After Ian, Simone, and the rest of the group have left for Chicago, Nettle walks through the crops slowly and distractedly-- hands held out to either side to let the cornstalks brush them as she passes. She remembers back to 15-20 years before when she'd been so carefree and devoid of much responsibility. She'd thought that being a mage was all about secret circles and fun and partying and getting laid! She barely had the attention-span to sit and listen to what Veil had to teach her.
She remembers Veil getting furious with her on a few occasions...telling her that she was going to end up dead if she didn't start paying attention. She remembers how upset she felt-- upset that Veil was right, and upset that Veil wouldn't just let her have fun and leave her alone. Now Veil's the one who's dead, and Nettle is the very last Verbena alive on the planet...Nettle doesn't count Sarah because she has her own theory about what Sarah is, and it's far beyond being just a mere mage!
Nettle wonders if Veil is looking down on her in terror-- waiting for her to majorly screw up being both the Bearer of the Cross, and the last one to pass on thousands of years of knowledge. But mostly, she wonders if Veil is regretful that Nettle is the one who lived instead of someone else more...capable.
Then Nettle thinks back to how much Ian had changed in just one day...how he holds himself differently now-- probably as a result of having to speak to King David and convince him to come here. He seems to have a little more self-confidence...a little stiffer backbone. Nettle stands straighter with her head held higher without realizing it-- trying to emulate her son.
Well, she's about to embark on her own very important mission, so she silently prays that the Lord and Lady will bless her words that they'll have the right impact and inspire something incredible to take place.
Nettle exits the cornfield and climbs the hill towards where the fae are building the walls.
Later that evening...
Nettle stands in the clearing in the center of the horizon realm with Alec, Oswald, Slick Willy and Jaf. They're talking quietly amoungst themselves and waiting for Tom-Tom, Helen, Mr. Miller, and King David to arrive. Nettle had asked Sarah if she'd stay outside with the clones to watch for more people coming and she'd call Sarah in once things had gotten started.
Tom-Tom comes in with Mr. Miller talking about some sort of story about dudes, and Mr. Miller seems to be in need of assistance in getting Tom-Tom to be quiet. He smiles at Nettle as they approach, and finallyTom-Tom goes quiet.
"Mrs. Gideon," Mr. Miller says, refusing to call her Nettle out of some deep-seeded respect for her and her relationship with Sarah.
Nettle smiles and nods. "Mr. Miller...Tom-Tom..."
She's done fighting Mr. Miller about calling her Mrs. Gideon...for now! But she's pretty sure that once enough time has gone by that he'll be calling her Nettle like everyone else!
"Hey Nettle. I was jes tellin Mistah Millah here about dis one time wid a bus load o-dudes..." Tom-Tom starts.
Nettle laughs, revealing in how good it feels to laugh after being tense all day! "Tom-Tom, where are all these dudes getting buses from? And how come they're always in buses when you fight them?"
Tom-Tom shrugs, "I don't know, Nettle, but dey do! Theys have lotsa busses n'shit. I mean dey drive right up and attack ol'Tom-Tom. But nobody messes wid da Tom-Tom!" he says puffing out his chest.
Nettle laughs heartily. "And that's a fact! I've watched you fight! They'd need at least TWO bus-loads of dudes to start being a challenge!"
Tom-tom smiles greatly and nods, folding his arms proudly.
Helen walks in just then and smiles at Nettle. She walks over to her and kisses her on the cheek. "Nettle, it is good to see you this night." she says taking her hand. "How is your son?"
Nettle's lips quiver a little. 'DOH!' she thinks to herself in frustration. 'Don't lose it before the meeting even starts!'
She laughs self-consciously, embarrassed of how she always wears her heart on her sleeve. Probably another family-curse-- this one from Ellowyndriel!
"He's leading the group to Chicago right now. I told them to check in often, but that was before they went to Balador so they might have forgot that they're still supposed to do it!" she smiles shakily, trying not to look like it's eating her up that her kids are finally off on their big quest.
