The Celtic Serpent

by S. Robertson

  Kari-Ann smiled as she removed the plates. There’d be no dessert. She congratulated herself in the kitchen. “I can always get that moron to bend. I’ve earned that extra dough and Tony will be so grateful. I’m on my way. As soon as my career blooms, I’ll ditch this drip. I deserve better!”

  * * *

  Boston: Testing the Gemstones

  A moaning fog horn greeted the second day. A heavy mist kissed the trees and shrubbery of the estate gardens. Uncertainty accompanied the rolling fog.

  Pulling herself up in bed, Angi tried to disentangle herself from a frustrating dream. In it, she was being sucked into a gigantic emerald tunnel, the golden snake slithering before her to provide light. Harp music played in the distance, a different rendition of Mr. Aucoin’s final tune. Resisting the pull, she dug her heels into the slippery mud to little effect. Awake, a lingering uneasiness permeated her thoughts. Sitting at the side of her bed, she lamented, “What’s happening to me? The stress must be catching up to me. That damn snake is becoming a pest.”

  Submerging the dream, the previous night’s discussions surfaced. “That hovering predator is hard to dismiss in light of the dead bodies. Even if the gemstones are not genuine, it’s not like we can send this killer an e-mail to cease and desist. Being stalked by a mad man is alarming, a far cry from my orderly life at the hospital.” Angi moved to the window only to encounter a wall of gray. “Don’t panic,” she reassured herself, “you’re not alone. Today, we’ll settle the gemstone issue, and then we’ll face tomorrow.” Reassured, she found an open space and sitting cross legged on the floor proceeded with her morning meditation.

  At 6am, as agreed, she and Vette headed to the fitness room. There they found Wolfram sweating and struggling with leg exercises. After a cursory ‘Good Morning’ the three went silent, focused on their respective tasks. Angi and Vette started on the treadmill machines. Out of the corner of her eye, Angi watched Wolfram’s heroic efforts. A glance from Vette signaled similar thoughts. “He’s certainly dogged,” she thought. At 6:45am they all scattered for a shower and an 8 something breakfast.

  The foggy day gave everyone respite, time to contemplate the previous day’s revelations, get acquainted, and anticipate the next phase.

  At 5:30 in the evening, everyone assembled at the dining room entrance to greet their new arrival, Nat Zieglar, the gemologist. Nat, a stocky man in his late fifties, was a head shorter than Wolfram. Businesslike, he was dressed in dark trousers, crisp shirt, and no tie, his thick, white hair contrasting sharply with his suntanned face. After brief introductions, he stacked two black cases, one larger than the other, on a side table and took the chair between Wolfram and Jessie for the evening meal.

  As the fog edged closer to the house, Anton turned up the thermostat. Chandelier light was needed to offset the gloom. A New England clam chowder entrée provided culinary warmth to the setting. This was followed by Pan Roasted Chicken breast served with a leek and mushroom sauce, vegetables and buttermilk mashed potatoes. Dessert was a mixed berry tart with the accompaniments of cookies, cheese and fruit. During the meal, Tyloar, again, kept the wine glasses filled. The second dinner was more relaxed as hosts and guests had had more time together.

  Unrushed, by 7:20, everyone joined in to clear the table down to its wooden surface. Prearranged, Wolfram produced a black velvet cloth which he draped over one end of the table. Nat retrieved his GemPro Portapac gemologist kit from the nearby table. He opened the case to reveal a compact assortment of field equipment; a refract meter, fine loupe, OPL spectroscope, calcite dichroscope, light base with sodium filter, polars with condensing sphere, dark field well and stone holder. From the smaller case he produced a lamp designed to simulate true north daylight with a color temperature of approximately 5000-6100 0 Kelvin. Placing a black notebook next to his Porta-pac, he nodded to Wolfram.

  Upon Wolfram’s signal, the Guardians departed to retrieve their gemstones, returning with handbags which they deposited next to their chairs.

  Wolfram, taking the lead, began. “I realize this is difficult for you as Guardians, for generations this family secret was sacrosanct, never to be revealed to outsiders. So, we will walk gently. With no precedent, let’s set an informal plan. If it’s OK with you, each Guardian will present her family gemstone, share any knowledge she has about it, and pass it to Nat for examination.” The nodding of heads was consent. This was also Nat’s opening.

