Its been a week since my reawakening. Ive been living with Will's family; all of whom are members of the Society. Will's mother entered the Elder's Sanctuary for the first time last year, so she hasn't been taught some of the things that took place a week ago.
His father was the man to the left of the Presiding Elder, the rude one, who I later found out was his grandfather. And his sister is a member as well, however she attends meetings in another city as she is currently a freshman in college.
Their guest bedroom is quite nice, and the mattress being adjustable is immediately appreciated. I really wish I had thought of this, or at least knew the person who did; but alas, being immortal, doesn't mean that I knew everyone, or even every important figure in history.
Tonight is to be a regular meeting of The Elders of the Society. Next week is a general meeting, but because of the way things went last week, I made it very clear to Leah that I was going tonight. Her constantly testing me when Will wasnt around is getting old, and I could tell she wasn't doing it on her own. She was being given instructions.
Seven in the evening came around, and the four of us headed to the meeting, Will seemed stressed out as he had no clue as to what to expect, Rob and Leah seemed anxious, but it was definitely because I refused to be left behind. The evening fog was just starting to roll in, it wouldnt reach the thickness it had the night I awoke, but tonight wouldn't be far off.
We went through the doors after giving our various signs; as a Trammel, I only gave the phrase about mead, it was the only way I could consistently get in.
"State your original name." A woman asked me at the door to the meeting room, called The Elder's Sanctuary. This was a new face, and a challenge.
"I am Time, I am Horus, I am Janus, I am Allendale." Her face went pale. And She responded.
"I am Time, I am Horus, I am Janus, I am Melody." She was one of the two who were born, after each death.
"I have been given the name Taylor Grace for this lifetime. Please call me Taylor."
"I am known as Cassie in this life." She says as she gives me a hug. I feel her push he mana into me, verifying who I am. "Do you still burden yourself because of our change?"
"Always." I said, motioning to the door behind her, indicating its time we go in.
"Cassie." The rude elder said only her name as we entered the room. I shut the door without touching it, and locked it. Even though he is the Presiding Elder, there is a limit to how rude someone should be to my family, even if he is Will's grandfather.
"I have had about enough of your insolence." I say, keeping my power cycling around my throat.
"Girl, you are fifty years too young to try and threaten me." He replied back.
"Joseph, you are out of place, out of touch, and have crossed a line you never knew was there." Cassie seemed mad now, "I came here to confirm the presence of a Trammel. I have confirmed the presence of The Trammel. Stand down."
"How much money did she pay you?" Joseph spat. "These fairy tales end now."
"Yes, they do." I answered as I pushed my ability into the world, and allowed it to manifest as light. "Only those who know my first name are part of my family. And I will not tolerate them being abused in this manner." I spoke with the authority that my time on this planet has afforded to me. "You said I was fifty years too young to threaten you; young man, you are seven millennia too young to be this rude to me, or my kin."
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
It had the desired effect. I cut off the mana in the air, and everything went back to normal. "Do you still wish to callenge my existence, or should we be discussing a new Presiding Elder?" He went pale at this remark, as Presiding Elders have always served until they passed on. There is no removal process, an new one is installed only after the death of the previous one, and they have no say as to who follows them.
Will, Rob, and Leah seemed to understand they weren't to interfere. I began speaking again.
"A door of blueberry, blue, with fittings of brass, shall always be guarded. The guard shall be tested, and entrusted with a longsword. Only allowing in those who have proven their identity. Their primary purpose is to protect the intrinsic truth of The Society of Immortals; that they walk among us." I look around the room. "Does anyone here, doubt that William only allowed entrance to me after assessing my identity; or are you still of mind that his instuctors put an untested guard on duty, alone? Should I punish his instructors, or everyone in this room?" I sigh, "or, have you accepted me, as Cassie has?"
Unsurprisingly, they accepted me quite readily after that. I really wish I didn't have to do that. They had business to discuss, Leah had to publicly announce how much money the chapter would be spending because of my doctor's visit, as well as how much was spent on my clothes. It was approved, unanimously, to allow Leah to be reimbursed for my school supplies she bought from her own money. The public service projects were discussed, which according to the general public is all the Society really does.
At half past nine in the evening, the meeting was closed, and everyone began filing through the door. Cassie came over to me.
"It's good to see you again." She whispered.
"Thank you. It's been what, three hundred, three hundred twenty years?"
"That sounds about right." She smiled at me, the wrinkles on her mid-sixties aged body became more obvious with the gesture. "I am glad to have seen another in this lifetime; and even more elated that it was you. May I have your permission to contact the others, and let them know you are still with us?"
I nod to her, and feel thirteen wisps of mana leave the room as quick as the gesture.
"I let you change your mind three centuries ago, I figured to not give you the chance this time darling."
"I'm still the only one you can't contact like that, aren't I?"
"Yes, but being as I'm the one who met you, word can get out to everyone quickly." As she spoke, I felt tendrils of mana enter the room, and wrap around her. Voices quickly whispered they were on their way here. All thirteen of them. "Well, it looks like we will all be in the same city for the first time in four millennia." She then leaned into me, and whispered. "We've been looking for you mom; please let us do this."
I know I was never her real mom, but hearing that they have been looking for me since we started the Society, my eyes began to water. I felt hands hug me from behind, when Cassie did the same from the front, l lost it. I did something that I promised myself three thousand years ago I would never do again.
I cried like a little girl.
After a while I looked to see who held me from behind, it was Leah. Apparently she had been watching Cassie and I whispering, and felt that I needed a hug.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Allendale has been found. Boston, Massachusetts." The message was quick, and unexpected. Since creating the Society of Immortals, she has fallen off everyone's maps. I guess the term now is radar, but thats still a relatively new technology.
I took off the burka I had made, and began walking toward the US embassy. I showed the gate guard the white business card I had in my pocket. The man passed a blacklight over the card, saw the writing, and immediately opened the gate for me.
"Ambassador Elaine." The man behind the counter stood as he greeted me.
"I need a flight to the US. Preferably in the New England area, but anywhere in the us, I can get where I am needed from there."
The man nodded, and began typing on his computer. "If comfort isn't an issue, we have a C-130 taking off in two hours for Ft. Drum, with a stop over to change planes for an airliner; then a stop for fuel in Shannon, Ireland. We can hold the flight until you arrive by our helicopter."
"That will be fine. I need clothes that won't be out of place for my current position."
"Understood. There is a wardrobe we keep updated for you in the blue room."
I nod, and go toward the room indicated, take a hot shower, get dressed, grab the empty briefcase, close the handcuff on my wrist, and head to the roof.
Allendale has been found. Wherever she is, is home. I am going home.