Chapter 87
I started a new painting when the guys left with Ayden to do some more surfing. The wind had picked up and I couldn't help but notice the cheeky grin on my son's face when it did. I could hear their yells and sometimes Ayden's laughs from here. I was thinking about Evan's quick responses when I am perving at someone, and I decided that he was having the same thoughts as me, that's why he knows when I'm doing it. We really are a pair, we both loved Horse and I can only imagine the part that Evan would like. I have never seen it, only through his wet shorts and I let my imagination wonder for a minute, then I had to hide my stiffie.
Picking up my pencil I started randomly drawing Evan in his gold armour but my hand was suddenly sore and my back ached when I stretched it.
"You have been at it for three hours Den, why don't you have a rest for a bit?" Rita was sitting with me; she was feeding Andy his bottle.
"How long?" I choked out, it seemed like only seconds since I started.
"Three hours Den, you must have tranced, it's bloody beautiful baby, I can't wait until you finish it. Who is it by the way?"
I looked over at the painting as I rubbed my sore fingers.
"The main subject was supposed to be Evan in his armour, but that's not him, what the fuck Rita? He's awesome but I have no idea who he is, I've never seen him before."
I had drawn the forever king and the only sign that he was the king was his crown, but the rest of his robes were dripping in gold, the satin like layers were so intricate and fluid. I looked at his half hidden face and noticed the colour of his eyes, green, they were my green, my colour. He was magnificent and the fairy folk around him were just as beautiful. The only reason I couldn't see who it was is because a piece of his head scarf was draped across his nose and mouth, hiding him away and only showing his piercing green eyes.
Standing behind the king with his hand resting on his shoulder was his knight and sitting on the floor playing in the folds of the delicate robes was the little blue eyed prince. As my eyes scanned over the dozens of fairy folk I could see Ayden's redheaded fairy, Horse, Donk, Trip, Tiny, Rita and the rest of our crowd all dressed as fairy folk. Even Andy was in there with Blue and Alex, Shannon was there but he had a jester's outfit on, what the fuck is that all about? There was one important message I immediately saw, Michelle, Tiny and Shannon were holding hands as they hovered over Cyn and Abs' images.
Rita was in her sequinned dress and it shimmered as a sunburst which was radiating from the king and hit the glittery beads. Birdy was beautiful in his woodland outfit, he had a cheeky smile on his face and was looking up at the king.
There were so many messages in this painting but I only had time to scan a third of it before I lost consciousness.
I woke up in bed and my throat was extremely dry and I ached all over, a tiny hand stroked my face then kissed my cheek, and a hunky man was kissing the other cheek. I opened my eyes and saw two sets of blue ones looking back at me.
"How long?"
"About two hours Den, how are you feeling?" Evan whispered.
"Terrible, like I just lost all my energy." I looked around for the water, it was on the bedside table.
"Lift me up bub, I need a drink."
"Wata?" Ayden asked.
"Yes baby, throats dry." I tried to smile at him.
Evan placed his arms around me and pulled me up so I was leaning against the headboard of the bed. He then placed the glass next to my mouth, my hands shook as I drank every last drop.
"What time is it?"
"About one thirty."
I brushed my fingers across Ayden's face, he had a worried look and I wanted to reassure him I was okay.
He nestled his face into my neck and whispered,
"Okay now dah, every thinks good." I smiled inside, because I knew he would know if it wasn't.
"Just lie here for a few minutes Den, have some of that sandwich and I'll go get you another drink."
He lifted himself off the bed and walked out the door as I reached for the sandwich.
"Did you see the painting son?"
"Yes dah, it's beautisill."
"That's beautiful son, and I agree, it's gorgeous."
"My golden, forever king dah," he whispered again.
I didn't know how to handle it so I left it unsaid. Evan returned with Horse and more water.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes my friend, everything's okay so I'm told." I looked sideways at our son, he giggled. Horse sat on the bed and his hand rested between my knees, I suddenly had a thought but soon lost that when Evan placed the water to my lips.
"It's a magnificent painting Den, everyone has been to see it and we all had fun trying to pick ourselves out. I saw some messages too I would like to discuss with you tomorrow." He smiled as he moved his hand onto my knee. I quickly looked at Evan who was almost laughing because he's such a lame dork.
We spent a half hour talking then I had to get up, I went to rinse my face and walked Ayden out to the porch.
"It's gorgeous Den," Cyn cried.
"I know Cyn, but when did you perve on it?"
"What?"
"I thought Evan was the only one that's seen it."
"What the fuck are you talking about Den?" She stopped then blushed.
