Ahe'ey - 1 Beginnings (3 page)

"Nature or nurture, where do you stand on this Walter?"

"First, let me say that I'm pro-women. I'm the father of two beautiful, sweet, sensitive and very pure daughters. They are my life, let me tell you, if they weren't my daughters I'd be dating them. They are that gorgeous and kind. They make me a better man and remind me every day to protect women so that they can care for the next generation of children."

"Why did you call your daughters pure? Why is this important?" Morgan moved forward in her chair; it was an almost imperceptible gesture, but one that did not escape Gabriel. He could sense she was impetuous and ready for battle. She was probably aware that both the anchor and Tony were there to undermine her message, and yet she accepted the invitation and was now taking control of the interview.

"Their virginity is the most precious gift that they could give to someone."

"So you reduce their value to society, to their looks, sexuality and ability to reproduce?"

"Morgan, we are here to—"

The news anchor lost his varnished Ken doll composure for just one second. He attempted to interrupt Morgan's confronting line of questioning, but Zanus snapped, leaning over the table, forcefully placing his red face right in front of Morgan and spit his words.

"
Look, you witch
, how are things working out for you? You've not been able to satisfy a man enough to coerce him to put a ring on your finger. Where are all these effeminate men that are ready to care for your babies while you work to destroy the traditional family structure, blessed by God?"

Morgan did not move; Gabriel noticed her pale complexion turn crimson. Her unruffled exterior carefully hid the frantic pace of her heartbeat. She took only one moment to recover. Morgan held her head high; her demeanour was confident and unapologetic, and her eyes never left the eyes of her opponent. She took a deep breath and spoke.
 

"
Depulso!
" Her hands danced in front of her body as the spell she had learned from Hermione Granger was cast on National TV. She giggled, "Well that didn't go as planned." The mischievous response made her relax a little. She composed herself, assuming a serious expression and continued speaking, "Although we still have a lot of work to do, and we have not mastered sorcery just yet, I'm certain that we've reached a tipping point. There's no turning back now. Change is here and is only going to accelerate."
 

She glowed as if she could vividly visualise the future she was predicting. "The bullies and their boxes will be banished from the face of the Earth by people that refused to be anything else but unique."

"We'll see about that." His finger pointed towards her underlining his threat.

"Ok, we're out of time. Thank you, Morgan and Walter, for your time today. What do you think folks? Are you ready for a world where women wear the pants and men deal with the diapers?" He smiled, showcasing his bright, over-bleached teeth. "Over to Kelly for an update on today's news headlines."

Royal Orphans

Thirty-four years ago - Ahe'ey

 
"You can do it Sky," cheered Gabriel as the young girl climbed the highest tree in the forest. She planted her feet on the tree and leaned back as her hands pulled a rope that wrapped around the branchless trunk.

"It's too high! I'm going to fall," she screeched, as one of her feet slipped, and her knee scraped the bark. "Ouch!"

"Keep going. If you fall, I'll catch you," the twelve-year-old boy said with confidence.

Sky secured both feet in the bark of the tree and yanked her body upwards.

She loosed the rope just enough to move it up the tree trunk. Burned by the friction of the movement, her right hand let go of the rope and she fell backwards. Six-year-old Bastian screamed in panic.

Gabriel reached his arms to catch Sky as she fell. They both hit the ground with the impact of her body.
 

"I didn't know you could fly," he laughed.

"I told you it was too high," she said, annoyed. "My hand! It hurts." She opened the palm of her hand, red and blue from the rope. He blew on it and kissed it.

"It's just a scratch. It'll heal in a minute. In a few days, you'll reach the top of the tree, and we'll rappel down together," he said reassuringly as he got up and reached under her arms to pull her to a standing position.

"Will you see my mum from the top of the tree? When can we go home?" Whined Bastian.

"Luna is within you, Bas. Can't you feel her?" Gabriel placed his hand on the shoulder of his young cousin. A tiny veil of mournful water covered the blue eyes of the youngest boy.

Sky lowered her head and bit her lip. Her eyebrows became heavy as Gabriel saw a cocktail of grief and rage emerge in her expression. "We are your family now Bas," she said, "We will not let you down. They'll pay for what they did. All of them. We'll kill them all."
 

The young boy took a few steps back, unprepared to deal with Sky's storm.

"The forest is our home. Where else could we go skinny dipping in the middle of the day?" Gabriel smiled, touching Bastian's cheek. The older boy undressed and ran toward the lake followed by his two cousins.

"Why do we need to hide away from everyone else?" Bastian asked as he pulled up his tunic over his blonde hair.

"Our blood is special, we need to keep it safe," Gabriel explained.

"But I wanna go hooome!"

"The Hu'urei are looking for us; they seek to destroy the royal bloodline. We must stay here, under the protection of the Ange'el."

"Is that why they killed my parents and took Sky's mum and sister?"

Gabriel nodded. "We will stick together and train a lot. We need to improve our skills in archery, martial arts, running, swimming, and sword fighting. One day we'll join the Yi'ingo army and fight against the Hu'urei. Come, Bas. Join me." Gabriel jumped into the water, attempting to wash away the worries of his young cousins. He showered Sky with cold water as she ran into the lake, chasing him.

Gabriel's lighthearted exterior hid the worries that festered his mind. The two children were now his responsibility. He had promised his parents that he would do anything and everything to keep them safe and happy. Away from the Sacred House, from his family, and from the comforts and privileges of the royal apparatus, the boy relied only on himself and on the few Ange'el that watched over them. The densest and most remote valley of the Ahe'ey forest was now their home—a haven from the devastating war that ravaged the land.
 

