A brother's request

Its hard to ignore the message carrier that flew into the classroom mid speech. As he was to into explanation into the history of important letters, he chooses to ask the bird to stay at the desk for the duration of class. The class half whom knew the bird and what that letter meant: extra were they shocked with James being able to ignore a direct order from the king. The other half whom weren't in the know, whispered questions and had no clue of James being royalty.

In fact, James has never been totally public about being a undead prince. It was a smarter for the living to assume what they wanted then know he was a undead guy. He never told anyone outside the island nation of his titles. MAC just think his a kid teacher genius for their cause.

"Pardon me..." A department leader for this the study of language knocks in, the teacher froze up at the unnatural statue of a bird holding a letter. He blinks and backed out of the room as he realized it was a real bird waiting patiently.

"Those working at section A through B continue. Those past that can skip to the new chapter after a writting me a example sentences or words using the letters just explained. Mr Wilson, do not be distracted with rude thoughts while writing. Your last assignment was unbecoming of your status." A rosey cheeks of the one student. The class of mixed ages were able to be behaved better the smaller average aged ranges. The eldest felt it was their part to be examples of the class and the youngest were to embarrassed to act out. The lead department comes back in with waving James over.

"You have a call from Sir Josh."

"I would have thought so." James offers hand to let the bird hop on, "Just watch over the class as I take that." James turned to the class with a little clap, "Folks you know my rules. Those with assignments are to get done when I ask for them to be done on desk. Any fooling around with not just have direct consequences by Mr Woodland taking over but a note on your book for what new assignments I expect. You are free to leave after the bell is rung and that this class room is tidy for next class. I don't want any bad comments about your behavior. Looking at you Jackie, Taylor and Samantha. Bullying is against our policy and your will regret it."

"Scary as always." The one of eldest sat at the corner noted.

"Most appreciated, Rick. You let me know if you and your sister need any help with any class work. I am always happy to help any catching up needed." James has a soft spot for them two... not that they would ever understand or know of why, "Your fathers are more then welcome to come forward with any concerns with me."

Rick shivered at how full knowing that is for a language teacher to say. He hasn't told anyone about having two foster fathers nor has he ever been seen with his sister on campus. James grins at how it was nice to have a little payback from then.

"The call." The bird huffs.

"Yes. yes... I know." James takes the letter and opened it causally, "I wonder what would cause such a stir for them to ask me." He leaves out the classroom able to read and pay mind of which way he was walking. He manages to avoided every being in his way even with distracted in reading.

The corridors of long metal lockers, the occasional fire fighting equipment and emergency pull switches was a set frame walk. There were cut ways and short cuts that only staff like James being a teacher would use. Overall most large classrooms had two sometimes three door access. Layouts suite teachers, subject b3ing taught or just the high student count per classroom. There were theatres for lectures or drama classes. A few gym halls that were one soccer/ football field. The occasional room numbers jumped due to storage closets or small offices. There was a large library which cuts right through to the welcome area for visitors which were the main phones locations. Any internal phones were only within the building not connected to outside connection, except three places. One of the most commonly used is the welcome office. The same place where James gained his temporary ID with Rose on his first day some time ago.

"Hello, how can I be of any assistance today?" picking the phone up. He ignored the office folks whom were a little unpleasant with his unannounced take of the phone line. For as much that they protested, with seeing the kings letter with official stamp plus a message carrier bird. These folks have a full turn of emotion, with giving space and apologise in mute manners. The ones least explained of what was going on ate taken out the room to be spoken basics to.

"What are you doing?" Josh exclaims. James had made sure not to right up the speaker for this, hearing some foul language for a while following.

"You will need to be exact with what your asking and which part of me your asking. This me is in school teaching at the moment. Although, give the letter I was reading from the king. You mean to ask what is Grey doing." James took out a notebook with checking, "His repointing the roof of the monastery. I am sure his gotten to engrossed with roof fixing that his maybe started checking the statues and mech dragon golem gaurds." The long silence followed with a eventually sighing. James looks to the bird message carrier and fed it a few things. He looked over the letter from the brother king once again to be sure of details.

"I am sure you dont care how random questions are. So I might as well ask while you still listening. What is with the hunters of oath being very nosey in royal business?"

"If you believe in the many universes theory, then it answers your confusion and concerns. Each is a weaker or lower ranked version of my collective titles. From all sorts of versions of history. They don't share this and aren't legally allowed without my consent. They speak from experience and each is a veiw of perspectives to consider. If he finds them annoying then any traditional purification spell or blessing with weed out the annoying ones. The broken will be directly dealt with." James spoke softly through the phone and with pause to listen to background noises. He chuckled at the arguments being made and smoothed with petting the happy bird.

