70 new adventures & sad endings

Making it back to the ship, I collected Oliver and Gérard.

I found them in the small cabin that had belonged to the captain of the ship, Anton, before he loaned it to us for the trip.

It was big enough for them to add another two hammocks for me and one of the boys.

They were currently sitting on the ground playing with some of the Toys I had gotten for them in Paris.

I asked if they wanted to do a little more exploring of a new city.

And of course they said yes.

Leaving the ship I made sure to bring both John and Henry so they could carry anything we had bought.

It was good to be back in my old stomping grounds.

It had changed so much that this was like a whole new experience for me, just like it was for the other's.

We ended up buying more clothes for myself and the boys.

I got new tunics as well as a new black cape that had a nice hood to cover my head while in the most concentrated place of religion in all of Europe.

You couldn't be too careful.

We visited everywhere that interested us.

And as we went, I noticed that we were being followed by a group of my Banks guards.

They stayed at a distance, but stood out like a kangaroo in a tuxedo.

With their black legionary armor and purple cloaks, they drew the most attention.

My guess was Alexious sent them out to watch out for us.

We ended up spending nearly a month in Rome itself.

Exploring, and just relaxing.

While we were there, I also made a few paintings of the place, making sure to make it as realistic as my abilities to paint would allow.

Because who knew, maybe historians would love to know what ancient Rome looked like fully instead of guessing.

After that, I decided to continue our little expedition, and went east.

Using the same ship again, we went east to Egypt.

This change of climate was hard on everyone, but after a few days, and a couple of tips from me on how to stay cool, they started to improve.

I made sure both Oliver and Gérard had the best clothes for the weather, and showed them how to wrap their head scarves, if they wanted to cover their faces from the wind and sand.

Again we shopped and bought anything that caught our attention.

I also spent a few days painting Egypt and what remained of the pyramids.

After that, I decided we would go across land to Baghdad, which was the center of everything that was happening in the middle east at the moment.

By now it had already been nearly two years, and both Oliver and Gérard were growing. It truly amazed me how much kids grow in such a short time.

Not even ten years old, Gérard was nearly five foot, while his younger brother Oliver wasn't far behind.

Both boys were like sponges, taking in the world around them. From languages, to cultures, and different climates, like fish to water.

They could now speak with John and Henry, after many nights by the fires, as I teached them the languages they wanted to learn.

I had also shown them how to fight. At first I showed them moves with the pair of daggers I had gotten for each of them to carry.

And as they grew bigger and stronger, I also showed them hand to hand. Which they showed to be naturally skilled in.

Baghdad was a blast, where the boys truly found their love for exploration.

Many times I would let them run free in the streets. But I did tell them if they were ever in trouble, go to the large gringotts bank I had in Baghdad, and to show them the gold cards I had given to each boy, and they would know what to do.

There was only ever one problem. Some street thugs saw them spending a good deal of gold, so they thought it would be a good idea to try and rob both Oliver and Gérard.

Long story short, both boys went to town on them.

Incapacitating seven grown men without needing to kill any. Their smaller size helped them do so.

As it turned out, that group of men were bribing the area's guards to let them do what they wanted.

And as the guards saw what they did, the guards ended up chasing both Oliver and Gérard through the streets, All the way to the bank.

But both Oliver and Gérard are quite nimble, and beat the guards there easily.

Both boys ran up showing the bank guards the gold cards with my symbol on it.

And since all guards at all my banks come from and are trained at my Rome bank, they knew well what that symbol meant.

It ended up in a long standoff with the guards of the city.

The only problem was that the Baghdad bank being the central gold holder for practically the entire middle east, had a lot of guards, and I mean a small army of very well trained men.

8,000 to be exact.

When I showed up, I was pretty amazed when I saw the standoff.

In front of my bank was every one of my Banks guards in their gleaming black legionary armor and helmets, with large black shields in front of them, making a long wall, with their purple capes fluttering in the wind.

while all of the city's guards, known as the mamluks, who were slaves and soldiers that were loyal to the caliphate, numbered around 10,000.

