'Sounds fabulous. It's a long walk out here and I am aging. How is the recuperation?'
'Foot still hurts like mad.' I put the kettle on, 'It was bloody stupid. Just guess you are going to want to reprimand me over it?'
Kaz nods his head, 'I cannot have my masters brawling in public. Especially when your opponent is the Monarch of the Order of the Sea. What the hell were you and Angus going at this time?'
I blush a little as I pour the hot water onto the ginger tea bags, 'Umm … I'm blaming Anya for this bloody mess. She was the one that brought up Baby Oren scribbling on my book. Well it happened and I tackled Angus.' He puts the kettle back down, 'Biscuits? Anyway turns out it was Matt's kid that did it when he borrowed my book. Angus was furious with me for thinking he would let it happen on his watch.'
'Not good enough, Soc. You've missed three weeks of work. I'll see you in my office once you can get there. Anyway that isn't why I am here. Understand Anya wants you to interview me about the Order of the Sea.'
'Yep.' We sit down on the navy blue glass table and I hand him the white mug with green sea-eagle outlined on it. My own has my gold swan. 'So Kaz tell me how the order was founded?'
'My mother was the Mother-Abbess Izanami the second being in all creation, she had several sons and daughters with my father, Fly and a few with other Litaerens. She gave us all special attributes and allied us to natural phenomena on the planet Litae. I was given care of the De'il Sea from whence we all came. I began the order so that the native indigenous people would have somewhere to retreat if they were persecuted by the humans that came to Litae from Earth.'
'Now you are famous for your revolting food?'
The Abbot rubs his belly, 'It isn't disgusting it is the food that fits our metabolism. The metabolism of a pre-mortal is slower than that of a mortal. Until we have a child we take longer to heal and have a tendency to be overweight.' He licks his lips, 'For me it is the ultimate in comfort food.'
'What is in the poo juice?'
'How mature of you.' The Abbot takes a sip from his tea, 'It is a variety of vegetables grown in the soil near the sea with seaweed as fertiliser. Scrummy.'
'We have been friends a long time. You mentored me as a teen, why do you think most people see you as scary?' I take a biscuit.
His eyebrows arch and he places his face in front of mine. His eyes are twinkling, 'Reckon you might be one of them on Monday when you are in my office.'
I bite down on my biscuit, 'Very funny, Kaz, have a biscuit.' I hand him the plate.
He takes one, 'I am eight-hundred-years-old, almost the oldest person on the planet. It makes me a little bizarre and I don't care. Added to that I have a position of power in our society. Being headmaster helps I get to terrify you all as seven-year olds. It sticks with most of the boys in Seatown throughout their adulthood.' He stands up, 'Anyway I need to get back. You look after yourself, Soc and I will see you when your foot is up to walking to school.' He closes his eyes and vanishes.