Rabbo Tales II-Chapter 11

By Mark Crocker

Problems

Yhva sat alone thinking about Ra and the potential problems that he saw with Ra and his followers. The long talk with Ra on Ra’s private telepathic mode had told him much about Ra. Not that Ra had been aware that Yhva had been deep into his mind and had seen much of what Ra thought about things and how much he feared Merwyn. And that also bothered Yhva as Merwyn seemed such a nice gentle man. He did know that Merwyn and been a general and that he had fought against Toner and that Merwyn was a brave man. But other than that he knew very little about Merwyn.

Yhva had tried to astral travel to where Merwyn lived and found that it had some very heavy shields that were mechanical in nature and that no one person could of created on their own. Maybe he and the twelve Sirians could have come up with a shield that powerful, but not Merwyn and his daughter.

And then there was this mysterious daughter of Merwyn’s that he had yet to see as the shields had stopped him from being able to see what she looked like.

When he had been in Ra’s mind he had seen why Merwyn had placed such heavy shields around the area that he lived. And Yhva wished that he had come to the third planet sooner. But well there was no use being upset with something that he could not fix.

But Ra. Now there was a man that was going to be a problem. It was clear that Ra thought he could use Yhva to get at Merwyn and that was something which Yhva found a little unsettling.

The fact was that from what Yhva had heard about Merwyn all he wanted was to be left alone and not to be involved in peoples fighting among themselves. But Yhva also knew that if pushed Merwyn would protect his daughter even if it meant that he would died.

“But what to do with Ra” thought Yhva.

It was clear that Ra would do whatever he could do to harm and even destroy Merwyn so what was to be done with Ra and Merwyn.

The answer was simple. One of them had to be removed and taken out of the picture. Yet it would have to be done in such away that the one that was removed could still be used as a tool at a later time if needed.

The only question was which one would be the right one to remove?

Now that was a tricky question and one that Yhva would need as many facts as possible before he could come up with an answer that would suit his needs the best.

Yhva thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the office door.

“Enter please” said Yhva.

A woman of about five feet four walked in carrying a tray with two cool drinks and a plate of battered fish and pasta cooked in olive oil garlic and herbs.

“I thought you would be hungry” said the woman.

“Thank you Pele. Please sit. I see that you brought enough food for you and I to eat. I assume that you have something on your mind” said Yhva.

The woman laughed and looked at the door until it closed.

“I am glad that you have followed though with our plan of taking over as president of the village. Things could not of worked out better. And I am just so glad that you did not have to work out how to get Angus out of the way. He is a good man and it would have been a waste to have to harm him. It could have been very nasty and I know how you would of hated to do him any harm” said Pele.

“True. The thing is that I really do like Angus. Just that he would not of done what was needed to get things set to order” said Yhva thoughtfully.

“No he would have procrastinated too much. But that is the Sirian way. But for a Sirian he moves fast. Not as fast as he should but still fast for a Sirian” Pele said with an amused smile on her round face.

“Now what have you really come to talk to me about” said Yhva.

“Your talk with Ra” said Pele.

“Ahh yes that” said Yhva thoughtfully.

“You have to be careful. He could do you great damage if he figured out who you are. Or rather who your grand father was” said Pele slyly.

“What that I am Toner's grandson. That I am more powerful than my grand father or any Sirian ever born and that my grandfather would of killed me if he knew what I was” said Yhva looking at Pele deeply.

“And what are you” said Pele teasing Yhva.

“You know well that I am a heretic. You know well that I wanted to undo all the harm that my grandfather did. I just wish that I did not have his blood in my veins as it scares me that I could turn into him so easy” said Yhva.

“And don’t forget that your father had you genetically altered so that you would be as powerful as you are. Plus I think that you could father children on this planet. While your father was no better than Toner he did have longer sight and that just might save our race and that would undo the crimes of both your father and grandfather” said Pele.

Yhva laughed “are you offering again”.

“Don’t forget I am not Sirian” laughed Pele.

