I'm splitting the original in two parts here.
And this is written later than the first chapter was (sort of) so hopefully most readers haven't seen it.
If I remember it right that is :)

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Life on the other side

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Now we all have those fantasy's at times, don't we.

You know, like the ones where we are hanging by our fingertips over a cliff, staring down at a drop of a ten thousand feet.
With the vultures lazily circling under us and the Bengali tigers waiting above us, ready to rip our guts out.

While we are busy screaming 'Please, oh please, cancel my adventure vacation. I wanna go home.'

Oh, maybe that wasn't the one?
Ok, sorry, wrong tale, now where were we.

Ah yes, dreams of having someone caring and sweet don't we? Taking care of our every need. Admit it, we all have them at times, but mostly we grow out of them though, as them usually only being fairy tale's, but then again.

Once in a blue moon someone gets lucky. And that's what Joe felt like now. From being hunted by psychotic car batteries and twisters from hell to being taken cared of by the girl of his dreams. Although he wished he could be sure of her age. He definitely didn't want to take advantage of her innocence and naivety.

Still, it was somewhat like winning the lottery.

"My lady," he said ,"may I ask for your name?" She continued walking as she answered "Evelyn my pet, can you say E v e l y n?" Joe tried to make sense of it as they walked. If he could say Evelyn?

Of course he could say Evelyn. " Evelyn." He said whereupon she clapped her hands together praising his ingenuity. "Oh what a clever Mundane you are my pet, that is so correct. E v e l y n."

Evelyn had now started to have some hopes for this shaggy Mundane, perhaps there would be a possibility of teaching him a few tricks after all. Joe who on his side couldn't help but wonder if all girls here would be as crazy as Evelyn looked at her again. He was in love, he knew that, and there was no help for it too.

So he finally decided, if she wanted a 'pet' to take care of, then for the moment he would be that pet, for the moment that is, he promised himself. As soon as he had some more information he would start to dazzle Evelyn with his mature charms and show her what a real man was.

They had now arrived to the bathroom, but it was as no bathroom Joe ever had seen. There was a huge wooden tube, big enough for five, in the middle of a big white and green tiled room. The tube was girded by several broad copper bands and had a chute hanging over it, coming to it from a hole in the wall above.

There was already water in it as well as sweet-smelling waterlily's. It had a little stair to it to help you get in as it was almost as high as Joe himself. He was very impressed as he looked at it. Evelyn who was the ever practical one, had observed his stupefied expression with a badly hidden smirk of her own now decided to speed things up a little.

After all she thought, he don't seem well groomed, and there could be all kinds of vermin hiding behind that shaggy appearance. "why were you in the sewer pet?" she asked as she donned big yellow rubber gloves. '"Playing with your friends perhaps?" As he sputtered for words she continued without giving him a chance to answer. "You know pet, here you must behave, I can not have you dirty yourself like that."

While she talked she now started to undress him. As he recoiled from her sudden touch she smiled at him comfortably while waving her gloves saying "So, so, my little pet, nothing to worry about. They are a little cold I know but I don't want to catch anything from you as you bath." What! Does she think I've got lice? Thought Joe, getting more and more pissed by the second.

But looking at her he found himself tempered by her sweet naivete and so found himself unable to hold his grudge against her highhanded treatment of him. "So Evelyn you want to undress me?" he asked. She looked at him seemingly surprised. "Can you do it by yourself Pet?" She asked. "Oh what a clever clever little boy you are." And she clapped her hands again.

He couldn't help but feel buoyed by her good spirits and so in the end he gave all modesty good riddance and accepted her terms. As she had undressed him she looked at him critically again. "A little underfeed I think." She muttered to herself. "That's what happens when one allows pets to run free" and here she nodded to herself sagely. "First a shower and then the bath" she said as she quickly washed him off.

"Now into the bath young man." She said briskly as she led him to the steps going up to the tube. It was heaven for Joe getting into that big tube at last, but now he couldn't help it. He wanted Evelyn there too. But how to get her in? She saw him as a child or? A pet? Then, how about… "Evelyn please, I'm scared, It's so deep in here. Please help me, please."

