A Chat with the King

"Happy birthday dear Vivienne, happy birthday to you!" Little Vivienne blew out all three of her candles and gave a clap of joy.

Diamond Corner gleamed in candle light on Sunday evening. It was April the third and already warm outside. The sun's brilliant orange color seeped in between the tree trunks and cast the house in a beautiful glow. The kitchen windows were open and the curtains billowed in the breeze. Wind chimes could be heard calling from the porch. Charlie had gotten used to the peaceful silence.

Inside; Amy, Lyell, Charlie, Grandma Maisie, Billy, Paton, Julia, and Emma huddled around the gleeful toddler. Lyell began to cut the princess plaid cake.

"Charlie, honey can you get out the plates?" asked Amy as she plucked the candles out of the frosting. Charlie was sitting with his back slumped.

Over the past few years he had become rather long bodied like his mom, but stickly and tall like his great uncle and father. Charlie's face had slimmed down and his cheekbones were pronounced. His shock of hair had begun to curl with his father around the ends.

Now, he jolted up from his place and sauntered/sulk/swayed over to the cupboard. Charlie's friends had nicknamed his strange swagger "the chalk" mixing Charlie's name with walk.

"Wacha' wish for hun'?" Charlie heard his dad ask.

"I can't tell you dat' daddy," Vivienne replied matter-of-factly. Lyell stuck out his tongue and shook his head at his daughter and then kissed her forehead. Vivienne wiped it off. Charlie came back with a stack of plates. A little one was on top. He handed it to his dad.

"Alright Vivienne which piece do you want?" Vivienne frowned.

"I don't want that plate." Charlie rolled his eyes and moaned. "Billy gets a big plate! Why can't I have one!" Billy put up his hands ready to defend himself.

"Vivienne! It's a plate! Billy and I are nearly ten years older than you and therefore, eat more!"

"But I'm a big girl now! I weaw pull ups and everyding!" Vivienne was about to pop. "I three now Charwee!"

"Yes! You're three, congrats! But you're still the little brat you were five seconds ago!" Charlie let out the breath he had been holding in. He had gone too far.

"Charlie Bone not another word out of your mouth until tomorrow morning." Commanded his dad. Charlie turned to get another plate but saw that Uncle Paton had already gotten one. He grabbed it from him and slid it on the table with a clank and left.

The next morning, Charlie awoke to find that he had fallen asleep in the clothes he had worn the night before. He laughed at himself and put on a clean pair of jeans and a white shirt. He grabbed his jacket off of his bedpost.

These jackets had been ordered for all the previous Bloor's students who came back with out the Bloors. Or those who were new. They were metallic blue, green and purple. Gold lay under the arms and down the side. Each jacket had your last name over your shoulder blades and on the left breast zip pocket; what you played, weather you drew, sculpted or painted, or if you danced or acted etc.. He liked slipping these on much more than the old capes that were thrown out. But a few were kept in the drama department's costume shop as props.

Charlie made his way down the stairs and smelled breakfast. He popped into the kitchen and saw a ham and cheese sandwich with orange juice at his seat. Billy was nearly done with his. Lyell was washing his plate in the sink. Amy had already taken Vivienne to the baby sitter. Bone's Academy didn't start until nine o'clock now so they didn't have to be there until eight. But Charlie and his father didn't speak to each other until they were approaching the black car by the curb.

"Let me drive today Charlie," Lyell told his son. Charlie swerved around his dad and slid into the passenger seat. Lyell's and Billy's door closed with a chunk. He started the engine but didn't start talking until they hit high street. Charlie was watching the buildings fly by when his dad said, "What's up Charlie?" Charlie blinked and pulled his gaze from the window exhaustedly and looked at Billy.

"What are you talking about?" he asked casually, making scarce eye contact. He said this a little too casually.

"Hmph," scoffed Lyell, "You and Vivienne. That's what. You two hate each other! It's like watching a little Uncle Paton and Grandma Bone."

"It's just a brother sister thing dad."

"Uhh, no it's not! You're obviously very different; I see that, but Charlie you have to be the bigger person! Vivienne's three. THREE! Everything you say Viv' thinks must be true because you're older and therefore you must be telling the truth. She doesn't understand the 'I'm-yelling-at-you-because-I'm-mad' thing. Just try to cool it, ok?"

