The Persephane Pendrake Chronicles_One_the Cimaruta

by Lady Ellen

  Persy chanted all along the walk, as did Benson. “Totus Temporis, totus temporis, totus temporis’. As they chanted, a drone could be heard in the cave, it seemed like the cave walls were chanting with them.

  In the next few feet, the light exploded and was dazzling in the next instant. They were where it would happen. Still repeating the incantation, she focused very hard on ‘Laurel’s meadow, Bellarya, 1669’ over and over. Then the experience came to an abrupt end. Everything around them became a silvery shimmer...nothing but Benson and herself had distinct form. Persy kept concentrating, ‘Laurel’s meadow, Bellarya, 1669’.

  The shimmering became faster and brighter. Strong winds blew around them in circles and it was everything Persy could do to keep her and Benson upright. Benson crawled into a pocket in her jacket for fear of being tossed around like a feather.

  The winds continued getting stronger until Persy was sure she was caught in the eye of a tornado. Just when she thought she’d have to give up and go whirling helter-skelter to goodness-knows-where; it all came to an instantaneous halt.

  Persy opened her eyes and Benson dared to poke his little head out of her pocket. All that was around them now was the silvery shimmer. She glanced back and thought for a moment she saw a large dark shape behind her, but then it faded and her surroundings came into clear view.

  They were standing on the edge of a breath-taking meadow, full of luminous flowers, grasses and birds of all sorts. The sun shone intensely, enhancing the vibrant effect. To their immediate left, was a very strange rock formation, three rocks stood together, one taller than Persy in the centre, domed shaped at the top, not unlike a door. The ones at either side were narrow and seemed to support the middle one. What she found so strange was they were all heavily covered with moss, but of mixed colours, giving the middle rock the appearance of a window in its upper central area.

  Behind them was the loud sound of rapidly moving water, Persy turned, and saw the swift flow of the current in the river, small fish jumping in and out of its waters and butterflies flitting from rock to rock. This place was Nirvana.

  Something moved at the edge of Persy’s left eye and she turned her head. The middle rock magically slid to the side and forms appeared from behind it. She only saw a hint of a large dark form at first. It was like trying to see through a rain-beaten window. As it became clearer, there appeared a second smaller but equally dark form. Then all became apparent.

  The larger shape was Orsina and the small cub. Persy was shocked to see them. She had no idea they were coming on the journey, but what a welcome sight. Wait...what was this? Benson, for once was completely without voice.

  The bears were--are you kidding me—marvelled Persy; they were standing up on their hind legs. Then their darkness was replaced with lighter colours and...“Unbelievable” Persy muttered. There was a glow around them as they gently morphed into human forms.

  Orsina changed into a tall, elegant woman with shoulder length greying hair; wearing a soft lilac dress, which flowed breezily to her ankles. The cub on the other hand changed into a young boy, about Persy’s age. He had thick curling blonde hair and the largest blue eyes Persy had ever seen.

  “Don’t look so shocked,” smiled the lady. “I had to get out of that itchy bear skin sooner or later,” and she smiled even more broadly.

  “Who, who, who....” stuttered Persy.

  “Oy, she sounds like Francis, my demented owl,” giggled the boy.

  “Now don’t be rude, Thaddeus,” replied the elegant one. “This is a lot for Persy to take in.”

  Benson blinked, flew at great speed out of Persy’s pocket, buzzed around and around obviously very excited.

  “Laurel,” he cried. “Why didn’t you tell me you were on the other side with us?”

  “Would have caused no end of complications if you knew...you and secrets are not a reliable pairing,” she grinned.

  “Aw, hog’s wallop! I could have kept me lips zipped, thank you very much!”

  “But, but....who, who?” stammered Persy again.

  “There she goes again,” said Thaddeus, laughing loudly.

  The lady in lilac smiled kindly. “My poor dear, you’ve had quite a day. I am Laurel, your grandmother.”

  Time to Time Linx

  * * *

  More Persephane Images Here

  * * *

  “What was that?” said Persy, her eyes bulging.

