Mages

Two seasons passed, and Miroïr worked extremely hard on the spell he presented to protect the civilians until he got ready. 

After many tests, he finally could propose his shield. Without saying a word, he placed it on one of the towns that were attacked every week by the opposite army. The attackers had been projected a hundred meters away when they struck. Villagers were astonished and joy spread amongst them. Miroïr had his moment of glory, in the meeting room, generals and commanders were congratulating him.

At the end of the meeting Miroïr went to walk a bit alone in the gardens, proud of himself and satisfied, but for him, the most important was that he didn't betray the trust Zarkhaïm placed in him. As he was walking peacefully admiring flowers he felt a presence next to him and this low and enchanting voice talking to him.

"You did it. Congratulations."

Miroïr smiled happily.

"It is all thanks to you. Why do you believe in me so much, Zarkhaïm?" 

The King bumped his shoulder with affection and a light chuckle.

"One day, as I was very lost, someone came to me and told me these words,"

Zarkhaïm cleared his voice, he stared at Miroïr while coming close to his face with a very serious expression, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine because I believe in you."

That was a very new sensation. Miroïr didn't know how to react and turned his eyes, blushing. 

"This person must be very important to you," He said in a shy tone.

Zarkhaïm smiled amused, he seemed very happy to talk about this particular person.

"I would not live in a world without this person. This person is my everything."

Miroïr felt a kind of pain in his heart, it was sweet and complicated. He said in a sad voice.

"I believe this person is exceptional."

Miroïr couldn't explain why he felt this way, he didn't know why he felt jealousy. He reassured himself by thinking that he simply wanted someone to talk about in such a way, one day.

Zarkhaïm turned his face to a blossomed tree, he caressed the petals delicately. The king seemed lost in his thoughts and then he asked.

"Do you want to have dinner with me this evening?"

Miroïr dropped his jaw in surprise. Before he had the time to think of it, he already answered "yes". 

Zarkhaïm's lips curled up.

"I will see you later, then."

He walked away right after and Miroïr stayed frozen for a moment. He couldn't believe what just happened. 

His steps brought him back to his room. He sat on the bed and watched his closet in silence. When it was the hour, he changed his clothes to fresh ones and joined Zarkhaïm in his private quarters. 

The king seemed overjoyed to see Miroïr, he was sitting at a long dinner table. As Miroïr entered, he served him a glass of wine with an interested smile. They started to eat quietly. Miroïr was looking at Zarkhaïm, he didn't know what to say or think. The king broke the silence suddenly.

"If you had incredible powers, what would you try to change in the world?"

Miroïr was taken aback by this question. The King was asking him directly something he would never dare to say loudly. This was an opportunity he could not miss, or a trap. 

"I think," Miroïr paused for an instant, thinking about how to say things carefully. " I think one can have respect only by pure force only and that is a problem. Genius, women, and everyone a bit different is not heard. I wish I could bring peace between the scholars, the mages, and the rest of the population. 

I dream that the tower welcomes everyone with abilities, no matter their bloodline or genetics. I would love to let the library be accessible for anyone who wants to learn."

Miroïr was speaking with passion. He was sharing his ambitions with Zarkhaïm. He never could talk about this in the past. Jäwell would have mocked him already but Zarkhaïm listened. They spoke all night about how to make this world better. Miroïr came back to his quarters happy in the middle of the night. He had finally found someone to talk to without shame. He was a dreamer, a romantic, he always had hope for a utopia where everyone could feel welcome, no matter who they were. What a stupid idea, isn't it? He went to bed, excited by his discussion. He had found a companion to talk about everything and this made his heart full of joy. 

Miroïr would be given the opportunity to change things earlier than he thought. Only a few days after this diner, on a rainy night, he felt the strange call of a mage. Someone had come to the tower. Someone powerful.

He left his room and went to the tower. He was very excited to meet this person. New mages were rare and this one had an extraordinary potential.

Outside the door, he saw a figure waiting patiently for him. He opened the door and they both entered the tower in silence. When the person removed their hood, Miroïr discovered a gorgeous woman. Miroïr smiled when he saw her. She was tall and slender, but she was also elegant, dressed in a long black lace dress, and she had long raven hair that came down to her knees flying with her movements.

Her pale skin contrasted with her brown eyes. Her beauty was astonishing. 

"I want to be one of your mages," she said without a hint of hesitation.

Her strong voice was resonating in the tower, she didn't need to speak loud to be heard. Miroïr laughed, she was probably already better than any man in this tower and he was enchanted to count her in.

"That will be very interesting," he answered amused.

He invited her to sit on the sofa, and they talked all night. They eventually were interrupted by a mage who entered the tower to start working in the morning. The man had a smile at first and said in a mocking voice. 

"Sorry, my Prince, I didn't mean to interrupt. Do you want me to come later?"

Miroïr answered rapidly to avoid misunderstandings.

"For sure not, she is our most recent recruit. I will need you to show her our working space and the dormitory." 

The man dropped his bag on the spot, he was about to complain but Miroïr left immediately before letting him have the time to say a word. 

Today he was going to dinner with Zarkhaïm and Jäwell as they returned from a little patrol at the border. He went to prepare himself, it had been a few days since he didn't see them. Meeting his brother and his friend was giving him great joy, he had missed them dearly.