Salem
I opened my eyes and looked around the room. I sat up and looked down at my stomach. I didn't believe them when I overheard them talking about the way I looked but as I looked down at my distended stomach that looked like I swallowed a pumpkin whole, I guess I would have to agree. I reached up and touched it, sending shivers all over my body because my hand was cold. I noticed that the fire was no longer burning like usual and my body ached all over. I reached up to scratch at something on my chin when I felt something that wasn't there before. I touched it with my fingers and was horrified to know that it was some sort of sore. I checked my arms and there were some there as well and even some on my stomach and legs.
Speaking of legs, looking at my right leg, I could see it was bandaged nicely. I wiggled my toes to make sure I still had feeling and I did, though it made my calf hurt from the cut. I looked around, unsure of what I wanted to do. If they were in my mansion, then that means that they've probably seen me with this stomach and even Andrew saw it. I shuddered at thinking about what might have happened then.
I suddenly heard something in my room and sat up straighter, looking around and listening. I heard some tiny laughter and gripped the sheets, afraid it was a ghost. Maids have told tales of strange happenings that go about the house... not that I was actually "afraid" per se, but a specter...
"Rah!"
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!!"
A child's laughter rang through the room and I looked around in a panic, trying to find out where the noise came from.
"What's wrong?!" a young man with fiery red hair said as he opened the door quickly.
"Ther- There's a ghost in my room!" I yelled.
The young man made a face and then I heard an 'oomph' sound as he bent over and looked like he was holding something.
"I'm so sorry, Duke Barma, my little brother got in here without my knowledge."
"Is your brother a specter, boy?" I snarled, putting my hand over my heart. "I nearly died of fright!"
"No, sir, he's just invisible. I don't know why he's even in your room... I'll just take him away."
The ginger walked toward the door when a child's face appeared suddenly and smiled at me.
"Boy! There's a child appearing on your shoulder!" I said, pointing.
The ginger turned to me and made a face, pulling something back and then he frowned.
"Xerxes, this is no time to be funny."
"But he's a funny person!" a young voice said with a giggle.
"That might be true but he's a duke and Mum has to look after him. If you keep scaring him he'll never be better."
"Excuse me, hellions, but I'm right here and can hear every word you say." I growled.
The young man looked at me with a very angry looking stare and walked out, slamming the door. I made a face at the closed door and looked around at my room. I felt like it had been years since I had seen it. I wonder how long I've been asleep? Well... asleep isn't exactly the word I want to use for what happened to me. I guess it would be more like how long have I been delirious?
The door opened again and that spicy maid that was my personal maid for all of five minutes walked in, pulling a tray.
"Good morning, Duke Barma, how do you feel?"
"Exposed, disgusting, and sluggish. Maid, what has happened to me? Why am I like this?"
"First of all, my name is Minerva, not 'maid'. Second of all, none of this is my fault. This is because you're an ass and a pretentious idiot... plus, an obnoxious cad."
I made a face. "Have you quite finished?"
"No. I find you repulsive and a disgusting human being... I'm done now."
"Now that that's been established, explain this."
"All I know is that Uma came up to my flower cart and said that I needed to come to the mansion quickly because you were cursed. I didn't realize you were hurt and had an infection until I got here and you were running a fever that hasn't gone down since yesterday... at poor Bastion's expense too."
"Who the hell is Bastion?"
"My oldest son. He was in here a moment ago."
"Oh, the red... what was with the little strange child with only a face?"
"Oh... X, my youngest. My children are... gifted."
"What do you mean?"
"They have gifts. Xerxes has the ability to turn invisible and he's at an age where he's a little precocious."
"I see." I looked at the tray. "Is that food?"
"Well, it's broth."
"What about food?"
"Broth is like food."
"No. Broth is what soups have or what you drizzle over meat. I want food."
"Well you can't have food. You've been half conscious for almost two weeks with a high fever and infection. We have to introduce food to your body gradually. Besides, I need to also put some ointment on your bed sores."
She uncovered the dish and brought the tray over to me. I looked down at the piss poor meal and lifted my hand to take the spoon. I tried to feed myself but my hands were shaking so badly that I lost most of the soup back into the bowl. I looked at Minerva? Yeah, Minerva, and saw that she was watching me calmly. I put the spoon back into bowl and crossed my arms.
"This is preposterous."
"I agree, milord. Would you like me to feed you?"
"It doesn't look like I have a choice at the moment. I'm sure you're loving every minute of my misery."
"Actually, I would rather be playing with my children than be up here with you and your whiny ass. I don't know why I even came back to help you." She said angrily, taking the soup bowl from me.
She dipped the broth and blew on it softly for me. I opened my mouth and she gave the broth to me. We were silent as she fed me until the bowl was pretty much empty. Even though it was just flavored water, my stomach felt satisfyingly full and I laid back on the pillows.
"I'd get plenty of sleep, milord. Your body needs to heal itself and recover from the ordeal it's been through. Would you like me to bring some books from your shelf over there to keep you entertained for the day?"
"No. I've read every book on those shelves. I remember them all and prefer not to go through them again."
"Is there anything else you would like to do?"
"We should get a paper every morning, so I would like to at least have that to read."
"I will see if the paper is about. I'll come check on you in a moment to put ointment on your sores."
