Place of the gods Chp. 1-3

This is something that I have written a little here and a little there on.... hope you all enjoy it! 

Chapter 1 

A New Home 

            “Grandfather tell us of the Greek gods.” said thirteen year old Sara.

            “Yes grandfather do tell us.” came six year old Cory.

            “I want to hear the story of the Place of the gods grandpapa.” said five year old Lucy.

            “I think that one will be all the better.” said the oldest Kylor “Lucy and Cory haven’t heard it yet and grandfather tells of the Greek gods almost every time we come.”

            “I agree so with you Kylor.” said and old man with a white beard. They were all in the house around the fire. It was just after dinner and the old man was enjoying his pipe. His grandchildren were staying with him over the next couple of days while their parents were gone for their anniversary. The kids always wanted a story about the gods. But the one Kylor suggested was the one he loved to tell, but also the one he almost never told.

            “Oh but Grandpapa don’t you think it would scare Lucy and Cory?” asked Sara.

            “No, no my dear. They are the same age as you and Kylor where when you two heard the story.” Grandfather said. “it is a long story my dears so I don’t need interruptions.” the four kids shook their heads and he began.

            “He was a foster child at the Ladson Orphanage in South Carolina. He never once had a last name, they called him G. Caelian G.  His parents left him on the door step of the orphanage when he was seven months old.”

           

             Today was my sixteenth interview since I turned fifteen (which was a month ago) The women’s name was Madam Deeanne Drezion. She said that she would take me in, but couldn’t handle the laughing shame of having a poor boy having her last name. (so I remained Caelian G.)

            The papers were done in a week and in the next I was headed to Madam Drezion’s home in some place she called Zamfauge Village, wherever that is, all I know is that I’ll give this guardian maybe a month, till she’ll be wanting me back at the orphanage. For some reason I didn’t keep guardians long.

            You must be thinking bad right? For me not wanting to stay with someone that has taken me. The truth is I don’t! I have been Caelian G. ever since I was born and that’s the way I want it to stay. No matter what this lady or any other guardian does.

            The ride to this women’s house took forever! First we took a over night train for two days, then we rode in a cab up to some town, took another over night train there, then we rode in a wagon pulled by a horse for what seemed hours. We finally made it to her house by nightfall.

            Why did this lady take me in if she lived so far away? And she didn’t look around the orphanage when she was there, she seemed like she knew she wanted me. Like that was who she came for. Even in the interview she was short and I didn’t have time to un-impress her.

            Still... this lady’s house was huge! It was quite a mansion! The drive way was really long and had flowers of all sorts on either side. A big black metal gate, and a huge fountain in the front yard.  The fountain had weird statues. It looked like a woman with had sunglasses on and snakes for hair. Talk about cracked out, this lady can’t even get a nice statue.

            To the left and right on the sides of the house were two more fountains. One looked like it had horse legs and a mans torso. Then the other one on the left was farther away but looked like it was a male with a mans torso and goats legs. This lady needs to get a new decorator or something.

            The wagon came to a stop at the stone steps of the huge house. A man in a black suit came out to greet us, followed by a girl in a dress with an apron tied around it. She didn’t look much older than me.

            “Greetings madam.” said the man in the black suit. He helped her out of the wagon and then turned and held a hand out to me. I looked at his hand and then at his face  and then jumped down from the wagon. I didn’t need some fancy pants to help me down. What did he think I was... a girl?

            “Greetings young sir.” he said. I ignored him and went on. Inside the house was amazing! Walking into the front door you saw straight ahead a grand stone staircase the cut to the right and left.  The entry way was as big as a dance floor. We walked on through. Fancy pants and apron lady following.

            “Did you do as I ordered while I was absent?” Madam Drezion said.

            “to your very last word.” said apron lady. “the tapestry’s were washed, floors swept, pool cleaned, and the bedroom was made up for the new arrival.”

            “Very well Sophia, Jeffery what about your duties?”

