..::In the mythology of the Turkic peoples, the wolf is a revered animal. In the Turkic mythology, wolves were believed to be the ancestors of their people.
The legend of Asena is an old Turkic myth that tells of how the Turkic people were created:
In Northern China a small Turkic village was raided by Chinese soldiers, but one small baby was left behind. An old she-wolf with a sky-blue mane named Asena found the baby and nursed him, then the she-wolf gave birth to half-wolf, half-human cubs, from whom the Turkic people were born.
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Lithuanian goddess Medeina was described as single, unwilling to get married, though a voluptuous and beautiful huntress. She was depicted as a she-wolf with an escort of wolves.
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In the Secret History of the Mongols, the Mongol peoples are said to have descended from the mating of a doe (gua maral) and a wolf (boerte chino). In modern Mongolia, the wolf is still seen as a good luck symbol, especially for males::..
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"What was it like before Matter began?"
"I can't tell you. I know, but I don't, strictly speaking, remember. The reason for this is simple:
When Matter was created, so was Time. All angels began to exist not only in heavenly perfection with God but to witness and be drawn into Time.
"Now we can step out of it, and I can to some extent recall when there was no lure of Matter or Time; but I can't really tell you what that early stage was like anymore. Matter and Time changed everything totally. They obliterated not only the pure state that preceded them, they upstaged it; they overshadowed it; they, how shall I say...?"
"Eclipsed it."
"Exactly. Matter and Time eclipsed the Time Before Time."
Anne Rice
Memnoch the Devil
............
The sound of music led them.
Guitars, tambourine, flute and fiddle led them from the back room of ceremony, into the common room of St. Cat's and celebration.
As Emlyn emerged into the warmth, song and laughter she was aware of a tall, dark presence at her side.
--Daryl.
'Emlyn.' That was all. It was enough...Daryl always could charm with that warm baritone of his; but Em was fast becoming immune.
'Em,' he continued, tentatively putting a hand upon her arm. 'I, I....' Daryl hardly knew where to begin...
'Yes?' Em inquired, looking questioningly into his gaze. All business. No smile.
'Ah.' Daryl fell back on custom to see them through.
'--Would you do me the honor? Please?'
He held out an arm. An offering. A peace offering.
Em gave a brief nod and silently took his arm into the dance. A waltz, as fate would have it.
As they slowly spun about the room, Em took note of Athena paired once more with Sebastiao, while Volundar Kane swung about a sprightly Gretchen, and Rhianna and Lilith danced together, as did Alice and Raimundo; no wonder there.
All appeared to be in fine spirits and the waitstaff and kitchen staff had joined in as well. Em eyed the waitress Evangeline, wondering what her role was in ceremonies here. Madame Celine had joined the musicians and was singing in a high, sweet voice.
Of St.John there was no sign.
'Em?' Daryl dipped his head to catch her gaze. 'We must talk.' He was not unaware that she seemed off in her own world which obviously did not include him.
'Ah, yes,' Em answered, 'We do. Daryl.'
She finally lifted her eyes to his, 'I am leaving. Going away. I can no longer stay at Nob Hill.'
Daryl nearly lost his step. 'I see.' He hadn't expected that, not immediately...he thought he'd be the one with disclosures. 'Where, are you going?'
Em bit her lip. She hadn't decided. She simply had wished to make Daryl aware, things were no longer as they had been.
'I have several options, but...probably back to the Sierra.'
Right. Best to make this quick as possible then; he determined Em may not be amenable to any long talks together tonight.
'All right.' He nodded, a small frown between his brows as the music concluded, and the band began a reel. 'I also have business to discuss with you. It shouldn't take long. May we --?'
He motioned to a table.
Emlyn allowed herself to be escorted and seated at table but refused anything to eat or drink. Daryl sat across from her and stuck to coffee.
-- How odd things are, with so much changed overnight, Daryl mused. But it had been months, in the 'real' world. He had to remind himself that he and Em had not, as it seemed to him, only recently been here as a newly engaged couple and hungry for one another. A dream that, perhaps.
No, that wasn't exactly true; it had been Diego and Josephina who were truly mad for each other. He and Em had acted like ghosts, watching, remembering their younger selves.
'Daryl?' Emlyn prodded. 'You had something you wished to say?'
'Sim.' Daryl reverted to Portuguese when he recalled Josephina. He sighed. 'I, I can no longer travel, Emlyn.' He'd laid heavy accent upon the word 'travel', locking his gaze to hers so Em would catch his meaning.
