While it wasn’t my first time leaving Dellion, it’s not as if I had traveled a lot either. At least this time around I had the pleasure of going to the Capital. Raveryn was known to be the largest port on the continent where all the merchants around the world loved to gather. There was surely something I could find that Penelope would find appealing.
I asked my father for some extra coins, but ‘accidentally’ forgot to mention that I had saved up quite a few myself. With the two hundred gold he gave me and the extra fifty I put on the side, I could afford quite the gemstone. My goal was to get her a platinum chained sapphire necklace that matched her eyes. After all, it was her eighteenth birthday so I had to make it a bit more special.
“Maybe I packed too lightly,” I sighed looking at the half-empty bag.
It wasn’t that I didn’t have anything else I could bring or that it was tiring to carry it around, I do have servants after all. . . But the idea of stuffing my bag to the brim felt excessive considering we were only going to be gone for up to two weeks at most. It was going to be fine as long as my mother didn’t check my bag.
With nothing of importance left for me to do, I sat on the edge of the bed, looking out the window. The weather was perfect and the sky clear, a shame I couldn’t use it to sneak into the watchtower and read my books in peace while overlooking the town. With time still left to kill before our journey began, I thought it best to wander around the shops near the manor as I wanted to buy something nice for Ellie.
Leaving my room I never imagined I’d be graced with first-class entertainment as I got to see my kid sister dragging her bag along the ground even though a few nervous servants were standing right beside her.
“No! I’m big enough to carry it on my own,” she argued, but the bag was clearly too heavy for her, making me wonder what she packed inside.
“My Lady, please allow us to help,” the female servant dressed in black and white pleaded.
Clearing my throat, I stole their attention.
“What seems to be the problem?” I asked, trying my hardest to resist smiling.
“The young Lady refuses to accept our help, my Lord.” She looked nervous, probably afraid that I might accuse her of being lazy.
“I see. . . You may leave us.”
“Yes my Lord,” she bowed before leaving, the others following right behind her.
Without a second thought, I approached Ellie and snatched her bag away from her. It was heavier than I expected.
“Hey!” she protested. “I wanted to carry it. It’s my bag.”
“Listen here you little rascal. . . While you can order the servants around, you can’t refuse my help. After all, I’m your older brother and I’m supposed to be taking care of you. Do you understand?” Her gleaming teal eyes stared right at me, determined to fight back for the right to carry the bag to the carriage, making it impossible for me not to burst into laughter. “Ellie, you’re excited to go, aren’t you?”
“Yes. . .” she kept looking into my eyes, pouting because I still held the bag.
“Of course you are, it’s the first time you’re leaving home. Well, that’s not true, but you were still a baby when we went to see our grandparents, so that doesn’t really count.” I crouched down next to her. “Let me be there for you while I still can and one day when you grow up to be a super-duper mega-famous sorceress that rules over the entire world, you can take care of me. How about that? Besides, the gentleman must take care of a Lady, or am I not worthy?”
Her eyes sparkled at the mention of her taking care of me one day. I couldn’t put into words how wholesome it felt to be embraced by her hug seconds later.
“Then I’ll be able to do whatever I want! I’ll even build a castle for all of us to live in using my magic like whoosh!”
“Exactly!”
She broke away from the hug, lifting her chin up and proudly placing her hands on her hips.
“Fine, I shall allow you to carry my bags,” she giggled before running down the hallway with her arms out yelling random noises, trying to imitate magic.
After I left Elena’s stuff in the carriage, I headed straight for the town center.
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Dellion was a small town in the southwestern region of the Kingdom of Eleron and was the seat of ruling within the Kallis Dukedom. It was the only major place that defended the river crossing toward the central part of the kingdom. One of the key locations during the Notish invasion.
While it wasn’t necessarily impressive, it could still boast about its beauty compared to most places due to its paved streets full of wondrous shops, friendly common folk and most importantly in my case, the best bakeries in the whole world. I might be biased, but anyone who said otherwise just hasn’t tried everything Dellion had to offer. Oh, and there were beautiful women all around, some of which I’ve managed to captivate.
Eliot often spent his time training at the manor and around the high-class nobles while I enjoyed the presence of those they often ridiculed. Sometimes I wondered if they even understood that it was thanks to them that they had the pleasure of enjoying such luxurious lives. What I found most baffling was the idiotic tradition of nobles refusing to eat bread. . . While my step-brother wasn’t such a snob, he often tried to fit in. This was especially true when there were adults among them.