"Whatever." Charlie scoffed. Lyell parked the car outside of the Academy. Charlie wanted to say so much more but didn't know how. He wanted to tell his dad that he just wanted to hang out with him or kick the soccer ball around in the yard. Vivienne free. But how could he say that?

"Billy can you leave us for a while? I'll see you later."

"Bye," he said sheepishly. He gave Charlie a reassuring smile and left the car.

"You want to know what I think?" Lyell asked slightly rhetorically.

Not really, Charlie thought. But he was good at keeping to himself.

"You're mom and I think there's a little jealousy going on."

Charlie snapped his head to look at his dad and sat straight up in his seat, something rarely ever done. This accusation was NOT true in Charlie's eyes. Vivienne could have her daddy all she wanted. He didn't mind. Charlie just didn't like her. Or so Charlie thought. All Charlie felt was a yearning for his little sister to grow up, nothing else. He was about to say something but Lyell went on.

"Charlie I know that it was not fair for me to go off and be hypnotized without asking you first," A smile passed through Charlie's lips, "but it wasn't really a picnic for me either. I wanted to be your dad. I wanted to see you use a real glass and I wanted to see you start talking the right way, and I wanted to make home videos of you doing hilarious things in the bathtub." Lyell closed his eyes and opened them again. "But I got to teach you how to drive. And I get to see you get married. Jeez Charlie I hate bringing on the mushy stuff but sometimes you leave me no choice." Lyell hit the steering wheel lightly with his fist and looked away from his son.

"Dad, I don't like hearing the mushy stuff."

"Hmm," Lyell chuckled in his throat, "Well look at that! We agree on something. But, your temper literally runs in the family. You gotta' learn to keep it down" Lyell began to get out of the car but turned back to his son. "…especially when talking to emotional pre- schoolers. I love you Charlie." Lyell was now completely out of the car and was making his way past the swan fountain. Charlie shook his head, slung his bag over his shoulder and got out of the car as the first music bus approached the sidewalk.

The Academy was a new place a full semester later. Crab apple trees were planted, new stone placed, windows shined, and shingles were replaced. Most notable of the renovations were the oak doors. Instead of the old horrible doors that creaked with every move, new pristine glass doors stood looming over the students. They were all glass with enchanting designs etched in the surface. And just inside the door was a huge mat that read, WELCOME TO BONE'S ACADEMY. It was Billy's idea.

Presently, Charlie walked up to the bus he knew so well. Two of his friends were pushing their way through the kids and off the bus. Charlie waved at the bus driver.

"Charlie Bone," remarked Fidelio Gunn, Charlie's closest friend here at the Academy. Charlie smiled and turned to walk with him and Gabriel Silk.

These two had also changed a lot over the years. Fidelio had defiantly filled out but he wasn't really over weight. His muscles popped from his skin when he moved and he had rock star hair that he was constantly flipping out of his eyes with a quick shake of his head. Gabriel on the other hand, was skinny. Not lanky like Charlie but skinny. He had extremely long fingers which he used to play the piano. One thing that had not changed about Gabe was the one word that always would describe him. He was droopy. His eyes were a sad color and turned down at the corners. Gabe almost never smiled but he could look alert and awake on a good day. Even his shaggy hair fell lifeless on his head.

Fidelio and Gabe also dressed quite differently. Fidelio was more of a jeans and T-shirt sort of guy. While Gabriel wore dark shirts, black skinny jeans and converse. They were a sight to be beheld, but the three boys strutted up the stairs of the Academy and in, like they owned the place.

Inside, the school had been completely transformed. The musty, dusty floors had been polished, mopped and swept. Crazy sculptures were in the place of the huge gothic columns and wonderful velvet curtains draped the long new windows. They were drawn back though, to let the light in the magnificent newly decorated main hall. Children were dotted through the enormous expanse but more were quickly flooding in. Among them was Olivia Vertigo and Asa Pike. Gabriel was the first to notice.

"Look who's here," he remarked unexcitedly. Charlie and Fido turned to say hello to their friends.

Asa…was huge. He was now well over 250 pounds but his muscles stretched his light blue shirt over his chest and arms. He still had wild red hair but it now could be seen spiked on his head. Asa looked like the opposite of the young lady beside him. Olivia had lately been dialing down the outlandish outfits she usually wore. Today she sported fitted jeans tucked into slender, glittery, silver boots that came up to her knee. Underneath her purple jacket, she wore an equally outstanding shirt to match her boots.