  “What was what?” asked Angelica.

  Persy started pacing around her bedroom. “I saw the whole thing again. Melanthios appearing, you falling then Benson showing up like a green tornado, but in this one, she turned fast enough to hit him with the Death curse. And that was it. He crumpled to a heap on the floor. Gone.”

  “Not sure I like the sounds of that,” said Benson.

  Angelica’s eyes closed. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers. “I can’t believe this. This should not be happening for months.”

  “What shouldn’t be happening?”

  Angelica sighed, took Persy’s hand, looking her straight in the eye. “I believe you saw a Multiverse. Another version of our world. There are infinite numbers of them.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes. Remember, magic is an energy. An intense enormous energy which we Magic Folk learn to control with focus and intention. But the world, the universe and all those who live in it are energy, too. In the world of quantum physics in the Munz world, they are very close to finding out how this all works. We, as Magicals have known for all time, simply becoming more and more adept over the evolution of this planet. But it goes back much further than that. Back to the dawn of time. And throughout all this discovery, we also know there are untold number of Multiverses which exist, simply with different resonances or vibrations than ours. They exist, right beside us, right at our shoulders but mostly not apparent until we tap in. The Time-Linx is very much a part of all of this. As a Magical comes into their adult powers, it is much easier for us to alter our vibration to see and enter these other Multiverses. You saw one today.”

  “How did I do that?”

  “Emotion. Emotion plays a monumental role in this…the altering of your vibration and that world revealed itself to you, briefly. In time, you’ll learn to do this on purpose, when needed.”

  “Cripes. We’ve touched on this in physics, but no one said anything about it being real or accessible.”

  “Yes, I know,” said Angelica. “What Munz research knows and what gets to the schools to be taught is years different. What they know in quantum labs today, may not make it to school for another five to ten years. Anyway, Magicals certainly know and respect this and probably have the best access in the universe, but cutting edge Munz physicists are getting there.”

  “Seen a few of these meself, Perse,” said Benson. “Scary, the first few times, indeed.”

  Persy nodded, then stood by the window, staring out. “So, she just came to snatch my Cimaruta? How could she have known?”

  “I’ve had a protection spell over it all these years. It came with us when I brought you and Benson here. As soon as I handed it to you, the spell faded. Should have known to do a new one before giving it to you. Melanthios obviously had a tracer on it. She was furious I got away with it.”

  Persy put the silver chain on the Cimaruta over her head and slid the amulet down her teeshirt. “Right. I’ll keep it hidden. How do I activate it when I need it?”

  “It will light up when trouble is nearby, but if you need to use it for telling you something, on the knowledge branch, hold it in your hand and ask the question. It will point you in the right direction.”

  “Got it.”

  * * *

  XXX

  * * *

  Saturday was the day. Persy and Benson were Time-Linxing back to 1669, landing near the Forest of Depravation, where Melanthios resided in the castle, Bodesnoir. That Persy was nervous was as big an understatement as when Noah said, “It looks like rain!”

  “It’s
today, Benson,” sayid Persy. “I can’t get this nervous feeling to settle down. I’m excited, too. My very first mission as a witch.”

  “Don’t get your knickers in a twist, sweet-cheeks. I’ve been on thousands of these and it’s really all about keeping a cool head and thinking out every move. You’ll see,” replied Benson. Truth be known, he was nervous himself. Melanthios was one mean lady, and he used the term “lady” loosely.

  Angelica came out to the back porch where Persy with Benson on her wrist were anxiously gliding in the chair.

  They had an early chat with Fawna. Fawna explained they will be landing in a meadow near the dreaded forest. She would meet them there with a friend or two of hers. She wouldn’t elaborate about the friends.

  “Hello, my little traveling team,” Angelica said. They both look up at her and smiled. Slowly nerves were replaced with excitement and it helped a lot that Angelica seemed to have every confidence in them and the plans they had made together.

