Part 2: The Transformation

Chapter 24

"Last Will and Testament"

The next morning, Jane awoke still fretting over what to do for her wedding in a few days. She was now living in the jungle, but she wanted her big day to be civilized and full of memories that would last a lifetime. But, she still needed to be properly dressed for her wedding and was about to walk over to Dumont's trading post to ask about a wedding dress after breakfast when Archimedes stood up and stopped her. Apparently, shortly after the conversation he had with Tarzan, Archimedes had made a very surprising discovery that he needed to tell Tarzan and Jane about.

"Jane, dear," he said, rising from the table. "Tarzan and I were talking about your honeymoon after the wedding and that after we finished our conversation, I had made a discovery that I think you should see."

This made Jane walk away from the door and walk back over to her father and Tarzan. She was very curious about what her father had found and was eager to know the truth.

"You made a discovery?" asked Jane. "Is it something related to our wedding that we need to see?"

"I'm afraid it is something related to your wedding," replied Archimedes. "Come with me for a second, if you please."

So, Archimedes led his daughter and Tarzan to a chest that contained what Archimedes was trying to talk to Tarzan and Jane about. He opened it up and inside was a note that had been written by Tarzan's real parents shortly before they died.

"I found this note that was inside," said Archimedes. "It's from your real parents, Tarzan."

He handed Tarzan the note and read it aloud for Jane and Archimedes to hear. Jane was worried that Tarzan's reading skills would not be up to par. But, she was surprised to hear what he read on the paper and that to her, proved Tarzan's reading skills were improving:

"To our beloved Son,

If you ever decide to read this note, you will see that we have left you the clothes that we wore to our wedding many years ago as a memento of us that you will carry with you forever. This is probably the last time we will ever speak to you because this jungle is filled with dangerous creatures and that our chances of returning to England appears to be all but gone. I want you to remember that if you ever find a jungle woman like yourself living in this jungle, I want you both to wear these clothes on the day of our wedding as a way of honoring our memory and the sacrifices we made for you and your future.

But, never forget that we will always love you, no matter what the outcome will be for you and your new wife, if you ever find one. Never forget that you are the light of our lives and that you are the reason that we came together in the first place. Finally, if you ever wonder what your name was, your full name is John Thomas Clayton, although we always called you John.

We love you always,

Lord John Clayton and Lady Alice Clayton

Your mother and father"

Tarzan put the note down and sighed heavily at what he just experienced right before his eyes. He had always considered Kala to be his mother and it was only after his return to the tree house at his darkest moment that he found out the truth about his past. He then looked to Jane and Archimedes with a puppy dog face and it was for the first time that Tarzan showed real emotion in front of Jane and Archimedes.

"It's all right, Tarzan," said Archimedes, walking over to him. "Sometimes, it's best to cry every now and again. I know your parents would be proud of you for doing this."

"I know I would," added Jane, joining her father at Tarzan's side. "But, I have to tell you. I lost my mother at childbirth and daddy has told me that you need to be aware that when a person dies, they have an immortal spirit that lives forever while the body turns to dust."

"So," whispered Tarzan. "Are you saying that my mother and father have never gone?"

"That's right," said Jane. "Sometimes, I feel the same way about my mother."

Archimedes also had to wipe away a tear himself, for he missed his dear wife as much as Jane missed her own mother.

This made Tarzan feel better and once he calmed down, they walked over to the chest and pulled out a black formal tuxedo for Tarzan and a long and puffy white gown for Jane. Taking the clothes from the chest, they placed them on the door of the bedroom and admired them from a great distance. It was fun to look at them, but Tarzan and Jane knew that they were going to be used in the biggest day of their lives.

"Tarzan," sighed Jane. "Don't they look wonderful?"

"They do, Jane," said Tarzan. "My mother and father would be very proud of us right now as would your own mother."

"Tomorrow Tarzan in the Wazari village," added Jane, clutching Tarzan's arm. "We will be united as one and that our time together will really start to begin for the both of us."

All Tarzan could do was just stand there and admire what was in front of him and Jane. He may have been raised in the jungle, but he born into a civilized world and Jane and Archimedes had helped him see the truth about what he was supposed to be. The lessons that they had taught him over the days that they had been in the jungle had now started to pay off for the better and that it seemed that the last wishes of his real parents would be carried out just like they had always wanted to be.

After a while, the two of them went to bed, ready for the day when they would start their new lives as husband and wife and king and queen of the jungles…