Shape of Things to Come Part 3:Seeds of Time Chapter 35 ‘All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts' ...William Shakespeare. As You Like It

The next day Phoebe did not have to work so once she had delivered the kids safely to school, she planned to spend the day writing her book, allowing her to avoid worrying uselessly about things she could not control, and at this stage even Phoebe was admitting there were many things she could not control. These things included family members who would choose their own paths, regardless of anything she said, unless she had a certifiable premonition. This was not quite true, but convincing herself it was, stopped Phoebe worrying herself into a nervous state like Piper. Or even worrying herself into a controlled but no less frightening state like Paige who Phoebe knew was concerned about her girls, her boys and magic, and also frightened because Mark had been conspicuous by his absence just like all whitelighters.

Phoebe was also using her writing to avoid worrying about her husband. She had not confronted him, too much, about what he knew of the Power of Three much as she had intended to do it. She could not help but notice that Cole was getting very closed and Guardian like, not giving much information away, not interfering in witches’ magic. She strongly suspected, from how closed off Cole was acting, that he was worried how the changes in magic to the earthen realms would affect his happy mortal life with her, the children and his family.

Cole was still hiding his presence as the fifth Guardian of the earthen realms from the Powers that Be of both Good and Bad by immersing himself in this very happy mortal life, as a husband, father, and lawyer. Mostly he was listening to advice from wise ones, but occasionally still enjoying being who he was by deliberately making his own choices and ignoring consequences. But, as Phoebe was well aware, he knew at some point that this life would stop and Phoebe understood that he was worried, even frightened that these current changes heralded the time this happened to some extent. The night before when they had been completely alone, he confessed his concerns about the orders he was getting not to ‘interfere’ with DJ, that he feared ignoring ‘good advice’ on his role and interfering could have consequences.

“Why do you think this?” Phoebe asked him as gently as she could.

He smiled the smile he saved for her. “I’m being told” he admitted. “Kinda vague as always but…definite.”

“Who’s telling you? Phoebe asked putting, putting her arms around him.

“THEM” he told her with some bitterness.

“Isn’t the trick with all you Guardians knowing when consequences are dangerous or just irritating?” Phoebe asked him. “I mean the others all seem to know the line not to cross. Maybe THEY are just being a bit heavy handed making sure you know it.”

“I love you” Cole answered putting his hand to her face.

Another of the things that Phoebe was working to avoid worrying about was the absence of whitelighters. The Charmed sisters had spent twenty years feeling annoyed, harassed, and sometimes bullied by various representatives of the clan of whitelighters and Elders but their absence left an unfillable gap. It was easy to be a proactive warrior for Good when you had the certain knowledge that whitelighters were there to heal any injuries. Not so much when any call to action could end your mortality. Additionally like most witches, the Charmed Ones railed against the very selective and limited knowledge and information that the Elders passed on through whitelighters and the Book of Shadows, information designed to encourage and direct them in their adventures fighting Evil. Yet when it was not present, they decidedly missed having it.

“You’d think someone, anyone would have the guts, the smarts to get through, to think about us in the trenches” Phoebe whinged at her sisters.

“I don’t” Piper smirked.

“I don’t want them to” Paige insisted. “I don’t want to be responsible for a whitelighter being lost.”

Not that the Charmed Ones truly blamed the Elders for taking the protective option, although Piper had her opinion that if only the ranks had been targeted by darklighters the Elders would not have been quite so quick to close the doors. Phoebe probably through premonition, and a little bit through common sense, quite understood why the darklighter attacks were happening. In human terms, Tempus no fool, was doing as much damage as he could using obsolete weapons that were not up to the needs of Tempus’ new order. Phoebe, maybe also from a premonition, could not help wondering what the new ‘weapons’ would be and how dangerous they would be because Good would not know how to fight them. Realising she was slipping into worrying Phoebe tried to concentrate on her book.

However, after a couple of hours her brain froze, and her thoughts were going nowhere so she went downstairs and found Piper cooking away, her usual go to place when she was worried. Phoebe made her sister and herself a cup of coffee, helped herself to homemade buns that Piper had just taken from the oven. She then sat on a high chair at the kitchen bench, to avoid tripping over all four dogs, while she listened to Piper’s concerns about giving the lease on P3 to Reggie until Piper finally sighed “You think it’s time to move away from the club. Don’t you?”

“You’re the one who says to survive, the club needs to continually reinvent itself” Phoebe reminded her sister, “and it sounds like a separate lease on the piano bar solves Reggie not wanting it, even sabotaging it. And you and Leo need the wages from it, so despite Reggie not being a ‘café’ manager as he says, we need it.”

