Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Charade ❯ Miniature Disasters ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four: Miniature Disasters

 

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1

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Cerasus-dyn excelled in two things: horseback riding and archery. His slender, agile frame did not provide much in the way of brute force, so other sports like wrestling were out of the question.

 

As a child, after finally discovering there was something in which he could beat all the other boys, Cerasus-dyn immediately dedicated himself to practicing his trades every day. At the age of twelve, his mother gave him what was arguably the best present he had ever received from her: a beautiful auburn mare that he named Amiculi. The horse could probably be considered the prince's closest and most reliable friend, or his most prized possession. Second to the animal was a carefully crafted, expensive-looking bow made of mahogany wood. The thing was extremely durable, and had seen Cerasus-dyn through numerous competitions, all of which he took home a first place medal in.

 

Only a day after he was finally permitted to get out of bed, Cerasus-dyn was already dressed in his riding clothes and making his way to the stables where Amiculi, along with the palace's steeds, was housed. He tried to appear inconspicuous as he went, for it was unlikely that Flamma-regi would be pleased if she caught him up so early. He passed several maids and a butler, all of whom gave him kind smiles, which he returned, and let him go on his way without a fuss. Quite the polar opposite of his mother, Cerasus-dyn was well-liked among the castle staff for his gentle attitude and respect for every person, regardless of rank.

 

He was almost at the back door of the palace when he happened to glance to his left and see something odd. Down the hall, by the rarely used stairwells that led to the guest bedrooms, was a tall, handsome man that Cerasus-dyn didn't recognize. Stranger still, the man was seemingly talking to himself, or rather, to his shirt. The prince grew wary; what if this unfamiliar person was a thief, or just plain crazy? He didn't have long to think on plans of action, however, as the man looked up and locked eyes with the blond-haired youth.

 

“Who are you?” Cerasus-dyn asked quickly, silently cursing the scared timbre of his too-soft voice.

 

The man smiled and walked slowly forward. He stopped a few arms lengths away from the prince and took a bow. “You must be His Highness, Cerasus-dyn, am I correct?”

 

“Who are you?” the boy asked again, by way of an answer.

 

“Ah, I apologize. My rudeness gets the best of me at times,” the stranger replied, shaking his head. Black tresses fell in front of his glimmering green eyes, and Cerasus-dyn suddenly felt the urgent need to run. But the man went on, and the prince didn't move. “My name is Calcifex, Your Highness. I am a guest in your wonderful household, and it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

 

This new information wound its way around Cerasus-dyn's mind with some difficulty. This person - Calcifex, as he called himself - was apparently allowed to be here, and thus was most likely not any sort of criminal. But still… the prince couldn't shake his feeling of unease. Quite the contrary, it crept down his spine and set off a chain of irrepressible shudders. Unable to think of a better reaction, he just nodded, blue eyes fixed steadily on the other man's face.

 

Calcifex's smile never faltered. In fact, unless Cerasus-dyn was mistaken, he swore it grew wider. “I understand that you must not trust me. I am, after all, an unknown visitor in your home. I do wish this was not true, as I have been looking forward to meeting you for a while.”

 

Perhaps it was the abrupt informality with which Calcifex spoke that caused it, or maybe the culprit was the rising wave of nausea in his stomach, but in any case, Cerasus-dyn discovered that his feet were rapidly stepping away from the man. The solidness of a door connected with his back, and his hands clambered to find the knob and twist it, consequently unlatching the door and granting him access to the relative safety of the outside world, where there were no suave, tall gentlemen. Only horses and trees, and fresh green grass that haunted him in the form of two welcoming eyes.

 

As the prince escaped into the yards, Calcifex couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in his mouth. The boy was entirely too adorable, he decided. And even though the wizard was fairly sure that he had accidentally scared the very wits out of Cerasus-dyn, he knew that all it would take to win the prince over was time, patience, and passion. He had a generous supply of each of those things, so the only challenge left was keeping both affairs separate and secret from their respective participants.

 

“I think he might have seen you talking to me, Cal,” whispered Sidereus, who was, as usual, stowed away in his friend's tunic.

 

“You think so? Well, it's no big deal. He was so terrified that he'll probably forget what he saw, or disregard everything as a delusion.” Calcifex shoved his hands into his pockets and left the hall, deciding to return to his rooms.

 

“I guess. Which brings up something else; how are you going to get him to not run away from you like that?”

 

“It'll be a long process, but I can get him to trust me, Sid. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and I can already tell how to go about gaining his confidence.”

 

“You're a rat, Calcifex. A big, fat rat.”

