Born Enemies: Part Two

by michaelcahill

Background
Two souls have a special bond. They keep encountering each other on Earth as humans an unusual number of times. What is their ultimate destiny.

Previously, Allutia, the slave girl, had a most surprising effect on Tibertin, the powerful military leader of the Roman Republic. The effect went both ways. The hatred Allutia felt for her captor dissolved into laughter at his frustrated antics as their argument took a sudden turn towards a friendlier exchange. They parted ways with each unable to get the other out of their minds. It was especially unnerving for Allutia whose people had been vanquished by the nation that Tibertin so proudly represented. Tibertin indeed was her master, and she was his slave. We continue now, as Allutia returns to her quarters. In Heaven, surprise at the encounter is discussed.

This encounter came as a surprise to those of us observing from the other side. Vi or Allutia as she was called in this lifetime was known to have harbored real hatred for Tibertin. She had watched him from her unwelcome role as a slave and found him reprehensible, a typical Roman soldier with everything at his fingertips. She saw herself as a most unfortunate victim of him and a whole country of people just like him.

Her conclusions were not without merit. Sam or Tibertin, as he was called here, indeed was born into relative wealth and knew nothing of struggle or unfairness. True, he had uncommon courage and inventiveness. We knew that he was born with those traits, and it wasn't surprising that they came to the fore in the environment he was born into.

Earlier in her life, Vi/Allutia had achieved some of her potential in much the same way. But, her life was devastated by circumstance. Sadly, the circumstance centered in great part around Sam and his role as conquering soldier and then as slave master.

In a brief encounter, their connection came through in a surprising way. In this lifetime, it wouldn't be at all beyond Sam/Tibertin to simply take this slave girl to his bed and have his way with her. He did have a mentality that she was property and that he was entitled. Something about her that he couldn't have possibly understood stopped him. The soul him within recognized the soul within her. That was enough to alter everything.

We all thought back to Sound abandoned and six years old making Vision laugh tens of thousands of years ago. That same connection came through even in these unlikely circumstances. Ancient souls inside of them both stirred and the humans that carried them were moved by the stirrings. Well, enough Magic Felix musings. The story:

Allutia returned to her meager quarters among the other field hands. Eyes scrutinized her, passing judgment, even though they knew there was no choice in the matter. They assumed that she had given herself over to Tibertin as easily as many of them had. In a cruel way, they found satisfaction in that.

"Was it at least pleasant, Allutia?" Mirratta said.

Mirratta once had worked for Allutia as a courier and felt her equal, now, in a strange way. Even in these dire circumstances, former jealousies refused to be extinguished. The pleasure Mirratta found in asking the question was not easily hidden.

"Yes, we had a fruitful conversation. He may need my services in the household. He is a musician and storyteller, or so he says. I have overheard him at times in these endeavors and find him to be skilled." Her smile also told its tale.

Mirratta was obviously piqued at Alluvia's response and burst forth with a less pleasant inquiry. "I meant as a lover, Allutia. Did you enjoy his lovemaking? I found him to be somewhat attentive. More than most in his position." She looked down having revealed more than she had wished to.

Allutia smirked at Mirratta's revelations. "I wouldn't know about that. We talked and nothing more. I had no interest in his lovemaking skills." She turned and placed her sandals under her bed and removed her dress. She laid down and feigned falling almost immediately to sleep. Mirratta fumed and remained speechless.

Allutia try as she might couldn't keep her mind from seeing Tibertin performing a silly dance and blowing kisses to an imaginary enemy. The image kept rising from her heart and into her mind. Her mind was not at all accepting of it. This was her captor, her enslaver and the cause of all her ills. How dare anything to do with such a man bring a warm smile to my face.

Tibertin had battle plans to consider that evening. His strategies had to be precise. The enemy had grown in strength and in his gut, he sensed they knew him all too well. He knew that the enemy's ability to anticipate his moves would spell doom for his forces. What worked once would not necessarily work again. It was a lesson that he felt within himself whose origin was tens of thousands of years old. He knew not the source, only the truth of the feeling.

