Hi all. Thanks for the reviews, they totally make my day! Speaking of days, I'll be out of town all this week so no more updates till I get home. See u later lumplings.
Over the years Sally Skellington had grown into her roles as not only the wife of the famous Jack Skellington, but also the queen of Halloween, not to mention the mother of the pumpkin princes. The world of the undead watched her and her children. Where once there was a thick cloud of doubt as to whether she was truly a fitting mate for the force of nature known as the Pumpkin King, now existed an atmosphere of respect. She had proven herself worthy. Not that much of that mattered to Sally, or to Jack for that matter. She was who she was. An unlikely Halloween creature. Too soft and lovely to ever be fully accepted in darker circles, yet too cadaverous to be thought beautiful anywhere else.
Jack and his first born left the mansion. Sally and Nicholas heard the heavy front door slam behind them. Nicholas winced at the sound, his face filled with hurt. Left behind. Perhaps it was just because his father suspected he was still sick. Perhaps. Maybe it was because there was no point in taking him along on a day learning holiday business. He wasn't the heir to throne. He knew and understood that, even at the tender age of nine. He didn't particularly mind not having that responsibility, even if the reasoning behind it seemed terribly random. One day almost ten years ago, he and his brother were born. By simple din of who happened to emerge first, the future king was chosen. What if he had happened to be the first? Would that small detail have made him the possesor of his father's talent? There was no reason to think that it would. Fate had made the correct choice. Nicholas sniffled.
"Nicky? Do you know why you are home with me today?", Sally asked. Nicholas shook his head "no". Sally smiled. She took her shawl from its resting place near the stairs.
"I'm going to pick mushrooms in the forest so that we can have them with dinner. Walk with me?"
The boy nodded.
Across town Jack jr. felt as if he were sitting on top of the world. He accompanied his father on the rounds from ghoul to ghoul, checking progress. He listened intently to the suggestions made by the king, soaking it all up. Several of the townsfolk made comments such as "Ah, you're accompanying your father today Prince Jack? How marvelous! Why everyone knows you are showing such promise!" The King had to admit that he too was filling with pride. He looked forward to the day when his young sons would at last be ready to frighten the living on Halloween night.
As morning turned to afternoon, Jack jr. began to feel a mix of pity for his twin intermingled with his own accomplishment. Nicholas hadn't been asked to join their father on this outing. It wasn't Nicky's fault that he wasn't good at being scary. Everyone said that Nicholas took more after their mother and Jack jr. after their dad. Everyone said that, and everyone knew that mama wasn't scary. The prince's thoughts were interrupted by his father.
"What are you thinking about Jacky?" Jack's son scowled, sticking out his little forked tongue in disgust.
"Daaad… Don't call me that! That's a baby name!"
Jack laughed.
"I suppose maybe you are getting a big old for it, but you're still my little lumpling after all."
"You sound like Mama.", said the prince.
"And that isn't a good thing?", asked Jack with another laugh.
Nicholas followed his mother into the forest. He carried a wicker and wood basket in which to collect the mushrooms. Sally stopped partway down a sun speckled path. She knelt, her sand-colored linen skirt billowing around her legs. Her hands picked through a cluster of mushrooms nestled among tree roots. The queen spoke to her son without looking up.
"Nicky, can you see in the dark?"
The skeleton boy looked confused.
"Sure, Mama. Me and Jacky both can. You told us we got it from Dad."
"You did, that is true.", said Sally placing a handful of the mushrooms into Nicholas' basket. She smiled up at him.
"Seeing in the dark is from your father. Seeing that which others can not, in light or dark, well, that is from me Nicholas." Her son frowned, unable to comprehend what his mother was telling him. She smoothed her full skirt, trying to find the easiest way to explain.
"Nicholas, have I ever told you about a dark night, long, long ago, when I held a thistle bloom outside your father's gate? The boy shook his head. Sally smiled and patted the earth beside her, inviting her son to sit.
"Dad, are we going to practice scaring today?", Jack jr. asked. He skipped happily behind his father, trying to keep up with the Pumpkin King's lengthy strides. The king stopped, gently patting his son's skull.
"Not today Jacky, or Jr. if you prefer.", he said with a gentle laugh. "It's getting late. We should go home and grab a bite to eat. After lunch, I have a meeting with the Vampires." Jack jr. was disappointed. Halloween was coming up so quickly! He would need more practice before then.
"Dad, will I be all alone on Halloween night or are you going to put me in a group?" The small boy's voice was very serious. His father appeared baffled by the quiery.
"Whatever do you mean Ja- err, Jr.? You'll be with your mother and brother of course!" Jack Jr. was stricken.
"Huh? But I thought I was going out for the first time this Halloween!"
"No, not for a few years yet my son. You will be terrifying, I have no doubt of that, but you're not ready to leave our world yet. In a few years Jr., in a few years."
The pair began walking back across the square to their home. The impatient prince spoke up again.
"Dad, why'd you bring me out here and make me follow you around all day if you're still going to treat me like a little kid?"
To that the King laughed more loudly than before.
"I don't need to have a reason to take one of my boys out with me for the day, but if you must know, today in particular is because your mother is worried about you. She's afraid you might get hurt soon, or be in danger. I'm just keeping you a little closer under my wing for awhile, that's all."
Jack Jr. didn't understand. Why would he be in danger? If he was, how did his mother know about it? Without thinking, the child took his father's hand as they crossed the square.
