2 Bedtime Stories

Marjoram, one evening in 10th year of King Fennel's Reign

Master Chervil sighed as he closed the Enclave's History.

It had been two thousand years since the Great War against the Dark Suzerain. It had been two thousand years since the age of darkness.

Sadly, what once a part of history is now consider just simply a bedtime story.

"Master, it is about time." a young lad's voice filtered his ears. The old wizard turned and the sight of his apprentice came to view.

He simply nodded and beckoned the auburn haired boy to come near him.

As the fledgling took his place next to his master, Chervil hit the floor with his staff. A black candle was produced and hovered just a few paces away from them. 

Once it was lighted with a wave of Chervil's hand, a huge pentagram appeared. It glowed and transported both the master and student to a chamber in Marjoram castle.

Marjoram is one of the seven countries which emerged after the great war. This kingdom was founded by the very grand wizard himself, Kreuz Marjo.

Since it was founded, most casters had settled down in this kingdom.

However, as decades and centuries gone by, Marjoram had opened its doors to other kingdoms which resulted to the migration of citizens among the other realms.

This resulted to the intermixing of non-casters and casters which brought forth both good and bad consequences.

Due to that, some Marjorans had diluted blood and had produced offspring who could no longer cast magic.

Hence, only a few number of Marjorans who had active caster's circuit and can use magic remained as to date.

The first group are the pure bloods, Marjorans from the long line of casters. While the other one are those Marjorans who managed to have active casters blood and circuit despite being mixed bred.

Master Chervil is one of the blue bloods who had been serving the Marjoram's royal family.

Unfortunately, the royal line had declined throughout the century. Some of the ancestors had married non-casters from other kingdoms.

Although the king has his privileges, it doesn't mean that the heir had inherited the king's magic.

"Master Chervil!" the old wizard snapped out of his musings.

"Master Chervil!" the children began as they tugged on the wizard's long robes.

"Tell us a story." They begged. "Please..."

The old wizard smiled at the children's puppy eyes. He picked the only girl from the triad and took his seat.

Allowing the girl to sit on his lap, he asked. "What kind of story would you like me to tell?"

"The Enclave!" the flaxen haired boy replied while taking his place near the wizard's feet.

"I don't like that story." The girl pouted. "I like stories about witches! Please tell us a story about witches."

In reaction, the boy opened his mouth to object while the girl refused to back down. The remaining dark haired boy just stood watching the pair spat.

The two children would have fought but the wizard managed to chastise them.

"Now! Since the two of you are fighting, I think it is better for Reed to choose, since he is the older one."

The wizard's eyes feed to the direction of a boy who had remained silent.

Reed looked at the girl and sighed. "I'm sorry Lily. But, like Briar, I also prefer the Enclave's story."

Tears rimmed Lily's eyes but the wizard managed to control the damage as he hit his staff on the floor.

Flames rose from the candle and took forms of different figures. The figures pranced around as if the story they were trying to unveil was a happy dance.

Fascinated by the figures, Lily forgot about her upcoming tantrum.

"A long time ago..." the Master Chervil began as the children listened attentively. The flames started moving according to the flow of the story.

An angry red tongue of flame formed a distinctive figure of an overlord.

"There was a Suzerain who had become greedy. He was not contended with the territory he had inherited. He wanted more land. He wanted more power hence he began conquering other kingdoms."

The red figure produced smaller flames and began fighting a set of light colored flames.

"Kingdoms which stood against his midst were destroyed. He wreaked havoc across the land in order to gain the power that he seeks."

The angry reddish flame had begun snuffing out the other ones. It had spread further and had grown larger. 

"Many soldiers were sent but no one could stop him. Only a handful managed to survive and they fled knowing that the Suzerain will not spare them."

As the smaller flicks of flames died out, the angry reddish flame which was the overlord remained.

"The destruction of the Suzerain's greed spread far and wide and people began to worry about their own lives."

But not for long, seven smaller flames with different hues began to grow big and took on forms as well.

"Thus, the kingdoms around the Forest of Silence formed an alliance to stop the Suzerain."

The children watched as the next event unfolded.

"Smaller territories which became united as one fought a long battle against the Suzerain and managed to defeat the tyrant and liberate the nations from his grasps."

"Peace returned to the country and until now it is being protected by the alliance which is known as the Enclave of Kings."

"However, although the Suzerain was defeated, he had vowed to take revenge. He will shroud the land in darkness and death in order to acquire the thing that he desired the most-"

Before the wizard could finish, the Briar suddenly stood up and said with conviction. "That will not happen! The Enclave will make sure that they will protect everyone. They will stop anyone who will harm the kingdoms like the Suzerain did."

"Reed will become one of the Kings in the Enclave when we grow up. He will not let anything bad befall unto anyone!" the younger boy continued. "Right, brother?"

"Then, in that case, I will be a King too!" Lily interjected.

Briar raise his brow and pointed out. "Lily, girls could not become Kings!"

"Shut up Briar!" the girl bit back. "I will become a King and I will throw you out of my kingdom."

The girl stood near the boy and argue while the boy also snapped back at her. In no time, the pair began their routine-argument.

"Here they go again." Reed rolled his eyes and tried to get his brother to back down. He then dragged the younger boy to the the guest room.

Master Chervil took the girl and gave her back to her lady-in-waiting to be tucked in bed as well.

avataravatar
Next chapter