“Young Lord, you’re here!” the proud shopkeeper that I often visited greeted me with a wide smile and open hands. He had a rough southern accent that greatly differed from ours. “I see that you’re headed for the capital.”
Ralf was a middle-aged man that often wore flamboyant clothes and dyed his hair purple. If that wasn’t enough to throw people off, he had over a dozen piercings all over his face. This included on his lip, nose, and even above the eye. Sometimes I wondered if that was what pulled me in to look at his high-quality wares in the first place.
“The news sure travels fast. . .”
“Well, it’s to be expected considering that a royal wedding was taking place. It would be strange if the Kallis family didn’t attend. The guards have been patrolling the city all day, making sure the streets are safe for your departure.”
“Quite insightful. . .”
“You don’t survive in our business for long if you can’t read the room,” he grinned, making extravagant hand gestures. “Now, what can I get you? Since you’re leaving for the Capital, I’ll offer you a special discount.”
“How generous of you,” I started looking around his shop full of wondrous items that many would simply overlook. He had anything from trinkets to books and even some clothing. The only thing it lacked was weapons and armor which were illegal to sell if you were not a licensed blacksmith in Dellion. ”Are you sure you’ll be able to stay in business if you treat me so kindly?”
“Young Lord, you’re by far my favorite customer, a VIP of sorts,” he explained, slowly walking up to me and glancing over the glass figurines I had been checking out.
“Haven’t you been to every continent? Surely there was someone you fancied more. I didn’t even spend that much money in your shop.”
“When you grow older young Lord, you’ll understand that it’s not just the money you spend that’s important, but why you spend it.” He grabbed a small teal glass figurine shaped like a swallow before handing it over to me. “The Lady loved secretly glancing at it whenever you visited. Quite the eye for quality. ”
He read me like a book. It wouldn’t surprise me if he told me he knew I was going to visit before leaving.
“How much is it?”
“Just five silver.”
I’ll be honest, I thought he was messing with me when I heard him say five silver. Gold traded for a hundred silver each, and silver was worth a hundred copper. For such a figurine five silver was dirt cheap as I expected no less than a gold piece.
“I’ll take it.” It was a no-brainer. “I’ll take this one too.”
“Excellent choice,” he smiled, walking over to the counter.
After paying him for the two figurines, I was ready to leave but then I heard him clear his throat.
“Young Lord, is it not your birthday soon?” He kept staring at me as I silently looked back at him, unsure of what he wanted. “Allow me to spoil you a bit more. . . Please accept a gift from a humble merchant.”
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“I’m sorry Ralf, but I’ll have to refuse. . .” I let out a sigh. “But thank you for the thought.”
“Oh. . .” he looked disappointed. “May I ask why you’re refusing it? I’m not trying to coax you into anything nor do I expect anything in return.”
“I’m aware, but I’d feel guilty if I accepted anything more, considering how cheaply you sold me the figurines. Don’t worry, I’ll be back to browse your wares another time.”
“I see. . . It seems I wasn’t being considerate and allowed myself to come on too strong. Very well. I’ll make sure to offer you something else in the future. Young Lord, it is always a pleasure having you around.”
“Take care, Ralf.”
I had finally left his store.
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When I arrived back at the manor, everyone seemed ready to go and my bag was already loaded onto the carriage. Almost a dozen knights were appointed to escort us to the Capital, a bit excessive if you asked me, though Eliot was eager to get to ride alongside them. I assumed he'd rather travel on horseback that than being stuck with me. Not that I minded. It just meant I got more time alone with Penelope and Elena.
Mother and Father were discussing the traveling route with the carriage driver and the commander of the knights that were coming with us. I took the opportunity to approach my dear Ellie. Leaning down next to her, I pulled her in for a hug. She cheerfully laughed while pressing her cheek against me.
“Where were you?” Penelope asked calmly.
It wasn’t exactly a surprise that she asked me that since I forgot to tell anyone I was leaving. Though, it’s not like I could give away my plans to them because Ellie would’ve potentially found out. You never know with kids.
“I was just visiting a friend. Wanted to get something for our new adventurer,” I joked, letting go of Ellie before rummaging through my pocket, feeling for the right figurine. “Have a look.”
I pulled out the teal swallow and held it hidden within my palm while waiting for her to extend her hands out.
“Did you buy me something?!” she yelled out excitedly, grabbing Eliot’s attention. “What is it?”
