FENRER

Father should be back by now — with his special guest. Who is it?

Auric cards in hand, he went to everyone to find what images they showed. Each one painted a unique, pretty picture on the blank slate. Yulana showed deep, rumbling flames of a mighty volcano. Priest Ituan spread silver dawns and will-o-wisps, attuned to the flowing trimming around the edge of the card. Mother revealed a dawn, from the gates of Sungrove. Gentle oranges and warm hues.

I haven't gotten a chance to look at Father's picture! Or his guest!

Fighters practiced their swings out in the yard which pulled him out of his studies. He tried to focus on learning all he could about his magick. Soon enough, Father will teach me how to fight and protect our lands for when it's my time to be the Lord of Sungrove. I need to learn all I can.

In her own desk, Mother wrote in long scrolls.

"When is Father coming home?" Fenrer mused.

"He should be back in the next few bells." Mother lifted her head from her papers — which she deemed important. "Are you having difficulties, Fenrer? Anymore headaches?"

"Softer colours make it better, like yours."

Her evening star softened. "Thank you for your kind words, Fenrer. Try and focus on what Priest Ituan tells you to do. I don't wish for you to suffer auric migraines."

Shouts and hoofbeats dragged him to the window, and he wiggled when Father and his housecarls trotted into the gates. "He's back!" He pointed out the window and hopped in place when Mother smiled at him. "Can I go, Mom? I want to see him!"

Mother eyed his books, then sighed. "Very well—" Fenrer bolted for the door, but she called back, "Be sure to return to your studies after!"

Fenrer raced out of the studies and into the lower estate corridors. Wolven tapestries glowed in the shadow of the firelamps, where the previous night's ash gave way for new life. Housecarls opened the main doors at his approach, and Fenrer bounded down the steps, but he faltered at a shape who clung onto Father's back.

He swung his legs out and touched the ground, and held his arms out at the shape. "It's alright," he said as Fenrer drew closer to investigate. "I'll get you down, Your Grace."

Pressure clutched onto his temples when the young boy clung onto Father's massive shoulders, helped down onto the ground. Every aura focused on the newcomer. The boy hid behind Father when everyone gathered and fell into their whispers. Teary cascades of rain fell down his cheeks and shimmered the storm of his aura, dragging down the unbridled power of lightning.

Father beamed at him. "Ah, Your Grace. Here is my son." He urged the boy forward, but wrapped his arms around his leg. "Fenrer, I want you to meet somebody. This is Reyn Kolis, the youngest prince of Haneka. He is my new ward. He will be learning along with you."

The closer he came, the stronger the storm intensified.

His head throbbed, but he bridged the gap. "Hello!" He held his arm out. "I'm Fenrer! Your name is Reyn? You're a prince? You came with Father from Sivaport? What is it like over at the capitol? Do you see a lot of seabirds?"

Every one of his questions went unanswered. He stretched his arm out, but Reyn stepped from his touch and kept his gaze trained on the ground. Panic filled the storm when he dug his face into the back of Father's leg.

He stood a few inches taller than Reyn, but no one matched Father's height when he leaned down on their level. "It is okay, Reyn. Fenrer won't hurt you." He straightened himself out to indicate to a housecarl while another pulled the horses back to the stables. "Retrieve Priest Ituan. Boy's sickly. I want to see if there's anything that can be done."

"Right away, my lord!" His housecarl bounded to the estate before going around the back to the shrine and Father nudged Reyn out of his hiding spot. Without his leg to hide behind, Reyn hugged himself and the storm cloud followed the embrace. He frowned at the drainage of all colour, and Father put a large, yet gentle hand on the top of Reyn's head.

"Why are you sad?" he asked, causing Reyn to eye him. "Do you not like Sungrove?"

Reyn shrunk from him. "I'm hungry," he mumbled with the accent of coastal Haneka.

"We'll get you something to eat soon." Fenrer bounced when Father knelt down to hug him in his massive arms. "Did you get into any trouble while I was gone?"

Embers set the storm clouds alight in the air when Fenrer tried to wrap his arms around Father's shoulders. "No, no trouble here." He peeked over Father, where Reyn glared at him.

"Good to hear," Father said and eyed Reyn, who dropped his ground to the dirt at his boots. "I'll take you to your room. Fenrer will keep you company while I make sure Ituan knows where to find you."

"I don't want to..."

Quiet as a hummingbird.

"I won't hurt you!" Fenrer moved for his new friend, but Reyn dove back around Father, using him as a shield. He stopped. Why is he running away? He clasped his band when Reyn's aura fluttered with uncertainty and washed with fear. Up to the estate and to the guest rooms, Father ushered them inside the largest one, where Reyn frowned deeper.

"Dinner will be ready soon," Father said at the doorframe. "I'll come retrieve you both when it is ready."