“How could I forget or any of us” said Yhva smiling. “You are far shorter than us and you are cuddly chubby”.

Pele laughed “yes I am and that’s the way my race is. You where lucky that your father picked me as a nanny for you and not that tall sour looking woman that he took as a lover after your mother was killed. If he had know that I was training you in the ways of my world I think he would of killed me and you as well”.

“And you taught me so much” laughed Yhva. “And not just about how to control my emotions or use my abilities to the highest level. I am just sad that I will never find a lover that will equal you”.

“You will one day. I am just sorry that we could not have a child. But well your father saw to that. And I do so love you. It’s just that you need to spread those genes of yours around. Its pity that Aerten is still in love with he late husband as she would of made a great mate for you. Now the daughter she had would be a good match and mate when she is old enough” said Pele smiling.

“Well we will just have to see how she grows up won’t we” laughed Yhva. “Now this mysterious daughter of Merwyn what do you know about her”?

“Isis and Merwyn had a daughter” said Pele.

“Yes they did” said Yhva.

“Now that is news to me. She would be hmm, eight hundred and something now. Clean genes too in both parents” said Pele thoughtfully. “Merwyn could breed with her and their children might be as strong and as powerful as you. Maybe we could arrange that. Or if this daughter of his is powerful you could bred with her and then the children”.

“What” said Yhva shocked?

“Get over it Yhva we are talking about the survival of the race here. If you get this daughter of Merwyn’s pregnant and she has a daughter or even a son we can bred from them. If she has a son by you she can bred with her son and then it does not matter as that child will be so powerful it can bred with the people of this planet and in time bring them up to your level of abilities. Or if we get Merwyn too bred with her and she has daughters you can bred from her daughters and the children can bred with the humans. In other words the whole planet in time will be your children”.

“Is that the only way” asked Yhva with the shocked tone still in his voice.

“It is if you want the race to live” said Pele. “Look at my own people. Sirian blood mix with ours and what happened. We are far better off. True we are not as powerful as you are Yhva but just a few thousand years and we will be. We will be. And that time frame is nothing next to the life of a race”.

“I know. But the way you are planning so moral wrong” said Yhva still in a state of shock.

“We need pure Sirians to get it going. And how many are there on this planet? Forty maybe fifty. That’s a weak gene pool. And out of those forty or fifty how many are worth breeding from or can even have children” said Pele.

“I know I know. Just well your idea is wrong. But you are right it’s about the survival of the race. But well you are right. Even if it turns my stomach and revolts me. But you are right, it is about the survival. I will have to think about it and get use to the idea” said Yhva starting to clear his mind and think.

“You don’t have time to think today. The elders from across the valley are coming to visit and you need to tell them something to keep them happy” said Pele.

Yhva laughed and looked at Pele “This is a lot more work than I thought it would be”

“Running a village is far less work than running a planet” said Pele with a sly smile making her lips twitch.

“Still I am not sure who I should get out of the way. Its either Ra or Merwyn” said Yhva thoughtfully.

“Ok before the elders arrive lets quickly look at the facts. And forget about wishful thinking” said Pele. “Ok Merwyn first if you would please”.

“Ok I know very little about him but this is what I do know” said Yhva marshalling his thoughts. “Merwyn is a general. He led the 4th mountain warfare unit on Sirius against my grandfather. I mean against Toner. He did not burn and destroy if anything he built. Plus he treated the prisoner with honor and treated the wounded of both sides. So we can say that he is a kind man. He keeps his house here on this planet shielded so I can say he either has something to hide or he is a private man”.

“Just facts ,Yhva. Not wishful thinking” interrupted Pele.

“Right. Ok he is a kind man. He has a daughter. He helped us come to this third planet and helped us setup this village. He is a good planner. That’s about it really Pele. We don’t know much about him. You must have more to add as you were on Sirian when the war was being fought”.

“I don’t know that much either other than that he loved his bond mate so much that when he was surround and his bond mate was captured he surrendered instead of fighting to the death like an oath keeper would” said Pele.

