Learning About Disappointment (And Hope)

'You can't do magic?!'

Obviously Elaine's father was furious at that fact since everyone in the Castelle family has high magical abilities. Elaine's mother on the other hand widened her eyes only for the slightest moment then hid her face behind her black and white fan, perhaps she did not want to add to the drama in the family.

We were at the main entrance of the manor, inside the house. There was barely any light passing through the half closed windows with red curtains.

'How is this possible? Didn't Alex teach you magic?' He threw his arms up in the air, I have to say in a not very aristocrat-like manner.

And yes Alex. I remember. Back when I thought Alex was smart, unlike the way he is now around Anastasia. He mocked me for not having any "talent", even then I had hoped that I could still maybe do magic. Though a long time has passed and no prove of me doing magic has shown up yet.

'I have to go to.' I didn't want to see their angry expressions for another second. So I went and left through the main door just like that baffling both of Elaine's parents. But I guess they also did not know what to say at the moment.

I took a stroll in this late afternoon with Lisa. She was quiet the whole time, that was nice. She knew I wanted some quiet time. She is very likeable and has excellent social skills with the other maids as well, the only thing they don't agree on is me.

Walking in the sidewalk of the neighborhood lined with nobles' houses, I took a deep breath and thought and thought. Is the reason I don't have any magic really because I'm not from this world?

I have to confirm or refute this theory somehow and the only person I think might have the answers is definitely not here wandering in the streets. So I turned my head towards Lisa and said, 'Prepare the carriage. We're going to the castle.'

ᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢ

Right now I was sitting on one of the many couches of the castle. The king sat on the other couch opposite of me. Around us was the fancy golden decorations placed all around the castle. Hard to believe this will or might be in ruins in the future.

We were served tea by a palace maid. Beside me, standing on the left side of the red and gold couch was Lisa who maintained a poker face all maids seem to have, very different from her usual self. Perhaps she was nervous in front of the king. 

'I wanted to speak with you about my magic,' I cut to the chase.

'What about it? You must be very happy using magic right? I know your past world did not have any.' He took a sip of his tea without a care in the world.

It seems the king is not mocking me. He seems to really not know that I have no magic.

'I don't... have any... magic.' At this he stopped moving and with his head still facing his tea cup he looked at me with squinted eyes.

'Are you sure?' How can I not be? A year has passed since I came to this world and no sign of my magic has shown up. I blink for a second longer than normal as if to nod.

He then put down the cup of tea on the glass table between us and looked like he was in deep thought. I wonder what he was thinking. If this were a book perhaps the author could write in third point of view to make it easier for the readers, but real life is not like that.

'I'm sorry Elaine, but I don't know why you don't have magic.' Those words left me with great disappointment. Afterwards I left the room to go back to the manor, but as I was walking through the castle I saw something strange.

I saw a wave of familiar black hair running through the halls of the castle. What could Anthony be doing here? I hid myself behind a pillar right away so he would not see me while I followed him.

Not long after I seem to have lost him in this maze of a castle. Why did this castle have to be so freakin' big? Behind me I heard someone catching their breath, it was Lisa.

'Lady Elaine, who are... we chasing?' she said as she took another breath of air. I better tell her about Anthony, keeping this information to myself might have a bad effect. If something happens to me then I can trust Lisa to tell it to Elaine's parents or maybe the king.

Later that evening we travelled back to the manor and I went straight to my room. I was sitting on the dressing table while Lisa fetched me a cup of water. I looked at the mirror in front of me.

I thought about Anthony and how I knew almost nothing about him. I had figured he was a noble when we first met at my debut/engagement party, however that might not be the case. After all, what was a noble doing running in the castle halls in the evening alone without an attendant. That was highly suspicious.

There is a lot of questions that I can think of about Anthony, but I have no answers to them right now.

As Lisa returned back to my room, she was running with the cup of water on a tray. It was night time and there was a candle near the door in my room.

And as you guessed it, she tripped on air and made the tall candle holder sway towards her as she fell. I could almost seem to see the action in slow motion as my eyes widened.

Lisa falling to the ground, the tray with the cup of water leaving her hands and into the air and most importantly the fire that was on the candle's wick falling towards Lisa.

That was when I threw back my chair and yelled, 'No!' Instantly the fire on the candle's wick seemed to burn out just before it managed to burn onto Lisa's dress.

Was that a coincidence? A wisp of the air managing to somehow turn off the fire at the right time? Or was that hope?