Fire - Betrayal

by Amelia Grace

  She held Ben’s eyes for longer than I liked.

  “It is nice to meet you finally Cate. When Ben was here for two years, he ranted and raved on about you the whole time. It’s good to have a face to your name at last,” Jacinta said in a friendly tone.

  “It is nice to meet you too Jacinta. I have seen you in my Grandy’s memory before, so to a certain degree, I feel that I know you already, but that is only the familiarity of your face that makes me feel that way,” I said, as Jacinta smiled at me.

  “Cate, your energy is very low, you are exhausted, that is why you collapsed. Eat these fruits, they are remarkable and will give you the instant lift and energy your body needs,” Jacinta instructed.

  As I ate the familiar santé fruit leisurely, Jacinta talked to me explaining the protocol for non-Terreans.

  “Cate, you are in the receiving tent because firstly, you were unconscious, and secondly, you are from the Earth. We call people like you an intruder, although, you are more of a visitor to us, so we don’t feel so threatened by your presence. The purpose of the receiving tent is to gauge your spirit, your character, and your motive for being here. While you were unconscious I did connect with your brain because I was searching for the cause of your unconsciousness. I had Ben’s permission to do this. But now that you are conscious again, I must ask for your permission to read into your mind. All that I will ask you to do, is to lay down on the bed, and allow me to place my hands on your head to look into your mind. It does not hurt or feel uncomfortable in any way, in fact, it may relax you so well that you will sleep deeply and peacefully. Do you give me permission to read into your mind Cate?” asked Jacinta in a quiet calm voice.

  I looked up at Ben. He raised his eyebrows and nodded yes, encouraging me to do as Jacinta asked.

  “I do give you permission Jacinta, although I wish for Ben to stay in the receiving tent with me for the duration of the intrusion into my mind,” I requested.

  Jacinta looked over to Ben. I knew that they were mind communicating, and it made me feel uncomfortable being left out of the conversation.

  “Of course Cate, if you don’t mind though, I may see things that he hasn’t been able to see with his undeveloped mind reading skills. Are you sure that you want him to stay?” Jacinta questioned.

  “Yes.” I lay down on the white bed, and breathed in deeply. I had nothing to hide, except my lack of confidence of being in the parallel world. I was inferior to the Terreans, and I knew it.

  Jacinta placed her hand and fingers on my head, positioning her fingers strategically to connect with energy points into my brain. The mind reading had begun.

  My muscles and body relaxed instantly. My eyes became heavy and my breathing even and slow. I fought to keep my eyes open, but I lost the battle. I went into a deep and peaceful sleep.

  ***

  I kept my eyes on Jacinta as she searched Cate’s mind and memories. Jacinta’s hand was red with warmth, her eyes closed as she concentrated on the information being transferred to her.

  Then she breathed out slowly and released her hand, confident that she had gathered all of the information that she needed for the council.

  Jacinta looked up at me.

  “Ben, as I said before, you have done well to help Cate heal. She has been through a deeply traumatic ordeal. However, her mind would have healed without your intervention. I do question your decision to speed up this process. Was it for you, or her?” Jacinta expressed through her mind.

  “I felt totally responsible for the damage that had been done to Cate by my absence, so it was my responsibility to help her heal. I did everything with the best intentions, with only Cate’s well-being in mind,” I explained.

  Jacinta looked into my eyes for an extended period. I could see that she was highly attracted to me. Then she turned back to Cate, looking at her.

  “You know Ben, in Une Autre Terre, we do not read into the minds and emotions of our loved ones. There must be a distance between each of your knowledge and thoughts. You both must be allowed to have your own private thoughts and feelings. If you are in her head all the time, it can only lead to destruction of your relationship. Please heed my advice,“ she advised me.

  “Jacinta, over all the years that I have known Cate, I have stayed out of her head. It was only when she was in very bad shape that I decided to help her in this way. But now that you have confirmed her extent of healing, I will not use my gifts of mind reading on her again, unless it is a life or death situation,” I informed her, “Thank-you for your concern and advice Jacinta,” I said, bowing my head to her, indicating that the conversation was over.