Helen nods and pats her hand. "I am sure they are fine, Nettle. You've raised as fine a son as I have seen. He has the heart and determination to do it. We would know should something go wrong," she says. "It was hard to let Erasmus go after so long but...I trust your son to bring him back to me."
Ugh! Nettle feels even MORE weight suddenly go onto her shoulders! CAN her little boy bring everyone back safely?? OK, OK, he's definitely not little anymore, but in her mind she keep seeing him as the little toddler with the cornsilk hair! She really needs to stop that or she'll never be able to sleep again!
"Thanks Helen...I appreciate the confidence you have in him." she says sincerely. "How is Critias? Still...you know...resting?"
Helen nods. "He is. We often sleep years at a time when we are in torpor. I slept through most of the Renaissance." she says. "Ah King David." she says nodding over to the door. "How good of you to come."
"My pleasure. Thank you for your assistance last night on the construction of the wall. I did not know you knew that much of engineering." the king says.
Helen smiles at Nettle sardonically.
Nettle grins back, feeling a burst of optimism when she sees how well the Fae-king and Antideluvean Vampire are getting along!
"Thank you for coming...all of you. Not to sound cheesy, but it warms my heart to see the group that we have here tonight. I'm not very experienced with this sort of thing, but I'll do my best." She takes a deep breath.
"Represented in this group are some of the very last of our kind-- Mage councilmembers...Fae royalty...a Kindred Antideluvean...a Garou Elder...a dedicated Kinfolk. As we've seen with Sarah and Simone and Holly and all the newly-Awakened mages...with Bobby Miller...and with Ian, our kinds refuse to die out...the next generation is here waiting to learn all our knowledge. We are it! We have no one to answer to...no one above us in rank or power. This means that we have such an incredible position in the history of the world: we have the power to change the world! The power to decide how things should be." Nettle pauses. "The power to bring earth back into the bosom of the Goddess and God...Gaia and the Green Man...the Lord and Lady."
Nettle pauses to see how everyone reacts to her words.
Ozzie and Alec give her the thumbs-up and encouraging smiles. Jaf nods appreciatively while Slick Willie seems intent on seeing through Helen's toga.
"Blessed be that comment," Tom-Tom says. "We can make a paradise if cooler heads prevail."
"I agree. This can be as beautiful as Carthage was." Helen says.
"Hmmm. I had not thought of the prospect, Nettle. But what you say, should we win this war, is true." the King answers.
Nettle exhales in relief that everyone is in agreement with her. "If we can fill the world with wonder and magick again, then the gates to Arcadia can just stay open after Ian opens them! It will be like the old days!" Nettle exclaims, envisioning never having to lose her son after all.
"So what I'm thinking is that while we're training all these new mages, we should also be teaching them the Old Ways. And we also don't want to lose all the technology that we've gained, and there are probably many techie-types out there who Awakened, so Ozzie can balance the spiritual side of the Old Ways with the great benefits of technology." she smiles at Oswald encouragingly. "Tell them what you made!" she whispers to Oswald.
"Ah yes of course." Ozzie says standing. "Well then it is an inter-programmable mimic A.I. that will allow instruction in various subjects in multiple debate forums."
"English yeh?" Alec says shaking his head.
"Ah of course is ahh well it downloads your personality and knowledge of certain subjects to teach them while you go on about your way and do other things. A completely safe and harmless device that will allow you to teach hundreds of students while you work on other projects." he says.
Helen blinks and shakes her head. "I think I know what you're saying...it's safe?"
"Completely," Ozzie says.
"Yeah I get it," Tom-Tom says. "It's like in Superman when he's talking to Jor-El." he says
"Exactly like that yes." Ozzie says nodding.
