Raising a Hero

Chapter 67--or actually 68

Okay, so author/Lowe here. Here's the deal with the chapter numbers.

I replaced the prologue with chapter 1...the end.  

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Despite having seen several showcases of fire, wind, earth, and water magic at the summer festival, and occasionally from a street performer on my trips to market, I didn't feel like I'd gotten the amount of magic that Nehcor bragged about so heartily. He'd made it sound like I'd be walking down Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter world. But all I'd seen was a less fancy, no dance version of Avatar: the Last Airbender.

If you don't know what those are, I have nothing to say about your upbringing or your nonexistent use of Google.

Thus, when Roman mentioned his own magic in passing during one of our many tea times, I latched onto it.

"Oh! What kind of magic is it? Don't nobles have huge magical capacities?"

He gave me a very odd look.

"Just how little do you know about this country?" he asked.

I thought he had gotten use to how obtuse I was to common knowledge by now, but apparently not.

Rather than look suspicious, however, he chuckled.

"Alright, no need to pout," he put his tea cup down. "Though before I tell you, I think it would be public service to add a little background. If there's anything you already know, feel free to stop me."

"Yes yes," I just wanted him to hurry up. I already had a handful of crackers as my impromptu movie popcorn.

Ever amused by me, he started with, "Lisuania, as I hope you know, is a monarchy ruled by the king. But before the time of the king, Lisuania had been four separate nations. Tribes is probably a more accurate word."

"Oo! Let me guess. Water, fire, earth, and wind!"

"Almost. The ruling families of each section did specialize in one of the elemental magics. However, the distribution of magicians was about even, depending on what the landscape needed. The remains of those four countries still hold up Lisuania today, as the four original ruling families support the king." He pulled over a lacey doily between us, then held up a shortcake cookie with a red current in the center. "There's the Marque of Donnel to the North. They guard the border to Yinaria, a bitterly cold land. Because of the long winter of their lands, the Donnel family, with their strong fire magic, survived the best there, and created a foundation for others to live well there too."

Next, he took up a swirly cookie with blue sprinkles.

"To the east, sharing their borders with Mila, is the Marque Fairenson family—"

"Oo! Sir Fairenson! Your knight! He's a marquee?"

"Not quite. He's the third son of the marquee. It's common to send second or third sons to other territories to serve as knights, but then he fell in love with the daughter of a branch family of ours and, well, that was the end of work being his excuse for staying around. Though his family disowned him for marrying outside the family."

I felt a little girly with that bit of knowledge. "Our Knight of the Square's married? And with such a dramatic romance behind it? Oh, that's so cute, does he have any babies?"

"Their first is due in the spring, I believe." He cocked his head. "Knight of the Square?"

"You know, because he's so square? Square jaw, square shoulders, even has a bit of a blocky nose."

He thought for a second, then laughed.

"Goodness, I daresay you're right. I can't wait to call him that."