Caledonian advocates

11

That evening one of the priestesses woke Simon up. Simon fell asleep in the tiny library. 

''Wake up! Sleepy! Wake up!''

Simon finaly rose. 

''What is...''

''You feel asleep, dummy!''

''Oh.. thanks for the insult. Who are you?''

''I'm Kaith. One of Queen Silvana's friends and priestesses. But you might have guessed that already...''

''What time is it?''

''It's almost morning...''

''Why are you awake?''

''I need to show you something. Follow me...''

Simon followed her. They left the ship and sailed towards the northern shore of the Gothic Lake, just five minutes away from the tiny islands where they were located. 

''Where are we going?''

''Trust me...''

The two walked for a quarter towards the north. The road was in a good state. Then they arrive at a tiny village. Kaith entered into a stone building, which looked like a shrine or village temple.

''Come inside...''

Simon followed. 

Inside the priestess lights up the fire place which made the interior warm. After twenty minutes she sat at a table. 

''Sit with me...''

After he said, the priestess began to chant weird sentences in Babylonian and making weird moves with her hands. Simon felt a bit uncomfortable. After six minutes of endless noise, the room became quiet. The temperature was warm as of summer. The interior of the room changed.

''What is this?!'' Simon almost lost it ''What the f*ck is this...?''

''Calm down.. Let's go outside..''

When they left the place the village wasn't there. Only the shrine. The road was smaller and the stars were brighter. The weather was quite warm. The priestess held Simon's hand and they instantly hovered over the road towards the shore from where they could see the tiny islands. 

''Where are the ships?!''

''We are in a time lapse..''

''A time what?''

''It's a paranormal trick that only the initiated can practice. It's when you disassociate from your body and move backwards in time. You will not be able to alter history, but you will be able to experience it to the full as if you were there.''

''So... how far back in time are we?''

''We are in the 20th year of the reign of Emperor Augustus...''

''Why did you bring me here?''

''You'll see...''

Kaith held his hand another time and they were removed from the Gothic lake towards the place where the later Gothic capital would be established. At this time there were only several tents and tiny wooden houses that were used by sojourning peasants. From afar they heard sail ships arriving. It were Roman cargo ships and two naval ships. When the people arrived at the shore they began to set up a camp. There was a young man, around 14, that looked just like Simon. 

''Who is that?''

''That's Ludoyahu, your Great-great-half-uncle. He arrived here at that age and he fell in love with Scandia. However, after remaining over here for a year, be became attracted to Norway. His father, David lived in Norway for five years together with his wife. During this time, at age 19, Ludoyahu established - with the help of some older men - his own city state: Jehuda town, named after the tribe of Judah from whom he was a descendant.''

Kaith skipped years into the future and moved towards Savaria. The two were now located at a stinking farm, occupied by a loud family. He then saw an attractive blonde woman. Within several seconds they saw how Ludoyahu met the woman and how years later she became his wife in Norway. Within a half hour they saw the whole life of this woman and the life of her daughter which was named Verita. And then they came to the moment when Simon arrived at the shores of Britain. There it stopped...

They were back in the present time in the Norse shrine. 

''Hmmm... I never realised all the drama these people had...''

''You are here because there are unfinished businesses that are haunting not only your Scandinavian relatives but the communities that they inhabit also. You might be able to solve those...''

''How can I?''

''Remain on the Gothic lake and accompany us.''

''Tell me, is there something going on that I need to be aware off?''

''Some Finnish warlords had send their gang to camp around this Lake. They are keeping us as hostages here. You arrived in the night, that's why nobody noticed you. They killed the captains of our ships. We have no communication with Joas nor any other official either in Caledonia or here in Scandinavia. We don't even dare to leave this lake district.. for they can kill us any time...''

''You have paranormal abilities...''

''No I don't. The paranormal entities at that shrine were the ones revealing all that information to us. I'm just an empty vessel with no real power.''

''Ah.. that's bad...''

''So.. we are quite frightened...''

''What about the two platonic lovers?''

''You mean the queen and her regent?''

''Yes...''

''Well, I don't know. We are not allowed to inform about their affairs. The queen is quite stern in this protocol.''

''Where are they?''

''They sleep in an apartment, on the balcony, on the ship...''

''How are they coping with all this crap?''

''They are ignoring it. They are only concerned with drinking wine, eating delicious fish meals and taking baths every evening.''

''What do you expect me to do?''

''I don't know... but just realise that your presence here is not a coincidence. Maybe you can figure a way to negotiate with those criminals.. so they will let us go?''

''We will see about that... for now, we need to go back to the ship!''