            “all done Madam.” he said quickly. “I called the ambassador he said no in the strongest of ways. We should be getting your delivery any minute now oh and I took care of everything. It should be anonymous to the boy.” um... HELLO! Could they not see me or something? What would be anonymous to me?  Is she trying to hid something?

            “very good. Now.” she stopped at the edge of the stairs. “Caelian this is my butler Jeffery and one of the maids Sophia. Sophia will show you where you are to stay. Jeffery and Sophia will be at your aid whenever you need it. Do not come to me with your little needs. You have them both and I am a very busy woman. Jeffery will go over the rules with you and Sophia will show you around.” she looked at me for a moment and then headed up the stairs to the left.

            “if you will follow me sir.” said Sophia. She took me up the stairs and to the right. We went down the hall that was visible from the entry way and then turned down another. We turned down three halls I swear till we came to a door that she said was mine.

            The room was huge and wasn’t to bad. It was almost the size of the entry way. The room was blue and everything in the room was gold... or at least gold colored. The bed was on the far right wall. It had blue covers with black pitchfork things on it, and had about a million pillows.

            As you walked in the room there were French double doors that led out to a balcony and then to the left was a couch, a couple chairs, and a coffee table.

            There were bookshelves all around full to the max with books. This was going to be a long month. Everyone knows that fifteen year old boys do everything BUT read! There was nothing in the room to stay for. Books, paintings... oh, lookie and more of her weird statues.         

            I went out onto the balcony and there were more! She really needed to get better statues. The two on the balcony, in the left and right corners, were two really short really fat people. One looked like a guy with a really long beard and a mustache and the other a girl with really long hair in a torn dress.

            The view wasn’t all so bad. It looked out over the fountain with the guy that was half horse half man. That one wasn’t as bad as the other one. He was holding s sword. It looked like he was about to cut someone in half but got froze just before he could.  

            “What’s with the statues?” I asked the apron lady... I guess I could call her Sophia now.

            “Shall I go over the rules sir?” asked Jeffery. Sophia was no where in sight.

            “Yeah and I’ll give you the first one. Don’t call me sir, Caelian or G. will work.” I snapped back. Nobodies ever called me sir and no one ever will.

            “Very well. Now for the house rules. There are only two rules. The west wing is forbidden, you may go anywhere else you like in the house except for the west wing. You will pay consequences if you break that rule. You have no need to even think about it. It is not a place for children.”

            “I’m fifteen.” I snapped back at him. He smiled an annoyed smile and went on.

            “Also, the forest are off limits. The same consequences will come to you if you go into the forest and you will also not be allowed out of the house. Do you think you can stick to those two rules?” asked Jeffery. He looked pretty serious so I nodded. “then the rest of the house is yours to entertain yourself with.” he smiled and then left for the door.

            “One more thing” he said “as the Madam said, she is a very busy woman and you will not bother her. Any busy you have with her you have with me. Understood?” again I shook my head and waited for him to leave.

            I’m stuck here in this god awful room with weird statues and a huge house with suspicious rules of not going into the west wing and staying out and away from the forest. This was going to be a longer month than I thought it would be!

            Sophia came back with a package. It was nothing but clothing. Paints, shirts, jackets, sweaters, shoes everything was blue and black from the socks to the jackets. I was told to bathe and then make myself presentable to eat with the Madam.

            I took a shower, not having much of a choice, slid on a pair of jeans, a black T-shirt, and a blue button up over it. I didn’t button it or tuck it in I just let it hang. I wasn’t going to start looking like a preppy boy just because I was living in a huge house.

            Jeffery and didn’t approve of it all the way but led me down the stairs and what felt like across to the other side of the house, to the dinning room where dinner was already served.

            “If I’m going to take my time to eat with you Caelian then I expect you to be on time for supper.” Madam Drezion said. “but since this is your first night I will excuse it, sit.” I sat quickly.

            Soup was the first thing we had and then mashed potatoes, bread and cheese, and steak. For dessert we had cheesecake and then I had hot chocolate while Madam Drezion had coffee. It was a ton of food! The most I’ve ever eaten.

