The Way of the Warrior-Wizard

Old Hamish was home from the hospital after spending a few days there. The doctor felt that his condition had stabilized enough with the medication for him to return, and he did not want to remain in the hospital a second longer than he needed to be. Even so, he had been ordered not to over-exert himself. He was kept under Kyra’s strict supervision every day and was required to have a morning and an afternoon nap—more if he was fatigued.

Hamish adhered to his wife’s schedule, but he insisted on rising in the morning and dressing himself so that he could go downstairs to see the children off to school. He would then have a light breakfast and go for his morning nap.

“I feel like a lazy slug-a-bed, sleeping all day long,” he grumbled, to everyone’s consternation.

“Now, Hamish,” Luanne scolded him on an exhausted Kyra’s behalf, “Don’t you give your wife any more to worry about. You do what she says!”

Hamish met Luanne’s gaze in an exasperated manner, but he complied with what he was asked to do.

Jack, Yvonne, and Luanne were staying on for a few more days to assist the family, and Duncan was glad of it because it was extra adult support for his mother.

He was not yet ready to return to teaching, as Professor Donaldson had things well in hand.

“He’s probably using this time to drone on about as much “traditional” stuff as the students can take,” Jack protested to Duncan, “That’s no doubt why he was so nice to you, getting the card signed by everyone and sending it to you.”

“Jack, enough!” Duncan replied irritably, “Can’t you just give it a rest with the critiques of Donaldson? You’re as bad as he is sometimes!”

“Hey, sorry,” Jack apologized, “I didn’t mean to upset you...it was just that I didn’t think you liked him, either.”

“It’s not a question of whether I like him or not, Jack,” Duncan explained, “I’m sorry for snapping at you, but I’d just rather think the best of people right now.”

Jack nodded and started guiltily when Luanne gave him a menacing look.

“Don’t you keep on about Donaldson, Jack Kingston,” she warned him, “Duncan doesn’t need that right now.”

Jack sighed in resignation. He knew better than to argue with Luanne.

“Well, I have to go and research a few things at the library now anyways,” Jack told them, “I probably need to get back to my Ph.D. stuff now that Hamish is home. I’ll talk to you later, Duncan...after you’ve had your past-life regression with Yvonne.”

Duncan coughed up the tea that he was drinking when he heard Jack’s comment.

“Wha...what past-life regression?” he asked incredulously.

“Haven’t your parents and Yvonne told you yet?” Jack asked, as Luanne gave him yet another withering look.

“Out the door, Jack Kingston,” Luanne commanded, “before I use a broom to sweep you out!”

Jack ducked out of the house swiftly as Duncan stared at Luanne, waiting for some clarification on Jack’s odd remark.

“Duncan,” Luanne said to him, “I’m sorry about that...Jack has a habit of talking first and thinking second.”

“What did he mean about a...past-life regression?” Duncan queried, “I know Father had one, but...” his voice trailed off in uncertainty.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Duncan,” Luanne told him earnestly, “but your father asked Yvonne to do one for you. He wants you to understand something about you and him and your purpose in this life. Yvonne said she would do it only on two conditions: number one, that you wanted to do it, and number two, that your mother was willing for you to have it done.”

Duncan sat at the kitchen table nursing his cold tea, bewildered. Why would Father want him to have a past life regression now?

“I don’t know that it’s necessary,” he finally replied, “I know what my purpose is in life: it’s to teach, and explore knowledge...particularly that pertaining to history.”

“Very well,” Luanne said simply, without engaging in any attempt to convince him otherwise, “then I’ll tell your mother that it’s settled.”

“What did my mother think?” Duncan wanted to know.

“She said she would allow it only if you were comfortable with it.”

Duncan sighed.

“It’s not settled yet, Luanne,” Duncan told her, “I need to talk with my parents first. I need to know why they think this is important.”

After Hamish had arisen from his “morning nap”, Duncan approached his mother in order to learn more about the strange request.

“Is it true that Father wants me to have a past-life regression, Mother?” he asked Kyra after she had come downstairs.

“Yes,” Kyra answered simply, “but I’ve told him that I’ll only allow it if you are one hundred per cent okay with it. Any doubts, and we’ll scrap the whole notion.”

“Can we talk about it?” Duncan suggested, “You, me, Father, and Yvonne? I need to understand Father’s reasoning a bit more than I do now.”

“Yes, we can. Most certainly,” Kyra agreed, “your father wants to have a word with you anyways.”

Kyra led her son upstairs to the bedroom where Hamish was sitting in an armchair reading a newspaper. Duncan thought that he looked very pale. He was not accustomed to seeing his father in such a weakened condition, and it upset him terribly. He realized that the young boy in him still thought of his father as the Mighty Warlock, The Magic Man who defied age and who would live forever.

“Hello, Father,” he murmured.

“Duncan,” Hamish greeted him, “I’m sorry, Laddie, but Mum’s given me my marching orders. I’m to sit on my backside and do precisely nothing! I’ve been reading and trying to sneak in the odd crossword or two.”

“Aye, Father, it is good for your mind at least to keep active.”

Kyra went out into the hallway in search of Yvonne, leaving father and son alone together.

“Your mother has explained my request to you?” Hamish asked as Duncan pulled up a small chair and sat opposite his father.

“Yes, Father,” Duncan replied, “although I’m not sure I understand, quite. Why do you want me to undergo a past-life regression?”

“Duncan, I know it sounds utterly daft, but hear what I have to say to you. When I had the experience with Yvonne, she took me back to a number of life-times, each one helping me to understand myself in this life. It will be no surprise to you that I have been a warrior—many, many times in the past. I have been in life-times with Kyra, of course, and with each of my children; but you and your mother have been the ones who have most often been with me."

“You and I have been warriors together and have fought side by side in many a battle—from the conflicts of the Spartans in the ancient Grecian times to fighting in the bloody circuses of the Roman Empire to various conflicts in Scotland. The Battle of Culloden was one such battle. We were on Bonnie Prince Charlie’s side, of course...but we were still only country peasants at that. We have not been grand people, but rather common folk in most of our Earthly life-times.”

Duncan stared at his father incredulously, not sure if he wanted to know what kinds of terrible deeds he may have committed as a warrior.

“So...Father, you want me to do this as a way of understanding myself and you...and...?”

“Only if you are willing, my son. I do not know if you will ever understand me, but I do want you to have...a kind of personal history, so that you can see beyond the day-to-day trials of this life. I believe that you will find that you have had a number of life-times as magicians or wise-men. If you can take that wisdom and meld it with your scholar’s logic and your warrior’s passion, I believe it will enhance tenfold the current path that you are on today.”

Duncan was speechless. Listening to his father’s deep desire for his enlightenment, he felt a strong desire to do as he suggested.