STRUVLAND
Chapter 7
The Mage
Alessandra

Mei sits on the floor petting Ysabel next to my chair while I write in my journal in the house's large library. The crimson carpet makes her black knee-length dress stand out, as well as Ysabel's white fur. Mei giggles as Ysabel paws at her pigtail braids. I set down my journal on the white marble end table and stand up to scan the bookshelves. I press my hand against the cool mahogany and read the spines of the books, looking for nothing in particular. I move to another bookshelf as Mei walks up beside me.

"What are you doing?" Mei asks.

"I am looking for a book."

"Why?"

"Because I feel like reading something."

"Why?"

"Because I have nothing to do."

"May I pick out a book for me to read?"

"Can you read?"

"A little, but I can learn more if I read books."

"Alright, just be careful not to destroy anything." I respond as she waddles over to a different bookshelf. I continue to scan the bookshelf until something catches my eye, a red book with the outline of an eye made out of gold with a blood-red ruby in the middle and then three more rubies going down the spine. I grab the thick book and scan the cover, it's blank. I frown and walk over to my chair and open the book. The first page is blank. I flip to the next, also blank. I flip through all the pages, blank.

Who owns a book that is completely blank? I'll keep it and ask Prince Oliver about it later.

I go to close the book when the paper cuts my finger. I slam the book close, curse quietly and wipe the blood on the skirt of my deep blue dress. Mei walks up to me with a small light blue book. She opens it and points to a word for me to see. Her chubby little finger lands next to the word, silence.

"What does this word mean?"

"Silence, it means that there isn't any sound."

"Oh, thank you." She responds with a heavy Ylierian accent, she smiles brightly.

"You're welcome, will you come with me to the kitchen? I bet you are hungry, are you not?" I ask, she nods and we walk to the kitchen, Ysabel trailing behind us. I sit in a chair by the door after requesting sandwiches to be made for Mei and I, the tawny-skinned male whistles as he makes the sandwiches and chuckles when Mei offers to help.

She is politely denied and she comes over to me, "He won't let me help, I thought it was my job to help."

"Yes, well, compared to the castle, there are very few people here. So, there is less work to do, and since you are young, you won't be needed as much. Besides, I enjoy your company." I respond with a warm smile. Mei huffs in frustration.

"But he's taking so long, if I were to help, it would get done faster." She groans.

I chuckle, "Relax, darling, have patience. Here, come sit on my lap, you will be able to sit comfortably while we wait." She sighs and reluctantly climbs onto my lap to sit down, I wrap my arms around her.

"Did your mother ever tell you about the three blood mages, Your Highness?" Mei asks, taking a small bite of her sandwich, a slice of salt beef and a soft cheese with herbs between two slices of fresh bread. We sit by the fire in the main room of the house, Mei's legs swinging back and forth while she sits in the cushioned wooden chair.

"I'm afraid not, what are the three blood mages?" I ask, taking a bite out of my own sandwich.

"One of the kind ladies working here told me that the three blood mages were horrid ladies, they were descendants from goddess Cadea, either directly or from The Trusted or The Tainted, no one really knows. She said that each one of them married the eldest Alarenian brothers during The Alarenian War, they all married on the same night, they had a big feast and everything. However, a few hours before their wedding night a loyal follower of the brothers walked in on them doing a blood ritual of some sort, the follower told everyone what he saw but not a soul believed him."

"Why are the people here telling you dark stories like these?"

"They help me sleep. As I was saying, the follower was burned for his suspected lies because why would the three brothers, who despise magic, marry anyone with magic? A few weeks after the event, Abrinonth died in his sleep, a few weeks after that, Bleniax died in his sleep, then after that Myreozon died in his sleep. Each time, the wives were found innocent, they all had excuses but a few suspected them, those few died later on. The wives left after that and gave birth to their children from the men, all a few weeks apart. They weren't heard from or seen since, but it was said that Ronan's wife, Maude had been a friend of the three mages before they turned to blood magic because Maude herself was a mage but a trusted descendant of goddess Ila. Ronan died before him and Maude could have any children but soon she remarried to the then king of Arcavia, Khari Lamarel, and had two children with him."

"Interesting, so Queen Fortune is related to Ronan's former wife? I never heard that one. Also, you are well-spoken for your age, what did your father and mother do?"

"My father was a rice and fish merchant, he met my mother in Ylieria, she was a noblewoman by birth. They fell in love and had me but as we both know, they didn't want me, they hated me. Despite all this, they kept me well educated before my father abandoned me at the castle."

I take another bite of my sandwich, "Your father must've had a lot of money, even without your mother. Rice is rare and expensive outside of Ylieria and my country, Pentoya, it's no wonder your mother's parents agreed to let him marry her." Mei nods, her mood suddenly dreary.

"I just don't understand, if my parents could love each other, an elf and a human, why couldn't they love me just as much? I'm half of them both in one."

"Sometimes, we do and feel what we were taught. My father raised me to hate elves, to be okay with their slaughter. For a while, I didn't hate them but then I fell sick and my mother had just had my brother Alwin, I wanted my parents' attention. For my mother, I developed a love of parties and luxury items. For my father, I developed a hatred of elves. I just wanted to feel loved, accepted, and approved of. It was wrong of me and there is no excuse for my actions, it will take months, maybe even years for me to change my actions and thoughts, but I hope that one day I can be someone that I am proud of. I would like to die proud of who I was, what I did, and what I left behind."

