by Chrys Cymri
We went in separate directions afterwards. Skylar had volunteered to visit a couple of parishioners who were in the hospital, and Morey decided to go with her. Clyde and Jago went outside to check up on the smallest snail pups. I dropped James off at the train station as he was going into London for meetings with potential business investors. And then I aimed my car towards my spiritual director’s rectory.
‘As I said, it’s only a bit of a check up,’ Gregory said as he escorted me to his study. ‘Just to see how you’re doing after all that excitement on Saturday.’
‘Slept like a log Saturday night.’ No need to tell him that my dreams had been filled with screams and burning bodies. I sipped at my Earl Grey tea and pondered the biscuit selection on the plate Gregory held out to me. Jammie Dodger, of course. ‘And you?’
‘It was nearly over by the time I arrived.’ He settled back in his chair. ‘How have you been otherwise? No disturbances?’
Tea sloshed as I crashed mug onto side table. ‘What do you mean?’
‘There can be after effects. Strange dreams, voices, objects not where you left them in the house.’
‘The last one happens all the time,’ I commented drily. ‘I’m expecting it to end when James moves out.’
Gregory grinned. ‘I had a student stay with me for a while. He liked to browse my books, but he never put them back in the right place afterwards. Used to drive me mad.’
‘But didn’t you also miss it, at least a little, after he was gone?’
‘Yes, I did,’ he admitted. ‘The house did seem rather quiet. Are you looking forward to an empty nest?’
‘Hardly that,’ I said. ‘Not with Morey, Taryn, Clyde, and a rabble of snail sharks in the back garden.’
‘And a dragon who drops in to see you. Have you spoken to Raven since Saturday?’
I shook my head. ‘I did email Sally to ask her to send a rat to St Thomas’ Monastery. Just to check that he’s actually gone there.’
Gregory gave me a sad smile. ‘We can only warn him, Penny. We can’t force him to take the steps he needs to take.’
‘But he’s been baptised. Doesn’t that protect him now?’
‘There’s lots of discussion in the deliverance community on this very point. Can a Christian be affected by spirits, or demons, after baptism and a profession of faith?’ Gregory sighed. ‘I don't have a definitive answer for you. What the Spirit Ceremony did, as far as I can see, is open up a channel in Raven. He needs to keep guard against the Nobel Leader’s spirit accessing that channel again. Think of this in another way. If he were a recovering alcoholic, he’d need to regularly access peer group support and stay away from opportunities to drink. Raven will be stronger in his prevention if he uses the support the Church can offer him. And, of course, if he develops his own relationship with Christ.’
‘I’m not great on that myself,’ I muttered.
‘So you said on Saturday.’ Gregory studied me for a moment, and I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. ‘It’s not uncommon for people who have been diligent in prayer for many years to find, later on, a perceived absence of God. The early feelings of consolation and delight are meant to mature into something more stable and enduring. And usually far less exciting.’
‘And I guess I’ve had a lot on my mind,’ I said quickly. ‘Dragons, unicorns, snail sharks, and getting married.’
Gregory rubbed his chin. ‘All the plans are going well?’
‘Now that snail sharks aren’t wrecking our wedding venues, yes.’
‘And how will marriage change your life?’
I laughed. ‘I guess I’ll have to get used to putting the toilet seat down.’
‘Anything else?’
‘I’m bound to find out once we’re living together. Which, of course, we can’t do until after we’ve made our vows before God.’ I shrugged. ‘I managed to cope with Alan leaving the cover off the toothpaste tube, and he finally decided to stop complaining about my lack of gardening skills. Peter and I will find our own way to live with the more annoying bits of each other.’
‘And where is God in your relationship?’
‘Peter’s coming to church these days,’ I said slowly. ‘He used to go anyway, but he’s making it a priority now.’
‘So he’s a support in your ministry.’
I tried to put the resilience workshop out of my mind. ‘We’ll support each other.’