  “Hi Mom,” replied Persy. “Just going over the Time-Linxing again. I know we go to the portal under the waterfall, walk in, and then I have to concentrate very hard on the date – 1669 – and the place – the meadow in front of the Forest of Depravation and repeat the incantation over and over ‘Totus Temporis, Totus Temporis,’ Right?”

  “Perfect, it’s really quite easy...just be very focused. You’ll do fine.”

  They were all up at dawn, even Robert. He usually stays out of all things magical. There are certain times he completely lets Angelica take the lead in Persy’s upbringing, and this would be one of those times. However, he’s not about to let her go off on her major adventure without being at her departure.

  Persy makes sure she has everything she needs; wand, Cimaruta around her neck, magical gems and herbs. These are well hidden in the multitudinous pockets of a period country dress Angelica managed to conjure up for her. She doesn’t mind dressing like the times she is traveling back to, but she draws the line at the footwear. They wear those crummy leather boots with little sole to speak of. She’d murder her feet in those, with traipsing all over hither and yon. Nope! She isn’t leaving Dodge without her beloved skater shoes. She’d already prepared a Disillusionment Charm for them. Now they LOOK like the gear the locals will be wearing. I mean, a gal had her limits!

  It was a silent walk down the lane to the woods and on to the waterfalls. Orsina was waiting with her cub.

  “Greetings to you all,” Orsina said.

  Angelica and Robert walked over to the bear and chatted, exchanging plans and instructions. Persy and Benson held back a bit. Persy was afraid Orsina will launch her through the waterfalls to the portal before she had a chance to say proper good-byes to her folks.

  “Come child, no need to fear,” Orsina said kindly. “We have to prepare, it’s nearly time.”

  Persy and Benson went over to Orsina and Persy’s parents. Angelica and Robert hugged her firmly as Persy said her teary ‘good-byes’. Benson was heard making a few sniffing noises, but he quickly turned away when Persy looked up at him. Closet sop, she thought.

  Angelica reminded Persy, “Don’t forget Silent Speak works through the Time-Linx between Magical Folk who are energetically tuned into each other. If you need me, I will hear you.”

  “Ok, Mom,” Persy murmured. Robert took his turn to enfold Persy in his arms and kiss her.

  “And I’ll be doing everything I can for you here. I can’t Time-Linx, but I can send great energy.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” Persy tried to smile at him, but it wound up looking pretty quivery.

  Orsina cleared her throat, it’s kind of deep and rumbling when a bear does that. “I’ll take her and the bug through the waterfalls to the portal and make sure they enter properly.”

  “Oy, then - ’oo she calling a bug?” A personal affront was just what Benson needed to pull him out of his sad state. “She know ‘oo I am?” Definitely going into Octave 2+. “Great lump. She’d make a bleedin’ good floor covering if she weren’t so moth eaten! She would!” Benson grumbled.

  Orsina could have him in one gulp if she reacted to that rant...but she knew Benson and what a haughty little mite he could be, so she simply grinned to herself, letting it pass.

  Orsina and her cub turned, walked over to the edge of the waterfall, gave Persy a side glance indicating they were to follow. The two bears passed out of sight, under the falls and Persy with Benson on her shoulder stood for a second at the edge, turned back and gave a last little wave to Angelica and Robert. They returned the wave. Persy and Benson vanished under the water.

  Under the falls, the air was cool and clear. Along the stone walkway was an opening which just looked like the entrance to a cave. Rock walls seemed to have rolled back to form an ‘A’ shaped door. Orsina and her cub stood to the left of the door, waiting patiently for Persy and Benson. When they came up to them, she spoke.

  “My dear, you will walk through that opening and about twenty-five feet in, you’ll see the light change, become brighter. At its brightest point you’ll be in the Time-Linx. Remember as you walk to it and when you are in it, constantly repeat the chant ‘Totus Temporis’ over and over and focus mentally on Essex 1669, Laurel’s meadow.”

  “Laurel’s meadow?” asks Persy.

  “Your grandmother, dear, she’ll join you there,” Orsina stated.

