Spirit Speaker

I absently toyed with the small box in my hands as I watched the carriages pull up, drop off another guest and then disappear. 

The king stood next to me, watching the nobles arrive with a barely disguised look of distaste on his face. 

"Sire, your thoughts are showing." 

The king adopted a bright smile. 

"Thanks, Lukas."

"It's why I'm here sir." I pocketed the small box. "So, has he arrived yet?"

The king's smile slipped for a moment. "Not yet." He said, his voice tightly controlled. 

I chuckled. "Sire, it's perfectly natural to feel the way you do, but this is going to happen sooner or later."

And it would be better if you were the one to give her away, this time around.

"She's fifteen, Lukas."

"How old was the queen when you were married?"

"...you're hateful, Lukas."'

"I've been told that, sire." 

"How are you so calm? Just thinking about the boy makes me want to punch something."

Because these talks are going to fall through. 

The princess did marry, though only after the king died. 

And it wasn't to a noble, or a knight, but a farmer she met while inspecting the extent to which the famine and drought had damaged the land. 

He was a good man, a kind man, a strong man, and he gave his life defending her, buying time for us to escape while the palace burned around him. 

He deserved better than what he got. 

Of course, I couldn't tell the king that. 

"If it's any comfort, I don't think these talks are going to result in anything."

"What makes you say that?"

I pointed to the pavilion in the distance, where we could see the princess sitting in the early twilight. 

"Does she look interested in marriage to you?"

The king watched as the princess summoned spirits to the pavilion to give her more light to read by. 

"She's entirely focused on her studies." I continued. "She's not even studying magic right now, she's studying economics." 

"You've done good work there, Lukas." The king murmured, his expression a little brighter. 

I shook my head. "It's all her, Majesty." 

A knock at the door behind us. 

"Sire? The delegation from Tark has arrived. Her Majesty has requested your presence."

The king sighed. "Thank you, Fael." He turned to me. "Will you be present at the talks, Lukas?"

I shook my head. "No, sire. I'll be watching over the princess. There might be a diplomatic incident if she gets into a fight with the other nobles and starts throwing fireballs around."

"Good point." He stood up, dusted off his clothing, and nodded. "I'll see you later, my friend."

I bowed. "Yes sir."

And with that I was alone. 

I watched the arrivals for a few more moments, before making my way to the pavilion.

 *

A small group of young nobles had gathered around the princess.

"Highness, happy birthday!" A well-dressed young man said as he approached the pavilion. 

Anna looked up at him, and I saw a small tightening around her eyes. 

I studied the boy. There was something…unpleasant about him. He looked perfectly acceptable, even handsome, but there was a cruelty to his smile that he couldn't quite hide. 

 I didn't know him, but then I wasn't as close to the princess at this point in my previous life. I had spent the majority of my time in my rooms, when I wasn't teaching or doing some task for the king or the Academy. 

She didn't like him. 

I sat back in the shadows, watching, ready to step in at a moment's notice. 

"Prince Hernt, I'm surprised to see you here." Anna said, evenly. 

"Yes, well, it wasn't by choice, I assure you."

"I believe you." 

"Princess, why are you sitting out here in the gardens?" Another boy asked, tall, blonde, athletic. 

"I'm afraid I lost track of time, Elric." The princess replied. 

"What? Sitting here in a dusty pavilion? Why not spend your time in the palace?" This time a girl, couldn't be more than 15 years old, her nose turned up as though she smelled something foul. 

"This dusty pavilion is quiet. I like the quiet."

"Yes, Alaina, leave off the princess," Hernt interrupted. "There can't be much to do in these backwater villages."

A laugh rippled through the group. 

Ah, they're not here to congratulate her. 

I focused for a moment, and a ball of water appeared floating above the boy's head. 

I watched as a grin tugged at the princess's face. 

As far as I could tell, she was the only one with any magical ability, which meant that she was the only one who could see the boy's impending future. 

"I'm not sure about that, Hernt." The princess said sweetly. "As I understand it, your application to the Academy was rejected? It's a pity you won't be able to spend more time in Arantha to find out for yourself."

The boy's smile shook for a moment. 

"As if you could get anywhere near the Academy, Anna." Another girl, red-haired, freckled. She held onto Hernt. 

The princess stared at the girl for a moment. The girl paled and held on tighter. 

There she is. The Queen.

I summoned another ball of water, only to have it dispelled, along with the one over Hernt's head. 

The princess removed her hand from her necklace.