‘Marriage can be a way to draw closer to God,’ Gregory mused. ‘As the marriage service reminds us, it unites husband and wife together as Christ is united with his bride, the Church. Sometimes I like to remind couples of that passage from Ecclesiastes. “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” God is the third strand in the relationship between a couple.’
‘And he will be,’ I said. ‘We’re getting married in church, and making our vows in the sight of God.’ Silence. ‘As you’ll see, since you’ll be there.’
Gregory’s chair creaked as he leaned back. ‘Have you ever undertaken the Spiritual Exercises?’
‘The ones from St Ignatius? Never in full. Just sections during week-long retreats. And I can’t do the full thirty days,’ I added quickly. ‘I can’t take that much time away from the parish.’
‘I was thinking of the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life,’ Gregory said. ‘Ignatius himself suggested this approach for people who can’t leave work for a full-time retreat. Think it over. We can talk more when we next meet. And in the meantime, I suggest you keep doing the Examen every evening. There’s a lot going on in your life right now, Penny. It’s not the time to back out of prayer.’
He didn’t know the half of it. ‘Right. Yes, you’re right.’
We shared a few thoughts about the upcoming Bishop’s Bible Day, and then we left our chairs and headed for the door. ‘Penny, one last thing,’ Gregory said as I stepped outside. ‘Stop carrying a hip flask.’
‘Emergency use only,’ I protested, my hand going down to the weight in my trouser pocket.
‘What, for sterilising wounds? I can’t imagine you’d carry Talisker for something like that.’
He had me there. ‘Okay. Right again.’ As I walked to my car, I tried to remember whether I had any Famous Grouse in the house. I’d refill the flask with a blended whisky. Once I’d polished off the single malt, of course.
I tried to put the vampire colony out of my thoughts during the week. But readings came up during Morning Prayer like ‘Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it’ and ‘The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God. But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.’ Then the organist told me that she had decided to play ‘God of the Poor’ at our next Sunday service. So, on Thursday morning I went to the kitchen, made myself a cup of tea, and pulled out my iPhone to contact Sue Harkness’s office.
Her assistant agreed to ask Sue to contact me ‘when she’s available.’ I went back to my desk, and nearly dropped my phone when the Yes, Minister tone rang out. ‘Penny,’ she said as I hurriedly answered. ‘Please, do feel free to use my private number. I know you won’t contact me unless it’s important. What can I do for you?’
‘It’s about the vampire colony. The one you asked me to visit.’
‘We’re still grateful for the insights you brought back.’
‘I visited them again, last Saturday.’ No reaction, which I took as a good sign. ‘Their camp was attacked while I was there.’
‘Then perhaps they’ve learnt their lesson. They need to return to their own lands.’
‘They don’t have their own lands,’ I countered. ‘Vampire colonies have always travelled. Now that people in Lloegyr are moving into towns, vampires are finding it harder to keep themselves fed.’
‘Look at it this way, Reverend. Now that the other creatures are pulling together, they can protect themselves against blood-sucking.’
‘I think they’re still heading towards Llanbedr,’ I said. �
��I was wondering, can’t we let them through? I’ve met their magister several times. The adults are on solid diets, now. Only their children ingest blood. Isn’t there some way--’
‘There might be dozens of colonies wanting to cross over into our country,’ Sue said sharply. ‘We can’t take them all.’
‘Not even just the one?’
‘So, you want me to judge between them? Let in one group, and ban the others? On what grounds?’ Her voice softened as she continued, ‘We have these discussions regularly in cabinet. A government faces these sorts of difficult decisions all the time. If the adult vampires are eating solid food, then they’re fixed in human form. Which means that they’ll need housing, and support, both of which we then can’t give to the poor already here. Or which we can’t then give to the many desperate human refugees starving in Europe. I admire your compassion, Penny. I feel for them as well. But I have to look at the bigger picture.’
Morey landed on my desk, his feathers ruffled in distaste. ‘She feels for them,’ he said. ‘But she won’t do anything for them. I do hope that woman doesn’t consider herself a Christian.’
There were times when my Associate’s ability to hear both sides of a telephone conversation was distinctly unhelpful. I dragged my attention back to Sue. ‘Some of the vampires died in the attack.’
