Tridas (9 page)

"He did hold you in
house arrest against my will”. Antipater conceded.

Screams from the outer
room stopped their conversation short. Antipater looked out of the balcony to
the natural harbor below. Recognizing Alexander's flag from the ship in port,
he reached for his sword and entered the outer room.

Soldiers, bearing
Alexander's sun crest, were ripping their way through the chambers, assaulting
everyone in their path, with no regard for their threat level, age or gender.
It was a massacre, child servants lay wounded as well as Kavani's maidens, as
the attackers turned over tables and burst open doors in search of their final
quarry.

Antipater struck hard,
beating down the advance team. Telios and Eliyon, Kavani's personal guards were
at his side until the confrontation was complete and no further aggressors were
left standing. They set the ship on fire to ensure no stowaways would provide
any further surprises. Returning to Kavani, they found her sitting in the
moonlight, lost in deep meditation. The wounds of the children healed and the
presumed dead returning to differing stages of consciousness. Her power was
well beyond what Antipater had even imagined. She opened her eyes, looking
about at her healing household and finally setting her gaze on Antipater.

"Italy...
immediately”. Antipater pronounced.

"I like the idea”.
Kavani stated, relieved, but ever so mordant.

The explorer vessel was
captained by Nearchus, son of Androtimus, a former student of Aristotle, and
acquaintance of Antipater. He had been exiled by King Philip, and was no ally
to his former friend Alexander. The crew was told that safe harbor was
necessary at Rhodes to avoid a monsoon. Kavani and Antipater were snuck aboard
in the dark of night. The quarters were compact, but reserved for Nearchus
alone, which would avoid any unneeded witnesses to the new passengers.
Ironically, the ship did hit rough waters crossing Cape Salome and was forced
to take refuge in the Fair Havens on the island of Crete.

Crete's beauty proved
too much a temptation for the couple. In need of a break from the tight
confines, they dressed as peasants and debarked with the crew. The sparse
vegetation and rugged hills were the landscape for the sprawling coastline,
with numerous nooks and crannies creating the perfect private beaches. The hot
white sands and refreshing blue waters were the perfect contrast. The peasant
rags left strewn along the beach, Kavani and Antipater, were splashing in the
waves and enjoying their last bout of freedom before the long journey
"hidden away" en route to Rome.

The eight day journey
had extended into ten due to lack of wind. The shipmates were restless, weary
of the constant motion and ready for dry land. The ship stopped short, of the
intended destination, in Naples. The Amalfi Coast was beautiful, but Nearchus
had the ulterior motive of refreshing his men before arriving in Ostia. The
presentation of his ship and crew would proceed his audience before the First
Consul, Titus Veturius Calvinus, in Rome and Nearchus wanted his reputation to
command attention. The captain was an admirer of the republican ideals of Rome
as opposed to the dictatorship of Macedonia. His exile had changed his
perceptions in many regards.

The float into their final
destination was accompanied by a bit of flair. Nearchus met with the proconsul,
touting the singularity of his vessel in battle as well as his personal exploits
around the globe. The crew was extended full rights to explore the beauties of
Rome as they were paraded off the ship in full fanfare. The Roman scholar Lucan
was introduced to the academics on board as Antipater and Kavani slipped away
basically unnoticed.

The neighborhood
surrounding the port of Ostia was welcoming, but adjusting to their new home
would take some time.

"I feel naked...
and not in a fun way”. Kavani confided in Antipater, sensing a weaker
connection to the supernatural.

"You naked is
always a good thing”. Antipater retorted, purposefully trying to lighten her
mood. He believed they were safe, almost 1,000 miles in the opposite direction
of Alexander's sites, but Nearchus was a questionable link. Trusting
Aristotle's judgment, Antipater had agreed to the plan, but all men are
fallible, and elimination of any unknowns had always given him the
upper
hand
and his reputed strategic prowess.

A couple of years had
passed and this season's festivals would be held in the Circus Maximus. The chariot
races were spectacular. Yet, Kavani was more excited for the diverse
populations (specifically their knowledge and resources), the games and
ceremonies attracted. She had read exhaustively the books Antipater had carried
with them from the library of Alexandria. They contained secrets from Egypt,
Babylon and even Persia. Her picture of the supernatural had changed since
living in Rome, but in many ways her link to the spiritual realm had become
even stronger. Her craving for more knowledge was strong.

Antipater had been
invited to compete. The athletes were presented in the parade of Aventine, the
prelude to the opening ceremonies of the games. The statesmen of Rome were
celebrating in the colonnades of the Palatine Hills, overlooking the arena on
the eve of the events. The scene reminded Antipater of the evening, when he had
first seen Kavani in Rhodes. Continuing to reminisce, he realized how much he
missed his role as Regent, but how thankful he was for his life with his soul-mate.
He thoroughly enjoyed taking it all in.

"Enjoying yourself
I see." Kavani interrupted his thoughts. Her beauty, instantly grabbing
all of his attention.

"What is performed
in haste in youth, is appreciated in age” Antipater declared.

"Feeling rather
stately
this evening,
My Liege
!?" She smiled, beaming with pride over her
companion. Antipater was always the obvious leader in the crowd. He attempted
to shroud his gifts, but his presence was often unmistakable. People took
notice; thus his invitation to participate as a champion to celebrate the
erection of the arena.

Wine was not a part of
Antipater's evening program. He needed to be sharp and perceptive for
tomorrow's games. Kavani would on the other hand, be taking part in all the
celebrations had to offer. Her high spirits made her that much more frisky.