            “Mr. Caelian I expect that from now on you will be on time to meals with you shirt buttoned and tucked.” she flicked at my open un-buttoned blue shirt. “I bid you goodnight. Oh and I do understand the young do not like to go to bed early so I ask of you not to disturbed everyone else.” she walked off out of sight.

            Sweet! She was giving her whole house for me to do what I please in and now a bed time of my choosing. I could stay here...maybe. I walked back up to my room and took out the shoe box I had brought with me that had my things. It didn’t have much, just two things. A necklace with a charm that had some weird pitchfork thing on it. It wasn’t a pitchfork because it only had three metal rods and the end instead of four and the one in the middle was longer and the tip of it looked like an arrow head.

            A sweatband that his friend Michael gave to him before he was adopted. It was black and had the same weird pitchfork thing in blue on it. I always wondered why the sweatband that Michael gave me had the same picture on it as the necklace with the charm that I had on when they found me at the orphanage. Still I through on the necklace and sweatband, along with a pair of blue pajamas, and got in bed.

           

Poseidon Greek god of the sea 

           

            I woke up to the sound of Sophia sing good morning good morning to you to you over and over. She walked straight over and opened the curtains letting in all the sun light. I was enjoying my dark room before she made it all light.

            “Good morning sir.” she said picking up a shirt and pair of pants.

            “don’t call me sir.” I said. She laid the items the bed and headed for the door.

            “breakfast in ten minutes.”

            “Wait.” I said sleepy. “why’d you wake me?”

            “Madam wanted to speak with you before she set off.” she said closing the door. “breakfast in ten minutes. Get dressed.” man she was bossy.

            I quickly through on the pair of jeans grabbed a blue T-shirt to put on under my black button up, and then buttoned and tucked in the black shirt. This tucking in and buttoning up thing was going to get old fast. But I only have to do it when I’m around Madam Drezion so I could live... I think.

            I ran down the stairs and through the halls. I got lost a couple times taking wrong turns and going down wrong halls... It was my first time alone and it was a lot of turns. Finally I made it to the dinning room.

            Madam was pleased to see me with my shirt buttoned and tucked but not so please to see me in socks. If I had to tuck and button my shirt for breakfast and dinner with her, then she could deal with seeing me with socks on at breakfast. 

            “I’m sorry for waking you so early but as your guardian I thought you would like to know where I will be.” she said taking her coffee before she put butter on her toast. “I will be gone for about a month. You will find that I will not be around much. I have very important ‘chores’ you may call them that I have to tend to. Sometimes here sometime elsewhere. Do you understand?” do I understand? Hmm... Yes I understand that I’m going to be stuck here with Jeffery and Sophia with no connection to the outside world because I’m in this Podunk town that’s out in cyber space? yeah I got it.

            “Yes.” I said. “where are you going?”

            “where is not important Caelian.” she said like a smack in the face. “just follow the rules that Jeffery instructed you to and you will be fine here without me. There’s a pool in doors and also one outdoors. I’m sure this house is big enough for you to find something to do. I want to make it clear that you are to do as your told. I do not deal with trouble makers. Understood?” she asked.

            “Crystal.“ she didn’t find anything funny but got a stern look in her face. She finished her coffee, got up, walked over and kissed the top of my head...weird then walked out and left.

            “Sir are you done?” asked Jeffery.

            “Yeah.” I said “hey Jeff.”

            “Yes, sir.”

            “If you call me sir again I’m going to drown you.”

            “Of course Caelian. My apologies.” I smiled. I loved having that kind of control.

             I walked slowly back up the halls and the stairs up to bedroom. I dug around in the clothing that was in the box Sophie had brought up that night. Why was everything blue and black? It was annoying. I finally found what I was looking for, a black bathing suit.

            I pulled off my jeans and on the swim trunks, then took off the button up and headed down the stairs to find Sophie. I found her in one of the longer hallways. It was painted dark blue, like the rest of the house, and the chairs, tables, and picture frames were all that gold looking stuff.

