Arthur's tail, ch 7

Ch.7

         He leads Arthur through the game room and opens a door that leads into an office with a big desk off in the right hand corner and 4 chairs set around the room 2 in front of the desk, one in front of what looks to have been a window at one time, and one along with a small love seat is set off in the left corner with a stand near the book shelves that line the wall there. There sitting on the desk is a phone. After shutting the door Carlo says.
         “There it is you may use it.”
         Arthur walks over to the desk and picks up the phone dealing the number. Carlo walks around the desk sitting in the chair behind it he smiles saying. 
         “The chairs do not bite, you can sit down.”
         Smiling, Arthur asks, “are you sure” and takes a seat in one of the black chairs.
         Carlo chuckles answering, “Yes I am sure.” More seriously he adds “you can only call her, no one else.”
         Alice picks up on the first ring, hastily saying
         “Hello?”
         “Hi.”
         At the sound of Arthur’s voice she screams.“Is it really you Arthur?”
         Arthur can’t help the smile that instantly comes across his face. “Yes it is really me. I have missed you too. I am fine, hold on a minute Hun.” Turning to Carlo, “Can I get some privacy here?”
         “No, not at this time.”
         “Alice I am back but I am not alone.”
         “I have been so worried about you. How have you been?” Alice asks in a voice full of love.
         “I do not want you to worry about me. I will be fine. You need to take care of Billy and stay at the apple. I will do what I can for you as always but things are now different.”
         “No! They are not any different Arthur. You are still the same man I married and fell in love with. I will not hear any of that. I want you to come home. I want you to be a part of mine and Billy’s life. You are to do as you are asked and to come home as soon as possible. I will have it no other way.” Alice sternly informs him.
          Arthur closing his eye’s says in a voice of regret, “You do not understand what you are saying Alice, you did not ask for all of this. It will be better for you and Billy both if you just let it all go.”
         “You are being selfish and inconsiderate Arthur and you know that. You are only thinking of yourself and not of all of us as a family. You think of that for a few days and see that what I say is not true. We have no life without you,”
         “I know how you feel but under these conditions I do not know what to do.”
         In a voice full of determination Alice answers, “I know what you can do you mule headed jerk. You just come home and we can work it all out. I love you and always will no matter what you have done or become. You are still the man I married and want to spend the rest of my life with. You had best not forget that. I will come there and make you see what an ass you are being,”
         “You will not come here do you understand that? You are to stay away from me and any like me.” Arthur just manages to say as the phone in his hand crumbles and the line goes dead. “Dab-nab-it, I thought everything I am allowed to use was made for changelings.”
         Carlo smiling produces another phone from some where in his desk answering. “Only under certain conditions do changelings get phone privileges before their second year; however we always keep a spare.”
         Once again calm, Arthur answers, “Thanks” and he deals the number again.
         Alice answers the phone, “Is everything all right?”
         “No, I broke the phone to smithereens, as I have been trying to say I am no longer safe for you to be around me.”
         “You are being unreasonable Arthur, you may need to work on some things, however as you know you would never hurt Billy or me. There is no reason for you  to think that you can not come home when this is all done. Just look at that day when you had been injured, triggering a flash back, and taken to the clinic. I arrived with Billy in my arms, he was a year old. You say you did not see us, but the minute we walked in you stopped and just stood there. Remember how he ran to you wrapping his tiny arms around your legs. You picked him up, wrapping him in your arms with nothing but love in your eyes. With us there, you were able to relax and let them heal you. Even during the worst fits you never hurt us. The minute you seen us it would end. After that you finely excepted Adolf’s help and learned to control them even better and this is no different then that, other then now Carlo is your mentor instead of Adolfo.”
         “I will never forget that day, it scared me to death. Alice I will come home to you as soon as I can but until then I want you to stay away from here.”
         “I will do what I need to do to keep us together, Arthur don‘t you ever forget that.”
         “I see that you will that is one of the reasons that I love you so much. I do need one thing from you right now; do not tell anyone that you have talked to me. Do not let anyone know where I am. I do not know who to trust at this time, other than Cleric and Adolfo. You can trust them and only them.” As all his anger vanishes and a since of relief fills him Arthur asks, “How is Billy doing?”
         Alice now calmer sits down in her rocking chair that Arthur made her after they found out she was pregnant for Billy. She smiles answering, “He is all right we are both doing fine. Do not worry about us. There are no games so you are not missing any fun. Just work on whatever you need to in order to come home, I can handle things out here.”
         “I will do that, it is so nice to hear you once again. How did my thing end up here do you by chance know?”