"What if we want to calm them down?" Josh was clearly in aggressive. He was about at a moments murder even.

"Tell them that any rough housing will have the Elder hang them at dawn. Joking or literally." James hears how this is repeated and that there is silence, "But they are just enthusiastic in helping out and what can be mistaken as a death threat is actually light hearted banter between freinds. The undead have no care for the state their bodies and organs become." James shurgs with seeing the bird is shiver. He offers a few more snacks, handed it a little slip of paper and nods for it to return. It nods back and flew off, "I should be getting back to work unless you need me for anything else."

"Someone around here said something about a insane being making mess of the plant strands east of here."

"Moron never learns. Thinks that I woudnt know what it up to." James sighed now, "I will be right there soon."

Hung the wall mounted office phone back to the main machine. Some of the office workers staring at James for speaking in the royal mage language fluently. He gave shurg to them and leaves the office, the kings letter added into his file system of letters. He makes a quick journey to the classroom, picking up some essential things from his desk, checking up with the classroom even helping a student with grammar.

"Now, when writting its like how a artist is trying to replica the picture they want from thier mind to the canvas. The cleaner the image of that subject, the easier it is to write. I find that if you have a good memory attached to that letter, it becomes personalized to you. This is why when bad memories are written, that it also becomes personalized to you too."

A share of nods and student around listening to him, some made notes where others give strange expressions.

"There is no such thing as emotionless writting in the mage language. Beings are find it hard to express emotions are unable to write like us. The closest writting I have ever seen to being emotionless is when it it written in boredom or deep sadness." He pats thier shoulder. He had a flicker on memories to mind, smirks gently as he continued rolling words out his mouth.

"Its hard to write emotion you lack experience of or never witnessed. My recommendation is that you ask hard questions to your loved ones. If you can sort out your heart, then you can write as beautiful as the late queen did. Her letters are famed for being so soft and beautiful." He stands striaght and smiles with her image in his mind, "She loved the world around her, from plant to servant. She held respect that equalled to how she treats herself. A honoured woman with a heart to her sleeve." He muttered quietly the last section as he was deep in thoughts and letting his words not disturbhard workers. The students that heard looked at him. He shook out of the thoughts, "The class bell will be in 23 minutes. Don't feel you need to complete it if your struggling. I have catch up study available anytime its needed."

He makes pass to the languages head department leader. He has a nod shared.

"Mr Jackson, were you around when the late king and queen were alive?" someone bold to shouted.

"Hand up when asking questions." He reminds first, "I do remember them very well. They were a strong when in front of any public gathering. They were like any other normal family away from public sight. The current king himself used to be a prankster. Always caused havoc with servants... harmless as it were." James shurgs. There is gasp at him for being this close together with royalty, "Like I said about learning the mage language. Your place within society had always reflected how you write. The experiences and memories have always tainted and personalised by the author of the writer."

The class was talking between each other openly and he waved their attention. Someone rose a hand before he could ask them to get back to working.

"Yes, Rick." He directs.

"Is that why you never leave your writting on the board to be traced?" James smirks in thought a while before answering. Although the degree of his thoughts were making this expression a unnerving. He looks to the front with checking, soon with a shrug he came up to the board.

"There are myths and superstitious things I believe in. After all my life revolves around such things. The popular ones like never leaving personal things at the reach of others was a old medieval myth. Nails, hair and even personalized letters could be used against you in the wrong hands. Equally they could help you to if you play it smart." He pucked up a pen with his own hand, the first ever time in this class that he would ever directly write. He looks about with chooses a unassuming area, "If it wasn't obvious to you by now, then your about to see why you have to be magical aware to be in my class." Which is true, the new transfers of the class are only recently been aware, "When I directly write anything, my many memories taint everything word I use." He has a spot now, "A simple word example. Someone shout it." He hears everyone suggested things but those words were suitable, "Clearly someone around here is a morbid fascination in their studies." He wrote out 'skull of which did morphic change constantly. But even with how he moves away and puts the pen down, the word doesn't stop changing, "Skull. Simple and used in Macbeth for that famous quote. When I write words, they reflect my expreinces of being cursed. Although, I have never personally felt it a bad or good thing." They stare in awe of the word changing, "I had my share of interesting memories and has led to my direct hand writting to be illegible for beginners." He studies the mark, "I don't think this will be erased the normal way anytime soon." He peels a paper that looked like his skin, slap the board to mark it on the paper. He then slaps the paper back on, "Now the will do."