"I suppose you're right, Layla. It must seem quite a stretch to imagine someone like me walking through the Academy gates. I'm fairly sure that it would be hard for me to wander through the endless Archives, or to walk side-by-side with Arten the Archivist. "

She sat back, and lights began to appear around her, slowly. 

"In fact, I'm certain that it would be nearly impossible for me, the Royal Heir, to have the greatest mage in the world for a teacher."

Another light appeared behind her. She held her hand up, and it was wreathed in flames. 

She turned her hand over, watching the fire. 

"Indeed, Layla, you might be correct, I could never hear the voice of a land spirit, and feel no fear. Nor could I possibly hear songs in a language so ancient that only the stones themselves remember them, or be surrounded by thousands of spirits so bright they outshone the midday sun."

She raised her other hand, and lightning danced between her fingers. 

"You could even say that it would be unheard of for me to speak the language of spirits, and have them obey my every command."

This time a breeze began to blow through the group, which instinctively huddled together. 

"Or for me to be able to command the very elements with a word,"

A crown of silvery water settled on her head, glittering and shining like diamonds. 

"Nor can I, with a whisper, command the very air in your lungs to turn to ice, your hair to ash, your eyes to coal, your skin to parchment, your clothes to dust."

The group began to back up, slowly. 

"In fact, Layla, it would be quite unreasonable to suggest that I, the daughter of kings, royalty, could possibly converse with beings more glorious than anything you, Layla, or any of your friends, could possibly imagine, or hear the words of one that sits at the table of the Spirit King himself."

Thunder this time, though the sky was clear. 

Her eyes flickered from blue to red, and then back to blue again. 

She snapped her fingers, and everything vanished.

And she sat, calm, unruffled, surrounded by books and the soft glow of lanternlight. 

"You're right, Layla. I could never get anywhere near the Academy." She said, softly, though her voice carried far. "Because why would I ever go somewhere I've already surpassed?"

She smiled and stood up. 

The group of young nobles fell backwards, trying to get away from her. 

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to spend a little more time in my dusty pavilion. Feel free to wander the gardens, or join the others in the palace. I'll be there shortly."

The nobles ran. 

I clapped, wholeheartedly. 

"Well handled princess." I walked into the pavilion.

"Have they left, Master Lukas?"

I nodded. 

"Good." And she collapsed in my arms. Fast asleep. 

- She did well. Gurada murmured. 

- Indeed. Ilargia agreed. 

"Why do you think we followed her to war?" I asked. "Why do you think thousands of us gave our lives to defend her?"

I stepped from the pavilion, and Ilargia caught me before my foot hit the step. He rose slowly magic steadying my balance on the staff, the princess resting in my arms. 

"To her rooms, Ilargia, and quietly. We don't want to ruin the impression she made."

*

I'd never been in the princess's room in this life. 

It would be several years before I would be allowed in them. 

I landed on her balcony and opened the door quietly. 

"Lukas?"

I almost dropped the princess. 

"Majesty," I said, turning to find the queen sitting at the princess's desk, a half-wrapped gift on the table in front of her. 

"What are you doing- What happened?" She got up and rushed to Anna's sleeping form. 

"Nothing to be concerned about, ma'am." I said, "Just a little magic exhaustion. She used too much magic this evening scaring the hell out of a group of nobles. She should be fine in a couple of hours."

- She was amazing, Majesty! Ilargia piped up from behind me. 

"I believe you, Ilargia." The queen said, helping me put the princess in her bed. 

"He's right, ma'am," I said…something kicking in the back of my mind. "The nobles were bullying her. I don't think they'll even be able to look at her without wetting themselves after tonight."

And it hit me. 

"That's good then. We knew she was being bullied, but we were worried that we'd be doing her a disservice by stepping in. My Anna has always been one to fight her own battles."

"Tila." I straightened and pulled Ilargia from his holster. 

She looked up at me, surprise on her face. 

"Yes, Lukas?"

"How did you know the name of my staff?" I asked, sitting at Anna's bedside. 

"I'm sure you told me." The queen said, dismissively, but I could see the panic in her eyes. 

She's said too much. Just how much did she see?

"No, Tila, I'm fairly certain I've never mentioned it." 

"Then Anna must have said something." She replied quickly, too quickly. "Ah…yes, that was it… Anna mentioned something at dinner. She was showing us her focus."

I looked at her for a few moments. 

She couldn't lie to me. I knew her too well. 

But she didn't have to know that. 

I smiled. "That must be it." I got up from the bed and bowed deeply. 

"Well, majesty, I'm going to join the festivities below. Will you send for me when she wakes?"