         “Like I said I know where you are Arthur and I am not against going there if need be.”
         “I thought that might be your answer. Baby someone needs to keep you safe from your own stupidity.”
         “That baby is your job, so you had best get at it don’t you think?”
         “I will spend the rest of my days doing just that Hun.” 
         “While than you had best hurry up and come home to do your job. Seems how you think it is not being done to your approval.”
         “God how I love you Alice, we will talk more at a latter time. Is Billy there for me to talk to?”
         “yes, Cleric just brought him in, here is Billy, he can’t wait to talk to you. I love you”
         “I love you too, tell Clark I said hi but am unable to talk to him right now. I am on phone restrictions.”
         “He says hi and now I must let our son talk.”
         “I love you.”
         they both say. Billy’s happy little voice comes on the phone,
         “Hi, daddy I miss you.”
         “Hi, little man I miss you too, how are you?”
         “I am good. I know what Carlo did to you. It is ok I love you still and will always love you. I want to be a vampire when you come home. It will be fun and than I can do all kinds of neat things.”
         “You will have to drink blood all the time then son.”
         “No Mommy will cook for me. You will see.”
         Holding back the chuckles, Arthur answers, “you will still need the blood.”
         “I will tell mommy to get it for me, like she did the cookies.”
         At this Arthur hears Alice in the background say
         “Make sure daddy knows you did not see everything.”
         Lanis chuckles and Billy answers,
         “yes mommy I will.”
         then speaking to Arthur again says
         “Mom says I should tell you I did not see the whole day, and that is true. I only seen part of it. Mom and I talked and I feel better now, and I still love you daddy and so does mommy and uncle Lanis does too as does uncle Adolfo oh he said I could call him that. So you see daddy we all still love you, mommy says you needed to know that. Daddy we all love you and want you home.”
         “I love you too son, and I miss you all to and I will be home as soon as I am done here.”
         “Daddy, try to listen to Carlo, even if he is mean at times. You have made me mad at times and I still listen to you. So you are not alone daddy,  I have been mad before too.”
         Arthur smiling and trying not to laugh as this is something he had told his son a while ago when Billy had a bad day at daycare. Arthur answers, “Thanks little man, I feel a lot better now and I will be home as soon as I can. Do not worry about me, I will be fine. I may not be home right away you know I have something important that I must do first. I love you little man and will see you in your dreams tonight. We can play ball and jump off the moon ok.”
         “I will always love you too daddy and yes we can do that in our dreams tonight, I would like that.”
         “I love you too; can you do me a favor?”
         “Yes daddy what is it?”
         “I need you too look after mommy and help her as much as you can. Can you do that for me?” Arthur asks knowing it makes Billy happy to think he is the man of the house when Arthur is out.
         “Yes daddy, I can do that. Did you like your treats and the picture I made you?”
         “Yes, I loved them thank you for making them.”
         “You are welcome here is mommy, love you bye.”
         “I love you to bye.”
         Alice comes back on the phone,
         “Do not worry about him, he will be fine.”
         “I know that and sweetheart let him know I love him, give him lots of hugs and kisses from me. We are on page 12 of that book I was reading to him. I must go now sweetheart. I will always love you.”
         “I will always love you too. I will smother Billy with hugs, and kisses from you and I both.”
         “Yes! Please do but I really must go sweetheart, I will always love you.”
         “I will always love you.”
         They both reluctantly hang up. Arthur turning back toward Carlo places the phone back on the desk saying “Thank you for that.”
         “You are welcome Arthur, is everything set with your family?”
         “Yes, Alice will make sure Billy is taken care of and will not come here, they are safe where they are.”
         “I am glad to hear both of those things. You may go play with the others now, if you think you can play nice.”
         “Yes, I will go play nicely with the other children.”
         Arthur walks out as they both chuckle. Walking toward the stairs Arthur thinking that Daron is gone for the night, thinks about what his wife said in the letter, about his boss notifying her that Arthur was dead the day before it actually happened, something didn’t add up and he starts to make plans to visit his boss some time soon. Heading up to his room to get started on making the plans, Daron comes around the corner and Arthur switches thinking. Daron trying to repair their friendship ignores Arthur’s thoughts and asks, “Arthur would you like to play some pool?”
         “No thanks anyways, I have something’s I would like to do first but maybe later. Is there a way I could get a screwdriver?”
         Smiling Daron answers, “Yes, in a few months, if you follow all the laws here than maybe Carlo will let you barrow one.” 
         Arthur smiling rolls his eyes saying, “smart ass” and Arthur continues up the stairs. Coming to his room he tries to rip down the door but it doesn’t budge. Leaving it open he manages to hang a curtain in the door way using some tack’s he found in the big writing desk. That is a little better. He thinks and after making some plans, he enjoy the rest of the night and to his relief he dose not have the painful nightmare.