Piper sighed “P3’s been my…proof I can … I’m independent, a successful woman.”

“Part if being an independent, successful women is knowing when to let go, when change has to happen or the whole thing collapses. That’s always been your thing” Phoebe insisted. “Knowing what to change, what to let go and what to build on.”

Piper smiled and nodded but before she could answer both witches jumped as orb lights exploded in front of them.

“Very wise words dear” Francesca announced as she materialised looking very mortal, wearing the unblemished face she showed to the world, her hair in a chignon and dressed in very mortal pants and blouse. She bent down to greet the dogs which were wagging their tails excitedly.

“Francesca” they both called, pleased to see her.

“How did you get here?” Phoebe asked apprehensively looking around for demons, even though she was safe in the nexus. “Is the lockdown over?”

“I orbed dear” Francesca stated the obvious with what in anyone else would have been a smug smile. “No dear, the lockdown is firmly in place” she added a trifle annoyed. “I got here through places I know.” She smiled conspiratorially. “Hidden byways and highways in the spirit winds. Also the archangels pushed the demons blockading quite a distance back, which helps.”

“Isn’t it dangerous coming?” Piper asked apprehensively. “I mean, Evil has us bottled up. I’d feel awful if anything happened to you. Cole would go off the planet.”

“I should hope you would miss me” Francesca smiled. She looked at Piper’s concerned face “Yes dear, I know what you mean” she added briskly “but danger is relative. And there is reckless confronting danger and a quite sensible taking of reasonable practical actions that recognise danger but do not let it intimidate us.” She shook her head severely. “Not that this is understood by all magic beings. Not even understood by some wise ones.” She pursed her lips then smiled.

“Archangels?” Phoebe muttered. “Archangels are involved in all this. The Powers that Be of ‘up there’ are involved in all this?”

Francesca ignored the question, except a soft smile played around her lips. “That coffee smells divine” she breathed “So do the buns” she added as Phoebe jumped up to get her some. “They do not have heavenly coffee in places on high.”

“Why did you come?” Piper asked curiously wiping her hands on her apron. “Other than coffee I mean, although it’s a pleasure to see you just for coffee.”

“Thoroughly fed up with …the… same conversations” Francesca smiled but raised her eyes.” Also, I think the time has come for Good to take control of its actions…a little. Be seen stepping outside the castle, whilst taking sensible precautions of course. Balance is falling a too much toward Evil...in my opinion.”

“You do know this place is surrounded by sniffers and trackers, waiting on the edge of the spirit winds, for someone like you?” Piper asked. “Leo says.”

“Yes dear” Francesca answered happily seating herself at the kitchen bench and sinking her teeth into a fresh bun “Divine” she smiled approvingly at Piper. “I miss simple pleasures of earth. Heaven is so… spiritual.”

Phoebe and Piper glanced at each other which Francesca noticed.

Francesca shook her head severely “Any half-way sensible creature can find reasons, to stay …safe. I lived through changes after an eclipse twice. Evil containing Good is …I am sorry to say this Piper dear…history repeating itself. One can learn from history and find ways to limit, even marginalise… containment.”

Piper and Phoebe glanced at each other again.

Francesca smiled again “So in the spirit of limiting containment, I wanted to bring you some gifts” She reached into her pockets and pulled out some carefully wrapped small parcels and opened them. They appeared to be four small brooches with odd shaped crystals, and some dark stones arranged in a rune that became considerably brighter as it was exposed to the light.

“They are lovely” Piper commented examining them “But …”

“They’re elfin talismans” Francesca explained “They absorb the light of good magic. Makes it nearly impossible for Evil to recognise whitelighters when they are not using orbing power and masks considerable levels of power when orbing in the spirit winds.”

Piper put her head on the side questioningly.

Francesca’s eyes twinkled. “You do understand that beings such as myself move through the winds riding on a trail of light, following eddies and currents. Sniffers and trackers can smell these trails, but these talismans mask the scent and so make it very difficult for Evil creatures to follow. Give one each to your children. You will feel safer” she added.”

“Shouldn’t they be given to Elders and whitelighters?” Phoebe asked examining them.

“They were a personal gift to me” Francesca stated firmly. “As a personal favour, the elves considered how they could use their magic to ...ease the danger outside of ‘up there’. And now they are a personal gift from me to your family.” She smiled “The Elders at that level are following their own path. And they are reluctant to distribute something which hides orbing but does not protect, so they tend to keep such trinkets to themselves. They also, argue quite correctly I believe, that the more orbing pathways in the winds, the more likely Evil is to accidently cross them. And they have concerns some of their more… reckless adherents may take unnecessary or not well thought out risks. Concerns I believe are not without validity.”

