Barry – Page 4 – Space, Time, and Raspberries

Paternity Suitable

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Elliot 206 — Image credit: pets4homes.co.uk / S.T. Ranscht

“You wanted to see me, your Greatness?” Elliot panted, out of breath from racing to answer the King’s urgent summons. I’ll have to remember this whenever I send for anyone, he thought as he willed his heart not to explode.

Smiling from shoulder to shoulder, King Arnie announced, “I wanted you to be the first to know. I’m going to be a grandfather!”

“Congratulations! That’s amazing! How did—“ Noticing his father-in-law’s arched eyebrow, Elliot blinked. “Wait a minute. Does that mean… Are you saying… Am I going to be… a dad?”

“That’s right, son!” The King slapped him on the shell. “I just got the news from the Runner. Congratulations to you.”

Elliot turned to leave. “I should be with Cassandra.”

“Of course that’s up to you,” King Arnie said, “but she did send a message. She said to tell you she’s fine and she knows how important your job here is. And she’s hoping you’ll find some time to set up a house with a nursery — she said that would make you the greatest hero ever.”

“Then that’s what I’ll do,” Prince Elliot the Faithful father-to-be declared. “I can’t believe it. I’m going to be a dad!”

With visions of fatherhood fuzzing up his brain, Elliot zipped out the door to share the news with his friends, trailing an exuberant, “Wooooo-hooooooooo!” behind him.

To be continued. . .

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .

World Wide Webs

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Elliot 205 — Image credit: downloadwallpaper/S.T. Ranscht

“ The last time we saw Elliot, he was leaving the Freelands, headed to Bog with Knights of Service Barry and Trevor to help prepare for war. He didn’t even know Cassandra might be pregnant. So what’s up with that?” You. Justifiably.

“I live to serve. . .” Me

~~~

Sweat dripped from Elliot’s face onto the latest stack of provisions he and his team had prepared. The urgency he felt had deeper roots than the need to get Bog ready for war. He hadn’t seen his exquisite Cassandra in a week.

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Seeking Hearts and Minds

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Elliot 187 — Photo credit: Ann Kreilkamp

“How did Lady Lucy die?” Clifton demanded.

“She was undercover, gathering information from The Arids, and the General found her out,” the runner answered.

His vindication washed with tears, Clifton was adamant. “I knew Lady Lucy was loyal to the Queen! I need to tell Barry.”

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Drago Galadeen

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Elliot 183 — Photo credit: Igor Siwnowicz

“If you know who I am,” Sirehta replied bringing his face close to the speaking crack in the wall, “you have the advantage. Come out and let yourself be seen. You will come to no harm.”

Two twitching antennae and a round little head poked out from the crevice. Locking eyes with the viper, the oversized hopper scaled the wall to rest on a protruding stone at the top, facing the snake full on.

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Reunion

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“Excuse me, Ambassador,” a member of the newly formed Alliance Guard murmured to Arturo, “troops from Bog have arrived. A Lieutenant Terrance would like to speak with you.”

Momentarily diverting his attention from the Council’s discussion about observing different funeral rituals within the Alliance Army, Arturo replied, “Show them to the staging area and bring the Lieutenant here when he’s satisfied with his troops’ accommodations.”

On Arturo’s other side, Barry asked, “Da Knights are here? Would youse be all right if I go along to see ’em? Dis seems ta be windin’ down, an’ everybody’s gonna need some sleep soon, so how’s about if I come back dis afternoon?”

“That works for me, friend.”

Barry jumped out of his seat. In two leaps, he’d caught up with the Guard. “Lead the way!” he urged.

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Decisions

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Elliot 164 — Photo credit: Allison Frost

“Oh no no no no!” Arturo moaned, sinking to his knees beside the young vole’s body.

Barry staggered between the Knights with his hands covering his mouth while Clifton stood, head bowed, tears dripping to the ground.

His gut turned to lead and his brain an electrical storm, Elliot faced terrifying madness. He shut his eyes, but the carnage wouldn’t vanish. This was your doing, his disconnected mind insisted. You’re the one he wanted to talk to. You said to lock him up. If you’d just done as he asked, maybe you’d be the only one dead.

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Suspicions

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Elliot 163 — Photo credit: Peter Trimming

“Where’s Lady Lucy?” Clifton asked.

Searching the Meadow and the sky, Barry said, “Dat’s a good question.”

“Barry,” the Prince reminded him, “she’s the one who told the Knights the Stinger was there.”

“I know youse’re right, yer Princehood, but why di’n’t she just grab him? An’ why’d she let dat udder Stinger go?”

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Gate Crasher

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Elliot 162 — Photo credit: Rasheed Bydousi

Having no weapon, Barry pulled a torch from the ground, and joined Clifton to take up positions slightly ahead of Ambassador Arturo and Prince Elliot. The dark shapes became three Knights surrounding a massive Stinger whose tail dragged behind him on the ground.

The crowd backed away leaving a moat of safety around the new arrivals. The Knights stopped a defensible distance from the Prince, pinning the prisoner down with the butt ends of their slicers.

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Honored Guests

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As the sun touched the horizon, they followed the dry staccato of an ancient cough and found the venerable leader of Freelands’ wasp community plucking dinner from a stalk of grass.

“Honored One,” Elliot called, “please forgive us for interrupting your meal. Thank you for inviting us to continue our conversation about creating an alliance between the Freelands, Bog, and Fen.”

“Elliot?” the creaky old wasp squinted at him. “Elliot! It’s good to see you and your friends, young sir. We didn’t expect you until tomorrow. Here, join me — have a bite to eat.” He held out a wiggling morsel that Barry’s tongue found almost before the invitation was extended.

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A Question of Justice

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Elliot 160 — Photo credit: Brisbaneinsects.com

They fairly ran through the Bowls of Death meadow, but even if they had flown through it, Elliot couldn’t have shut out visions of the terror Cassandra endured there at the rebel Spike’s bidding. So why did his thoughts take an unbidden fork in the road?

My love is alive today because Arturo killed Spike. I believe with all my heart that he deserved to die — but was it justice?

Might it have been better to incarcerate him for the rest of his life? Maybe they could have put him to work repairing all the damage he’d done. Maybe it would have brought the families whose lives he’d ruined a sense of satisfaction to see him serving their needs.

Entering the Freelands, Elliot witnessed rebuilding everywhere he looked.

It wouldn’t have undone the deaths he caused, but is it really better that he isn’t here to help set things right? Families mourn, and then they have to repair Spike’s devastation.

What might Cassandra think?

But right now, he needed to speak with someone else.