They Stood about 50 feet from each other.

But without all the armor, or shields, and with crappy looking swords.

As it turned out, those thugs were a part of a much larger organization that was bribing a good number of the city's guards.

And as soon as the corrupt guards were threatened by my guards, they called some of their buddy's, who were also corrupt, who then called the rest of the guards that weren't.

Everything was so jumbled at the time, that by the time the majority of guards that weren't corrupt got there, nobody knew what was happening, and assumed something bad had happened between the city's rulers and the bank, causing the standoff to ensue.

The standoff only ended when Baghdad's leadership had to get involved. Telling their men to stand down.

They sent 10 large chests of gold as an apology.

They did that because they knew my bank was the only reason Bagdad made so much money, and if we were to leave, its money would dry up quicker than a drop of water in the desert.

As a result of all of this, they ended up sending their most loyal guards to investigate the issues.

And let's just say, the city was short on guards for a while. As nearly a quarter of them were hanging from the city's walls.

When they investigated the crime ring that was bribing the guards, it wasn't hard for them to find them.

Mainly because I left the three hundred heads of all its members in the center of their city in the most populated area for all to see.

I ended up splitting the chests of gold that was given to the bank, to both Oliver and Gérard, opening up an account for them.

So now both of them were richer than most nobles in their own right.

We continued our journey a few months later, heading to India.

We ended up staying in India for three years, experiencing its rich culture.

The main reason why we stayed so long was because I decided it was about time to start expanding my banks some more.

I sent a message by ship to Alexious in Rome to get everything started.

It took two months to get a response, and that response was of a delegation to be sent to every ruler in India.

Not for there to be a bank in each of their lands.

But for the delegations to find out who would be the best rulers we can trust enough for us to place our bank in their lands.

It took nearly a year for the delegations to get together again, and the ones to come out on top was the Delhi sultanate.

I left the whole planning thing to the delegations, and headed our own way.

We decided not to continue east, as I got word of the Mongols causing some trouble.

So we started making our way back to England.

Of course we didn't just take a boat back. Instead we went by land, going from city to city or town to town.

By the time we passed through France again to take a boat across, we had 4 carts with horses pulling them.

I guided one,John and Henry with one each, and Oliver and Gérard together on one.

It had been almost ten years now, and both boys were practically adults.

Gérard trying to grow a beard, but all he could manage was a patchy stubble at 18.

And Oliver who had developed a love for the arts and knowledge.

We got a ship to take us across to England.

I wore a cloak to cover my now fully regrown hair, as we stepped from a full ship.

"Why is it so cloudy?" Gérard asked as he looked up at the sky.

"get used to it, It's always cloudy here." I said with a smile, as I looked around the familiar area.

It took the whole day for all of our stuff to be unloaded from the ship.

So to pass the time, we walked the streets of London.

With its ramshackle buildings that looked ready to fall with the slightest gust of wind, and its winding roads that smelt of shit.

I couldn't have been happier to finally be back.

"So this is where you come from?" Oliver asked from behind me, as I led us.

"Kind of. I never really had a home, I was always moving from one place to the other. But I have spent more years here than anywhere else, so I guess it is." I said, sidestepping a passed out drunk man.

"And why here? There are many other places that would be more favorable." Oliver asked.

I chuckled.

"You might not be able to see it now, but one day this place will rival all the others."

I hadn't told them of my immortality, and I wasn't sure if I would.

Thankfully neither John or Henry had spilled the beans about that.

Probably because we hadn't spoken of it since that night in the forest, all those years ago, so it was deep in their minds, buried under all the memories of the traveling we had done.

But I knew it would only be a matter of time before I wouldn't have a choice.

"And besides, I did build a house here, so technically this is my home for the day that I'm too tired of all the traveling, and only think of relaxation."

"You have a home?" Gérard asked with a chuckle.

"Yes I have a home. I built it with my own hands." I said Turning to give him a look.

