The Ruined Stage

"Deithi Svensson."

All eyes turned to the six-year-old son of princess Celia. Because he along with the crown prince were the youngest of the royal family, they were the last to be tested. Everyone knew though it was just an excuse for Eadric to show off at the end.

"Dei, go ahead," his mother gently nudged him. She was all smiles as Deithi stepped forward to climb the staircase atop of which sat the Tree of Hope.

Buried in rich black soil that came from the volcanoes, the Tree of Hope was no taller than Deithi. It had several spindly branches that grew from a thick short trunk. The tree was naked and waiting for magic so it could bloom for the audience.

"What are you waiting for?" A teenager from the crowd heckled at him. "Your father?"

The joke was poor in taste but it received muffled laughter from the crowd. Deithi didn't care. He was thinking about the time when he touched the tree and all it had given him was a tiny wilting bud that could be seen only if one came close to the branch.

The little boy reached out to the tree and touched it.

"Do you not know how to pour out your magic?" The Grand Magus asked him impatiently. The old man had come all this way at the king's request and the gift of an ultra rare magical plant. There was no reason for him to be standing there and putting up with the royal family's snivelling children.

Deithi just stood at the tree, hand pressed upon the rough black bark of an unresponsive tree. The audience incorrectly assumed that he was an ordinary human.

"Child," the grand magus told him with pity. "It's not the end of the world. Many ordinary humans have succeeded and become renowned for their other talents."

Deithi remained silent. To the people watching him, it appeared as though he was frozen from the emotional turmoil of discovering he was an ordinary. Unbeknownst to them, the six-year-old was busy killing the tree by sending tendrils of his magic into its heart. The tree was protected by several magical safeguards but it took Deithi only a few seconds to get past them all. He too had been a Grand Magus but far more powerful than the old man who was conducting their test.

"Thank you for the kind words," Deithi bowed his head to the old man.

The audience was silent, shocked that an ordinary would be born in the royal family. There hadn't been one in several decades since royalty only married powerful bloodlines.

"Such a shame," the youngest princess aunt broke the silence with her contempt laced words. "What a wonderful princeling you've given birth to Celia."

"Father, why did the tree not bloom for him?" An older child asked though he knew the answer.

"That's because he doesn't have any power. Not a single drop of magic in him."

"I'm surprised, Celia. Your husband was quite the adept mage. Are you sure he's his father's son?" Aurelia said to her sister as she covered her mouth and laughed. "I'm only jesting, dear sister. You'd never cheat on a man you married out of love even though he was low born."

Deithi stoically walked back to his pale mother. Princess Celia looked like the blood had been drained from her face. She tried to smile at her son but it came out looking wrong.

"Mother, it'll be fine," he told her. After the performance of the Crown Prince, the royal family would have somewhere else to shoot their arrows at.

"You're right, Dei," she replied, colour coming back to her cheeks. If her son wasn't bothered by it then she would also be strong with him.

The Grand Magus announced the final name to be tested. Deithi watched Eadric's mother send him off proudly towards the tree. Eadric himself looked flushed from the excitement of knowing that his time to shine brighter had come. This would be his second time touching the Tree of Hope. His parents had secretly tested him and the tree had responded by blooming nearly a hundred large blossoms. Eadric was secure in the knowledge that he was a powerful mage unseen since the death of Grand Magus Aimson.

Eadric turned to smile at his relatives as he rested his palm on the tree.

Breaths held in anticipation of splendour, the audience waited. And waited.

Eadric didn't hear the applause he was expecting. The child turned his gaze to the tree was stunned by the lack of any blossoms. He pushed and pushed his magic into the tree but it was futile.

"Eadric, what's wrong?" His mother stood up and asked him. "Pour your magic in, son. You know what to do."

"I'm trying," the child yelled. He was turning red from embarrassment because his fawning relatives were now looking at him strangely. Mind racing, the child looked for an outlet for his embarrassment. He pointed at Deithi who was standing by princess Celia.

"He must have done something to the tree!" The crown prince shouted. "You! What did you do?!"

Deithi clutched his mother's dress and hid behind her. He was hiding a smile but the adults were fooled by his act.

"My son hasn't done anything," Celia protested. "He doesn't even have magic. The same thing happened to him, your majesty!"

The Queen's face was ashen. How could this be? Her Eadric was powerful so why wasn't the tree blooming?

"Grand Magus, maybe there's something wrong with the tree," she suggested. "Can't you bring another one?"

The old man frowned at the spoilt Queen and prince. Where was he going to find another tree of hope on such short notice?

"Your majesty, I'm afraid that is not possible," he gravely informed her. "How about we ask the two princes to cast spells so we can determine if they're ordinary or magical?"

The Queen's relief was palpable when she smiled at the Grand Magus. Her son would still shine. Whatever spell it was, Eadric would surely beat Celia's untalented son. "Celia, bring out your son," she ordered the beautiful princess who was a sore sight to her.