            Sophie was dusting a picture frame that had a really cool looking picture in it. It was of a man in the sea. He had one of those weird three end pitchforks, and was in the middle of a current of water that twisted up, and a huge wave was just breaking behind him.

            “who’s that in the painting.” I said walking towards Sophie. she almost fell off the table she was standing on. I helped her down and she place the other small frames back on the table.

            “that’s the Greek god Poseidon. God of the sea. He‘s on of the Olympian Greek gods and goddesses.” she said. “I don’t get to pick the decorations around here. I’m just one that gets to clean them.”

            “what’s he holding?” I tucked my necklace under my shirt.

            “it’s what they call a trident.” she said “it’s like his magic wand I guess you could put it.”

            “Gotcha.” I said... Then I remembered why I was trying to find her. “where’s the pool?” she put the duster down and walked with me the opposite way. She took me through more halls with cool paintings. (I was actually looking at the walls now)

            One hall we walked down and the pictures were creeping looking. They were of a huge beast. It was like a hot coal color, black all around but had the hot red burning tent to it. It had hoofs and huge horns(both the same color as the body.) fire was exploding from it like from a massive explosive. I found out that it was Hades, god of the underworld. Also one of the Olympians.

            In another were pictures of the most beautiful woman you will ever see. Her hair was amazingly straight and shiny. She wore on old Greek dress and a headdress of gold entwined leaves. She had two swords crossed in her hands, a dark sky behind her, and bodies and blood down beside her. She was the Greek goddess Athena, goddess of wisdom and arts. 

            That was the last hall, we were at the pool. It was huge, like everything else in the house, it was bigger than two ballrooms put together. Sophie went to get me a towel and I jumped in. I swam laps till my arms got tired then sat on the bottom of the pool.

            It was cool the way I could sit on the bottom of the pool. Last time Michael timed me and I was under for three minutes. My stomach got hungry, probably from the laps, so I pushed up and broke the water for air.

            “Caelian, oh thank God.” Sophie said when I broke water. “you about scared me to death.”

            “Why?” I asked. “I know how to swim. Just sitting on the bottom.”

            “I thought you drowned. Do you have any idea how long you’ve been under?”

            “um, minute and an half. At the most.”

            “Try seven and a half.” she was so freaked. “do you have any idea what kind of trouble I could have got in? you should be more considerate.”

            “well I’m fine.” I pulled myself out and grabbed the towel off the chair. “going up to shower.” I walked off and up to my room. Girls! I couldn’t stand them in the orphanage and now I have to live with a paranoid one.

            The warm shower felt good, relaxing. I wasn’t happy when I walked out in my towel and saw Sophie gathering the wet cloths I left on the floor. She looked up and scrammed.

            I pulled back on the jeans, T-shirt, and button up. It was only mid day. I had to find something to do the rest of the day that didn’t have anything to do with the pool, or Sophie for that matter. The bed was looking really friendly so I climbed in. I needed more sleep from waking up at the crack of dawn this morning.

*    *    *

            Sophia woke me up for dinner by myself since the Madam was gone. The good part was I ate alone and without any buttoned or tucked shirts! Jeffery nicely informed me that there was a gym across the hall from the pool. I hadn’t noticed it before, but me and Sophia passed right by it. It otta come in handy when I want to get away from that girl. It was about eight when I got back up to my room. It always took you so long getting from one place to the other.

            Not knowing why I scanned the books on the bookshelves. Titles I’ve never heard of or care to know, some that had had a kind of ancient writing on them, and then one that stood out. It was blue and had a black pitchfork thing that Sophia called a trident on it.

            I took it off the shelve and sat down in the chair by the fire place that Sophia had lit. The book was old and worn, I was almost scared that if I read it I would tear it in half. But still I opened it up:

           

            Olympus and the Olympians.

                        The Olympian gods were the main deities in Ancient Greece. After overthrowing their ancestors, the Titans, the Olympian gods became the rulers of the Cosmos representing the civilization of the world.

                        The Olympian gods were majestically and democratically dwelling on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, built by the Cyclops.