Neither of them knew too much about me, other than the fact that I was a traveler with seemingly unlimited money, and had close relations with the scattered Gringotts banks.

"It will be a tight fit for all of us, with a friend of mine and his wife who stay there. He stayed here to watch over the house and to deal with some business here for me. But it won't be too bad, we have slept in much worse, and we can add on an extra room to the house for the both of you." I said, coming to a stop to let a pair of men who were in a fight pass by.

"It might be nice to settle down for a while." Oliver said.

"Mm, maybe." Gérard said, as he turned to look into a bakery that had an enticing smell wafting from its door.

Early the next morning, we pulled our carts of stuff out of the walls of London, and I started to head home.

It didn't take me long to figure out something was different.

Walking down the dirt road, I saw that the small trail that had once led to my home had been widened.

And from the look of it, well used.

Turning down the road, we walked down it and took the left turn, which should have revealed my small stone home.

Instead it showed nothing but more fucking road.

I came to a stop for a moment as I stared at the spot where my home should have sat.

But instead there was nothing but a road.

Even my beech tree was gone.

'What the fuck?' I thought.

Moving down the road some more, surprised at how much longer it was.

Twenty minutes later, I found out why the road was so long now.

Coming out of some trees that were on both sides of the road, I got my first glimpse of a massive castle.

"That little shit!" I shouted as I saw it.

"He built a fucking castle and demolished the home I had built with my own two hands!" I continued, as I picked up the pace, so I could give a thousand year old man child an ear full of my rage.

Making it to the large wooden door that was open.

I was stopped by a pair of guards.

"Move out of my way, or I'm going to throw the both of you out of it." I said, with a snarl.

"Ha, yeah right." The one to my left said.

"Nobody is to enter without the lord's permission." the one to my right added.

"Oh really" I said, now washing my face of anger, and spreading a wide smile across my face.

"Let it be that way then." I said, before either of them knew what was happening, I smashed their heads together.

Not hard enough to kill them, but to give them one hell of a migraine, when they woke.

Leaving the carts behind, I strode through the courtyard of the stone castle, until I made it to another pair of large wooden doors.

Restricting my strength, I pushed the doors open, letting them slam into the walls as I strode in.

"Julius, get down here now!" I roared, knowing that no matter where he was in the caste, he could hear me.

It only took two seconds for me to hear the flutter of cloth, as Julius blurred into the large reception room.

"ah, Adam, your back." Julius said, with a wide smile, as he came in for a hug.

But our reunion was short-lived.

Because as soon as he was in range, I swung.

Landing a solid punch to the left side of his face, sending him flying backwards, and into a stone pillar.

"You destroyed my home, and built this." I said, striding forward.

"Wait, wait." Julius managed to get out.

"We didn't have a choice, the building collapsed right on top of us." Julius got out in a panicked rush.

I posed.

"It what?" I asked.

"The beech tree died some time ago. And during a bad storm it was knocked over and landed right on the house." Julius again said quickly.

I stared at him for a solid minute, before the sounds of rushing feet could be heard.

Coming from behind me, with their swords drawn, were Oliver and Gérard ready for a fight.

"Adam, are you alright?" Gérard asked, as they came into the room.

Taking a deep inhaled breath, I turned to look at them.

"Yes I'm fine. It just seemed some people here had forgotten about me."

"But there is good news, you will each have your own rooms."

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little upset.

That place had been my home for literally almost a thousand years, and to find out that it was gone was like a kick to the sack.

But I also had to admit that the place had been falling apart when I had left, and there was only so much longer it could have held together.

The introductions were pleasant, aspeshaly when Jane returned from a hunt.

The look of shock on their faces when she walked in was priceless, and never before had I wished for a camera.

It took me a while to become accustomed to living in the castle.

With more rooms than we would ever need, I started to feel that lonely feeling again, as I would walk down empty halls.

But then that started to change.

Gérard of all people took a liking to one of the maid's of the castle.

Her name was Isabel, and was a blond woman, of larger proportions than was common to this Era.