“Reckless adherents?” Phoebe asked “Like Mark.”

“I do not believe Mark is reckless” Francesca eyes twinkled, “I believe him to be very clever at assessing…opportunities.”

“Like you” commented Piper drily.

Francesca smiled and helped herself to another bun. “Never stop cooking my dear” she ordered Piper. “It is a gift to the angels.”

Phoebe laughed as Piper preened.

“On a practical side, locking the lower levels of orbing creatures away from danger, containing them in places where Evil cannot go is as good a way of protecting them as any...en masse, controlling them, but eventually life, even magic life must continue.” Francesca sighed. “But your family is more or less confined to earthen realms where Evil can go, where the balance says Good and Evil must cohabitate. In my view, their need is greater, especially considering consequences if they were lost. So take the talismans, in good conscience.”

Piper and Phoebe exchanged glances.

“I don’t want to deal with Cole should anything awry happen.” Francesca murmured. She stretched her hand toward the buns, then pulled it back.

“They’re divine” Piper told her so Francesca took another bun.

“Besides” continued Francesca conversationally. “Quarantine is such an ancient response to Evil. Such an unimaginative one. It makes those deciding feel powerful.”

“I imagine so” Piper responded drily. “Except quarantining my family isn’t the answer, I keep getting told.”

“In specific limited circumstances” Francesca told Piper. “It is. But once …creatures resist the quarantine, the power is rapidly reduced. “Francesca smiled. “It’s about control. You understand not being able to quarantine inhabitants of the mortal world who possess some more supernatural gifts such as orbing, is one of the reasons Elders so dogmatically oppose connections…and reproduction between whitelighters, magic creatures and witches.”

Piper’s expression was mutinous but she nodded.

As did Francesca “It does however happen. Has happened more than generally admitted in the history of magic. Leaves Elders very frustrated at their lack of control over creatures who are their charges.”

Piper’s expression was even more mutinous at the mention of history.

“The last eclipse, the solution to protect mortals with magic antecedents, was to bind their power, which was why your family history of magic is only recorded from the 1600’s” Francesca informed them while Phoebe and Piper gasped “I considered it a dangerous solution then, and I consider it one now.”

“Are they talking of such things now?” Phoebe asked. “I still don’t think Grams binding our powers helped us.” She glanced at Piper. “I don’t want our girls…neutered.”

Piper sucked her lips.

“And” Phoebe continued. “We have two boys who have powers outside Elders control.”

“Premonitions working dear?” smiled Francesca. “No, I don’t think enforced ignorance is…useful. It also shows a lack of imagination” Francesca agreed. “Use the amulets for your children, for Paige and Leo.”

Piper sucked her lips mutinously. “I do not wish our children to …inherit our work.”

Francesca eyed Piper. “I tell you truthfully” she said “I know of nothing written that says they do.” Piper went to respond but Francesca shut her down. “Also” she continued. “Perhaps suggest to Cole that he can find a way to extend the Evil block on the Manor quite some distance, so that Evil hiding in the winds must lurk further away and not so easily smell orbing which starts in the area.”

“You can’t tell him?” Phoebe asked quizzically.

“He’s demonic dear. I cannot tell him secrets of light” Francesca smirked just a little.

Phoebe bit her lip “You have been told by… ‘up there’.”

“The lack of imagination is endemic ‘up there’.” Francesca answered severely. She watched Piper fingering the talismans. “I have a magic reason as well. I really need Leo to return to working with Durand. My patience has its limits. And Durand needs a guide.”

“Why?” asked Piper unable to resist. “Leo admires Durand. Loves working with him.”

“Why is my patience is at risk, or why does he need a guide?” Francesca asked. “I am very proud of …selecting Leo to guide Durand. I have concluded you know, that Leo is the type of whitelighter who follows rules. When he was asked to … resist those rules… he did not .. prosper.”

“Leo does not lack imagination” Piper cried out. Indignantly.

“No dear, he does not” agreed Francesca. “But he has a…noble sense of order which exactly suits Durand’s role, particularly in this time of the cycle.”

“We keep hearing that this time after the eclipse is a time of change to the balance” Phoebe told Francesca.

“It is dear” Francesca acknowledged. “But some things must remain. Durand sought me out to explain that the time approaches in these changes when he must insist what is right and what is wrong. He would like Leo’s guidance before he takes this course.”

“This is a very confusing time” Phoebe observed.