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 

         By this time Erick is really upset that no one can fined Arthur’s wife and child and no one knows what happened to Arthur, rather he is alive or dead. Though they do know the human that was with Arthur is alive. Lanis had told them that he was not sure but as far as he knew he was the only survivor. That had relaxed Erick some for if Arthur was alive he would not be happy. He frowns thinking, How many times will I have to plan this slave’s death before it would happen? Hopefully this was the last.
         I can’t believe that the Bureau of Magic is still going to honor all the piece treaties Arthur’s group had made and is planning on making more. They are all weak, stupid fools for letting this all happen. Sorcerers are supposed to be the main race and rule over all others, I will make sure that happens. He goes to meet with the other true sorcerers that will one day take over and lead this race the way it should be led.

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

         As this is happening Dominique at home smiles to himself as he sets back on his couch, thinking,
         My little prodigy has done it again, managed to slip from my grasp without even knowing it, so had his family in a way. But I can not be angry at them, I love a good challenge and this is definitely challenging. When I heard that Arthur was not adjusting well and what was going on, it took all my control not to send for the boy. But I have other planes now. Carlo just may be the one to finely get a hold on my little prodigy and that could be a good thing. Carlo has always been a vampire that follows the laws and respects the royal family, so he may be useful to me. This game is getting very interesting now. I will see what happens and if it is possible to tame my little prodigy, even a little, than that could only help in the future. Sure I am glade he is putting up a good fight. That is what he is supposed to do and I always feel pride when I see my boy in action and doing what he was taught to do. If it lasts to long I will step in and offer my aid. I will wait till Arthur is too weak to put up to much of a struggle. I do not really care that I had to give up Arthur’s family. Nor the fact that no one can find them. It is not them I truly want, it is my boy, I want back. They will only be like a treat or something to dangle in front of Arthur when need be. Before them my little prodigy would not cooperate at all, no mater what but I know he will cooperate now. The sorcerers proved that and now the boy is once again a bigger part of my plans. I will just sit back and see how the pieces fall into place.

