Chapter Nine: Partings and Greetings
The next few days were quite hectic for Artemis, but being a businessman by nature, he arranged everything quickly and accurately. First of all, he moved out of Holly's flat (to the dismay of both flatmates) and bought himself a middle-sized flat in a quiet district of Haven. Then through Foaly, he made a transfer from his personal bank account in Switzerlandthe Swiss tbank to the main bank of the Lower Elements. The formalities took quite some time, because even the bank's owner found the sum to be too large to deal with it like with an ordinary bank account.
Everything was working nicely for Artemis and he would've been on the cloud nine if it hadn't been for Holly. With every day she seemed to withdraw from him more and more and it distressed him to no end. Every day they had breakfast together in the café Holly brought him to on his fist day in Haven, but their conversations were strangled and going nowhere. No matter how hard Artemis tried he couldn't get from her the reason of her strange behavior.
On the day of his departure to the surface Artemis decided to take the situation into his hands and clear it once and for all.
"Tell me what is it, Holly," he said sternly.
The shuttle was ready to take off any minute. Artemis's stuff was already on board. Holly was standing aside, looking at her toes and praying that Artemis won't say anything. Her prayers weren't heard.
"Tell me what is it, Holly," he said sternly.
"What are you talking about?" she mumbled.
"You know what I am talking about. You were practically ignoring me since the announcement of my staying here."
"I wasn't," Holly protested weakly.
"You know that I am right. What did I do wrong to deserve this treatment?"
"I don't - "
"Holly, I beg you, I can't leave without knowing."
"I, well," she inhaled deeply. "Artemis, you banged into the life of the People like a comet out of nowhere. On pure accident, I happened to be the one who you captured. From that day on our lives bonded in a hurricane of adventures, interesting ones, no doubt, but your living here is too much for me. I feel like you go as a rum through my life and I don't want to break under that pressure."
"I see," Artemis uttered, but in reality he saw nothing. Black spots danced in front of his eyes, clouding his vision and any rational thought. 'I can't fail this. Anything but this.' "So you want me out of your life, Holly?" he asked in a grave tone. "Out of your life and out of Haven? Then I will leave. It will be hard to get over of the repentance of what happened five years ago, but I will manage as I always do."
"But you stay here. I mean you are one of us now. There is no point for you to live on the surface."
"There is no point for me to live here if you don't except me. Farewell, Holly," Artemis whispered, tilting down and brushing a kiss on her cheek. With no other words he turned and stepped into the shuttle which, in a second, took Artemis with him. Holly followed it with her eyes, a tear running down her burning cheek — and that tear wasn't hers.
The shuttle landed safely in Tara and Artemis wordlessly left it. He went to his personal jet that waited for him two kilometers from Tara, boarded it and only when he stepped into his room in the manor, did Artemis understand where he was and where he was not. A loud wail escaped his throat as Artemis fell down into his knees and started repeatedly smashing his fists onto the stone floor.
Oh no, it was much harder than five years ago. At that time, it was just a loss but the hope remained - now even the hope was lost. Hope to finally be happy. To be happy with Holly Short by his side.
He returned to Ireland to say good bye and now everything was completely pointless. His whole life was pointless. He wished he could get himself some alcohol, but Artemis had never drunk it because fairies are forbidden to drink alcohol with Mud Men. Thus he didn't get an alcohol drinking habit, so why start now? It wouldn't have helped anyway.
Five long days. For five long days, not a sound was heard in the manor. Artemis didn't eat, sleep or moved from his bed. He was drawing. Drawing in his special notebook, the one that was hidden in the depths of his safe. Artemis knew he was torturing himself, but he still drew sketch after sketch. And with each one the face of Holly Short visualized clearer and clearer in front of his eyes.
"God, why must it be so hard? Why from all the women on Earth must it be she? Why did I even let myself? Stupid Fowl. Yes, you were right, Foaly, it had been really reckless. But it is impossible to stop the way heart thinks. Even I can't do that."