"Wait, your cursed?" exclaims with a bubble of talking. James only had to cast a little magic for the whole room to be silent.

"My personal life shouldn't matter to your studies. I were just cooling down any curiosity. Many of you have always wondered why I do not directly write in your books or the boards. Or wonder why the magic knowing is a requirement to enter this class. Now, please find a way to excuse me. Someone has requested my help." James didnt cast any spell of magic, instead he knew full well that a tare had been created by his writting and that he will be snatched in a painful manner. He makes quick work of closing this tare behind as he is snatched through by a giant hand.

The class screaming briefly and then mind lapsed of confusion states. A random student whom wasn't paying attention to the talking looks around confused and makes a pass that the grey mask being must have spooked everyone again. It lead to a lead of questions between the orginal class and the newbies to share what they did know about the mysterious young teacher, Mr JJ.

"Excuse me..." Someone knocks at the door.

"Mr JJ just left if you looking for him." A student replies instead of the language department leader whom was still chilling out from the experience, "Grey shadow took him." Which was the code way the students have term James's unorthodox methods of leave.

"What?" The person looks around confused.

"Grey is a shadow person that isn't always visible. This shadow took Mr JJ. Its all we can explain of what just happened."

"They do it all the time. We mostly use to it by now. Expect some the newbie folks here."

"That time was awesome and different. He got snatched instead of hung by his clothing. On time his half arm was nearly ripped off. You lot remember Halloween?"

Excited conversations all ramble as the be rings and they do as they always did. They knew that when James is gone that sometimes Grey watches in his place. Being chatty was acceptable during these times. Every does their part and were eager to that minute break between class changes. The late to the party visitor stands at awe of the good behavior and politeness of this group. Age mix here was tame compared to the other mix ages classes that didn't work.

"This Teacher has to be a miracle maker." the visitor muttered.

"He has a way of speaking to those around his age. He has this way of interaction that is almost impossible. Gathering from the students whom work here, its always been a mysterious act here. Everyone very good at keep focus with a subject most other teacher would sly from."

This conversation will go the way you expected from a department leader talking about his colleagues. Ranting off topic and back again. Talking student interests and scoring of grades for the subject and the high demands of folks wishing he would do late night classes. Rumours followed on next and time snags their heels. Getting back on track of tasks as teacher and inspector.

...

"Gah!" Landing across the last few step up a small confined entry, "Ouch." Finding balance from the directional disregard of shadow corridor traverses. He pushed the door open at the top of uneven leveled steps, worn of years of walking steps.

Forgive the break of story here.

Author's rant here:

That staor well would be like many stone castles across the UK. Most scary had to be Warwick Castle. It was a tight spiral staircase of circular shaping going up, wrapped and aged from its services. A points its a big stretch and nearly steer climbing in places, in total darkness. Did I forget to mention that there is no light because is a castle? Originally was going to remove this from the story but I felt that it does not justice if I did. My younger self writting this section went on and on for another paragraph. I really must have been a visitor to the castle at the time I originally made this section.

For as much as I love history and the English castles around me, I still remember nearly breaking a leg at Warwick when climbing up one the towers to the roof view... followed with the same experience of having door slammed in my face for no explanation. These wasn't any air pressure or change of temperature to explain that. Duh, did it here too. Sheesh... can't help myself.

The person at the other side of the door that James slams open, were fantasticly knocked head first with the door and dropped at the floor from the displacement of weight. James was about to check if they were OK yet is then slammed forcefully backwards down the stairs. The sheer presence and shape of Grey and Sean had knocked him to flow with the motion, slipping shadow all the way to ground floor. Landing flat on his back, at the middle of the way where anyone walking the priest enrty into the monastery would have to step over him. The hand made rug that must have been four generations to complete at this scale was paper thin and gives no comfort with the tiled floor underneath. He stares up at the ceiling above scared to move again.

"Most unorthodox methods of showing up as always. You know, I think mother used to complain about that."

Dressed appropriately for something important, the gold crown nested perfect around his head. A suitable size that wouldn't let if it fall when looking down on James sprawling floor. The manner of speaking is smoothing with the occasional accent jump with speaking certain words.

