The Awakening of The Elf Mage

Have you changed? (Part 23)

The following morning, the prince woke up to a loud pounding on his room door. He was terrified but decided to investigate the pounding, opening the door slowly, he saw Valric with an embarrassing grin on his face. That's when he realized that Valric was only messing with him and so he had answered the door in his thigh high night shirt. As he slowly realized his situation, he slammed the door in Valric's face and began to breathe hard as he involuntarily started to pull on his shirt as if to hide what the man had already seen. He was flushed and with his back glued to the door, and his heart pounding, he tried to think of how he would face the man again. The Prince was filled with great pride so the slightest mishap always had him in such a state.

"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't see anything" He heard Valric say, but he knew that was a lie, he had just bared all to this man he hardly knew and now he couldn't bare to face him, of course the Prince was only being petty and overreacting, but he couldn't help it. He had always been a spoil child. "Anyways, I just came in give you your personal invitation to the Gala tomorrow evening which will be held in your name. The Magister had asked that I give it to you personally."

"Was that the reason why you were banging on the door just now" Banging? The Prince could hear Valric repeating the word on his side of the door. So perhaps what the Prince heard wasn't banging at all, but because he was still asleep, it sounded as such. He felt like such a fool. What was he to do now? He needed to collect his invite, but that would mean opening the door and he didn't want to see the look on Valric's face. He stayed still, leaned against the door contemplating on what he should do next when he heard Valric spoke, perhaps tired of the silence.

"So, I'm just going to slide it under the door for you." Which he did just as he was saying it. "Enjoy your morning, your highness." Valric said before his footsteps could be heard as they walked away from the door. Now the Prince wanted to open the door and say 'Thank you, and same to you.' But filled with so much pride, he let the man leave without saying a word back to him. Sighing to himself, he bend down and took up his invite and opens it up reading its contents as he moved away from the door and went into the bathroom to draw himself a hot bathe.

"What?" As he read on he saw that along with the Magister's name was the Mage's name. "So, he really is the Magister's apprentice. Wow, in such short years you've managed to place yourself so high in society." He smiled as he placed the invite close to his chest and sighed. "I long for the day when I can stand by your side in both position and strength. My Mage."

Sometime later, the Prince emerged from his room, formally dressed, as he began to walk around the Hall admiring the various statues and art work. Just then a servant came up to him and asked him to follow him, which the Prince did. The servant lead the Prince into a large open room where other servants were busy putting up charming red curtains, perfectly positioned vases and so on. 'This must be where the Gala will be held, wow this place it truly impressive. The Magister must really want to impress me.' The servant turned to the Prince and told him to wait before walking away. The Prince was now confused as he looked around realizing that he was standing in the middle of the large room. Feeling small and alone, his palms started to sweat and he held his breathe as his fears start to consume him.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He heard a voice say and immediately, he turned to see who it was. The Magister, walking down the set of golden brown stairs like a grand host. "I choose this place because it should remind you of your own ballroom back home, doesn't it?" The Prince was now relieved, sighing as he placed a hand on his chest and closed his eyes. 'I'm such a damn coward'

"Are you ok? You seem a little pale." said the Magister as he made his way over to the Prince.

"No, I'm fine. It's just this is the first time I've been away from Yalevindale, away from my castle for that matter, so I don't like to be alone."

"Well that's interesting, so when your alone you start to panic?"

"Strange as it is, I'm afraid that it is true. A prince like myself afraid to be alone, tch." The Prince basically spat out the words before he heard the Magister spoke.

"No, it's not strange at all. Many of us have little demon, including myself." He chuckled. "But I believe in order for you to fully conjure the entirety of your powers, we'll have to put you in a room by yourself. But that's for another time. Tomorrow we officially welcome you to Themos."

The Prince looked around once more as he watched the servants busy ensuring that everything was perfect and without thinking, words just started to flow from the Prince's lips.

"Isn't the Mage going to be here? I mean you're both putting on the event, shouldn't he be here to help you look over things?"

"Ha ha, so you're looking for him huh." The Prince jumped as he looked at the amused leader. He didn't mean to say any of that out loud and so again he embarrassed himself. "Hawke may be my apprentice, but that doesn't means that he follows me around. Even if I want him to, he just won't do it. That man has strong will as to not do as I tell him to do when I want him to." The Prince remembers how stubborn the Mage use to be back in Yalevindale, but in the end he always did as the Prince asked. "Don't worry, you'll see him tomorrow at the Gala, he's taking the day off to get ready. Plus, he's bringing his roommate so you will get to see him too"

"Hawke lives with someone?" The Prince felt a pinch in his chest as he heard those words.

"Yes, I've only seen him from afar, but he's a beautiful one, could even rival you young Prince." The Magister laughed as he turned to a servant who came up towards them. The Prince froze as he started to think on the Magister's words.

'So Hawke lives with another, perhaps that's the reason why he behaved so neutral to me. Someone else is in his arms at night. Hawke, have you forgotten about me?' The Prince thought.

"Well, I see that you are deep in thought. Don't worry, they are only roommates. Hawke is too sexually frustrated which proves his words. I do believe though that he came to Themos with the young man too. So there are three native Yalevindale here, how charming. If you'll excuse me, I have some matters to take care of. My servant here will take you to the breakfast room, enjoy your morning." The Magister walked away disappearing behind a draped curtain.

"So Hawke lives with someone from Yalevindale, could it be a relative? Well, Hawke doesn't have any family, then a friend?" He found himself laughing. "Yeah, like anyone can stand close to him without being afraid, but there was all those years that he and I didn't speak, perhaps he changed. So who could it be?"

TO BE CONTINUED