Beep, beep, beep… Artemis looked at the fairy communicator with surprise. He was even more surprised to see Foaly on the screen.
"What have you done to Holly and why haven't you still come back?" the centaur barked.
"I did nothing to Holly and I am not coming back."
"What in Frond's name do you mean, you are not coming?!"
"Holly doesn't want me in her life. She told me so herself very clearly."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I am sure. Do you think I would be here if I wasn't?!" Artemis snapped.
"Yeah, hardly. You didn't hurt her in any way for her to say this, did you?" Foaly asked with narrowed eyes. "Maybe you made advances in her, huh?"
Artemis was beyond enraged. "How do you even dare to imply such things, Foaly?! I will would never hurt her! I would die for her!"
"Un-huh, not so loud. Who knows who might be listening."
"I don't care who may overhear this."
"But I do. I also care for Holly and you, as unbelievable as it sounds. The poor girl is in depression. Her eyes are constantly red and puffy from crying. She says to her colleagues that nothing is wrong, but I know better. So I ask you again, what have you done?"
"I did absolutely nothing. She told me I put her under too much pressure and I left."
"Maybe your departure is the reason."
"Huh?"
"You two need to talk things through."
"This is not my right to decided. If Holly wishes to make a step forward she is welcome to do it. If she wants she can find me in Sherwood Forest during the following week."
……………………
Spring was among the few things Artemis truly loved, yet he was ready for sacrifice the opportunity to watch the awakening of Nature for something far more important to him. But being on the surface at that time, he decided to follow his usual habits. That's why he went to Sherwood Forest to paint several landscapes. Artemis didn't consider his aquarelle miniatures art masterpieces, just a more artistic form of photography.
Artemis was painting a waterfall when he heard a crunch of branches, and after another minute invisible hands hugged his shoulders.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" he asked genuinely surprised by such actions.
"It means that I am sorry," Holly answered, unshielding and releasing him. "I admit I acted without thinking. I was just confused and everything was happening so fast…" Holly said, looking everywhere, but at Artemis.
"Look at me, Holly, when you are talking to me. Foaly told me you had been crying so I apologize for whatever actions of mine led to that. It must've been something really big because you never cry."
"It wasn't your fault," Holly said, smiling sheepishly. "I just missed you."
"After two weeks of my presence in Haven?"
"That was a long time. A lot of things have happened. And, well, I was really glad to see you in the first place. I mean, I was far from happy when all contact to the surface was forbidden. I didn't want to part to from you then and now, especially now. Oh, I brought you something." Holly started to search in her pockets. "I saw it in the shop yesterday and thought it would be a good apologizing present and, well, I think it kinda suits you," Holly finished her babbling, handing Artemis a big ring with a clear blue stone. "This is for the eye I took from you."
Artemis took the ring and inspected it. The metal was certainly platinum but he has never seen such a stone before, especially of such size. "Thank you," Artemis uttered, putting the ring in the left middle finger. "It is beautiful."
"Huh, yeah." Holly just couldn't put her thoughts straight under Artemis's penetrating gaze. To her it seemed not only penetrating but also calling. Calling for her. It was quite unsettling.
"So are we okay?"
"When weren't we?" Artemis asked with a smile. "I hope you are in no hurry?"
"Well, I have a day off. So I am pretty free."
"Would you like to pose for me?"
"Pose?"
"Yes, you can sit on that big stone near the river."
"Huh. Why not?" Holly went to the stone and sat down on it. Somehow she took the exact pose Artemis needed. "By the way, why didn't you use Minerva as your model? She is outright gorgeous."
"I don't like blonds."
"As if you like redheads," Holly remarked with a chuckle.
"As a matter of fact, I do."
At that moment their eyes connected and Holly shuddered from head to toe from his gaze. 'Who Why do I always feel like there is more behind his words?'
……………….