‘And I'm sorry to hear that. I strongly suggest you stay away. You have a good heart, Penny. Don’t break it over things you can’t change. Remember, this problem was created in Lloegyr, not by us.’ A slight pause, then she asked, ‘So, how are the wedding plans proceeding? I understand that charming niece of Peter’s is going to be a bridesmaid.’
‘It’s all going well,’ I said, once again bothered by how much she seemed to know about me.
After a few more pleasantries, the British code of politeness had been fulfilled, and we were able to bring our call to a conclusion. As I hung up, Morey broke into filthy muttering. ‘It’s just prejudice, plain and simple, black and white.’
‘One which you don’t share?’
‘I trained alongside vampires in seminary,’ he retorted. ‘I’ve worked with them in ministry. You’re quite right, it’s one I don’t share.’
‘But Sue does have a point, doesn’t she?’ I rubbed my head. The conversation had left a throb behind my eyes. ‘What’s happening to the vampire colonies is down to prejudice in your country.’
Morey’s tail lashed against the computer. ‘And they’re drawn to England because they think it’ll be easier over here.’
‘So it’s all our fault because we have a good reputation?’
‘Okay, no.’ He shook his body, smoothing out feathers and fur. ‘There are pups in that colony. I don't want to see them coming to harm.’
I reached out a hand and scratched around his ears. ‘Look what fatherhood’s done to you. You’ve become a big softy.’
Morey leaned into my hand, turning his head so I could reach the pinfeathers around his beak. ‘Surely that’s the point of having children?’
‘That’s not why you had your young, though.’
The gryphon chuckled. ‘No, it wasn’t.’ Then he pulled his head away. ‘And it isn’t why I’m worried for that colony. God makes it very clear, in the Bible and in Jesus, that the poor have a special place in his kingdom. And what’s more destitute than a refugee?’
‘The first at the crib to worship the baby Jesus,’ I said, ‘were the shepherds. The outcasts of Jesus’ day.’
‘Precisely.’ Morey sighed. ‘The Church is meant to have the poor at its heart. The Church of England does this sometimes, particularly at Christmas. My own Church, Eglwys Loegyr, is very bad at it. Present company excepted, of course. They didn’t like it, but you did open their eyes in Caer-grawnt.’
‘Don’t look at me,’ I said. ‘I don’t plan to have another stint in Eglwys Loegyr.’
‘Be careful,’ Morey warned me. ‘Remember what they say. “How do you make God laugh? Tell him your plans.”’
Chapter Twenty-Three
My visit to Holly on Friday morning left me in a bad mood. So I decided it was time to turn my mattress, as no doubt the struggle would help me work my anger off. Only after I’d spent ten minutes puffing and swearing did I realise that Clyde was in the room. ‘Wipe those words from your memory,’ I told him as I sat down on the bed. ‘Mind you, I think you already know them.’
Pinks and greens twirled down his tentacles. Then he opened his jaws. ‘Dragon.’
‘Raven?’
‘Yes.’
I abandoned the bedroom, deciding that I’d have a second go later with James’ help. Morey landed on my shoulder when I was part way down the stairs. ‘Only just seen him,’ the gryphon said at my look. ‘But I don’t think he’s been waiting long. He hasn't started thrashing the bushes yet.’
‘The snail sharks would complain if he did.’ But I increased my strides just in case.
A silver pendant glittered against Raven’s green-black chest. I stopped in the kitchen doorway, transfixed by the sight. It was a Celtic cross, very similar to the one which he had once carved for me. The ring surrounding the cross was studded with jewels which flashed in the sun. Dragons. They never could resist a bit of bling.
‘Father Penny,’ Raven greeted me as I walked outside.
My steps slowed. ‘Since when do you call me that?’
‘Since you packed me off to a monastery. They’re all Fathers or Brothers there.’
‘“Get thee to a nunnery,”’ Morey muttered unhelpfully. ‘“Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them.”’
I stopped several feet away from Raven’s lowered head. ‘And how are you getting on?’