Evelyn wasn't surprised hearing him beg for her to come. As soon as they know who's the mistress they start to relax she thought contently. Then their natural insecurity and need for support comes to the surface. "So my little darling." She said as she walked up the steps. "I'm here, don't you worry a thing, little sweetheart" as she leaned over to give his back a comforting clap. However the poor boy seemed so scared of the depth that he took a hold of her arm, not letting go. "So pet, let go of my arm, let go I say" she scolded.

But he didn't seem to be able, instead he slipped and drew her with him down into the tube. Yess Yes Yes, thought Joe who now had his very own wet, ah, blouse contest? And a most sweet young thing she was too. Another dream to cross out of my almanac he thought to himself, as he gloatingly congratulated himself on his victory in the ever ongoing battle between the sexes. After a fierce scolding from Evelyn, interleaved with extremely clear instructions in how a pet should and should not behave Evelyn at last allowed herself to accept her pet's heartbroken apologies. And by that time they actually was, heartbroken that is, as well as hearing impaired...

After all she thought to herself, he's so young, only thirty-three, I wonder if he's even been weaned yet? "Pet, you know how to eat by yourself, don't you?" What! Thought Joe, smirking to himself again, and miss the chance to be feed by you? No way. He said, sounding scared again "I can try, if you want me to Evelyn." Her heart went out to him as she saw him standing there, dripping but so brave and eager to please her. "No noo child" She said. "Let me help you."

Now to understand these misunderstandings one just have to remember the age difference between Elfing's and Mundane's. And as I said before, there is one, a vast one. Evelyns age for example if recounted into Mundane terms would be approximately eighty three years of age, and she was considered young by Elfing's standards. She would easily live ten times that age before she ever got to be considered old in Elfland..

And yes, she wasn't that fascinated about Mundania and Joe was her first Mundanian Pet so she should really be excused for her ignorance on those matters. And what about Joe's ignorance you might wonder? Well he didn't even know they existed until now, did he. When he got up from the tube he found himself without clothes, Evelyn just gave him something resembling a nightshirt to take on,

When he asked why she just hushed him and told him to follow her. She took a tight grip of his hand and led him to something that had to be the kitchen and a big old oak table. There she sat him down in a special stool marked with his name in a happy red color, and then proceeded with feeding him, having already arranged to cut the food in small slices for his delight. After he had been feed she wanted to burp him but as she found him to big she decided to correct that.

With a small weave of her hands he suddenly found himself a mere toddler in size. She bent down smilingly saying, "So little one, don't be scared, it's easier for us both this way, whereupon she put him over her shoulder to burp him." After that she kept him to her bosom as she sat down in a rocking chair.

Joe who had been taken by surprise had now started to reevaluate his strategy, perhaps it wasn't so smart to follow her intentions so unresistingly he wondered as he slowly drifted of to sleep contentedly hugging her bosom. Evelyn looked down at her new pet as she sat there rocking. That unfulfilled feeling that had followed her those last weeks seemed gone for now, she thought that it might just have been a good idea after all, getting her own pet.

The next day Joe woke up in Evelyn's bed. He desperately needed to go to the batrom but when he tried to get out of her hug he couldn't. She had evidently decided to keep him at the same size as after his food yesterday. He tried to wake her the best he could but the only result he got was her drawing him even closer to her.

In pure desperation he leaned close to her sweet breasts and started to suckle on her right nipple, nipping it carefully to try to wake her. That seemed to be working at least partially as she started to moan a little in her sleep, whispering, "Oh baby ohh, you get me soo hot." But now her eyes flow open as she noticed that it was real and no dream.

"Eeccch" she squalled as she flung herself backwards away from 'Jaws' that had tried to eat her up. Joe who almost got thrown of the bed in the process wasn't too happy with her stunt but at last she seemed to to have woke up and remember yesterday. "I need to go to the toilet Evelyn!!" Joe said trying his best to transmit the sheer necessity of his needs.