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

         The next day when Arthur walks into the kitchen he automatically looks at the gauntlets that are there on the table thinking, I really would like some fresh air but not with those things on. It wasn’t too bad away from this building, but inside or close to it is dreadful. Arthur looking around sees Daron walk into the room with the same brunette he seems to be with a lot and quickly switch thinking innocently saying, “hi Daron see you later.” Arthur starts to walk by Daron toward the door.
         Daron smiling shaking his head grabs Arthur’s arm informing him. “Arthur if you want to go out, you know what you must do.” 
         Arthur quickly steps back and Daron releases his arm. Arthur not wanting to be over hared thinks, If I give you my word that I will stay in the village or forest, will you let me out?
         Daron frowning answers, “No, Arthur I am sorry but here rules are rules.” Gesturing toward the brunette he adds “If you put them on, Alida here can take you out that way your thoughts will be private.”
         Smiling Alida says, “Yes, Arthur I will gladly go outside with you, I to would like some fresh air.”
         Arthur reluctantly looks at the gauntlets wondering just how bad he want to go out, he sighs thinking, maybe my room is not so bad of a place, yet I miss the outdoors.
         Though Daron knows those thoughts were not meant to be over herd he shrugs his shoulders saying,          “It is up to you, but if I were you I would go out, the moon is beautiful tonight and you can talk to the farmer or herd chief about that job.”
         Alida gets up grabbing the gauntlets she says, “Come on Arthur let me show you a few things here, and I will give you these by the door, that way you wont have far to go before your outside.”
         “Fine, thank you both” Arthur answers and heads toward Alida, who is already at the door eager to go. As soon as Arthur is close, she helps him with the gauntlets and to their relief he can still stand and only gets a slight headache, before he knows it they are out the door and away. Alida takes Arthur to the small pond where Daron and her like to come to be alone. They sit on a log just enjoying the quite fresh air as Arthur continues to make plans in his head. This change will make a lot of things difficult for him and he will have to convince many that he is not evil.
         After a while, Alida asks, “Would you like to talk to the farmer or would you prefer to do that tomorrow?”
         “Lets go talk to him I have a wife and son that will be needing some things. I guess vampires can have a family, at least in a way they can.”
         “Yes, we can if we learn how to be careful. Let me show you something Arthur.”
         She goes over to a rock picking it up and holding it in her hand barley squeezing it and when she opens it again there is nothing but dust. She says,
         “See Arthur we must learn to be gentle and not even squeeze a little.” She hands him a bigger one saying, “here Arthur just try to lightly squeeze it, try not to crumble it.”
         Arthur takes the rock and is shocked by how light it feels he gently tosses it up but it goes flying high into the air, Alida who had expected this reaction easily catches it saying, “See Arthur you still have a lot to learn try to remember that when someone is trying to teach you something.”
         She hands the rock back to him. He barley closes his hand around it and when he opens it the rock is broke.
         “I see” Arthur says thinking that this only proves he can not go home, and he wipes the dust from his hands.
         Guessing at his thoughts Alida tries to reassure him saying, “Arthur you can learn to be gentle.” She picks up another rock closing her hand and when she opens it the rock is still whole smiling she says, “see you can learn too. Practice with rocks and strong stuff first than move to the lighter stuff, you can teach yourself this.”
         “Thank you Alida I mean that.” Arthur says thinking that finely there is something he can do on his own.
         “You are welcome” Alida answers not quite sure if this is a good thing. She had noticed the spark of interest in Arthur’s eyes but is sure he will not try anything stupid. she relaxes a bit and they go to talk to the farmer who eagerly accepts Arthur as a new worker. Arthur’s spirits seem to be lifting and by the time they head back it is starting to get light. Arthur has two pockets of rocks to practice with, a job to support his family, and a new friend and is in a good mood, for the first time in days. It is such a drastic change that Alida wonders if he is only faking it. When they open the door and walk in, Carlo is there in the kitchen and seeing Arthur’s mood smiles asking,
         “How did it go? Did the gauntlets work better for you?” 
         Jasmine hands Arthur a cup of blood with something else mixed in it saying.
         “Here is the potion as you call it.”
         “Thanks” He drinks it.
         “You’re welcome.” 
         As Arthur was unable to answer Carlo, Alida answered for him saying. “Yes, they seemed to be a lot better for him. but still they have a strange affect on him and he now has a job on the farm and I also showed him the rock trick.”
         “That is good to hear, and I will make a few more adjustments to them, how did he do with the rock?”
         “After throwing it about fifty feet into the air he broke it.” 
         “Oh, well guess he will have to practice more.”
         “Yes, I will have to,” Arthur answers as he is starting to recover from the headache the potion does seem to help. Jasmine comes out of the fridge handing him another cup of just blood.
         “Here Arthur you look like you could use some.”
         “No thanks, I will be fine; Alida and I hunted a little on the way back.”
         With concern Alida answers, “Yes but he only had a rabbit, and just look at him, he is half starved.”
         Carlo shaking his head at her reaction smiles reassuringly answering, “that is a start, do not worry too much about it right now, he will adjust in time.”
         Jasmine giving her husband and Arthur both disapproving looks answers, “ok, but if you need it Arthur, it is here.” she reluctantly puts it back in the fridge.
         Smiling as this reminds him so much of Alice he can’t help but like her Arthur answers, “I will remember that, thank you any ways.” He spends the rest of the time bowling, playing pool and making some friends there before he finely feels tiered enough to sleep.