                        The leader of the Olympian gods was Zeus. All Olympian gods were associated with birth myths but themselves were un-aging.

                        They lived inside human-like bodies with an ethereal fluid called ichors running in the veins. They had passions and human weaknesses and were many times at fault, but were then obliged to take the full responsibility of their actions.

                        Greek myths always refer to the twelve Gods of Mount Olympus, but in total there were fourteen Olympian Gods in Greek Mythology. However, there were never more than twelve at one time. The four alternative gods were Hestia, Hades, Dionysus, and Demeter, depending on the location.

            I flipped the next page.

 Chapter 2 

Poseidon Olympian god of the sea.

            Poseidon, Greek god of the Seas, was born by the major Titans Coronus and Rhea. He was an older brother of Zeus, the King of the gods. He was imposing and strong with long, blue hair.

            Poseidon is considered to be the bad-tempered, moody and greedy god among the Olympians. Once insulted, he would revenge himself.

            The Greek god responsible for natural and supernatural events, mainly the ones associated to the sea world.

            His symbol, the tridents which he possessed is so powerful that it could shake the earth.

            He could cause tempests and earthquakes, drown lands, shatter rocks and had the ability to finally bring back peacefulness. He possessed two palaces, the one was up in Mount Olympus and the other was located in the depths of the seas and was bejeweled with gold and precious gems.

           

            I flipped through the rest of the book. All it had was stuff about the different god and goddesses o Ancient Greece. I laid it carefully on the table and went back over to the shelf.

            There were other books had weird writing on them I couldn’t read. I pulled them out and flipped through. The more books I took off the shelf the more I saw the pages were filled with stuff about Greek gods and goddesses.

            I took down another and another and another. Flipping through finding the page about Poseidon. Mount Olympus, the twelve, or fourteen, gods and goddesses, the time allowed in mortal bodies on the earth. It all made since of something. But what was that something.

            NOCK, NOCK, NOCK!!!

            I dropped the book that I was holding and spun around as fast as I could.

            “Sophia.” I let out a sigh of relief. “you almost scared me half to death.”

            “well then you know how I felt this morning.” she snapped back. “I suppose you’ll be putting those back? Or will I have to?” she walked over to the table and started putting the books away.

            “Don’t, leave them out. I’m not done reading.” I said quickly. I didn’t need her knowing that I was reading on Greek myths. “are you up here for a reason?”

            “oh right. The rest of your new things.” she pointed to a box by the door. “should be everything you need.”

            “thanks.” gees she’ll get real annoying if she just walks up and in like this all the time. “I’m goanna change and then hit the hay.” she looked from me, to the stack of books on the table, and then back me and finally left.

            Once she was plain out of sight I closed the door changed into a pair of gym shorts and then returned the books to the shelves. The last thing I wanted was for Sophia to get into what I was doing... Snooping annoyed me the most. Once they were all back on the shelves I brushed my teeth and went to bed.

Three rooms over, two doors down, and down one flight of stairs.

            Unfortunately Sophia was the one to wake me.  I’m going to half to talk to Madam Drezion about her when she returns.

            I took a shower side on some jeans, a blue shirt, and a black button up. It was going to get old wearing the same things in the same colors all the time. But they were free cloths and by the tags that they were still on them, I would have to say Rough Lauren is an expensive clothing line.

            Breakfast was by myself (thank God) it was nice not having Jeffery call me sir every time he spoke to me, and me not having to threaten him every time he did. The gym was relaxing and the pool felt good after I finished working out. I made sure Sophia wasn’t around and went to sit on the bottom.

            I thought about what I read and why it made some sort of since. It felt like it closed up a hole in me but yet left a ton of questions... Like what whole and why.

            When I broke water for air Sophia was there and didn’t look to happy.

            “you just want me to get in trouble don’t you?” she snapped and through me a towel.

            “I didn’t ask you to be here. I know my way around now, you don’t have to look after me I’m a big boy.” I snapped right back at her, shaking the water out of my hair onto her.

