"So, where to start? Hmm... Alright, so we told you that we came from a city in the north called Whiteshire in the neighboring Himlonde Kingdom, right?" Lando nodded, eagerly awaiting his father's explanation. His father continued, his expression tinged with a hint of shame. "The only part that is true is that we came from the north."
Lando was taken aback by the revelation of false information, but he remained silent, allowing his father to continue.
"So, originally, your mother and I actually came from the Empire of Brioningond, which lies over the mountains and rules the whole northeastern part of the continent," his father revealed.
"I was working for one of the most prestigious enchanting companies in the entire empire called 'The Black Dragonturtle.' I consider myself lucky to have gotten a position there, but that's a story for another time," his father added.
Curious about his parents' past, Lando listened attentively as his father delved into their history. "One day, a beautiful young lady with raven black hair, ice blue eyes, and the most gorgeous face I have ever seen walked into the shop to commission a pendant. I didn't know who she was, but one thing I knew for certain was that I had to be a part of that commission to see her again. So, I pleaded with my former boss to let me join the team."
Complex enchantments often required the collaboration of multiple enchanters with various elemental affinities in order to create more refined and specialized enchantments. Such enchantments were usually commissioned and handled by larger enchantment companies. To facilitate this process, there existed the Enchanter Guild, which would connect individuals with the required magicians and charge a commission fee. Most of the time, these guilds were supervised by the Empire itself, as they were profitable organizations and pillars of power.
However, enchantment companies specialized in specific areas. For example, the Black Dragonturtle company primarily focused on magical wards of all kinds.
With enthusiasm in his voice, William continued, "As luck would have it, the commission for the pendant included fire enchantments, and I was selected for the task. This meant I had two chances to interact with your mother, Anna."
Lando couldn't help but cringe a little at his father's courting strategies, but his father proudly continued, seemingly oblivious to Lando's reaction. "The first interaction with your mother went rather well, and by the time the pendant was finished, I mustered up the charm to ask her out."
As his father finished his sentence, the bell above the shop door rang, drawing their attention. They turned to see a familiar face walking in. "Did I interrupt the family reunion of the Weber boys?" a well-built woman dressed in a green and brown hunter uniform asked.
"Actually, yes. Little Lando here just came back from the Academy, but you are always welcome here, Mary. How can I help you?" William greeted the woman, standing up to shake her hand.
"I'm just here to restock on my fire enchanted arrows and give you the materials for the next batch," Mary explained, handing William a small bag.
"Just a moment, I have them ready in the back," William said, heading back into his workshop.
"So, how's the Academy treating you, Lando? Learn any new tricks?" Mary asked, waiting for her arrows.
Lando replied honestly, "For sure, but not enough to beat you yet, I think." Mary was the best hunter in the whole village and a wind mage at the liquid stage. Lando wasn't aware of her exact level of mastery, but he believed it was at least high, making her far superior to him.
Mary had been a frequent visitor to the shop even when Lando was just a child, and they had shared numerous interactions. At the age of 8, she had even started to train him in archery. Unfortunately it soon became evident that he didn't possess much talent for it and thus they stopped the exercises.
"Haha, it would be quite embarrassing for me if you could beat this young lady," Mary chuckled. Despite her appearance of a woman in her mid-30s with dark brown hair and an above-average face, she was actually in her 80s.
"Don't neglect your training, old lady. As soon as I become a mage, I'll give you a run for your money," Lando joked.
"Who are you calling an old lady?! I'll show you what this old lady can do to you anytime if you dare," Mary playfully threatened, raising her fist in a fake expression of anger.
With his hands raised in surrender, Lando's father returned, placing twenty arrows on the counter. "twenty storm-wolf arrows with an explosive enchantment, as usual. That'll be two gold and twenty silvers, minus the eighty one storm-wolf arrows you provided at a silver each. That makes a final price of one gold and thirty nine silvers. But because I appreciate customers like you, who bring me materials to work with, I'll give them to you for an even one gold and twenty silvers. Does that sound good to you?" William offered, showcasing his salesman skills.