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

         That night, When Jasmine watched  Arthur go outside with Alida, she  decides that it would be a good idea to talk with Alice, as she knows Alice must be going insane with worry. She first calls her and they set up a meeting place that they will both be safe at. They meet at the edge of town at an old abandoned gas station. Jasmine is the first to arrive and within a few minutes from behind the station walks up Alice. At first the two women just stand there and look at each other.
         Alice thinking to herself, My God we could be sisters. 
         Jasmine looking at Alice in wonder and excitement, knowing that for the first time in many years she is once again face to face with her only child. Longing to reach out to Alice with a strong desire to just hold her and comfort her, re-frames from any movement at all. Afraid that she will give away to much if she so much as blinks.
         Alice holds out her hand in greeting, “Hi I am Alice, Arthur’s wife. You must be Jasmine.”
         With an unsteady hand Jasmine reaches for Alice’s, “Yes I am Jasmine, Carlo’s wife.”
         “Nice to meet you.”
         they say as they shake hands.
         “I have made some things for Arthur and the rest of you. One of Arthur’s favorites is fresh coffee in the morning. I have a special blend here and a pot to make it in. If you all like it just let me know and I can make more and bring it to you.” 
         Jasmine finally finding her voice answers, “Thank you, we will try it and coffee is one of the things that many of us miss after the change, let’s sit down for a few minutes over here”
         “Yes I can do that.” Alice replies as they head closer to the gas station, where there are some old chairs.
         “How long have you been married to Carlo?”
         “Many years now, it was very hard at first. He was changed before I was and we went through many hardships before I was changed.”
         “Did you know him before he was changed?”
         “Yes I did, in fact we where married before that.”
         “If you do not mind me asking one more thing, have you noticed how much alike we look, we could almost pass for sisters.”
         With a smile Jasmine replies, “It is hard not to notice, that is the same thing your husband said to me the very first time we met. I know of no sisters that I had.”
         Alice in disappointment answers, “I also do not know of any that I may have had. I have always hoped that someday I would meet a true member of my family but in those days it was impossible to keep families together. I dream of one day meeting my Mother. It is more a desirer than a dream. Do you dream of the like?”
         “Very close to that my dear, very close to that.” Jasmine replies with love and hope shining in her eyes. “Do not despair Alice some dreams do come true. You will see. How is that boy of yours?” Jasmine asks changing the subject all together.
         “He is just like his father.” Alice answers with the pride and love of a mother. “You can not keep him still, and he is always looking for new things. He is wonderful.”
         “I would love to meet him sometime. I have missed the small children.”
         “We may be able to arrange something at a later time.”
         In a business attitude Jasmine says, “The reason I asked you to meet me is, I have an idea I would like to talk to you about. I have been trying to get food from the stores but they will not let us in and I can not get all the things I will need to do it. I was wondering if you could try out some recipes like you did with the cookies and the coffee here, to see if they will work for the rest of us. I will just need your help with the recipes not the cooking. Once we know what works and what dose not work than I should be able to get what I need. I can pay you for your time and the food that you buy.”
         “The only payment that I want is for my husband to come home. I do not want him hurt in anyway.”
         “I can not make that kind of deal with you. However I can promise you that in no way are you, your son, or your husband in any danger with us. We will protect the three of you to our last breath. The only reason we turned Arthur was that he would have died with the others if we did not. Carlos and I have been watching over you all for many years, we can not let anything happen to any of you. Someday you will understand this. Never fear us. We are all part of the same blood.”  Thinking more to herself Jasmine says ,“I must go know.”  Hoping beyond hope that she had not already said too much she asks, “Can we meet again in two nights at the same time and place?”
         “Yes.” Alice answers some what surprised about all of this. “I will have more for you at that time.”
         “Thank you.” Jasmine replies. “See you than.”
         Jasmine yells over her shoulder as she heads down the dark road to the village.  Standing there all alone for a few minuets Alice wonders about all that Jasmine said to her.
         How could they and why would they be watching them? She thinks as she turns and heads back through the woods to the ranch.
         Just out of sight of the station, Jasmine is about 1 mile out of town, when someone lands in front of her.
         “What the hell do you think you are doing?”
         With just as much determination Jasmine replies, “I have waited long enough Carlo. The time has come for us to do the right thing. We have fought and protected them from afar to long. I will not tell her now who we are, but I so want to know her and our grandson.”
         “So do I, but I will not have her hurt by us in anyway. Our first goal is to keep them safe. If that means by keeping them at a distance than that is what we will do.”
         “No it is time to bring them home and you will see. The time is at hand.”
         “I feel that same way but I will still not just have her walk in here and throw it all at them all at one time.”
         In a voice of yearning Jasmine answers, “I did not tell her anything that I should not have said. She still does not know who we are.”
         “You may have said too much, you must be honest.”
         “I will be more careful but I will see her. She is so close now.”
         Carlo grabbing her and holding her close to him says, “Yes we will both see her. I will not have you out here alone. She is also being followed home. Not just by us but by others that can be trusted. Arthur is a lucky man and some day he may just realize that. He will be our true savior.”