Chapter 5-2

Chapter 5-2

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Dale handed Lenard a full jug of Berry Wine letting him pass it around to the boys watching Sly paint the sky for his true love... Seeing a large purple dragon in the sky right above the boundary as if pushing his face against the glass then stop in mid-air and began drawing his three large hearts as perfect and as red as can be or anyone could make them. Adding single red rose and green stem out sparking powder and held them together by magic and love of the purest kind.

Then Sly drew a big heart with more sparkling dust, this heart though he painted with a rainbow on top with a picture of a dragon sitting holding a large basket of red roses then adding a touch of magic as he made it look that roses were falling from the sky to her. He sealed it all with magic not wanting to break the spell until he was ready. He was back into shakes of a lamb’s tail as agreed. Clara came out and looked at the sky wiping a tear. “Now that’s love Lenard, but why didn’t he burst it open as he has done with the others.”

Lenard shrugged his shoulders, as he watched Sly come back with a big smile on his face doing the staircase again. Sly said. “She wrote me back Lenard she wrote me back… That she’d come and stay and watch our show. And have dinner with me, after the show; since I have met the first requirements. To prove that she is real and worth waiting for. Look here where she has signed her name under the decree of the guardianship of Princess Luna the moon goddess saying we will know each other on sight if the images are correct and our time together in the dream world was real.

“If not then there has been a mistake I am not the one for her. Then I should seek out the one who given us both false hope. Please Sly be as real to me as you are to me in my images are to you. We will know the moment the Oracle of your land introduces me to you for the first time with my caretakers. If not they are not who they say they are which means they work for they something very dark and evil.

“Hess is not dead, but very much alive because in truth he is the one that should be ruling all of us. All he wants is for you and me to rule here happily if give them the traitors of our cause. Remember our plans as we have walked with him in our dreams when were children at the orphanages. He and the others have been searching for us. I called to him in my dreams and told him I have found you and we shall be wed upon the morrow as I have made preparation with my caretakers to takes us to meet up with Morgan so we may free Hess from his prison now that gateway has been open; and the hounds of death have been released. Not too worry my Darling once we are wed upon the morrow my caretakers will protect us until then; signed my Darling……”

Sly looked up not knowing what to do, said. “I know her, she did not write this, and the signature does not match. I should know we have been writing in our dream books helping each other with our big days, like growing my most difficult things with her it easy because I have no distraction and sometimes we work on dancing or sing our songs we need to perform at socials. I have been teaching her how to play the guitar. But those letters are too hard. Even she doesn’t call me “My Darling.” She always calls me Sly when she writes only openly dose she calls me “My husband or my Darling,” but never when we wrights we cheat by using D and two slashes “D__” and when she does write my name it like this.” He took a piece a paper and turned the “S” sideways giving two dots at the top with little “s” underneath.

“I know her name, but I can’t tell you, but I see I have no choice. I trust my Dad because he promised me that my secrets about my bride are between me and him well the most important parts. That’s the way she wanted it…Which is upside down L with pine tree inside and four hearts; just like my Dad suggested. He called it a love letter. Where military would send their brides overseas, using the code just in case someone else got a copy of their handwriting and tried to duplicate it.

“It was our way of making sure we could ask one last question before deciding which girl to pick just in case they got switched at the last moment. You see we were walking through the castle as we do some nights as she was showing me all her hiding spots from her wicked guardians not her caretakers of all the girls which included the Duchess her husband who are her grandparents. They are pretty nice and they told us it was it was ok to see each other in our dreams as long as we told only them and the Oracle of our land as well as my parents.

“I told her and then I didn’t have any parents or grandparents, so any we talked it over and they said that Lenard and his wife Coral not having any children of their own would make excellent choice and they me helped word my gift and my immortality gift so they would be the moment I bestowed my gift to them but had to be exact copy, and I had to change them so they would age backward almost overnight.

“And if it worked my new parents and my new brother Rollins likeness and age would also age back slowly until he and I reached 19th year to equal out our four ages and no one would know they weren’t our parents. Considering how old my bride actually is after all she has been waiting for me for many generations; that all this time she has been under a spell, frozen in time as it were; waiting to be wed by a young boy like me.

“According to them and my bride over the years, these evildoers keep trying to steal my bride away, so they keep her under tight watch only allowing her to dream walk with potential mates that might meet the conditions of the rules, because how important she is. I know because they told me in strict confidence because I have passed the first of the test of dream magic, and being able to transfer my gifts while in that world in all forms.

