Star of Aquilinia: A Parable for Earth

By B. C. Mercer

Aquilinia is a jewel in the universe, warmed by a yellow sun during the day and lit by two moons at night. A humanoid race inhabits the planet, along with a wide range of other life-forms, and the people, who communicate telepathically, exist in harmony with their surroundings, with a highly educated and advanced society.

Into this world, thousands of years ago, at the time of the civilization of Atlantis on Earth, Remarla is born to an aristocratic family. She represents the fulfillment of a prophecyshe is to be the one who will guide the planet of Aquilinia through its darkest days. With her great healing gifts and ability to teach others, only she will be able to reverse the damage caused by those of the New Science Society, who seek energy sources that are harmful to the planet. Can Remarla ensure that Aquilinia remains safe in the face of disaster?

In this science fiction novel, a woman born with a great healing gift works to save her planet from environmental damage caused by reckless scientists.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Dec 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781504305594

B. C. Mercer

B. C. Mercer is retired from nursing, teaching, and working with natural therapies. She currently devotes her time to doing charity work for the homeless, writing, reading, singing, travelling, and cooking. She lives in southeastern Queensland, Australia.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

AQUILINIA WAS A jewel in the universe, warmed by a yellow sun. At night it was lit by two moons, one half the size of the other, but which travelled twice as fast as the larger one.

The humanoid race which inhabited Aquilinia had evolved eons before from the sea, as had all other forms of life on the planet. At this time they were exclusively land dwellers, but had the genetic potential to either return to being sea-based life-forms or become true amphibians. A wide range of animal life, similar to that on Earth today, both domesticated and wild, enhanced the planet.

The people of Aquilinia communicated principally by telepathy. They used an intimate form for private use and a general form in larger groups. Written and artistic forms of communication were also used. Aquilinians had the ability to speak and sometimes did so and generally chose to do so when communicating with peoples of other races. Their sensory and mental awareness was highly developed and they communicated telepathically with whales and dolphins and with their own spirit energies.

Education on Aquilinia was highly prized and technologically advanced. Most energy sources were naturally occurring and did no harm to the planet. Solar, wind, wave and crystal power provided comfort and elegance in the lives of the people. Interplanetary travel was available, but this interested few Aquilinians. This type of travel was provided by Multiplanetary Organisations, more for their own potential interest in Aquilinian resources than for the good of the Aquilinian people.

There was, however, a small group—the New Science Society—experimenting with energies obtained from planetary mineral sources. These energies were less friendly to the planet, but because so few of the population were interested in using them, most totally ignored them. Ardent supporters of the New Science Society went off-planet to study and often brought back interested alien visitors.

On a hillside sloping down to a sparkling, sheltered bay stood the sandstone and marble palace of Varia and Unarmen. It was set amid spacious gardens, where groves of trees and shrubs separated lawns, beds of flowering plants, herb gardens and an orchard of fruit and nut trees. Wide vistas looked across the bay from numerous parts of the estate, where small and elegant structures provided shade and offered seating for family and guests to enjoy the view.

Varia was a Master Teacher and Writer. Her spouse, Unarmen, was a Master Artist. They had been espoused for three years and were rapturously happy. Sitting in one of the shady pavilions they were enjoying the sight of the calm, deep turquoise water, while they happily discussed their expected first child.

This was a totally conscious pregnancy. The child had been conceived with the parents’ full awareness of its destiny as a Master Healer and Teacher. Within the mother’s body, the child had amazing perception, already knowing its name and destiny as a Master. Varia and Unarmen knew that their unborn daughter’s name was Remarla, for she had already communicated this to them

As the day of the baby’s birth approached, Varia and Unarmen finalised their preparations. A pool had been constructed for the planned gentle water birth. Food and drink had been arranged for the many guests who would attend and servants were organised to provide the hospitality. All the members of the Planetary Council would be there to witness the birth, along with other dignitaries, family and friends.