"No you don't my pet" said Evelyn pouting at him in a sweet sing song voice. "My precocious little darling you." Awh shit, now she's gone nutter on me thought Joe seeing her strange behavior. "Okay, Evelyn" He said trying his best to uphold his nagged dignity. "If you want to risk your bed that's your choice, remember that I warned you baby."

It didn't help that the voice coming out of his mouth more sounded like a four years old than his own mature one. "Ohh you sweet little thing." said Evelyn as she tickled him on his belly button. "Just do it in your new nappy." It was then Joe, for his first time, started to wonder if there just might be worse things than getting hunted by Car battery's and insane twisters.

Strangely enough he got used to it. It is as they say he thought philosophically a few days later as he lay in the cradle Evelyn had set up in her office. Man is a creature of habits and can adapt to almost anything. He had tried to talk Evelyn out of it but she had refused to listen on that ear. "No mamas little sweetiepie." She had said to him in that cloyingly sweet voice one used when talking about concepts for grownups.

"You need to acclimatize yourself to Elfland and to do that best you need to be a baby." Yes, she had started to breastfeed him too, if he didn't know better he would still wonder if it were his own fault biting her nipple that first desperate morning. But apparently it wasn't, it seemed as if every realm had their own dangers and most living in them got their protection from their mothers as they grew up.

So in fact one could look at it as being similar to a inoculation program but only with natural ingredients, ah, sort of. And it did make them bond, she loved him more for every day that passed and he felt the same, and he loved the feeling of her pliable yet firm breasts with their silken skin and that sweet fragrance of safety and love combined that was hidden behind their cuddling.

And she was a hot babe, as well as his babe. He knew that now, not that she hadn't had other lovers in her life. But that was all before him, at least one thing less to worry about he thought as he tried to read a beginners book about magic that she had gotten translated into Mundania as she called it. He was learning to read Elfian too but that was a most difficult literary language reminding him a lot of Chinese. As he would grow she had promised him it would become easier but as for now he had to pace him self.

The only thing troubling him was that mixture of motherhood combined with his need for her as his woman. He thought he could hold them apart but it was a strange mixture. But on the other hand he wasn't the first man to taste his lovers breast was he. And they were right in it creating a stronger bond too.

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Days like clouds
Sweeping by

lost
As they vanish in the mist

and us

Standing at the bow of the Titanic
Icebergs ahead

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That unseen force that had been hunting for Joe's life
I'm sure you're wondering over that
What was it.

And how could it control the very weather?
Don't worry, you will know

Although I hope you can wait a little as we first will watch our hero grow up anew. Evelyn and Joe were at was quickly had become their favorite spot, in front of the tile stove in her large old kitchen. More than one month had gone by now and Joe had grown up to become a handsome young man at about twelve years of age. He was slowly brushing Evelyn's hair as she was staring into the flames.

"You know." He said. "My mother used to say that one hundred pulls every day, then your hair would look good." She smiled as she with the feline grace of a cat stretched and then leaned back into his embrace. "My mother used to say the same she said." Sounding a little sad for the first time he had heard her. He tightened his embrace and whispered. "Don't be sad Evelyn, we are together now, and I will never leave you."

"Oh you." She said as she turned around to lift him up and put him in her lap. "You little tease, I think you need a spanking. Soon you will be to big for me." he squirmed in her embrace pretending to try to get away but then lifted his arms to hold her against him throwing all pretence to the winds. "I love you Evelyn, until I die and beyond." She answered in a whisper as she leaned down over him, a strand of her hair caressing his chin. "I love you dearly. And I always will."

Her emerald eyes melted into a dark blue as she once more settled down to watch the flames leap inside the hearth. Out side the cold and snow might reign absolute, but inside their little home there was both warmth and rest. Elf-home's burrow sage-assemblage had left them alone those months, which had worried Evelyn a little. She did not like when officials took an undue interest in her affairs. And first forcing her into Mundania, not that she regretted it now with hindsight at her side, and then after the deed was done just to let her go? It was indeed most strange.

Outside their little village the old powers still persevered, old bones never laid to rest moving restlessly under hard packed earth, bitter shadows filled with a terrible purpose. There had been portends and foreshadows thrown by the sages warning them of this winter but more than forewarned they could not be.

