‘Hello,’ said Carrie, not returning the embrace.
Alex gave her a smile anyway. ‘Have you seen the trouble you’ve caused?’
‘At least they’re married,’ said Carrie, she would have pushed him away and stormed off if there weren’t so many there.
‘I’ve missed you.’
‘Yeah, I can see that,’ said Carrie, in a very unfriendly tone, which Alex obviously noticed.
‘Have I done something wrong?’
‘No, I guess you haven’t, but then you’re allowed to do anything you want.’
Alex rubbed his eyes. ‘Is there something you want to tell me?’
‘No,’ is all Carrie would say.
‘I give up,’ said Alex and walked away.
Carrie wanted to run and hide. She felt totally screwed up inside, and the only person who could fix it had just walked away from her. Carrie knew she had no right treating him like that, but couldn’t help herself.
~~~~
None of the others noticed the tension between them, Alex thought, as they were all too occupied with the pregnant elves. He had no idea at what just happened, or why she had been like it with him and doubts started to grow in his mind. He was confused, as he thought she would be happy when she returned. The hateful look she had given him changed into a smile when she joined some of the women from the mansion, and even winked at them. It was one of two reasons he decided, one being that she had met someone else, which would be the reason for the wink. The other was that he had shown her too much affection which she obviously didn’t appreciate, and that’s why she went away. She would do it again, and he didn’t want that as she was part of the team. Alex decided it would be best for all concerned if he left her alone, and made his way to the main elf table.
‘You having a drink?’ said Michelle, passing him a glass.
It shook Alex out of his thoughts. ‘Thanks, it’s nice to see you out of the bedroom.’
Torgon frowned. ‘Is that the kind of question you should be asking a lady?’
Alex put his arm around Michelle’s shoulders. ‘She’s never out of there, and has had a couple of elves in there, too.’
‘Don’t be horrible,’ said Blaze, ‘she’s been working on her top secret project for a while now.’
Michelle smiled. ‘Yes, and the elves were amazing to work with, but now it’s finished.’
Alex took a sip of his drink. ‘When are we going to see it?’
‘Now,’ said Michelle, ‘I was just wondering where it should go. It was originally for home, but the pixies spend more of their time here, plus there are the fairies too, so it should come here really.’
Kaeya leapt on Michelle’s shoulder. ‘You made something for us?’
James stared at her. ‘How do you keep managing to jump out of nowhere?’
Kaeya shook her head. ‘I am never nowhere . . . I am always somewhere.’
Michelle laughed, as two elves joined her. ‘Yes, I have, but let’s get all the pixies and fairies here and you can decide what to do with it.’
~~~~
‘What I want to know,’ said Carrie, as she sat down, ‘why was it only the men who went to the castle today?’
‘Any of us could have gone,’ said Claire, ‘but I turned down the opportunity to look at pictures of dead people,’
Carrie smiled. ‘I see your point.’
‘So,’ said Paige, ‘have you come back for good now, or are you going to disappear again?’
‘I don’t know, but you lot get up to things when I’m not here,’ said Carrie and winked. She wanted to leave again, but it was only her love of everyone and the children that kept her here this time.
Claire glanced at the elven women. ‘I think it’s the elves that have been getting up to things.’
‘Not the only ones from what I heard,’ said Carrie, regretting it straight away.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Paige asked.
‘You’re not going to beat me when we go running again,’ said Carrie, thinking quickly.
Claire grinned. ‘You might need some practice to keep up.’
‘What are they up to?’ Skye asked.
Summer glanced over at a growing crowd. ‘I think Michelle’s finished whatever she’s been making.’
Claire stood. ‘What are we doing sitting here? Let’s go and take a look.’
~~~~
‘What’s happening, Papa?’ Sarin asked.
‘Michelle has made something for our little friends,’ said Alex, and picked her up, as all the children were picked up to get a better view.
‘OK, House, you can bring it over now,’ said Michelle.