"He's not the only one that's seen it Den, I have several times." Horse put his hand up.
"Me too," said Nuts
"And unfortunately me." Trip didn't hesitate to go along with the joke. Then the rest of my boys held their hands up. I giggled as I took Ayden to Rita's to get another sandwich. I left them all there to decide who had the better look at my privates. I wasn't thinking about the painting as I walked through the cafe into the kitchen, but I did have a sudden thought and looked down at my son.
"Are you surfing again today?"
"No pa, will stay here and open the shops."
"Okay."
"Are you all right Den?" Rita's concerned face looked at me.
"Yes honey, just going to have another sandwich, if you have a spare one."
"Of course, just take one from the counter, they're fresh." She placed her hands on her hips and stared at me, so I gave Ayden a pat on the bum and said,
"Grab something and we can have lunch with Andy." I grabbed a sandwich and started walking back to the kitchen table.
Ayden had walked over to Rita's bain-marie and was shopping for something to eat, he ended up with two potato cakes drowned in tomato sauce. I sat at the table with Andy who was bent over with his head resting on the high chair tray asleep, he looked so peaceful.
"Did you look at it?"
"Yes Den it's beautiful, I nearly cried when I saw doctor Tiny with Michelle, do you really think they will get together?"
"I think so but I only saw a few things before I blacked out, I have to go over it again later."
"Well I hope it's true, he's been single for too long."
I suspect Rita kind of liked Tiny in her own way, she's always
fussing around him when he's here, more so than the others.
Maybe it's the doctor thing, they command more respect in their line of work.
I grabbed another coffee and a couple of iced donuts then marched Ayden down to where the boys were, Evan had opened the shop and was sitting talking to Horse about the painting.
I looked over at it and was amazed at the intricate strokes I had placed in it. After scanning the quality for ten minutes I was satisfied that it was almost finished. I noticed three boys skimming along the shore, David's smile was the biggest and I thought when I get Ali on his own I would show him.
Arras and Aisha came over to look and she bombarded me with heaps of questions because I had painted their daughter as a teen, her hair was very long and it draped around her angelic body as she opened her delicate wings to fly into their arms.
There was a baby I didn't know who was nestled in Ayden's lap asleep, a small part of the king's robes was covering his little pink body, perhaps another baby is coming into the bay. I put it aside for the moment and looked back at the boys who were being very quiet, and if I didn't know better, Aisha had commanded it.
"So?" She barked at me.
"So what?" I barked back.
"So is she going to be that beautiful Den?" She stifled a giggle.
"Who?"
"Our daughter, you stupid mangy infidel," she was almost yelling now.
"Yes, even better in real life I would think Aisha."
She nudged Arras and they both smiled at each other. I suppose that's the only question she had for me.
I sipped my coffee as Ayden crept up on my knees and snuggled in.
"Tired bubs?"
"Yes dah."
"Have ten minutes, dah will be here when you wake up."
I stroked his head as he silently dropped off, his belly full of potato cakes and donut, it's the carbs that make him so tired. I felt wonderful, his gentle smile reminded me of when he was little, and the contented feeling inside I felt whenever he was in my arms, I could feel myself inwardly purring.
Eventually he was getting heavy so I moved him over to his bean bag then I went to see how Evan was getting along, maybe he needs some help but I shouldn't have bothered because he had Nuts helping out some ladies while he wrapped up the bought goods.
"Do you feel human again?" He smiled at me.
"Yes and very randy but I think we should leave that for later bub."
"Okay, I will look forward to it." He smiled again and took my hand and placed it on his crotch. I felt stiffness then looked over at Nuts.
"Seriously, you've been perving on Nut's?"
He blushed and almost yelled,
"No!"
I chuckled my way back to my seat and found most of the guys had gone down to the beach with Arras and Aisha in tow, so I sat with Horse who was waiting for Andy to wake up so he could have some grandpa time with him.
"You know Den, I was talking to Spud earlier and he's got some pretty good ideas on the subject."
"He sure has my friend and maybe he's right, I just don't know, but it doesn't change anything, I'm still the same, still human."
"I have seen it before Den, do you think it exists for real or is it just a figment of your imagination?"
"What's that Horse, seen what?"
"The book."
"What book?"
He stood up and pointed to a spot in the painting.
"That book."
There was a golden book tucked into the king's sash he had on around his waist, I could only just make it out, it was so faint.
"Where the fuck did that come from?"
"I don't know Den, but I have seen it before in Ayden's eyes."
"Show me."