  Nat with a warm inviting smile began, “First, I want to thank you for this privilege, for I know enough that this is a very unique gathering. As a brief history, the Harrisons and I go back decades and I bring over thirty-five years of gemology experience. Because of this I need to clarify a key point. Irrespective of the equipment present, the best I can provide this evening is my professional opinion on these gemstones. This is not a certification. A certification would require a fully equipped laboratory which I have downtown. So, as I understand it, tonight my task is to determine whether these gemstones are genuine. I can give you my professional opinion, and, if later, you need more then we can arrange that as well. This evening, I will be looking for what we refer to in the industry as the ‘Four Cs’; color, clarity, cut and carat weight. I am aware of the time constraints so will try and keep the process rolling. Do you have any questions?”

  “For my own understanding,” asked Angi, “I suppose determining the value of any gemstone is rather complicated?”

  Nat considered a brief response to her question, “The true value of a gemstone is measured on a number of properties such as its carat weight, proportion of inclusions, transparency, fluorescence, cut, shape, symmetry, finish, scintillation (or sparkle), dispersion (or fire), color coverage, and enhancement. I may touch on some of these tonight, but only with more elaborate equipment can I provide the in-depth analysis and true value. That’s why the certification procedure is so costly.”

  “On the topic of costs, who’s paying for this evening’s assessment?” asked Angi.

  Tyloar responded, “We’ve assumed the cost, as a family responsibility.”

  “Then, on behalf of all of us, we sincerely thank you and Gracelyn for this service and your hospitality,” said Angi. “Without your generosity we wouldn’t be here this evening.”

  Itching to get started, Wolfram interceded, “I wonder if we could proceed as I have no idea how long this may take. Perhaps, since Nat has already examined it, we could start with our family gemstone.”

  From her handbag, Gracelyn pulled out a tiny, finely engraved gold and silver box, undid the clasp and laid the sapphire on the black cloth, the deep blue color glittering under the light. “All I know is that sapphires affect the mind and can enhance intuitive abilities,” she said and stepped back.

  Nat picked up the gem, and carried out a partial assessment, to assure himself it was the same stone he had previously examined. Assured, he spoke to the group. “As I said to Gracelyn, Tyloar, and Wolfram, this marquise cut gemstone is of exquisite quality and could be quite old. What you may not know, because of the remarkable hardness of sapphires, is that they are often used in other areas than jewelry. Today we find them in the optical components of scientific instruments, high-durability windows, wristwatch crystals, and thin electronic wafers for solid-state electronics. In jewelry, the sapphire has always been regarded as one of the most valuable of precious stones. Its coloring depicts its origin, as such; this stone may have come from the Middle East. Older societies thought gemstones bestowed various properties to the wearer. As such, the sapphire is sometimes referred to as the ‘stone of prosperity’ or the ‘stone of encouragement.’ It’s supposed to reduce frustration, fulfill dreams, and strengthen your ability to achieve your ambitions.” Realizing he was boring his audience, he returned the gemstone to its tiny box and placed the box to the right of his case. Keeping to Wolfram’s timetable, he softly called “Next” and looked at the Guardians.

  “Jessie, I wonder if you would like to go next?” asked Wolfram, taking the easie
st option as Jessie was seated next to his grandmother.

  “Sure,” replied Jessie, as she retrieved an identical box to Gracelyn’s from her travel bag and brought forth a different gemstone, green in color, and laid it on the black cloth.

  “So the gemstones are not identical,” Wolfram commented to Nat. A question Nat asked when first seeing the sapphire.

  “I know its jasper,” said Jessie. “My grandmother told me jasper is supposed to work with the chakras in your body to balance, recalibrate and heal. Chakra is a Sanskrit word from India which means ‘wheel.’ The body has seven wheels of energy, which run up the center of the body, parallel to the spinal column, as they spin; energy is moved up and down the body. Eastern healing methods refer to these wheels of energy.”

  “I’m familiar with chakras,” said Angi. “Years ago, I learned meditation from a guy I dated who was from India. He taught me about chakras.”

