The Three Thorns (29 page)

Stepping into the back garden, the nice lady led them along a path filled with little stone slabs until the group made their way into a half open and half sheltered garden. The garden was rich and filled with the most bizarre and beautiful plants that no one in their party had ever laid eyes on before.

Benjamin was first to notice the plants were moving by themselves.

Taking the tray from Iris’s arms, the plants separated the teapots and cutlery for her while several of their free stems intertwined and formed a large table and a few chairs.

“I was wondering where we would sit,” Sebastian whispered to Cecil, who gave a slight chuckle in reply.

“Sit, please, sit, sit, sit,” the old lady rambled, every bit as overjoyed to have guests as her husband was. Ban Pan’s eagerness to quench his thirst overtook his manners. Grabbing a hold of the teapot, the parched troll rudely started to chug the pot of tea without waiting on the others or using a cup. A slapping of the wrist from the disgruntled Iris Pomperton caused a few quiet laughs between the boys.

“If you please, I’ll do the serving once we’re all seated,” Iris scolded.

Basking in the half-sunlit, half-shaded conservatory, the new visitors took their first rest since their long journey earlier that morning. Benjamin sat beside Ban Pan, avoiding the grumpy troll’s eye contact at all times, while the old lady poured a fresh pot of tea into individual cups next to them.

“You were sent by the politicians, I presume,” Iris said to Ariel, still unable to take her reverent eyes off of the human children before her.

“It was the Council’s wish for the boys to be brought here,” Ariel explained, sipping gently at her fresh brew.

Cecil Baskin cleared his throat and with a nervous flutter of his wings, he began to talk.

“There was an ambush, at the Stained Castle,” Cecil explained, gently hovering a few feet above the ground now.

With a kind offering of more tea, the old lady tried to settle him.

“Please Mr. Baskin, have a seat, you are in a safe place now,” she said gracefully. Her words were soft like a velvet cloth and clothed the tension within the overwrought group. In a moment Cecil’s battered wings ceased to flutter, as he sat down to continue his account.

“You know my name?”

“Of course. I remember you from long ago. Forgive my husband…he’s never been one for remembering brief encounters, but I never forget a face. Besides, we’re not totally kept in the dark about things around here, especially things that concern us. I have my own methods of retrieving information.”

Iris smiled, petting one of her plants on the head before it recoiled back into the ground beneath her. “Although most information these days is becoming too dangerous to obtain, and I wouldn’t risk any of my darlings unless it was absolutely necessary,” she continued, smiling at her nest of plants. “Please continue, Mr. Baskin. You mentioned the Stained Castle.”

Iris sipped at her tea as Cecil gave her more reports to help her understand what had gone wrong.

“A meeting of political figures was announced several moons ago and important militia from all areas of Abasin attended. Warlocks, wizards and white witches showed up in abundance. We were just the protectors. Our job was to convene with the children and escort them to the meeting safely,” Cecil explained. “Their return was kept secret for the most part.”

“But one of you were followed,” Iris guessed with a sharp whisper as she sipped at her cup.

“Not that we knew of. We were extremely careful,” Ariel admitted before taking one last sip at her tea. Without her having to ask, one of the plant’s long spindly and bendable stems lifted up the pot and refilled the nymph’s cup.

“An informer!” was the old lady’s next guess. Benjamin’s eyes shifted off his lukewarm tea to Cassius, who stood quietly at the corner of the conservatory.

“Trump,” Cassius muttered, before rudely walking away in silence to patrol the island.

“I’m glad to see some of you have manners,” Iris joked full-heartedly.

“Trump! That sneaky toad! I always knew he was a traitor ever since Jodo Kahln turned him into that slimy creature,” Cecil spat, his flustering wings readily showing his contempt for the exposed traitor.

“We all have our own part to play in this, Mr. Baskin…even the fallen knights of this new world. This Trump character was not the first, nor will he be the last treacherous soul to try and lead the Brotherhood astray,” Iris warned each protector. “For whatever unknown mysterious reason, it has fallen onto each of you to protect them now, as it had fallen onto us Pompertons to shelter you. It was foretold that these boys will grow into a mighty force,” she insisted with her kind words of wisdom, capturing the attention of each human child. “They need time to develop their magic gifts before the search for the Shield continues.”