The day arrived. Varia’s contractions increased as family elders and guests reclined on couches or walked around the room conversing. Finally her membranes ruptured. She was assisted into the pool by Unarmen, followed by the Midwife and Healer. Varia felt little pain as all present sent waves of healing energy to her. Unarmen held his spouse floating in the water. With two strong contractions, first Remarla’s head emerged and then her body was born. At that instant, all those present sent a telepathic message of welcome to the baby. Simultaneously, a silver shimmer appeared in a clear space by the birthing pool and a choir of Angels became visible, singing a glorious song of celebration.

CHAPTER 1

IT SEEMS SO long ago now when I was called from teaching my class of new souls about to incarnate. The Messenger escorted me to the hall where the Celestial Council was in session, announced my name, and then retired.

Sophia, Lady of Wisdom, the Senior Elder of the Council addressed me formally, please be seated. He smiled benignly at me, indicating the single chair in the curve of the semi-circular council table. The other Councillors to his right and left greeted me warmly.

We have a proposition to put to you. As you are aware, time grows near for the fulfilment of the Aquilinian Prophecy. The Council considers you to be the most appropriate soul to live the life of Remarla. We ask if you would be happy to fill this role.

Joy suffused my being. My Lord, I would be honoured.

Lady Aurora spoke. Dear Child, we wish you to review the major phases of this life with us. Periods of great difficulty will occur and we want you to be aware of them before you make an irrevocable commitment.

Visions of Remarla’s life appeared before us. I agree that the challenges of this incarnation are sometimes extreme, but I am willing to accept them.

There was a momentary silence, then the Councillors smiled at me again. We thank you, Lady Sophia, for your generosity and for your commitment to the Great Plan. The Senior Elder bowed his head. Lady Aurora arose and came around the table to me. Taking me by the hand, she led me away to a smaller chamber.

There are many preparations for the Council to make, she told me, and you will also need to prepare yourself.

*****

At last! I was born into this most recent lifetime. What a rush of sensations greeted me. The sweet sounds of the angelic song of welcome filled my hearing. Both Healer and Midwife examined me, wiping away the birthing fluids adhering to my body and wrapping me in a soft, warm cloth. The Midwife put me to Mama’s breast to suckle, while the Healer declared that all was well with both mother and child. While I nuzzled the breast and latched on to the nipple, the Midwife tied and cut the cord and delivered the placenta. Mama felt warm and soft and smelled so sweet. As she held me in her arms I felt her tears of joy on my face. How comforting it was as she held me close and murmured lovingly to me.

A few minutes later the Midwife lifted me up and handed me to Papa. I had drowsed off in the secure warmth of Mama’s body and felt slight alarm at being removed from her. However, I soon recognised Papa’s loving, reassuring strength, which had become familiar to me during the months I lived inside Mama’s body, for he had often embraced us both, resting Mama’s back against his tall body, while his arms encircled her and his hands supported her belly. He kissed my forehead, then raised me in his arms to show to the assembled people. I heard his announcement, formally presenting me to the assembly, This is my first-born child and heir and I declare that her name is Remarla.

As I looked around, I sensed the familiar energies of people who had visited Mama while she was waiting for me to be born. Papa carried me to the side of the pool and handed me to Grandmama, who also welcomed me, her first grandchild, with a kiss. She was very excited and a proud smile lit her face. I looked over her shoulder to see Mama. Papa, the Midwife and the Healer were helping her out of the pool. They dried her, wrapped her in clean sheets and led her to a couch to rest and take part in the feast of celebration that followed. My birth had not tired her unduly, as everyone present had sent her energy throughout her labour.

Education on Aquilinia being so highly valued, my parents began teaching me right from the start. They played with me every day and the entertaining games we loved so much were informal teaching sessions. Around the age of two I became avid for knowledge, eagerly soaking up all they could impart to me, which must have been somewhat of a challenge for Mama and Papa.