He followed me up to Ayden's bedroom and got the magnifying glass out of his drawer, he then pointed at the big eyes and said,
"There, you can just faintly make it out." I looked and sure enough there it was. I hadn't seen it before, a tiny, gold book was slotted underneath one of Ayden's eyelashes.
"Fuck me!" I gasped.
"If you want me to Den, but don't you think Evan will get jealous?"
I took a double take at him and thought better of it.
"If I was a betting man Horse, it's Evan that wants you to fuck him."
He laughed so loud I almost forgot what we were looking at.
"I don't know what it means my friend. I have never seen that book before, does it even exist?" I said.
"Maybe it belongs to the golden king and only he can unlock its secrets." I rocked on my heels when I had a sudden thought that seemed so real and obvious. I stared at him for a moment then said,
"It does belong to the king and it's the most important book in existence. You were the key to its reality, you are the key keeper. You have unlocked the secret book and you have also just unlocked a piece of my memory I think." I didn't know what I was saying but Horse's face lit up like a campfire, his grin was perfection and I so wanted to fuck him; well, I was still randy.
"Well this changes everything Den, have you any idea where it is?"
"Yes and no, but maybe your number one grandson might tell us, I think it's the one he read to the fairy folk."
He grinned and we started to go out to the porch but we got caught up with the shop, it had become busy again. We worked solidly for the next two hours and Ayden came looking for me, he was still tired but soon woke fully when he realised Andy was now awake so he went to play with him. The last I saw he and Andy were both in Rita's bedroom under her sequinned dress giggling their heads off.
I told Evan what I thought when we put Ayden to bed so he had a look at the painting with the magnifying glass and blew his breath out.
"And you already know that Horse has been trying to find the solution for ages now, he is the key keeper, he has found the book and now needs to help unlock it."
"That's if it exists," I offhandedly pondered.
"Does sist dah," I heard a small, tired voice say.
"Do you know where it is baby?"
"Yes dah."
"Well aren't you going to tell us?"
"Old text, only baby cans read now, kings forget."
"Oh, so it's that book, and only you can read it?"
"Yep, only ise can open, not Hoth."
"Did you read it all?" Evan was suddenly interested.
"No pa, too much words, tired now go sleep."
We let him sleep, he's not talking again tonight apparently. I turned his light out and his night light on then kissed him good night. He had that smile on his face again and I wondered if he was going into the fairy land to read more of the book.
We decided it was still a bit early and re-stocked the shop then Evan placed a wad of cash into the new safe. I noticed Rita was closing up for the night too so I said my goodnights to her and went to join Evan in our bedroom.
My dreams started as soon as I went into a deep sleep, they were full of wondrous, magical images. I dreamt of all our friends; well I saw a lot of pictures of them.
Rita was Gaia or mother earth, she was gathering her many children at the dinner table and they all were looking at her with wonderment on their faces, she wore a forest green sequinned dress.
Horse was looking more like a mogul warlord in his armour sitting on top of a white stallion.
Tony was surrounded with bags of spices, fabric, carved furniture and I guessed he was some kind of merchant, I saw a magnificent round table covered in carvings.
Donk, Nuts and Trip were actually looking like the three musketeers.
Tiny was looking like Galileo, searching the stars with his huge telescope.
Spud was Raphael, he was sitting by candlelight painting one of his wonderful masterpieces.
Blue was Poseidon who commanded the oceans while he surfed.
Alex was Sinbad, a traveller and explorer.
Andy looked like Alexander the Great, conqueror of many nations.
Cyn and Abs were Helen of Troy and Paris, a sad tale of the most beautiful woman on earth, at the time.
Kate was Boudicca who led an uprising against the romans in Britain.
Birdie was Bernini famous for his baroque sculpture, he was short in stature too. There were many more images I saw in my deep sleep but the most frightening dreams were to come.
I saw a war in progress, a bloody evil war, it was so real it terrified me because I was standing in the middle of it. I saw thousands of fairy folk being slaughtered and maimed. The golden army were desperate to win. I saw tears and devastation along with unimaginable sorrow. I watched the king put a cloaking spell on his subjects, I felt every one of them relax and fade into the woodland. I then watched as the golden army took flight into the human world followed by the black army that was hell bent on destroying everything in its path that was fairy. An almighty war on Earth broke out and instead of using their magic that had been severely depleted, I saw cannons and infantry fighting on a lone beach on a massive uncharted island somewhere south of the equator.
I felt pain, and I know I was amongst all that fighting, so weak yet so resolved to finish this barbarism. The golden army eventually managed to overthrow the enemy, it took many years of death, sorrow and pain. As the years passed both armies had very little magic left, they were reliant on their wits and knowledge of human war and stealth.