“Ok so we can add to what we do know about him that he loved his bond mate” said Yhva thoughtfully. “Most of the list shows that he is a good man. But the list is not that long really”.

“Ok what about Ra” said Pele.

“Ok we know he served under Merwyn as a regiment commander. We know that Merwyn saved his life and brought him here. We also know that when he left Sirius he was very much the same view point as Merwyn. I saw that in his mind. But something happened that changed him when he had been on this planet for about a hundred years. I am sure it was how the local people were treating them because of their abilities. But I stray from the facts. Ra likes the feeling of power that he has here. He likes how the people treat them as a god and he likes being looked upon as the head god. In other words he is power hungry. He has a cruel streak and will do what ever it takes to get his plans done. Even killing other Sirians. He is in such fear of Merwyn that he wants to kill him. Hmm so what do I have so far? Ok Ra is power hungry. Ra likes to be worshiped as a god. Ra fears Merwyn greatly. Ra has great control of the locals in his area. Ra rules by fear. Ra has a long term plan that he wants to take over this whole planet and start a new Sirian race. Ra also is a good planner and a good administrator. Ra is also training a force of locals to attack Merwyn”.

“Really” said Pele looking at Yhva.

“Yes he has a force of about two thousand that are fully trained and they are training others. But lets get back to Ra for a moment and what we know about him” said Yhva.

Pele was about to speak when there was a knock on the door.

“Enter” said Yhva.

The young man that acted as translator popped his head in though the now open door and said “You wanted to know when the elders from the other village had arrived. Well they are in the square heading this way”.

Yhva smiled “Thank you. I will be out in a moment”.

Yhva turned to Pele and stood up. “Now to make amends for what I did on market day”.

Yhva walked around from behind his desk kissed Pele on her forehead and walked out of the door heading towards the village square.

Rabbo was sitting in the garden talking with Big sister, Boxer and mischief about the food that had been stored for them and the heater that had kept their burrow warm though the winter months.

“Yes much well eating” said Big Sister. “Tell human man that thank much”

“I will do so” said Rabbo.

“Much good eating and much fat and kittens me make” said Boxer.

Rabbo laughed and looked at boxer carefully. “I hope you did not mate with your sisters or grand children”?

“Nooo Big sister say that bad bad bad” answered boxer.

“Good” said Rabbo.

“No bad bad bad” replied Boxer, big sister and mischief.

Rabbo laughed that they had taken to heart what he had told them about inbreeding and how bad it was.

“Are there many new kittens” asked Rabbo.

“Some” said Mischief as she turned and sniffed her own stomach.

Rabbo closed his eyes and could see the five little fetuses inside Mischief. He then turned his minds towards Big sister and saw that she too was pregnant with six unborn rabbit kittens.

“How many others passed away in the winter” asked Rabbo knowing that one of his brothers had gone missing and was more than likely eaten by something in the woods.

“Five missing in snow and cold time” said big sister “seven pass in sleep of great old”.

“Hmm twelve and how many born” asked Rabbo.

“Three litters so far and more to come” said big sister.

Rabbo mused that while twelve rabbits had gone from the warren there was more being born than had gone. He was not sure if it was a good thing or not as it meant that there were more mouths to feed than the mouths that had been lost.

Long ears came hopping out of a burrow and looked at Rabbo before heading up to the watch point.

Rabbo moved away from big sister and boxer while Mischief followed along behind.

Mischief looked around before she spoke.

“Much worried about soft eye’s she no want to breed and she no smell right. Female human look at her please” said mischief.

“I will ask Athena to look at her and see if she is sick again” said Rabbo worried tone.

“Good thank you” said Mischief.

Rabbo moved up next to Long ears and looked around to see what long ears was listening too. But thankfully there was nothing to hear.

Rabbo wondered how his other brother had just gone missing but he thought as it would be sad that it was better not to ask. Beside Long ears was on guard duty listening for anything that would mean danger.