What a charming, beautiful and intelligent child you have. I heard people telling my parents. At first I did not understand what they meant. My first lessons in humility came when I began announcing to others what I had overheard.

My parents entertained frequently and I loved the company of both adults and other children when friends and relatives visited our home. It was exciting, too, to visit their homes in return. But one afternoon friends were visiting and cool drinks and a variety of small cakes were being served. One particular type was my favourite. I waited patiently for the tray to be offered to me. When it arrived my favourite cakes were all gone. In frustration and disappointment, I picked up one of the other cakes and threw it on the ground.

Oh! Mama gasped in shock. Papa said nothing. He picked me up and carried me into the hall, well away from our guests. He stood me on the steps so my eyes were level with his.

Remarla, he said sternly, without raising his voice food is a gift from the Creator and must never be wasted. Furthermore, you will never again display such wilful behaviour to our guests. Now, you will sit here until our guests have left. I will come back then and tell you when you may move from here.

I felt scared and guilty. Papa had never before spoken to me like that. I also realised that my behaviour must have embarrassed my parents.

Having conversations about our world and its people and how and why things worked was marvellous, but some seemed to find it disconcerting to be speaking in depth with a child of such a young age. I was aware of the prophecy concerning my life on Aquilinia, and since everyone else also knew about it, they treated me with respect and took my ideas seriously. In our spiritually advanced household it was completely normal for us to communicate with Angels and Guides. These entities made their own valuable contribution to my education.

Mama and Papa often took me outside at night to observe the stars and our two moons. Their sparkling beauty delighted me and soon I could name the moons and describe their phases and the way they moved about the sky. In time I could identify and name the planets of our home solar system and the major constellations visible to the unaided eye. My parents promised that when I was older I would be able to take a formal course in astronomy.

Around this time I became aware that love was a healing energy. My parents seemed delighted with my interest in healing and began to encourage me with small tasks. They would point out ailing plants.

Would you like to place your hands around them gently and send them thoughts of love? Papa asked one day. I did so and it was exciting to see the plants revive.

One day my little puppy had hurt his paw and was limping.

Do you want to try to heal it for him? Mama asked me. I hesitated. He was a living creature and I loved him dearly. He crawled into my lap, looking trustingly into my eyes. An angelic whisper told me he would come to no harm, so I took his paw gently into my hands and thought how much I loved him and what fun we had together running and playing in the gardens. There seemed to be a warm current of energy flowing through my hands. Within minutes he licked my hands, jumped off my lap and began scampering around my feet, inviting me to come and play.

Grandmama was visiting one day when I was seven. She developed a violent headache which made her feel dizzy and sick. Mama had her recline on a comfortable sofa and went to fetch a glass of water.

Would you like me to stroke your temples? I asked her.

No thank you, Darling, she sighed. I am feeling very ill.

I can take the pain away, I persisted. She agreed to let me try. I stroked and whispered how much we all loved her, hoping the pain would go away and asking my Angels for help. Soon she sat up, smiled and gathered me into her arms.

Thank you, Sweetheart, she said. You have magic in your hands.

At that moment I decided to become a Healer. Family members, friends and our staff began to ask me for healing energy. In talking with my Angels and Guides, I learned to call on their higher energies to assist in healing. By the time I was ten they had taught me to direct the healing energy to specific parts of the body and redirect it at will.

Mama and Papa practised meditation every day. It was an important part of both their professions, providing inspiring and creative ideas in their work. Around the age of three they began playing a game with me called Close your eyes and watch the pictures. They were preparing me for my own practise of meditation.

For several years I practised, learning everything I could about meditation. Levitation was one of the meditative skills that particularly appealed to me. Each day I would go into my favourite spot in the gardens to meditate, and sitting in the recommended Lotus Position, try to will myself to rise into the air. One day it happened. I began to feel myself rising into the air a short distance above the ground. It was such a surprise that I opened my eyes in shock and bumped back to the ground. Filled with elation at my success, I continued every day, trying to improve. Mama and Papa did not know about this new achievement. It was meant to be a surprise for them when I became very skilled.