Had Evelyn and Joe known what was waiting for them outside the protection and charms of their little village their peaceful nights might have come to an abrupt end. But why worry about a future that may never come I ask, enjoy what bounty's life offer while you have it and let the future take care of itself. And so they did, Evelyn and Joe, and most wisely so if I may concur.

December was almost gone before the sage-assemblage at last took contact with Evelyn again. At that time Joe had became a lad of fourteen years about. Or was it a lass? There had always been what the Mundane's would call an certain gender confusion in Elfland. Nobody really cared you see, especially as you could change it just by willing it.

So as Joe grew up he used what Evelyn had at home, in the beginning there were some boys' clothes that she had left from her early age but as he grew bigger there were only girls clothes left. And Joe didn't care, no, he had never been interested in cross dressing, well panties did have a certain charm as he was young, he would be the first to admit, especially those who had been worn by those ladies he then dreamt of. But hey, what's new about that?

But otherwise he just didn't care what he wore as long as it was with Evelyn. And to him it was just an added bonus to be able to wear her clothes with her scent inside them. He never could understand why she wanted any perfume, to him her natural fragrance were the best perfume there was. On the other side he had to admit that her clothes were a lot more comfortable and airier than his old one ever was. But it was her that he cared for, not her clothes.

The assemblage asked her to come alone first but she refused. "Joe is neither old enough nor mature enough to be allowed to be at home by himself." She said to them. Which in fact was rather fun as he had taken care of himself in Mundania for over ten years before her without any bigger problems. But on the other hand, as she had explained to him. That probably was all luck he ever had used up in one sweep on those ten years. Then she had admonished him that one shouldn't waste luck like that, especially when one might need it in the future.

So he hoped she was wrong about this with luck but on the other hand he had started to understand the age difference now between Mundane's and Elfing's. So he wasn't as certain as he would have liked to be about it. They arrived to the council-hall the 29 of December in the morning. They were meet at the door by an old friend and lover by Evelyn's mother, Dariel. "Welcome to our hearth" she said as she invited them in to sit down in front of a large fire mantle.

After presenting herself to Joe she disappeared for a moment just to come back with hot cocoa and cinnamon buns for them all. "It will take a little time before the others are here. They had to strengthen the charms and spells at the Benner's family. "What happened" asked Evelyn as Joe contentedly munched away. Dariel told them that some werewolves had tried to pass the charms with some help from an undead sorcerer, luckily they had hold but the attempt had scared the whole family.

"Werewolchs" said Joe as he chewed on his last cinnamon bun "Do shey exchist?" "Don't talk with your mouth full Joe" said Evelyn. "And yes, they exist. But they are not welcome here." Joe swallowed the last of the bun as he said "Wow" to himself. "Thanks for taking me with you Evelyn." He said in a low voice. "I don't know what I would have done if one of those had showed up." Evelyn pulled him to her with a smile saying. "Don't you worry Joe, the Benner's live quite a bit outside our village. That's why they were worried. The charms we have are immensely much stronger than theirs."

He put his arm around her shoulders pulling himself even closer to her whispering "Thanks all the same," in her ear. Dariel who had witnessed their little exchange smiled at them, "You seem happy enough together." she ascertained. Joe nodded a little shyly as he rested his head against her and Evelyn just smiled as she hold him safely inside her hug. "We are, thank you." She said. "But I still don't know the importance of me going to Mundania?" Dariel smiled at her again and answered "Patience is a virtue my dear, my dear, let's wait for the others first."

Joe who had made himself comfortable with his head in Evelyn's lap had fallen asleep before the other members of the Elf-home's burrow sage-assemblage at long last showed up. He dreamed strange dreams of a search that had gone on for ages, of a woman leading an army of wondrous hosts against a horde of vile creatures. They were strange and frightening dreams but, just as he decided that he couldn't take them any more and only wanted to wake up, they changed.

Now he seemed to be standing at the shore of a lake looking out over the waters. The scenery was bleak and the water felt chillingly cold when he touched it. There were no sounds here to be heard, not even those of a bird. He felt as if a great sorrow had befallen him, but couldn't for his soul remember what it was. He sensed distant shores calling for him, whispering his name from that other side of that lifeless sea.