Rabbo watched as Soft eyes hopped slowly across the dirt towards where he was sitting. He watched with a heavy heart as soft eyes struggled to climb the small amount of dirt up to where he was sitting.

As he sat and watched soft eyes he wondered why his grand daughter had to suffer so and that it was not right that one so innocent should suffer as she was suffering. Rabbo started to slide down of from the area that Long ears was using as a watch post and was about to help soft eyes when he heard Athena’s voice in his head on the private telepathic mode.

“Don’t help her. She needs to find out on her own if she can do it or if she can’t climb up. If you help her she will never learn what she can and cannot do” said Athena with kindness in her voice.

“But I don’t want to see her suffering and hurting like she is. Plus mischief is worried about her as she is not eating much and does not seem interested in mating” said Rabbo his voice full of worry.

“Have her come up to the house when she is ready” said Athena. “I will check her out and if she has growths again I will try something different”.

“If she has growths do you have to make her suffer to make her better” said Rabbo his telepathic voice betraying his worry.

“Sadly I do. I don’t like making things hurt but sometimes that is what has to be done to help heal. Would you have her sick all the time and die before she should” said Athena.

“No I want her well and health. I don’t want her in pain and sick. If I could take all her pain upon myself I would” said Rabbo

“You love her don’t you” said Athena softly.

“I don’t know what love is. I try to understand. But if love is the well being of another is more important than your own well being then yes. She is my grand daughter and of all my grand daughters she is the one I am closest too” said Rabbo sadly.

“Can you put it into words how she makes you feel” said Athena gentle.

“When she hurts my stomach flip flops. When she is well and happy I am happy and cheerful. When I don’t see her for a few days I worry that she is ok. If I don’t hear her voice I miss it. But it’s more than the worry and missing her and being happy when she is happy. It's umm I don’t have the words. It’s like umm. Well her wellbeing is important to me” said Rabbo starting to get confused.

“You can put some into words but not the deeper feelings. That is love. All that you said adds up to love. Even the things you don’t have words for and no one does have words for those feelings and things that you can’t put into words. I feel the same way about dad and Merryn and Wenna. I can’t put those things into words because there are not the words” said Athena also sounding confused.

Soft eyes at last struggles up next to Rabbo and sat next to him huffing and puffing at the hard work that it had been for her to make it up next to Rabbo.

And for no reason Rabbo felt tears dipping out of his eyes and down onto his nose.

“Rabbo you cry. Why” asked Soft eyes as she gasped for each breath.

“Because you have taught me the meaning of the word love” said Rabbo brushing a tear away from the end of his nose.

“What is love” asked Soft eyes.

“Love is many things it is more than just liking someone or something. For me it is what you make me feel” Rabbo turned and sniffed Soft eyes.

Soft eyes smelt wrong and she was having a hard time breathing and not just from the short hard climb to join Rabbo. She was shaking as if very tired and could hardly keep her head up straight. Her eyes flopped down and she laid down next to Rabbo.

“ATHENA” Rabbo hailed.

“I’m coming” said Athena a worried tone filled her voice.

“What’s wrong Rabbo” said Merwyn.

“It's Soft eyes she is very sick” said Rabbo

“I’m coming too” said Merwyn and urgent tone in his voice.

“Talk to her Rabbo and get her to answer you” said Athena.

“Soft eyes look at me” said Rabbo though his tears that streamed down his nose.

Soft eyes opened her eyes and looked at Rabbo.

“Talk to me please” said Rabbo.

“Tell me what love is” said soft eyes.

“You are love. You must stay awake. Please” said Rabbo.

“But I am sleepy. I want to sleep” said soft eyes her voice getting weaker.

Rabbo reached down and touched her front paw. Soft eyes opened her eyes again and then suddenly there was an ultra cold blast of air and soft eyes disappeared.

Rabbo looked around in panic to see where soft eyes had gone. He turned and looked and turned and looked but could not see her anyplace.

Athena ran down the pathway with her medical kit in one hand.

