It was 1:00 in the Morning and Domovoi Butler was ready to grow his hair out long, simply for the purpose of tearing it out afterward. Artemis had started cry at around 9:00 that evening and he was still going strong and loud, red faced and thrashing on the bed where Butler had laid him.
It was one month after he had been born and Mrs. Fowl was STILL on bed rest, claiming she needed this extra time to get back to her old self. Mr. Fowl was frequently away on business trips, so this left Butler to care for the new heir apparent.
Artemis never did settle down easily. But Butler was quite confident that if he went through the list of things that could be wrong, he would eventually stumble upon the thing that would content Artemis Junior. This time, however, nothing seemed to be working. He tried everything he could think of. He had a clean diaper on; he was snuggled comfortably on the bed, his temperature was normal, he was given a bottle, which was promptly refused, he was given a soother, which was promptly spit back at him. Butler tried rocking him, reading him a story, giving him a bath, giving him a toy to play with, feeding him, at one point, Butler even resorted to making faces at him. But Artemis could not be soothed. He cried, loud and angrily, in a hot rage that Butler couldn't comprehend.
"Dom, Dom!" Butler turned to see his little sister, Juliet standing in the doorway of his room, chirping his name. She was in her pink footie pajamas, holding her blanket to her chest.
"What are you doing up?" Butler said over the crying of his charge. He went across to the doorway and scooped her up, "Did Artemis wake you up?" he asked.
Juliet nodded, her little golden pigtails bouncing up and down. She put her arms round his neck and looked over his shoulder at the bawling baby on the bed. "Why's he crying Dom?" she asked.
Butler answered truthfully, "I don't really know," he turned so that both of them could look at Artemis, "I can't get him to settle down."
Juliet pouted her bottom lip and scrunched up her nose, as if deciding something. "Put me down on the bed, Dom!" she said.
Butler shrugged and did so, thinking it could do no harm to let her try. Juliet climbed from his arms beside Artemis and sat with her legs folded under her. "Why are you crying Ah-temis?" she asked. Butler chuckled at the cute way she pronounced his name. Artemis kept crying, strong and true, those his tears hitched in his throat momentarily.
Juliet repeated. "Ah-temis why are you crying so hard?" Artemis let out a half cry and a loud whimper that died down as his large blue eyes fixated on Juliet face. His mouth opened as if he were hypnotized.
Juliet looked up at her brother. "He wasn't someone to sing to him," she said plainly.
Singing, thought Butler. Hadn't tried that.
Juliet placed her small hand on the top of Artemis head, soft black hair tickling her palm. She began to sing in a sweet, soft, little voice that made Butler smile:
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
"How I wonder what you are,
"Up above the world so high,"
Butler watched Artemis' eyes shutting slowly. He knew the little heir was fighting to stay awake, but Juliet was making it impossible.
"Like a diamond in the sky,
"Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
"How I wonder what you are…"
Butler could hardly believe it. Artemis was settled down, almost completely asleep.
"You did it, Juliet…" he whispered, scooping her up. He began to walk her back to her room. He stepped into the pinkness that was Juliet's room and laid her softly on her bed. She snuggled up to the pillows with her blanket. "How did you know that's what would put him to sleep?" Butler had to know, why she knew what he didn't.
"Because," Juliet smiled, "I know if I was crying, I'd want someone to sing to me…"
Butler smiled and kissed her on the forehead, "Good night, little star…" he whispered, and flicked the lights off on the way out.