Artemis's first stop on his farewell trip was the art galley "Expressio". Firstly, he really wanted to see the new-founded gallery of one of his favorite artists and, secondly, he needed to say good-bye to Minerva.
It was the gallery opening day, so it was full of people: artists, art critics and other snobbish individuals who threw shocked and dirty looks on a short boy in a perfect indigo Armani suit with an impeccable hairstyle, who walked through the crowd like he owned the place. Only few bowed their heads in greeting and respect to the known art expert, Artemis Fowl II. Not many knew him by face ; Artemis tried to officialise his appearance as less as possible. Still his name was widely known among many various circles: artists, businessmen, ecologists, secret agencies and governmental structures.
When somebody pointed at him saying his name, the person beside the pointer usually asked incredulously, "That's Artemis Fowl II?" That day wasn't an exception, but Artemis didn't pay any attention to the whispering around. He had an exact purpose for coming and he would surely fulfill it.
"Artemis! Finally!" Minerva exclaimed, kneeling down to hug him. Artemis hugged back.
"I am glad to see you too. I see the gallery is a booming success."
"It will be if you write a positive critical article about it," Minerva said, releasing him.
"Don't make my opinion so valuable. I am not published a lot lately."
"Well, Bernard values your opinion and he has been waiting the whole day to hear a word from you."
"With a model like you, how can he hesitate about the success?"
"Flatterer. Oh, here he is, the man of the hour."
Bernard was animatedly talking with three unusual looking men (unusual meaning that all artists look kinda weird), but he instantly stopped when Minerva put her hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her and smiled that special smile he reserved only for her. Minerva smiled warmly in return. The couple was obviously deeply in love. Artemis despised jealously, but during moments like these…
"Look whom I have brought to you," Minerva said, pushing Artemis forward.
"Artemis, I am so glad you could make it, you are such a busy man," Bernard greeted, vigorously shaking Artemis's hand.
"I need to talk to you two later. In private," Artemis whispered.
The smile left Bernard's face on the seriousness of Artemis's tone. "Okay. In three hours on the lounge?"
"That will do. Till then I will have the pleasure of viewing thirty two variants of Minerva. Or thirty three if she joins me in two hours to discuss some business matters."
"How did you know that exact number of paintings? It wasn't mentioned in any brochure."
"I counted them while walking through the hall. That's not a crime, I hope?"
"Of course not. It is just…never mind. We will meet on the lounge then."
"Until then I'll be surfing through this brilliant exhibition of works full of talent and expression," Artemis said loudly and winked at Bernard.
Artemis Fowl II said his word. His positive opinion was spread among the gallery guests in mere seconds. Tomorrow the exhibition of Bernard Carne will be all over the papers and art magazines as a booming success.
…………….
"So what business matters did you want to discuss with me, Artemis?" Minerva asked, taking a sit on the wicker chair in the lounge of the Carne residence.
"The selling of your company, Minerva. I want to do it as quickly as possible. Have you prepared the documents I asked you to?"
"I did. But what's the rush?"
"I'll tell you when Bernard joins us."
"You don't seem to be yourself lately, Artemis. Do you plan another one of those crazy schemes of yours?"
"You can say so…" Artemis drawled, looking through the papers and sorting them for further use.
"Is it dangerous?"
"Not a bit. Have you told him?"
"Told him what?"
"You know."
"Not yet. I plan to do it tonight. I hope he won't be too overwhelmed by all the events."
"Hardly. Bernard has a strong character. Now let's discuss some figures."
The next hour was spent in outlining the selling campaign and the changes for the staff that could come with the new ownership. Artemis was so into it that he hadn't notices Bernard's coming.
"Well, well, well, what a heated conversation I am about to interrupt," Bernard greeted, clearly in a good mood.
"So critics were finally fair to you," Artemis said in return, packing all the papers in his suitcase.