  “Alright, thank you Orsina for all your help and looking out for me all these years,” said Persy.

  “It’s been my pleasure, my dear,...more than you know...more than you know,” repeated Orsina quizzically.

  Persy gave her a glance. But there is no time to worry about it. Orsina butted her with her nose...time to go.

  Benson and Persy entered the cave and as they started to walk along the pathway, she noticed that instead of getting darker, the further she goes, it was getting brighter. It’s as if there was a hole in the top of the cave somehow, and sun is shining through. But no hole.

  Persy chanted all along the walk, as does Benson. “Totus Temporis, totus temporis, totus temporis’. As they chanted, a drone could be heard in the cave, it seemed like the cave walls were chanting with them.

  In the next few feet, the light exploded and was dazzling in the next instant. Persy knew they were there, where it would happen. Still repeating the incantation, she focused very hard on ‘Laurel’s meadow, Essex, 1669’ over and over. Then the experience came to an abrupt end. Everything around them became a silvery shimmer...nothing but Benson and herself had distinct form. Persy kept concentrating, ‘Laurel’s meadow, Essex, 1669’.

  The shimmering became faster and brighter. Strong winds blew around them in circles and it was everything Persy could do to keep her and Benson upright. Benson crawled into a pocket in her jacket for fear of being tossed around like a feather.

  The winds continued getting stronger until Persy was sure she was caught in the eye of a tornado. Just when she thought she’d have to give up and go whirling helter-skelter to goodness-knows-where; it all came to an instantaneous halt.

  Persy opened her eyes and Benson dared to poke his little head out of her pocket. All that’s around them now was the silvery shimmer. She glanced back and thought for a moment she saw a large dark shape behind her, but then it faded and her surroundings came into clear view.

  They were standing on the edge of a breath-taking meadow, full of luminous flowers, grasses and birds of all sorts. The sun shone intensely, enhancing the vibrant effect. To their immediate left, was a very strange rock formation, three rocks stood together, one taller than Persy in the centre, domed shaped at the top, not unlike a door. The ones at either side were narrow and seemed to support the middle one. What she found so strange was they were all heavily covered with moss, but of mixed colours, giving the middle rock the appearance of a window in its upper central area.

  Behind them was the loud sound of rapidly moving water and as Persy turned, she saw the swift flow of the current in the river, the small fish jumping in and out of its waters
and butterflies flitting from rock to rock. This place was Nirvana.

  Something moved at the edge of Persy’s left eye and she turned her head. The middle rock magically slid to the side and forms appeared from behind it. She only saw a hint of a large dark form at first. It was like trying to see through a rain-beaten window. As it became clearer, there appeared a second smaller but equally dark form. Then all became apparent.

  The larger shape was Orsina and the smaller her cub. Persy was shocked to see them. She had no idea they were coming on the journey, but what a welcome sight. Wait...what was this? Benson, for once was completely without voice.

  The bears were--are you kidding me—marvelled Persy; they were standing up on their hind legs. Then their darkness was replaced with lighter colours and...“Unbelievable” Persy muttered. There was a glow around them as they gently morphed into human forms.

  Orsina changed into a tall, elegant woman with shoulder length greying hair; wearing a soft lilac dress, which flowed breezily to her ankles. The cub on the other hand changed into a young boy, about Persy’s age. He had thick curling blonde hair and the largest blue eyes Persy had ever seen.

  “Don’t look so shocked,” smiled the lady. “I had to get out of that itchy bear skin sooner or later,” and she smiled even more broadly.

  “Who, who, who....” stuttered Persy.

  “Oy, she sounds like Francis, my demented owl,” giggled the boy.

  “Now don’t be rude, Thaddeus,” replied the elegant one. “This is a lot for Persy to take in.”

  Benson blinked, flew at great speed out of Persy’s pocket, buzzed around and around obviously very excited.

  “Laurel,” he cried. “Why didn’t you tell me you were on the other side with us?”

  “Would have caused no end of complications if you knew...you and secrets are not a reliable pairing,” she grinned.