"Good morning, good morning, good morning," Olivia called in crecendo even before she was close. The boys mumbled greetings. Gabriel was the only one awake.

And then the green buses arrived. In a few minutes, Emma, Tancred and Lysander walked in. Olivia enthusiastically waved to her best friend who was holding the boy's hand with the electrified hair. Lysander and Tancred also wore t-shirts and jeans while Emma had on a short dress and leggings.

"How's it going gentlemen, and lady?" Lysander asked.

Tancred was almost as tall as his dad now and wrapped his thick arms around Emma's tiny waist. She sort of got lost in Tancred. Tancred's face was very bony; his chin and cheekbones pronounced. Emma on the other hand was quite thin. She was built like Charlie only she was a girl. She was very lanky, but not so much that it left you wondering if she was a model. Emma's hair was still light blond and it reached well below her shoulder blades. And of course, Lysander. He really just stayed the same as he was when he was twelve. He was a bit larger, his face slimmed down, but other than that, he hadn't changed.

"Morning Liv'," Charlie said with a smug grin. Olivia beamed.

"Charlie?" Emma asked, "Wasn't it your sisters birthday over the weekend?"

"Yeah," Charlie replied. The talk in the car came rushing back.

"Oh, she's so cute," Olivia squealed, "I wish she was my sister.

"You can have her," offered Charlie. The guys laughed. Their chuckles were noticeably louder than normal and soon all found out why.

All the students in the hall fell silent. Only the clop clop of someone's high heels echoed off of the walls. It was true; many things had changed since the Bloors left, but not the discipline, rules of silence in the halls. Sure there was a little lee way, but not much. And here to make sure rules were followed was the head prefect, Miss Hap.

Miss Hap was a short woman; no more than five foot five. She had dark brown hair, almost black and the same color eyes. She had a very blank face most of the time. Hannah, which was her name, stood in the middle of the hall and looked around.

She now took her place. Today she was wearing her pitch black prefect jacket over a dark purple dress. The clopping came from her high stiletto boots.

Every one started buzzing again, but without talking.

Monday was the boring Monday that every one in a public school complains about. Slow, uneventful and down right tiresome. Charlie yawned away his first five periods. He ate lunch, smiling a few times as Cook made a comment about his swagger. Every one behind him hunched their backs and kicked out their legs. This exaggeration made Charlie smile.

"Everybody do the Chalk!" Lysander called to the three lunch lines. And the hundreds of kids who stood in line hunched over and swayed back and forth. A roar erupted from the tables.

"Really?" Charlie yelled over to Lysander in the art line. Lysander smiled broadly.

Truth was, that ever since he and his friends didn't have to fight off evil people, protect the city and overall keep everyone safe, life was… dull. There was nothing to keep an eye on, no one keeping you on your toes and just nothing to do on the weekends. Sure it was nice to have a break for a while but this was torture!

Finally, in the evening, the Red Kings children were called to the study room. Every one was now in groups of twelve or less, to decrease the separation. Each group had a certain room throughout the Academy to study and do homework. But the endowed still got the Red Kings room. That's where Charlie was going now with Gabriel at his side.

When the two walked in, Lysander, Emma, and Tancred were already there.

Charlie sat on the other side of the table, he didn't like being near Tanc and Emma lately. The newly decorated room was very light and open now. The window was not clamped shut and many lights were added. But the Red King's portrait was still hanging there. Charlie liked to go in the painting from time to time when he didn't have any homework. It was hard to keep his eyes away from the gigantic portrait. Sometimes, when Charlie needed to concentrate he had to cover his eyes with one hand to keep from wandering.

But today was not one of those days. Charlie had very little homework this afternoon so what was one, measly conversation with his nine hundred year old ancestor? But he would have to wait. Charlie talked to Gabriel about their music lessons. Una and Olivia came in with Asa not far behind.

Una had started to attend Bone's last year. She was in the drama department and was often humming up the stairs or in the lunchroom line. Una could project her voice wherever she wanted. She could make it loud or soft, high or low. It was really scary, especially when Una was excited. It was much like surround sound.

But now, Lysander said role call and asked Naren (another newbie to Bone's) to take it to the office. Suddenly, books were opened and paper torn from notebooks. Now was Charlie's chance. He opened a book he'd been reading for about three months and hid his eyes from everyone. He read about two paragraphs but abruptly glanced up and stared at the portrait just above him.