“Why would the Council send the Brotherhood to two crazy loners in the middle of nowhere?” Ban Pan asked, embarrassing both Cecil and Ariel because of his insolence.

Iris Pomperton was a woman of great patience and knew all too well the regular ill- mannered behavior that accompanied a troll’s nature, so much so that she calmly smiled back and gave the arrogant troll his answer without taking offense.

“The Council made a promise to King Anamis to protect the Brotherhood. Senior and I made the promise to teach and train them. It was the wish of their Father.” Iris sighed, taking her last sip before resting her cup back on the tray.

“Father?” Benjamin’s frail and emotional voice broke through, as he lifted his head, wide eyed in total fascination by this one word she spoke. Each guardian silently stared back at the other, waiting on one who would break the truth to Benjamin when Iris answered innocently.

“Why, yes, don’t you boys know that you are brothers…by blood?” Iris asked.

“Brothers?” Benjamin whispered, keeping his eyes fixed on Sebastian and Tommy.

“Oh dear, don’t tell me no one has told you boys who you are?” Iris gasped.

Noticing the uncomfortable looks Sebastian and Tommy fired back at one another, Benjamin realized he had been kept in the dark. “J-just me, it seems,” Benjamin stammered. “Brothers?
Us?
” Benjamin asked both boys, pleading with them to answer him.

“Triplets. Born on the same day, the day you were cast out of the new world,” Iris rambled.

Benjamin stood up to take the shocking news in, whilst Sebastian and Tommy nudged one another to answer him.

“Say something. Speak!” Benjamin snapped, raising his voice.

“We already knew,” Sebastian finally admitted.

“That much is clear,” Benjamin barked.

“We were told everything by the Council before you arrived late to the Stained Castle, we forgot to tell you,” Sebastian whispered uncomfortably.

With a stunned look spreading across his face, Benjamin quietly nodded. His mind raced. “You forgot?” he asked, feeling embarrassed and uneasy in front of everyone. His protectors and brothers watched one another in an awkward moment.

“We had just found out ourselves, I couldn’t believe it either. Who would have thought, eh?” Tommy asked giving a nervous titter in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Council? What Council?” Benjamin snapped back, shocking both of his brothers at the table.

“Calm down,” Tommy pleaded.

“Benjamin, Abasin has a board of members that make up our last government,” Ariel began when Benjamin interrupted her.

“I don’t care about your stupid government. Why wasn’t I told about this? Did you know?” Benjamin demanded, eyeing the protectors around the table. “Of course you did. That’s why you left George Johnston at the train station in London…and Jimmy Donald back at Gatesville. That’s why you left us alone at Jacob’s…to go and search for
him
,” Benjamin yelled at Ariel as he pointed his accusing finger toward Sebastian. “And you knew all that time we were brothers…and you didn’t think we had a right to know?”

“Benjamin, you’re tired. You need rest,” Ariel replied, awkwardly turning to her fellow protectors to help her pacify the distraught boy.

“Hey, don’t look at me,
you’re
the one that lied to the kid,” Ban Pan said insensitively, raising his large claws into the air.

“He’s right. You lied to us,” Benjamin accused.

“She didn’t lie,” Cecil interrupted.

“She kept the truth from us and withheld information. Or should I say,
Peter
kept it from us?” Benjamin replied sharply.

“If you were told everything when you were still in your world, there’s no way you would have followed her,” Cecil explained.

“Darn right I wouldn’t have,” Benjamin said honestly through gritted teeth. He quickly wiped his eyes and left the table to follow Cassius into the grounds around the island.

“Maybe he’s right. We should have been told the truth from the start. It sure would’ve made it easier for us to trust the lot of you if you had trusted us,” Tommy said.

“You don’t understand child, your world was without magic. Humans don’t believe in magic, nor know it. Your hearts were different when you lived in the old world. You weren’t open to the truth there. We needed to bring you here so that your perceptions could be changed…that way, you would believe the truth about your heritage when faced with the reality of this new world,” Iris said gracefully. “You needed to know your true identity.”

“And what
is
that?” Sebastian asked cheekily.

“That you’re children of the King. Rulers of the future kingdom and defeaters of the False One,” Cecil said, calmly and assuredly.

