Primus Inter Pares

Chapter  1  - The Vision of  a Kingdom

And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a 

vision and will speak to him in a dream. 

-- Numbers 12:6

May 20, 645

The day had been a success, yet as the archbishop opened the door to his new home in the small room near the chapel, more would be expected of him and his brother. The dynasty his brother Augarin needed to create would be difficult, yet Aurelius knew it must be done. The counts and nobles of the surrounding lands could threaten war with the recently created monarchy or even worse, the Bremagni prelate would descend on the country with a threat of Interdict. It had only been only a few weeks since he and his fellow priests had declared independence from Johannes III of Bremagne, the tyrannical patriarch of the Holy Church.

The countryside was embattled with counts and barons fighting over precious land and his brother had felt the bitter ends of those encounters. Augarin had defeated Jamish Count of Lendour nearly two years ago and defeated Rubik Count of Carthane only a month previous. But it was costly to continue warring against neighboring fiefdoms. The fighting would continue unless something could be done to keep the fighting to a minimum. Augarin, in an assembly of great lords and clergy, proclaimed himself as High King of the Haldane hoping to bring the battles to an end.

That was ten days ago, but today was the banner day of Augarin Haldane. Aurelius had the privilege of crowning his brother as the High King. The coronation had been splendid, but whether or not the reign of Augarin Haldane would be splendid would yet to be seen. The need for divine guidance was evident. Aurelius, after a step into his quarters, felt the need to pray. Near the chest at the foot of his bed, Aurelius knelt before it and clasped his hands together looking to the heavens.

“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.” Aurelius dropped his head in reverence as he continued his prayer in silence. More focused on the on the words of the prayer than his physical comforts, he slipped into a trance.

In his semi-consciousness state, Aurelius felt his psychic being depart his physical body. Although physically he remained kneeling before the chest, psychically he hovered above his body able to move about the entire room. Suddenly a psychic light flashed below him as he peered around. In an effort to keep the light from blinding him, he tried to shade the light from piercing his eyes only to realize the light did not affect his sight.

As the light dissipated, he could see an ethereal outline of a man sitting on the edge of his bed. The man wore a simple woolen gray-spun robe. The face of the man was warm and inviting despite the ghostly image.

“Who are you?” he heard himself ask.

“A friend of the Haldanes,” came the whispered response.

Aurelius floated downward hoping to get a better look at the man. The man appeared to have silver-blond hair, but he couldn’t tell because of the etherealness of the moment. The man seemed familiar to him but he could not place the recollection. Unsure of the man’s realness, Aurelius wondered if the man was truly in his quarters or just in his semi-state of consciousness. “I am a Haldane.”

“I know.”

“What do you want with us?”

“I came today only to tell you of the importance of this blessed event.”

For just a moment, Aurelius felt alarm at the thought of a stranger suddenly in his quarters or was it only in his mind? His thoughts must have betrayed him for the stranger raised his hands in abeyance.

“Do not worry. I am here as a friend of the King. Your actions have been seen, and we commend you on your choice.”

“Choice? What choice?” Aurelius questioned. “There is only one of you, but you said ‘we.’ Who are you?”

“Who I am does not matter. You, however, my young Haldane archbishop, will be great within the church and your brother will father a country.”

The image of the man shimmered, and then began to fade away. “Wait, stay and tell me who you are!”

The man stood as to indicate he was leaving. A smile of approval came across the face of the ghostly image as he faded into nothingness.

A thought suddenly swept through Aurelius’ mind. “Are you Deryni?”

The man had all but disappeared, when a strong voice answered his question. “Yes.”

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