Upon returning to his parents’ home, they were immediately greeted by a curious Daniella.
“What did he want?” she asked. “Was everything okay?”
“It was… it was better than okay, Mom,” Era said with a weak smile. “He wants me to be the Archmage again.”
“By the gods,” she said, agape. “That’s wonderful news… but you don’t look very happy about it.”
“It’s just going to change a lot of things,” Era said quietly. “I won’t be able to see my loved ones as much, my walks through the woods are probably a thing of the past… it’s a great honor, of course, but it’s just very sudden. It’s going to change everything again.”
“And you just went through a great deal of change already.”
“Precisely.” He smiled up at her despite himself. “I still accepted, though, and I still intend to follow through on that.”
“Luc, you know you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to,” she said.
“I know,” he replied, “but I think… I can do a lot of good with that kind of power. I messed up horribly before. I took it all for granted. But this time,” he said with conviction, “I want to get it right. I want to make up for my past mistakes.”
“That’s the way to be, honey,” she said, standing on her toes to kiss his forehead.
Gabriel gave him a confident smile, but he was concerned on the inside. I hope you can live up to that promise, kid, he thought, I really do.
“Anyway,” he said, “I’ll need to collect my things. I move in to the castle tomorrow after a ceremony.”
“That soon?”
“Yes,” he said. “The castle isn’t complete without an Archmage.”
Daniella gave him a sweet smile. “What is it?” he asked with a grin back.
“Nothing, really,” she said, “it’s just… it was hard for me to really be happy for you the last time you became Archmage, you know? I felt like I was applauding a stranger.” As they headed for the stairs, she began to head another way to a different part of the house. “This time, the man standing up there will truly be my son.”
“You sure you’re ready for this, kid?” Gabriel asked with concern.
Era fiddled with his sigil, tugging at his cloak to make sure it was set perfectly. “No, of course I’m not,” he said, “but I’m going out there anyway and giving an impromptu speech.”
“Nice of them to warn you about that,” he said sarcastically.
“No, it’s not their fault. I had to give a speech last time, too.”
“Yeah, then I guess it is kind of your fault,” he joked.
“Thanks, Gabriel,” Era said, raising an eyebrow to him. Gabriel merely laughed.
“You’ll do fine. I promise.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “Just don’t freak out and everything will go just fine.”
“I hope so.” Era swallowed nervously, setting out for the castle gates.
When he reached the end of the hallway that led out, the announcer was just calling his name. Maintaining his dignity, he walked calmly out of the doors, and a roar sounded from the crowd as trumpets blared around him.
“Thank you,” he shouted to the crowd. It’s larger than I thought it would be, he thought nervously.
“I am sure some of you remember me from three years past. Your opinion of me then does not matter; whether you liked me or hated me, I am a different person here and now. Three years can change a person immeasurably. Indeed, a single moment can become the cataclysm that can change your entire life forever.
“I have come to realize that I was not making the best of what I had before. I had never known suffering. I had never had to hurt a day in my life. Things like that… change a person. Once you realize your tiny, focused little world is only a small fraction of a much larger reality, the whole world seems to open to you. Things you took for granted become strangely and profoundly beautiful. Once I opened my eyes, I realized how much potential I had to help those around me. I merely wish I’d realized soon enough to help those most precious to me.”
He looked around at the crowd, breathing deeply to calm himself. “I have little more to say,” he announced. “I will try my hardest to be the best person I can be. I will use my power to make this country – this world – a better place, if only a little bit at a time.” Suddenly out of words, he nodded politely and backed away. “Thank you.”
The crowd roared once more; perhaps it was only out of duty or politeness, but it made Era feel like he was on top of the world, if only for a moment. His eyes glanced over the crowd and over to his guards; suddenly he saw a flash of blue hair behind one of them. The king of thieves threw him a smile and a casual salute before scurrying away.
No comments:
Post a Comment