As he looked down he saw a bow with a quiver of arrows at his feet. Girded around his loins hung a sword of a black obsidian looking material. As he looked up again he seemed to see something floating out there, something calling to him, evoking a terrible hollow longing in him. He heard himself whisper "once more will I meet her. All is not lost."

Suddenly he found himself on his knees with no memory of how he came to that position, his hands clenched in rage, buried in the stony ground as if he wanted to uproot the very ground. And a bleak and terrible rage it was, filling his universe as he cursed himself again and again. Raging against what Gods there might be for his loss.

And the dream changed shape again.

He found himself in a bed, all wrapped in rags and deadly tired. This body was old and weak, as if every breath could be the last. He heard himself say "Remember her, and know that after rain comes sun, great sorrows becomes wells of joy, remember." He tried to make the old man look around so that he could see who he was talking to, but failed and soon that dream was gone too.

And then he was back again on that bleak shore staring over the waters. There was something drifting out there, something he desperately yearned for but at the same time knew would fill him with despair. Staring blindly into the sea he at last allowed himself to see. There some way out floated something that to his eyes seemed to be some sort of a raft. On it someone had laid lovely cloths richly woven of warm colors and in its midst there was a body of a woman. As the darkness draped itself around him, as a mantel woven of sorrow, he found his soul transported to her a last time.

In his mind her gentle hands once more was holding his and her sweet voice once more assured him, filled with a tenderness that made his heart ache. "Don't worry for me my love. We will find each other again." Wearily he remembered how her hand slowly had lost its warmth as she wandered to that place where he could not follow. He bent down to cock his bow a last time, letting her words fill his mind and praying from the depths of his soul that they were true.

From his quiver he carefully choose the straightest most beautiful arrow it held. Wrapping a piece of his shirt dipped in a black substance around it he finally made the weave allowing the fire to commence. He slowly drew his bow, let his breath out and in a smooth motion released the arrow with his love to her.

And once more he found himself on his knees, with his bow broken at his side and staring without seeing, until that last light disappeared from the horizon and only his ragged breath and the beat of his broken heart filled his universe.

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Cloaked in shadows the finger moves
The wheel turning

Redemption

In time the echo promised
In time

And so the quest begun
Again

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Joe woke up filled with dread, he had never felt so alone before. "Evelyn, are you…" She looked down on him, a look of concern on her countenance as she smiled at him. "I'm here love." Her hand lightly resting on his, the other playing with a lock of his hair, "what was it Joe, a bad dream was it? We were just going to wake you up. They are all here now". He relaxed, knowing that all was right with his world.

Hrmm, now Joe heard someone clear his voice. "Well, now that we all are here," and with some more emphasis, "and awake! I believe we can start at last. If you like Liam, would you be kind enough to begin?" "A moment please." said Evelyn. "Could we start with explaining why you tricked me to Mundania?" "Do you regret it child?" Joe heard a deep baritone ask. He sat himself up beside Evelyn, not letting go of her hand as he tried to see who it was speaking, his eyes all blurry.

There were more people there than he had expected, and they did seem old but not tired old, More like hale and hearty old if you can see the difference. The voice that had asked if Evelyn regretted her actions seemed to belong to a rather large bearded man dressed in a dark-blue gown, ending it in a pair of heavy working boots at sharp divergence with the rest of his stylish outfit.

Evelyn took a firmer hold of Joe's hand as she answered. "No, that I do not. And I'm most thankful towards you all," here she tried to curtsey which was no uneven feat, sitting as she was in a comfortable sofa. Then she continued, "but I can't help but wonder what made you know that Joe and I were fit to be?" The man who by now smiled at them both warmly, then with some small mischief in his voice answered "That was what we were planning to explain my dear, just before you interrupted us. Liam, if you will?"

Liam who was a short man dressed in what looked like a robe of some sort and with a pointy hat on his head went to a cardboard that was strapped above the mantelpiece. He bowed to them all, harrumphed and harrumphed again, then went back to the table where he had been sitting to take a draught of whatever dark liquid it was in his glass. He put the glass back on the table and then sat himself down.