Sky grabbed his neck and pushed him under water. Bastian jumped on top of his cousins, joining the fun.

Breakfast with a View

Present Day - New York

As she opened the door to let him in, she couldn't help but hold her breath.
Those eyes.
He wore a light blue shirt without a collar and perfectly tailored grey pants. The unbuttoned cuffs of his shirt allowed his sleeves to cover his knuckles. There was no sign of vanity. Everything about him was practical and simple and yet of great quality and taste.
Why do I feel I have known you forever?
He seemed relaxed and smiled when he saw her.

"Good morning. May I come in?"

"Hi! Breakfast arrived just a few minutes ago. This place is amazing. Shall we have breakfast on the balcony? I can't get tired of this view of Central Park." He smiled and followed her. She continued to talk as if she needed to fill every moment of silence; her pitch was higher than usual. "It's a bit chilly, isn't it? I hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all."
 

"Is it true that the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Onassis and Yves Saint-Laurent used to live at the Pierre?"

"Yes. The Pierre has been a symbol of luxury and glamour in New York City since its grand opening in 1930. The founder, Pierre Casalasco, was an Italian immigrant. He started as a restaurant assistant but quickly opened his own restaurant. The place was popular for its debutant balls, exclusive events and ladies' lunches. It is said that Pierre became dissatisfied with the democratisation of public manners so he founded the Pierre Hotel to bring simplicity and refinement to Manhattan. The hotel has since attracted the social elite of the world. Many artists and literary icons stay at the Pierre looking for refuse and inspiration." She hung onto his every word; his beauty was unsettling, his voice and manner hypnotic. His sharp cheek bones and the flawless, fair complexion reminded her of the androgynous elven people in a Tolkien novel. She had never seen anyone that beautiful. He overwhelmed her senses, and she found herself having to force her eyes away from him.
Stop it Morgan!
She shook her head.

"I can imagine all the society ladies wearing their fabulous ball gowns and expensive jewelry in the grand ballroom."
 

He smiled.
 

"Unfortunately, some of the ladies did not manage to hold on to their diamonds. The Pierre Hotel is famous for hosting the largest and most successful hotel robbery in history. Three million dollars worth of jewelry were stolen from the safety deposit boxes in the 70s."

"Wow! How do you know all this?"

"I'm a frequent guest. I stay at the Pierre every time I'm in town."

"Where do you live?"

"My family owns some land just outside the city."

"Where exactly?"

"Shall we go over your schedule and make some plans?" She nodded. "We planned all your media engagements for Thursday; the interviews will occur just after your speaking event in Central Park. This leaves you two days to relax, enjoy the city and recover from the jet lag before you have to face the masses."

"I have two entire days to enjoy New York City? How wonderful! To tell you the truth, I hate talking to reporters, I'd much rather coach parents and girls directly. But these days I employ a strong team so my job is to be the face and the voice of the Foundation."

 
"A task you perform rather well," he said graciously. "On Friday you are heading to the UN for the Education conference, and on Saturday, we will drive you to the Catskills Mountains, just in time to spend Thanksgiving with your friend Ann."
 

Morgan picked up the suite's complementary binoculars and looked out to the park. She could see the brown, yellow, and red leaves that covered the ground and a little girl jumping in delight as she experienced the pleasure of stepping on crusty, dry leaves. Morgan smiled, excited by the idea of doing the same. Seconds later, all she could think about was the smell and taste of roasted chestnuts, reminiscing about her childhood in Portugal. Gabriel stood quietly beside her.

"Your joy is contagious," he said, "I like this time of the year." She noticed she had not said a word, and yet he had picked up on her energy.
 

"Perhaps I will rent a bike and spend the afternoon exploring Central Park," she said with a childlike smile and unadulterated enthusiasm.

She was expecting him to smile and nod in approval, but he didn't. His jaw clenched a little. He was lost in thought for a few seconds and then replied, "I… took the liberty of organising an itinerary for today. I would be honoured if you'd allow me to give you a personal tour of the Met, one that very few people have had the chance to experience." He stopped, waiting for her response.

She loved art and adored the Met; she visited every time she was in town, so she was happy with the alternative plan. The intensity of his gaze told her this visit was important to him. "Sounds wonderful. The Metropolitan Museum is heaven on earth," she replied. She saw his shoulders relax. He smiled and explained that she should wear comfortable walking shoes and practical clothes but also pack an evening dress. The Met was hosting an evening party for all their benefactors, and Gabriel would appreciate if Morgan would kindly go with him to the event.

"Sure," she said, "although the jet lag may make me a very dull companion in a few hours."

"I promise to bring you back before midnight," he said with a polite smile.

It was difficult for her to look directly into his eyes, particularly on the rare occasions when he smiled. She could easily get lost in them. There was no doubt he was a very attractive man, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. There was something special about him, something she was struggling to define. Once in a while, the calm and reserved Gabriel displayed a glimpse of a different side to him. It showed in his eyes, and she was curious about it.
Still waters run deep
, she thought to herself.

He raised his eyebrows when his eyes met hers as she stared, and she blushed. She recovered with a question: "Your accent, where are you from? England?"

"My family tree does go back to Europe and, before that, to the Middle East and North Africa, but I was born on a family estate nearby. May I pour you something to drink? Coffee, tea, juice?"

She noticed his hands were on the coffee before she even replied, "Coffee, please."

He filled her cup with coffee and poured some lemongrass tea in his. He kept his eyes on the cup for a little while. "I was wondering if we should change the venue of the event in Central Park? It might rain, and perhaps we could still secure an indoor venue. I have contacts in—"

"Two days before the event?" she said, thinking that it was a very odd suggestion. "And how would we inform the community? It would just generate a lot of confusion."