 

The wizard tutted and opened the door to their quarters. “Rats are really low, Sidereus. If you must compare me to a less-than-savory animal, could you please use a snake instead? They're much more impressive, don't you think?”

 

“Well, let me think… They're venomous, slippery, and they like to hiss at things,” the spirit said, sounding like he was trying to make an important decision. “Oh, well, how about that? You are just like a snake!”

 

Calcifex chuckled at the remark and sank down on the couch in his parlor. He made quick work of releasing Sidereus from his pocket watch, observing as the little ball of light flew about the room, merrily licking the flames of the lamps as he passed them.

 

“Hungry, are you?”

 

“Starving. Ask the help to bring you another one of those green candles, would you? I've never tasted something so good.”

 

“They're going to wonder where all these candles are going, you know. You could get me detained for stealing wax or something,” said Cal, only half-joking. The colored wax that the castle contained was hard to come by and expensive. And men had been arrested for less.

 

“So tell them you're just fond of a lot of light. It makes for good atmosphere,” replied Sid, who had finally quit moving and instead had taken to hovering a foot above Calcifex's head.

 

“And you think they'll buy that?”

 

“Of course. It's a strange reason, and you're a strange man. It'll fit perfectly!”

 

At that point there was a loud knock on the door, and Sidereus zoomed out of the parlor and into the bedroom, hidden from view. Calcifex stood reluctantly and went to greet, rather unpleasantly, whoever had come to call.

 

“Yes, what is it?” he said, as the door was swinging inward. Admittedly, he was not prepared for what awaited him on the other side.

 

There, in all her impressive glory, stood Flamma-regi, dressed to intimidate in an elegant purple gown. The rays of sunlight that poured through the wizard's windows fell on the dark fabric and illuminated the tiny pieces of obsidian stone that were inlaid there. The bodice was skin tight, with a plunging neckline that instantly drew Calcifex's eyes to places no man with manners would stare. But one commanding clear of her throat brought his gaze up to her own. She did not look happy.

 

“We have something to discuss,” said Flamma-regi in a stern tone. A minor twinge of fear was born into Calcifex then, as his mind raced to try and deduce what it was exactly that the queen had in mind for conversation. It couldn't be that she knew of his plans for her son, could it?

 

“Well, are you going to let me in, or just keep staring stupidly like a pig, Calcifex?”

 

The wizard had to mask the irritation that comment gave him, but he stepped aside and gestured that the woman should enter, which she did, with her shoulders back and chin in the air.

 

As soon as the two were seated across from one another in the parlor, Flamma-regi started to speak.

 

“You would not believe what was presented to me today, my dear man. Perhaps you can take a guess at what it might have been?”

 

Calcifex, in his credit, did attempt to figure out the topic at hand, but couldn't, for the life of him, come to a conclusion. “I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I simply can't imagine.”

 

Her sharp look was enough to convey that the queen obviously expected him to know exactly what she was talking about. “Is that so? Then why don't I enlighten you? You see, it's like this. A peasant, more specifically, a farmer, and his daughters asked for an audience with me this afternoon. And, what a coincidence, they came to me to complain… About you.”

 

`Shit,' Calcifex thought. He knew where this was going now.

 

“It seems that you stayed with a family in the beginning of the Faire. What's more, you, how should I say it… Ah, yes, seduced all three of the man's daughters. Maybe now you can infer as to the greater point of this discussion?”

 

Calcifex wished the answer to that question was no, but he couldn't plead ignorance any more. “I believe so, Your Grace…” he said, trying to appear regretful.

 

“Three women, Calcifex. Three! For the gods' sake, you're a wizard! Could you have not prevented such a thing from happening?” The queen's voice was rising in volume as her anger came forth.

 

There was nothing for Cal to do but sigh. “It is true that there are spells for such instances, Flamma-regi, but you must understand that I could not reveal myself as a wizard to these girls. I would not have been given a place to stay. You, more than anyone, know how very dangerous it is to house a magic-user, do you not?”

 

“Then you should have refrained from engaging in such activities with them, you rogue! Now this family is after your head, and they want me to be the one to give it to them. Have you an idea how much trouble you've caused for me?” Flamma-regi stood, fueled by her ire, and glared down at him, gray eyes ablaze. “I do not have the time to waste on pitying the dumb pregnant twits who were too stupid to keep you out of their knickers!”

 

Calcifex, in true fashion, found the queen's fiery side to be extraordinarily stimulating, despite the fact that he was probably facing imminent punishment. The irony of it would have made him laugh on any other occasion, but since the woman would probably dismember him for such an action, he refrained. Instead, he bowed his head and spoke in what he hoped would be accepted as a remorseful nature. “I cannot begin to describe how deeply apologetic I am, Your Majesty,” he said. “If there is anything you would have me do to repent, I would gladly obey.”