The queen nodded, obviously relieved.

"Sure, Lukas."

I stepped off the balcony, Ilargia catching me just before I hit the ground. 

I flew around the palace gardens for a while and landed beside the pavilion.

The princess's books were still there. The lanterns still burned. 

I sat down, gathered the books into a pile, and put them in her bag.

And buried my head in my hands. 

She knows. 

*

It was early morning, and I was dressing slowly. Tila lay in bed, her eyes closed, though I knew she was awake. 

I shouldered my Academy robes on and tied the clasp over my hip. 

"I hate those robes." She said, eyes open. "They're your mask, they hide you from the world. From me."

It had been a few weeks since we started courting, and everything was going wonderfully. 

"I could take them off again if you like," I said, pulling my tongue at her. 

"Beast." She laughed, throwing a pillow at me.

I caught it tossed it onto the chair beneath the mirror, and started looking around. 

"Where is he?"

"Who?" 

"My staff. He's always hiding from me."

"You speak as if it's alive."

I nodded. "He is, and he gets jealous easily."

Tila sat up, a wide grin on her face. 

"Really?"

"Yup. If you wouldn't mind helping me look for him? I'm due to meet Anna at the Academy in a few hours, and I'd like to make sure that the Board of Directors are adequately prepared."

I dropped to the floor and looked under the bed. 

"Wait, never mind. I found him."

I reached down and pulled him out from under the bed. 

He resisted. 

I pulled harder. 

"If you don't come, I'll drop you off in the Archives," I warned. 

Ilargia stopped resisting. 

I pulled him out and put him in his holster over my shoulder. 

"Is this him?" Tila asked. 

"This is him. Say hello Ilargia."

- Hello, Ilargia said sullenly.

Tila raised her eyebrows in surprise and touched her temple. "I heard him. Here."

I nodded. "He's a spirit. He talks to our souls. Our body interprets that as thoughts."

"May I touch him?"

"Well, may she?" I asked Ilargia. 

- No.

"I'm not kidding Ilargia," I said, severely. 

"Is that his name?" Tila asked.

I nodded. "Sure is. And he won't tell me what it means."

"You could find out couldn't you?"

I shrugged. "Oh, easily, but I don't want to do that to him."

"Iyarjah?" 

I shook my head. "Almost, Tila. Ilargia. There's a subtle difference. Put an I between the J and the A."

"Iyarjia?"

"Close enough. Why don't you help her out, Ilargia?"

The staff warmed up against my back and sent out a crackle of electricity that caused my hair to stand on end.

I sighed, and put my hair in the green band the princess had given me as a gift. 

"It's okay Lukas, I understand." Tila stepped forward and looked directly into the white stone. 

"I'm not here to steal your friend away from you." She said. "You can have the Master Mage. He's all yours. But can I have Lukas?"

I felt Ilargia warm on my back. The stone flickered white, black, green. And then settled on a dull gold. 

- Okay.

Tila held her hand out, and reluctantly Ilargia floated to it. She caught it, and held the stone close to her cheek. 

The stone glowed a bright pink. 

I smiled. "He's embarrassed."

- Shut up

"It's okay, Iyarjia." Tila said. Then she cut off… "Oh, Ilargia! That's how you say it."

The stone sparkled. 

"Very well, and you can call me Tila. I think we'll be friends."

*

She knows…

I dropped my hands from my face and balled one up into a fist. 

"She knows. And still, she put me through all that."

- Does this change anything? Ilargia asked. She's a large strand in your soul. I see how your heart breaks whenever you see her.

"Shut up, Ilargia."

- There's nothing you can do about it, Lukas. She knows, and still she chose the king, like you always knew she would.

"I don't want to hear it."

- She was never yours, Lukas.

"I know that!" I pulled the staff from my back and stared into the stone. "Don't you think I know that?"

- It seems you've forgotten.

"She was never mine, Ilargia. But I was hers, wholly hers."

- So she owes you something? Don't be childish, Lukas. You were Tila's in the other timeline. This Tila only knows you as the Royal Instructor.

The staff jumped from my grip and hovered a foot or so from my face, the stone shining brightly. An image appeared, floating above him. 

Tila, my Tila. Older, greyer, sadder, wiser. 

And then the image vanished. - She will never be yours, my friend. She never was. Ilargia sounded sympathetic, almost sad. - She wasn't in that life, and she isn't in this one. You were simply a friend, keeping her company until she was ready to join the king in the Golden Halls.

And with those words, I felt my heart break. 

- You know what you have to do, Lukas. If you really love her, you know what you have to do.