“Where is soft eyes” said Athena.

Rabbo looked up confused and still crying “she is not here. There was a cold so cold blast of air and then she was gone”.

Merwyn came running down the pathway and stopped and looked around. He sat down on the ground and closed his eyes.

Athena picked Rabbo up and started to rock him in her arms. “Its ok it ok sweet rabbit. I’m here and I love you”.

Rabbo burrowed his head into Athena and cried that he had lost Soft eyes.

Merwyn opened his eyes and looked up at Rabbo and Athena.

“Bastet came and got her. She is with Bastet and she is being held in stasis” said Merwyn.

Faintly at first and then stronger Rabbo, Merwyn and Athena heard Angus’s voice.

“The rabbit is being held in stasis until Bastet recovered from her jump” said Angus. “Where did she learn that trick”?

“It's something she worked out on her own” said Athena.

“I’ve never heard of anyone being able to self teleport let alone carry something with them” said Angus his voice now much stronger.

“Merwyn can do it too” said Rabbo.

“Umm yes but it takes a great toll on the body” said Merwyn.

“I can only guess” said Angus. “I need to tend to Bastet. I will talk at you later (laughter)”.

“So Bastet came and got her” said Rabbo still a tone of sadness in his voice. “Will she be ok”?

“You know the answer to that Rabbo” said Merwyn smiling.

“Ahh yes I do don’t I” said Rabbo.

Merwyn interrupted Rabbo “She will be ok. Once Bastet gets to working on her she will as good as new. Better maybe”?

“She already has some of your abilities and this might help Bastet” said Athena moving Rabbo to her other shoulder and looking at Merwyn.

“Rabbo you ok” said Cat who had just arrived. “I heard you shout”

“I am ok I guess, Cat. Just that soft eyes is very sick and Bastet came and got her and took her back to her place” Rabbo said looking down from Athena’s shoulder.

Athena put Rabbo down and looked around at the rabbits that had gathered near by and were watching them.

Mischief hopped up and stopped in front of Rabbo. “Soft eyes were she gone”?

“Bastet took her to be healed” said Rabbo with fresh tears forming in his eyes.

Mischief moved in closer and Rabbo reached out and held her and hugged her as the tears once again streamed down his nose.

Rabbo comforted Mischief explained as best that he could that Soft eyes was not dead and that she was going to be ok?

To Athena Merwyn and Cat it sound more like that Rabbo was trying to convince himself more than Mischief.

Athena picked up her medical kit and started to walk back up the pathway with Merwyn and Cat.

The downstairs was quiet and empty when Rabbo returned to the house. He hopped over to his elevator and rode upstairs and looked in on Wenna and Merryn who where curled up together on their bed taking there midday nap. He paused a moment to just look at the two young girls cuddled together and thought about how such wonderful children could be. He realized that Athena and Merwyn where shaping them carefully by teaching though a number of different ways.

One way was by how they lived their lives and that they set the example that they wanted Wenna and Merryn to follow.

Rabbo hopped to the bathroom and hopped up on the counter to clean his teeth and to wash his face so that he would feel refreshed.

Faintly from down the hallway he heard a faint thumb thumb noise that stopped and then started again.

Rabbo then went back downstairs and went over to the cold storage room and made himself a salad of fresh greens and dandelion leaves.

As he sat eating Rabbo started to think deeply about Soft eyes and that at last he knew what love was and while he could think the feelings there really was not the words for what love was. There was something about love that was a mix of emotions a mix of chemical reaction in the brain and body and something more.

What it was Rabbo could not put into words?

True the wellbeing of Soft eyes was more important than his own well being. And her happiness made him happy. And when she was in pain or hurting he felt sad and a little depressed. But there was far more to the simple word called “love”. Far more than Rabbo had words for and something that as hard as he tried to put into words he could not.

Maybe Athena was right and the emotion and feeling of love could not be put into words. Maybe it was a state beyond that of normal feelings and emotions.