'What do you mean?' Em sipped a bit of his coffee.
An old, bad habit she must break.
Running a hand through his hair, Daryl sighed raggedly. 'Thelene, Axelis and Yeats...they made the decision for me. I am grounded.' He looked at her intently. 'I can use nothing, none of the Items whatsoever, no mobile unit, nada. I am, no longer, free to roam through time.' He drank off the dregs of coffee and made a face.
Em looked at him with stunned amazement. Daryl, stuck like all lesser mortals? That was news.
'You, were with Axelis, and Yeats?'
He nodded. 'And Thelene, don't forget.' He looked even more dejected. He reached for the coffee pot and shook it, poured another cup.
'They, took my wings, as it were. 'Icarus', Thelene mocked me.' His mouth hardened at the memory.
'That is probably for the best, considering,' was Em's practical reply. 'You were nearly killed. Was that not their consensus?'
'Who told you this?' Daryl demanded.
'Athena, naturally.'
'Right.' Daryl had been able to talk to Athena upon his return. He glanced up at the couples skipping jauntily about the room, noting Athena arm-in-arm now with Lilith and kicking up their heels to the gypsy music. He envied Athena then; apart, and beyond it all. Somehow neither here nor there.
Realising he wasn't going to get any sympathy from that quarter, Daryl returned to topic.
'Yes. So. They gave me the option of staying at the Massachusetts estate, or home at Nob Hill. I chose the City.' To be with you, he did not add.
Emlyn couldn't quite wrap her mind around the strange phenomenon of Daryl temporaly immobile.
'I see,'she answered. 'Well, I shan't be there much longer.'
'Please, stay as long as you like.' Daryl was pleading, and trying not to seem like it. 'Actually, if you don't mind, there is a bit of business I was hoping you might take care of for me? Just as a last request, before you leave?'
'If I can,' Em replied, cautiously.
Daryl followed the dancing then, noticing Athena had changed partners and was now enjoying a lusty polka with the big smith, Kane. Someone taller than she, he thought, with a half grin.
'Ah, yes. Well, Athena has been good enough to have dealt with much of the running of the estate back east, so I don't wish to burden her with this. It isn't much, just a few items I would hope you might bring to me from there.'
'Certainly,' Em answered. That wasn't so bad, she thought. She'd feared he might want...more.
Coming right down to things, as they now were, she actually wasn't so certain of her next moves.
'What...what day is this, Em?' Daryl suddenly looked quite lost.
'Why it's...Saturday.' But she knew what he meant. 'It is, let me see...nearly the end of September.'
Daryl looked stricken. 'Already.'
'Yes,' Em looked at him, 'already.'
'...Your birthday, soon,' Daryl didn't look up.
'And yours, just after,' Em did not wish to become suddenly sentimental. Not with Daryl, not here.
'All right,' he continued, reaching for coffee, then noticed his shaky hand and retreated.
'We'll sort all this later, then, shall we? You are staying at the Inn tonight, yes?'
'We are, yes. Athena and I.' Emlyn made that clear.
'So!' Daryl attempted the hearty demeanor he felt nothing like. 'We will meet here, and parlay before leaving tomorrow, then?'
'We can...' Emlyn's gaze was focused on the dance, Alice in particular. How odd that she found herself jealous of Alice and Raimundo together! She loved them both, as sister and brother. But she felt envious of both as well. Her Alice, with Her Raimundo. The situation was so absurd, she nearly laughed.
Daryl, too, was scanning the crowd about them.
'I wonder where St.John has disappeared to, then?'
St.John, ever a man of mystery, had just ratcheted up his mythical aura of secretiveness by astronomical degrees this evening.
Daryl was determined to have a long, revealing chat with the man soon as possible.
.............
An oddly clear morning found the company together at St. Cat's once more; Athena and Emlyn had preceded Daryl downstairs to the dining room. There was hot coffee waiting, he found to his relief.
'Sopa for breakfast?' Daryl asked, after putting down a full mug of coffee, and reaching for the pot.
Emlyn nodded at the wall clock.
'10:30?' Daryl couldn't believe he'd slept so soundly. 'Have you been waiting here long?'
'Not really,' Athena replied. 'We didn't wake until 9 ourselves...we did have a light meal of fruit and such, earlier.'
