Forgotten names

Although her steps were determined all the way to the study, she hesitated in front of the door but only for a second. The matter was of utmost importance. Her soft knocking could be hardly heard, but a response came through, nevertheless.

Benjamin was alone this time, looking as tired as always, with piles of papers on his desk all begging for his attention. He looked up at her with a smile that was anything but glad.

"Iris dear, is something the matter?"

She wavered for a second, thinking if there was actually necessary to worry her already stressed husband with only rumours. But if they weren't rumours, then she had to know.

"I received a letter from Elisabeth," she started.

"And?"

"Will it be war, Benjamin? Is the first prince really trying to seize the thrones, that's why you are going to the capital?"

His eyes widened at her questions and after studying her face, he scoffed.

"My dear, there won't be any war coming to us while I'm alive. And even if it did, you don't have to worry. I have sworn to protect you."

"But the first prince…"

"Is just doing his job to rule the country in the absence of his father, the king," he answered as if it was a matter of fact. Seeing as his words didn't calm her down, he approached her, taking her in his arms and soothing her like a baby. "A war is the last you should think about, right now. The whole Alutus needs your attention. And soon, my work will decrease, and we will have more time together. Don't worry about something that won't happen."

Iris felt indeed protected in his strong arms and tucked her face in his large chest, inhaling his flagrance. He kissed her head and made her feel more relieved.

"There are other tasks that need your attention here, my dear. I heard the mage was complaining about some potions he received. Maybe you can look into that? And just wait for me a little longer," he said and smiled at her, pushing her towards the exit.

"You are right. I'll see to it," she smiled back, an uneasy smile and went back.

Her study was the same, ledgers waiting for her at the wooden desk. Nothing in that room was touched since the morning, but Iris felt that everything changed. Despite all the assurances Benjamin provided, she could not help but feel that something was wrong, that he might be hiding something from her. There was no reason Elisabeth would lie to her, was it? Two people she trusted above everyone else provided contradictory words, but who to believe. She just had to wait and hope that her friend was wrong, it was for the best. In the end, what could she do?

"Have you called for me, Your Grace?" Daisy asked after knocking on the already opened door.

"I actually asked for Mary, where is she?" It became a habit to call for her favourite maid, although there were others available. Mary was always nearby.

"She went to the kitchen to bring some food for your ladyship and left me to attend to my lady's needs," the maid answered, as polite and shy as always. Iris liked Daisy very much. She was sweet and young and naive, only 16 of age with curly blond hair and eyes the colour of the summer sky. She smiled gently at her, not wanting her inner tumult to scare the girl away.

"I understand. Call the mage. I heard there were some problems with the goods he received from the merchant, and I want to resolve this problem as quickly as possible."

"At once, my lady," she answered, leaving as fast as she could.

Daisy was a clever and quick witted girl so she should make use of her more often and not forget about her youngest maid. The trio that served her directly was very effective. They knew their roles perfectly and helped their master in all ways she needed, but Iris felt Mary more closer to her heart than the others, almost as a friend. They would have tea sometimes, when alone, and chat about many things, from histories from the region to boys and love. That made Iris' frightful thought from earlier go away and the arrival of Ray made them disappear altogether.

"You grace, " the mage greeted, "I am terribly sorry to cause such trouble, but some of the potions that arrive are fake, not being effective at all. They are as good as garbage."

"How do you know?"

"I tested them with a simple spell to check their quality, expecting that some might be mediocre, but they were rubbish."

Iris was always intrigued by magic and fascinated that a simple spell could tell him so much about a potion. They had an old mage at Tomis castle who was dismissed when her mother had died. Duke Martell lost his faith in the healing of magic or the use of it altogether. But his daughter missed him and the small tricks he would do to cheer her up now and then. She neve asked him how he was able to do magic at that time and later the chance was gone.

Ray continued his rant about the potion, while Iris studied him. He was tall, much taller than her, but slim and agile like a cat. His light green clothes wore the mage emblem on the chest which was awarded to him a few months ago. His annoyed look and the way he was angrily gesturing about how the merchant deceived them made her smile. The young man loved what he was doing, and it showed with every gesture.

"Ray," she called him gently and the mage stopped his monologue, "why did you become a mage?"

This caught him by surprise, and it took a moment for him to find his words.

"I was called at the magic academy when I was 10 to see whether I have the talent or not."

"They called you? How did they know who to call? Did you show any inclination to it as a child?"

"Not everyone can be a mage, Your Grace. It is necessary for a person to be a descendent of the old mage kings."

"The old kings?" asked Iris, intrigued as she never received such a call.

"Yes, the academy has a book with all the families who have their blood and when a child from that family turns 10, they are called to the academy for testing. If they have a good score they are enrolled."

"And if not?"

"They continue their lives as they had before."

"Will their children also be called to be tested?"

"It depends," Ray explained, "if three consecutive generations don't show any talent for magic, their family is considered barren."

"Barren?" The word did not sit well with her.

"Unable to produce a mage, Your Grace."

"I understand."

She pounded a little over how her mother always told her stories about the old kings, her ancestors so she was almost sure that she was also a descendant, but maybe her family was a 'barren' one.

"Are there many nobles who are considered to be mages?" she inquired.

"Not many, Your Grace. Only a few small houses and their magic seems to decrease by each generation."

"What about the Martells?"

"I beg your pardon, Your Grace. What about them?"

"Are they in that book?"

"From what I remember, no. Only a few small houses," he paused before continuing. "I'm sorry for my ruthlessness, Your Grace, but shouldn't your ladyship know best whether your family has the potential to become mages or not?"

A sad smile grew on Iris's face at his question.

"Yes, I should know best," she answered, turning to face the window, thinking about what was true and what not for the second time that day. But the skies provided little answers.

In the quiet room, she heard Ray's steps getting closer.

"Your Grace is something the matter?" the mage asked, analysing his master to see if she was sick anywhere.

"Nothing at all, I was just curious. Thank you for your explanation. I'll summon the merchant to get better potions so don't worry about that."

"It's my pleasure to serve you, Your Grace." He bowed before leaving her alone with her concerns.

Was there any way to discover if her family was 'barren' or if something else happened? What if she had magical powers dormant inside her, would she be able to use them? Her mind flew to the tricks her old family mage made.

'I should stop daydreaming. There are more important matters at hand.' she scolded herself before continuing with the papers on her desk.