  But Jacinta maintained eye contact with me, trying to engage me in deep eye connection. I knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to claim me as hers.

  I then turned to Cate, whom was still in a deep sleep. I brushed some of her locks from her face and then settled down on the white bed beside her again, and placed my arm protectively around her and fell asleep, peacefully for the first time in a long while.

  ***

  I woke first, happily, and felt Ben’s arm around me. I smiled to myself, I felt like I was in heaven – the whiteness that surrounded me in the receiving tent, the gentle breeze, the view of the teal lake, the birds singing, the fragrance from the beautiful flowers on the white table, Ben’s breathe on my neck, and his beating heart against my back.

  I ran my fingers along his arm to his hand, then brought his hand to my lips and kissed each of his fingers. He moaned quietly.

  I turned my body to face him. His eyes were still closed, but he smiled crookedly, making my heart skip a beat.

  Then he slowly opened his eyes to look at me. Our eyes burned into each others. I slowly brought my lips to his, and we kissed slowly, both enjoying the pleasures that the kiss brought with it.

  “I love you, “Ben whispered.

  “And I love you,” I whispered back.

  Then I looked up. Standing at the door to the receiving tent was Grandy.

  Immediately, I raced over to her and hugged her tightly, tears streaming down my face.

  “Grandy,“ I breathed, feeling overwhelming relief to see her again.

  “My dear, dear Cate. Thank-you for fulfilling my final wish, I can’t thank you enough. I wish there were words to express how I feel about you, but there aren’t. Now this is even better, to have you here with me in person. I am blown away. I am so excited to see you. Come on Cate, you’ve got to meet your Poppy, James, he can’t wait to meet a grandchild of his.”

  And with that Grandy grabbed my hand and whisked me away out of the receiving tent, and down a very long path to what looked like a village.

  Terreans everywhere stopped and looked. At first their glances and stares were curious, and then smiles appeared on their faces. They could see the utter joy on Grandy Katie’s face as she ran holding onto my hand. We were like school girls off to the candy store.

  James stood with tears rolling down his cheeks as we stopped in front of him. When my eyes met Poppy’s, I saw the same cerulean eyes that Ben had, and I warmed to my new Poppy straight away. I hugged him and then stood back. Poppy looked me over, he looked very pleased with his new found grand-daughter.

  “Hello Cate,” Poppy said to me, bowing his head slightly.

  “Hi Poppy!” I said, beaming at him.

  At that point, Ben had turned up behind us. He smiled at the happy reunion, then stepped forward and touched James’s hand, as Terreans did, then he walked over to Grandy Katie and gave her a warm hug.

  “Ah Ben,” Grandy Katie said smiling, pleased to see her favourite Ben again.

  We all walked down the main street together to go to a café, turning heads as we walked by.

  The Terreans looked at me because I was different to them. My eye colour was intriguing to them, my hair colour interesting with its natural streaks My body was more shapely than the women’s of the Terre. Then I watched as the Terreans eyes would wander over to Ben. He had just recently lef
t their world to return to me, and they were familiar with him, but still, they could not help looking him over.

  He was taller than the other Terre males. His muscular development outdid the others easily. He walked with authority and a presence that the other Terrean males did not have, and yet, he served others, putting himself last.

  We had just sat down to enjoy an afternoon tea together when Ben was called away to the Council of Elders. He had been expecting it, but not so soon. It was Jacinta who appeared at their table summoning him to the meeting.

  “Ben, the council awaits you. You must come immediately,” instructed Jacinta.

  “Excuse me everyone. I won’t be long,” Ben said us. Then he bent down and gently kissed me on the lips.

  Jacinta escorted Ben to the meeting of the council elders, walking next to him. I could tell that they were mind communicating, and I felt a tinge of jealousy that I couldn’t talk with him in that intimate way.

