170 To Convince Death

Jack slid his body to the side, to allow his legs to dangle from his evening tomb's lid, as he surveyed his room.

Jack held out his arms, and called, "Leslie come to me."

Leslie with black stains on her face from the tears shed, near flew into the arms of Jack, as Jack received the impact.

He rubbed the small back of Leslie, he calmed down slightly, as he finally felt her in his embrace, as his sense told him this was real.

He patted her, as he whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Just shut up for a few minutes, and let me enjoy you," Leslie said with love and annoyance.

Dr. Hollowell wanted to leave, to allow the God-King to bond with his Consorts, but this went against all the teachings that she had ever had or read... He was dead... Dead-Dead in every sense of True Death, but he was sitting there and talking again...

Dr. Hollowell remembered a line from her mentor to many years ago, [That which is alive can die, and be brought back... That which is dead can not die again but leaves the world behind. To break this is taboo...]

After thinking this over, she couldn't help but stay to ask.

Emily sat awkwardly waiting for Jack to call her...

[Why isn't he calling me to him???] Emily wondered, as it has been five minutes now since him and Leslie began to cuddle. When was it going to be her turn? She was worried too...

After ten more minutes, as the room had long become awkward for the other two, Jack released Leslie from his hug.

Just when Emily thought Jack was going to call her, she heard him speak to Dr. Hollowell.

"Good evening, Doctor. I'm sorry to make you wait. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Dr. Hollowell gave a rare laugh, as she spoke, "I thought it was what I was going to do for you, but I couldn't do anything. Can you answer a question for me?"

"Well... Depends on what it is good Doctor." Jack said after a moment of thought, as his eyes flickered in thought, his hand extended to Leslie, as he didn't want to let go of her.

"How... How did you come back?"

"..." Jack thought this might be it.

"Well... I can't answer that directly, but I can give you a general gist."

"Please enlighten this one." Dr. Hollowell turned her body to face Jack completely, as she thought this might help her know practice better.

"I convinced Death to let me come back."

"...You... Spoke to Death..." Dr. Hollowell who was an atheist at heart didn't quite understand. She believed in powerful beings and magic, but that these beings were of mortal ascendence, not of a divine nature... Death would be of divine nature...

"Well... It's not just over Death, but other things. The most I can tell you, good Doctor, is that I convinced it to let me come back."

"Convince? How does one bargain with Death?"

Jack paused at this line of question from Dr. Hollowell... He did bargain with Yog-Sothoth... The lives of an entire world... While he steeled himself at the time to claim it done, but to think of it now... It was something hard to think about it.

Jack finally spoke, "Death is very bored, so I promised him some entertainment in the future."

"Enter...Tainment..." Dr. Hollowell looked up as she muttered, and then looked down... "I don't understand..."

"It's best not to think about it. Let me tell you one last thing before I send you off Dr. Hollowell... Perhaps this will ease your mind."

"Please ease it, God-King." Dr. Hollowell addressed Jack as his new title.

"I tried to answer your question the best I could, and have revealed more than I'm sure I should have... The nature of Life, The Universe, and Everything isn't even possible to understand with general thinking. It's what you make of it, least if you know what's actually going on... You may not be able to live with it and go mad... So promise me that you don't think more about this." Jack finished, as he brought Leslie's hand into both of his own.

Dr. Hollowell nodded a few times, though absentmindedly.

"Dr. Hollowell!" Jack rose his voice startling all within the room, and the buzzing of the Holy Palace ensured, and then eased.

"Yes!" Dr. Hollowell snapped to attention.

"I have something I wish for you to research if you have the time?"

"Oh, of course. What is it that I can do?"

"I wish for you to research the effects of Glowstone and zombie tissues. What happens when a piece of Glowstone is embedded into a Zombie's flesh... What happens... Tell me what happens in a cadaver and what happens in an unliving Zombie." Jack said after a bit of thought.

"Just... What is that you wish to do, God-King?"

"I have plan's that this knowledge will help with... Please work on it as soon as you can... I need to know."

"Of course." A fire burned in the eyes of Dr. Hollowell, as she swiftly left the room.

Leslie, was the first the break the silence, after Dr. Hollowell's departure, "Did death make you kind-hearted?" Leslie freed her hands from Jack's grasp and reached for his large skull, as she looked deeply into his eyes.

Jack chuckled, "It does change one's perspective, but a broken doctor isn't any worth to me."

"I see... Then I am relieved." Leslie smiled brightly, but as she smiled brightly, she lifted her small skeletal hand, as it slapped Jack across his face, with a dull sound of bone colliding.

Jack's felt little from the impact but was greatly shocked. He looked down into the eyes of Leslie that had black tears again beading at the edges.

"Don't make me worry again... This is the second time! STOP THIS!"

"...I'm-"

"I don't want your apology... That doesn't ease the pain in my heart! I want you to promise that you never do this again! If you can't win... Then run! Run away! Let the whole kingdom rot if you have too, We can always rebuild, We can always make another Kingdom, as long as you exist Deagoth will never die... But if you leave... Then Deagoth and I leave this world with you." Leslie poured out her bottled feelings.

"I understand. Never again, then." Jack reached down and brought Leslie into his embrace holding her in his arms to soothe her.

After another period of time, Emilly uttered out, "Ummm..." As she was left out...

"Yes, Emily?" Jack turned his head to see Emily fidgeting on the corner of his large chair.

"..." Emily didn't understand why Jack was being so distant... Wasn't it obvious that she wanted to be doted on as well... Was what happened between them only a dream?

Leslie hit Jack on his rib cage with her small skeletal hand, as she mentally messaged, [Bone head... She wants some attention... Even you can see that... Why are you bullying your little Consort.]

[Emily wants freedom from me. So, I don't wish to bind her here. I will get her a new body, and release her back to the world.]

[What...? It doesn't seem that way to me...]

[I'm pretty sure it's that way.] Jack nodded, as he turned back to look at Leslie.

Leslie in turned looked to Emily, as she thought within her mind, [She just doesn't look like that too me...]

[Just cuddle her anyway... She was really worried, you jerk... Even selfishness knows a bound. Love her a bit, while I go let everyone know you are alright.]

Jack chuckled, [Alright. Only because my most beloved has commanded me.]

Warmth blossomed in the bosom of Leslie, as she reached up and kissed Jack on his teeth. She slid out of his embrace and reached the door of the room. She looked over her should to Emily and winked, as she left.

Emily saw this and lamented she couldn't wink, though she understood the meaning.

As the door closed behind her, Jack turned to see Emily in thought. He slid off the evening tomb, as walked over to his chair.

Emily finally getting attention, raised her arms, as she wished to be picked up. Jack complied, and picked her up, and placed her in his lap, as he took a seat in his desk chair.

Emily snuggled the bareboned Jack, even as she wondered what was with the annoying sound of that beating heart in his chest.

"Emily..." Jack called.

"Mmmmm?"

"I plan to release you. You are my Consort, but We haven't married. I plan to release you from my binds and send you to make your own place."