"If it hadn't been for you, Artemis, they would've never -"
"I said the truth. But now I would like to move to the point why I visited you today. You better take a sit, Bernard." Bernard followed his advice, sitting down beside Minerva. "I'd better start from the end. In a month or so you'll hear the news about my body found in a car accident."
Bernard turned white. Minerva half-fainted from shock. "Why?" he whispered, holding Minerva close, so she wouldn't fall. "You are not going to…"
"No, I am not going to commit suicide. I am staging my death and I came to say good bye to you."
"But what for? What possible reason you can have for such actions?"
"Because for this world Artemis Fowl II must stop his existence. I can't tell you the details, please, forgive me for this. But I can tell you that we will still keep in touch, I will be visiting you at least two times a year."
"But where are you going? Why now? What happened? Why can't you tell us? We are your friends!"
"It is not only my secret, and you will do just fine without me. Take care of them, Bernard."
"Them?"
"Them."
………………..
Artemis flew to Italy with mixed feelings. He knew it would be hard for them, for him, but in reality it was even more difficult. Being practically alone all his life, Artemis couldn't imagine that someday there would be people who cared enough for him to be distressed about his death. Quite a lot of individuals will surely be happy about his demise, but Artemis didn't care about them or the criminal world in general. Right now he had to prepare to face his family.
The plane was almost empty except for him and a group of young men, who annoyed Artemis to no end by their noisy chatting. He turned to see what the commotion was about.
'Former classmates, what a strange joke of Fortune,' Artemis thought, looking at six dandies, who were leisurely sprawled on the seats of the first class. After another hour he couldn't take it anymore and approached the group. "I understand that you are eager to get all the pleasure out of inheriting a fortune, Jameson, but can you not be so loud about it?"
The guys quieted for a second, surprised by the sudden interruption, but then recognition dawned onto them.
"If it isn't the famous freak Artemis Fowl…" the blond drawled with a smirk.
"I don't appreciate when my father is called a freak," Artemis cut him off.
"Oh, excu-u-use me, I forgot that you are the second Fowl freak. Has your experiment on eternal youth elixir gone wrong and you remained a child?" The question was met with a collective laughter, not from Artemis of course.
"You taunted me at school as a boy and now you taunt me as a man. So who hasn't grown up then?"
"Shut your gap, Fowl!"
"Doctor Fowl to you. And, now, please excuse me. I would like to finish my flight peacefully."
"All your science titles won't help you to get laid!"
That phrase made Artemis stop on his tracks. 'So they think they hit a sore spot, huh?' Artemis fumed, rubbing his new ring, which he found a strange habit of playing with. 'You think, that all women are at your feet and nobody will like such pygmy as me? How I want to just Mesmerize you in doing something stupid and humiliating…' "The scientific degrees have other purpose then seducing air-headed girls for one night stands. As for getting laid, as you put it, I am going to be married soon."
"You? Married? Don't be ridiculous! She must be insane or something!"
"Oh, yes. She is quite something. You'd better sit up straight, we will be landing soon." 'Fowl Villa, here I come.'
……………….
Artemis left the villa hours later with a heavy heart. He asked for everyone to be there because he needed to make an important announcement. Nobody even asked where he was going, because a mere fact that Artemis would leave them forever made Angeline devastated and Juliet went into hysterics. Artemis saying that he will still be alive and visit them didn't console them women in the least.
Artemis also informed them about arrangements he made concerning the manor which was to go to the research institute and his will with which he had established a fund for twins and several other donations, also certain sums were left for his parents and Juliet. Hopefully, the tax inspectors won't be interested in where went half of his estate that he transferred to the bank of the Lower Elements.
All in all, the visit made Artemis gloomy and slightly depressed. At that moment he really wished for Holly to be beside him. Unfortunately, he couldn't go back, he still had a lot of things to do…
………………
A month passed. Artemis was steadily settling in Haven. He tried to make his 'luggage' from the aboveground as small as possible, but it still took two ships to bring it all down. After work Holly helped Artemis to unpack.