"Dance with me my
handsome stable boy” Kavani spoke in jest. In an attempt to draw little
attention to himself, Antipater worked in the officium stables and the grand
cru vineyards. Over the few years, however, his natural leadership promoted him
to administrator of the stables. And his influences on the winemaking process
even captured the attention of the Tuscan providence.

Watching Kavani move was
mesmerizing. Feeling her move next to him was even more thrilling. The two
danced close for hours.

As the revelry began to
slow, Antipater excused himself to find some sleep. Kavani had heard rumors of
a Druid gathering, from the jugglers and fortune tellers who had set up booths
outside the arena. With the moon at its high point, Antipater knew there was no
point in opposing her wish to look for these most interesting visitors. They
parted with a kiss.

Aven was called back
into the briefing room. "Tensions are high. Troops are amassing on the
borders. We have isolated a safe drop zone, 20 clicks away from the hot zone.
We will look to cut a covert path to the Government House. The grounds consist
of several palace like structures extended over 11 acres. Hostiles, as well as
officials, in the area are considered armed and dangerous. Our strike team has
been tasked to secretly secure Col. Suttikul, the alleged
leader of the coup, for questioning regarding his involvement with Russian
Captain Vasily”. The Commander instructed.

The team would be boarding the helicopter
shortly, but Aven wanted to give Kavani an update. Their phone conversation was
brief, but both of them felt like a critical piece of the puzzle was still
missing.

"I'll update you on the ground in Bangkok. I
love you". Aven ended.

"I love you more". Kava hung up her
phone.

Knowing Aven was doing his part to learn more on
the technical side, Kavani sensed her role rested in the supernatural.
"Tell me more about the prophecies of my return” Kavani requested.

"The time the poets speak, describes a grave
danger for all of the earth. The outcome is not foretold, but an epic battle is
fought between a noble mortal and a powerful warrior priest. The moon plays a
crucial part in the story." Malin recited”. Many interpret this as
prophecy of the earth's destruction, skewing the orbits of the heavenly
constellations. Venus returns to bring order to the cosmos”.

"Aven and I believe another prophecy, of a
great flood, is also part of this impending drama". Kavani added.

"The Great Writings read that there will
never be a global flood" Citlalli protested.

"But they don't say, it will not be
attempted." Kavani challenged. "I agree, fate is on our side. This
staff also wields unheard of power
"
.

"It seems many powers from the past are
converging on this moment in history".

"I would like to learn more of its origin.
Transporting me to this destination... can't be coincidental".

"Seek out the Druids?" Citlalli offered
almost giddy.

"I assume the Awen markings still point the
way”. Kava stated as she began to examine the ruins for the Druid mark.

The Britannica Order of the Druids had been
welcomed in ancient Rome, by none other than Kavani herself, and had flourished
in numbers over the centuries. Malin stumbled upon the first mark. The Awen, is
welsh for inspiration. The shape, three lines capped with 3 dots coming to a
point, represents many ideals, but serves as "an arrow" pointing the
way to the order.

Following the sub sequential markings, the women
found themselves on the centermost of the Seven Hills of Rome. Amongst the
multi-storey buildings and ancient ruins was a shepherd feeding his flocks on
the slopes of the Palatine. Knowing this to be more than coincidence, they
approached the shepherd and followed him as he slowly ambled the summits,
winding his way through a narrow crevice penetrating the hillside. About 50
feet in, the narrow passage gave way to a vaulted sanctuary.

"Welcome to the Lupercal”. The shepherd
turned and spoke, his announcement echoing in the resounding space.

"The Lupercal? The lost cave of the she-wolf
who raised Romulus and Remus?" Malin asked excitedly.

"Yes, the breeding ground of the twin sons
of Mars." The shepherd confirmed matter-of-factly. "You stand at the
very centre of Rome”.

Kavani stepped forward, "We seek your
counsel. At the height of your influence, your people possessed wisdom without
equal. A Druid could walk between two armies waged in war and dispel
hostilities causing them to discontinue fighting. In the matters of learning your
words are absolute. The time has come again to serve as the link between
mankind and the gods."

"You are uniquely gifted for such a
time." The shepherd began. "The creator has served you with specific
duties and the other world to protect the mother earth. The staff is the tool
of a shepherd. It guides, corrects, and rescues the flock. The almond wood, it
is made from, predates the Druid tree lore. It's origin - at the crossing of
the four rivers, from the original garden of the east. Channel its power and
cherish this gift from the Higher God. I revere you for your role as safeguard
of mother earth. The she-wolf will look after you, as she did for the twins,
when you encounter our enemy”.

The four spent the next many hours conferring on
astronomy, mathematics, music, philosophy, and all things spiritual, each
holding the others in high regard.

Aven exited the embassy, to the sound and
vibration of the propellers on the transport helicopter ramping up to speed.
The entire unit was in plain clothes. They would be posing as a tourist group
in Bangkok as they infiltrated the inner offices of the Government House. The
camouflage for this mission would simply be blending in with the thousands of
other trapped tourists attempting to enjoy the sites, in spite of the situation
now looming over Thailand.

The bird landed in the "safe zone,"
unnoticed. The team took off on motorbikes to the first bus transport and then
switched to tuk-tuks once they entered the city. Architectural elements of the
main building surprised Aven.  The golden dome looked very Italian. He quickly
Googled the building's history and
coincidentally
it was designed by an
Italian, Rigotti.

"The Italian design of the house could help
with our infiltration”, Aven explained. "This architect and his student
artists were known for including tunnels in their designs, in tribute to the
labyrinths of ancient Rome. Once inside the gates, descending stairs could be a
way to navigate the acres undetected”.