Chapter Three: The Wedding Announcement

      My mother popped into my room without me going to the door.  I was still in my underwear for

 goodness sake.  I felt it was downright rude of her not to use the door when I was practically nude.  

Her being a witch was just exercising her powers to pass through solid objects, and I did not like it one

bit!  Mother just explained to me I'd be able to pass through solid objects someday, too, probably 

sooner than I'd like to think of.

       By this time, I had changed myself under the covers.  Mother just took this time to make herself a 

chair out of thin air and sat upon it.  She then stated, "Michael, in a few months (Jan 1), your father and

I am to be married.  I know that you do not like thinking of Prince Baltimore Darwin as your Father,

but nonetheless, he is.  He also wants to place his last name legally at the end of yours so that all three

of our names will be the same, and you won't look like a bastard. such as you are now." 

      Though I thought about what Mother had said, I was left with mixed emotions.  After all,

if the two of them want to be married, let them, after all, they will be happy with life.  On the other 

hand, why should I let this man, after twelve years, give me his last name legally?  It was like adoption, 

but not adoption. Let the truth be known, after all these years, I have felt that my Grandfather was my 

real Father, and now, after all this time, they're calling me a bastard!  How dare they?

      As I, Michael, thought on these things, I looked toward going to school in the Spring.  My 

Mother just patted me on the head and said, "Well, you think about it, but if you want to make Mommy

happy you will accept the name change." 

        I talked this over with Peter and Ivory to get their advice.  Peter said," The commoners call your 

father a Duke because he started the Magic School, and the fact that he has no heir.  Now that it has 

gotten out that he has an heir, well, little Prince, we'll just have to see what the History books will have 

to say now.  My advice is you take on his name when offered, so as you do not get called the Bastard 

Prince or worse."

       I then turned to my confidant, Ivory, who said, "I do not know all that Peter knows about this land,

but if you want a happy Mommy, you will accept the name change.  The worst thing that could 

happen is that they could place a purple and lavender cloak on you and take away the Magneta and

Pink one."

       This time, when Grandfather comes to the door, the door announces, "Dr. Bloodstone is

at the door". 

        We all looked a bit confused since we had never heard of a Dr. Bloodstone before, but we told the 

door to let him in.  As it turned out, Dr. Bloodstone was Grandpa.  I just said, "Grampa, I never knew 

you were a witch doctor." 

         To which Grandfather said, "I own the Bloodstone Medical Hospital, and you have to be a

witchdoctor (or it helps) to do that.  Now, as for your questioning about letting Prince Darwin give

you his last name, allow it.  I'm not your father, and it is about time the Duke of Education took some

responsibilities for you!"  

           It was getting to the point that I must take the last name of Darwin like it or not, if for no other 

reason than political reasons.  In the meantime, the Duke of Education, Prince Baltimore Darwin, stood 

outside my room. The door told him, "No one is in residence at the moment."  

           To which the Duke of Education, Prince Baltimore Darwin, asked the door, "Where might I find 

my son Michael?"

          The Door simply stated, "At Miss Moussey's  Pizza House, or in the park, I'm not for certain."

          Prince Darwin thanked the door for the information and disappeared in a purple smoke.  The 

Prince reappeared once again at Miss Moussey's Pizza House.  The purple smoke appeared close to my

table. The smoke scared me out of my wits.  Then out of the smoke appeared the Duke of Education,

Prince Baltimore Darwin. 

          I said hello to the Duke of Education, and he sat next to Ivory and me.  The Duke of  

Education told me that "he and mother rekindled their relationship and were to be married on January 

1st by the king.  He asked if I would take part and be his best man?"

         He went on to ask if I would do him the honor of taking his last name?

          I assured him that "I was well aware of his attentions for my mother. It was quite, well, time he

 took his place in the family.  I am already your son and would only find it correct to take your name."

         The Duke of  Education, Prince Baldwin Darwin said,: Then from this day forward you will be

known as Prince Michael Darwin,"

         I thought the term "Prince" was his pet name for me.  I came to find out I was as wrong as ever 

could be!  The King who was to marry them was my paternal grandfather.  I therefore became, by 

becoming one with the family of Darwin, a distant heir to the throne.  This would not be made clear 

to me until days later.  

         The four of us ate at Miss Moussey's Pizza, and each had a chocolate chip cookie.  We then went 

to the park to burn off some energy.  The Duke of Education had other plans and disappeared in a puff 

of smoke.  The Duke let my mother know all was set with their little prince.  Plans were already for 

January first.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Paul D Eccles