Thousands of men and women died and the most heartbreaking moment for the king was after it was over, many of his army were starting to turn into solid statues and eventually those statues turned to porcelain to be buried where they fell by the eons of time.
I saw a golden baby free those fairies, the remnants of the king's golden army, then send them back to their homeland. They had no knowledge of how they even got into the human world let alone what happened to them while they were here. I did feel that the magic was returning slowly to the trapped, war torn army, at first it was the baby who found it, then the knight, then they both awakened their king's lost magic. It had never disappeared; they had just forgotten how to use it or didn't know how to use it in the human world.
I saw my friends desperately trying to speak with me, I saw Evan crying beside my bed and I felt Ayden's magic healing me. Rita came by every day and helped Evan bathe me and my son was constantly sleeping beside me.
I felt sick when I saw a particular painting of someone I didn't want to know. It was an image of a genocidal maniac I knew as the black king, there was a final battle and the golden king had trapped him in a painting that had been conjured for just that purpose. He had used the combined left over magic of himself, his knight and his prince to end that last fight.
I woke up with a start, staring at the ceiling, I didn't move but just listened to my son's light snoring, when I felt it was right I looked over at Evan who had his head resting on his arms on my bed. He was sitting by the bed, his shoulders shaking as he wept deeply into my crisp, white hospital linen. For a moment I thought I was back in that awful place again, but I reasoned that Ayden wouldn't be with me as a toddler, he would be an infant. My mind remembered most of what I dreamt as I tried to figure out why I was in hospital. I slowly moved my hand over to Evan's head and placed it on his beautiful hair. His face shot up and he gasped a deep guttural sound.
"Den, thank god your awake." His face lit up but his eyes were red raw.
I found my voice and replied,
"Yes, awake." Then he moved over Ayden and kissed my lips.
"Dry, water," I managed to say.
He jumped up and reached for the glass of water and placed a straw in it. I felt my son move then heard a very sleepy boy say,
"Daddy?"
I sucked on the water until it was empty then indicated I wanted more. I moved my head towards Ayden's and kissed him on the nose, he smiled, no he beamed, his eyes were wide open now and he struggled to kiss me back on my nose.
"Welcomes backs daddy."
"Thank you my very brave son." I smiled at him then I smiled at Evan as my hand stroked his face and he started crying.
"Don't bub, I'm okay, really I am." I tried to pull him in but Ayden was in our way.
"You scared me Den, you wouldn't wake up."
"How long have I been here?"
"Five days' baby, I thought you had left us again." He found a tissue and was drying his eyes.
"Okay now daddy, everything's okays, to much memories coming backs."
"Thank you my beautiful son. I kissed him again.
"Evan come over to this side, I need a hug."
He obliged me and when he got to the other side of the bed his arms pulled me into his body, I kissed him deeply.
"My breath must be awful, sorry." I think I blushed.
"It's not and there's no need to be sorry. Just be thankful you pulled through it this time, how do you really feel?"
"My throat's dry and I'm still tired but I feel all right apart from that." He passed another drink over to me then pushed the button to call the nurse.
She swept into the room like she owned the place. A cheery good morning was followed by a gruff sound as she moved Ayden and placed him on the chair Evan had just vacated.
"Just for a few, tiny minutes little angel, I need to look at your daddy."
Ayden gave her a big smile but I could see he wasn't happy with the sudden move.
"How are you feeling Mr. Curtis?"
"Okay really, when can I go home?" She laughed and replied,
"When doctor Tiny says so, and not a minute before." She shook her finger.
I suppose everything was deemed okay because she was smiling a lot while she did some writing on my hospital chart.
"I am told you live in the bay at that beach shack where they make the best hamburgers in Australia?" Ayden's eyes lit up at the mention of burgers.
"Mys nanny make them, she's really good," he offered.
"Oh and what is her name Mr. Curtis?"
"Rita," I answered her, she was trying to find out if I had brain damage I think. So I rattled off the address and my phone number and a couple of birthday dates.
"I see your well ahead of me Mr. Curtis."
"Just call me Den if you don't mind."
"Okay Den, these two have been here with you all along, it was very hard to even get them to have a shower, and you have had millions of visitors. Birdy was very upset, he couldn't talk to you but he gave you plenty of his kisses and hugs." I looked at Evan and said,
"Birdy, I have to see him and let him know I'm okay." I felt for the little fella, he would be so upset and he wouldn't understand what was happening. Evan pulled his phone out and started sending a group message to all our friends.