  Noting some uncertainty in other faces, Moira remarked, “Later, I’ll get more on chakras on the Internet.”

  Nat picked up the jasper gemstone. Silence prevailed as he went through a well-honed routine, all the while mumbling something to himself and jotting notes in his small black book. His audience watched and waited to hear the verdict. Upon completion Nat returned the gemstone to its tiny box, sat it next to the first gemstone box and began, “This jasper is rather unique. It’s almost perfectly jade in color except for this fine artistic marking on one side. It bears a great similarity to the sapphire in cut and age. Jasper belongs to the chalcedony family and comes in a variety of colors including: red, brown, pink, yellow, green, grey/white and shades of blue and purple. The green color and patterns found in these gemstones are created by the organic material and mineral oxides. Jasper was a favorite gem in ancient times, often referenced in Hebrew, Assyrian Greek and Latin literature. The mineral is known as the ‘supreme nurturer’ and considered a sacred stone. For this reason, it was worn by aboriginal shaman to protect them in their magical practices.” Without further fanfare Nat, completing his comments, smiled and turned to Wolfram.

  “OK, we’ll now move to Moira,” said Wolfram.

  In repetition to the two previous Guardians, Moira removed an identical box from her satchel and placed an amber gemstone on the table, its rich warm color absorbing the lamp light. “Most of you will be familiar with Amber. My knowledge of amber is somewhat limited. It’s supposed to help you attain your goals and in healing it transforms negative energy into positive.” Completing her say, Moira returned to her chair to await Nat’s review.

  Again, Nat took his time examining the gemstone. Then, as before, he returned the gemstone to its original box and placed it next to the other two. “Again, this gemstone is similar in craftsmanship, age and quality to the other two. Now that we have three, it appears that we are looking at a piece of jewelry with identical slots for a number of similar cut stones. This piece of amber is almost flawless, which in itself is unusual. As you may know, amber is a fossil resin, usually yellowish brown, but on occasion it can be deep brown to red, green, or blue. It is an amorphous hydrocarbon and may contain particles of various foreign materials, trapped insects, and even air bubbles. Its luster can run from greasy to resinous. It is said that amber stimulates the intellect and opens the crown chakra. It’s a sacred stone to Native Americans and East Indians.” In closing, Nat turned to the final Guardian, “Since the first three gemstones are different, I expect yours, Angi, will follow suit?”

  Responding to the cue Angi reached into her travel bag and pulled out a larger box of the same intricate gold/silver engraving. She opened the clasp and laid the gold medallion on the table, an amethyst gemstone snuggly positioned in one of the slots. Relieved, she thought, “There, it’s done! I’ve fulfilled my family’s responsibility. The medallion is now in the hands of the other Guardians.” Her overwhelming relief blinded her to the reaction of the others in the room.

  Stunned, after centuries of silence, secrecy, and mystery, the impact of seeing the actual medallion for the first time, overwhelmed the other Guardians. Never in their lifetime did they expect to see such a wonder. The impact varied; one strained to get a better look, another held back a tear, a third let out a loud gasp. The first to speak was Moira.

  “Mother of God, is that real? Are we actually looking at the medallion itself? What in God’s name forced our ancestors to send this medallion to America in the 1600s? Imagine the risk……the sacrifice…… the trials they endured to protect it. It doesn’t look like much sitting there, does it? This was one hell of a responsibility placed on your family Angi? What did you say your ancestor’s name was?”

  “Stewart,” replied Angi, suddenly realizing the impact of her offering.

  “Is there any chance you might be a descendant of the royal family of Scotland?” asked Moira still struggling to grasp the significance of the medallion’s presence.

  “I’m sure if we had any royal connections someone would have mentioned it over the years. There wasn’t a peep.”

  Not letting go, Moira persisted. “Perhaps that’s the whole point; your family line had to remain incognito to protect the medallion, and what a splendid hiding place, a wee island in Canada.”

  Realizing the medallion’s presence had complicated matters, Wolfram hesitated, as he wanted to get the gems examined, although having this one attached to the medallion seemed to leave the topic somewhat mute. His grandmother intervened.

