be a Demon in the background of Jeanne's voices?
There could but I will know the second I enter the Timeline if we've got competition. The counterpart being that said competition will also immediately know that I arrived and since he will have no idea about my real power, he will, in the good old competitive way that is ours, come over to jump me. And that is the moment it will know that it just entered the food category.
You could be at risk…
I have reinforcements that will be ready to move-in the moment we jump. That's why I will be alone to enter. With me alone, the bait will be irresistible.
They could feel her amusement.
Even if it is stronger and more powerful than me -which I really doubt- it will have no chance against the both of us. Remember that we've trained the two on one combat with the best unarmed combat master that exists. We are quite the pair! It will be crushed, please don't worry!
You are family and I'm always worried when my actions put family members at risk.
Thanks for that but, even if we do not publicize it, we did already encounter a few of our ilk roaming other timelines. We do not have the prospect to hunt them systematically, but that's not necessary since they always react very territoriality. Which gives us an advantage since we do not need to hunt them. And, as our presence here proves it, it always went very well and without real risks for us or our companions. But I promise not only are we prepared but we will be as prudent as usual.
- The answer to my question's still in the air, said Geoff. Whatever the origin of the voices, what are your intentions with rescued Joan? She played an important political role, even if she never clearly understood said role. Should the Heavens have saved her it would boost the French side into more military moves. And, whatever everybody thinks, Stalin was right when he asked how many Panzer Divisions the Vatican could put in the field!
- You are citing Stalin now?
- He was a very smart and very efficient monster. And technically he was suffering from a mental illness called paranoia. Some people would call him a victim…
- I refuse to enter that sort of reasoning. Stalin was a sociopath of the worst sort doubled with a murdering psychopath who should have been shot a lot earlier than he already had…
- Sociopathy, like psychopathy are just another mental illness, love. In some legal systems, people who suffer from those illnesses are considered irresponsible. It is silly, I agree, but the fact remains that somebody with a mental illness has always the possibility to argue that it was said illness that compelled him to make those horrible decisions.
Every Stalin we have met has died prematurely, said Fluffy. Whatever his position in life. And said vanishing act always brought massive changes all over the world. Not always in the good sense, though! But there is no denying that the repercussions had always been dramatically important. Curiously, for a reason I don't fathom, it is not the same with Hitler. Each time that one disappears the situation first unravels into a cutthroat infighting amongst Adolf's disciples but the survivor and winner, most of the time Himmler, because of the SS, is always killed by the military as soon as they have an occasion.
Geoff who had studied the 'normal' History timeline with determination had an explanation.
Hitler was loved and even worshipped by the German people. Himmler was only feared. Killing him was not looked at as a sacrilegious act, just another episode in the infighting and the people liked it to have the military propose an immediate cease fire.
He stopped to smile at his wife.
- And, once more we have lost the real subject of our talk. Jeanne and her whereabouts after having been rescued.
- That's probably because we don't have a good answer to propose, said Jane. The schedule is tight and if we want her to survive, we have to go in, now!
- But we still could think about what we do immediately after having saved her.
He pointed at the wall of the apartment they shared when in Pemberley.
- We could bring her here while we decide about her future! She's at most nineteen years old. Her life's ahead of her and once back to health it will be easier to let her decide.
- Does she decide or is she a puppet into someone else's hands?
Geoff shrugged.
- Whatever, saving her is Maureen's first priority. And once saved I'm quite sure that Fluffy will have an answer to your question.
- Not if she's really God's messenger, protested Jane.
Even then, said Fluffy. I will be able to determine if those voices were real for her. I don't doubt that I will have difficulties to follow the link to the author but the reality of said messages will be evident. She either remembers them or not…
- So, determining if she lied is the easy part…
- And we can probably accept the preconception that she didn't lie, said Geoff. Too many people have tried to prove that she was an impostor to believe that she could have conned all of them. Which still puts us in difficulty since, depending on the origins of the messages, we could soon be facing a reality we have, until now, avoided.
He smiled at his wife.
- I know how to act when facing an Angel, but I will have to admit that the right behavior when facing God still poses me protocol problems. Have we to kowtow? And since I'm a Muslim will he want me to speak Arabic with him? Because as we all know, Arabic is the language God uses all the time…
Jane shot him a seething look.
- It is not funny, we are perhaps at risk… What if it really is God behind the whole thing?
- If it is Him, we will be grateful to have you with us to defend us. You are what can be considered as the nearest saintly creature we will ever meet. You'll be able to argue with God to save us all!
- I'm not sure making fun about that is the right path to follow…
Since he hadn't stopped embracing her he crushed her against him.
- I am always amazed that those who are worried are the ones who are really following God's path. As I said, don't forget what God should be, would be, will be, is, whatever! If he is what all religions describe and he is omniscient and supreme, he knows everything about us and what we've done. So, had he been miffed with us because of what we did he would have taken measures to have us stop. Since he didn't and since we go on believing in His Existence, the only explanation that remains is that he doesn't mind, either because he approves or because what we do isn't important enough to get him riled up.
He pushed her minimally away to be able to look her in the eyes.
- So, you see? Problem resolved!
He could feel her tighten up and then relaxing.
- If it only could be that simple…
- It is that simple, love. And we should take this whole thing as an opportunity. We are perhaps for the first time in our lives, nearing a point where -or when- we have a chance to meet God or one of his close associates. The only better place would be to brace yourself and go discuss with Yeshua, son of Joseph and Myriam in Augustus' timeline. He's there and, from what I have heard, IT is following each and everyone of his moves. Give us an hour and we could force ourselves into his life.
Jane who had thought a lot about meeting Jesus couldn't help but shoot a dark look in her husband's direction. She hated it when he was blatantly right. But if she had hesitated a lot, she had finally decided not to look for the proof that was perhaps there.
The proof of what, she didn't know and, to confess another truth, she didn't want to know. She was happy with her current certainties and with what God has offered her all these years. She did, indeed, have the possibility to verify the story Jesus' disciples had told in the Bible. But what if…
And that 'what if' was the center to the whole problem.
What if, indeed?
She had already read the originals of all the disciples' Gospels. Even those of Thomas and Myriam. And what had come out of her study had been totally in sync with what she wanted to believe.
But Yeshua was, at that very moment in Augustus' timeline, still a young man, probably even a boy and he was probably not yet aware of the message his Godly father wanted him to spread.
Going out to speak with him would probably be a waste of their time and could even push him into wondering about the visits of strangers.
She shook her head and took a long breath.
She stopped wondering about the 'what if…' question and went on procrastinating. After all, now was clearly not the best moment to appear in front of a too young Yeshua.
There would be better moments to meet him.
Later.
She felt Geoff's hand taking hers and wasn't surprised to feel his breath on her fingers.
- We are in no hurry, love. Just know that the second you decide to go on that journey, you'll have me at your side for the whole of it.
She smiled at his attempt to reassure her.
She would do it…
When she was ready.
Clearly not yet.
She knew that what was a little bout of cowardice would be forgiven.
Probably…
I
-°-oOo-°-
Next part tomorrow...