The price of those arrows was by no means cheap. To put it in perspective, a loaf of bread cost only one copper coin. ten coppers equaled one silver, and due to the rarity of gold, one hundred silvers equaled one gold coin. So, for the price of those arrows a small family could be fed for a whole year. That was the difference between the reality of a magician and commoners.
“Good enough for me, you are the only enchanter in town anyway.” She said with a chuckle on her face as she stored her arrows.
"As always, a pleasure, Mary," William said with a grin, his businessman instincts shining through.
After Mary left the shop, the two men decided to wait for Anna to continue the story. William prepared some tea for both of them, and they settled in for a catch-up.
"So, any funny stories you want to share with your old man? How are your friends Peter and Lisa?" William asked his son, a mischievous smirk on his face.
Peter and Lisa were two other kids from the village who awakened their magical abilities around the same time as Lando. Peter had awakened the earth element and was quite skilled in it. He was also the son of the local Baron, with good looks to match. Lando and Peter had often had playdates when they were young.
Given that both of Lando's parents were mages and there was a high possibility that Lando would awaken a magical element, the Baroness often organized playdates with children from important families in the village. These playdates were more than just fun and games; they were an attempt by the Baroness to secure good connections for her son's future, as well as a way to invite important people to their estate.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Lando's mother held the position of local Commander of the military. Barons were not allowed to build a personal guard that was too powerful, so the Empire stationed an imperial squad in each Barony, ostensibly to defend against enemy forces but primarily to oversee the local nobility.
As the local Commander, Lando's mother held a lower rank than the Baron, but that didn't mean the Baron could boss her around.
Despite their social status, Lando couldn't stand the young son of the Wildstar house. He seemed to have inherited his superficiality from his mother, Jane, as they both prioritized status and wealth and looked like they would backstab you at their first chance if it would profit them in some way.
On the other hand, Lisa came from a common background and had awakened the wind element. Though not particularly talented, she was a hardworking woman determined to use her magic to lift her family out of poverty. She had no experience with the ways of nobility and was an easy target for Peter, who won her over with compliments, encouragement, and false promises.
Since Lando awakened his space element, Peter often sought him out to discuss magic or similar topics. Lando made it clear that he wasn't looking for Peter's companionship, but the young Wildstar heir still made attempts to forge a connection.
Aware of this, Lando's father teasingly asked about Peter and Lisa. Lando replied with a casual attitude, "Ah, they're doing just fine. Peter has found a magician, although I don't think her talent is too high, so she'll probably cap at apprentice level. And Lisa is raising her family out of poverty and has found a good job. So, I guess things are working out for them."
As Lando's father listened to his son's response, he let out a sigh and replied, a tinge of frustration in his voice, "I guess you're growing up a little too fast, boy. You have the mindset of an old man."
Lando simply shrugged and took a sip of his tea.
As the two men continued their catch-up session, with William explaining his latest enchanting projects, the shop's bell rang once more, signaling the arrival of a newcomer. Both men turned their attention towards the entrance.
A tall woman, nearly the same height as Lando, stood there with a surprised yet smiling face. Anna, Lando's mother, seemed to sprint towards her son as she embraced him tightly, exclaiming, "Ah, my favorite son is finally back home!"
After a moment of trying to wriggle free from his mother's grip, Lando responded, "Good to see you too, Mom. But you know I'm your only child, so that's a given."
With a smirk, she replied, "That doesn't change the fact that I love you the most."
Unable to come up with a witty response, Lando excused himself to get them some drinks while his parents greeted each other with a kiss.
Back in the lounge area, Lando handed out the drinks and couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. He decided to get straight to the point and asked, "So, Mom, Dad and I were discussing your connection to the space-time council. We were waiting for you to elaborate further."
Anna's mood shifted as her son brought up the topic, and she shot her husband a serious glance. Undeterred, William maintained eye contact with his wife and shrugged his shoulders.
After a moment, Anna's complex expression softened, and she replied to her son, "I guess it's time, huh?"
Before Lando's excitement could escalate, his mother suddenly wore a cheerful expression and added, "But not before we have dinner, and you tell me everything about your days in the academy."