After three minutes his phone lit up and Birdy was the first caller.
"I was scared poppa Den, are you okay now?"
"Yes my son, when are you coming to see me?"
"Soon poppa, Jay just gets the car out and we be on the way."
"I'm okay baby, you're not to worry, and I can't wait to see you in about half an hour or so, I love you."
"I love you too poppa Den, bye."
He hung up and that made way for many more calls, I let Evan answer them because I was too excited to see my son again, and he's calling me daddy now. I hope he doesn't lose his dah name for me in the process, I kind of like it.
"I think they are all coming in, there will be a traffic jam on the highway. I had better ring Tine's cousin the cop and warn him." Evan chuckled. It sounded good and I think he feels a lot of relief, he started kissing me again and nurse bossy stared and asked,
"Don't you ever stop kissing him Evan?"
"No, and mind your own business Trace," he barked.
"He's a good kisser and I like it," I added. She shrugged and went on her way calling out,
"Only two at a time when they get here, you hear me Evan."
"Yes mam." Evan chuckled while Ayden crept back to my side.
"You must be sleepy son; why don't you have a ten-minute sleep?"
"No dah, mes okay, can I call nanny to bring burger for Ayden?"
"Already ordered baby." Evan smiled at him.
"Thanks you pa." His smile got wider.
I talked to Evan about my dreams and he was intrigued with my story about the war, and when I finished I told him our magic is slowly returning thanks to Ayden, but I had no idea how long it would take to re-charge us. I also said I didn't think we could go back to the fairy land because we still had human in us. This is what the king, my father had told me. Ayden can skip between lands because for some reason his magic is strong, but I didn't think we could.
"No dah, not for longs times."
"How long?"
"Many big, big lives dah, magic gets stronger with every lives."
"So when we humans are born with full magic then we can go home?"
He answered,
"I think so dah."
I was thankful that when we die we get to start all over again, maybe in a different world, maybe not all of us together? But I knew deep down that the main group will always be together because we are the stronger of the human fairy.
Evan helped him up on the bed, he didn't say anything but just looked me over. I think he was so overcome with relief he was speechless. He had flown into the room with his arms outstretched and in an instant Evan had him next to me. I kissed him and hugged him, showing him I was all right and not hurt at all. He finally found his voice,
"I was so scared for you poppa." His head slipped onto my chest and he started sobbing his heart out. I stroked him and Ayden took his hand. When he had got all his weeping done he looked more like my boy, his smile returned then he started asking questions. I rolled my eyes on the tenth one and what a god send Rita was, she turned up with a basketful of hamburgers and cakes, that shut Birdy up for ten minutes while she asked plenty more questions.
I got this all morning, more questions and some pampering from all the big boys. My eyes were heavy when doctor Tiny finally showed up, and in no time he had cleared the room stating he had to examine me in private.
"Did some of your memory come back Den?" he asked me.
"Yes Tiny, in a big way this time, I think it's all back and I got a back whole lot of old memories into the bargain."
"I thought so, maybe you should have a rest and then you can tell me all about it when you wake up."
I didn't need him to tell me twice because his was the last voice I heard.
But I did hear some giggling as I closed my eyes.
I was let out the next day much to the relief of the hospital staff, the whole crowd were on my doorstep in the morning and they stayed and watched me eat breakfast and have a shower. Evan and Ayden didn't leave my side all night, and he had washed my goods thoroughly as we made love in the shower, while nurse Trace occupied Ayden at the information desk.
I have always known our bay was something special, maybe everyone is here to relax and re-group, like have a holiday from their heavenly or fairy bodies? Maybe this area has always been our home, maybe it's where the final war had occurred? My father said Ayden was more powerful than all of them in fairy land, perhaps he's getting ready to take on my role in all this as the forever king. I must put that on the ask dad list next time I talk to him, although he didn't seem to know much about the king and said he was a myth. I decided that Ayden only read some of the old texts to the fairy folk, he only read the part about the terrible war starting that's why he knew about the dark king. Memories had come rushing back, not huge ones but memories none the less, I had secrets I knew I had to keep, and I had wonderful memories I will relate.
What was that Evan the knight said? He would always be by my side. Well if that's true I have always known him, he has always been in my life or lives. I did know that we had lived several lives and with each life our magic became stronger. I wondered also if Carol had more fairy in her than I did, and that's why Ayden ended up with plenty of it? I know Ayden's spirit or image does travel into the fairy world and reminded myself that my father was giving him more magic, maybe Carol isn't the answer, maybe my father is, or maybe I am the conductor and I'm giving it to him?