‘We were a little bossy to the guy who paid us for not doing very much,’ said Claire trying to compose herself.
‘Wages bothered you more than it did him,’ said Blaze.
‘We had nothing to do but laundry, I think he knew what was going to happen when he got us here.’
Blaze shook her head. ‘No, Alex didn’t lie, he found out two nights before he went.’
‘How do you know that for sure?’
‘Because he told us, and as I said the night before he was trying to make sure we were happy.’
‘How’s Carrie?’ James asked.
‘Devastated and in bed.’
‘Has anyone checked on her?’
‘I took her some food up earlier,’ said Summer, ‘and brought the food she hadn’t touched from yesterday back down . . . she’s in a bad way.
‘I will fix her something,’ said Luella. ‘It’s no cure, but will help.’
Asima glanced out of a window. ‘I wish they could have had some happiness between them.’
Paige nodded. ‘All they wanted to do was tell each other how they felt.’
‘It’s horrible to think of them like that,’ said James.
‘Yes, and it hurt so much to watch them,’ said Blaze.
Luella turned to Blaze. ‘You must have looked after a lot of upset women.’
‘Yes, and one man, but never children until Adhara and Sarin arrived.’
‘A man?’
‘A battered husband, but being in a house with my friends he left more of a man than when he entered.’
‘Did he go back to his wife?’
‘Yes, but only after she came to mine demanding to take him back home.’
‘And he went with her just like that.’
Blaze shook her head. ‘Oh no, he wasn’t interested, and she started to get violent, she even came at me but Paige and Carrie grabbed her. Carrie lifted her up by her coat and told the woman to get out.’
‘Did she leave?’ said James, somewhat absorbed in the conversation.
‘No, she put her down. It’s one thing holding someone up whose body is stiff with anger, but try doing it with someone who appears to have given up and their body just sags.’
‘That happened?’ said Luella.
‘Yes, very quickly too, and she sat there for an hour just crying until he went over to her. There was a lot of love between them, believe it or not, and he didn’t want to lose her. Her crying changed, they were not crocodile ones, and he knew it.’
‘Are they still together?’
‘Last I heard was that they were very happy with three children.’
James rubbed his chin. ‘So, he went to yours and found his back bone.’
‘Yes, you could say that.’
‘I can see what Alex saw in you,’ said Luella, ‘he was a lot cleverer than I thought.’
‘How do you mean?’ Blaze asked.
‘When I first came here with Paige and Claire, it was such a big place, and like Daralis I expected servants and not friends running it.’
‘Did that upset you?’ Blaze asked.
‘No, soon as I walked in I was happy as the atmosphere here was wonderful, and then I knew it was my new home.’
James raised an eyebrow. ‘You weren’t very happy from what I could remember.’
‘I had been upset from looking for him all week, and I wanted to let him know that. The fact that my little boy was safe made me happy,’ said Luella, and realised what she had said and started crying. ‘He was my baby.’
‘Nanny,’ said Talitha, holding her arms out to her, and Luella picked her up and held her tight.
James glanced at Blaze. ‘I always thought you were like their nanny.’
‘They call me auntie, and I’m good with it.’
‘Children should have two nannies,’ said Shaula, looking at Blaze who picked her up.
~~~~
The Order was in turmoil, as they had just lost their leader. George told them to get on with what they were asked to do as Alex still had five daughters to protect, and there were the other worlds with many friends. The warriors of Vesta Mansion would always be ready to fight, and he expected no less from the Order.
~~~~
The following morning the girls were again brushing each other’s hair.
‘Shall we watch a film today?’ Alhena asked.
‘Not until papa is here to watch one with us,’ said Adhara.
Talitha glanced up. ‘House, when is papa coming home?’
I am sorry, but your papa has gone and will not be coming back, said House.
‘No,’ said Adhara, ‘he’s still here, we can sense him.’
House remembered when Alex went back in time and the girls had screamed because they thought he had gone. Stupid spirit, he thought and shot into space. Alex was nowhere to be found where he hit the meteorite. The spirit flew through space looking, but could not find him. He decided to go back to see if he had missed anything, when he saw something floating towards the sun. It was Alex, and the sun sent out solar flares but none touched him.
He flew over and found him alive, but House didn’t know why as nearly all his bones were broken, apart from his skull which was intact. House took him home, and put him in a room on the top floor where Rho was waiting.
You found him, is he still alive?
House had Alex floating as his injuries were too severe to be touching the bed. Yes, but only barely, I am trying to heal all his broken bones.
Shouldn’t we get the healers?
No, I can heal him but it will take a few days. House took the vase downstairs and gave it to Blaze.
‘I thought only you and Alex could use it.’
Everyone here that has travelled with it can use it. I have to go away.
Blaze looked up. ‘Are you coming back?’
Yes, of course, I will only be a couple of days, said House, it wasn’t really a lie as he was going away, albeit upstairs.
~~~~
The children were outside with the wolf cubs, they were fully grown but their talk was still babyish.
Alhena sat stroking the fur on the back of one. ‘Papa is back, and he needs our help.’
Adhara shook her head. ‘Not yet, Lena, we have to wait.’
