by A. J. Medina
“But... the king?”
“Aye, Alora. You are the king’s second knight. He expects you to socialize with him. Just remember that he is the king. Show respect and you’ll be fine.”
“Aye.” I still wasn’t sure about that.
After putting the pieces back into their cutouts, the wizard put his chess set back in his closet. “Before we move on, I want you to know that your mornings will be spent with me and your afternoons and evenings will be spent as you see fit. As my apprentice you will have certain liberties. You must practice as much as possible, but how and when you practice is entirely up to you. You can practice alone or you can join the other knightlys and practice with them. Just practice and make sure you practice your magic as frequently as possible. This way you can do it without even trying.”
The rain was still coming down outside, if at all possible it seemed to be coming down harder and in more rapid succession than before.
“What’s on your mind, Alora?” the wizard asked.
I lowered my gaze from the clear roof that was above us. “I was hoping to go for a walk in the garden with the princess later, but with this rain I doubt she’ll want to.”
“Don’t underestimate the princess. She may be a princess, but she’s still young. Ask her... she might say yes.”
“I will.”
“Have you taken your vial?”
“Aye.”
“I would like to teach you something. It’s the first thing I learned.” Finally magic. He retrieved a candle from the shelf on the other side of his workshop and placed it in front of me.
“One of the things wizards can do is control fire. It’s quite fun once you get the hang of it. Watch.” He held his hand, palm down, on one side of the candle. He then waved his hand over it, in an arc, to the other side. His eyes flickered and the candle wick burst to life. My chin dropped.
“I knew you’d like that.” He snapped his fingers and the flame went out. He motioned with his hand offering the candle to me. “Now you.”
I stood and mimicked his motions—nothing. Ugh... why? I tried again... nothing. I waved my hand back and forth over the candle until my hand was a blur... still nothing.
“Easy. Clear your mind and focus on the flame. See it igniting in your mind and then do it.”
I closed my eyes and in the blackness behind my lids, I pictured the candle—its white, waxy length culminating at the wick. I pictured the wick sparking and the flame illuminating the darkness. My eyes opened and the flame rose from the candle upwards to the ceiling. The wizard raised his open palm to the flame and it curved towards him. His hands moved from side to side as he juggled the flame in a circle, like it was balls in his hand instead of fire.
He lifted both hands and in one swift downward push, the flame vanished.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” I said, both joyous and afraid.
“Neither have I,” he exclaimed. “Do it again. And this time see if you can do what I did.”
I shut my eyes again and pictured the flame. When I opened them the flame shot up from the candle. I raised my open palm and imagined I was calling it to me. The fire listened. I could feel the heat as it grew closer and when it was close enough I pushed it to my other hand and juggled it. I flashed a toothy smile.
“Now put it out.”
I lifted both hands and swooped down, like the wizard had done. The fire went out.
“Will you be willing to try something?” he asked.
I nodded, gleefully.
“Try to call the fire to you without using your hands. See if you can juggle it with just your mind.”
“But wizard—”
“Don’t worry. I’m here. Are you willing?”
“Aye.”
What was he doing, trying to cook me? This time I didn’t need to close my eyes. The flame shot up into the air and I called to the flame with my mind—it turned in my direction. The flame however wasn’t obeying like I wanted it to, it was heading straight for me. Spin, spin, turn—I tried to tell it. It wasn’t listening. “Wizard!”
He lifted his hands and forced it to extinguish.
My eyes started leaking. The wizard pulled me into his embrace. “There, there. It’s okay. Try it again?”
I lifted my head trying to see him through my tears. “You can’t be serious?”
“Alora, this is new and scary and exciting. I’ve never seen a wizard, let alone an apprentice, that could control fire with their mind alone. You will be a powerful wizard, but you can’t let fear stop you.”
I just stared at him. I didn’t feel like being roasted alive.
“Again?” he asked, an endearing smile creeping across his face.
I nodded.
Chapter 17
I ran through the castle city trying to avoid the pools of water on the ground. My hood was protecting me, but the rain was falling in buckets. The knights at the entrance to the guard’s wing saluted and opened the gate for me. I saluted them back and passed through the courtyard heading for the knight’s dining hall. The wizard said it was fine if I wanted to eat with them instead of at the palace. “But you will need to eat the evening meal at the palace. It would be rude not to,” were his exact words.
When I entered the dining hall I scanned it for Silas and Tessa. I spotted Tessa first, she was talking Thomas’ ear off by the looks of it, although he didn’t seem to mind. He was busy stuffing his face and nodding furiously to whatever she was saying. Silas was seated opposite them. I hung up my wet cloak and made my way over to them. Silas’ eyes lit up when he noticed me. He smirked and slid over so that I could join them. I lifted my leg over the bench and took my place among them.
“So how was it?” Silas was the first to ask.
“Fine.” I tried to resist the urge to let it all fly out.
“Fine?” Tessa asked. “Tell us about the palace.”
“It’s nice. You can come visit me. You’re all knights of the king’s guard.”
