Past Lives

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  Melissa dared to congratulate her, and in fact Ilsa did not seem unhappy about the whole thing. She said: 'Actually I'm quite happy he wants to marry me, he is such a generous man, and I always feel very safe with him. I can't even remember the time I was so very unhappy, Tristan has made me forget all of it. And now we'll have a child of our own.'

  Thinking of her own fears, Melissa asked: 'Aren't you afraid you'll be stuck at home alone with a baby?'

  Laughing merrily, Ilsa replied: 'I most certainly am not, running the wool factory is quite a task and father needs me to help. I guess we'll move to Tristan's house after our marriage, but I'm not burying myself there, I'll take the baby along, or beg mother to care for it a few days every week. She's very pleased to get a grandchild.'

  Melissa could well imagine that, Frances was all caring and goodness, and the manor was such a fabulous place for a child to grow up.

  'I am very certain that Tristan will be an excellent father, he spends a lot of time working, but all his free time is for me, and that will not change.' It

  was clear that Ilsa was not at all afraid to have a child, she sounded almost eager.

  'To be honest, Melissa, I was hoping we'd be with child together, you and me. It would be such fun to have our children the same age, they would grow up almost like brothers and sisters, like Paul with the three of us. He really is like a brother to me now.'

  Though glad that Ilsa was happy with her situation, Melissa did wonder whether something was wrong with herself not to want it, but she decided not to bother Ilsa with her doubts. She'd talk to her mother, or to Lukas.

  So she asked Ilsa whether she felt all right, and had some common discomforts of being pregnant described to her. Having to go to the privy more often, her breasts being a bit sensitive, crying more often than usual.

  Nothing really bad, and Ilsa did not seem emotionally unstable either, if anything, she seemed happier than Melissa had ever seen her.

  But of course she had plenty of reasons to be happy: the wool-factory was doing well under their administration, the pollution had been stopped, and the children were no longer allowed to work there, they didn't need to, for the wages of their parents were sufficient to support the whole family. George had started a school on the property that they were supposed to attend.

  The smaller children would be minded by some grandparents from the neighbourhood, that is how Melissa had grown up and she had had a good childhood, going to a school funded by the owner of the factory, and having her spare time supervised by her grandparents.

  Melissa described her own youth, and Ilsa was happy to hear it could be done, and that such a way of raising children could result in such stable adults.

  Then Melissa told Ilsa of Katarina's woollen products, the softness and the quality, and the process enhanced with magic. 'Couldn't you use that technique in secret? Strengthen the woollen strands before they are used, then taking the spell off before the cloth is sold?'

  Ilsa was interested: 'We always need to stay one step ahead of the competition, and since we pay good wages and pay for the childrens'

  schooling instead of making them work, our prices are a bit higher. Extra quality would help us to sell despite a higher price.'

  Melissa could see her mind working, no sign of getting dumb in Ilsa, and soon she shook her head and looked at her friend once more.

  'Thank you so much for the idea, Melissa,' Ilsa said, 'I'll discuss it with father, and we can try to implement it. Do you have an example of Katarina's work? To think she is really Lukas' daughter, he looks so young. And you tell me she is an equal rights activist? In a land ruled directly by powerful gods, she must have a strong character.'

  That was certainly true, Hermes would have a strong ally in his granddaughter, for the people really respected her.

  Ilsa mused: 'You know father and me, and Tristan, we talk a lot about improving the lives of the people around us. Your father wants to help, too, we've met him when you were away. I have real hopes we may all make a difference. But I do want to enjoy my own life, not just worry about others.

  Do you think that is selfish?'

  Thinking of their own plans and ideals, Melissa replied: 'No Ilsa, I think you are doing a wonderful job already. It may seem little, like helping the rejected children from the factory, there were only twenty, and there are thousands of poor children in the city, but you helped save those twenty from a terrible fate, and that counts.

  And now the workers and the children in the factory, you're helping those as well, and giving a good example to other factory owners. You are already doing so much, and if you feel bad all the time for those you cannot help, you'll not be able to do what you are doing now. You need to have fun and enjoy life as well.'

  It was good to be talking to Ilsa like this, and Melissa asked: 'Can I get you a glass of wine, or something to eat? Lukas had a secret stash of olives hidden in his backpack, they're the real thing, much better than the ones one can get here.'

  Ilsa looked a little disappointed, and replied: 'Somehow wine doesn't taste like it used to since I've gotten with child. Same with coffee, my mother's coffee is still very good, but other coffee is gross, sour and bitter at the same time. But I'd love to try the olives.'

  It was quite a shock for Melissa to hear her own experience from the mouth of a pregnant woman. For Melissa had developed a real liking for wine, and the Greek wine, a lot sweeter than the stuff they got in England, had been nice, but since her return she had not been able to drink any wine at all, the first sip had been enough to put her off.

  And even when she had brewed a pot of coffee herself, she had not found it potable, though the guys said it was fine, and she could still enjoy tea very

  much. And as Ilsa said, Frances' coffee was just fine, as aromatic and as delicious as ever.

