Uncle Glenn's Teacher

When Nicholas returned to his room after walking around the gardens to clear his mind, Ryenne was nowhere to be found.

He was bothered, but not truly saddened by her departure from his chambers. It was most likely the best decision she could make at that moment, she didn't know what state Nicholas would be in upon his return.

To Nicholas, as much as he had enjoyed the experience, it was merely a business transaction and a failed one at that.

"Your highness." A knock came from his door.

"You may enter." Nicholas called out, he knew it was Dion, up early to check on him.

Dion entered the room and glanced at Nicholas' bed which was still at a disheveled state, it seemed Jorin hadn't cleaned up while Nicholas was gone.

It made Nicholas wonder how long ago had Ryenne left his chambers.

"How are you this morning, your highness?" Dion bowed deeply as he greeted Nicholas.

"It failed." Nicholas hissed as he threw a nearby cup to the ground. "I thought it would work, but like everything we have tried, it failed miserably."

"So no memories at all have returned, your highness?" Dion asked as he walked over to pick up the metal cup and placed it back on a table.

"Jorin!" Nicholas shouted as his servant came running into his chambers, knowing that when the prince was in a temper, he should not be made to wait.

"Bring breakfast in here, now!" He commanded, making Jorin jump and hurry out of Nicholas' chambers.

Dion observed the prince carefully, choosing not to speak, should he say the wrong thing.

The room was silent as Nicholas massaged his temples and groaned. He was angry and frustrated at how things were developing. By now he expected to have regained all of his memories.

He should be setting up a trap for whichever brother had sent him to that other world, instead, that brother of his was walking around, laughing at his lack of memory.

The silence was broken when Jorin came rushing into the room as he placed Nicholas' breakfast on the table, as well as some food and drink for Dion.

"Leave us." Nicholas commanded Jorin, who bowed and did as the prince asked.

"Some memories returned, but I am yet to figure out if they are important memories, or if I simply wasted my time." Nicholas explained as he stabbed at his food. Before he paused and looked up at Dion.

"Uncle Glenn must have told you something." Nicholas said as he looked at Dion. "When I was young, he told me about theories that Cruor Mages were once Corporali Mages were not that different. Stories of the first Cruor mages having been born Corporali. You must know something about it?"

Dion sighed and shook his head.

From his expression Nicholas could tell that Dion knew what he was talking about.

"You know about it?" Nicholas asked as he glared at his chief minister.

"They are all old wive's tales, legends passed down by our elders. Stories long banned by the kings." Dion said as he shook his head. "My brother should never have told them to you as a young boy."

"Myths and legends always have facts at their core. So what is fact and what is fiction?" Nicholas asked Dion.

"What my brother told you as a little boy was already a very trimmed down version, they were the parts that he thought were true. But Nicholas, on your orders we stripped down his chambers, even your mothers, we found nothing." DIon explained. "If he had any information then it must have died with him."

"Then tell me the original stories, and he had to learn about them somewhere." Nicholas said as he began to ponder about what Dion had told him.

"Give me a week, I will send word to the Corporali Clan lands." Dion told the prince as he gave in to his request.

"Why do we need to wait? What's in the clan lands?" Nicholas asked, he couldn't help but think back to what the seer had told him. He needed to return to the clan lands to become king.

"You asked me where he learned the stories, he, I, and your mother learned the same stories growing up. To the person that told them to us, they were not myth or legend, they were facts. Part of history that we were supposed to believe." Dion shook his head, as if he were disappointed in how they were taught to consider it fact.

"Who was it? Your teacher?" Nicholas leaned forward, eager to hear more.

"It was our father, your maternal grandfather. It is too dangerous for him to come here, so we must go to him." Dion explained as his eyes began to become watery.

From what Nicholas could recall, Dion never left Ayr, he never took a day off. He wasn't even married. He was dedicated to serving his nephew, Prince Nicholas.

"When was the last time you went home to the clan lands, Uncle Dion?" Nicholas asked, this time addressing the man as his uncle.

Dion looked at the prince and blinked, seemingly unable to believe that Nicholas had called him uncle.

"I haven't gone home." Dion admitted. "I left when I was a teen, and since then the only life I've known is the one here."

Nicholas nodded as he felt a little sympathy for his uncle.

"I'll wait." Nicholas told Dion. "It's not like I have a choice."

"You would have to travel to the Clan lands if you want to meet your grandfather." Dion seemed worried about Nicholas leaving the palace, it was, after all, the best place to be should the king pass.

"We'll be back before more damage can be done to my father." Nicholas said with a nod.

"I'll send the letter now, your highness." Dion stood up and marched to the door, eager to pen a letter to his father.

Before opening it, however, he stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at Nicholas.

"He will be happy to meet you, your grandfather." Dion said before walking out of the room, leaving Nicholas alone with his thoughts.