The familiar process began. He felt the swirling, the falling and the crazy feeling that went with picture traveling. But just like it began, the falling faded away. Charlie felt ground but was still swirling. Things steadied, the blurring colors became objects with dimensions and corners. The room that was now taking shape was one Charlie had seen many times. He was standing on a richly ornamented rug with a huge lions head on it. Books were stacked on top of papers, tables and each other. (It kind of reminded Charlie of Ingledew's or his uncle's room.) In the corner was a window whose curtains were billowing in the wind. Before long, the Red King came into view as well as his wonderful leopards. The king was lounging in his chair perhaps thinking.

"Hello Charlie." The King's voice was warm, not too deep but smooth.

"Hello," Charlie always felt nervous when talking with this man. He was a king after all. Presently the Red King got up from his chair and looked around.

"Sagittarius! Where is the tea?" One of the leopards leapt down from his perch and sniffed behind some books near another cat. The redder one. The king walked over and lifted out a tea pot.

"Oh, no thank you sir," Charlie said, "Dinner will be in a few minutes. I'd hate to spoil it."

"Oh," said the king disappointedly, "I suppose you're right. Well what is it my boy?"

"I don't really know. I just like the conversations that always spur up when I'm here."

"Much is learned about one's self through conversation. Perhaps you are slowly trying to figure something out?"

"Maybe," Charlie said. He didn't want to say the Red King was wrong, but today he might be.

"How are all the children in the Red King's room?"

"They're fine." Charlie looked around. A question spirred up in his mind the second he saw a pencil laying on the king's desk. Pencils were a more modern thing weren't they? "Sir?" Charlie asked. "Can anyone else do what I can?"

"I'm unsure of what you mean."

"I travel through pictures," Charlie responded. "Does anyone else to that?" The king smiled.

"I do that," he said, motioning toward himself, "as well as a few others." Charlie's facial expression must have changed drastically because of what the king said next. "They do it a bit differently, but the principle is still the same." Charlie still looked glum. "Charlie, you are unique in every way. Just because someone can do what you can, makes no difference." There was a pause in conversation.

"My apologies sir, I just thought that…well…The Academy was the only school with endowed students." The Red King gave a sharp laugh.

"Oh, Charlie, there are so many of you I regret to say that I've lost count. I hate to belittle you, but you are very much not alone." Another pause.

"Wow," was all Charlie could say, quite dismally in fact.

"But, if it's of any consolation, you are the only one who can pay me regular visits."

"Do you enjoy my company?"

"Of course! Of course! Every one has days when they are lonesome and in need of a little chatter. Especially those days when the wife isn't at home." Now Charlie smiled.

"Where is she?"

"Ahh, Beatrice, bless her soul. My birthday is in a few days and she went out berry picking. She's making me a special pie."

"Ohhh! I'm sorry sir. I do think I must be getting off now. If my friends discover where I've been they'll cover up your painting for sure!"

"Well, we can't have that, can we? Off you go!"

In a matter of seconds Charlie sucked himself back into the real world. He looked around to make sure no one saw. Una giggled behind her hand and gave him a funny look. She was the only one to have witnessed Charlie moving from world to world, but she kept it a secret. However, every time Una caught Charlie, he had to pay up with fifty cents. By now, the little girl had a small fortune.

By the time, Charlie actually got his homework done, Lysander said it was time to leave. As usual, he told everyone they were welcome to his family's dinner. No takers. Most of the time they didn't go, but Lyell insisted that Charlie make the invitation known. Charlie packed his bag, left the room and went down the steps to the main hall, right next to the huge glass window. Like normal, students were walking around, bumping into each other and whispering so Miss Hap wouldn't hear. Their shoes made a soft tap on the stone floor. But that was all that could be heard.

"Bye," Gabriel called as Charlie walked down the steps. He instantly regretted it. One hand flew to his mouth. Gabe was in trouble.

"Silk!" Hannah's voice cut through the silent hall like a knife. She gave Charlie's friend a look as if to say, 'What are you doing?', but life went on. Billy came down the steps beside him.

Charlie waved goodbye and sighed when he looked at the ocean of people.

"I just love this don't you?" Billy said sarcastically. Indeed this was Charlie's least favorite part of the day. Five hundred people walking one way, Charlie and Billy, walking the other. They stepped off the last step and watched everyone get pulled into the current, headed to the dorms. Then Charlie looked the other way. Now or never, Charlie told himself. And the two dove in.