Too love someone totally without judging them. And taking them as they are and not trying to make them into something that they were not. Too take them with all their problems and issues and to love the whole being as they are and not as he thought them to be. Maybe that was what love is?

Rabbo hopped over to the sink carrying his empty bowl washed it and put it in the rack to dry.

He hopped back outside and sat down on the chopping stump and thought about love again.

Maybe Athena and Merwyn had that love too that the happiness and well being of each other was more important to them than their own well being. Maybe that was why they gave the gift of themselves to each other. After all as Athena had once said “the gift of the body to another is the highest gift there is”.

Rabbo thought about that and had to agree that there was no other gift that could be given that would be worth so much. The gift of the self to someone that you cared about so deeply that the feelings could not be put into words.

“Yes that was it. That was what love had to be” thought Rabbo.

A shadow fell across Rabbo and standing behind him was a naked Athena.

“My you were deep in thought. Are you still worried about soft eyes” asked Athena squatting down next to Rabbo.

“You love Merwyn deeply” said Rabbo.

“Well yes that goes without saying” said Athena.

“You think of his well being before your own don’t you”?

“Yes I do”.

“And that’s why you give the gift of yourself to him”.

“Most of the time Rabbo. But sometimes it’s for me and my pleasure. But mostly it’s for him. Well kind of. It’s a two way thing. I gift myself to him but he does the same thing for me. But I try to be the best lover I can and his enjoyment makes me happy and that’s the important thing. But I know that he is doing the same thing so it makes it even better for us both”.

“So it's love” said Rabbo trying to sound as if he was not confused.

“Yes it is love. The highest form of love. And pure love. Everything offered and given and not wanting anything in return” said Athena.

“Oh. I thought I understood what love was” said Rabbo giving up and letting his confusion show in his voice.

Athena laughed and stood up and looked around “I don’t understand love either and to be honest I don’t think anyone does. I just have what I think is love and that’s all”.

Rabbo turned and looked to the west “I think there is a storm coming. Those clouds are dark”.

“Hmmm they are dark and the air is getting chilly I better put something warm on and light a fire” said Athena turning towards the house.

Rabbo hopped down of the stump and looked around spotting the semi wild rabbits digging in the garden.

Rabbo smiled to himself as he knew that they were keeping their part of the bargain that they would help till the soil and in return when winter came they would have food to get them though the winter. Plus they could eat some of the food in the summer and fall as well as long as they did not eat too much.

But there was a problem now.

There were far more rabbits than there ever had been and that this winter there might not be enough food to go around for all of them.

Either more land would have to be tilled or some of the rabbits would have to move away and make a new home for themselves were they would have plenty of food though the winter.

Maybe it would be a good idea of some of the rabbits set up a new warren on the other side of the woods near Helena?

Rabbo would have to ask Helena if that was possible?

Athena’s voice drifted out of the house singing as she started to work on making dinner.

As Rabbo started to hop towards the house Merryn and Wenna came running out and headed towards Rabbo. They danced around him laughing and giggling.

Wenna reached down and picked Rabbo up struggling with his heavy weight as she tried to put his front paws over her shoulders.

“Wabbo tell us a story” said Merryn.

“Yes a story a story” said Wenna almost dropping Rabbo.

Rabbo looked back to the west and could see that the clouds were moving there way and that sitting down outside to tell a story might result in them getting cold or wet or both.

“Let’s go into the house and I will tell you a story” said Rabbo.

Wenna walked slowly and unsteady into the house holding on to Rabbo so that he would not fall.

As they passed Athena in the kitchen Rabbo hard Athena giggling and he looked over at her and saw that she was watching them pass by.

“That has to be uncomfortable” said Athena on Rabbo’s private telepathic mode.

“Not just uncomfortable but painful too” answered Rabbo on the same mode.

“Wenna I think you are hurting Rabbo” said Athena.

Wenna turned looked at Athena then turned her head to look at Rabbo and noticed that Rabbo was wincing in pain. She put Rabbo down gentle and looked at him with sad eyes.