            “fine be a jerk.” she said walking out. “just don’t ask me for any favors.” like I would need her to do anything for me. She has to remember I’m an orphan (or used to be) and when you’re an orphan you cant count on anyone but yourself.

            I was back up in my room reading the books one by one. I learned that Zeus was the king over the gods and ruler of mankind, and that Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. It was one of the most interesting things to ever read about.

            Book after book I read about the same two gods, Zeus and Poseidon. For some reason whenever I read of those two the clear feeling came back to me. I read till I got a headache, and went down to lunch. With only half the day gone I grew very bored. There was no snow around so I couldn’t snowboard, and every time I got in the pool Sophia, even though nowhere in sight, always seemed to be there just waiting to bite my head off.

            I had to find something to do other than swim, read, and workout. It would grow tiring. I went off and out of my room to explore the house and see what trouble I could get myself in.

            More and more halls I went down but they had nothing but paintings and statues of gods and goddesses and weird half human things. All the rooms I went in brought no interest to me, they were all the same old same old. Beds, dressers with clothing in them, closets full of shoes, book shelves full of books, nothing worth getting excited over.

            I headed back to the entry way and headed up to the east wing stairs... Wait a minute. Madam Drezion was out of town. She wasn’t around and nobody else was. No one would know if I went to the west wing. It was probably just her bedroom anyways. I turned around and ran down the stairs. I ran to the middle of the entry way

            “Sophia!” I yelled. I had to make sure no one was around, and Sophia was always creeping up on me. “Sophia! Jeffery!!” I yelled again. Great! Coast is clear. I ran up the west wing stairs and dashed down the first hall way to get out of sight.

            “Sir Caelian.” came Jeffery’s voice from the hallway. Stupid! Of coarse. Jeffery was always in the west wing. He was the Madams pet figure. “Sir Caelian!” he called again. “damn boy. Calls for someone and then doesn’t respond. I would like to ring his neck.” he muttered under his voice. He was way closer than I thought he was. Right outside it sounded like. “why the Madam is punishing me for something leaving me here with him and that girl Sophia. Does she think I can put up with her just because she’s a daughter of a goddess. Nonsense she’s nosey and not obeying Madams orders I’ve caught her up her. Ugh pathetic teenagers.” his muttering went on but began to get quieter. 

            I figured it would be safe to hang where I was for a bit until I was sure he was gone. I turned around to explore the room I was stranded in for the moment. It was just like any other room except the bed was unmade, the dresser look as if is hadn’t been dusted in ages and the closet door was locked. I rummaged through the dresser drawers looking for the key. I check the side tables and nothing.

            I checked the door frame of the room door and then the frame of the closet. Oh lookie there, the key! Of all places that was a dumb but smart place to put it. Everyone knew that you don’t have keys there so why not put it there? It would be the one place people wouldn’t think of... Smart.      

            I took the tiny key, it was really small to be a closet key. But it looked to be old fashion. The door eminently unlocked when I turned the key, and the door flashed open.

            It hit me in the head and knocked me to the floor. What the heck? I slowly got up me head pounding from the sudden force of the door. Something was moving around in front of me but I couldn’t tell what it was my vision was blurred.

            A couple minutes later my sight finally came back clear. Standing over in the far corner was goat legs and then from the waist up it was human. So she had moving statues right now?  

            I got up slowly and we stood there staring at each other what felt like forever.

            “What are you” my curiosity got the better of me.

            “Mr. Fletcher, please to meet your acquaintance.” He held out a hand and walk in a little. I met with him and shook his cold human hand.

            “Caelian G.” I said just being polite. “what are you?”

             “I’m a stryad.” Mr. Fletcher said. “a junior protector. I’m not a senior protector till I get my horns.”

            “That’s what you remind me of. I thought your kind were called fauns, like in the Narnia series.”

            “I am not a faun. I am a stryad.”

            “But what’s the difference?” it didn’t sound like there were much.

            “A stryad is a protector. A faun is not. A faun is just a faun. A stryad is appointed to a certain person to protect.”

            “Cool! Who are you appointed to?” I wish I was appointed to protect someone that would be awesome.