"Had to drop in, king. You had sent the request and I just had to be here." James got up normally and thankfully the suit uniform he uses as a teacher was suitable. He doesnt dare move at all from this spot, rooted to it in fear of triggering displeasure among the faiths here. He was terrified of causing anything that he hates cleaning up after. He does enough work outside of timeline doing that already.

"I want your blessings for whichever God I choose to follow under." Being all puffed up and proud. A sort of inspection of James blank reaction for a while. The brother soon waved in front of eyes and now James give a nervous shrug.

"Sure, just not literally. If I gave you a blessing, you find they would run the other direction. You have my word that I not going to dislike most of the possibilities of chooses. I may have a few that I have grievance for unrelated matters but overall. You have my not literally blessing." His pinched by one of his sisters, "Ouch... I was being for real."

"Oh come on, you make the only dead guy we can ask about any dirty laundry over. It will be hilarious." He puts up with the playful nature of his living family. He can't give them that request of speaking secrets but he could hover around them in interest to see what gods are going to chance this year. Out of respect, he will do what his dead family can't on their behalf. Since they are sealed in a locked city that would let them leave otherwise.

"The dead can not walk among the living!" The pope hissed among the group with a bless staff batting James, "There is no place for the likes of you."

"Harsh..." James pouts with letting the pope doing this too. Showing his gentle care among living people. He was proving a point with the gods around here.

"Alright, stop annoying our brother." James arm locked around the neck by the smallest, scuffing up his hair and playing around, "Who said that this was the dead brother anyways?" They were trying to protect him, "We get that dead people don't normally walk among us but then you need to explain how we have Oath hunters and grim reapers allowed to walk holy grounds. Done even get me asking about why angels and demon folks can too. We all know that this church isn't exactly as to the heart good about it practices."

"Did you hear that they are sacrificing a stock of slaves to the gods like Dionysius, Bacchus and Gaea?" Each siblings play their part to cover James with their protection from the pope by pointing out the unpleasant truths. It works with the humans but this wasn't sliding with the gods overhearing them.

"To be fair, I didnt realise I could grapple you." Whispered at James.

"Because I am letting you and that I care for you all in my own way of showing it." James whispers back. They finally stop messing him about and took the tour. James can't help but make notices about what windows, statues and furniture was needing up keep. He eyes constantly dotting to avoid direct godly contact or stare return. Uncomfortable.

"Here is where your hand go, and then you trigger a way to speak directly with whomever wishes to bless you. You will be ranked by them accordingly."

"Aaaaah!" Someone whom was protective of the alter points and screams at James, "No. You will not break it again! You! You were banished from this church grounds centuries ago. You! You! Foul mock of a human. Begone!" The hot air clears from this individual and soon became a laughing match with siblings. They all laughing at James for being picked out so singled so quickly by a real eyed expert. A tear wipes away but the king as he came forwards.

"My brother has my invite to be here. If anyone has issue with this, it would have to be divine interference."

"Divine my..." James shuts Sean up very quickly.

"Forgive the metal cat, his mind is as much a miracle as his existence." The tail cuts James for stopping the blade speak for itself, "You would not believe just how sacred his presence is if you known what his true shape is." That actually correction had made Sean happy, moving the hand but now chooses to not need to speak.

"So it is..." The few god followers come out of hidden areas and at greeting, "A being whom is a speak between the final reaper and yourself. You're not required to take this test since you are already a god follower. Given the god you follow isnt a traditional one at any means of stretching any rules. It makes sense that you would be the dead brother with a reborn life. No need for a coffin, your own body is your coffin."

"Can I slice them?" Sean asks.

"Why? No. Not until we have a actual purpose to do it. Going around removing people's souls is rude. Didn't any of Death's master teachers teach that?" James at a language change with the two of them arguing.

"Enough!" the king brother isn't ignored. The room is settled with a solemn bow or direct attention.

The ceremony of God follower testing now at the turn of this generation, late as it may have been due to the chaos of attempted murder. The part of picking amulets was skipped and it was straight to touching the crystal stone for communion. It were the pick of the bunch for the gods. To smooth a deal with a person they can control. It goes without saying that the gods and goddesses picked wisely of which royal suited them. However their ranks of faith wasn't anything strong to be considered a god follower, only potential in case of untimely passing.

"Brother, I have a request. A request that should have been taken care of when you had my title. But I understood why you hadn't acted on it." Hand on shoulder, "Let some old the population pass... please." James knew what his brother is asking about. A bow is made as agreement to a promise he was already making with someone else.

"I made some wait to long. I hope they will forgive me."