  Her first reaction was to panic, but she decided she would not, so she offered Ilsa tea, which was accepted with pleasure. Then Melissa managed to enjoy the rest of her birthday, though she did count the times she went to the privy. Not wanting to seem overly emotional, Melissa decided to keep her suspicions to herself, until she had more proof. She could always panic later.

  The next two weeks, Melissa monitored herself as accurately as she had ever checked any building or construction. Her breasts did feel a bit sensitive, but they often did just before she got her period, and it was not yet time for that. Besides, with travelling through a portal, and the shock she had in Greece, she would not worry even if her period was late, it had been before.

  She did not find herself going to the privy more often, but she did have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, and she often felt a little sleepy by day. But everybody knew people slept more in fall, when the light waned and the mornings were cold, and besides, she never drank coffee anymore, she often felt sleepy at times when the others drank coffee.

  And her emotional spells had disappeared from the moment she had started to help Paul with his prototypes again, and had checked the calculations in Mr Jones' plans for the greenhouse frames from cover to back.

  That last worthy had soon found out about their return, and new commissions for boilers, pumps and bicycles came rolling in. Also, requests for inspections, even more than before, and even from new contractors and architects, her reputation was flourishing.

  With their working time pleasantly occupied, their services in high demand, the greenhouse project progressing steadily towards the actual realization of the plans, time flew by.

  Their ample spare time was used to help Tristan with his project and attending his experimental Magick classes, Paul teaching Jonathan magic, dancing, cycling.

  The roads were still acceptable, and new roads were built everywhere except in the worst neighbourhoods. Melissa never hesitated to use her bicycle now, even when she had an inspection on the other side of town. She knew she could stand up for herself under any circumstance, and she was very good at reading her little map of London. The bicycle gave her such freedom, she
saw much of the city from its comfortable seat.

  The prototypes of Paul's inventions were finished, and three of them did work, though one not good enough to be worth the effort of producing it. The fourth was a disaster, a waste of effort, which Melissa had predicted. But she didn't rub it in, and since it had not taken up a lot of Paul's time he wasn't put out very much.

  Paul showed the two remaining inventions to Mr Jones, who was interested in trying to find commissions to produce them for customers. He became their most valued contact, he knew so many builders, contractors, architects and other potential clients, and he was always on the lookout for a market for Paul's inventions, and Melissa returned the favour by inspecting his materials for free.

  Eager to implement his new way of turning iron into steel by magic, Paul asked Tristan to check the immediate neighbourhood for signs of magic-use whilst he experimented with it, and Tristan helped him to adjust the shields on the house to not only keep hostile magic out, but also to keep his own magic in.

  After that, Paul made a few swords following Galan's design, beautiful and elegant with strong blades honed to a keen edge. They looked more like works of art than deadly weapons. But Paul soon discovered that Mr Jones could not help him find customers for swords, he would have to explore that market by himself.

  With the new way of making steel from pig-iron, Lukas and Paul could produce bicycle parts so cheaply that they managed to make bicycles a lot more affordable, though they were still a luxury item. But Paul always insisted on making everything he crafted beautiful, never saving time by skimping on the finish of a product, so in a way everything he made was a luxury item.

  Chapter 22

  And so a month passed by, and Lukas started to actually wear his parka.

  So far he had indeed adapted to the rain and the cold, running each morning made him rather tough, though he was always very happy to snuggle up to Melissa or Paul at night, warming himself against them.

  And though he did not quit his habit of starting the day with a run, he did not rise before dawn either, often lying awake in bed and watching the others sleep.

  He had not regretted returning to London with Paul and Melissa for a single heartbeat, they all worked hard, and they lived very small lives, but his made him very happy, despite the intensifying cold. Paul kept the house warm with the clever, magic-enhanced boiler, and outside he was often running or cycling, not feeling the cold.

  And clothes made a difference, he had a pair of solid boots now, though he still preferred his elegant shoes, his hoofs didn't feel the cold anyway, but his legs did get chilly if it rained a lot.

  What he had not counted on in the London winter was that it got so dark, so early. Lukas really had to make an effort not to feel oppressed when it started to get dark already in the late afternoon. And he knew that before it got better, it would get worse.

  Also, he had always seen people living in the streets, but in summer the desperation of that situation had not been totally clear to him, as long as it had been warm and dry, living outside had seemed much like camping out, rather romantic actually.

  But no more, once the rains started and the temperatures dropped, the people living in the street became truly tragic. He even remembered living through a London winter without a true home, second hand memories from the minds of the rejected children he had healed, especially Jonathan, who had felt all of the responsibility of finding food, clothing and shelter for nine children besides himself. The true scope of that feat had not come home to Lukas until he realized how bad things got in winter.

  The hopeless situation of the people on the street had depressed him for a few days, until Melissa had noticed, and they had talked the situation over amongst themselves. Paul and Melissa were used to seeing those scenes of poverty and misery, they had been hardened to them since their earliest youth, but to Lukas they were seriously hurtful.