  “Let’s stay on course. Nat, can you examine Angi’s gemstone without it being removed from the medallion?”

  “Yes, it’s a bit more complicated but we are looking at an amethyst, which is common enough.” Taking another look he blurted out, “But this is no common amethyst.” Turning he asked, “Angi, do you know anything about this gemstone?”

  “Only from the little I’ve read. The amethyst is supposed to be a calming, protective stone, excellent for meditation and to accelerate the development of psychic abilities. Some say it’s a stone of spirituality and contentment. It was well suited to my grandmother, who exemplified both psychic and spiritual qualities.” Angi remained seated as she spoke.

  Nat picked up the medallion to examine the amethyst. After his usual procedures he reported to the group. “In my opinion, the four gemstones are identical and were obviously created for this piece of jewelry. Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz; the color is due to irradiation, which causes the iron ions to rearrange themselves in the crystal lattice affecting the color. On exposure to heat, the irradiation effects can be partially cancelled and the gemstone can become yellow or even green. The ideal grade is called "Deep Siberian", and this stone is more than equal to that ideal. The amethyst is known to balance the energies of the intellectual, emotional and physical bodies by clearing the aura and stabilizing any dysfunctional energy. Now, this brings us to the end of our main objective, and I can state that these four gemstones are genuine. However, I’m afraid I am witnessing a number of anomalies which conflict with some of my current gemology knowledge.”

  “Nat, for clarification, you are confirming that the four gemstones are genuine. Correct?” asked Wolfram.

  “Yes, in my opinion based on this field examination. A lab certification would give it official status,” replied Nat.

  “Understood,” Wolfram responded, as he nodded to the four Guardians, amazed that they had achieved their key objective. “Now Nat, what do you mean by anomalies, and could these negate your original assessment?”

  “Not likely,” came Nat’s hesitant reply, “the anomalies, while interesting, simply expand the mystery. Let me begin. First, in all my years as a gemologist I have never encountered a stone like that round one in the center of the medallion. It might be a rare specimen of another gemstone but it doesn’t possess the usual properties I’m familiar with.” Looking into the distance, he shook his head, and began slowly, “I could get drummed out of my professional organization for what I’m about to say. First, let me share with you an ancient tal
e that periodically surfaces in this business. Legends say that thousands of years ago there were mysterious blue stones which were protected in the temples of Sumer and Egypt.”

  “What was so special about the stones?” asked Vette, caught up in the evening’s activities.

  “That’s the unknown. What little filtered through the centuries, was that they possessed some magical properties that only the high priests could control.”

  “Where did they come from?” asked Jessie.

  “Well, that’s the catch. There’re supposed to have been rescued from Atlantis before it was destroyed. Some say the stones will reappear in this century. Most people scoff at such tales, but we’ve learned that ancient legends often hold a grain of truth.”

  Tyloar couldn’t contain his silence. “This is pure madness! This medallion has bewitched you. I’m surprised to hear such foolishness from you Nat. Last night someone mentioned Druids and the 2012 Doomsday Prophecy, and tonight we’re talking about magical blue stones from a forgotten, and non-existent, civilization which most intelligent people ignore. Don’t you think we should keep to the world of reality?”

  Before anyone had a chance to reply, Nat, smiling, turned to Tyloar. “Well, if you think that’s a problem then the rest of my anomalies will make you even more uneasy. Gracelyn, Tyloar, and Wolfram you and I have encountered some odd things over the years, some right here in the Boston area. Well this may be the kingpin. Before you dismiss any of this, let me continue.”

  Lifting up the medallion, Nat went on, “The last time I saw gold workmanship of this quality and this type of rose-pink gold was in the Cairo Museum when I had the privilege of examining a few pieces of the King Tutankhamen jewelry collection. As you may, or may not know, Tut, the boy king, was one of the last pharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. He died about 1352 B.C.E… At that stage, the Egyptians had large quantities of gold, and their craftsmen were capable of creating exquisite pieces of art and jewelry. Today we know that this rose-pink gold was deliberately manufactured, but we still don’t know how they did it. Of importance, is that such gold was only the prerogative of the royal family.”