An Enchanted Evening

*Dedicated to everyone who is taking this journey with me. May there be many more adventures.

When Tinkletoes looks in on Writer Lady she is sitting in the great room in a wing back chair wearing a dress that brings out the color of her eyes and accentuates...things. Daemon the Demon rises from his seat in a nearly matching chair. Daemon’s chair is a lot bigger because well...he is.

Daemon passes Tinkletoes as he exits the room smiling. Diomedes quickly takes the demon’s place at Writer Lady’s side.

“How are things moving? Do I look okay?”

Tinkletoes turns his attention to the source of the inquiries. Carp stands next to the self-proclaimed mercenary. The assassin-in-training is dressed to the tens. Dressing to the nines is for amateurs as far as Carp is concerned.

“Yeah. You look fine.” Tinkletoes gestures to the scene before them with a toss of his head. “What’s going on?”

“Reflecting.”

Tinkletoes looks at Carp and waits for more information.

“When a milestone takes place with something that’s been going on for a long time those who have participated in some way, helped with its creation, or enjoyed some benefit of the result like to get together and reflect on their favorite memories.”

Tinkletoes shakes his head.

Carp continues explaining, “It’s a way of saying thanks for doing this, I enjoyed this, I had fun being a part of things, it meant a lot to me, and sometimes it’s even a way to say ‘I love you.’”

The pair watch as Diomedes and Writer Lady stand. The woman and the dragon share a brief hug. The dragon blushes. Dragons get that way about their creators sometimes. Diomedes is a sensitive soul.

“Are you going?” Carp asks.

“Going where?”

“Up to see Writer Lady?”

Tinkletoes does not answer. He shifts his stance looking irritated. “No.”

“I can’t wait to go up. I have my speech all ready. It starts with a brief history of our time together, we’re BFFs you know and then moves into her terrible mistakes that I have forgiven her for and my advice on how to repair things with Monitor Man.”

“Not that again.” Tinkletoes grumbles.

“He was perfect for her.” Carp sings.

“Did it ever occur to you that if he was the right man he would have been around...all the time? I’m a guy, know these things and although Monitor Man needs to you know...learn how to be more of a guy...he would have been around all the time if he liked her.”

“You mean like you?” Carp asks.

“Yeah like me only, you know, acting like a boyfriend acts and stuff. You need to let go of it already. She has.”

Diomedes leaves Writer Lady’s side. The dragon wipes a tear from his eye with a linen handkerchief, stopping in front of the pair he says, “She’s the kindest creator I’ve ever had. Such a lady.” Diomedes continues on into the bonus room and the evening’s entertainment.

“Diomedes is a gentle giant.” Carp comments.

Tinkletoes glares in Diomedes’ direction. “He’s a fictional character how many creators can one character have?”

Carp rolls his eyes. “Just relax and be a part of things already.”

The self-proclaimed mercenary growls.

“You’re special to her, you know.” TP says as he pops in next to Tinkletoes. “We’re all special to her.”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because we came into her life during the hours when she needed someone the most.”

Tinkletoes looks at TP.

“We had adventures with her, we made her laugh, and smile. We make her happy.”

“We?”

“I came to visit first, then you.” TP says. “We have been here from the beginning.”

Tinkletoes looks at Writer Lady. He notices Dobby is curled up on a cat bed next to her side. “I guess it would be rude not to say ‘Hello,’ to Dobby.”

“It would.” TP agrees.

Tinkletoes looks at the faerie, “She has been putting up with you for eight years.”

Carp opens his mouth, closes it, opens it to say something.

TP looks at Carp covers his own mouth with his hand stifling a giggle.

“Let’s go!” TP says.

“Okay let’s go.”

The self-proclaimed mercenary, the assassin-in-training, and the faerie greet their favorite writer lady together.

There is a strange sound. The group notices a bright light in the far corner of the room, when it dissipates, Excalibur is sitting in the far corner, a note threaded through its blade.

Tinkletoes retrieves the enchanted weapon and removes the sheet of parchment. He holds it up for the rest of the group to see. 

It reads: BUGGER!

Of course what happens next is another story.