‘Can’t we just go and sit with him?’ Talitha asked.
‘No, it’s too dangerous, if we go near him, we could kill him.’
‘Shouldn’t we tell the others then?’ said Tia.
‘No, not yet, as papa is not well yet and might still die,’ said Sarin. ‘They’re already sad, and we don’t want to make them happy and then even sadder.’
Thomas sat on the grass. ‘What do we do?’
‘We wait,’ said Adhara.
~~~~
Two days later House lowered Alex onto the bed and covered him in a duvet. His body is healed, but he does not wake.
Rho went over to the bed, he could see Alex breathing, but it was faint. It is time to get the healers.
Yes, said House, and went to Blaze who was with Luella and Adair. I need help.
‘What’s wrong,’ said Blaze.
It is something I need to show you, rather than explain, said House and the vase disappeared. I will need the other great ladies here too.
‘You have the vase,’ said Blaze.
After a few minutes they were altogether, and House took them upstairs.
‘Alex,’ Luella cried, and ran to the bed.
I have healed him, but I cannot get him to wake up.
Luella stroked his face. ‘We can do nothing for him . . . he has none of his energy.’
‘He gets it from the sun,’ said Adair. With a wave of his hand, the curtains opened and the bed moved under the window with Luella still sitting on it, managing to hold on.
Alex’s breathing changed slightly as the children walked in and stood around the bed. Their hands all glowed and took turns in touching his face. His body glowed and his eyes opened. ‘Papa,’ the girls said in unison.
‘H
ey,’ said Alex pushing himself up rather gingerly.
Luella pulled Shaula to her as she was still sat there. ‘Hello you.’
Alex smiled. ‘Is this where you tell me off?’
Luella leant forward and kissed his cheek. ‘No, not for what you did, I’m just happy to see you here.’
‘How did I get back?’
‘We have to thank House for that,’ said Blaze.
It was a pleasure.
Alex looked up. ‘How did you know I was still out there?’
It was the children, they knew you were still alive, so I looked and eventually found you.
‘Thank you, my friend.’
Shaula smiled at him. ‘We knew you were here when House first brought you back.’
‘And you didn’t come to visit me?’
‘No, Adhara said it would be too dangerous to do that.’
Alex raised an eyebrow. ‘Dangerous, how?’
Adhara sat on the bed. ‘If we gave you our energy before House healed you then you might have died.’
Your injuries were very serious, said House. Adhara is correct, if you had not had been in a comatose state I might not have been able to save you.
‘That was very clever of you,’ said Alex, as he hugged his daughter.
‘Did you alter my visions?’ said Aileen.
Alex scratched his head. ‘How do you mean?’
‘I saw what happened to you, and then it suddenly changed.’
‘No, it wasn’t me, and I wouldn’t know what to do. Of course, it doesn’t mean that Siphon didn’t.’
Livvy grinned. ‘I thought I was an orphan.’
‘I don’t think House wanted that to happen,’ said Alex.
‘Are you well enough to see the others?’ Blaze asked.
‘Yes,’ said Alex, and was about to get out of the bed when he realised he had no clothes on. ‘House could you take me to my room, so I can get dressed?’
Luella stood. ‘We will meet you outside your room.’
She gave him a few minutes to make sure he was decent before she went in, and told him of their meeting with Carrie. Luella decided enough was enough and after both Carrie’s and Aileen’s vision had come true, it was time to get on with their lives.
‘I saw this conversation in a dream, and I’m going to tell her how I feel before either of us has the chance of having another vision,’ said Alex, and they heard voices from down stairs.
‘How did you all get up there when you were in your room?’ Paige asked.
‘I took the vase remember,’ said Blaze.
‘Just to go upstairs, and then walk down without it?’
‘Yes, House has it now.’
‘He’s back?’
Yes, did you miss me? House asked.
‘Yes actually, I did.’
That is nice to know, let me show you something else, said House, and Paige appeared in Alex’s room.
She saw him and looked dumb struck. Alex walked over and embraced her without either of them speaking at first.
‘How?’ she finally said when he let her go.
‘House found me and saved my life.’
~~~~
Carrie watched him glow with the golden energy and grow before he flew into space. She stood watching for a long time before Blaze managed to get her inside. She got drunk and cried herself to sleep in Alex’s bed, and stayed there for a few days until Luella brought her in a potion. It was no cure but eased her stomach, the reason she did get up was for the children. Carrie had felt that she hadn’t been comforting them, and to her surprise it was the children who comforted her. She looked up and saw Luella and some of the others coming downstairs laughing.
‘What’s so funny?’ she asked.
‘Oh my beautiful daughter,’ said Luella, cupping her face in her hands before kissing her forehead.
Carrie was confused. ‘What do you mean daughter?’
‘Take a look,’ said Luella, and stood to the side where she saw him coming down the stairs.
‘Alex!’ Carrie screamed and jumped on him. ‘I love you so much,’ she said kissing him, and not caring what anyone else thought and kissed him again.
Alex held her tight. ‘And I you.’