The mansion appeared. A smaller version but perfect in every detail. Michelle had built it with the aid of two elves in an empty bedroom, which must have taken up most of the space inside.
Alex stared in amazement. ‘Wow, that’s brilliant.’
Kaeya’s eyes grew large as she leant forward while holding Michelle’s ear. ‘You shrunk the mansion.’
‘It opens up at the front,’ said Michelle, as one of the elves stepped over and showed them how. ‘You can just use the doors of course, and as you can see all the rooms are the same as the mansion with beds big enough for the pixies or fairies to sleep in.’
Kaeya hugged Michelle’s neck, jumped down to take a closer look and test the beds. She went straight to the smaller version of Alex’s room and claimed it as her own. The mansion was full of them now, and the fairies covered Michelle and the two elves in glittery dust.
‘Lord Torgon, would you accept this gift on behalf of our friends, and have it on your world?’ said Alex, and put Sarin down so she could join the others having a closer look.
‘With great pleasure, Lord Alex,’ said Torgon. ‘Lady Michelle, you honour us greatly with this gift.’
Michelle beamed. ‘It was a pleasure to make,’
James glanced up. ‘House, what do you think of it?’
It’s a mini me, the spirit replied.
James groaned. ‘You’ve been watching too many films.’
The children sat in front of the mini mansion watching, when others started appearing. Roscoe and Norell arrived and were also congratulated by everyone. Those from the castle also arrived and Korzak got some strange looks as he was now dressed in robes, and the first thing he did was run to the pucas who ran from him.
Korzak turned around and walked towards Alex shaking his head. ‘They’re frightened of me.’
James put his hand on the goblins shoulder. ‘Top tip, never run at them unless they know you.’
Korzak nodded. ‘I thought they might remember me, but they are too young.’
‘Just how old are you?’ Alex asked.
‘I don’t know, my lord, I was one of those who moved to our world, but I was thousands of years old by then.’
‘I thought Lorcan was the village elder,’ said James.
‘He is, but I am not from that village. I am just a traveller in that world now trying to watch over them.’
Briana walked over carrying Daisy. ‘Are you saying you knew the pucas before?’
Korzak nodded and his ears flapped. ‘Yes, the most beautiful creatures ever created. It was a sad day when I left them, but they were not meant for our world, but for this one.’
Torgon raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you saying they were meant to come here?’
‘Yes, they couldn’t come to our world as it was far too unsafe for them. So I told them to find the other elves.’
‘But they found us instead,’ said Briana.
Torgon smiled. ‘They couldn’t have found anyone better.’
Alex put his drink down. ‘Why didn’t you just come back out from your world, and check on them?’
‘If it was like our world then he couldn’t,’ said Torgon. ‘The portals were sealed for hundreds of years.’
‘How did you know they were open again?’
‘They just appeared. Not every portal that we know of, but the on
es back to your world and the one to the Dwarf World. We believe they were closed for all the races to settle in their worlds.’
Alex nodded. ‘That will be an interesting discussion for another day, but right now I want to know about the relationship between Korzak and the pucas.’
The goblin watched the pucas as some were dancing. ‘My family died, and I roamed the land for a long time full of sadness, then I came across them, or should I say they came across me. They could sense my sadness and one day two of them changed in front of me. I had a lot of power back then, I watched over them for hundreds of years, and they called me father. That is most likely why some think of them as goblins, but they’re not. When the call for me to go to the other world came I had to go, as I had to care for my own people.’
‘The pucas used to talk of their father when I first saw them,’ said Briana, ‘and with some fondness, but those have gone now.’
‘Maybe I should have helped them more than I did to find the elves, but my kind was getting slaughtered.’
‘What happened to your family?’ Alex asked, as Flax insisted he picked her up, which he did.
‘Your kind I believe, I came home one day and found them burnt alive in our hut,’ said Korzak. ‘I don’t mean it personally.’
