Forever A Child

(A/ n please read the auxiliary chapter their is much needed info in it that will leave you lost if you don't.)

Mack woke up early in the morning. He yawned out loud while stretching. The birds were chirping and a lite breeze blew through the open window of his small room. He cared not about the size of the room though because he only used it to sleep. His room was 10 foot by 10 foot so pretty small when compared to his brothers mansion of a bedroom. His room was very plain. Not a whole lot of room for much of anything, except for maybe a small chest of drawers, a table, and a bed. The table beside his bed had a small stool that he could sit on and do some schoolwork. This is also where his school books would sit When he wasn't using them.

Today was a free day for him and he was going to spend the day reading his favorite novel in his favorite spot. After changing out of his nightshirt he left his room. Walking excitedly down the elegant corridor towards the library with its polished marble floors and porcelain statues that depicted warriors of the past on either side he ran quite literally into his brother Vorick knocked him onto his backside.

"Ouch…." Vorick cried out as he hit the floor. Mack landing ontop of him. He opened his eyes only to see the dull gray eyes of his brother staring goofily at him with a big grin on his face.

"Fancy meeting you here" said Mack trying lift the mood so his brother doesn't get mad at him.

"How many times Have you been told to not run in the corridors" scolded Vorick

"I'm sorry bubby, I didn't mean to knock you over" Mack said with the most apologetic face he could make.

"well, you're lucky it's me you ran into and not somebody else. anyway, where are you going in such a hurry" asked Vorick

"The library to get a book" he answered joyfully as Vorick rolled him off onto the floor.

"Why does that not surprise me" Vorick said as he bent over and picked up his brother off the floor.

"Hey, wait put me down" Mack protested as he was lifted up above his brothers head. Vorick started to giggle at his brother's futile attempt to get down "please Vorick, you know I don't like it when you man handle me"

After his fit of giggles he gave in to his brother's pleas and put him down. "You know, it wouldn't be as easy to manhandle you as you put it, if you would actually workout with me every day, instead of burying your face in those books."

"I have no desire to be a brute like you" Mack said flatly. giving it no thought whatsoever.

"what are you gonna do the day after tomorrow when we start our warrior training? You haven't attended a conditioning class in three years" said Vorick "it would help with your look"

"what's wrong with the way I look" Mack asked as he looked down at himself.

"well, for starters, we are identical twins but aside from our hair color, eye color, and facial features we are completely different. Your weak with the strength of a little kid half your age. I'm strong with the strength of someone a lot older then me or so I'm told. I'm even taller then you now." He said sounding more as though he's gloating

"I never noticed before, but you are taller than me….weird. Anyway, I'm going to read outside. By bubby" he said as he hugged his brother and scurried down the corridor towards the library. Vorick shook his head as he watched his brother turn the corner. Then continued on with what he was doing.

Once Mack got his favorite book from the library he ran out the door and into one of the many gardens that surrounded the castle grounds. This garden in particular was the furthest away from the castle, near the wall that separated the castle grounds from the rich part of Freeport city. Their also were two other barriers. One separated, the rich part of the city from the middle class part of the city, and the other one separated the middle class part of the city from the lower class part of the city. In this garden at the very back stood a really tall, huge oak tree. In this oak tree, there was an ancient treehouse that one of the previous Kings had built for his kids. He climbed up the latter and opened the trap door and climbed in closing the hatch behind him. Inside was a small hammock and nothing else. Climbing into the hammock, he began to read, getting lost in the world that the book created in his mind.

Just after midday he was brought out of his daydreams by the rumbling of his stomach. He chuckled to himself as he forgot to eat breakfast so to prevent any further protests from his rumbling body part he decided to head back to the castle and grab some food but as he was lifting the hatch to climb down he heard two people entering the garden. He didn't want people to know of his secret hiding spot so he decided to wait until they left to climb down. Which also meant that he was going to eavesdrop on the conversation. He peered through a crack in the floor to see who They were, and noticed that it was the old mage Veritas, who was talking to Nicholas the dads Top advisor.

"are you 100% sure that there's nobody around That could possibly overhear this conversation. King will have my head if this information were to leak to the wrong person." Asked Nicholas concern written all over his face.

"I'm a mage if anyone was around I'd sense their mana, now Out with it I don't have all day"

" You know the situation regarding you know who and the mana situation you Discovered 10 years ago"

" oh, that situation, how could I possibly forget that it was the most bizarre thing I had ever witnessed in my life" replied veritas " what about it?"

"well, the awakening ceremony is tomorrow And they're still planning on the boy participating. I've tried to talk them out of it but they refuse to see reason" Nicholas said

"that's because his and her majesty Think I am an old senile kook that don't know what I'm talking about" said the mage "I may be getting on in years, but I am still as sharp as a Tack"

"we can't let Mack Participate in the awakening ceremony. The only thing he will succeed in doing tomorrow is embarrassing not only himself, but his father. It will also make the Nobles question Vornicks potential as the hair to the throne."

"I agree, but the king is stubborn. We have no choice, but to take this matter to the council." Said Veritas.

"if we do that you'll get in trouble for hiding it all these years. Are you sure you want to risk that?" Asked Nicolas

"We have no choice. It's for the best. Now, we don't have much time. The council is convening in an hour to discuss final plans for the ceremony tomorrow. I have a seat on the council so I will bring it up. Now go" veritas said as he disappeared with a pop. Nicholas turned and hurriedly left the garden.

If anyone was to pass through this garden they would hear the faint sobs of a child who's dream of being a powerful mage had been shattered to dust. Up in the treehouse sitting in the middle of the floor was Mack quietly sobbing, his hunger long since forgotten. He stood up and walked back to the hammock and crawled back in.