~~~~
Carrie finally let him go, not that she wanted to but there was a gathering crowd who wanted to welcome him back. All of them from the mansion embraced him including Claire. The children left the room, and came back not long after looking very pleased themselves, with them were Tia, Thomas and some of the pixies. Kaeya jumped on Alex’s shoulder and hugged his neck.
This gave House an idea, and the room was suddenly full of pucas, with Flax doing some mad dance before jumping into Alex’s arms, they were followed by gnomes and then the elves. House also fetched some from the Order, who were awed at what Alex had done and survived.
‘Alex,’ said Korzak, as he appeared. ‘You’re alive, this is just wonderful.’
‘I like to think so,’ said Alex, and embraced the goblin and his brothers who also appeared.
Birkaz picked up Alhena and pinched her nose. ‘Are you going to gloat on how you saved us all?’
‘I didn’t save you, just this world,’ said Alex, as he watched his daughter pinch an even bigger nose, and there was no way she could hide a goblins nose in her hand.
‘No, my brother is correct,’ said Korzak. ‘If the meteorite had struck, all the portals would have been open. Which includes, all the dark worlds, and they would have been free to go where they wanted.’
‘That wouldn’t have been good for any of us,’ said Thalion.
‘No, and who knows how many live on them now,’ said Torgon.
After an hour, most of them left to organise a celebration on the Elf World for his return.
Alex glanced at his children. ‘It’s time for us to leave.’
Carrie stared at him. ‘You can’t leave, you just got back.’
‘Let me show you,’ said Alex, as the spirit left his body, and the same happened with the children. The spirits were much taller than the girls, and they bent down to thank them before running to their father.
Siphon, a golden spirit, looked like he was on fire. ‘I would like to thank you all for helping to save my children.’
Paige shook her head. ‘I think we’re in your debt for what we have and what we have seen.’
‘I never intended to save the Earth, just my children,’ said Siphon. ‘That was until I met Luella and some at the Order, and living amongst you I found something worth saving.’
‘I don’t understand why you needed Alex,’ said James. ‘You only left forty years ago. You could have just stuck around, saved your girls and left without facing the meteorite.’
‘My girls would never have let me do that,’ said Siphon. ‘I would have had to face the meteorite with or without Alex, and there was no way I could have stopped it on my own.’
Alex scratched his head. ‘It was all your power . . . I don’t see how I could’ve helped.’
‘No, it was our combined powers, you are more powerful than I, and that’s how we not only managed to destroy it but survive.’
‘Where did I get my powers from?’
‘I do not know, but they had been hidden inside you for a long time. I could sense them and as much as I tried to waken them, it was only after you saved Adhara and Sarin did they come to the surface.’
Alex scratched his head. ‘Did you know we would survive?’
‘Yes, of course, didn’t you?’
‘Not from the visions I saw.’
‘Strange,’ said Torgon, ‘yet you knew you would survive Calberon as a vision showed you going to the dragon world.’
‘Yeah, but what does that have to do with it?’
‘I put the vision of Mother telling you about the meeting the healers had with Carrie, which was just over an hour ago.’
Alex’s eyes grew big. ‘Oh, I didn’t think about that, it matters not as I would do it again.’
Luella
frowned at him. ‘You will not, you’re banned from meteorites from now on.’
‘It is time we left,’ said Siphon.
‘Will we see you again?’ Alex asked.
‘Yes, my daughters and I are going to fly around space for a while,’ said Siphon. ‘We will return for selfish reasons, like Summer’s cooking and to see all our friends.’
Summer raised an eyebrow. ‘You could taste my cooking?’
‘Yes, when Alex was eating it.’
‘Hold on a minute, mister, we want some answers,’ said Claire, and poked Alex on the shoulder. ‘I cried because of him.’
Alex smiled. ‘Did you really?’
‘Shut up.’
‘What would you like to know?’ said Siphon.
‘Why did Carrie have to suffer so much?’
Siphon shrugged. ‘I don’t know what Alex was doing to the poor woman.’
Alex scratched his head. ‘I wasn’t doing anything to her, well not that I know of.’
Carrie gripped his arm. ‘It’s true . . . he hasn’t done anything to me . . . yet.’
‘No,’ said Siphon, ‘I was talking about you giving her the dreams of you dying.’
‘I thought you did it, and gave me the one I had of Carrie dying.’
Siphon shook his head. ‘I love Carrie, and would never make her suffer like that.’
‘So do I, and would have no idea what to do.’
Adair stared at them. ‘Are you trying to say someone else did it?’
‘It came from Alex when he embraced her,’ said Siphon.
Alex rubbed his eyes. ‘I thought it was you, and now I’m confused.’
Adair poured himself a glass of juice. ‘Maybe your power did it without you knowing.’
Carrie slid her arm inside Alex’s. ‘Have you been giving me bad dreams?’
Alex looked into her beautiful eyes which were now sparkling, and he understood. ‘No, it was you who did it, and that’s why you could go through the enchanted forest.’
‘But I saw the energy pass between you,’ said Siphon.
‘No, she took it without my knowledge, and gave me a dream in return.’
‘How could I do that?’ said Carrie, as she gripped Alex’s arm again and fainted.
The Final Destiny: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Three - Fantasy Page 42
