Spellbinders Secret

Palace Tours and Idle Talk

I wait outside my room as five thirty approaches. As the numbers on my phone change, Stephan rounds the corner. He sees me and gives me a smile so dazzlingly bright, I fear he's blinded me. He wears his royal guard uniform; black pants, leather boots- much like my own- and a brown shirt with a green vest.

"If you'll follow me," he says.

"I guess I'll have to."

***

Stephan shows me around the various hallways and wings of the Royal Palace. The sun is still setting, so he decides to take his tour outside, so we can walk around in the beautiful gardens.

"So, you actually managed to get Callum into a classroom? That's pretty impressive. What'd you have to do, just out of interest?" Stephan asks me, regarding me with both interest and caution.

"Are you sure you want to know?" I say cryptically. He frowns.

"If you had to promise that royal brat anything that would... violate you in any way, I will deal with him myself," he promises, and I realise he's actually serious.

"No, no! It's nothing like that. I actually threatened to drag him there in his underwear if he didn't get up himself," I explain. Stephan laughs, his face lighting up with amusement. "I get the feeling you don't like him," I state. He thinks about it for a moment.

"It's not that I don't like him, well, maybe a little, but that's not it. He and I used to be very good friends when we were kids, but after Arran..." Stephan trails off, unsure of how to explain it. Arran. That name rings a bell.

And then I remember that Arran was Callum's older brother, the one who was supposed to be king someday. But then, when Callum was 13 and Arran was 15, Arran got lost in the woods. They found bits and pieces of his bloodied clothes, but not much else.

"He's suffering from a loss, isn't he?" I barely breathe in realisation. Stephan nods sadly.

"He was actually a good kid. So was Arran, and we were all really good friends. But when Arran died, something in Callum died too. Everyone else moved on, but he couldn't. I used to argue with him about it, and just like that, he shut me out. He didn't want to talk to anyone, or go to lessons, or do anything at all. And he's been that way since," Stephan finishes. He sounds angry. I guess he has every right to be. But I can't help feeling a little bit sorry for Callum. He lost his brother, and, obviously they were close. It must have been such a terrible blow. Though, I have to admit, Stephan is right. Callum needs to get back onto his feet.

"Is he usually rude to everyone?" I ask.

"Well, yes. But I heard what he uh, said to you at dinner last night, and I have to say, that's probably his worst comment. I'm sorry about that. You know... I think he hated you so much because you're..."

"I'm what?" I snap sharply. Stephan gulps, and looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here.

"Um, well, he was probably expecting a man, but instead, you turned out be a... girl," he stammers. I raise an eyebrow, as if to say 'so?' "Uh, you see, Callum's experience with females, particularly good looking ones, about his age, is very, very limited. I'm not trying to defend him or anything because he's a jerk, but he probably felt uncomfortable. So he decided to hide it by being rude to you," Stephan elaborates. I nod. I guess it does make some kind of sense. Then I realise something else.

"Did you just call me attractive, or did I hear you wrong?"

Stephan looks down and bites his bottom lip. He pulls his fingers through his hair, trying to find something to say. I can almost hear the lies he's concocting in his head. Finally, he sighs, and looks at the grey sky above us.

"Yes, I believe I was referring to you when I talked about 'attractive females'," He admits, defeated. I smile at him, even though I'm blushing bright red.

"No one's ever said I was attractive before," I tell him. He looks at me, frowning.

"Are you quite sure?"

"Positive."

"Oh, that's um... that's really weird. I thought you must get it all the time," Stephan stutters. I laugh and shake my head.

"To be honest, it's mostly because I don't let them say two words before I tell them to get lost," I explain. Stephan considers me for a moments, thinking about what to say.

"So, you don't really talk to... boys?" He ventures carefully. I look away from him and observe the mountainous landscape ahead of me. A gentle breeze brushes my cheeks as I watch the sun dip below the horizon.

"Not generally. This is probably the longest conversation I've ever had with someone about my age," I reply, not looking at him.

"Wait, you said 'someone'. So it's not just boys, it's people in general, is that right?" he asks, as though he's unlocked all my secrets. He hasn't, and he probably never will. But his guess is 100% correct.

"Yes, that's right," I answer. I wait for him to say something else, but he doesn't, so I just keep watching the sun sink lower, and lower, and lower-

"So, why are you talking to me?" He breathes, much closer than I thought he was. Shocked, I turn my head and find his face barely a few centimetres away from my own. I almost jump back, but I find I can't. His arms are wrapped around my waist, refusing to let me go.

"I-I don't know."

Even as I say it, I hear my voice cracking. I hear the fear in my words. I've never been so close to someone like this before, and I find the experience somewhat... Intriguing. Almost as quickly as he'd captured me, Stephan releases me, his arms loosening, a confused expression woven into the contours of his face. Quietly, without another word, we walk back to my room, a thoughtful silence separating us both. I'm not quite sure what that was, but I can't say that I didn't like it.