The Problem with Professor Nicolas (2)

Soon my love...

Soon.

Thin hands brushed against the surface of a coffin that should have been burnt long ago.

- - -

I don't like him...

This was the first thought that entered Azra's head as he sat down to begin his class with Professor Nicolas.

It had been about a week since he had begun lessons and Azra enjoyed the regular influx of new knowledge.

Just before, he had been with Carmen, and he already took a liking to her. She smelt like the tearoom when maids rolled in freshly made sweets and she gave nice hugs.

Nicolas on the other hand, never said anything mean but he was always watching him. Azra was sure the man never took his eyes off him once during their sessions. It felt as if someone was peering past his skin and observing every fiber of tissue within his body. Azra felt exposed in the worst way possible.

All sense of willingness and compliance seemed to evaporate from his small body when it was time for Professor Nicolas to teach him anything.

Once he even resorted to a tantrum and all it got him was a scolding and extra lesson work as punishment... He didn't want to do that again.

Instead he let Anna drag him from the room he was eating snacks in and back to the lesson room he now used to meet with his teachers.

Azra doodled a picture of a cat on the corner of a smooth page of his book.

"Dad still hasn't given me a cat..."

Azra pouted but his back quickly stiffened as the door opened and the tall man in question entered the room.

"Good evening your Highness, have you completed the assignment I gave you?"

"Yes, professor Nicolas."

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder and cold sweat collected on Azra's back as Nicolas bent low enough to talk softly to him.

"How many times have I told you Prince Azra? Please just call me Nicolas, after all... I expect to learn as much as I teach you. Is that clear?"

"Y-yes Pro... Nicolas."

"Good, shall we go over the math problems you did?"

Azra fiddled with his charcoal pencil as the man looked over his book. There was no sound in the room other than the random scratching of a pen.

"As expected of his Highness. You are a fast learner. I expect that you will be learning at a level of twice your age in the next few months."

Usually Azra loved praise from anyone, his father, Anna, Carmen, the maids. Praise from Nicolas gave him a horrid sense of foreboding. Though he knew not how to describe it, it just made him feel bad.

"Now with that out of the way, I suppose I should begin teaching you about magic and mana."

His shoes clacked against the smooth marble flooring and there was no way to avoid the dark eyes staring directly into his own.

"Tell me Prince Azra. What do you know about mana?"

"I-it's the reason we're all alive?" 

"Exactly!"

The loud exclamation had Azra jumping in his seat, but Nicolas was far too preoccupied with his thoughts to notice.

"Mana is the sole reason for every creatures' existence on Llyria. It helps us breath, make money and save lives. It is beginning and end. The strongest mages have been researching mana since the beginning of time but so many modern users believe we have only been skimming the tip of the iceberg. Theoretically, with magic as a byproduct of mana... anything can be made possible... all it takes is a spell."

Nicolas' wide eyes shot to Azra. His hair which was usually combed was a mess from his fingers constantly running through it. His suite looked wrinkled upon closer inspection and his face haggard.

He looked like a ticking time bomb.

Nicolas shoved the desk out of the way with brute force, causing the furniture to slam against the wall and sending all of Azra's things clattering to the floor. 

He kneeled before the child.

Azra flinched and tried to pull away when large clammy hands grasped his own, but his strength was nothing compared to that of a grown man.

"Tell me Azra, how has mana affected you?"

"I don't know." The answer came out meek and whispered. Azra could barely hear anything beyond the pounding of his heart.

"Now that can't be true... after all, I heard you did something amazing out in the gardens not too long ago. Will you tell me what happened?"

Azra blinked in surprise.

Is he talking about what I did to mom's flowers? Why would he want to know that?... I can tell him, it's not like it matters anyway.

"I made mom's flowers pretty again."

Nicolas' shoulders shook and a crazed glint began to sparkle in his eye. As if he had just proven a myth was fact.

"Yes. Yes you did."

After that he seemed to be in a dazed state. After barely mumbling out something Azra couldn't hear he ended the lesson.

Azra was out of there as fast as he could, leaving behinds books and writing utensils. Nothing mattered now.

He wanted to see Anna or dad. Anyone he felt safe with, maybe then the bad feelings he got from Nicolas would go away.

Azra rushed past all the knights and guards that tried to help him. Since the lesson ended early Anna wasn't there to pick him up.

In a sense, this was his first moment of freedom, but he couldn't enjoy it. He didn't want to be alone right now.

He turned a corner sharply and bumped into a very long leg, but in an instant he was clinging to it. He knew this scent like the back of his hand.

"Azra, how many times have I told you not to run-"

Matteus paused in his scolding when he felt his son trembling and griping the cloth of his pants leg.

He swiftly bent to pull the child from the appendage and into his arms, cradling his back in a gloved hand gently.

"Azra. What's wrong?"

"...Dad."

Azra's throat closed up after those words. A small hiccup he let out opened the floodgates. Fat tears fell freely from his lavender eyes as he quickly tried to wipe them away.

Matteus wordlessly glanced back at Scott who had been walking with him. With a small nearly imperceptible nod the man turned and walked back the way the two were coming from.

Now alone with his son, Matteus pat Azra's shaking back.

"Remember what I taught you, Deep breaths Azra. Good. Just calm down."

Matteus frowned when he scanned his son's body and recognized the mana around his heart flowing frantically. For now the priority was calming him, learning what happened could come afterward.

"I was coming to see you. Although it's a bit late, I've finally gotten you the present you asked for. Would you care to see it?"

Azra straightened from where he was leaning on Matteus' shoulder.

Rubbing at his eyes that were beginning to swell, Azra nodded. Matteus brushed his hand away, muttering soft words under his breath that lowered the temperature within his hand. He placed his now cool palm over his son's irritated eyes.

"Don't rub your eyes too hard."

Azra hummed, sadness all but forgotten as he began to squirm with excitement in his father's hold.

The way back up to Azra's room was a short one.

Once they were inside Matteus quickly placed the child down as he instantly began looking around the room.

"Where is it?"

"Over there in the corner."

Azra paused when he saw a mass of black fur moving in a small bed.

Rounded ears twitched at the approaching child and light caramel brown eyes watched him wearily.

"Don't approach too fast, be calm and gentle."

Matteus watched from the side as his son took slow steady steps towards the creature.

He was sure it wouldn't lash out, out of all the creatures the knights had found after raiding the illegal traders, this one was the most docile. 

She was also the most rare showing a strong affinity to lightning magic, though her mana was weak as she was still a cub.

Azra reached out his hand, watching in awe as the animal gently sniffed him and licked at his palm before rubbing it's head against him, seeming to ask for pets.

"Wow! What should I name him?"

"Her, and that is up to you."

Azra scruched his face in deep thought before turning to look at his new friend happily.

"Layla! Your name is Layla!"

"Where did you come up with that?"

"It was the name of one of the princesses in a fairy tale Anna read me."

Matteus hummed as his son cuddled up to the creature, Layla seemed to enjoy his affection.

"Thanks dad! I promise to take good care of Layla!"

Matteus smiled at the now happy look on his son's face.

"Good, now... can you tell me why you were crying earlier?"

Azra shrunk in on himself, running his hands through Layla's soft fur.

"Would dad be able to make him stop?"

Azra watched in surprise as his dad's face hardened in seriousness, it looked a little scary. He'd never seen him look like that before.

"I would do so much more than make him stop."