Nettle grins. "In simple terms, Ozzie has made a learning-station with all of our knowledge programmed into it, and the students can sit down and pick which one of us they want to learn from and what they want us to teach them, and then a hologram of us will appear and be their teacher! This way we will be able to meet the needs of having to teach possibly hundreds of people! We want them to rotate from person to person so that they get all of our learning-styles and knowledge instead of just one person's. In essence, we're trying to do away with the rigid Traditions and just mesh all learning and all styles into one! Create a balance of spirituality and technology!"
Nettle turns to King David, Helen, and Tom-Tom. "There's no reason Ozzie can't do the same for you. If you want, he can make hologram-teachers of each of you. That way if anything happens, your knowledge and wisdom won't be lost...they can be taught to anyone who can access Ozzie's learning-station."
Tom-Tom gets all excited and nods enthusiastically, "Old Tom-Tom in da machine yeah. I'll do it. I have lots of teaching and stories, whole bus-loads."
Nettle grins and has to stifle a laugh in order to keep the mood serious.
Helen considers for a moment, "I believe this is more Critias' specialty. I'm no teacher even if I wanted to be."
"Absolutely not." King David says. "It is an interesting idea, however one more suited to mages and wolves rather than fae."
Nettle looks surprised. She's about to open her mouth to argue with him when she remembers that this fae ISN'T a family member. She can get away with back-talking to Corrander, but maybe not this guy!
She takes a breath and nods. "All right. That's your choice. But if you change your mind..." she leaves off.
She pauses again. "Now I wanted to get to the other reason for the meeting before we start hammering out how to run the planet!" She glances at the entrance to the realm and then back to everyone.
"Everyone considers Sarah to be a mage, and that's probably close. But she never Awakened...she was born the way she is. And on top of that, I've seen her go into trances where another voice speaks through her...a much more powerful and ancient voice. It's been happening since she could talk. I did a ritual over 15 years ago where I spoke with the Lord/God/Green Man. He showed me his throne, and then pointed to the goddess' throne and said 'the throne is empty.' I didn't know what he was trying to tell me at the time, but then things started clicking in my head. I think the throne is empty because the goddess is here on earth...hibernating, if you will, in her chosen vessel. I think Mr. Miller might have already guessed what I've guessed." she says, being purposefully vague to see if the others arrive at the same conclusion as she has.
Mr. Miller nods. "She's not hibernating, Mrs. Gideon, that girl is the goddess." he says with tears in his eyes. "And she's come to set the world right again."
"Amen," Tom-Tom says quietly.
Helen looks over at Mr. Miller and then at the rest of the assembly. "Truly? You think that?" she asks incredulously.
"She is powerful to be sure, but goddess? That's blasphemy," King David says shaking his head. "Perhaps the goddess is working through her as she does to all of us."
Nettle's little balloon bursts again just as it was rising. 'Why is it the FAE, of all people, who's giving me trouble??' she thinks to herself in frustration. 'And here I thought peaceful negotiations should have always been quick and easy! Now I know better!'
She takes ANOTHER deep breath before continuing.
"All right...for argument's sake let's just say that the goddess is working through her, as you said. I want to invite Sarah to come back in here and join our meeting...because...I want the goddess' input on how we should run the planet. What is everyone's response to that?"
Everyone nods their head in agreement, and say that they would like that. Nettle gets up for a moment and heads to the entrance and calls Sarah in. Sarah walks in and sits down in one of the chairs.
She smiles at everyone, "How are things going?"
Nettle smiles and sits next to Sarah, tucking one leg under her as she sits. "Well...really well. We were discussing that we here are pretty much the last Mages, Fae, Garou, Kindred, and Kinfolk-- and certainly the oldest or most powerful, in any case-- on the planet. So the responsibility of how to re-build the world falls on our shoulders. Or-- as I like to think of it-- we finally get the chance to set things right!"
"Everyone has just agreed that we want to work together, and agreed that we want people to learn both the Old Ways and technology in moderation, and Ozzie showed them his learning station, and so we're ready to start discussing what we should do! We figure you're the best person to have here for that!" she smiles encouragingly.