Once she cupped her hands together, I revealed the figurine. The sparkling eyes that drooled over such a simple gift were unforgettable.
“Since it’s your first time leaving home, I thought it best to give you something to remember it by. Don’t want our little princess to feel homesick, now do we?”
“Thank you!” she pulled it closer to her face with her mouth gaping in awe. “I love it!”
She made sure to firmly hold it before jumping on me, embracing me in a hug. Though she was small, she almost managed to knock me over as I knelt before her. Eliot’s face gave away his annoyance, probably cursing himself for not having the same idea. Penelope on the other hand gave me an approving nod with a feeble smile. She was probably trying to be considerate to our brother, otherwise, why would she try to hide it?
Once Ellie let go, she started jumping around exhilarated, rushing to show off her gift to everyone. This included the knights that showed great patience for their Lady.
“Alex,” Penelope whispered, slowly approaching me. “Give me your hand.”
“Sure. . .” I looked at her confused, unsure why she asked for it, but there was no harm in listening to her request.
She gently held my wrist and traced her finger across the back of my hand, whispering an incantation that I couldn’t comprehend for the life of me. Her touch made my skin tingle and I felt a chill pass through me while translucent blue energy appeared wherever she touched. It was what mages referred to as mana. What she was doing was imbuing a spell on me, allowing me to cast it in her stead. It was a rare bloodline gift that she had, not something that typical mages could pull off, regardless of talent.
Having never experienced her gift before, I didn’t know how to react, but while Ellie was too busy showing off her gift, she leaned into my ear.
“Focus on the cold in your hand and try imagining it passing through your fingers while touching the glass,” she whispered. “Trust me, she’ll love it.”
I gave her a nod before looking at Ellie.
“Ellie! Come here for a second,” I called out to her, smiling as I saw her eagerly running back. Having never stood up, we were still at eye level with each other. “Show me the figurine again.”
Without hesitation, she held it out while brimming with positivity. Though I couldn’t see her since she stood behind me, I heard Penelope snickering. Placing my finger on the teal glass, I closed my eyes and imagined the cold passing through me as Penelope told me. When I felt the cold subside, I opened my eyes again and saw the translucent mana slowly surround the glass, creating a frosted effect within the figurine itself. The look of awe in her eyes made me smile but at the same time a little envious that I couldn’t do that on my own whenever she wanted.
“You can use magic!” Ellie yelled out excitedly, not even questioning it.
“Anything to make you smile,” I whispered probably sounding a bit cheesy, but I truly wished it to be true.
“Can I show it to Mom and Dad?”
“Of course,” I said, watching her run off with her stubby little legs.
The endearing smile Penelope had when I looked back reminded me of how caring she was. Eliot was no different, but he was a bit too prideful to admit it. Then again, who was I to talk? My mother already called me out for doing the same just a few hours ago.
“Thank you. . .” I whispered, averting my gaze.
“I wasn’t sure that would work. . .” She approached me while keeping an eye on Ellie. “Though, I’m more surprised by how easily you managed to manipulate my mana. Some of the more experienced knights struggled when we tried.”
“You must’ve gotten better at using your gift.”
Penelope stayed silent, understanding that I’d wish to deny any talent for magic that I might’ve possessed due to my condition.
Although I was cursed and my body couldn’t absorb mana, spells still affected me. Penelope only recently awakened her gift, so we never got around to trying it on me.
“Alex. . .” she mumbled, but I was too lost in my thoughts to hear.
“We’re ready to go!” yelled out the commander of the knights.
“We should say bye to our parents,” I whispered, walking away from her.
“Eliot! Alexander. . .” Our father called out. “Take care of your sisters and I don’t want to hear about any fighting between the two of you.”
“Yes, Father.” Eliot acknowledged his words as an order, trying to appear responsible.
“We’ll be on our best behavior.”
“I mean it,” he warned us firmly.
“I’ll make sure they don’t do anything stupid,” Penelope spoke up having caught up to me. “And I’ll make sure Ellie doesn’t cause any trouble.”
“Hey! I’m no troubler. . .” she expressed, making us all struggle to keep our chuckles in.
“You don’t have to worry dear, I’m sure they’ll be fine,” my mother reassured him before looking back at us.
She couldn’t resist letting us go without properly hugging each one of us until we suffocated. Eliot always protested the most, but even he got used to them. Like I’ve always mentioned, there was something so loving and soothing whenever she embraced me that eased my heart.