"Liam! You were going to tell us the beginning here!" said the man in the gown. "And weren't you going to use the cardboard too?" Liam looked slightly embarrassed as he hastily stood up to go back to the fireplace. "Ahh, been a long day today." He said. "sorry about that, now where were we? Oh yes." Then he harrumphed again and flicked his fingers, suddenly there was a pointer in his hand, long white and elegant.

He turned to his audience again and gave another small bow. "As you can see." He said. "There was nothing there in the beginning." He turned back to point at the empty cardboard. He emphasized again, rapping the cardboard with his pointer "Not. A. Thing! Absolutely nothing at all" He looked at us all most meaningfully. "But as Master. Hiero'et Egro'witz pointed out in his tractate 'Nothing is still Something'."

There he stopped abruptly, seemingly to think it over once more. Then saying in a undertone, as if to himself "Rather brilliant that one, I must say. Not bad at all." Then he seemed to need to think it over once again. Nodding to himself, by now quite satisfied with his reasoning, he turned back to us.

"And… As we all know." Here he smiled a most enigmatic smile at us showing lots of small pointy teeth's." As… We all know…" Now nodding hastily up and down "Even the most hidden of thing can be seen under the right circumstances." Another meaningful pause as he scrutinized us. "And... So it was here."

He then nodded meaningfully to me. "And there you are, young Sir. Cogito ergo sum" He now gave us all a most self-satisfied smile, took a small bow once more, seemed to wait for some applaud and when it wasn't forthcoming went to his table to sit himself down.

I looked at Evelyn to see if she had understood anything but she looked as confused as I. The man in the gown, who's jaw now seemed to have stretched itself out to the floor, now decided to take the matter in his own hands.

"Ah, thank you Liam, a most eloquent as well as concise summation." Here Liam bowed again from his chair." Though, on second thought, perhaps we need to go into this matter somewhat more comprehensively, considering our new companions." Now he looked at me directly. "young man," he said "allow myself to introduce myself. My name is Counté D'rigeur Alphonzo Dellacrosse Fointeé, but for brevity's sake, you my friend, you may call me Alphonz, at your service."

And here he bowed as he made that sweeping gesture with his hands that I remembered from those old Errol flynn movies I used to rent. Yes, I do like those old movie flicks and I for one absolutely refuse to be ashamed of it too. "What our old friend here" And now he bowed towards Liam, "was referring to were the famous?"

Here he stopped for a moment and suddenly I got that instantaneous feeling of déjá  vu that all to much reminded me of that esteemed colleague of his, Liam, in his manners. You know, stopping in mid-sentence, loosing his thread etc etc. And doing so did have the effect of driving me up the walls I'm sorry to admit. But he seemed to find himself soon enough again.

"Yes!" And here he seemed to almost wanting to shout out his discovery. "The most famous knight-errant's quest for that Holy Chalice. That redeemer of all our sorrows inflicted by tribulations and visitations of the most horrific as well as vile beasts and foes that Fae and man together yet have had to withstand."

Here he stopped to take a deep breath, his mighty chest rolling in and out under that impeccable darkly-blue woven gown, as he came up gasping for more air. "But, this is not what this is about." He finished, somewhat anticlimactically to my taste. After a deep breath he continued. "No, my friends, this is" and here he stopped talking just to, as it seemed to me, in an almost superstitiously chillingly manner, surreptitiously peek around the chamber instead.

As if he expected demons and hell-spawns to be lurching in every corner of this great council chamber, just waiting to attack us innocent bystanders. Thinking of it though I could see his point here, they had just informed me that they had werewolves here, for Gods sake. Looking out the windows I saw that while I had slept away so peacefully evenfall had finally came to rest and outside those lead-encased window panes, making up for a mosaic of colors when alighted, there were now only cold darkness to be seen.