"I know girls have a lot of things, but this preposterous," she said, surrounded by boxes, crates, CDs and stuff she didn't even know the name of.
"I wanted everything precious for me to be here. Be thankful that I haven't brought my library, if I had then you would've been buried under it."
"Okay, okay, I get it. Still, I am sure half of it is useless junk. What's this, for example?" Holly asked, kicking a large crate.
"That's, Holly, is a very valuable asset. My first Nobel Prize."
"I thought, it was just a medal or something, not something this big."
"This is the invention I got it for. Want to check it out?"
"Why not? Must be something grand."
"Just a really practical thing. I called her Betty."
"You made yourself a woman?" Holly asked through giggles.
"Very funny, Holly. Very funny. I made myself a housekeeper. It's really hard to keep the manor presentable, not to mention comfortable," Artemis answered, opening the crate to reveal a shiny robot that looked like a classical housekeeper, except for the face.
"It has my face," Holly stated, fixing her gaze on the robot's head.
"Uuuum… Does it offend you?" Artemis asked hesitantly.
"Well, I don't know…" she drawled, tracing the metallic features.
"I can change it if you want."
"I am just thinking what your guests will say when they see my face on your housekeeper. What will they think of me?"
"Yes, this can be a problem. I'll change it bit then. Can you bring it to me?"
"Bring you what?"
"A face."
"Are you seriou?"
"Of course, I am."
"And where do you suggest I find one?"
"I suggest fairy database, preferably of already dead fairies. Then it won't be recognized by anyone."
"Sometimes you really make me doubt your sanity, Arty."
"Tell me when you come to a definite conclusion."
"I surely will. By the way, Foaly said that there would be an interesting Mud Men program on TV tonight. It is just about to begin."
"Interesting for who? For Foaly and I or to you and I?"
"Don't tease me about my average intelligence. He said that it will be interesting for everyone, mentioned something about broadcasting it on the main Haven square."
"I am intrigued. What can be so important?"
"Let's find out."
They took places on large red sofa in front of an enormous TV and Artemis switched on the channel that was linked to Mud Men television.
At first they saw a beautiful green lawn. Flowers and trees were placed here and there. Then a long processing of people dressed in black appeared on the screen. In the head of the processing was an ivory coffin held by three men and a woman. When the camera zoomed in Holly gasped and Artemis paled. The people holding the coffin were Artemis Fowl I, Bernard, Juliet and her husband. The camera moved higher and Holly held her breath. She didn't want to see the coffin's occupants even if she knew who exactly was there. Despite Holly's pleas, there he lay in his trademark Armani suit with the mask of complete solitude and peace, Artemis Fowl II. The coffin was placed above the grave and everyone took their places on the black chairs.
"Thank you all for coming here today," mister Fowl began, taking the stand. "I am sure it is great loss not only for us, his family and close friends, but to all present here. I won't talk much because, unfortunately I couldn't spent a lot of time with my brilliant son. Still I want to say that even if we grew apart lately, he did a lot for his family. We all loved him despite his difficulties and he loved all of us in his own way. He will always remain in our hearts as a son to be proud of. That's all I wanted to say," he finished in a cracking voice and joined a tear eyed Angeline in the first row.
Next on the stand were Bernard and Minerva, with an already showing belly. "We are standing here together," Bernard began, "because if it hadn't been for Artemis we would've never been together. Fate made him our cupid and I'm really thankful to the both.
He was a complicated person, but he was certainly an artist at heart. He never showed it unfortunately, but I am sure quite a number of people know what I am talking about."
"And from my part," Minerva took the word, "I want to say that Artemis was a wonderful friend. Even if we met rarely he helped me a lot. I am not talking now about managing my business or sorting my financial affairs. I am talking about psychological support during my times of despair and his help in overcoming them. We will surely miss him."