            “I have not yet been appointed my position.” he walked over to the closet and pulled out a green scarf. “I find out who this afternoon at the coronation. I was preparing myself when you slipped through the door.”

            “oh well good luck. I hope your... Appointed.”

            “yes I most will. A new comer has come and I will be appointed to him hopefully. I like new comers. Old ones aren’t any fun.” he fixed the scar around his neck. “I am sorry to be so rude. I wish I could stay longer for this little chat but I must go, I cannot be late.”

            “can you help me get out? If I get caught I’ll be in big trouble.” he looked at me strange and shrugged his shoulders. We walked out the door, him going first to make sure it was all clear, then I ran down the stairs before I could breath.

            I turned around to wave goodbye to my new half human ‘friend’ but he was gone... Out of sight. Whatever, it was dinner time and my stomach was starting to yell at me. I found Sophia in the dinning room about to scream her head off for me to eat.

            Dinner was good very different, Greek I think. I took a shower and then back to reading about the Greek gods and goddesses for a bit. Jeffery said that Sophia was the daughter of a goddesses... But which one? Defiantly NOT Aphrodite, she’s sure isn’t ‘love‘-ly!

            After a while Sophia was getting nosey, big surprise there. I put the books, after she left, under my pillow and fell asleep.

Chapter 3

 New Friends Or Foes?

            “Mr. Caelian sir. Mr. Caelian!” rang out a voice. Hands were shaking me, where was I? “Mr. Caelian!” the voice rang out again. It was Jeffery’s! Hands shook me harder and harder “Caelian!!” he rang out.

            My eyes flew open. Jeffery was over top of me sweating with his hand still on each arm gripped tight.

            “Ouch.” I said and he let go. “what do you want? And didn’t I tell you not to call me sir!”

            “Of course Caelian.” he said. “the Madam wishes to speak with you.”

            “But I thought it she wasn’t suppose to be back for a while.”

            “she came back to speak with you before she journeyed any further. I know it is the middle of the night, the Madam apologizes, but she will not be here long and this is obviously of great importance. Please make yourself presentable, and I do ask that you hurry. She hasn’t much time” he was right. It was the middle of the night. I hadn’t noticed but it was still dark outside.

            I got out of bed and threw on a pair of jeans and a button up over top of my black T-shirt. (this was the first time I picked one up since she left) brushed my teeth, quickly through my long hair in a low pony tail (it was all oily and stuff since I hadn’t taken a shower) and hurried down the stairs.

            I didn’t have to go far. Madam and Jeffery were standing at the end of the stairs in the entry way talking what looked to be very serious, obviously waiting on me.

            “Oh finally Caelian I thought I was going to have to wait all night for you. I thought little boys we’re suppose to be fast.” Hey! I’m thirteen, I’m not a LITTLE boy!! “anyways back to more important matters. I made it clear that you would not see me a lot and I’m sure you are very aware of that. Since I will not be around to keep you safe, out of harm, and out of trouble I have gotten you a... well you may call him a friend if you wish.”

            “more like baby sitter.” I mumbled under my breath. She obviously didn’t hear me.

            “he will be here in the morning around ten. He will be staying in the west wing and as I trust you will not nor are you allowed to be over in that wing.”

            “But what is in that wing that I can see?” I mumbled under my breath “is she trying hiding something?” I wasn’t so quiet this time she heard me.

            “Mr. G it is my responsibility to keep you safe and even though you are here in my lovely home” I don’t think lovely is the word for it. “I am still entitled to my privacy and rules and if I ask you to stay out of somewhere I expect you to do as told. Do I make myself clear?”

            “Yes Madam.” I said. I hate how I couldn’t just tell her off like all the other guardians. There was something different about her.

            “I suppose I will be the one to teach you to mind rules Mr. G. oh my, look at the time. I best be on my way.” she patted my shoulder and went on her way out the door. I walked back up to my room and tried to get more sleep.