One could hear the freezing wind rattle the windowsills, as the thriving fire inside our chamber threw up flickering flames and made the shadows on the ceiling dance high above us. Somehow, amidst all this theatrical confusion, it was all too easy to forget that death was as real here as at my own home. I decided I needed to start taking a closer interest in what they meant instead, and to try to ignore the theatrics shown as they said it. I snuggled closer to Evelyn trying my best to burrow myself into her embrace as I listened.

Comparing my situation now as a fourteen year old lad to how I had lived before as a boy and then a man in Mundania I realized that it definitely was two separated realities. Even if I now was dressed in, if I may say so myself, a rather delicious as well as flirtatiously frilly frock with some really cool laces making me feel quite, that is if I wasn't careful of course, oh well, breathtaking. Yes I know, I know, a real man isn't supposed to feel that way, I do know. But I wasn't, was I?

I mean, in this land and this reality I was only a very fast growing boy, used to wearing dresses since, well, since early childhood in fact, right? So when in Rome and all that. But on the other hand, it was not all my doing either. Evelyn had insisted on us looking our very best as we would be meeting the whole sage-assemblage, and she had fussed around me like a startled bee for the whole morning getting me ready. And I have to admit that I hadn't minded for a minute.

As long as she was happy I was happy, yea I know, somewhat embarrassing I admit. But hey, have you never been in love then? Have you forgotten to what extremes one was ready to go just to make that special one happy? At least I hadn't started to try to flirt with the assembly, not yet in any case. Tank the Gods for them small gifts I thought to myself as I leaned in to kiss my Evelyn. And after a while I actually found it quite fun to try out different models. Hey, what can I say, it was fun..

She hugged me back making me feel as the most important person in the world. Then I remembered my dreams and suddenly I felt the coldness. It was as if a bony ice-cold hand put its constraint around my heart and then ever so slowly started to tighten it, I could feel the shadows creeping in on me as I sat there remembering. Just as I was going to tell Evelyn about my dreams though Alphonz started to talk again, breaking up my foul mood. "No" he said as he stared, as it felt then, straight into my soul. "This isn't about quest written, neither is it about deeds known. This is a most serious matter touching our very existence."

As he bent forward towards the fire mantle to put a gnarled tree-root into the fire I couldn't help but notice that he seemed to have aged somehow. There was nothing noticeable on the outside really, it was more like the feeling of a great weight inside him, formed by countless years as the water forms a stone. He nodded at me. "Good lad, that's rather remarkable of you, we might make a thaumaturge out of you yet. And yes, I've been around for quite a while." He said as he smiled at me. This guy really freaked me out, how the hell could he know what I only had thought?

He shook his head looking at me. "No boy, I do not read thoughts although sometimes I can read the intents of your body. And your heightened interest in my movements told me what you thought about." I felt somewhat easier hearing that as I took hold of my Evelyn for another caress. Considering it all I would prefer to have my thoughts to be my own, thank you. But now I started to worry again, was there such a thing as mind reading? And if so, could Evelyn read my thoughts?

I studied her visage nervously, as I started to remember all those small pranks I might have played to get her attention at times. Nothing evil of course, just, ah you know, like pranks, harmless friendly pranks. Like getting her to take a bath with me, and cuddle, and feed me, and, to do what I wanted, and… She looked back at me solemnly, her countenance inscrutable, then she slowly nodded. Oh Noo. Shit! Shit! Shit!!! She could read my mind, she really could. She had known all the time, all and every move of mine. Or, was I overly suspicious here? Was she just guessing?

"Evelyn? Guess what I'm thinking of now." I said as I smiled innocently. I couldn't help but notice her coral colored luscious lips, so begging to be kissed, while I at the same time tried my best to keep my innocent expression intact. Then as I looked into those golden-flecked green eyes of hers she coolly answered. "You were thinking of kissing me." Owh no, and doubleshit Nooo all over! She could, she really could read my mind. And I? I was just soo doomed.

"Evelyn? You're joking, right." I said. "Right?" She just smiled at me inscrutably, sort of making me go mad all over if you get my drift. If she just wasn't so damned cute when she smiled I thought despairingly. "But you love me all the same, don't you sweetiepie." She said in that thick syrupy voice she used sometimes, mostly to make me want to scream for mercy I think.