Alex felt a pang of guilt. ‘I’m sorry for what they did.’
‘It wasn’t your fault and you repaid that debt by freeing my people.’
Torgon rubbed his eyes. ‘If they’re not goblins, what are they?’
‘You do not know, Lord Torgon? That is very strange as I knew what they were when I first saw them,’ said Korzak, and he approached Alex who was still holding the puca. ‘Hello, little one, I knew your grandmother, she was also called Flax.’ The puca jumped from Alex straight to the goblins waiting arms.
‘Korzak,’ said Torgon, ‘you’re talking in riddles, how should I know what they are?’
‘Think about it, my lord, they were meant to come here. You must have known, and I did say other elves.’
‘There was talk of other elves, but none of us had met or knew where they were.’
‘Then, my lord, say hello to one of your cousins,’ said Korzak, as he gently held Flax.
‘The lost elves,’ said Torgon, as he picked up Gort and studied him. ‘Why could I not see it before?’
‘What is it, my lord?’ Rasmus asked.
‘The pucas are the lost elves, and I did not see it, we’re finally complete after so long.’
Alex rubbed his chin. ‘As long as you remember some of them are mine.’
‘The pucas belong to no one,’ said Korzak.
‘I beg to differ, as a few belong to me, and the rest to the great ladies.’
Torgon raised an eyebrow. ‘Most of the great ladies live here with them now.’
‘He is papa,’ said Gort.
Alex smiled. ‘You would, of course, be doing me a great favour by looking after them.’
‘And we would take great pleasure in doing so,’ said Torgon.
Korzak shook his head. ‘And they say goblins are strange.’
Alex glanced around. ‘There are some here will want long talks with you.’
‘What about?’
‘History, they love talking about it, and I think you’ll know quite a lot.’
‘Indeed we do, and writing it down now we have the means,’ said Rasmus. ‘Would you mind if we wrote down the history of your world.’
Korzak nodded. ‘I would like that very much.’
~~~~
‘What’s up,’ said Alex, as he sat down next to a grumpy looking Claire.
‘Paige wants to bugger off and learn how to make things out of crystal like Carrie.’
‘I didn’t know she could,’ said Alex.
‘Oh yes, she made us all some beautiful gifts,’ said Claire, and Carrie felt guilty as Alex was the only one from the mansion she had not given one to.
‘It won’t be for long,’ said Paige.
Alex turned to Claire. ‘Why don’t you go with her?’
‘Because it would bore me silly.’
‘Well, if you’re worried about being lonely, I will keep you company,’ said Alex, quite straight-faced.
‘What about at night?’
‘I meant at night.’
‘If there’s any room in your bed,’ said Carrie. Unless you’re in someone else’s of course, she thought.
‘There’s plenty of room in my bed,’ said Alex, without looking at her.
Claire sighed. ‘Paige, are you listening to this?’
‘Yeah, and I’m good with it.’
‘Well, I’m not.’
Paige smiled. ‘You’ll be quite safe.’
‘I would rather be lonely than safe, besides he would crap himself waking up next to me.’
Alex laughed. ‘Of course I wouldn’t.’
Claire frowned at him. ‘How can you laugh when my lover is going to leave me?’
‘Two reasons really.’
‘And they are?’
Alex grinned. ‘Well, if Paige does go so far away, then all she has to do is ask House nicely, and he would bring her home every night.’
‘I never thought of that,’ said Claire, sounding happier.
‘You never told me that,’ said Carrie. ‘I could’ve still seen my friends, and slept in my own bed.’
‘I didn’t know you were going away, and you never even said goodbye,’ said Alex. ‘I didn’t know where you were until I asked House.’
Paige sipped on her drink. ‘To be fair, you did just vanish.’
‘And what’s the other reason?’ said Claire.
‘They make things out of crystal in all four kingdoms,’ said Alex, ‘like the one we’re in now.’
