Magician Prince

by Curtis Cornett

  “Halt!” commanded a guardsman as Tomlin got closer. He looked weary, but serious. He was dressed in heavy armor and brandished a sword and shield. From the crest of a raven on his armor, he was marked as one of the royal guard. “You may go no further.” Another stood by his side and helped bar Tomlin’s path.

  “Alia!” Tomlin called out and the enchantress turned her head at hearing her name. When she saw Tomlin she smiled widely and when she saw whom he held there was no force that would have stopped her from meeting him. She pushed past the guards with barely a thought and snatched up Avelice. Tears freely flowed down her face as Alia held her daughter close to her chest.

  Then it was Tomlin’s turn and she squeezed him so tightly that the young bard thought they might crush Avelice between them. “Thank you,” she said over and over again until the words began to lose meaning. Tomlin hugged her back, not knowing what to say.

  The queen soon joined them and Tomlin was very aware of her observant gaze. She watched them carefully, but soon noted a smile creep up the corners of the queen’s mouth and she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief that must have been stuffed in one of her pockets. “Guards, please step aside.” Her tone was commanding, but kind.

  “At once your grace,” agreed the man who first stopped Tomlin.

  “Is this?” the queen asked Alia.

  Alia broke their embrace and nodded to the queen. She held the baby and stepped in close so that the queen could get a good look at her. “This is your granddaughter, Avelice.”

  Chapter 39

  The walls were damp, giving the air a chill to it. Sane knew this place well. He spent much of the last year in this dungeon below the palace being tortured by Prince Janus. Walking its halls, the old memories of pains and humiliations sprang back to life. It was early in their torture sessions when the old sorcerer lost his eye due to the prince’s overzealous “interrogations” and subsequent refusal to provide him with a healer’s attention that would have prevented the loss. Later Janus and his men learned to be more cautious with the elderly sorcerer, but that damage was already done. Sane was of much greater value as a prisoner and unwilling servant than he was as a dead man. However, they saw little point in keeping him well nourished or providing him with any other niceties that would have cost them nothing, but would have meant so much to the beleaguered man. It hurt Sane to relive those memories even if only for a brief time. He was glad that Janus was dead and his foulest conspirators like the dwarf, Gilkame Axebeard, who made those damnable collars were taken from the castle. It saddened him a little that he could take pleasure in another’s misery, but he could not help thinking that they got what they deserved. The crimes of kidnapping and murdering orcs to make their collars had been made known by the Collective and even now a contingent of soldiers and magicians were on their way to a meeting with the orcs of Dread Marsh where the prisoners would be turned over into their custody as a peace offering. Today would be the dawning of a new age in Aurelia and he had only one more errand to take care of in this dismal place.

  Finally, Sane stopped at a cell and looked into the darkness. There was a man sitting there amongst the shadows. He was chained to the wall and dressed in rags, but he had a cot and a blanket to keep him warm. The man’s black hair was greasy and tangled, obscuring his downcast face from being recognizable in the dim light. However, Sane knew this man well enough that he had no doubt to his identity. “Hello, Kellen.”

  The man who until very recently was a respected knight of the kingdom looked up. Bags under his eyes showed that he had not been sleeping well in his new home. Kellen looked at Sane, but his stare was lacking in any sort of emotion before he put his head back down. “I heard it all the way down here. It was Byrn’s voice declaring himself the new ruler of Aurelia and if you are freely walking down here, then I can only assume that the Collective won out in the end. The funny thing is that it is not even Byrn, but a pretender wearing his skin.” Kellen looked up to see if there was any surprise on Sane’s face, but not seeing any, he asked, “You knew and still you serve under this fake?”

  “I knew that Xander Necros took Byrn’s body, but you can rest assured that Xander Necros is dead and the Collective did not win,” Sane answered the accusation calmly. “In fact, they are going to disband according to an agreement reached between the queen and Alia Necros after weeks of negotiating between representatives of Aurelia and the Collective.”