"What am I to you? Did I disgust you when we first met a week ago?" Mei questions.

"You're the start of better things to come, the start of me being better than I have been. You didn't disgust me, I saw you as a child before I saw you for anything else. I hope that when I have a daughter in the future, she will be just like you." I respond, smiling. Mei returns my smile, her mood rising.

If I have a child.

Prince Oliver finds me and Mei a few hours later, we talk about our days and all sorts of other things. I study Prince Oliver as he talks, the flickering of light from the fire shines on his cheekbones and honey-colored eyes. He listens to Mei intently when she speaks, hanging onto her every word. When his black hair falls in front of his eyes, he pushes it back to where it belongs and I swear I die a little inside. He still has the same lopsided grin and glittering eyes as he did when we were children, something that never faded from my memory.

Does he find me as beautiful as I find him? I doubt it. What a shame I have to kill him eventually.

I turn my gaze to the fire, wiggling my fingers closer to it for warmth. I hear hurried footsteps and a crash. Penelope enters the room in a panic.

"You must hide, now! Someone has broken in!" Penelope exclaims in a whisper. I stand up and grab Mei's hand as Prince Oliver grabs my upper arm. Penelope gestures to a door in the farthest corner of the room, we walk quickly over. Prince Oliver opens the door and walks in with the rest of us. Penelope walks in behind us with Ysabel in her arms, she closes and locks the door before setting Ysabel down. Prince Oliver lets go of my arm, gently. The room is bare but one bed and a coat of dust covering the whole room. I hear screams and heavy footsteps, Mei puts her face in my dress as tears stream down her face. I rub her back, in an attempt to soothe her. My heart beats rapidly and my stomach feels watery with fear. I take deep breaths, trying to calm myself down, when Prince Oliver grabs my hand. I look at him and he shares my fearful expression.

The screaming stops and the footsteps get closer and closer until they're right outside the door. Ysabel hisses and I shush her. A deep humorless laugh comes through the door.

"You think you are safe in there, don't you? You are weak, useless, and disgusting royals and for as long as you live, you will never be safe." A masculine voice, with a heavy Dramonian accent, states. The male kicks the door a few times before it busts open. Prince Oliver moves his body in front of me and Mei, letting go of my hand, while Penelope puts her body in front of his and I hold Mei tightly. I step on my tiptoes to see over Prince Oliver's shoulder. A burly man walks in, sweat coating his face while a devilish grin settles across his lips. He has shoulder-length black hair, bronze skin, brown eyes, and yellow teeth. He holds a bloodied greatsword in both his hands.

"You have no right to harm them, just as you had no right to slaughter the people outside this room." Penelope states.

"They have no right to fill their bellies with the finest food and the finest wine while the poor starve in the streets because of a war that isn't theirs. I am here to correct their failures, killing these two will send a message to their families." The man says, stepping closer.

"Then you leave me no choice." Penelope states, raising her hands. The man makes a strangled noise and drops his greatsword. Penelope closes her fists and the man falls to his knees, choking as blood spills from his mouth. He claws at his throat. Prince Oliver and I gasp in shock as Mei sobs harder into my dress. Finally, after a few seconds pass, the man lets out one more choked gasp before collapsing on the floor. Penelope drops her arms and starts to breathe heavily. Prince Oliver turns around and picks up Mei. She hides her face in his shoulder and he rubs her back. I look at Ysabel, her white fur covered in splatters of blood. I look at Penelope.

"You're a blood mage?" I ask, still in shock.

"Yes." She responds.

"You could be killed for practicing magic, I hope my family doesn't know." Prince Oliver says.

"They don't and I hope you can keep this a secret. I will go check on everyone else and get help cleaning everything up. We will send a letter to the queen asking for more protection." She says.

He nods before looking at me, my mouth still open in shock, "Are you okay, Alessandra?" I look at him, my brain still barely being able to process what just happened. Penelope walks out of the room.

"I can't quite believe what just happened."

"Neither can I, but are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, just shocked." I assure him. He gives me a gentle one-armed hug, Mei still in his other. The smell of mulled cider fills my nose once again.

"I am glad you are alright, I would feel horrible if anything happened to you," He states, letting go of me. Mei tries to lift her head up from his shoulder, "keep your head down dear, this isn't anything you should see."

A few minutes later, Penelope comes back and tells us it is safe to come out. She informs me that Mei could sleep with me tonight, I agree and she asks Prince Oliver if he would like his room moved closer to mine for better safety for us all. He agrees as well and hands Mei to me as we make our way to our rooms, stepping over bodies of dead servants and puddles of blood. I tuck Mei into the bed after we get ready for bed with Penelope's help. Mei rolls over and closes her eyes while Penelope hands me a freshly washed Ysabel.

"She hated the bath but I assumed you didn't want her covered in blood." Penelope says.

"You are correct, thank you so much, I appreciate it." I respond before setting Ysabel down. I turn to make my way into bed when Penelope grabs my elbow.

"You probably don't know this but I figure it is time you do. You have magic abilities, and if you allow me, I can teach you how to use them to protect you and those you care about. Do you accept?" Penelope asks, her voice a whisper. I look at her, my mouth parted in half shock.

"I know my family had magic at one point but I think it vanished over time, but if you would like to try, I'm willing. We must do it in secret though, no one must know, not even Prince Oliver." I respond.

"Magic in blood doesn't just vanish, Alessandra. Meet me in the center of the old maze tomorrow, we will start from there." She states.