The third speaker was an old but solid cooking man. "Hello, I don't think that you know me. I am Benjamin Dunn, the curator of Art Museum in Venice. I am not here only because of the big donation this extraordinary man made for our museum. I was surprised he did, we met only two years ago. But in those two years, I learned that young Fowl had all the right to be called extraordinary. I have a wide circle of acquaintances, but nobody knew about art as much as Artemis Fowl II. I am not talking about the incredible knowledge base, but the taste to see and understand true beauty."
After the museum curator was another senior man. "Mister Fowl said this death would be a loss to the people present here. He was wrong. It is the loss for the Ireland, to the society in general, if not the world. I met him only once, when I finally got an appointment in the Fowl Manor. I made a proposal to him then, I asked him for permission to write his biography. Of course, it sounds funny, why write a biography of someone who is only 25. The only answer that I received was, 'If you manage'. Frankly speaking, I haven't. Not for the lack of trying, of course. I started my research and came to the following conclusion – he was everywhere and nobody knew where he had been or would be. Half of the information was controversial. Nobody knew who Artemis Fowl II really was. Some knew him as a brilliant hacker, others as a smart psychologist, some, as already was mentioned, as an art critic. Of course there are other areas like nanotechnology, chemistry, ecology, engineering, architecture, archeology, the list goes on.
I am sure, if it hadn't been for that accident not only I would've stood in line to write the biography of Artemis Fowl II."
After him was a never ending row of orators – academics, curators of Artemis's thesis, artists, historians, professors of universities where Artemis studied, representatives of different organizations for which he worked and every one of them said only good words about the deceased.
The last one was quite peculiar. He was clearly from the South, so black his skin color was. "Hello," he began with a heavy accent. "I am not exactly sure that I have the right to be here, because I've never seen Artemis Fowl in person, still I am in great debt to him. I would like to tell you a story. It happened about two years ago. My daughter of ten years old was kidnapped by the Chili mafia and demands for ransom were sent to me. To make long story short I managed to contact the FBI. They certainly didn't want to mess with the Chili mafia. Still they gave me a phone number and said that Artemis Fowl could help me not for free, but that was another matter. The whole ordeal was covered with mystery, but I had nothing to loose. I called. Certainly an inhuman voice answered and told me to inform it about my problem. I did. Two hours later I was called back to be asked about the details. The ransom was 4 million dollars, the voice said he would bring my girl back for 800 000 dollars and an antic Aztec plate I kept at home. I didn't ask how he knew about the plate, I just agreed. Seven hours later my daughter rang the door bell to our house. The next morning I made the money transfer and sent the plate to given contact information. Three months later I saw my plate in History museum in Peru.
I came all the way here to say thank you to the savior of my daughter. How? Why? When? I don't know or care. All I know is that he returned happiness into my life."
The tombstone read: Artemis Fowl II, the lonely genius in his world full of people.
By the end of the ceremony Artemis's shoulder was completely soaked by Holly's tears. She didn't stop crying even when the soil was replaced and the coffin was completely covered.
"What is it with you, Holly? I am right beside you and alive. What is there to be sad about?"
"But that body 'snif' was just like you 'snif'. I hate funerals. And all those people… Why did you decide to leave them? They love, appreciate, even admire you. Why trade that world for ours?"
"Because I am very selfish and because there is not only an artist in my heart."
………………
A week later the final box was unpacked and Artemis called his friends to be guests on his house warming.
"Nice place you have here, Artemis," Mulch commented, looking around and evaluating the valuable assets as a professional thief.
"I didn't install my surveillance systems that were in the manor, because the fairy technology gives much more opportunities in this area. And believe me, my flat is quite equipped."
"And why are you giving me this lecture?" Mulch asked with a look of innocence.
"Just keep up the conversation," Artemis threw lightly, but by the look in his eyes, Mulch knew that friends or not, Artemis would destroy him if Mulch dared to steal anything from Artemis's flat.
When everybody was sitting Foaly proclaimed a toast, "Welcome to the fairy world, Artemis! Welcome to Haven!"