  “Byrn- the real Byrn is dead too,” said Kellen. This time the former knight was rewarded with seeing a hint of surprise in Sane’s reaction.

  “How did you hear of that down here?” asked Sane.

  “I saw it,” said Kellen. “I was on the ship when Janus slit his throat and threw him overboard. Of course, everyone thought he was really Xander Necros, but I knew the truth.”

  Sane suppressed a sad smile. “If that is eating at your conscience, you can let it go. Byrn survived that attack.” He took a key from his pocket and used it to unlock Kellen’s cell. The knight stared at him as Sane entered and stood just out of the chain’s reach. “Byrn told me that you helped him on the ship when Janus tried to have him collared. Why did you do that?”

  Kellen eyed the key in the sorcerer’s hand. This one was for his cuffs that kept him chained to the wall. “What do you want, Sane? Tell me what is going on.”

  “Queen Wendi has pardoned you on condition that you reaffirm your loyalty to the Aurel bloodline and perform a task that she has deemed to be of great importance.” Sane unlocked the shackles unceremoniously and left the confines of the cell before Kellen could follow. “As for my question, it is mine alone to satisfy my curiosity. Not that long ago you personally collared me, one of your oldest friends, but when it was to be done to Byrn, someone that you viewed with, at best, distaste you helped him. Why?”

  “What I did to you can never be undone. Every day since then I wished that I could take back that moment. I can only imagine the tortures you suffered as a result of my actions that night. When I saw it about to happen again, I did not think. I knew I had to stop it.”

  “Thank you for helping him,” said Sane, “I don’t know if I will ever be able to forgive you for what you did to me. A part of me wants to forgive you, but I cannot. Still thank you for helping Byrn.”

  Sane led the way back to the entrance to the dungeon and up and out to the castle proper. “Clean clothes and a warm bath have been drawn for you in my old apartments. We must hurry along now or we will miss the queen’s speech.”

  Kellen followed him closely. “Again you mention the queen. Does that mean that Janus…?”

  “He is dead too.” Sane did not elaborate on that. He would find out what he needed to know soon enough.

  “Then with Janus and Byrn both dead, there is no one immediately in the line of succession,” said Kellen, working it out for himself.

  “No, there is one heir left.”

  “Who?”

  “You will see for yourself soon enough.”

  Kellen bathed and dressed quickly in the finery laid out for him as he fell back into his habits of military readiness and efficiency. It was less than a half hour later when they arrived at the rear of the stage set up in the square. It was the same stage that Janus had built to proclaim the end of magician terror upon weeks earlier.

  “What is this speech about?” asked Kellen in a hushed voice. They had a good view of the stage from their vantage point to the right and rear of it where only honored guests and designated personnel were allowed to be.

  “It is a message of peace,” replied Sane. Then he waved a hand in greeting to a young lady of extraordinary beauty. She was red of hair and wore a gown of similar brilliant color. “This is Southernstar.”

  The woman with the exotic name held her hand out for Kellen to kiss and he did so as was customary among nobles. “This is the betrayer?” asked Southernstar bluntly.

  “He is the one I spoke of,” Sane told her diplomatically, “but you should not speak so directly. I
t is considered unseemly.”

  “Perhaps it is that preference of false platitudes and hidden agendas that makes your kind so distrustful of one another,” observed Southernstar clinically.

  “Who is this woman?” asked Kellen.

  “Quiet now, both of you. Queen Wendi is beginning.”

  Southernstar whispered, “Your timing is fortuitous,” but Sane ignored her to hear his queen.