 

Flamma-regi seemed to be placated, if only slightly, by his offerings, and sat back down. After a moment of consideration, she told him, “My son enjoys horseback riding. He owns a fine beast, and you will take care of her. Groom her, feed her, and make sure she stays healthy. I will have the prince report your work to me, and if you so much as slip even once, I will have you exiled faster than you can blink an eye. Do I make myself clear, wizard?” There she went again, using terminology instead of his name.

 

But that didn't deter Calcifex at all. In fact, he was forced to bite the insides of his cheeks just to keep from letting a wide smile break over his face. Flamma-regi had no idea that her so-called “punishment” was not going to be unpleasant for the wizard at all. It would provide him with the perfect opportunity to advance in his plans for the prince. However, it wouldn't do for her to know that, so Cal donned a look of resigned distaste. “I understand, Your Grace. I will do my very best for you, as well as His Highness.”

 

Flamma-regi finally smirked in a completely self-satisfied way. “Excellent. Now, you will excuse me while I leave for supper.” With that, she got up, and in another second, she was gone.

 

Calcifex waited a minute before calling out, “You can stop hiding, Sid. She's gone.”

 

The light spirit flew into the parlor and rested carefully on the wizard's shoulder. “So, you knocked all three of them up, eh? Not just Lyli?”

 

“You were listening, then?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Cal grinned ruefully. “Well, yes, it would appear my army of illegitimate brats is growing again.”

 

“You really need to watch out for that, Calcifex. One day you could end up rutting with your own daughter. Or son, for that matter.”

 

That made the wizard grimace, as it was not a very comforting thought. He pushed it aside and settled again on the prospect of spending more time with Cerasus-dyn. “You heard the last part too, didn't you? About my repentance? What a stroke of luck, wouldn't you say? Now I don't have to go searching for reasons to talk to the boy.”

 

“Well, at least one good thing came from this, then. Now if you can just manage not to get him pregnant, too…”

 

“Stuff it, Sid,” Calcifex said, but he was laughing at the joke. Despite the queen's unhappiness with him, everything was going his way, and that was most definitely something to be pleased about.

 

*****

2

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The very next morning, Flamma-regi informed her son that their new visitor would be tending to Amiculi. To say the prince was unhappy would have been an understatement. Nevertheless, the queen ignored his pleas against the situation and sent him to the stables to overlook the wizard's progress.

 

What Cerasus-dyn found in his horse's stall was not anything like he expected. Calcifex was there, whispering gently to Amiculi and petting her great head in a comforting way. The animal, who had garnered a reputation for not trusting anyone but the prince, was whinnying contentedly and kicking her back leg, a sign that she was enjoying her treatment.

 

“What a pretty little thing you are,” murmured Calcifex. “It's no wonder that His Highness adores you so much.”

 

Cerasus-dyn could feel a light blush rise in his cheeks that couldn't be explained. Perhaps the other man felt it too, because it was then that he turned around and smiled warmly at the prince.

 

“We meet again, it seems.”

 

The boy nodded, unable to find his voice.

 

“You've raised a fine horse,” Calcifex observed, patting said creature between her big brown eyes.

 

Another nod.

 

“I promise you,” Cal went on, even though the conversation was turning out to be quite one-sided, “I will take excellent care of her.”

 

Somehow, Cerasus-dyn managed to speak through the nervous lump in his throat. “Her name is Amiculi… And… She never lets anyone besides me take care of her… Um, usually…”

 

Calcifex smiled, because the prince's voice just seemed to make him happy. It was something like a chorus of bells and chimes. “Well it would seem I am the exception. And thankfully so, because if she didn't put up with me, my job would just be that much more difficult.”

 

It was a little hard for Cerasus-dyn to relate the man before him to the one he'd come across only the day before. This person was friendly, whereas the previous one had been intimidating in his inviting way. The change was a welcome one, certainly.

 

“Do you, um… Do you like horses?” the prince asked, averting his gaze to Amiculi, who stared back at him.

 

“Yes, I do. I never had one, unfortunately, but I do find them endearing. I think I have a way with them, too. Kind of an instant mutual trust, if you would.”

 

“And, do you know how to care for them?”

 

Calcifex secretly rejoiced. The boy was opening up quickly. Just as the wizard had predicted, all it would take was a subject that the prince was comfortable with.