Early one morning I had managed to rise to the roof level of a small pagoda in the garden just as Mama and Papa were taking a stroll. I felt Papa’s jolt of amazement and heard Mama’s half-stifled cry of concern that I might fall. Lowering myself to the ground, I sent thoughts of reassurance to them. They hurried over, Papa jubilant at my success.

You did this without any formal training, he said, which I was planning for when you were about fifteen.

Mama was not yet over her fright and tears poured down her cheeks. Hugging her with reassurance, I suggested we should have breakfast.

From the time my small hands could hold a colour stick Papa encouraged me to draw. On some occasions he might point to an object and ask me, Can you draw that, my Sweet? As my skills grew he allowed me to use a vast selection of art materials. He was always delighted with my progress, especially when I had mastered painting and could accompany him as he worked.

Mama encouraged me to read and write, as I began recognising letters and trying to copy them around the age of two. Both skills were enthralling and I worked hard, not only to become accomplished in their use, but also because I loved to please my parents. Not long after my fourth birthday Mama proudly told Papa, Not only is our daughter writing words, but whole sentences and even little stories—and she’s only four years old. She was particularly excited about my first poem, which expressed my gratitude to them for the gift of life and the opportunity to fulfil my destiny.

It is high time we engaged a tutor to teach her calligraphy. Papa declared.

The gardens of our palace were filled with an abundance of plants of numerous varieties. My parents introduced me to every one of them. At first they would point to a few different flowers and tell me, That’s a rose. That’s a lily, and that one is a stoneflower.

Later they would ask me, Remarla, can you find a rose for us? The game would continue until I could not find the flower they chose. Then they would show me an example of that flower. When I could name them all they began telling about the different characteristics of each plant, including its usefulness for medicinal purposes. When I turned thirteen they engaged another tutor to teach me the formal study of botany. My favourite flower was the Star of Aquilinia, a beautiful white, star-shaped flower with an exotic perfume. As a gift dedicated to my parents on my fourteenth birthday, I presented a paper on the flower to the Academy of Botanical Sciences. It described ways in which the plant might be used as a herb and an essential oil and was illustrated with my own artwork.

Every facet of education was presented to me—the practical, the scientific, the artistic and the esoteric. It must be said that not all subjects delighted me equally, but I did my best to achieve the highest levels of which I was capable. Learning was like food and drink to me and I absorbed it ravenously.

Legal adulthood is reached on Aquilinia at the age of fifteen. All who reach fifteen by the first double full moon of the year are presented to the Council of Elders in a formal ceremony. Later, their families, depending on their financial means, held a ball or party in the new adult’s honour. My parents had decided, after my birth, to have no further children, so that they could devote all their energies to raising me and developing my talents. Consequently, when I reached adulthood they wished to enjoy to the utmost all the symbolism associated with this important event.

Planning and making of outfits for both the formal presentation and the grand ball my parents held for me took weeks. Although I liked nice clothes, they were not the consuming passion for me that they were for many of my friends. But Mama wished to outfit me as perfectly as possible for the Coming of Age festivities and I enjoyed her excitement, so I submitted with good humour to the whirl of designs, materials and dressmakers she produced.

Just look at this beautiful fabric! she would exclaim. The colour sets off your auburn hair perfectly.

At last the day of the Presentation Ceremony arrived. Mama had neatly braided and coiled my long hair in formal fashion. Papa led us up the steps to the Great Hall of the Council, with Mama on one arm and me on the other. We only came up to his shoulders and both Mama and I were considered tall women. He sensed my slight nervousness and sent me waves of reassurance.

I’m so proud of you, my lovely girl. he told me, his dark eyes twinkling. You look so attractive and elegant in that suit of turquoise linen.

The ceremony began mid-morning and ended just after noon with a