A bit disappointed, Lando relented, and they closed the shop to make their way upstairs to the living quarters to prepare dinner.
After dinner and a long conversation about Lando's academy experiences, they finally returned to the topic of the space-time council.
"We left off at the point where we began dating, I believe," William said with a slightly cheery expression.
Anna replied teasingly, "Ah, the point where YOU thought we were dating. But I guess your enchanting lessons did the trick, so I have nothing to say."
"Yeah, got it. You two love each other. Can we please get to the part about the space-time council?" Lando interjected impatiently, unable to wait any longer.
"Why so impatient, young man? Aren't you interested in knowing how you came to be?" his mother pouted, fully aware of the effect her words would have.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking, Lando responded, "I don't need that much detail, thanks. But you can tell me your love story another time. I'm here for a few weeks, so we have plenty of time for that."
"So, you have a few weeks, huh? Why are you so stressed about it then?" his mother teased, stretching out the story even further.
After an exasperated stare from Lando, his mother relented, her expression defeated. "You must never tell anyone, Lando. You have to understand that this could very well be the end for all of us."
As Lando received the shocking revelations from his mother, he sat there with a serious expression, taking in each word. Anna continued her story, "My maiden name is Seamore, and I grew up in one of the most influential families in the Brioningond Empire. My great-great grandfather, Earlfrid Seamore, was a powerful archmage and a close advisor to the emperor. Our family was large and powerful, and as archmages grew old, the family evolved, with those displaying high magical talent receiving training and fostering, while others took on managing positions."
She paused, allowing Lando to process the information. "Our family engaged in various activities to sustain our wealth and power," Anna continued. "This ranged from normal business ventures like land cultivation, farming magical beasts for their cores, and conducting trade deals, to more controversial activities such as weapon dealings, drug trafficking, slave trading, and even organizing raids to plunder and kidnap political rivals or countries to the south."
Lando's shock only grew as he listened, his view of the world shifting with each revelation. His mother carried on, "Our family was not alone in playing this game; it was a delicate act of maintaining our public image and political influence while hiding the darker side of our business."
She explained that as a more talented member of the family, she had received exceptional training and attention, catching the eye of Earlfrid due to her water element and fast growth, which he shared. Anna emphasized that she had no involvement in the family business during her training, sheltered from the unsavory aspects.
"However," Anna continued, "as I grew in magical power and became a high mage, I was gradually drawn into the family business. At the beginning of my career, I was tasked with scouting potential enchanter companies for integration into our clan. This was when I met your father, by the way."
Lando's mind raced as he absorbed the information, recalling the cruelty of the world and the manipulation that occurred behind the scenes. The talented were either used for their skills or eliminated to prevent them from becoming threats. Profitable businesses were either controlled or destroyed. Recourses would be seized under a political pretext. The plight of the poor was nothing more than a bargaining chip in the hands of the wealthy and powerful.
But before Lando could fully grasp the implications of his sheltered upbringing and what this meant for his future, his mother continued, "While scouting the Black Dragon-Turtle Company, I met your father and, instead of recruiting him, I unexpectedly fell in love."
She shared a warm smile with her husband, adding, "Ordinarily, someone in my position would not be allowed to marry just anyone. But I had the support of the family head, who had no issue with our relationship. So, I told the rest of the family to mind their own business, and soon we were in a relationship."
Lando's father burst into laughter, finding amusement in the situation. "You literally told them to fuck off, threatening to cut off their sorry excuse for manhoods and then heal the wound so it couldn't be regenerated," he chuckled.
Lando stood there, shocked and speechless, unable to believe the words that had come out of his loving mother's mouth. Meanwhile, Anna stood proud, continuing her recollection, "As I said, I told them to f… mind their own business, and most of the family eventually accepted it. I let the Black Dragon-Turtle Company continue its operations, mainly for your father's sake, and we had a wonderful time together."
Anna's story took a somber turn as she revealed, "Unfortunately, as this world is rarely peaceful, trouble soon found it's way to us."