 

“I've fed one before, and I imagine grooming isn't too difficult. But truthfully, I've not tended to any animal like this.”

 

Cerasus-dyn bit his bottom lip in a decidedly worried fashion, making Cal almost melt with delight, and said, “Well… I could… teach you, if you want…”

 

“That, Your Highness, would be fantastic.”

 

So Cerasus-dyn went about showing Calcifex the right way to brush a horse's coat, tail, and mane, and followed it up with a lesson on maintaining their shoes and hooves, which turned out to be a considerably larger task than the wizard would have guessed. The feeding instructions were easy, fortunately, but learning how to put a harness and saddle on the animal was an entirely different story. By the time they were done reviewing the steps, it was past lunchtime.

 

“We'll leave it at that for now,” said the prince, who had loosened up significantly during their lesson. He still acted innocent and gentle, but that was just in his nature. Calcifex couldn't get enough of it. He went back to his rooms that afternoon thinking that waiting for Cerasus-dyn to let him in would be time very well spent.

 

When the sentry outside the castle could be heard calling the evening hour, Calcifex changed into something comfortable, yet still presentable: a loose black tunic and form-fitting gray trousers that fell to his knees. The outfit was his usual attire for his nighttime visits with Flamma-regi, who had specified the clothes herself. However, before he had time to style his hair in the way she liked it - mussed slightly around his face - there came a short rap on his parlor door. He opened it to find a small white envelope on the floor at his feet. Curious, Calcifex picked up the note and surveyed it. The paper bore the royal seal of Laedel, the same symbol that topped the castle's towers, in deep red ink. Underneath the emblem was a message, written in curvy script: `To Sir Calcifex, From Her Majesty, Flamma-regi.'

 

What was this? Perhaps the queen wished for some fun and games tonight? Or maybe, Calcifex thought with a frown, she was sentencing him to something. Had Cerasus-dyn given her a bad report about the wizard's behavior?

 

Unable to quell the sudden rise of anxiety that rose in his mind, he wasted no time in tearing open the envelope and drinking in the note inside with hungry eyes.

 

`Calcifex,

 

Congratulations. You performed well today for my son. He sang your praises to me, and thus I have decided to forgo our meeting tonight for something more proper. You are to arrive in the great hall promptly at the dinner hour. Dress accordingly.

 

Flamma-regi'

 

“What is it, Cal?”

 

Sidereus, while his companion had been intensely occupied with the letter, had floated out from wherever his customary haunt was and was now hovering inches above the wizard's shoulder. Calcifex, who was used to such occurrences, didn't even flinch.

 

“Well, what do you know, Siddy? I've been invited to dinner with Her High and Mightiness! And the pretty little princely.”

 

“Oh, really? Sounds exciting. What are you going to wear?”

 

“Hm. I haven't really anything appropriate for such an occasion, do I?”

 

“True. How are you going to fix that?” Sid buzzed around to face Calcifex, who just smiled.

 

“Simple, my friend. You see, where there's a wizard, there's a way!”

 

The drapes hanging around Cal's four-poster bed were dark green velvet, and each had shining golden thread patterns embroidered throughout. His sheets, the finest linens, were jet black and silky, capable of instigating a wondrous tingling sensation in one's skin. Calcifex pulled the drapes and covers off the bed and threw them in a pile on the plush rug.

 

The charm to manipulate fabric was a simple one that the wizard had learned in an hour when he was a teenager. With a swish and flick of his wrist, and a softly muttered, “Compos linteus,” the spell was cast, and the magic took action.

 

As if held up by some invisible hand, the cloth rose into the air, bobbing slightly, waiting for a command.

 

“You there, yes, the curtain. Make yourself into a jacket, would you?”

 

A corner of the green drape lifted and made a jerking motion that resembled a salute. Then it unfolded itself and spread out until the entire stretch of it was displayed fully. The complicated process of putting itself together in the desired shape began, with various folds and creases appearing here and there. Now and then the material would shrink in size, losing some of the excess cloth that would not be needed for the final product. Thread from the fabric wove itself into the spots where it was needed, guided by an unseen needle.

 

When it was all finished, a lovely jacket had been made, precisely in Calcifex's size. With another order, the black sheets repeated the process, resulting in a pair of perfectly tailored trousers. Pleased with his handiwork, the wizard took a second or two to admire the clothes before putting them on and looking at himself in the mirror.

 

“Quite the job, if I do say so myself. What about you, Sid? What do you think?”

 

“I think the queen will kill you when she sees what you've done to those blankets,” the spirit quipped.

 

“The spell is completely reversible, you know that. Even if she does notice, I'm sure she'll forgive me when I explain why I cast it.”

