The Voyager

Chapter Eleven

"I think there is something more going on with the Council." I say as we walk to the village.

"But what? What could they be doing? Maximus made it sound like the Council was doing something terrible to the creatures. I haven't seen anything that I would consider wrong as far as the treatment of the creatures goes." Nicole said.

"Well, something is happening."

We walked into Cole's hut and sat at the table. "I can talk to The Master tomorrow about the creatures. Would that be a good idea?" I ask.

"That is a good idea. But don't push him too far, Vicki, or he may get angry." Jordan said.

"Yeah. Good idea."

I walk back to my hut. I need my rest. It has been a long day on top of a long week. I am tired. As I walk, I notice many creatures staring at me. None with contempt, but all with interest. They looked slightly confused. About what, I don't know. There is one group standing apart, all looking at me with disgust. What is going on? I enter my hut, and get ready for bed. I will have a long day ahead of me tomorrow.

Two days pass, and I still can't manipulate the Aquae. It just sits in the bowl unmoving. I feel like I'm not making much progress. I can draw on the screen much easier, but the bowl of aquae just sits there. The creatures continue to watch me. It worries me. I wonder what is happening with them.

I have been working on this new exercise where I concentrate my energy on the bowl of Aquae and move my hands back and forth over it, making it move. But I won't be able to use my hands to travel through the Space between Life and Realm, says The Master.

The Master and I have actually become friends; which surprises me. Sometimes, after training, I'll sit at his table with him and he will make a pot of blea, which is like tea, but it grows here in The Realm. It is good. We will just sit in silence, sometimes he will tell me about previous Voyagers. Sometimes he asks me what it's like in The Life.

"You have what?" He asked me.

"Speedboats." I answer him. "They have a motor on the back that propels them through the water."

"Sounds like Black Magic." He answered. "It is amazing what you people in The Life can do without Magic. I have always been interested in such things." He answered.

Just then there was a knock on the door. The Master set his cup down just as the door swung open. A man walked in and quickly closed the door behind him. He was wearing extremely fancy looking clothes. He had black pants, and a white shirt open at the collar and a green, well-fitting jacket with a symbol of interwoven triangles on the left side of the chest. He had black hair, long black lashes and midnight blue eyes. His eyes were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. They were so blue that they almost looked purple. This man's hair was disheveled.

He's trying to do it again, Delbert. He is trying to run me out-" The man's eyes travel over me. He squints and says "I didn't realize that you had company." The Master sighs.

"This is the new Voyager. Her name is Victoria. Please try not to be your usual self."

"Good thing you didn't say that to my brother. He would have you beheaded. And good day to you, Victoria. I trust your training is going well?" He makes his way over from the door and settles himself in the chair across from me.

"Yes, I believe it's going well." I answer. "Master, I will go and visit a friend. Training tomorrow at nine?"

The Master looks at the visitor and then at me. "Better to cancel training tomorrow." He says. I just nod then walk out the door. I walk to Nicole's hut, wondering who that man was and why he was looking at The Master so urgently.

I knock on Cole's door and she answers quickly She is wearing a short version of a Victorian dress. The dress goes to her knees and has a bustle that ends with the dress. It also is very obvious that she is wearing a corset. She looks gorgeous as always. When she sees me she gives me a large hug and pulls me inside.

Jordan is sitting at the table. He smiles at me. "I was just wondering when we were going to see you again."

"It has been awhile." I say sitting next to him. Cole takes her spot across from me.

"So how has training been?" Cole asks.

"Exhausting." I say.

"Oh stop whining." Jordan says.

"I wasn't whining." I reply.

There is a loud rap at the door and we all turn to look at it.

"Who in the Realm could that be?" Cole says, standing to answer it. When she opens it, Maximus comes bursting in. She looks distressed.

"There is a problem. Or there will be."

I stand. "What's wrong?"

"The Beings are being pushed even harder. His Eminence has decided that he wants more production for the spirits. They are planning to revolt. If they do, His Eminence has the power to do much worse than press for more work. He could kill them all." Her eyes are wide. She is scared for these beings.

"The beings are the workers in town, right? Not like the Creatures." I ask.

"Yes. They are good people. I have to try to keep them from revolting. They don't realize that they will be ended if they stand up to his Eminence. If you disagree with him, you could be killed. He tries to make things appear like a democracy, but it's really a dictatorship. That is why I left the council. I disagreed with so much, but if I let it be known, I had to fear for my life." Maximus said. She was sitting at the table now.

"What do you suggest we do?" I ask.

"I think they need to hear from you. To hear that someone on the council is on their side. His Imminent Eminence is secretly on their side, but he is too much of a coward to say so."

"Who is the Imminent Eminence? I haven't heard that title before." I ask.

In the life it is kind of the same as a "Prince" I believe. He is the next Eminence." Maximus explains.

"How will all of the beings get to hear Victoria? Some will be working, and how will they all know that she wants to speak to them?" Jordan asked.

"Tonight. Meet me at my house. You obviously know where it is." She narrows her eyes at this. "You're lucky I didn't hurt you."

"But how will they know?" Jordan pushes.

"Leave that to me. Just make sure you are at my house at midnight." With that she stood and turned sharply on her white pumps and walked out the door.

"She just reminded me, a man came to see The Master today. He had black hair and was quite tall. He seemed high up."

"No way! You saw the Imminent Eminence! I hear that he is gorgeous. Is he?" Cole asks.

He wasn't too bad." I say.

"I hear he has quite the way with women." Cole says.

"Why would Vicki want to know that, Cole?" Jordan asked with a scowl.

"Well, if you would do something after you kissed her, she wouldn't have to worry about whether the Imminent Eminence was good looking or not. But you haven't acted on your feelings. A girls got to have some options." Cole says to him. Then looks at me and sees my red face. "Well, it had to be said eventually." She said, sliding back into her chair.

"You told her?" Jordan asked me.

"You should have told me not to if you didn't want her to know." I said, looking him dead in the eye.

"I see. Well, I haven't acted on my feelings because I am not even completely sure about my feelings. I apologize. But, since she is looking at other men anyway, I'm glad I didn't do anything too extreme." he said bitterly.

"Why are you acting like this?" I asked.

"Like what?" He replied.

"Never mind. We will forget this ever happened, alright?"

"Okay. When are we leaving for Maximus's house?" Jordan asked.