“Sowee wabbo” said Wenna almost with tears in her eyes.

Rabbo hopped on though to the living room hopped up in Merwyn’s chair and sat and faced Merryn and Wenna who had seated themselves at the foot of the chair.

Rabbo thought for a moment and thought it was best to tell them a moral story that would teach them something and also make them think.

But before Rabbo started Merryn stood up smiled and said “I get dinks for all as wabbo need dink for speaking”.

Merryn left the living room but returned with Athena who had a tray of oatmeal cookies and three cups with juice in them. She placed them down next to Rabbo and left the living room.

Rabbo turned to Wenna and Merryn and started to tell them a story about a little rabbit that always tried so hard to do what was right.

By the time Rabbo had finished his story it was raining hard outside and the smell of fresh baked bread came drifting into the living room which made Rabbo and the girls very hungry.

So Rabbo Wenna and Merryn got up and walked into the kitchen and looked around.

The bread was sitting on the counter top cooling so that it would not crush when it was cut into. But there was no sign of Athena in the kitchen anywhere.

So Rabbo hopped over to the ramp that lead up to the counter top and walked up. When he got to the three loafs of bread there was a note in Athena’s hand writing.

The note read “Don’t even think about it”.

Rabbo laughed and looked at Merryn and Wenna who were looking up at him with huge eyes. But he knew that if he did cut into the bread he would not be setting a very good example and Athena would be upset with him.

So Rabbo climbed back down the ramp looked at Wenna and Merryn and shook his head as he had them follow him back to the living room.

Rabbo thought for a moment and then remembered that Merwyn had asked him in the winter to come up with a teaching plan for the children.

So Rabbo hopped over to the book case and got out an old book that taught children their “ABC’s”.

Rabbo started to teach Merryn and Wenna.

“Now repeat after me” said Rabbo looking at the two little girls sitting at his feet. “A is for Ant”

“A is for Ant” said Wenna and Merryn together.

“B is for Bread” said Rabbo.

And so it went for the next two hours as Rabbo taught Merryn and Wenna their “ABC’s”.

Rabbo, Wenna and Merryn never noticed when Merwyn stood in the doorway listening to Rabbo teaching and then when Athena stood in the doorway.

After the two hours where up Rabbo heard movement in the kitchen so he slipped stiffly out of Merwyn’s chair and hopped to the kitchen.

“Dinner is almost ready” said Merwyn who had been busy cooking dinner.

Athena came walking in from outside wearing a long cloak and carrying two full buckets of milk.

“We will have to make more butter as we have such much milk again I don’t know what we are going to do with it all. Plus we have so much cheese that it’s taking up too much room in the cool storage room. Maybe we could ship it out to Yhva’s village in return for umm leather” said Athena.

“Good idea. I could use the leather to make belts and shoes” said Merwyn looking at Athena’s bare feet. “Anyway it’s almost dinner time and you had a good work out this afternoon before you took a nap”.

Athena blushed and took the buckets into the cool storage room before she went to the living and took Merryn and Wenna upstairs to wash up for dinner.

Dinner went later than normal as Wenna and Merryn kept talking about the story Rabbo hold told them and that he had been teaching them their “ABC’s” and that like the story and that Rabbo was teaching them.

Once dinner was finished Athena took Merryn and Wenna upstairs to bath them before getting them ready for bed.

Once they were ready for bed Athena brought them back down stairs and they were let sit by the fire while Merwyn started to teach them how to use their minds with a spinning top.

But soon the two little girls started to get sleepy so Athena picked them up took them back upstairs and put them to bed for the night.

Athena returned to the living room with three goblets of wine and sat down in her chair.

“Dad what’s on your mind” said Athena thoughtfully. “At dinner you seemed to be only half listening to Wenna and Merryn tell you about the story that Rabbo told them”.

“Sorry I did not mean to seem rude. I was just thinking that’s all” answered Merwyn.