 

“You're kidding, right? Come on, Cal. You and I are both aware that Flamma-Regal-Ass has less compassion and forgiveness than a gutter rat.”

 

Calcifex turned around to face his friend with his hands on his hips. “You may be right about that, Sidereus, but you've forgotten one very important thing…” A mischievous smirk grew on Cal's face, and Sid groaned, knowing exactly what was coming.

 

Sure enough, Calcifex threw his hands in the air and twirled around like a propeller in the wind. When he stopped, he was facing the mirror again, and he met Sidereus' gaze with his grinning reflection. “No one can resist this face, love. Or these lips. All I've got to do is get down on my knees, and beg, pretty pretty please, and Mrs. Heart of Ice will melt like the snow in the spring!”

 

“Hm. Are you sure begging is all you're going to be doing while you're down there on your knees?”

 

“I can't promise that,” Calcifex replied, laughing, and Sidereus just smiled and shook his head, which was, in actuality, a turning of his entire body.

 

“You're hopeless,” the spirit said with no real menace.

 

The wizard nodded. “I am.”

 

*****

3

*****

 

Calcifex had never been in the great hall before; he'd never had any reason to be. He took all his meals in his room, directly from the kitchen, unless Flamma-regi invited him to her own quarters for dinner. And even though the hall was also where any grand events took place, Calcifex didn't expect an invitation to any one of those soon. The effect of his ignorance was a great appreciation and even a sense of awe for the room, which was by far the grandest in the entire palace.

 

The walls and ceiling had all been painted with magnificent, life-size murals, each depicting a scene more entrancing than the last. On the far wall, which faced the west, a tragic story unfolded for the entire hall to see. On the left, where the wall began, there was a monster of terrifying proportions. The beast was huge, with gleaming yellow tusks and sinful crimson eyes. Five inch claws sprang from his gargantuan hands and feet, and his entire body was covered in dirty brown fur. The thing was hunched over a mound of treasure, lips curled back in a fierce snarl. Next, in the middle, the beast was alone with a breath-taking young woman - a princess with hair made of gold and skin as perfect as silk. This time, the creature looked less frightening. In fact, it even had an air of peacefulness around it, like the princess was calming its soul. But then things turned ugly, when the last panel of the mural showed the monster holding the dead woman in his arms and howling at the sky in anguish. Blood poured from a wound in the princess' chest and onto the ground to pool around the beast's feet.

 

Calcifex, who couldn't really stand the sight of blood, looked away. He wondered why the queen would even allow such a horrible painting to stay in the great hall; didn't it make her guests uncomfortable?

 

In the center of the room was a long table, with enough tableware set out on it for thirty people. Calcifex noted with no small amount of approval that the glasses were made of crystal, and the plates and utensils of silver. Expertly made candlesticks, all complete with lit sticks of wax in different colors, were placed at even intervals down the center of the table. Surely all the fuss was for some important visitors? But would Flamma-regi really allow Calcifex to attend a feast with the upper class leaders? He seriously doubted it.

 

“You're on time, I see.”

 

Calcifex turned around to face the doorway at the intrusion of a sharp female voice, and knew before his eyes could confirm it that Her Majesty was standing there. With a low bow, he greeted her.

 

“Your Grace. I wouldn't dream of being late to such an honor.”

 

“And do you approve of the evening turn of events, Sir Calcifex?”

 

“Oh, absolutely, Flamma-regi. I'm quite impressed.”

 

“Excellent. Now why don't we all take our seats?”

 

`We all'? Calcifex wondered. What did she mean by that when there was only two of-

 

`Oh.'

 

When the queen moved to sit at the table, she revealed what her elegant dress had hidden: Cerasus-dyn stood in the threshold as well, looking anywhere but directly at Calcifex.

 

The wizard found it impossible to choke down his grin. With a second bow, he said, “Your Highness! I did not see you there; my apologies. I'm quite glad you'll be joining us.”

 

Cerasus-dyn chose not to reply, instead hurrying over to settle in the chair next to his mother, who had deposited herself at the head of the table. Calcifex, unperturbed, followed suit and placed himself across from the prince. Mere seconds later, a stream of servants poured into the room with platters in hand, surprising Calcifex with their agility and attention to form.

 

The dishes were set carefully onto the table, delectable scents wafting up from them and into the noses of the people present. “The meal smells positively delicious, Your Majesty. My deepest regards to your chef,” Calcifex said, breathing in deeply.