Francesca nodded, then stood up “Thanks for the coffee” she said with finality. “It is one of my great pleasures to visit here”. She nodded to Piper who smiled but her eyes were worried.

“As long as you are here” Phoebe asked Francesca “Do you want to go to lunch? No orbing. I’ll drive”

“Of course, dear” smiled Francesca.

Francesca and Phoebe had lunch at a favourite Italian restaurant, discussing topics of interest to both until as coffee was brought. Francesca finally spoke. “What do you want to ask me dear?”

“You know me well” Phoebe smiled ruefully. “A couple of things.” She swallowed. “Cole knows stuff about the Power of Three but won’t tell us. Just says be careful. Goes all Guardian.”

Francesca’s expression was very severe “You know the answer to that” she told Phoebe.

“I know, witches’ business and Guardians’ business. But he knows and kind of blanks off when I ask. Which is not great for our marriage?”

“I assume dear” Francesca replied “he is balancing Greater Magic and family. That which will happen must happen, and interfering makes the…fallout worse” Francesca smiled wryly “ As I know from bitter experience. Be kind to him dear. Non-interference is very difficult for him at the moment.”

Phoebe sighed and nodded. “And” she continued. “I’m well into a new book. I’m going to write in the book what I should have been saying all along, about there being room for different viewpoints, even wrong ones. About well, a person being offended by something does not mean it is always offensive. How it takes words and discussion and action to decide that Truth seekers must not be silenced” Aleska told them. “History has taught us that silence is the way to evil.” She quoted.

“How will that affect your work with students?” Francesca asked immediately understanding Phoebe’s concerns.

“It’ll get me booted from the university.” Phoebe told her grimly. “Only rather than wait for them to come at me, I’m going to control it. Not helping the students anyway” Phoebe acknowledged. “If I’m too scared to say anything. And” she stressed “Just judging by what happened to Mary, Fern’s supervisor, when Evil used her… to get us, I could just find out that I swallowed it all and they come after me and boot me anyway and then I’ll really be mad at myself.”

“True” agreed Francesca. “Will you be able to do control it?” she asked gently.

“As much as I can” Phoebe explained. “Until it gets uncontrollable and then we’ll see what happens. What do you think?” she watched Francesca carefully.

“As long as you’re prepared for the fallout, do it.” Francesca almost smirked again “These times call for ...decisive action.”

“I know enough to know that I won’t be ready for the fallout” Phoebe confessed. “I know I’ll be upset, irritated and feeling the world is Evil but apart from that” she smiled “I’m ready. Or ready to be not ready.”

Francesca laughed. “How do you control it?” she asked.

“Well” Phoebe continued. “I had a talk with my publisher and they like the idea. They want my first draft to be zestier though. Then I do the talk show route and tease about how forthright I will be in the book, and if the university make a big deal about it and boot me, well I still have a voice. What do you think?” she asked as Francesca sucked his lips together.

“What I think doesn’t matter” Francesca told her firmly “even if I think it’s an excellent idea. Only problem I can see is if Evil come after your publisher.”

“Cole is looking at an iron clad contract about big bickie fallout clause if they try to leave me stranded, renege on the book or get out of publishing in any way shape or form. Cole thinks if Evil is behind the university stuff going on, cheating them out of a public lynching would have Evil jumping at ways to dump me or humiliate me or publicly defame me.” Phoebe explained in a rush.

“So much for the protection of academic integrity” Francesca murmured. “Cole seems to have it under control.”

“Yes” said Phoebe. She swallowed hard “Except I kind of feel maybe …feeling Elisheeva may be behind some of this.”

Francesca eyed her concerned. “Are you certain it is …behind all this.”

“Just a feeling” Phoebe admitted. “Well going after an innocent academic to attack the Charmed Ones. Its screaming Elisheeva. You know she has kinda been around sometimes? Have I … is it wrong of me to …follow this path when innocents at the publishing house could get …caught up in it.”

“Are you asking me if Cole knows she’s been around dear?” Francesca asked.

Phoebe nodded.

“Cole is learning wisdom, and he will listen to it. With a little guidance from those who are wiser.” Francesca told Phoebe, then she folded her napkin and nodded. “One of the fallouts of change is innocents get hurt. God knows the last witch burnings and hangings showed this, and Good had to find ways to protect them. Last time witches went into hiding for two hundred years to protect innocent women from being accused.”

“Isn’t that just a balance thing?” Phoebe asked seriously “That is the way things happen?”

“I am Good” decreed Francesca. “I can still believe innocents can be saved regardless of the balance of the universe.”