Reyn sat in the corner, silent. A knee nudged him, and he turned to Father.

"Do you have your cards?" Father asked.

Fenrer unpacked them and held them out.

"Try not to cause too much trouble," Father reiterated with another point at Reyn, who curled on his knees with a bow of his head. Playfulness shimmered Father's aura and latched it to the walls to send the wood dancing.

"I won't cause trouble, I won't get in the way..."

Quieter than the ocean wind.

Clouds of the storm settled in a perpetual state of silence and frozen movement. Once Father disappeared behind the door, Fenrer made a new approach to sit down on his knees in front of him, but Reyn glared at the floorboards.

"Do..." Fenrer held out his cards. "Do you want to play a game with me, Prince Reyn? It's fun, I promise!" He spread them out in front of him, but curled his fingers when Reyn rubbed the tears of his aura off his face. "Here! I'll explain! You pick a card, and an image will show! I will interpret the image!" He hesitated when Reyn said nothing. "Well, Ituan says I'll be able to do that when I've had more practice. Go on! Pick one!"

Reyn lifted his head. Storms shifted within his grey eyes. He studied the cards, and Fenrer bounced on his knees when he reached for one, slow and unsure. His storm latched onto the edges of the card he chose. In reflection, a mighty maelstrom swirled from the trimmings. Powerful, dangerous, but constant.

"Pick another one," Fenrer urged, and Reyn picked up another one.

Lightning set alight the golden edge of the card. Nature's power against a sky of pitch. It spun with the crack of distant thunder. In the shimmer of energy, it darkened with the core of the storm, set alight by a distant sun. Eyes of burning coals flared within the cloud, and gave birth to giant wings to shadow massive mountains and giants both. Fenrer beamed, but stopped when Reyn dropped it with a small whimper, and he leaped back into his corner the moment the door opened behind him.

"I hope we're not interrupting anything, little lord," Auro Ituan said with a grin.

Fenrer packed his cards and studied the one Reyn ran from. "No."

"I need to check on His Highness." Auro Ituan swept his arm for Reyn's bed. "By your leave, Your Grace."

Reyn stood and shuffled over. Fenrer returned to Father's side. Fear created spikes through the sullen storm core. His band itched when it crawled through the flow, to tickle the edge of his temples. "I don't think he wants you to do that," he blurted out when it froze with Auro Ituan's approach.

Ituan frowned and bowed to Prince Reyn. "I mean no ill intent, Your Grace," he reassured, and held his hand out, where Reyn placed his arm in his grip without complaint. "Can you do some magick for me?"

Lightning tore through the colour. It shuttered through the flow and closed off the power when it rippled for a thunderous call. It flashed against his eyes, and Fenrer winced when Reyn whimpered through the clarity of pain.

Ituan released him. "Magick burnout," he mumbled with a turn to Father, who matched his weary expression. "Common in babes born before their time. I'm sure His Grace will grow out of it given time and care — but stress agitates it." A bulbous bur filled the silent space between the two adults.

"I thought as much," Father grumbled. "See what you can do for him while he's here."

Auro Ituan nodded to Reyn. "Prince Reyn, as an Aurus, I can ease your aura. It may assist with your pain—"

"No..." Reyn hugged his pillow.

Fenrer frowned when Auro Ituan simply bowed once more. "I understand, Your Grace. It is your mind, your aura. Know that the offer is open on the off chance you change your mind."

The storm shifted on a course of wind and a wave of thought. Heaving. Dragons who took flight, but the rumble of a warm kitchen full of meats and fish. Stories told by an invitation of fire.

"He wants to sleep," Fenrer spoke out the image when it tickled the edge of his flow. "He's hungry, too."

Reyn pulled the pillow closer to his chin in wide-eyed terror. Ituan twisted to Fenrer with a quick shake of his head. "Little lord, we discussed this. It is paramount for you to control your senses. It is wrong to enter someone's mind without their full consent — body and soul."

Fenrer leaped back at the gentle, but no less stern lecture, and Father put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. "I didn't mean it, Your Grace! It revealed itself and..." He sucked in his lips and bounced his feet on the floorboards along with the myriad of colours in the room which agitated the pulsing in his temples. "I'm sorry."

Ituan sighed. "At any rate, I shall see if we have any herbs stocked to help with magick burnout. I may have to visit the roadside alchemist to prepare the tincture." He bowed deep to Father, and left the room.

"Go on, Son," Father urged. "I need to talk to Reyn."

Nothing in Father's green aura turned into sharp barbs. Strong, full of summer. Fenrer left the room behind, curious of the shifting flow only he could see. Through the fear and despair, the everlasting light of the dawn.

It rose against the dark horizon behind the wings of dragons, and illuminated the world in a silver glow.