 

“I'm sure your message will get to him, Sir Calcifex. Now please do feel free to serve yourself,” the queen replied, even though a butler was putting food on her plate for her as she spoke. Another servant was doing the same for Cerasus-dyn, who looked almost uncomfortable with being waited on. Cal puzzled over that for a moment, wondering why a prince wouldn't like being pampered, since surely he had been subjected to such treatment his entire life.

 

The food tasted dozens of times better than its scent let on, and Calcifex's helpings of each course were soon devoured, with little mind for prim and proper manners. Flamma-regi chose not to notice, since there was no one in the room to offend with the wizard's behavior, and scolding him was not worth her time. Cerasus-dyn, on the other hand, looked mildly amazed by Calcifex's eating habits. The prince had perceived the dark haired man to be a refined, polite gentleman, but his dinnertime display contradicted all that; it was messy, at best. When he caught himself staring, Cerasus-dyn looked away hastily, opting to stare at his unfinished pile of mashed potatoes and hoping that he wasn't blushing as hard as he suspected he was.

 

Calcifex, so consumed in his meal was he, didn't notice a thing, and kept on eating until he had sufficiently filled his belly. He sat back with a sigh of contentment and pondered over the marvels of royal cooking. Certainly no meal of any less caliber would satisfy him after that supper. Even the food that had been brought to his rooms the last week was not as good, as it seemed less care was taken when serving anyone less than the queen or her son.

 

It was a whole fifteen minutes more before Flamma-regi had finished her food; when she was done, the prince also set down his silverware, despite the fact that his dinner was not yet entirely eaten.

 

“I thank you both for your company,” Flamma-regi said, standing with the assistance of a maid, who pulled her chair out for her. She sounded anything but grateful, and more relieved that the experience was over than anything else. Without another word, she left the hall, her magnificent black skirts trailing in her wake. One by one, the servants began to leave the room, until not a one was still there. That's when the uncomfortable silence settled in.

 

Sitting opposite each other, both men were very highly aware of one another in very contrasting ways. Cerasus-dyn, for the most part, was looking extraordinarily nervous, seemingly reverting back to the anxious state he'd developed when he first met Calcifex. After the companionable afternoon they had shared, Cal found this somewhat disappointing, but he brushed it off as nothing more than a minor setback, one that could be overcome with a little time and a lot of persuasion.

 

`No use in wasting any chance I get,' the wizard thought before launching into conversation. “Your cooks surely out-do themselves, don't they?”

 

The prince's blue eyes widened like those of an animal caught in a fire, and he tensed, looking for all the world like he was considering making a break for the door. He was afraid; something about the other man just made him uneasy, like something tremendous was about to happen every time he was near.

 

Calcifex noted the boy's expression and knew he had to do something to soothe him quickly, or else he would be the only one sitting in the great hall anymore. He also knew that his sudden shift into chatting had been the cause of the fright. He chided himself and made a mental memo to speak slower.

 

“So…” Suddenly an idea popped into the wizard's head, and he harnessed it. “I assume we'll be taking care of Amiculi again tomorrow?”

 

As expected, the change of subject into something familiar and enjoyable calmed the prince down, even if only a little bit. His posture remained stiff, and his eyes wary, but the air of escape was gone from him, and that was a step in the right direction, as far as Calcifex was concerned. In a meek voice, hardly above a mumble, the boy replied, “Yes.”

 

“Splendid. I learned a great deal from you earlier today, you know. Your knowledge of horses is impressive, if I do say so myself.”

 

Cerasus-dyn blushed carnation pink, a color that suited him nicely, and whispered a soft thank you, gaze directed at his hands folded in his lap.

 

“Is there much more I have to be taught, or is my training almost finished?”

 

“It's almost done…”

 

“Well that's a pity.”

 

That, it appeared, was a strange statement to make, and it resulted in the shy prince lifting his head to bestow Calcifex with a confused look.

 

Understanding his consternation, for the wizard had been hoping for that kind of reaction, Cal explained, “I was rather enjoying our time together, if I may be so bold as to say. You make for excellent company, Your Highness.”

 

Calcifex knew he was treading on dangerous ground with that declaration, which could either draw Cerasus-dyn in or scare him away with its forwardness. He was a gambling man, however, and willing to take the risk, due only to his steadfast confidence. Lady Luck had acquired something of a fondness for Calcifex over the years he'd been alive, as well, smiling upon him often and letting him get away with things no other person should have been able to accomplish. It was her presence, perhaps, that dictated the events that followed the wizard's brave confession.

 

Cerasus-dyn didn't run out of the room, nor did he look extremely pleased. But he did take in the words with a quiet surprise. Sandy-brown eyebrows arched gracefully upwards, creating an adorable series of wrinkles on the young man's forehead. A thoughtful frown took the place of his wary scowl.