  Together they had tried to come up with something they could do, and Lukas had spent time on exploring all the options. He had decided on healing as many as he could, handing out as much food and as many blankets as he could afford without bankrupting himself, and he kept reminding his rich friends of the plight of the poor, and always contributed to their plans to improve life for at least some of the people around them.

  But Lukas had also decided not to let his concern for others ruin his own life, he had his share of fun, and he ate well and dressed well. And if a situation really oppressed him, he detached himself from it, making himself unhappy over something that one person could not change was useless, and he was not going to do that.

  But all in all, life was good to him, he loved his work, he loved his friends, he loved being able to heal, though he did have to do it secretly in London, for of course no-one must know he did it with magic. Actually, Lukas was thinking of opening his own healing-practice, he was still working on the idea, for it had to pretend to be a real practice, using powders and pills instead of magic.

  Lukas was a very observant man, and even in Greece he had a suspicion Melissa might be with child. His grandfather and his aunt had both hinted as much, he knew Melissa would not have understood their hints, but to him the allusions were very clear.

  And Melissa had shown some clear signs of pregnancy, emotional instability, lessened now she was working hard setting up their own business whilst still doing inspections and learning magic. Sleepiness, though Lukas had to admit he felt sleepy himself due to the cold and the dark. It was as if the body wanted to hibernate.

  And most of all, a sensitivity in taste, she could not bear to drink coffee or wine anymore, both of which she had liked before.

  He had not dared ask her about her period, ladies were very discreet about that here.

  What made him want to shout with joy was, that if he was right, the new life had been started in Greece, and that he was the father. His grandfather

  had been very clear about that. This thought excited him very much, but he did not know what to do with his happy expectations.

  For he knew Melissa didn't want a child at all, so how could he hope for one with this much fervour?

  And Melissa loved Paul more than himself, and was married to him.

  Would they mind if the child resembled Lukas?

  Having met some of his children, he realized he passed on his physical traits very strongly. Melissa and Paul knew about Katarina and Damara, but Lukas had seen many more young people with his own look, satyr and human, of course he knew all the women that he had slept with in the past, and he had been received with enthusiasm by some of them, had even had some of his sons and daughters introduced to him.

  They all resembled him very much. There would be no mistake whose baby it was, if indeed he was right and Melissa was with child.

  He hoped Paul would understand, of course it was all a matter of chance, and Paul would be the father of any further children Melissa had. But this first one, always special, what husband wouldn't want his first child to be his own?

  Well, until Melissa acknowledged the signs, and was prepared to talk about it, Lukas would keep his own council. He suspected she was denying the changes in her body, and with success, she showed no signs of stress.

  If she started to, Lukas would be there for her, and until then, he would try to forget as well, postponing the shock to the woman he loved beyond all other people, and the possible disappointment of his most beloved friend.

  Then one evening, as they were dining with the Nomes' family, having a really good time despite a freezing, driving rain outside, there was a visitor at the door of the manor.

  He came in dripping wet, his clothes plastered to his body, his beautiful face wet as if he was crying, and at the head of the table their host turned white with feeling, stood up, chair falling behind him, and ran at the visitor, tears wetting his face, as if he had been the one walking through the driving rain.

  Within seconds, George had Hermes in his arms, squeezing him tightly, and being squeezed just as firmly. Eve
ryone at that table, Frances included, had to swallow a few times at the sight of two grown men showing such intense love openly.

  Melissa grabbed Paul's hand, thinking of how being separated had broken both men's heart, and how much they must have missed each other. It was heart-rending, to see stable George break down and cry, even with joy.

  'I'm sorry love, I seem to have gotten you all wet,' Hermes said gently.

  George replied, just as gently: 'Never mind, I was going to offer you some dry clothes anyway, might as well put on some dry ones myself. You're cold.

  I can't wait to see you in a jumper.'

  They left the room to go upstairs.

  Melissa was really, really curious whether they'd come back straight away and save the loving for after dinner, or whether the company would proceed with dinner without host.

  Frances said, in a droll tone: 'They may take a while, English clothing has so many buttons, let's just continue dinner.'

  That broke the strange atmosphere, and soon they were all talking and laughing again.

  Lukas was strangely glad to see his father again, and hoping to get news of Dionysus and Rhoda. And of Katarina and Galan, and Ophelie, and Aphrodite.

  Jonathan observed: 'You seem pleased to see your father, Lukas, I glad you've managed to work things out between you. Though I can imagine why you didn't like him at first.'

  That boy was growing up so fast, and so well, Lukas thought, and he replied: 'We had our issues, and I guess my father did most of the work healing the breach between us. I even threatened him in his own villa, I thought he had pushed himself on Melissa. It turned out she was just comforting him for having to leave George.'

  Jonathan could not help but laugh at Lukas giving his father all the credit for their new friendship: 'Having heard him talk to you before he brought himself down, I beg to differ, Lukas. Any suspicion you had against him must have been well-founded. He changed a lot during his stay here. I can easily understand his love for George, he is very special.'