  ***

  After five minutes, Jacinta and I arrived at the edge of the rainforest. A lone large black boulder sat next to a tall strong broad leafed tree with a very wide white, brown, pink and orange trunk.

  Jacinta placed her hand on the black boulder. After a second, the boulder glowed blue around her hand. She indicated to me to place my hand on the boulder. Again, after a second, the boulder glowed blue around my hand.

  Suddenly, a wooden platform appeared next to the trunk of the tree. Jacinta and I stood on it, and it smoothly rose up beside the tree, stopping midway, revealing a stone door.

  Jacinta placed her hand on the stone door. It slowly slid sideways and Jacinta entered the room of the Council of Elders. But I could not. I had to wait outside until I was invited in to the meeting. I found a slit in between the door and the tree trunk and peered into the room.

  Jacinta bowed as she approached the twelve men and women who sat around an oval polished granite table, but Jacinta did not sit.

  “Jacinta, it is a pleasure to see you again. How is our new visitor from the Earth faring?” asked the Highest Elder of the Council.

  “Your Highest, Cate is doing well. It seemed that she was unconscious from lack of food. I gathered four santé fruit for her, and she has regained her strength and energy. I looked into her mind thoroughly, and I was impressed with what I found. Firstly, she is of pure heart, mind and body. She possesses an amazing capacity for compassion that I have not seen in any other Earth person. She has been truly loyal and faithful to Une Autre Terre since receiving the knowledge from her Grandy Katie, and feels very protective of our world. She will not betray us. She is highly receptive to learning of our ways, and has leader or teaching qualities that are untapped. I judge her to be of genuine and trustworthy character. I would by very happy to call her a sister.” Jacinta bowed her head towards the Elders to signal the end of her report about Cate.

  “Thank-you Jacinta, you have always been exceptionally accurate in your readings of people, and we trust in your opinion again, noting that you have never wanted to call an Earth person a sister before. We see that you hold her in high regard. Please wait by the stone door, to escort Ben back to the café after we have spoken to him,” said the woman Elder with the short white hair, and blue eyes instead of cerulean.

  Jacinta left the Council Meeting Room, unsmiling. Back outside she nodded to me to place my hand on the door before I entered the room with the Terrean Elders.

  The stone door smoothly glided to the side.

  I breathed in deeply before I entered the large round well lit room.

  “Ben, we welcome you back home again. We did not expect you to return at all. You explicitly expressed your desire to return to the Earth to be with your true love Cate, whom you said you could not go on living without. What brings you back to us?” asked the male Elder sitting in a chair marked with a topaz jewel.

  “I have come back specifically to return something to Une Autre Terre that belongs here and not on the Earth. Some corrupt men discovered the fruits of The Magnificent Tree, and then illegally entered Cate’s yard and stole one of the opal seeds from The Magnificent Tree. Apparently, they had discovered that the various properties of the seed, mixed with some other substance produced a highly valuable elixir to stop aging in the human race. They were set to obtain exclusive rights to the tree, to the extent of murdering Cate so that she would not be able to claim the tree as her own. After being framed for Cate’s apparent death, I managed to get inside the head of one of the corrupt men of law, and saw the whole plan laid out easily for me to read. After being released with no charges laid against me, I went and collected all of the opal seeds, and then totally destroyed The Magnificent Tree so that their plans could not be put into action. I have returned the seeds here today, back to the safety of Une Autre Terre.” Then I laid out the twenty-one seeds that I had rescued.

  “I do not intend to stay for long. I need to return to the Earth with Cate, and continue our lives their helping the people of the Earth,” I added.

  The Twelve Elders remained silent. Their faces appeared as if stunned.

  I looked at them from face to face, waiting for one of them to speak to me, but they did not. Then finally the Highest Elder spoke.

  “Ben, you have acted wisely, perhaps saving the Earth people from a path that they could not successfully travel along without damaging the environment or each other. You have done a noble thing. Let us know when you are ready to return to the Earth.”

