They landed in a sort of Courtyard, with tall sweeping gates. Arthur squinted and could see a flag flailing from the top tower with his face plastered upon it. He grimaced, was he suppose to live an eternity of people doing nothing but honoring him? Suzy hopped out of the carriage and looked up at the mansion. "Upper House" she said. "Been remodeled twice since you left by order of Dame Primus. You like it?"
"Yes." He replied. Admittedly, it was a beautiful if not most certainly historic castle that appeared to have a drawbridge and everything.
"Alright, see you later then"
Arthur whirled around. "Later? What do you mean?"
"Got business to do you know. I'll be back later for the party and whatnot, but go on, Dames waiting for you, this is your home now, Arthur" She plucked a pocket watch out of her coat pocket and frowned. With that Suzy turned the carriage and trotted away from the gates, a moment later the carriage dived downwards and he could hear her yelling as she went sailing back down into Lower House to take care of whatever business she had. Arthur balled his fists and took a good long look at what lay ahead of him. 'This is your home now, Arthur' Home he thought. How could this be my home? My home was back on earth, full with people I loved, people I grew up with. He started for the gate, as he pushed against it, it creaked and Arthur was half afraid it would topple over on top of him. It did sway, but it made no other advancement in his direction. He continued down the cobblestone path, his destiny moving ever closer to him. And the whole time all Arthur could think about was how wrong this was. How could this be my home? My home was in the familiar streets, schools that taught me all I know. The drawbridge came crashing down and it was very necessary for Arthur to skip back a couple of paces so as not to be crushed. In that instant, a jolt ran threw him, he began a light jog across the bridge, quickly evolving into a sprint, soon a hard fast run. As he burst through the grand doors, as he went charging up the staircase he so easily found. His heart was pounding his mind racing and all that whispered in his ear were these words. Home. How could this be my home? Home was with my son, and no strange circumstances. Home. How could this be my home? Home was with my wife, and no life risking chances. He began to slow as he reached another door, he opened it and started stomping up the spiraling stair case, he came out on a veranda sort of balcony, linked to the highest tower, his banner flickering overhead.
He looked off below him he saw all, he saw the lights of elevator shafts, he could even see the Border Sea, he could see Doorstop Hill, mocking him in the distance. There were mountains that towered above, cold and graced with snow, just above a rolling meadow. Smoke unfurled into the sky; from chimneys down below, he could hear the call of one Denizen to another. And there he was, an insignificant speck in his world, and the master of universe. Home. How could this be my home? Home is where the heart is, where lies tender memories. "Home" he whispered. "How could this be my home? An eternity of looking on, to what was once home to me"
"Who goes there?" a voice commanded behind him.
Arthur turned from the railing and looked back at the arched doorway to see Dame Primus standing there. She was just as imposing as ever and if possible even taller. She was gazing down at Arthur through cold eyes, her platinum hair swept up away from her face. The outlines of her wing shimmered over her head. "Who goes there?" she repeated.
Good to see she got that Froggy thing sorted out Arthur noticed of Dame's smooth alto voice.
"Don't you recognize me?" Arthur asked.
Dame Primus sniffed. "No," she gave him a once over and then continued. "Though I don't regret it"
Arthur hauled off his cap as the wind picked up. His hat was torn from his fingers and blown in the wind. Already Arthur could see it heading in the direction of the Border Sea. "Dame Primus" he began, shocked at how deep and commanding his voice sounded in the house. "It's me Arthur"
Dame Primus chortled. "Arthur, dressed in a beggars—oh!" She only then properly saw his face. "Arthur! Oh Lord Arthur!" she clapped her hands enthusiastically and rushed forward to embrace him. Arthur squirmed; nothing was more unsettling than being held by a woman nearly eight feet tall and as powerful as a lumberjack. "At last you have returned to us"
Arthur raised once eyebrow. "What do you mean? You called me didn't you? To tell me I had to come back to the house?"
Dame Primus pulled back; "Called you?" she let go of him entirely and began striding along the balcony. "Yes, yes I suppose I did, but, well it wasn't for that really."
Arthur fumed. "What for then?"
"Your Anniversary" she replied casually.
"My what? He stuttered
"Nearly twenty years ago in your time today, you claimed the seventh key and vanquished the morrow days"
Arthur began massaging his temples. He had left his family at home, told them he wouldn't be coming back, for an anniversary party. "Well, after it's done I can go home then, right?"
Dame frowned and gripped her chin. "Give me pause." She said. One impossibly long minute passed and Arthur all along was blowing steam out of his ears. This is what you get for not answering the phone, he thought bitterly. "I am terribly sorry Arthur, but no, you can't go back home now."
"Oh for the love of Creation!" he cried. "Why not?"
Dame Primus reached into her sleeve and produced a rolled up scroll. "I was calling to give you this," she handed it over to Arthur. Arthur took it and unraveled it to take a look. "It was a formal invitation to your celebration, one laced with a spell that the House would recognize as a sort of pass to enter and then leave the house. But you never picked up the phone and I was unable to give it to you. Since you have entered the House without it, the House has assumed you are here to stay, to rule. You will not be granted reentry into your realm"
Arthur had spent years mastering the art of arresting his anger, but now he could fight no longer. He yelled, he threw his head back and shrieked. He beat his hands against his head and gripped at his hair, even managing to tear out some.
"Now, now. You would've had to return soon after. Better to have gotten it all over with, no?"
"No!" Arthur spat. "No! I would've had time to say a proper goodbye, I might've even been able to see Artemis off to school"
"You have a son?"
"Yes!" He shouted. "And a wife!"
Dame Primus smiled for a moment. "A son is good, an heir if anything should happen to you"
Arthur was silent while he gaped at his steward in disbelief. "YOU WILL NOT GET ARTEMIS INVOLVED!" he bellowed. "MY SON IS TO BE LEFT IN PEACE! HE IS NO FUTURE HEIR!" his voice echoed around them, diminishing every time it was heard. "HEIR! Heir! Heir"
Dame Primus narrowed her eyes and then huffed. "There really was not need to shout Arthur." She crinkled her nose and looked down at her watch. "It's off again," she muttered, ticking a glance up at the darkening sky above. "Come, it is time for your celebration and coronation" she rotated as if on a dais towards the archway and gestured for Arthur to follow. He followed her, angry with her and immensely with himself. Why the devil hadn't he just picked up the bloody phone?
Peculiar HappeningsArtemis still stared mesmerized at the twinkling lights in the sky. Currently his classmates shared his bewilderment, all of them pointing and murmuring like little children who'd just seen a plane for the first time. For his own peace of mind Artemis checked his watch again to find that it had now gone two hours backwards. He scowled at it and pressed his ear to the face of clock, listening for any sort of irregular ticking. It sounded normal. He looked at it again and cursed. It can' be broken, this is a new watch, Dad bought for me just last week. He took it off his wrist and continued examining it. The watch was still progressing backwards, now reading seven am. He heard Coach Weightman Jr. Shouting and ushering all of the students back into the school. Artemis, still wary of the strange behavior of his watch and the sudden appearance of a night sky hustled after them. Dad can fix it, he comforted himself. Dad can fix it.