 

“You… like… spending time with me?”

 

The question sounded almost hopeful, and Calcifex wondered for a second how many friends the introverted prince really had. If he was lonely, it would, of course, work to his advantage.

 

“I absolutely do. Why wouldn't I?”

 

Lips turning down even more, in an expression that was undeniably sad, Cerasus-dyn said, “No one has ever said… that… before.”

 

“Well that's just wrong. Honestly, with no offense to any of your acquaintances, how horrible. Someone like you deserves to be told that every day!” The wizard might have been laying it on a little thick, but flattery was usually the quickest way to someone's heart, so why use it in moderation?

 

Blushing was becoming a common practice to Cerasus-dyn, much to his dismay. Rosy color filtered into his cheeks and stayed there; he still could not meet Calcifex's shimmering green eyes. “Th-thank you…”

 

“No need for thanks, Your Highness. I was simply telling the truth.”

 

A moment of silence followed, in which the prince found himself playing with his own fingers and wanting to desperately voice the proposition that had bubbled up in his head. He wasn't quite sure where the idea had come from, or why it was even born. A mere ten minutes ago, he would not have entertained it for a second. But now…

 

Before he could stop them, the words pushed past his lips, urged on by his tongue. “Would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow?”

 

A soon as the sentence escaped, Cerasus-dyn inhaled sharply and clasped one hand over his rebellious mouth. Too afraid to hear the other man's answer, he made to get up, nearly knocking his chair over, when a hand on his small wrist stopped him. Whipping his head around, he was met with the sight of Calcifex towering over him by at least seven inches. His grip on the prince's arm was gentle, but firm enough to make it clear that he didn't want the boy to move. When he was sure that there was to be no attempt to flee the hall, Cal spoke.

 

“I would love to have lunch with you, Cerasus.”

 

In another instant the tall man was gone, exiting the room at a hurried pace, leaving the shocked prince behind him, only able to stare at his retreating back.

 

*****

4

*****

 

Cerasus-dyn, as it turned out, had a lot to hide behind his quiet and shy demeanor. Two weeks of shared meals and time spent taking care of Amiculi led the prince to become quite comfortable with Calcifex. Bit by bit, facets of his personality showed themselves to the pleased wizard, who was celebrating his progress. Cerasus-dyn was smart, impressively so, and he was eager to learn. Whenever he discovered something new, or acquired a new skill, his happiness was apparent, blossoming into all of his features, most of all, his smile.

 

Calcifex thought the boy's smile would be the end of him. He did not just smile with his mouth, no. The gesture spread throughout his entire face, lighting up his eyes and bringing out his perfect white teeth. Cerasus-dyn smiled with his heart, and laughed with it too. His laugh was a thing of wonders, a musical sound that was never too loud or too high-pitched. It was flawless, like it had been rehearsed dozens of times.

 

Once the prince had lost all his fear of Calcifex, he was very interested in knowing everything about the wizard that was possible to tell. Unfortunately for Cal, that meant he had to fabricate much of his less-than-flattering life story. He didn't mind much, though, since the tale he was able to come up with was a lot more glamorous than the truth.

 

“My father was killed trying to protect our home from a bandit. Stab wound to the heart, I'm afraid.”

 

Cerasus, who was now insisting that his royal title was not to be used, gasped. “That's horrible. I'm so sorry.”

 

“Yes, it was tragic. Even more so when my mother died of grief shortly after. I was only a child, so it was difficult for me to survive at first,” Calcifex was breaking a small loaf of bread into two pieces for them to share. He handed one to the boy and continued. “But after a while an old man found me and took me in. He was very kind.”

 

“What was he called?” Cerasus wanted to know, taking a small bite of the bread.

 

“Sidereus,” replied Calcifex with a smirk, imagining what the spirit's reaction would be to that claim. The prince mistook the grin for one of nostalgia, and smiled.

 

“He must have been a great man, to have raised a child that wasn't his own.”

 

“Ah, yes, that he was. Although, I must admit, he was quite the character. A real oddball.”

 

“How so?”

 

“Well, he had this obsession with fire, for one thing. Plus he didn't have a nose.”

 

Cerasus couldn't hide his surprise at that remark. “What?”

 

“I swear, it's the truth. All he had was this flat-ish lump of flesh where his nose was supposed to be.”

 

“Oh, my… What happened to him? Was he born that way?”

 

Calcifex let out a mock sigh. “He was very sensitive about the issue and never shared that with me, I'm afraid.”