  Queen Wendi was dressed in a black silk gown with trimmings of red lace to signify that she was still in mourning over the loss of her sons. The nobles that sat on either side of her as well as Alia who sat to her immediate right were dressed in the same colors. “It is with a heavy heart that I stand before you today,” she began. “Today I come before you as your queen, but I am also a mother who has lost both her children and grieve that loss with all of my heart. It grieves me more though to know that they died fighting each other over the future of this kingdom that they both loved in their own ways.” The crowd muttered amongst themselves and the words “magician,” “killer,” and “Byrn” were heard from more than a few places. Queen Wendi raised her hands for silence and the crowd quieted down. “Yes, Byrn Aurel was a murderer and a magician, but before that he was a son and a child. I am shamed to admit that my husband, King Kale Aurel, and I sent him away as a baby. I am also shamed that he was forced to suffer in hiding as he watched the people around him die one by one and he blamed the kingdom for those deaths.” She breathed a deep sigh and inhaled slowly before continuing. “I am finally ashamed to admit that he was right in blaming Aurelia for those deaths. It was our laws and treatment of magicians that drove not only my son, but so many others to becoming criminals. If not for the magic that he was born with Byrn Aurel would have been a prince among us. He would have been looked upon with the same esteem as his brother or his father. Instead he was forced to live outside of our society and he grew bitter as a result of that. I do not say this to justify his actions or the actions of those that followed him, but to show that we must change the way we treat with magicians to prevent the next Byrn Aurel from happening before it can even begin.”

  When she finished Queen Wendi turned to Alia and nodded. The enchantress took her place at the podium as the queen sat down. She held Avelice against her and let her gaze wander across the crowd.

  “Most of you do not know me. There are those among you that will recognize me as a magician.” The crowd was deathly quiet as they waited to hear what this woman would say next. Sane knew that most of them had no experience with magicians outside of the recent attack on the capital and many of them wore expressions of hatred as Alia spoke to them. “Others will know me as the leader of the Collective of Magicians who helped defeat Byrn Aurel when he tried to take Mollifas, but I am something else too. My name is Alia Aurel and my husband was Byrn Aurel.” It seemed that there was a collective gasp from the crowd and before they could say anything else Alia held up Avelice for all to see. “And this is our child. Her name is Avelice Aurel and as the only living heir of the Aurel bloodline she will one day be the ruling queen of all of Aurelia.”

  At that announcement the crowd erupted in loud exclamations as some people began to get visibly agitated and others shouted that they would never follow a magician-queen.

  “Is that true?” asked Kellen of Sane. “When were they married?”

  “Sometimes truth is a casualty to peace. It is the same reason why we must paint Byrn Aurel, the man who saved this kingdom, as a villain. It sickens me, but we have little choice considering Xander’s proclamation of conquest while he was posing as Byrn. Now hush,” said the sorcerer.

  Southernstar grunted in disagreement, but maintained her silence.

  Alia went on to speak over the crowd. She projected her voice so that it was louder than any voices of descent. “As many of you are surmising, because both of your future queen’s parents were magicians there is a strong possibility that she will be one as well. So when Queen Wendi stands before you and says that things must change in regards to magicians, you know that it must be so. These changes and a newfound peace between magicians and non-magic users are not a selfish need on the part of the Collective, but a necessity for all of Aurelia’s citizens.”

  Queen Wendi rose and stood side by side with Alia. “For our future queen and so that all Aurelians can prosper it is with great honor that I can announce that from this day forth all magicians are now considered free.”

  The explosion of curses and jeers from the crowd was unnerving even to Sane who stood off to the side. How strong of spirit were these two women to stand at the forefront of such outrage and take the brunt of that? Some people near the front of the crowd tried to push their way onto the stage, but the guard held their weapons at the ready daring any foolish enough to try their luck. The sorcerer held his breath. If it would come to that and someone was killed, then this assembly would surely turn into a riot. The queen raised her hands up in the air and repeatedly demanded silence a number of times before those near the stage were calmed down enough to listen.

