Tablet of Destinies by Traci Harding Page A

‘Have I told you today?’
    Tory, finding a coherent moment, returned her husband’s fond gaze. ‘I love you too,’ she replied, ‘and if you can end this in the next five minutes,’ her voice became strained as the next contraction intensified, ‘I will love you all the more.’
    â€˜I do believe I can grant that wish,’ he assured, as a second little bald crown showed itself. ‘A couple of good pushes and you’ll be drinking tea.’
    â€˜Boil the water, baby.’ Tory put on a determined face and even managed a smile, before she bore down for all she was worth.
    â€˜Whoa!’ He advised her to refrain a moment. ‘We have a head.’
    Canfan quickly checked that the umbilical cord wasn’t wrapped around the child’s neck before he gave Maelgwn the all clear to guide it out.
    Tory collapsed back into a reclining position — the trial was over. ‘Is it a girl?’ She had to know.
    â€˜She is.’ Maelgwn carried the tiny babe over and laid her upon his wife’s naked body. ‘And she will be a perfect little replica of her mother, I expect.’
    â€˜So the prediction has come to pass,’ Tory mumbled, lost in the wondrous delirium of making skin contact with her newborn babe. ‘You’d better tell Noah he’s a prophet, after all.’
    â€˜So he is.’ Maelgwn recalled Tory mentioning the historian’s prediction, which was completely out of character for Noah. ‘How did it go again?’
    â€˜It will be twins, a boy and a girl, Noah said. Unique in their purpose.’ Tory ended her recitation with raised brows, unsure of what the second part of the prediction meant, but right now she didn’t really care.
    â€˜Well, he’s as healthy and strong as any full-term baby, twin or no.’ Hatty gave her expert opinion as she brought the boy child over to join his family.
    Praise the universe, thought Tory on the quiet, as it seemed her celestial encounter had benefited her unborns as suspected. The secret that her restless conscience harboured seemed no longer to be of any consequence.

4
CHANGELINGS
    W hen a child was born on Kila, it was not named until after its time and date of birth in Chaliada were known. This meant that the astrological chart could be drawn and consulted in order for the child to be given a name that was appropriate to its calling in life. This was part of the science of Sonics — that every word has an individual vibration. The right name would attune the soul-mind to its true purpose in life, and reinforce its destiny. This practice had been strongly adhered to by the early Atlantean race on Gaia, and the scheme had been adopted by the Chosen Ones and perfected.
    An intricate PKA (psychokinetically activated) database had been developed long ago, into which all the particulars of a newborn were fed. Once theinformation had been analysed, the database compiled a list of all the most beneficial names and the parents usually chose one of these. Citizens were not bound in any way to adhere to the astrological name selection process, but in the best interests of their children, it was strongly encouraged by the adepts of Astrology, Healing and the Mind and Earth Sciences.
    The head of the Institute of Astrology on Kila was another of the Alexander kin, Cleo, who was married to the Head of Astronomy, Daniel Alexander, son of the Vice-Governor. This was a most fortunate union, for the two sciences went hand in hand, as did their Adepts. Most of the Chosen were in similar professions to their spouse, which served to keep the Ying and Yang energies well balanced in all fields of endeavour. The Chosen had not purposely devised this harmonious arrangement, but it was surely part of a divine scheme being hatched on some celestial plane of awareness.
    It was Cleo who delivered the name list to new parents, for she could aid them to make an informed choice if they were in doubt.