“You miss Helena” asked Athena. “I thought I made up for her going back to her temple”.

“Oh you did. Just when you were napping I got hailed by Yhva” said Merwyn thoughtfully.

“Oh what did he want” asked Rabbo wriggling on the couch to find a comfortable spot.

“We had a little chat about Ra” said Merwyn.

“A little chat? Dad you are the master of understatements. I take it, it was more than just a little chat” said Athena.

“What did he have to say for himself and what is Ra up too” asked Rabbo.

Merwyn laughed and looked at both Rabbo and Athena. “It’s more what Yhva tried to do that has me deep in thought”.

“Well, dad, what did he try and do” said Athena looking carefully at Merwyn.

“Yes do tell. I am all ears” said Rabbo.

Both Merwyn and Athena laughed hard at Rabbo’s comment about him being all ears.

“I don’t think it was that funny” said Rabbo rather confused. “But what did Yhva have to say for himself and what did he try and do”.

Merwyn looked thoughtful for a moment before he started to speak.

“Well when he hailed me he tried to slip into my mind to probe me. That takes a very powerful person to do that when it’s person to person. But to do it from a great distance takes great power indeed” said Merwyn. “But I stopped him. I was nice about it letting Yhva know that it is considered rude to probe without permission. Anyway he told me that Ra is planning to send an army to attack Athens but he currently only has two thousand warriors but those two thousand are training more and that Ra hopes to have a force of about twenty thousand in less then ten years. Ra’s plan is to attack Athens so that Athena and I run to their help. When we do that he will attack us using what is left of the Sirians that still follow him. But that’s not all Yhva told me”.

“Really dad. Ra is planning to attack Athens and us at the same time” said Athena.

“I believe so” said Merwyn. “But Yhva might be more of a problem in the long run. I am not sure but he is up to something. I just hope that he does not drag us into anything”.

“There is something you are not telling me” said Athena smiling sweetly.

“Umm yes. Yhva is willing to help keep Ra off our backs. I am not sure how he will do that. But if he does and is not up to something himself we can have a nice peaceful life. The kind of life I wanted when I met your mother”.

“Oh. But what did Yhva tell you” said Athena.

“I am still trying to understand what he truly was saying. He talked a lot in double meanings and in unfinished sentences almost like he was involved in politics at sometime in his life. But he is rather young to of been involved in politics” said Merwyn thoughtfully.

“How old is he, dad” said Athena smiling shyly.

“In his early three hundreds I would say”

Merwyn had a long hard look at Athena who suddenly started to blush and look down at the ground before looking into the fire.

“I can’t blame you really. After all most of you life I have been the only male around other than the two hundred years that we lived with the others before they gave in to their whims and started to act like they are better than the people of this planet. Even your Bastet did for a while. But you turned her mind back to what was right” said Merwyn looking even harder at Athena.

“What are you talking about” Athena said in a confused tone of voice.

“I would understand after all he is young and good looking. Plus he is very powerful” said Merwyn with a sad tone entering into his voice.

“Dad, are you jealous” said Athena.

“No I am just stating the facts my dear daughter” said Merwyn. “Beside you need to see more of this planet than just this small area”.

Athena stood up and stretched her limbs and walked over to Merwyn and sat down in his lap wrapping her arms around his shoulders and leaning in and kissing him.

“Dad, you know I would never leave you. I may go away from time to time but leave you? No never” said Athena.

Rabbo looked at Merwyn and Athena from the couch and finished his wine before slipped down off the couch and headed out of the living room.

As Rabbo got to the doorway he turned back and looked at Merwyn and Athena “You two are worse than the rabbits at the burrow”.

Rabbo turned and hopped out of the living and went out into the cool spring night. As he got outside Rabbo stopped to think for a moment and laughed softly to himself.

“Merwyn had really pulled a fast one. Getting Athena all confused and blushing really had stopped Athena from asking questions that Merwyn did not want to answer. That was very clever” thought Rabbo to himself.

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Click on Mark Crocker for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.