“However my true test is today is in the waking world; Dad said in words I understand best. That life is nothing more than recipe card full of ingredients; all I had to do was use the ones I know best and change only those that are worth keeping and throw out the rest. They have tried several times over the years to sell her to a nunnery or even kill her with sleeping potions. Her grandfather gave her this special cat name Kodarel, what special about him is he talks and can change shape from a mouse to large dog or even an even a dragon, except that if he can’t fly.

“I can’t wait to show him to you; her cat has saved her life over a thousand times she said. However last night he went missing which is strange for him considering he can’t get caught that easily because of his special powers that preventing that too happen. Anyway, we searched all last night until we both had to get up so nobody would know she was dream walking just to meet me. That’s why I know her so well and this letter is not from her because it is just not, I know my…L” He calmed up and, said. “Crap its almost 1 pm they’ll be here in forty-five minutes Dad, your not even dressed, where are my clothes she can’t see me just in my boxers or in my dragon form or they will think something is wrong.”

He turns around seeing a black silver cat with a golden tail as it quickly rubs against his leg and says, tsking as purred out the words. “Sly what are we going to do, with you?”

Everyone looks down at a strange cat and Sly says. “Kodarel how did you get here… and where is?”

The cat jumps on him transforming into large a tiger surprising everyone thinking Sly’s about to be eaten. Only to be mulled by him hearing him burst out laughing as he wrestles with him on the ground; Hearing Sly say to the cat. “You did? And she alright?” Listening to tiger purrs as every watching finely realizing that Sly and this cat are speaking only in their minds.

That Sly was still learning how to do that without talking as he says to the cat searching for his pack. “But I still can’t find my clothes you stupid cat. No, I packed them and Dad made sure of it….That’s right… One clean white shirt and those tan pants she likes with a hole in the knee from sliding down the banister as we slid onto wax floor passing Uncle B… Yes, yes those pants Uncle B and she said I should wear them so all the girls would think I was a common street bagger. Even if did cause the duchess to drop her best teacup into a million pieces;” everyone watching the large cat change into a big black bear and hangs on him as if he could wear him instead.

Sly says. “Well I guess I could wear you like a rug around my waist maybe, but we do have those annoying test to get through and I am supposed to be somewhat presentable. Yes, I know you're always presentable you keep telling me that. You know this really isn’t helping me. I’ll just have to go wearing my boxers and say to the Grand Duchess our werecats hid my clothes so I came anyway so we wouldn’t be late. Just think how she would react, that’s like saying my Dog, ate my homework.

“Yes I know dogs are not nice to you, but you Kodarel also pick on them as you run up to them and transform into to Dragon watching them run for the hills. So no… I don’t agree, but we all get a kick out of it anyhow because every time we think about a cat your size turning into a dragon as big as my Dad. We can’t help but feel sorry for that poor dog or that flock woman you scared during a mass the other night, but that’s not the point and you know it like you said cause and effect. If you ruin my big day… yours won’t be very happy either, regardless if I decided to give your special present since only formality we already know the girl I am choosing.

“That’s right; no milk… that special kind that only I can whip up. Let me tell you I have planed excellent meal for you tonight. Like those great big thick steaks, you crave right from the corner of the bread shop, with lots of that juicy fat right off the bone. And those cake biscuits, the size of two-tier cakes. All for you at my special table tonight; but seeing as the Duchess and my bride to be will see me in my boxers we meeting for 10 minutes. I doubt they will even let you have spring roll after all this planning me, you and L have been doing for the last two weeks.”

Sly started to walk away as the cat and everyone started to leave him behind, as he hurried to catch Sly and pushed him back and purred loudly. “Stop Sly. I was only teasing. Besides those clothes, I couldn’t allow my favorite person in the world who is about to marry my favorite girl. Who I have been sent watch over… like I have been sent watching over you…. King Salsern will kill me. Like I said they are running a little late and I have been stalling so my friends could run a diversion. To keep those wicked people from getting her back before you have no choice to decline all the girls, setting back everything once more.

“This time we can’t allow it, it must be now as the moons are aligning or the princess will simply be lost forever, and Morgan and Hess will win. Everything will simply wink out of existence. All magic for all time no matter what kind will simply be gone. One realm after realm from the stars to the planets will just simply slip into the void. Not even Morgan and Hess can undo the damage that has been done because they like us will simply not exist.