“I would love to visit you,” Aednat barked.
“You? You can not visit me,” I said.
Aednat lowered her head saying something under her breath.
“What was that?” I asked.
Aednat looked up in horror. “I didn’t say anything.”
“I swore I heard you mumbling something,” I teased.
“Nay, I... I was—”
“What did you learn today, besides how to torture Aednat?” Silas asked.
“I learned to play dragon chess.”
“What’s that?” Tessa asked.
“It’s a game that teaches war strategy,” Silas answered. “Maybe I could challenge you,” he said, and then winked.
“Mm—hmm.” I didn’t know what to say besides that. His violet eyes were causing me to lose my mind.
“I want to play,” Tessa said.
“I’m not that good yet. Maybe when I get better I can teach you.”
“I can teach you.” Silas threw her a wink.
Those are my winks, I wanted to scream at him, but when I saw the way Thomas was focused on Tessa, I calmed down. I could tell he didn’t like that wink either.
“Are you two... together?” I asked Tessa.
“She smiled at Thomas and then nodded. “He kissed me last night.”
“Shhh...” Thomas said, jabbing her in the ribs.
“Well you did,” Tessa assured him.
“What else did you learn?” Thomas asked, trying to take the focus off himself.
“The wizard taught me how to control fire. I still need to practice, but it was brilliant.”
“Control fire!” Tessa’s eyes lit up. “Show us.”
“Not here. In my room perhaps. I have the rest of the day off to practice.”
“The wizard has us practicing in the courtyard the rest of the day. Maybe after?” Tessa hoped.
Neala walked into the dining hall and lowered her hood. Her cloak didn’t do a good job protecting her from the rain, her dress was soaked. S
he was scanning the knights until her eyes landed on me. She frantically waved me over and waited where she was. I climbed over the bench and when the others saw me leaving, turned around to see where I was headed.
“Neala, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“The princess is upset. She was anxious to hear about your morning with the wizard. When she asked him where you were, he told her you chose to eat with your friends.”
“Did she send you to fetch me?”
“Aye, and I highly recommend you go visit her in her room and apologize.”
“For what?” I didn’t think I had done anything to upset her.
“For... I don’t know... hurting her feelings?”
“The princess will have to wait. I am not her personal entertainment.”
Neala raised her hands to her lips and shrieked. “Alora, what are you doing? The princess considers you a friend.”
“And I her, but she can’t expect me to—”
“Is something wrong?” I hadn’t noticed Silas until he spoke.
“Nay—”
“Aye!” Neala said worried.
“What’s happening?” Silas pressed.
“The princess is upset that Alora didn’t eat her midday meal at the palace.”
“And now she sent for me.”
“Go to her,” Silas recommended, “she’s the princess after all.”
“But I want to be here with you.” I stepped into his personal space and took hold of his hand.
He brushed my cheek with his other one. “Meet me on the balcony tonight.”
“Nay, come to my room instead.”
He looked puzzled.
“I’ll send Neala to show you the way.”
He nodded.
Me and Neala walked back to the palace in silence. The princess is kind, but I’m second knight now. I can’t be seen as her play thing. I’ll still be her friend, but on my terms.
Neala followed me to the princess’ chambers and I could tell she got the feeling I was upset with her. I untied my cloak, removed my wet boots, and then handed them to her. “Take them to my room and wait for me,” I ordered her. I knocked twice and a chamber maiden I wasn’t familiar with answered the door. “Hello, I’m Alora. I’m here to see the princess.”
She moved out of the way and motioned for me to enter. The princess was face down on her bed and hurried to turn over while wiping her eyes.
“Princess?”
She sniffled. “Oh hello.”
Was she crying because I didn’t show up? She couldn’t be. “Why are you sad?”
“No reason.”
“Is it because I didn’t show up at the midday meal?”
She shook her head and then said, “The wizard said you wanted to spend time with your friends. I thought I was your friend.”
“Aye, you are, but I have other friends too. I wanted to see them and talk about what the wizard taught me today. I was going to come find you later and hoped you would walk with me in the garden.”
“Truly?” She was much happier now.
“Aye.”
“But in this weather? It’s raining buckets.”
I wiped the front of my second skin and flicked my fingers at her. “It’s only water.”
She shrieked. “But our feet? The mud...”
“It’ll be fun. Let’s go, but first let me show you something.” The princess perked up and sat straight. I thought I would make it more flashy for her. I pointed to her candle shelf, the one on top of her window. “Watch the candles on the shelf.” I snapped my fingers and all five candles came to life.
She applauded. “That’s brilliant.”
“Watch this.” I raised my hand and called the fire to me. When it reached my hand I deflected it upward and then forcefully hit it with my other hand. The fire streamed across her chambers to another set of candles. They hissed to life.
The chamber maiden gasped.
I waved my hand at the first five and they blew out. I waved my hand at the other ones and they went out too.
“Alora, that’s brilliant. You’ve mastered that just today?”
“I wouldn’t say mastered, but I’m getting there.”