“It was vital that you knew who you were before you could come to know about magic, both the good and the bad,” Iris added.

“There’s a difference?” Tommy asked keenly.

“Of course. Magic is just like people,” Iris added. “Tea anyone?”

Trying to lift the sad and heavy atmosphere, Iris changed the subject and placed a supportive hand upon Ariel’s shoulder.

“Me and my big mouth. Don’t worry my dear…Benjamin will be just fine,” Iris assured. “Come, let us talk more while we get these young men something sturdy to eat and a fresh bath before bedtime. There is a lot to explore in this large island, but that will be for another day.” Iris clapped her hands three times for her plants to gather up the left-over mess of used cups.

Above the lake, Benjamin sat on the circular bridge, folding his arms upon the wooden divider while he dangled his legs over the edge.

“Don’t be upset,” Cassius advised, walking onto the bridge.

“I’ve wasted all these years alone without a family,” Benjamin sobbed, wiping several tears from his cheeks.

“Well…you have them now. Seems like it was worth waiting for,” Cassius said with a smile.

“I wanted a normal family, like everyone else. Not a family like…” Benjamin sniffled and trailed off.

“Like what?” Cassius asked curiously.

“Like fugitives,” Benjamin mumbled, lowering his head to watch the ripples in the water below his feet.

“Oh, Benjamin.” Cassius sighed, walking over to find a spot next to the boy. “You know, most people and creatures in the old world and the new world don’t have normal families. I didn’t. Many are out there as we speak, alone…like you were once – without anyone…some civilians even younger than you are now,” Cassius continued.

“I don’t care,” Benjamin sulked, drying off his cheeks.

“Well then, let me ask you a question.” Cassius smiled again as the tearful boy stared up at him. “If you could have it all, the normal family you’ve always wanted, but it would mean you wouldn’t fulfil a greater call to change the lives of many boys and girls, who are alone like you were…what choice would you make?”

“Depends, I guess. How many?” Benjamin asked seriously.

“Look up…do you see all those stars?” Cassius asked while they both gazed upon the starry night sky together. “They’re countless, right?”

“You mean as many as them?” Benjamin gasped.

“And more.” Cassius sighed as he rose to his feet.

A flashback of Benjamin’s youth suddenly hit him like a bolt of lightning. An act of kindness from the Minister at Woodson County raced through his fragile mind, revealing his earliest childhood memory. Without contemplation, the young boy stood up and called out to his protector.

“Cassius!” Benjamin called, smiling back as Cassius turned around to bow his head in respect.

“Good answer, Benjamin,” he called back in the moonlight. Without having to hear it, Cassius felt the boy had made the right decision.

Benjamin shyly waited for his brothers to welcome him in when he lingered by the Pomperton’s kitchen door. Tommy and Sebastian stood over a large basin sink, splashing suds everywhere and joking with one another. Both fell silent once they noticed their smaller brother enter the doorway behind them. Sebastian peered back at him through his foam-covered glasses, elbow deep in suds and covered in fluffy bubbles along his hair and face.

“Um…before we save the world and all that, I thought it would be best if I said, ‘Hi,’ first,” Benjamin muttered awkwardly while he twiddled his thumbs in apprehension, awaiting their reply.

“Hi,” Sebastian said eagerly without delay, nudging Tommy to greet his new brother.

Giving out a long sigh of defeat and a silent nod, Tommy greeted his brother with a typical order, hiding his sentimental side. “First dishes…then the world. Well? Are you gonna help us here or not, pip-squeak?” Tommy asked, showing a respectful smile after he threw his small brother a dry towel.

Taking the first wet plate handed to him, Benjamin stood in between the pair and began to help, unaware of the watchful amphibian eyes that snooped from afar.

The Pomperton’s cottage castle was so huge that it almost took each guest the first month to explore it. One warm night after a hard day’s work of potion training taught by Senior Pomperton, Benjamin was woken from his disturbed sleep by a voice.

Rising out of his bed, he slowly made his way down the castle’s stairwell to the living room area, led by a single fly that buzzed around his face. The housefly guided him past the flaming fireplace that ignited in his presence. The voice beckoned louder toward a huge bookshelf. Watching carefully, Benjamin observed the fly until it landed upon a peculiar rustic book.