Once all was said and done, we finally boarded the carriage and set off for the southern gate. Leaving the city walls was a brand new experience for Ellie as she gazed out the small window, shoving the curtain to the side and opening the shutters. Many of the citizens waved us off as we ventured out.
The trip was going to be long, about five days till we reached Raveryn. The reason was that we had to go the long way since the bridge crossing that allowed direct travel to the Capital was under repairs due to some unforeseen accident that I never asked about. That meant that we first had to go around the mountain and reach Whitestone, a town similar to Dellion. From there, we had a straightforward path to Raveryn. The bridge should’ve been fixed by the time we headed back.
A few hours in was enough for Ellie to already fall asleep. With nothing but farmland surrounding us, she lost interest rather quickly. She slept on Penelope’s lap as her older sister caressed her head gently, tucking the hair behind her ear.
“So, he’s finally heading to the Academy. . .” I whispered, trying not to wake up Ellie.
“Yeah. . .”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be joining him soon enough. It’ll be nice to have someone older looking after you once you enroll.” I tried reassuring her, but she sat in silence looking at Ellie. “Though, knowing you, you might end up being his professor before he graduates.”
“Thanks. . . But I think you’re overestimating me a bit.”
“Nah. . .” I leaned back as far as I could with my hands behind my head, confident in what I said. “If anyone could do it, it’d be you. . .”
“It’s not just that. . . Being a professor doesn’t fit me. I can get homesick too you know. . .”
“Which reminds me. . .” Sticking my hand into my pocket, I bit my lower lip and looked up, trying to find the second figurine I had bought. She must’ve been confused. Luckily, it didn’t take me long to pull it out. Unlike Ellie’s, hers was an ocean blue turtle. Holding it out for her, I explained, “I got you one as well. It’s a turtle though. . . I thought it was cute because they had their little shells that are supposed to protect them, so maybe it would be like a protective charm. No matter where you are, we’ll always be there for you. Sadly I can’t pull off any magic tricks to make it extra special, but I still hope you like it. . .”
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much of a reaction, maybe a thank you at best. However, her reaction was probably the worst I could’ve hoped for. She just sat there staring without saying a word. I couldn’t help but awkwardly fake a smile, clearly overestimating how close we got just because she smiled at me once. It felt so embarrassing.
“Shit. . . You don’t like it, do you? Don’t worry, I’ll get you something else. . .” I sighed, but before I could pull my hand back, she grabbed it and stole the figurine out of my palm. Safe to say I was never more perplexed in my life.
“Thank you, Alex,” she mumbled, averting her gaze. Her hair hid her face so it was hard to tell what she was thinking. “I didn’t get you anything. . .”
“Ah! That’s not why I bought you a gift. . .” I raised my hands, trying to reassure her that she shouldn’t trouble herself. Maybe I was wrong, but she sounded so sad when she said it. “It was just something that caught my eye. . . Silly really!”
“Still. . .” she gripped it tighter.
I thought our relationship was bad, but after hearing her voice I couldn’t help but start doubting that. However, I couldn’t allow myself to foolishly assume things based on her reaction or the fact that she accepted a single gift. Maybe I just pressured her? Repeated thoughts were telling me that she was probably being nice to me because I paid extra attention to Ellie that day.
Our conversation was cut short when Eliot interrupted us by knocking on the shutters. In response, Penelope pulled the small curtain to the side and opened the window. There he was, smugly riding along with the knights as we were passing through the mountain road, surrounded by a forest.
“Enjoying the ride?” I saw him smiling as he asked, but his smug grin turned to confusion. “Huh? What’s wrong?” The fact that he asked such a question made me wonder what sort of an expression Penelope had. “Alexander! What did you do?”
“I ugh. . .”
“Shhh! Ellie’s asleep. . .” she whispered as loudly as she could, pressing her index finger against her lips. “Nothing happened. . .”
“Then why are you-”
Before he could finish his question, a sudden flash of light caught my eye coming from the tree line. I’m not sure how, but I noticed a shadow standing within the bushes.
“Watch out!” I yelled out.
Maybe it was intuition, but my body screamed danger.
An arrow came flying toward us, striking a knight riding alongside Eliot. It managed to find its way between the gaps in his armor which was enough to make him fall off his horse. Before anyone could even comprehend what had happened, a loud explosion at the front of the carriage shook the ground, causing my adrenaline to kick in.
What followed after was nothing short of madness as a crazed war cry echoed throughout the mountain while a dozen men came into my view, charging straight for us.
Chapter End.
Thank you for reading.
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