The sound of Alluvia's laughter was a pleasant but unwelcome distraction. How can I concentrate on important matters with the sound of that slave girl in my mind? How does she command my attention? But, the sound is like a brook through a meadow… Stop! To the matters at hand! You are going soft, Tibertin. A brook through a meadow? It will be a brook filled with your blood and a meadow to bury you in if you don't get to the matters at hand… He struggled into the night and found himself awakened in the morning at his table. He had dreamed of going into battle with her. But, it was all so ridiculous and hard to recall. It wasn't really her. He wasn't really himself. Giant hairy elephants... ridicuous notions.

"Octalvo. Fetch the slave girl, Allutia. I require her services." Tibertin clenched his jaw and planted his feet defiantly. I need her here. I don't know why. But, I need her here. Cursed woman!

Allutia entered the room with head bowed. All eyes considered her. The men looked at her form and beauty with as much discretion as they were capable of, it wasn't much. The women looked at her with envy and malice. Whatever her purpose for being there it would not be of benefit to them be they Roman or be they slave. Allutia felt the eyes upon her and reacted by lifting her head defiantly. As she looked around the room, all eyes were averted.

Tibertin announced, "Clear the room! I need to speak to her alone."

They did as he ordered in silence. Grumblings and whispers waited until well out of earshot.

"I can't seem to get you out of my mind. That doesn't bode well for what I have to do. The enemy grows in strength and my strategies are critical to our success. But, your laughter haunts my mind. You are in my dreams. I need to be strong and you make me weak."

"Your enemies are my people… master." She looked at him in his eyes and caused him to avert his glance. The word "master" was spoken with venom and a thickness of reality that chilled the air. "What would you have me do, master, assist you in their slaughter?"

"I am not the architect of this world. I am but one that has a role to play. I was born into this as you were born into your station. The Gods place us here and we do as we do. What else are we to do?"

"By the Gods! Do you hear yourself? What part do you play in all of this? You sound like a pet that has been taught a clever trick. Why, ha!, you have no hand in any of it. You are little more than a tree that grows in the forest. An acorn that grew where it fell. Do you even… "

"Silence! You forget your place and the courtesy I extend you. You dare speak to me thusly? I am not the cruel patrician that many in my position are. I garner no pleasure from war or the consequences of it. I asked you here… "

"You summonsed me here! Ordered me here or had me brought here. Asked? That implies a choice on my part. A slave has no choice. I am here as your property, like this vase or the oxen that pulls the plow in your field. And now that I speak, you will punish me as you would a pig that has left its pen… "

"Enough woman! Enough!" Tibertin upended the table where he had awakened. The racket startled the ears of those that listened closely at his chamber door. None had a predilection to enter. He picked up the vase and held it in front of him. "Maybe you will be more reasonable. Could you explain to this… woman… that I didn't ask her here to fight? I asked her here because… because I think. Because I think, I might have some kind of feelings for her. Would you tell her that please before I have her beheaded?"

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Locations:

Earth: The story and stories happen on Earth as two souls occupy human hosts in a series of lifetimes. When in human form, they have no knowledge of previous lifetimes or of their lives in Heaven as souls. The souls have feelings and memories, but they are not conscious. They do influence the humans they occupy heavily.

Heaven: Heaven is a name we use to help the reader more easily understand where the souls live and come from. The souls call it home. Often referred to as "the other side".

Characters:

Magic Felix: The narrator. A soul that has special abilities. He has knowledge of all souls. He knows of all their lifetimes as humans and also knows what is is like to be a soul within a human body. No other soul is conscious in human form.

Vision: Also known as Vi. Acknowledged to be thought of as female. The main character that we follow throughout several lifetimes. She will be seen in many identities both male and female throughout time as we track her story towards the present.

Sound: Also known as Sam. Acknowledged to be thought of as male. The other main character that is so often found with Vision as they encounter each other over and over again. Also seen in both male and female hosts. Seen along with Vision through several lifetimes.

There are various other characters most of whom are not seen again. Occasionally there is a character that appears that has encountered the two main characters before. That will be pointed out if it is of significance.

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Surprises for those on Earth and in Heaven.

A chapter in the book Vision and Sound: Their Stories

Born Enemies: Part Two

by michaelcahill

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