I watched her walk out of the room and sighed, laying back on my pillows. Sleep overcame me and my eyes slowly drooped closed.
************************
The next time I opened my eyes, I felt something on me and I blinked but there was nothing there... but I felt something sitting on my legs heavily.
"Are you awake, Mister?" a voice said.
I looked around but I saw nothing.
"I'm on you! I'm invisible right now but I can't get back..."
"Invisible?"
"Uh huh."
"Why are you in here?"
"I like your belly. Bastion says my mama got this big when she was carrying me. Are you holding babies in there?"
"According to Andrew and Minerva I am..." I said with a roll of my eyes. "What are you doing in here anyway?"
"Mama said that you wanted a paper so I brought it to you. But I wanted to touch your belly again." The voice said with a childish laugh.
"Why?"
"Cuz it's all hard and pokey!" he said, and I felt a finger jab lightly into my stomach.
"Won't Minerva be looking for you soon?"
"Mummy is making dinner with the cook and Bastion is with the horse man with the horses. Eadric is doing something else..."
"I see."
"Mama said that you read all your books."
"Yeah..."
"You wanna hear a story?"
"Uh... what do you mean?"
"I can tell you a story."
"Thanks little boy but no-"
"Once upon a time there was a bug named Piff. Piff liked to fly around and get gifts from the flowers. One day, a big bumble bee named Arnold starting taking his flowers."
He stopped at that and I stared at the blank place where I thought I saw a slight glimmer of the child.
"And then? By the way, what kind of bug is Piff?"
"I dunno, he's just a bug."
"Well if Arnold is a bumblebee then shouldn't you specify Piff's bug?"
"He's a... worm!"
"Worms aren't bugs."
"Uh... then he's a flower bug."
I was getting nowhere...
"Alright, a flower bug. Now, Arnold took Piff's flower..."
"And that's it. He took his flower cuz he's a meanie."
"Give me something else to work on. Some back story... ugh, I'll make it up myself. Go get me some paper and an inkwell with a quill."
I felt the pressure leave me and then saw paper floating in the air as well as ink and a quill in midair coming toward me. I grabbed the quill and dipped it into the ink, getting the excess off and putting the quill to the paper.
"Alright, we're going to change Piff's name. Let's name him Peter and instead of a flower bug he's going to be... a... what do poor people do?"
"Mummy sold flowers."
"Good, good, he'll be a flower seller on the street. Yes... and Arnold will be a duke like me. He is rich like me. In fact, I want Arnold to be me."
"I wanna be the duke."
I jumped at the fact that there was now a child standing there with me. His blond hair was a big of a shock to me but he climbed in the bed with me and leaned against the pillows.
"You can be a nice noblemen. You are going to be the nice nobleman named..."
"Piff!"
"How about your last name be Piff?" The boy nodded. "Let's have your first name be... Jeremy. Do you like that?"
"Ew." He said with a laugh.
"Then what's your name?"
"Xerxes but Mummy calls me X."
"Then we'll call you Xavier, fair?"
"Uh huh."
*****************
Minerva
"Bastion, what on Earth's name are you doing?"
He gasped and looked up as I walked down the hallway toward the duke's room. Bastion wasn't like that, to spy on someone.
He pointed to the door. "You have to see this."
"Why are you spying on the duke?"
"I wasn't trying to. I was looking for X but this is what I found."
I moved him out of the way and looked in the crack of the door. I heard giggling and a slight chuckle and looked toward the bed. My mouth dropped. The duke was doing something on some paper with Xerxes but it wasn't just that that made me so surprised. It was the look on the duke's face, his body language, everything. He looked as if he were a devoted father sitting with his son and X looked as content as a son playing with his father. The duke reached over X's shoulder and I realized that he was in the duke's lap. Tears welled up in my eyes and I moved from the door.
"Mum?"
"I'm fine... I just... I didn't think I'd ever see something like that again. Your father used to be so proud of you boys, always so devoted and caring. It's like a flashback..."
"I thought you said the duke was a selfish prat."
"I guess if someone would leave him alone, then he's just a lonely child... Let's leave them alone for a bit. I'm sure X will tell us all about his time with the duke."
I closed the door and put my arm around Bastion as we walked down the hall.
"Hey, Mum, why don't you call the duke by his given name?"
"It's not polite to call those in a higher class by their given name unless instructed to. When he decides that I am worthy enough to call him Mr. Barma then I shall."
"I don't mean 'Mr. Barma'. I mean Salem."
"Oh, sweetling, a first name basis are for married couples, those who are engaged, or lovers. And I am none of those things to the duke."
"Would you, though, if he asked you?"
"No... I am a cast off of society. Doing that to the duke would only mean heartache for him. I couldn't bring someone down like that, even if he is the obnoxious Duke Barma."
Bastion nodded and moved so I would take my arm from his neck.
"Well, I still want to see you in one of those pretty gowns. I'll do it for you, Mum. I'll make you fit into society and we'll go to all sorts of balls. I'll be like 'Come, Mother, let us go get some fresh air at the balcony' and I'll hold my arm out like this." He held his elbow out to me. I slipped my arm through. "And we shall prance our way to the balcony so that you don't get faint, eh, Mum?"
I laughed as we skipped down the hall like a couple of loony birds.