Thirty-Nine:
As they walked to the castle, Ariadne talked with enthusiasm of becoming a real princess.
"And when Jack returns to the castle with his new crown," she said, "I can have a real tiara not made of plastic, and we can get a real crown for you, and we can all live happily ever after."
"I will live in the castle?" said Spot. "With the King and Queen of the World?" To the little dog, Ariadne's offer sounded like life caged outside of the big top again.
"I'm sorry," said Brian. "But Spot has to return home with me. My parents depend on him to keep them safe. We need him to hold the monsters at bay."
"Monsieur le Brian speaks... true," said Spot. "I cannot deny the responsibility to Mademoiselle and Monsieur les Parents."
"I suppose being a prince and princess wouldn't mean all that much if we had to leave another family without," said Ariadne, broken hearted. Mimbleshaw greeted the prince and princess. Jack told Mimbleshaw to extend their hospitality to Spot and Brian.
"Cosimo, you were wrong," said Brian. "The Minotaur didn't kill us."
"I said no king ever returns from the maze," said Mimbleshaw. "I was not wrong, Human. Perhaps a little disappointed. To see you not at all bewildered. But not overly so."
"I will try to be less magnificent next time," said Spot. "But I can offer no guarantee."
Having survived their ordeals, the dog and the boy were free to return to their neglected parents, where they were needed and tolerated. With our story finished, Gentle Reader, you and I for now must part. As the intervening time goes by, remember the fundamental wisdom against which cruelty falls like rain and anvils if you share it too casually. Validating someone's story is the basic measure for the respect we need to make our lives the least bit comfortable. Love is always personal. If we make ourselves the same, one heartbreak will devastate us all. So much more vulnerable are we within maze and castle walls.
Keep the truth safe, my darling. Keep it safe for the coming century, when the truth will no longer be taboo. Keep it safe for when we can only imagine ever needing jesters to let us know what is. And, as always, pray God in Heaven protects His Children from what they dream.