  “Do not forget that it was magicians that made it possible that Byrn Aurel was defeated. They laid their lives down and helped to keep all of us safe. Now we will do what is right and show them the same favor.” There was a self-assurance and command in her voice that cowed those before her into a soft murmur before she continued on with her declaration. “The magicians who once lived in domains and were collared have already been set free. Those among the Collective who have been our enemies until recently have been pardoned under the condition that they serve the kingdom for no less than three years working alongside our Kenzai officers as peacekeepers. They will help to police their own and will be integrated into the already existing Kenzai operations.” A man jeered loudly and at that Queen Wendi stopped speaking long enough to get a fix on the man and stare him down before continuing. “For the children-magicians we will open a school right here in Mollifas for these gifted youngsters where they can learn to control their abilities for the betterment of Aurelia and its people. Alia Aurel has already agreed to be the headmistress of this school and I have the utmost of confidence in her abilities.”

  “Thank you, your highness. I will not fail you or Aurelia,” replied Alia, sounding a bit rehearsed, but still passable.

  The announcement wrapped up not long after that with many people looking dissatisfied as they left, but Sane noted a few faces in the crowd that looked notably relieved. Kellen began to approach the queen, but Sane stopped him. “Not just yet. We have one more stop.”

  Southernstar left to speak with Alia and Queen Wendi while Sane led Kellen down a side street and a few back alleys before stopping at a building that the Kenzai knew very well. “This is one of our safehouses,” he said.

  Inside they found some familiar faces. Donovan was looking rigidly uncomfortable as he attempted to play cards and make small talk with Tomlin who also looked as if he would rather be somewhere else. Between them sat a young boy of about ten years.

  Upon seeing his master, Donovan abandoned the card game and rose to greet Kellen warmly. “Master Kellen, it is good to see you well,” then he took a formal stance and added, “And you as well, Master Sane.” He bristled at being near the sorcerer, but Sane let it go and returned his greeting. Genuine trust would take time.

  The sorcerer looked from Donovan to Tomlin and tried to imagine what it would be like to watch the two of them working together. This would not be an easy road for any of them, but it was only the first step on what would be a long journey. “How is Kaleb?” he asked.

  The boy popped up and said, “Bored.”

  “As are we all,” agreed Tomlin. Donovan snorted agreeably and Tomlin smiled at some secret joke.

  “Who is this lad?” asked Kellen. “He looks familiar.”

  “He should,” agreed Sane, “You and Donovan tied him to a chair and used him as bait to try and capture Byrn not that long ago.”

  Kellen winced at the memory and knelt down on one kne
e so that he was eye-level with Kaleb. “I am deeply sorry for that, Kaleb. I used to be a better man than that. I hope to be one again someday.”

  “You can spend your time making it up to him. This boy is the adopted son of Alia Aurel and as such he is to be treated as an Aurel himself though he obviously has no claim to the throne. In addition, he is to be the protector of Avelice Aurel. The queen wants you to train him in the ways of the Kenzai and more importantly in the ways of the warrior so that he can better fulfill his duties.”

  “This lad is to be a royal protector?” asked Kellen. “No offense, son, and I will happily train you if her highness wills it, but surely there are grown men who could better fill the task.”

  “He is capable enough. You would be hard pressed to find a boy with his bravery or who can think on his feet so well,” Tomlin said protectively, “and he will not be alone. He will have the three of us to help him out while he grows into the boots he needs to fill.”

  “The three of us?” Kellen wondered. Then he turned to Sane.

  “I will be leaving two mornings from now on a boat bound for Ghant,” said Sane. “After everything that has happened I am having trouble thinking of Aurelia as home any longer. I have decided to spend my twilight years traveling the world.”

  “And will you perhaps journey to the elven kingdom and seek out Sari in your travels?”

  “Perhaps someday,” admitted Sane with a slight smile forming at the corners of his mouth.

  “Then I wish you luck and hope that one day you find your way back to Aurelia.” Kellen offered his hand and Sane hesitated before taking it. He could not yet forgive Kellen for what he did, but Sane wanted this to be a day of new beginnings for everyone.