If there were more Verbena or Witches here, Nettle is sure they would have noticed the symbolism of bringing the circle into order and gaining the help of the four Watchers (Mage= Air, Garou= Fire, Fae= Water, Kindred= Earth) before calling to the Goddess and inviting her in. Nettle has a little shiver of excitement!
Sarah looks around at all the expectant faces and looks down at her hands. She nods to herself and looks back at everyone. "I see. You're expecting me to have the answers." she says. "I think it's time for peace among you. It was that way once," she says as her eyes get a faraway look. "It was the way it was supposed to be, the shepherds of humanity to inspire, protect, guide, and teach and it all went awry. Pride was the first sin and it destroyed everything so carefully laid." she says.
Helen watches intently and lowers her head, nodding to herself.
Tom-Tom watches enrapt, listening to Sarah's voice.
Mr. Miller closes his eyes and smiles.
King David sighs and looks up at the ceiling.
Nettle is glancing around at everyone-- feeling responsible if anything goes wrong. Her eyes go past King David, and then back to him again, and her eyebrows lower. She can't tell if he's being respectful, or bored or something! Her Nettle-temper starts to flare again and she has to consciously hold it in check.
"King David...is there anything you'd like to add?" she asks, trying to keep her voice calm and even. This reminds her of when her children were kids and she had to talk to them like this on occasion!
"No," King David says shaking his head. "I am all for peace, Sarah, however we are jumping the gun. There is still Edmund out there and, may I remind you, Lilith. Now when this is all over and we've won, then it will be the time to sit and discuss this."
Nettle clasps her hands together. "The reality for the rest of us who aren't busying themselves with making walls and fortifications is that we have people here now who we're supposed to teach. We should decide what we're going to teach them-- spirituality-wise-- and start doing it immediately so that we're completely practiced and confident and have it down pat by the time we have to spread it to the world. These mages are going to go out into the world at some point and take our teachings with them. This is wet clay right now that we're shaping. And hey-- if Edmund and Lilith blow us up in the end, well hell. At least we were prepared in case they didn't." she says, unable to keep the frustration out of her voice at the end.
"This is a farce," King David says and stands up. "I will keep us safe while you teach your mages. And in the end and only at the end will we discuss how things should be." he says gruffly and walks out.
Helen sighs and shakes her head. "Always so passionate, the fae. They were like this thousands of years ago and they have not changed."
"Cooler heads did not prevail." Tom-tom adds.
"So they're ALL like Corrander??" Nettle jokes bitterly. "Great...maybe I don't want Ian's fae to awaken then!" she huffs. "What is wrong with him?? He's been the one dragging this down from the start! And he's supposed to be a king of Fae? And Fae were supposed to be the ones who were on earth first and taught the ways of the Lord and Lady to the mortals?? Maybe we should go talk to the rest of the fae who are out working on the wall and see if there are any who have common sense!" Nettle snaps, feeling her hair crackle a little with static electricity that she's generating in her anger.
"Relax, Nettle," Sarah says. "In his time he will come around. He will see the truth of things and come back to the table and then all of us can discuss how the way thing should be." she says. "Until then, teach the mages, let them know how things were once and all things will fall into place."
Nettle slumps back in her chair and hmphs, tears in her eyes. Growing up she'd always had this mystical admiration and respect and veneration for faeries that had carried into her adult life...until she'd actually MET some! Now she just feels confused and dejected. She draws her knees up to her chest with her feet resting on the edge of her seat.
"All right...well...should we teach the new mages about ritual and the sabbats and esbats and herbology and stones and all of that?" she asks, her voice still a little sullen.
For the first time in years she fantasizes about getting out her frustration by drawing on King David's flesh with her dagger instead of on her own skin!
"Yes, Nettle. Teach them as you were taught, and you as well, Alec, and you too Ozzie. Let them know the old ways." Sarah says.
"I can tell em stories about the first wolves," Tom-Tom says.