            I failed I ended up laying in my bed thinking of the baby sitter that was to come. I wondered if Mr. Fletcher had got his promotion or whatever it was that he wanted so badly, and ended up reading over the same pages in that one book under my pillow that I had read a million times. I don’t know why I hadn’t picked up another book or read about anything else but the two gods that were mentioned in this book, Zeus and Poseidon, it just felt right reading them.

            Eventually I couldn’t take it any more so I took a shower and changed cloths. I pulled my hair back in a low pony tail, as normal, and scanned the book shelves for another book to read. Book after book all about the Greek history and philosophy, it was like the books grew and I would never get to the end of the shelve. I was finally at the last shelve and this one had the same books on it as all the others. Just about Greek past times and arts. But it was just one particular book. It had a lighting bolt on it. And so did the wood right behind it.

            I took the book off the shelve and then all the shelves disappeared and all that was there was the frame of the book shelf. I saw nothing it was so dark but what I could tell it was a passage way.             Being so curious I walked down it with the book in my hand. It was really dark but it couldn’t be that far could it? I mean it is inside a book shelve.

            After I walked a while I began to see light. It seemed to look like fire maybe... Then as I got closer and closer I heard what sounded like men talking. I finally came to the end of the passage way (or at least to where the light and noise was coming from) and saw-

           

            “Oh grandfather it is getting late and this is beginning to come into the scary part of the story. shouldn’t the little ones be getting to bed?” Sara asked.

            “indeed it is. Sara is right, we should all get to bed. I shall finish this tomorrow.”

            “oh but grandfather” said Cory. “we’re not that little, we’re not even tired.”

            “Yeah!” Lucy said slowly after him “we’re not even tired.” she managed to finish before a big yawn came out.

            “Yes that shows very well young ones. Now off to bed.”

*          *        *         *

            It was morning time and grandfather and the children we’re all at the table for breakfast.

            “Grandfather?” asked little Cory

            “Yes my dear grandson?”

            “will you please finish the story now. I can’t wait to see what happened when he took the book down.”

            “Oh grandfather it is not the time to talk of such things at the morning table is it?” Sara asked.

            “Now come Sara we were just as curious when grandfather stopped at that point as they are. Let him go ahead and get on with the story.” Kylor said. He was the more practical one.

            “very well children.” and grandfather started again.

            “Not men but half men like the statue of the horse men in Madam’s yard. They had swords at their sides and drinks in their hands. They were talking about something, but he couldn’t hear.

            I walked through the open way to get closer. I ducked down behind a bush, and listened hard.

            “I heard that Fletcher was appointed today.” said the one to the far right. He was smaller than the others and not as hairy. “to a young lad.”

            “yes he did son.” said the bigger one.

            “I wish I could have went.“ said the small one again.

            “Only the more ranked were able to attend. He obviously has a task that the general doesn’t want anyone knowing. I don’t see how someone of his little experience would get the appointment.” the bigger one said.

            “Now, now Raymoend.” said the biggest one out of all three. “calm down. I am as frustrated as you are, but the General gave it to Fletcher and we must respect his decisions.”

            “Lawrence you cant possible know!” said Raymoend “I haven’t been appointed in two years.”

            “Yes, as I haven’t in double of your years. But the General had placed this upon him for a specific reason, and we must not question his ways.”

            “I still think it should have been given to someone of more experience.” Raymoend said.

            “The fellow he was appointed to is but a boy himself. He would not listen to a grown man like you or I. Perhaps that is exactly the reason someone with more experience was not appointed.” Lawrence said back in control and demand. “Now let there be no more talk of this! We have things that are yet upon us, whether we want them or not. Put out the fire lets go, we have ‘partied’ long enough.”

            The smallest on packed up the things and put out the fire. It was so dark I couldn’t see anything. The only light, which was very little, was the dim moonlight that shined down at the earth.

            I came back the way I came, shut the bookshelf back and rustled into bed. I was a fool of closing my eyes searching for sleep. I was thinking too hard on what those men, I suppose they were, had said. Fletcher, Fletcher, Fletcher. That name sounded so familiar I just couldn’t place a name with a face, and that kept my mind going all night.