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Chp. 2: Searching for Answers
Castles Warren
Puck, son of Avolon, was in the playroom with little Alex in an attempt at teaching he's young charge how to revert things back from the earliest forms to their original state. The process was going to take more time than the trickster first thought for Alex was having far too much fun making his many toys float around. Why, just at that moment Alex had made his teddy bear fly against his stuffed dinosaur in a mini dogfight.
"Yes, Alex, that is a most fun activity," nodded the Sprite as he sat, Indian style, while floating in the air, "But let's try and stay focus on our lessons, shall we?" Puck made a potted plant float in between him and had the infant float in the air as well. "Now the pretty flower sprang up from a…" his hands glowed and he touched the plant. It's suddenly sucked into the pot and from the soil sprang a small brown object, "…seed!" the little baby laughed at the trick, "In time the seed grows into a…" the magical being touched the seed again and it sprouted and bloom, "…flower!"
The famed jester of Oberon performed the same trick a few more times until the infant showed signs of wanting to try. Complying with the laughing baby's wordless request, Puck made the flowerpot float closer to his student. Alexander squealed at the plant as he reached out with his tiny fingers. He and the plant began to glow the moment he was touching the soft petals and in an instant the flower reverted back into a seed.
"Good Alex." The magical imp applauded the child's perfect demonstration of their previous lesson. "Now change it back, just like I showed you now."
Giggling with the same enthusiasm, the magical babe suddenly glowed with far more energy than what was needed. Before Puck could stop the child, Alex touched the seed. Within seconds the seed exploded into an enormous, swelling mass of roots and vines. They shot out in every direction, thrashing and spreading as if it needed to fill every square inch of the room. Puck raced for the baby and surrounded them in a force field of his own magic in order to avoid getting crushed by the monstrous weed. The plant could practically be heard screaming as the roots and vines continued to glow and swell from the overwhelming boost of magic. Before long the entire room was full of still growing plant until Puck finally, but resentfully, tried used his own magic to stop the growth.
SPLAAAAAT!! SPEEEELLLOOOOSH!!
It was everywhere… On the walls... On the ceilings... The furniture… The floor… Boy was it ever on the floor! Everywhere you look in the expansive playroom there was wet, sticky, plant… stuff! It was like someone made a bomb out of an economy size can of cream spinach! The normally cheerful sprite just hovered there completely dumbfounded at the mess and discussed with how much of it got on Alex and himself. Somehow or other, his force field had failed and both he and his ward were covered in the remains of the late daisy.
"Note to self." Puck pressed two fingers to his forehead as he spoke. "Do not allow Alex to consume any form of sweets before his lessons." He thought back to the fudge cookies he had snuck to the baby before the nightly straining had started as he watched the baby laugh hysterically and splashed at the plant juices on the floor. "Although, this could solve the weed problem in the garden." He glanced around that the seemingly endless amount of mulch in the room. "Also, Jacob did mention needing more mulch for the roses."
"What be going on in there?" Hudson's gruff, aged voice barked from the hallway. He all but burst into the room to see what had caused the explosion. "What's all the noise? It sounded like a…" The sight was unbelievable.
"Not to worry!" Puck cried as he began to use his magic to cause some cleaning utensils to move around and deal with the mess. "Everything is under control here." He used a small gust of wind to blow the majority of the plant remains out into the courtyard. "Just a little mishaps with the lesson plan." He flew over to Alex, picked him up and made a soft towel appear at began clean the giggling boy. "A hiccup really. Children can be so enthusiastic." Alex laughed and waved at Hudson while his magic teacher rubbed gentility at his hair.
Hudson forced a nervous chuckle and waved back at the baby. "Aye… enthusiastic…" Slowly, the old battle worn warrior backed away and closed the door. "Enthusiastic, my good eye! What kind of magic is that blasted fool teaching him?" With a frustrated growl, Hudson began waking towards the north wing of the castle to find Goliath. "Lad's gonna send Lexington straight to oblivion and back with his 'enthusiasm'." He stated while rubbing warily at his face.
*****
North Wing: Castle Library
While this had been going on, Goliath was in the library with his daughter, Angela, reading through countless of books. He sat upon a stool near the large stained windows reading through a leather bound parchment by moonlight. Angela was laying on her stomach with at least four books spread in front of her. Though they knew nothing about performing magic, they thought they could at least find something that could prove useful. After all, Xanatos had collected a great deal of scrolls, tomes, and books in his search for immortality before his epiphany. Angela was not only doing her part, but was also reading all she could find about childcare. Holding a hatchling for the first time gave her such a rush of emotions that she simply had to learn everything she could about caring for one. Surly there couldn't be that much difference between the way humans care for their young and how gargoyles do.
Goliath sighed heavily as he finished scanning through his latest book, "Nothing to be found in this one either," he rubbed his brow more out of wariness than the slight headache he had gained, "Have you found anything, Angela?"
"Nothing so far father," He looked and found that she was looking between two books, "however these stories I have been reading do hold suggestive rituals. Perhaps Puck could find them useful in teaching Alex."
Goliath strolled over to see and found that one of the books held a picture of fairy folk dancing around a swan and changing it into a woman... or possibly the other way around. That was also when he saw the second book that showed pictures that demonstrate how wash a human baby. He didn't need to ask why she was looking through it; he had seen the look in her eyes when she had cradled Lexington in her arms.
"I see you have also been preparing for when Lexington is returned to us," he picked up the book and did a quick scan of the illustrated pages, "Though I don't think you'll find much by reading how the humans care for their young."
"I think Princess Catherine, Tom, and the Magus had done a fine job," Angela pointed out with a small laugh, which her father returned.
"True, but they and our clan had lived side by side for many years and knew how to care for you and your siblings." The large gargoyle smiled at the memory of seeing his clan's children all grown and thriving, "Still… I don't see any harm in being prepared."
"Ah, and ye can never be too prepared with a hatchling." Hudson stepped from around the corner. He had come to check on their progress, "Back then it took at least four gargoyles to watch a cluster of hatchlings. Them little ones were always getting into mischief." The old warrior laughed and sat himself down on one of the many comfortable reading chairs within the library, "In fact if I remembered correctly the trio were notorious. Ha, ha, ha, Broadway was always hoarding food from the others at meal time, Brooklyn was always anxious to jump at the chance to prove his valor and would often be caught in a squabble, and Lexington, being as young as he was, had to have been the most curious of the whole cluster. I can remember a time he wondered out of the watching nest."