'And the sopa was just done!' Emlyn explained, spooning away. 'SO good. And I am rather dehydrated from last night's dancing and, well, the punch...!' She waved a hand to denote its indescribability. 'You should try some. Ah, soup, that is; not punch.'
'Perhaps later.' Daryl waved a server over and ordered eggs and toast with fruit, noting that Em had evinced a great familiarity with the coffee pot already this morning.
'I am glad you're both here,' he sat back, sipping the fresh brew. 'When do you expect to be heading back east?'
'Immediately,' Athena finished her sopa. 'I have too much to catch up on. It is fall there now.'
Daryl smiled at that, including Em. 'Athena relishes the forest in the fall...'
'And in winter,' Athena added. 'I have many friends there who miss me when I am away.'
Athena and Daryl locked gazes a moment. A frisson between them both was felt.
This wasn't lost on Emlyn, but she bethought caution was advised. 'What sort of things do you require Daryl? Nothing too large or heavy I hope? Shall Manuel come with me?'
'No, not at all,' Daryl assured her. 'The largest would be a violin, in case. Some, ah, papers and books....I've a list here...' He unfolded a page he took from his inside jacket pocket.
Emlyn studied the list. 'All right. Well, I assume you don't need anything immediately? No deadlines?'
Daryl shook his head, sitting up to table now that his breakfast had arrived. 'No. You may stay on as long as you wish, in fact.' He attacked his plate with relish. 'But, I would like the violin, oh, say, within a week.'
'Not a problem,' Em looked to Athena, who nodded.
'There, is something else that you may wish to know, Daryl...'
'Yes?' He paused, fork raised.
Athena took over; 'At the house, on Nob Hill, there is a secret staircase. It leads to a room in the cellar,' she began. 'There is a device, carved into the wood of the mantle piece on the fireplace in the parlour.'
'You're joking.' Daryl looked utterly bewildered.
Both Em and Athena were slowly shaking their heads.
'Athena found it one evening,' Em said. 'Just by feeling along the mantle.'
Emlyn didn't mention that she'd found it rather odd that Athena had suddenly brought up the notion of 'secret passages' just before finding one.
'It sticks out a bit, more than the other carvings. Here -- ' Athena turned over Daryl's list and began to sketch the wee wooden "button" that opened the door to the stairway. 'You have to find it by feel.'
Daryl was frowning as he sat back, pushed his empty plate away.
'Did you...you didn't follow the stairway down did you?'
Athena and Em looked at each other. 'Good goddess, Daryl! Of course we did!' Athena exclaimed.
'-- And?' Daryl looked confused still, but with a growing sense of discomfort building within.
'We took lamps and a broom and went down the stairs,' Em began. 'And, we found...'
'-- We found a lot of dust,' Athena finished. 'And old junk. It looked like a former laboratory.' Her gaze went to Emlyn.
Daryl said nothing, he looked down, and his frown increased. 'This, this is truly...,' he shook his head. 'I've never heard the like!'
'There are...other things there.' Athena stated at last. She sighed. 'I believe, the room was used by a Masonic brother, in part, as a Room of Reflection. The, requisite items, were all found in a large trunk.'
Now that was truly bizarre, Daryl determined. First Connor mentions the local Masons, and then this!
'How odd,' he said. 'Connor had just been telling me I ought to look into the local Masonic lodge; and perhaps consider joining.'
'Maybe Connor would know more about that room,' Em said. 'Perhaps he even knows something more about Nob Hill house as well.'
'I...I, can't know what to think!' Daryl was obviously discomfited by their revelation. 'Perhaps. I will speak with him about it when I return. Not tonight, though.' He rubbed his forehead. 'I just hope he has his wolves under control by now...'
'-- Wolves?' Both Emlyn and Athena chorused.
'Aye, wolves. Plural.' Daryl sighed. 'Bridget has a mated pair of wolves, given her by a friend who was leaving the country. Beautiful beasts. They're hybrids, really; half dog and wolf.'
'How VERY interesting...' Athena mused. 'I would like to see them sometime.'
Daryl snorted softly. 'You can try, but I'd advise you to stay indoors, spying through a window from a safe distance. They don't like strangers.' He slowly shook his head. 'They don't even like Connor.'
'"Speak of the wolf and see his tail,'" Athena quoth.
The company was silent for some time as they digested sopa and new and intriguing information. They noted tables about them being cleared in preparation for the lunch crowd.
