Chapter 56

Day 254 - First day of Summer

Today was graduation day for the triplets, so as soon as the breakfast dishes were cleared we headed for the ceremony.

All of the triplets graduated with honor. Juliette was voted "Class Clown", Andrew "Most Likely to save the World" and Josie "Most Popular".

After the graduation ceremony it was time to gift and hug William and the triplets good-bye. All four moved in with their father. John would be sending them all to Sim U for a higher education. They were excitedly anticipating college life. I was pleased that they would have this wonderful opportunity.

After we parted ways, Colleen went to the summer festival at the mall while Colby and I went home.

When we were home alone, I informed Colby he is going to be a daddy. We had not planned on starting a family immediately but we had not exactly taken steps to keep from doing so. We both know that it will be some time before we can attempt to return to the Low World. We cannot put our lives on hold.

I love nothing more than slow dancing with my man.

Colby reads the "Book of Whispers" every chance he gets. The more he reads, the more complicated discovering this gateway sounds. It isn't just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, there is more to it. Colby does not let these discoveries discourage him, but rather seems intrigued by it all.

I was stunned to discover how generous my friends and my children were with wedding gifts. It was far more than I expected.

Day 255

Colby feels there is more information that needs to be discovered besides what can be gleaned from the "Book of Whispers". While Colleen and I putter around the house, he goes off to the Storybrook library to search out more information.

The research in the library pays off, Colby was led to The Vault of Antiquity. This is a place where modern myths and legends are actual historical events.

Colby found what he was looking for and rushed home to share the information with me.

I don't know what I thought transitioning back to the Low World would be like. That we would go to the right place and the right time and simply walk through a doorway? I should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

"I know where we need to go, Charlotte. There is a land at the cusp of the Shadowlands and the High World. This place is called Dragon Valley.

Dragon Valley is purposely isolated from the general population of the Shadowlands. It is tainted by the sickly full moon, but the undead does not rise from the ground. The council of Dragon Valley are convinced that the undead are a result from the vampires and werewolves interbreeding and have disconnected from the rest of the world to keep vampires and werewolves out and to keep the undead from their soil.

The rest of the Shadowlands are convinced that the source of the undead comes from Dragon Valley itself. Dragon Valley is the only portion of the Shadowlands untainted by this plague and the only place outside of the High World that has a population of elves. They are convinced that the undead are a curse from the elves."

"Colby, does this mean it is hopeless to return to the Low World? How can we even get there if they are isolated? What if they are right and the elves are evil?"

"Baby, I can't vouch for who is right or wrong in this blame game. This isn't our battle anyway. It isn't easy to approach Dragon Valley, but it can be done. Dragon Valley can be approached by the Manannán mac Lir Sea via an enchanted ship. I believe that I can obtain such a ship, but it will be a long journey. And a journey of no return."

"This sounds dangerous. How can we consider packing up Colleen and our baby and taking them into this situation. Perhaps there is another way, a safer way for all of us to return."

"There is more than one reason why we have to journey to Dragon Valley if we ever want to return to the Low World. There is one more creature found in Dragon Valley that is not found in the rest of the Shadowlands. There are dragons there, Charlotte, living, fire-breathing dragons. And these dragons are the key getting through the gateway. We have to obtain dragon eggs, care for them until they hatch and nurture the baby dragons until they bond with us. We must have the four types of dragons, one for each of the elements. And only then on the Ataegina full moon at the Cardea Gateway could we approach the gatekeeper and gift him with these dragons. With that we may pass through unharmed upon our promise to never approach the gate again. The Cardea Gateway may only be approached once in one's lifetime."

"I don't know if this is worth it. Is it really so bad here? Maybe we can stay here and raise our family. This isn't what we want, but perhaps we should just resign ourselves to living out our lives here."

"Charlotte, my need to return home is greater than any fear I have of facing these tasks. If you really don't want to tackle this quest, I will agree to stay here. Being with you and our kid is more important to me than going back. I will give you the final say, all I ask is that you be true to your heart and not allow the fear of the unknown rule your decision."

I took the time to ponder on all that Colby relayed to me. At the heart of the matter was the deep rooted homesickness I felt for my planet and my people. I did not journey to the Shadowlands or the High World. That is not where I was sent. The Low World reminded me of home and it is where I felt my life on this planet had meaning. Perhaps in my heart I held on to the impossible hope that another Xicanopian escaped and might show up on earth as I did. That just possibly I would not feel so alienated and alone. This is where my heart lie. Colby was visibly relieved when I told him I wished us to return to the Low World. He began making phone calls immediately.