"I can tell them of the old days of Carthage and how peaceful it was and how we all ruled the city in prosperity." Helen says.
Nettle looks around at the group, feeling a little better. "That sounds good..." she says slowly. "Maybe the Fae will see everyone teaching the mages but them and not want to be left out. One can hope."
She thinks for a moment. "OK, well...let's set up a day each week for Helen to teach everyone about how to make this place a utopia...and another day each week for Tom-Tom to mesmerize everyone with his story-telling of the first of Gaia's warriors...and another day for us to teach them the Old Ways...and then the rest of the time the students can be at Ozzie's learning station, or learning about farming from Mr. Miller...or--" Nettle's eyes get a sparkle to them, "--going up to help the Fae with their building-projects! They'll be sure to learn some fae-lore that way!" she grins. "How does that sound?"
"Perfect. We'll get them involved somehow," Helen says putting her hand on Nettle's shoulder. "I hope Critias awakens soon. He would love this."
Nettle grins. "I hope he awakens soon, too!"
Sarah smiles and looks at Nettle, giving her a knowing look and standing up. "I must get back to the fields."
Mr. Miller stands up. "I'll join you," he says to her and the two walk out.
Nettle breathes out slowly and looks at Alec, Willy, Jaf, and Tom-Tom. "That didn't go too badly at all, did it!" She unconsciously traces the tattoos of nettles around her wrists with her finger.
"So...I was thinking...that...I'd like us to all be involved in doing a Great Rite to help Sarah with awakening the earth. We would all pair-up in different parts of the field. The only problem is, will it be taxing on Sarah if all these women are trying to channel the goddess at the same time, or should we use herbs to induce a trance instead, or what?" she asks in a low voice.
"I think we need to go slow love," Alec says. "These new people here are scared. They're frightened and they don't know what to expect next. We have to take things slowly with them. Once they come around then maybe a Great Rite would be a good idea. Until then...hold off."
"Well...I didn't mean the new people..." she explains. "But just now I realized that with Erasmus and Morwenna gone that Helen and Tom-Tom wouldn't be able to participate..." She gives Alec a come-hither-eye. "But you and me are here...and Willy and Jaf might be able to find some hot fae-chicks...if they've still got 'it'!" she teases them.
"Yeah," Willie says. "I still got it."
"Wait wait...that's a great idea!! You want everyone to work together, what better way to restart the world than a great rite with fae, vampires, wolves and mages in the great rite!" Jaf says. "We should wait till they return!!"
Nettle's eyes light up. "We're a genius!" she exclaims. "Thanks for pointing that out, Jaf! You rock!" she grins approvingly. "And talk about merging Verbena, Cult of Ecstasy, and other styles together, eh? Literally AND physically!" She ruffles Jaf's hair teasingly, unaware that he's been shagging one of her clones behind her back!
Jaf smiles, pleased with himself, while Alec and Willie roll their eyes. "Anyway, it was a good idea love. Who knew King David would be such a wanker eh?" Alec says.
"Yeah I better get wit da spirits and see what dey say," Tom-Tom says. "I help wit whatever you decide. Tom-Tom is no lazy fae." he says.
Tom-Tom's observation makes Nettle laugh hard again. "You got that right!" She gets up and hugs Tom-Tom. "Thank you so much for being supportive! I means a lot to me to have you in on this!"
"Hey hey, Tom-Tom is always helpful." he says. "You jes ask, Nettle, and Tom-Tom takes care of it. No one messes wit da Tom-Tom!!" he says. "You is good people, helpin us like dis and being good for everyone else. Tom-Tom is grateful."
Nettle smiles a big smile. "Aw, thank you Tom-Tom!" she flushes a little. She's never been good at taking sincere compliments!
"Well, now that the meeting is over--" she puts one arm through Alec's and her other arm through Oswald's, "--let's get this party started!"
The group walks outside to start coordinating the training of all their new students.