“I bring you a gift Sly, besides me of course as your life long protector it's not much, but it will help, Now close your eyes and think of “L” and last time we were sitting around the table laughing because your kitchen chair broke, bring her down with you. Dumping chocolate ice cream all over her and you, as everyone in the house woke up as you guys scurried away barefoot so you wouldn’t leave footprints.

“It was then you realized you could walk barefoot without spreading flowers everywhere because you found the special ingredient which was laughter. Realizing all your dragon magic has gone haywire because was missing that simple ingredient. Now open your eyes and look at your self in the real world. There will be no doubt in your mind as long as you can remember that special ingredient. That nothing is impossible.”

He opened his eyes looking at his self in a life-size mirror and laughed seeing a tailored made cloth shirt made of silver silk with one sleeve long and the other short the buttons ranging from green purple and red bright as can be and yellow color. He was barefoot but he was warning nail polish on each of his toes; yellow, green and silver with smiley faces. He looked at his fingernails seeing the same, looked down at his pants finding that was still dripping with chocolate sauces from the night before. His Dad laughed. “Son, please tell me you let her do this to you.” He laughed as Sly shagging his shoulders.

Kodarel says. “Now’s for the best part; I want you to twirl to the left three times then without stopping if you can, then twirl to the right and don’t stop. Trust me the best part is about to happen. No one but me can give you this gift Sly. I haven’t done so in over… lets just it has been a long time and person threw my gift way and lived a miserable life, a name I can say. Yes, Lenard, I am older then he if you care to know.”

Sly did what he was asked laughing feeling dizzy then was like a sudden burst of colors he started to laugh even more as the glow started to continue then he was told to stop. He did so on a dime excepting to feel dizzy and fall to the ground. This time in the mirror he was wearing a nice silver silk shirt which could be worn long sleeved or short all he had to do was tie it, but Kodarel stopped him said. “Think Sly, this shirt is part of you, ask the sleeves to move to where you want them and they will on your command. Ask them to move and they’ll vanish.

“Ask them to wave long like a tree and they will and ask them to change color. The choice is yours including the style, to wash them all you have to do is hang them in the moonlight and by morning they will be ready to wear again. My advice is to get comfortable them for couple weeks before putting on any different clothing, but please bathe regularly Sly for all of us. I will or she will be glad to do for you. Like I had to last night and you know how that turned out?” Sly smiled as he blushed a little in the cheeks.

“Every part is tailored to you Sly, but you can wear these clothes including the cape even though each can be worn separately. You will noticed you can see it’s made of moon dust magic as we spoken of this gift at some length that allows you to enter the world of dreams so as like this realm called the realm of awake after passing certain rules to the caretakers that guard that realm you are now allowed to use dragon magic in both realms as you have sworn sacred oaths to keep some secrets, as well as secrets when dealing with the living and the dead. I maintain that because you might want to speak to your parents about what we talked about regarding when your bride to becomes of age, and what to expect as her gifts and your children gifts start to manifest as well as your parents not to mention your bothers his wife and children.

“Now then like your shirt your cape; it changes color at will as well as shape, the wear all he has to do is whisks it around and give it a shape or even change its length or change the size have it sit in his front pocket and never wrinkle. Or he can hang it up on the wind itself and it will stay. The same goes for your pants they also change color or multiple colors like your shirt and your cape. Change the size to act like a clown in the street. The same goes for your shoes they always stay as a perfect fit, during all seasons;

“now then one last gift which is really handy, if you will notice the small silver pouch at your side. Some call it the money pouch. This pouch is more than a money pouch. In fact, it has deep pockets put all your items in this pouch and it will still weigh nothing. All you have to do recall the item as you reach inside and grab it. The best part the clothing and the pouch can only be used by you unless you give it to another freely. Otherwise, it will become useless to whom you were forced to give to, and the clothing will react badly upon that person.

“The second gift I am giving you is laughter Sly, a gift most people squander. With this gift you will be able to see things differently; your challenges easier, your days will become brighter. With this gift you will be able to help others brighten up their day through the dark days do all these things. No darkness well ever befalls your seed or kingdoms. If I find you have stopped laughing and have no use for it, I will come to collect it someday; I have pledged and have said the moment you two are wed. I have pledged 5 of my life spans in protection you Sly and L and your family. I will be your teacher in all things and a guide when necessary. You are both still wet behind the ears, but the rules state come as you are, in continuo I always say;” watching Kodarel vanish from his tail to his ears then blinks with a grin. “I was never here.”