"Oh sweetie, you little blunderhead you." And here she hugged me whispering in my ear. "Don't you worry your little heart baby-boy. Mamma knows all, always..." Awh double shit! I thought as I tried to relax, how the hell would I ever dare to think anything at all? Knowing what I now knew I mean? My worst case scenario ever had become public knowledge, or if you like, all that I thought had suddenly become public knowledge. "Yes." I answered truthfully. "I do love you Evelyn, and I always will. But all the same, at times you scare the living daylight out of me." Now it was her turn to kiss me and behold, somehow time and thought ceased to matter, ah, for a time at least.

While we had had our little conversation Alphonz had gathered momentum again. "What I'm going to foretell here tonight must stay inside those walls" he said looking at us all. "Some of you know parts of it, and some of you less." He nodded to me and Evelyn. "Never the less we all most learn to take the outmost precautions from hereon." This guy really was starting to get inside my skin, in a most scary way. Even sounding as pompous as he now did, one could see by his demeanor that he meant every world of what he was saying. "Know that our worlds float in chaos, only by the strength of the mind hold our worlds together." By now the darkness outside seemed as compact as if one could slice it with a knife.

And listening in the sudden silence the wind seemed to me to howl with voices no mortal ever should have to endure. To express it in simple terms, I was fast becoming scared shitless. And the way it sounded it only was gonna get worse. What little that still helped me uphold my morale, and me, I had to contribute to Evelyn's warm arms around me. Absentmindedly she started to play with my hair as we listened to the wind and the crackle from the logs burning in the fireside while Alphons continued.

" Before the creation there were only forces, neither caring nor nurturing they warred against each other. Each and everyone of them driven by a mindless necessity to be the one foremost." "Time as we know it did not exist there, and what one of those forces did, it did in all instances. In what we call the past, as well as now, and in all possible futures." Here he peered out at us under his bushy eyebrows, seemingly at ease with his visions. Then he took a draught of the same darkly green liquid as Liam had drunk, and suddenly I found myself thirsty.

"Evelyn?" I whispered. "Can you get me something to drink, please Evelyn." She looked at me for a moment and then raised herself from the sofa to disappear for a moment, interrupting whatever thoughts Alphonz might have harbored. When she came back it was with a carafe of a fiery red juice with small slices of lemon in it. "Here you have baby" she said as she filled a glass for me. "Now, don't you spill on yourself Joe." She admonished as she gave it to me. I have to admit that I was kind of disappointed as I very much would have liked to taste, what I guessed was the stronger stuff, that the others was drinking.

But one look at Evelyn told me that she would not be happy with me asking such so prudence told me to smile and say "Thank you, Evelyn, just what I wanted. Strawberry juice with lots and lots of lemon, mmmm." So ok, so maybe I overdid it a little, still, sometimes a man just gotta put his foot down, you know what I mean? She studied me for a moment, frowned a little and then asked most sweetly. "Baby not happy? Tell Mama baby." Oh shit I thought, It's almost like she could read my th… Shit, oh oh, happy thoughts I thought desperately, only happy thoughts from now on.

I gave her the biggest most appreciative smile any man, or boy too for that matter, ever have given their bulli.. Oh sorry, significant other I meant. "I love it sweetie, I'm just groovin here babe. Please Evelyn, can't you just sit down a second and warm me up some? I'm freezing here." Happy, happy thoughts, yep, that's me, how was it Muhammad Ali said now again? Something alike, 'to think like a butterfly' was it? Hm, yep, that's definitely me I thought. I heard someone clear her throat beside me, and then a voice saying in a secretive and subdued manner. "Reading other peoples thoughts is a rare gift in any place and time."

I turned aside and found to my surprise a lovely brunette sitting herself down just beside me. She gave me a friendly smile as she continued, "that is if you wondered?" she said. "And none here, except me that is, have that gift and even if they did." Here she gave Evelyn a rather sharp glance. "No one would be as rude as to use it without permission, well, excepting me of course." And here she smiled at us both. "But I don't Joe, so you can stop worry, okay."