In the 21st century, she would be considered triangular. Or In other words, bottom heavy.

a very pretty woman.

Before I knew what was happening, I was sitting in a church as they got married.

Not even a few months later, his wife was pregnant.

And to all of our surprise, they had a pair of daughters.

Not much later, Oliver brought back a girl he had been courting for a few months.

Her name was Emma.

A short brunette with Cole black eyes and a skinny figure.

And just like Gérard, they were also married.

And having kids shortly after.

Both by the age of twenty, which was quite old to be getting married at this time.

Commonly 13 to 15 was the average.

Now a few years later, our castle was bustling with life and activities as small children seemed to be everywhere, as both Isabel, and Emma, just seemed to be having children one after the other.

The best part of it all, was that they all called me grandpa.

Which was funny, because both Gérard and Oliver were starting to look older than me, while I looked to be no older than a teenager myself.

Gérard and Oliver hadn't asked me about it yet, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they did so.

And like I thought they would, they did ask.

They asked me why neither myself or Julius and Jane never seemed to age.

So I had the talk with them, the whole "I'm 'the' Adam" talk.

Which they took quite well, and apparently had kinda guessed, which surprised me a bit.

But they told me That in all of their travels with me, they had never seen anyone else with white hair. And after coming to the castle they had finally had the chance to read the bible themselves and put the pieces together.

But Jane and Julius were a different storie all together, and was harder for me to explain.

So I had Julius help me.

We showed them the pros and cons of becoming a vampire, like immortality and the powers that came with it.

They sat and didn't ask any questions and just let us explain.

At the end of it all, I asked them the important question.

Did they want to become one.

Neither said anything for a while before Oliver asked the first question.

"What happens to the soul when you become one of these vamp-ire's?" he asked.

I thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"We don't know." I said.

For all I know it's perfectly fine, and nothing happens to it.

Or I could be wrong, but I can't see them, so who knows.

It took them a few days to make there decisions.

And it was to stay human. They didn't want to risk their souls.

I was sad when they told me that.

I had become more connected to them then anyone I had ever before.

And now I knew that one day, they would be gone.

So I decided to spend as much time with them as I possibly could.

And I did.

We would go on the occasional Adventures.

Sometimes we would go north to the lands of the Scott's, or every now and again, wives permitting, would go across the pond to France.

But there is only so long in a mortal life, and at the age of 68, Oliver was the first to go.

He went in his sleep.

Never knowing he was passing on.

He was buried in a large tomb I had constructed within the castles church.

The tomb was large enough to hold ten generations of their children.

Something special that happened when they were alive was take on my last name grey.

Being born as peasantry they never had one, so they decided to take my own.

So the tomb became known and the tomb of the Grey's.

The time after Oliver's passing was hard on us.

Even Julius and Jane.

But me in particular.

I felt a numbness that seemed to take the light from my eyes.

And not long after his brother, Gérard also passed at 74 years.

He was buried with his brother in the tomb.

By now there children already had children and families themselves, and farms to run that I had bought for them, so I didn't get to see them much anymore. It was probably best that way anyhow.

I was sure they knew who I really was to the world, but that didn't seem to matter to them.

To them I was just grandpa.

Henry and John had died many years ago, after living out the remaing 30 years of their lives as rich men, in large homes. And from what I heard, surrounded by many women.

Sucks for them, that in both of their wills, I had all of their money donated to churches and orphanages, since neither of them had kids, or were actually close to any of their mistresses.

But now without much left for me here, I left again.

With no destination, or an idea in hell of what I was going to do.

Just that I needed time to heal.

And I couldn't do that in a place that reminded me of my adopted children at every turn.

_______________

Word-3,905

I'm really tired now, so I can't check for mistakes at the moment.

And since I don't work tomorrow, I'm sleeping in.

And probably won't be up until after this chapter will be posted.

So let me know what's wrong with it and I will fix it soon

And just an update.

This is going to be the last chapter for a few days while I write some chapters for my other fan-fictions.

-BEAN-