.Eyes Of Void.

-16-

I was eating small bites to not be impolite but I was too distracted to eat a lot.

"King Alabard and guests, mage Mystery." My head snapped up as she was there, hands clasped behind her back like she always did as she stepped in the room, as if nothing had happened to her.

"Your Majesty, your Highness, king Alabard, mage Amalia." She greeted us all with a small bow, smiling a little when she noticed Amalia, probably uncertain of her fate since her passed out.

"Ah mage Mystery it is great to see you up, I finally get the chance to meet you."

"The honor is mine king Alabard."

"Your name precedes you mage Mystery tho our first meeting has been less than proper."

"I am conscious of that and that's why I apologize for my get up but I do not wish to bring more discomfort to myself." So that's why her corset is open and barely tied together, I was wondering why she was so unprofessional but it is a logical thing.

"All is good I understand it was a very important wound. It was surprising you stayed on horseback until the end." I am surprised too.

"I couldn't fall as I was the last line of defense left, ambushed by some bandits with wild mages that hid their presence."

"Yes and king Alabard here had sent back troupes to clean up the bodies of those you took out but all had their neck snapped." She exchanged a look with my mother who nodded at her but I didn't know what that was supposed to mean.

"How do you know it was me Majesty?" She asked as she sat down on the chair Amalia pulled out for her, exchanging a 'thank you' nod, she sat right in front of me.

"What queen would I be if I wouldn't be able to recognize the work of my different mages?" She nodded. "I compliment your strength mage Mystery, such use of magic and despite an accursed pronged bolt you still stood strong until early this morning."

"I will serve my queen with my life, such is the duty of a mage." My heart skipped a beat, I'd be her queen once.

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After dinner Mystery had gone missing but that didn't surprise me, even I had enough of all of their company.

"I wish to excuse myself, I'd love to explore the castle while I have the chance to before heading to sleep." I said.

"You are free to wander as you wish princess Audrey." The king said.

"Thank you, might I ask if you have an inner garden, I saw the outer ones when we arrived."

"We do, I'll have a guard lead you to it."

"I thank you king Alabard."

It wasn't a long walk to there and the guard left me at the entrance of it.

I smiled as I stepped in there.

"I had hoped you'd be here mage, always preferring the company of plants to other living beings." I said, slightly teasing, one of her hands on the bark of the elm the king had here and sitting on the root.

"They are simpler minded, no need to impress or convince them of anything, simple yet impressive souls." Simple minded? I heard mages learn to talk with living beings souls but it was a hard thing to do and yet here she is.

"I had the feeling all the time you spent in the gardens was not because of simple love for the plants."

Her smile fell into a smaller one and I thought I had offended her until I noticed her look glowing with wonder as her hand pulled away from the bark and she fully face me.

"What's given it away?"

"It wasn't as hard as you'd have wanted it to seem, not to my purple eyes."

"So you have indeed started your training Highness." Only the head mage and future head mage knew of our small innate grasp on magic, mother can make herself more intimidating and Eleric calm anyone down but I still could do nothing despite the training.

"Yes but another thing that tipped me off mage, is you get comfortable enough around me to have said plants are simple MINDED, not even mage Emersme would have said that and it isn't uncommon to see you on the great elm, I saw you a few times even before we met officially." I said, somewhat admitting my spying tendencies.

"You are simply in luck Highness." She said with a smirk on her face.

"Then it proves the charm works." I lifted the small braid she made with my hair, still having it with the bead.

"It sure is, it isn't myths but facts that it works."

"I can't help but wonder." I dropped it and walked closer, sitting next to her. "What would have been the outcome of that ambush if I didn't accept it so easily?"

"Highness don't start thinking about giving it back, it is now yours. So many things in life depend on luck, if I had it maybe the bolt would have scrapped me or struck a rib and not stab into my lung but it cannot be changed now." She could have avoided her injury.

"It played on so little that you died Mystery." I said, face dropping as I grabbed the braid again and stared at the bead, I could have lost her.

"Highness a lot plays with chance and luck, a little more or a little less could make the whole difference. Maybe yes, me gifting this to you was the cause of my injuries or maybe I would have still gotten hurt with it on, we'll never know what the charm helped with or not."

"Right... So does the old elm have some stories to share? Now that I cracked this layer of the puzzle you are mage Mystery I'd like to learn more about it." I said shifting the conversation to more happy topics.

"And who says I am willing to share?"

"Oh please don't be such hoarder of news, you can share a few."

"I could.... But would I?"

"Oh come on mage don't play with my feelings like that."

"Alright Highness but I'd ask you, as a favor, to not tell your mother her Majesty of this."

"I know how you feel about the title of head mage and what it comes with don't worry, she won't know plus I wouldn't want to share what impressive things the elm must have seen."

"Oh yes Highness, impressive indeed."