'Well, it is time I gave Galahad his breakfast and hit the trail, as they say.' Daryl checked his pocket-watch and stood.
'You rode the entire way here?' Emlyn couldn't recall ever having seen Daryl on a horse. Diego, sim; but Daryl, no. It was as if riding belonged to his younger self.
'Sim.' Daryl knew her thoughts. 'It will be a fine ride home. Rarely do I take the time for such. One sees so much more, going slowly.' He gathered up his drover's coat and gloves, hat.
'Well, I'll say 'adios' then. Ah, Em; you should find the violin near the grand, in the parlour.' He paused a moment, then: 'And, should you ever wish to stay, at the house, back east, you know you are welcome. If, well, if I thought that you were at all interested, I would gift it to you, ex gratia.'
Em blinked. The very idea.
'Oh, no thank you, Daryl. I am not as fond of below freezing temperatures and living in a constant state of storm as were you and Athena...but, gracias, for the thought.'
Daryl nodded, then sighed. 'So be it. Well, I will see you again whenever I see you.' Daryl put on his gloves, then bent to give Emlyn a chaste kiss on the cheek. 'Take good care,' he whispered.
Straightening and putting on his hat at a rakish angle, he paused a moment. 'Oh, yes...and, Em; speaking of wolves, there is a rifle at the estate. In my room. You can find it in the closet. Ammo is in a box in the desk there. Only if needed.' He pulled his hat down tight. 'Well, that's that, then. Au revoir, cheries.'
And, turning, he made his exit through the door, tossing his scarf over a shoulder en route.
'Ever a grand entrance and exit,' Athena said. 'Well. We are on our own!'
Em looked at her. 'Indeed we are. What shall we do?'
'Don't know about you, but I am off for home!' Athena stood, stretching. 'It's been long and long I was there for any length of time...'
'My fault, and a bit of Daryl's, I admit.' Em said.
'But, I am ready, I believe. I wonder what weather we shall find there now?'
Athena smiled. 'Always something interesting, I can guarantee.'
And gathering up their coats and bags, the two women walked out of St. Cat's and around the corner, they promptly disappeared.
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Arriving on the doorstep of the Massachusetts estate, Athena went back down the front steps and began to pick up some rocks.
'What are you doing?' Emlyn had to ask.
'Ah!' Athena picked up a common front door key, replacing the rock it had been hidden beneath. 'I knew it was one of those.' She proceeded to unlock the front door, then dropped it into Em's hand. 'Keep it. In case you need it.'
Taking a glance about at the skies, Em decided it was a fair, though chilly day here. Although, she could view some large dark grey clouds amassing in the east. They seemed to be heavy, too. Full of rain, no doubt, or snow, in these temperatures.
She scanned the forest in the distance, noting much color, maple reds, oranges and yellows. Even some denuded deciduous trees. Late fall here already. She rubbed her arms and followed Athena inside.
'I shan't be here long,' Athena announced. 'So much I need to catch up on at home! But let's get you settled. Have you your mobile unit?'
'That's just it, I don't know where it went! I fear it may have been left in the Sierra...just let me check my room upstairs.' Em turned and trotted down the hallway to the stairs, making haste as much to get warm as to not keep Athena waiting.
How odd to be back here, sans Daryl! Or Jack. Here alone.
Em opened her room and was oddly comforted to find everything as she had left it ages ago. She went to the closet and, strange as it seemed to her now, there was her old skirt from her Villa Encantada days.
'Amazing...,' she murmured to herself, as she rooted about the pockets. 'My stars!' She exclaimed. 'The lil' bugger's still here!
Excellent! Emlyn felt altogether more confident about things now. She cantered downstairs to find Athena busy at the woodstove in the kitchen, holding a match to the kindling within.
'There,' she said, dropping the match into the new flames and patting the stove. 'It is a wonderful old stove. I do like mine, but this is bigger.' She put her hands on the iron plate, enjoying the rising heat.
'We're wired for electric of course, but in this weather, wood is de reiger. Anyone who relies on anything else is literally left out in the cold!'
'Thank you for that!' Emlyn stood near the stove, absorbing the nascent heat. 'And, I found my mobile unit in my old skirt from the Sonoran days past...how odd it is to suddenly be delivered out of one timeframe and into another...' Another lifetime ago, it seems now, she thought, somewhat wistfully.