Claire poked him in the shoulder. ‘You knew this when you offered to sleep with me?’
‘Yeah.’
Claire grinned. ‘I actually like that one.’
‘I don’t,’ said Paige, ‘he never offered to keep me company.’
Alex shrugged. ‘I would have been over once Claire was asleep.’
Blaze looked amused. ‘You will get yourself a name.’
‘Not really, it was never going to happen.’
‘You never know,’ said Claire.
‘I do and like you said, I would probably crap myself.’
Carrie sipped on her drink. ‘Did you crap yourself this morning?’
‘No, why would I?’ said Alex.
‘No reason.’
‘Are you going back to the castle tomorrow?’ said James, changing the subject.
Alex nodded. ‘Yeah, we need to find out what it is and soon.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ said Claire. ‘Not that I’m looking forward to seeing any pictures.’
‘I’m coming, too,’ said Carrie.
Alex picked up his drink. ‘Anyone is welcome,’
‘Are we going out searching for it?’ James asked.
‘Yeah,’ said Alex. ‘I don’t think we have any choice.’
Blaze rubbed her eyes. ‘I couldn’t find anything with the crystal ball.’
‘Maybe it’s too far, and probably something we haven’t encountered before.’
~~~~
Alex glanced across the table at Carrie. Her mood had really got to him and wished he could get drunk, but that was not going to happen. He had been having doubts of late, ever since he had a feeling of dread on the Dwarf World, and he didn’t know why. The worst part was he had not dreamed since.
King Verdan approached. ‘Lord Alex, it is good to see you,’
‘You too, Your Majesty,’ said Alex, as he stood up to shake the dwarfs hand, as did the others. Many of them were more pleased to greet Queen Getha. Claire introduced her to the ones she had not met.
‘Lord Alex, Thalion tells me that is your home,’ said Laxan, pointing at the mini mansion.
‘Yeah, do you like it?’
‘Where do you sleep?’
‘That’s my room there, where Kaeya is,’
said Alex, pointing at the pixie.
Laxan’s eyes grew big. ‘Lord Torgon, one of your fairies has turned blue and lost their wings.’
Torgon put his hand to his mouth. ‘Those are the pixies Lord Alex brought here.’
‘How do you fit in there?’ Laxan asked.
‘I will show you, just stare at the hall down the bottom for a moment,’ said Alex, and motioned James, Torgon, Thalion, and Verdan, over to him, as House took them to the mansion.
Laxan looked around in amazement, and ran to the window quickly expecting to see giants. None was there, as it wasn’t even the Elf World. When he turned around he did not look happy, the elves, and James, on the other hand were in fits of laughter. ‘That was cruel.’
Alex put his hand on the dwarf’s shoulder. ‘I’m sorry, my friend, but I thought you would have guessed sooner.’
‘I would have if Thalion hadn’t kept insisting that you really did live there,’ said Laxan, and gave the laughing elf a hard stare.
‘Well now that we’re here,’ said Verdan, ‘do we get a tour of the place?’
Alex nodded. ‘Yeah, but let’s get a drink first.’
They returned just short of an hour later, and James managed to get Alex alone. ‘Is there a problem with you and Carrie?’
Alex rubbed his chin. ‘You noticed I see?’
‘Hard not to . . . she wasn’t very friendly towards you.’
‘No, and I think I was the reason she went away. We got too close, and embraced a lot as you might have noticed. She probably thought it was fun at first, but it made her feel uncomfortable.’
‘You reckon she’s just warning you off?’
‘Probably, but I think our friendship died when she went away.’
James raised both eyebrows. ‘That’s a bit strong.’
Alex shook his head. ‘Not really, did you see how she looked at me, that was not just unfriendly, but pure hate.’
‘Did she give you one of those crystal ornaments?’
‘No, she only gave them to her friends.’
‘I see what you mean now, so what are you going to do?’
The Final Destiny: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Three - Fantasy Page 2