The dragon snorted. ‘Yes, pity the rat you sent hasn’t been able to return with his report. Then you wouldn’t need to ask me personally.’
Morey’s claws dug into my fleece as the gryphon snapped, ‘I trust you haven’t hurt a flying rat.’
‘Just made him stay longer than he’d planned.’ Raven yawned, exposing his sharp teeth and blue tongue. ‘But what else is a fireplace grate for?’
‘That’s not wise,’ Morey warned. ‘The rat kings will issue an Interdict against you when they find out.’
‘Tangled balls of telepathic misfits. Why should I care what they think about me?’ Raven moved nearer, and I drew in a deep breath of his scent. Leather, smoke, and the clean smell of grass tickled my nostrils. ‘I’ve kept the rat fed and watered. His main complaint is boredom. When he’d run out of ways to insult my ancestors in Horatian Odes, he decided to fill me in on the latest gossip.’
‘Surely not Horatian,’ Morey protested. ‘You must mean Juvenalian.’
As neither term meant anything to me, I asked quickly, ‘What sort of gossip?’
‘That vampire colony we visited. They’ve nearly reached Llanbedr. Based on their current speed, they’ll be setting up camp Saturday morning.’
I nodded. ‘Before they push on to the thin place in Llanbedr Cathedral.’
‘They won’t reach the cathedral,’ Raven said. ‘The heddlu are planning to erect a barrier. The vampires won’t be able to get through.’
‘Then the colony needs to be warned.’ My mind was racing as I tried to remember what was in my diary. ‘Can you take me to them?’ The dragon studied me for a long moment. Snail sharks had come out of bushes and were gathering around his toes. Orange and yellow tinged their bodies, echoing my own confusion. ‘Come on, Raven. You were willing to help the colony last time.’
‘I’ll take you,’ the dragon agreed. ‘But you won’t be able to talk to them while they’re on the move. You’ll need them all together if you’re to convince them.’
‘He’s right,’ Morey said grudgingly. ‘You’re better off waiting until they’re settled.’
‘So will you take me Saturday morning?’
‘Afternoon,’ Raven amended. ‘They’ll need time to set up their camp.’
I threw up my hands. ‘Oh, well, I guess that means I’ll have time to speak to Skylar. I’d like her to come with us. She might be able to convince them that the grass isn’t greener in England.’
Raven snorted. ‘Or that the blood doesn’t flow more freely?’
I stared at him. ‘I didn’t think you were prejudiced against vampires.’
Snails drew back as Raven shuffled his feet in the long grass. ‘They’ve taken their share of dragon blood.’ Then his ears twisted forward again. ‘But I know what it’s like to be an outcast. Saturday afternoon, magnificent Penny.’‘I do wish,’ I grumbled as he launched himself upwards, ‘that dragons were a bit more precise in their time keeping.’
‘I’ll be coming with you,’ Morey said. ‘And Peter?’
‘He’s not very sympathetic to the vampires’ cause.’ I was surprised by the bitterness in my tone. ‘Besides, Raven can only carry two humans. I’d better go talk to Skylar.’
<><><><><><>
‘No.’
I smiled at my curate through the steam rising from my cup of tea. ‘But you could be such a help, Skylar. The colony would listen to you.’
Clouds parted outside, allowing sunlight to stream in through the kitchen windows. Her face was thrown into shadow, and I found it hard to read her expression. ‘What makes you think that?’
‘They’re vampires,’ I said. ‘They’re your people.’
‘Would you say to a black woman, “Oh, go talk to so-and-so in Kenya, they’re your people”?’
I squinted against the bright light. ‘Of course not. There are many countries and tribes in Africa. And blacks in Jamaica, the USA, Canada, here, all over the world.’
‘Exactly.’ She took a deep breath. ‘They’re as much my people as anyone in Germany is your people, or someone in Greenland. Just because we have some physical things in common, that doesn’t mean we’re the same. Colonies relate to each other, and blood types, but we’re still as separate as Scotland and England and Wales. We’re not the same people at all.’