Colby had barely hung up the phone and the wheels of travel were in motion. A contact for obtaining an enchanted ship arrived to discuss terms with him.

Noelle and Beany were elderly pets. Spending the short remainder of their lives on a ship would not be the wise or kind thing to do. Colby was already as attached to them as I was and ready to make concessions to try and bring them along. But in the end we would have to do the right thing for Beany and Noelle. They could live out their lives here with Frederick and Rafe. Rafe was in a relationship and planning on settling down. He could use a home of his own. He was a responsible young man and I could count on him.

Day 256

In the wee hours of the morning, I was awakened by the familiar tightening of my belly. Very quickly the contracts grew stronger and closer together.

Colby acted like most fathers expecting their first child.

I told him to go sleep on the couch, so I could labor without distraction.

Near dawn I gave birth to a son with the Loves the Outdoors and Friendly traits. The name Colby and I had chosen for a son was Sean.

Colby took to being a daddy like a duck took to water.

While father and son bonded, I had errands to run. I wanted to get a simple makeover. Living on a ship with only the basics on hand would not allow for primping or require a nice wardrobe. I needed to be practical about this.

In driving to meet Rafe, my eyes were drawn to the sailboats on the bay. Our home would be on the water for goodness knows how long. I was filled with trepidation about our upcoming adventure, but one does not obtain great rewards without hard work.

I had a wonderful chat with Rafe. He was sad to hear that I would be leaving the Shadowlands very soon, but all of my children knew of this decision from the moment I made it. All of them felt at home here and wanted to stay, but understood my need to return. Rafe would be happy to take on my home and care for the family pets.

When I returned home, Colleen was watching TV and Colby was working on wrapping up some of his cases and then the unexpected happened.

Noelle succumbed to old age. Her spirit was leaving her earthly shell. Death had come for her.

Our hearts were tender at our loss.

We struggled through the evening trying to maintain normalcy, but fretted about how Beany would manage with the loss of her friend and her human family disappearing.

Day 257

Colleen woke up heartbroken over the loss of Noelle. I hated to send her to school, but it was her last day of primary school. We would be celebrating her birthday this afternoon.

Colby and I decided to celebrate Sean's birthday early in the day so that Colleen could enjoy the attention focused on her later.

Sean has his daddies hair color and my eye color.

After two days of storming, the skies began to clear. Colby went to the police station to wrap up work there and to resign from being a registered P.I. I decided to use this time to teach Sean to walk. I thought it would be best to learn on "land legs" before we went out to sea.

Colleen brought home her friend Sharon to celebrate turning into a teen. I hate to stereotype but werewolf children are really ill-behaved.

Colleen aged up to a beautiful young lady with the new trait: Neat. That's a lovely trait for any child to have!

Colleen was somber and could not get into her birthday celebration. I sensed it was more than just losing Noelle, but before I could ask her about it the doorbell rang.

The tainted full moon rose in the sky and Colleen returned to the house after chatting with the college recruiter sent to her by Josie. It was time to discover what was bothering my daughter.

Colleen reluctantly told me that she wanted to stay in Storybrook with her siblings. She didn't want to spend her high school life on a boat with only her mother, baby brother and step-father for company. She wanted to hang out with friends, go to dances and live in a world where having a werewolf father didn't have to be a deep dark secret. I was heartbroken. How could I leave my just turned teen behind?

I wanted to tell her no, absolutely not. But what are we raising our children to be? A crutch? An extension of our wants and needs? No. We raise them to make wise choices for themselves. We raise them to enjoy a full and happy life, to be kind to others and make their world a better place. How could I argue with her? I couldn't. Rafe was more than capable of taking care of her. She had multiple brothers and sisters to love and nurture her to adulthood and beyond. I agreed to leave my daughter behind when I set sail.

As I went to sleep one last time in this house, I could hear the growls and moans of the undead surrounding my house. It seemed as if there were more than the usual number, almost as if they sensed I'd soon be out of their grasp.

Day 258 - Leisure Day

The day dawned bright and beautiful, it was the perfect day to take to the sea.

I had held on to a glimmer of hope that Colleen would change her mind about staying here, but that was not the case.

Rafe arrived and he and Colleen began to immediately plan to adopt a companion pet for Beany.

Colleen was mortified to be dealing with a sappy, sad mom and rolled her eyes during our good-bye. But she lovingly promised to tend to my garden and plant flowers around Noelle's grave placed under the plum tree.

With one final phone call, we were on our way to our new adventure.

The Sea Witch would be our home until we landed on the shores of Dragon Valley.

As I set about getting Sean settled, Colby set our course toward the open sea.

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open."
~ Jawaharlal Nehru