Athena was staring out the kitchen window. 'Storm clouds in the east. Looks like snow. Could be soon, by tonight, perhaps.' She was smiling. 'I can't wait!'
Em recalled when she and Daryl had seen Athena in her sleigh, pulled by her star-horse. 'Does Manuel take care of your creatures when you are gone, then?'
'How did you guess?' Athena turned then, and taking Em by her shoulders, gave her kisses on both cheeks, ala Francaise.
'Enjoy your stay. Maybe give the place a chance? At least here, you can take some time out for yourself. I may come visit soon. But, take some personal space to reacquaint yourself with yourself, eh?' She patted Em's shoulder. 'Ah, well then, adieu, cher! I'm off home...'
And suiting action to word, Athena darted swiftly into the hallway and out the door, shutting it tightly against the cold.
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-- Home alone.
Emlyn listened to the crackling fire in the old stove and added some more wood. Oddly, she found herself feeling that she rather might like it here, for a while. Indeed, when had she last had any time alone to simply think?
She filled the kettle and set it upon the stove for tea, then betook herself into the parlour and began building the fire in there. After getting a small blaze going, she drifted to the windows and drew the heavy burgundy velvet drapes aside.
It never ceased to amaze Em how swiftly the weather could change here! What had been a wash of deep blue above, had now become steel-grey with mountainous clouds nearly covering the entire sky. A low strip of orange light showed the westering sun.
'Wonderful...,' Em found herself saying. She could feel the change in the air. And with the fires warming the place, she began to relax somewhat. Soon, her kettle began to sing and with tea in mind, she found herself actually looking forward to a quiet evening -- alone.
Taking her tea back into the parlour, she went to the window again and was further rewarded by the sight of, could it be --? Surely it was: the first signs of winter to come; tiny flakes of real snow!
'Glorious...,' Em breathed, mug hot in hand; she watched the gathering flakes turn large until true fluffy feather-like snow began to cover the frozen ground.
Smiling to herself, Em pulled the drapes nearly shut, leaving room open for her to peek outside. Surely Athena had made it home to the gatehouse by now. She then built up the parlour fire well, and sighing contently, decided to look for that violin.
By the grand, Daryl had said.
'Well, that was easy.'
Emlyn found it on the floor underneath the piano. May as well leave it there until everything is gathered and she was on her way.
A grand piano. Just sitting here. It looked so forlorn.
She took pity on the lonely dark beast with its shining ebony and ivory teeth, and glided onto the bench.
Goodness, but it had been ages...what to play? Her mind was blank suddenly. Well, stick to what you know.
Beethoven's always good; yes, perfect for a stormy, snowy eve. A Germanic nicht. Her fingers went unerringly into Piano Sonata #14, popularly known as the Moonlight Sonata.
Oh, how good it sounded on this great beast!
This was nothing like the old upright parlour piano that Alice and I had in Pankhurst, she thought. Closing her eyes, she let the music carry her into a world of moonlight and black forests, the stuff of fairy tales and softly falling snow...lost castles surrounded by rose briars...
After a space, she found that she seemed to hear another note, a sort of 'undertone' to the music she was playing. Was it the piano? Softly, she slowed her playing, then ceased; still, listening...
-- There it was again!
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
Excited, she swallowed, suddenly dry, and then slowly rose from her seat. Could it be --?
To the window again she came, and putting her ear to the glass --
Yes! Hardly daring to breathe, Em put her hand to her lips, willing her whole self to silence and stillness.
'Oh, my stars...,' she breathed in a muted whisper.
Chills came again and she shivered. But she was smiling.
' "Listen to them, the Children of the Night! What music they make!"' Emlyn quoted from Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'.
For that was what she was hearing: Far off, but clear, unmistakable as the ring of a distant bell, she heard wolfish howls. The Call of the Wild. Em closed her eyes and shuddered.
'-- Wolves!' She whispered. 'Delicious!'
Another chorus of howls erupted into the pale wintry dusk. Em opened her eyes, and lowered herself slowly into a handy chair near the window, her eyes dreamy, focused within...and softly she quoted MacBeth:
'"...Now witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings; and wither'd murder,
Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,
Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace,
With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design
Moves like a ghost."'
Yes, Emlyn bethought to herself, indeed she may be persuaded to stay on here a while.
'And tonight I shall dream with the wolves...'
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CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN: Moonlight Sonata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymr7JQupPvw