  I nodded my head slightly, and then turned and left The Council Room.

  Jacinta was waiting outside for me.

  We promptly returned to the waiting platform to descend to the base of the tree, and then walked back to the café.

  ***

  The Council Elders sat in silence after Ben had left the room. They were all thinking the same thing, but no-one would utter the words.

  Then finally, the Highest Elder spoke to the remaining Eleven Elders.

  “Yes, we all sit in awe. We all now know who Ben is, but Ben does not know. We have been waiting patiently for the foretold events to reveal themselves, and he has proven to use today, by returning The Magnificent Tree opal seeds to us, that he is the one destined to be the Warrior that we have been waiting for, to save our world from the invasion. It makes sense to me now. He knows of the Earth, and he knows of Une Autre Terre. The Warrior must have inside information to be able to beat them at their own game. Who better than one of us who grew up with the Earth people? It is indeed all falling into place, as was predicted. Let us give him a little time with his family, before we call on him again to summon him to fulfil his destiny and his mission.”

  The Eleven Elders all nodded in agreement.

  “I will now call upon Jacinta to gather the six Terreans to come before The Council.”

  In no time, Jacinta had gathered the six Terreans who had been sent on a mission to the Earth, and had returned with Ben and Cate. They stood, side by side with their heads hanging down, to hide their shame.

  Jack, as leader of the group, spoke to the Council of Elders.

  “Your Highest, we stand before you ashamed that we did not successfully complete the mission that you assigned to us. We are willing to accept any outcome that you choose for us. We offer no excuses for our lack of achievement, but would be grateful for another chance to fulfil our mission. It was cut short because we very nearly lost our lives in a ferocious house fire. We are sorry to disappoint you all.”

  Then the Highest Elder spoke.

  “Jack, I will indeed hold you all to going on a mission again to the Earth. But, you are wrong in your appraisal of the successfulness of your mission. Tell me, did you experience pain and suffering on the earth?”

  “Yes, “Jack replied, “But we did not find the Warrior.”

  “That is where you are wrong. You brought Ben back with you. He has just revealed to us the opal seeds of The Magnificent Tree. It is written in The Book, that the Warrior would come from the Earth bearing the opal seeds, after destroy
ing the tree that produced them. You did indeed find the Warrior and, you did indeed return him to our world. However, Ben does not know his title, role or destiny yet. You are not to say a word to him. We shall speak with him in a few days. Jack, your group must be prepared to accompany him and help in his mission, the moment he calls on you. Do you understand?”

  “Totally,” Jack replied.

  Chapter 20

  Poisoned Arrows

  Terrean eyes were on Ben the whole time that he was amongst the people. His presence was such among the Terreans that they revered him.

  He found me, Grandy and James at the crowded café where he had left us. He bent and kissed me lovingly on the forehead before he sat down with us, and then he reached over and held my hand, and joined in our verbal conversation.

  Ben looked at Grandy first after he had looked into my eyes, then he looked at James.

  “Cate, I love your reunion with Grandy, and James, but now, I want you all to myself. I want to take you around Une Autre Terre to show you my homeland. I want you to truly understand the essence that drives the momentum of the people, and how my world is so vastly different to the Earth.”

  I looked into Ben’s eyes. It was obvious that he did want to show me around Une Autre Terre, but there was also something in his eyes that I could not understand.

  Firstly, he took me out of the small village and into the extensive rainforest. A narrow track had been cut into the rainforest as it was so thick with undergrowth that it had been extremely difficult to walk through.

  As I looked above me, I saw that the canopy was extraordinary in its height, and colour, filtering the glorious sunshine so that light that did enter the rainforest was splendid in its illumination. To me, as I looked around the rainforest, I felt as if it was enchanted.

  Ben walked holding my hand. He did not look around at the plants and animals as I did, but kept his eyes on me. It was as if I was seeing a rainforest for the first time, as if through the eyes of a child. My spirit was free, and soaring.