The wizard asked me to practice the rest of the day and my little demonstration for the princess counted. At least in my book.
“You’ll be a great wizard,” the princess exclaimed.
There was a knock at the door.
“Princess, why did you send Neala to find me? Why didn’t you come yourself?”
“I didn’t send Neala to find you?”
“But she said—”
The maiden answered the door and the wizard interrupted. “I’m sorry Princess, but might I have a word with my apprentice.”
“Of course. Alora, are we still going to the garden?” the princess asked.
“She can go after I have a word with her,” the wizard said harshly.
When I walked into the passageway, Neala was standing there with her hands in her dress pockets, her eyes glued to the floor. The wizard walked to my chambers, opened the door and I followed him in. I waited, not sure what he was going to say.
“Neala told me what you said about the princess.”
How could she do that?
“She said you were acting like a child.”
“I wasn’t—”
“Did you apologize to the princess?”
“Not exactly—”
“Apologize to her!”
For what? “I didn’t do anything wrong. Her feelings were hurt, but when I told her I planned on finding her to walk through the garden, she cheered up.”
He stroked his chin and strode to the window. “Be careful Alora. I would not have you walk the path of my last apprentice. He too liked to challenge me. Arrogance is a trait that I will not condone.”
Arrogance? Is it arrogant to feel proud that I am a knight and that I am their captain? That I am the wizard’s apprentice and learning magic? I don’t believe it is.
“Do you know the story of my old apprentice?” When I didn’t answer he looked over his shoulder.
“Nay,” I said.
He turned back to face the window. “He was a good apprentice. Followed my lessons and learned quickly—like you. Also like you, he thought that because he was second knight he was above everyone else. He wasn’t.”
I didn’t think I was above everyone else.
He turned around to face me. “He began questioning me, asking why I wasn’t King. With all my power I could easily take over the kingdom and the realm. As time went by he became obsessed with power. He no longer returned the salute of other knights. His disrespect grew, no longer bowing to the princess and then he did the ultimate.
“He stole my book of spells and potions and left the kingdom. He is intent on taking over the realm and ruling with an iron fist. He wishes to enslave everyone and kill those that do not bow to him. But you know about that already don’t you?”
I nodded. “My parents… my home.”
“Aye. I wouldn’t want to see you go down that path. Remember the oath you took when you first arrived. The things you swore you would do. You swore allegiance to the king and the kingdom. To show courage in the face of your worst fears. To be honorable, courageous, and to strive for excellence. This is what is expected of you. I will forget what happened today, but you must swear it won’t happen again. Loyalty to the end. Can you do that?”
“Aye.”
“Then swear it!” His voice echoed throughout my chamber.
“I swear it!”
He smacked his fist to his chest and I did the same. As he walked off I mumbled, “I’m sorry, Wizard.” He paused at the door for a moment — I was sure he heard me — before he shut it gently behind him.
After he was gone I thought about what he had said. Perhaps his apprentice had challenged him too many times and he got tired of it. The rumors were true about the apprentice, he wants the kingdom for himself. Is he more powerful than the wizard? I dared not think s
uch a thing.
“Neala!” I yelled.
She burst through the door with her eyes wide and her body shivering. Her dress was still soaked, but I think she was shivering for a different reason. I could see her actions as a betrayal, or I could see it as she was only following the wizard’s orders. I chose following orders and I couldn’t be mad at her for that.
“Me and the princess are going for a walk in the garden. You’re coming with. Where are my boots and my cloak?”
She retrieved them from the wash room. I put them on and went to get the princess.
The three of us stood underneath the arbor that led from the palace to the garden. The rain hadn’t let up yet and it didn’t look like it was going to. I gave a cheerful look to both the princess and Neala and then rushed to undo the laces on my boots. “Shoes and cloaks off!” I gleefully shouted.
While they raced to remove their shoes, I bolted for the open area where the princess and me walked and discussed things. They gave chase and my toes dug into the ground and kicked up mud behind me. The princess squealed and when I turned, I saw she had been hit.
That didn’t stop her from chasing me and I tried to dodge her, but she was much quicker than I expected. The three of us ran around kicking up mud and we even fell down a few times. I was lucky because I was wearing my second skin, their dresses however, were stained brown. It didn’t seem to bother them one bit.
When we had our fill, we ran back to the arbor and collected our shoes. We left them off and ran into the palace with the princess leading the way. “Princess!” I called to her. She was leaving a trail of muddy footprints behind her—we all were.
She kept running. “Don’t worry, I’ll get my chamber maiden to clean it.”
When we arrived at her chambers, the princess commanded her chamber maiden to get help and clean up the mess we had created. Her maiden bowed and went on her way. The princess tossed her shoes into her room, shut the door and led the way to my chambers. In her best imitation of the queen she said, “That was so much fun. We all need to get cleaned up now, ladies mustn’t stay this dirty. Neala, please prepare the bath.”
Chapter 18
The wizard was in his workshop when the king entered. He didn’t have to say a word, the wizard could see it on his face. “They’ve crossed Ry’uet m’lord?”