 

A look of concentration passed over the prince's face and he said, “That must have made breathing very difficult for him…”

 

The urge to laugh almost overwhelmed Cal, who was enjoying himself immensely with the conversation, but he just barely managed to hold it in. “Oh, yes. He made a horrible wheezing sound every time he spoke or slept. Always had his mouth hanging open, drooling everywhere.”

 

Cerasus put a hand to his mouth as though trying to stifle the giggle that bubbled up in him. “Oh, dear.”

 

Calcifex smiled. “'Oh, dear', indeed.”

 

Their preferred meeting place became the stables, where they would take breakfast before grooming and feeding Amiculi. They went through the whole process talking and trading stories. Cerasus never failed to laugh or gasp in all the right places, genuinely interested in whatever the older man was telling him. His tales, however, were having strange effects on Calcifex, who wasn't fully able to understand what was happening to him.

 

It was well past lunchtime in the fourth week of the Morcimus Faire, and Calcifex and Cerasus were sitting in an empty stall next to Amiculi's, feasting on fruit and small pieces of meat that they had wheedled from the kitchen's cook. Having spent a good deal of time discussing the wizard's miraculous escape from a ferocious wild cat, they consequently had lost track of time, and thus were late in settling down for their meal.

 

“I wanted a cat when I was younger,” Cerasus said casually, nibbling on a grape.

 

“Oh?” Calcifex rested with his back against the stable wall, one leg bent with his elbow rested upon it.

 

“Mmhmm. My father was going to let me have one, but Mother said no. She doesn't really like animals.”

 

“Your father… Cadavna-regna, right?”

 

Cerasus nodded, picking up a new grape and taking small bites of it.

 

“What happened to him, if I may ask?”

 

“Well…” The prince frowned a little and dropped his piece of fruit onto a plate. “He got sick, and he couldn't get better.”

 

Tears welled up in Cerasus' beautiful blue eyes then, and his chin trembled ever so slightly. He was trying to fight back the pressing need to cry, and something strange happened at that moment. An odd sensation thrummed through Calcifex, and his heart faltered for the tiniest split second. It recovered quickly, beating with intense force into his ribcage, or so it felt, and an emotion that he hadn't felt in years came flooding through his veins. So long was its absence from his body that Calcifex couldn't even name the feeling, and that left him curiously unsettled. His lips turned down, and the words left him before he even knew what he was saying.

 

“I'm sorry.” And a moment later, he gasped under his breath, because he found it was the truth.

 

But Cerasus just dragged a hand across his eyes to dispel the moisture there and gave Calcifex a quaking smile. It was perhaps the most brilliant look he had ever offered to the man, and that was when things got complicated.

 

*****

5

*****

 

“I don't know what's wrong with me, Sidereus!”

 

“Calm down, Cal. Tell me again what happened.”

 

“Okay. So. We were talking about cats, I think, and he mentioned his father. And I asked what happened, you know, since the man is dead. And then he started crying and… I felt horrible, Sid. Physically, like my chest was constricting or something.” Calcifex through himself down on his bed, facedown, and groaned into his pillow. “What the hell is happening to me?”

 

“Before you start having some sort of mental attack, why don't you take a deep breath and listen to me?” Sidereus said with exasperation. He floated down and hovered next to the wizard's left arm. “Do you want to know what I think?”

 

“Mmf.”

 

“I'll take that as a yes. So listen up. It sounds like you felt bad for the kid. You know, like that black hole you call a heart was actually working for once.”

 

Calcifex propped himself up on one elbow and stared at the spirit like he was insane. He backed up the look with an exclamation. “Are you out of your mind?”

 

“No, Cal, I'm not. But you might just be getting too deep into this whole `seduce the prince' thing, you know? Maybe he's too sweet.” Sid made a face, like the thought of someone that kind was distasteful.

 

“Hah! That's rich, Sidereus, real fucking rich. Listen to you! Trying to scare the shit out of me while I'm already worried enough as it is-“

 

“I'm not trying to do anything, Calcifex! I'm telling you what I think based on what you've told me, all right?”

 

The two faced each other, each scowling formidably. And even though it was the last thing he wanted to do, Sidereus backed down first. Closing his eyes and backing up, he sighed deeply.

 

“I think we need to get out of here, Cal. This place is too much. The queen is crazy, her son is doing weird things to you, and, quite honestly, it's getting dangerous. What if the kid finds out you're a wizard? I'm surprised the royal bitch hasn't let it slip yet.”

 

“You think it would scare him?”

 

“Why wouldn't it? He's the most timid thing I've ever seen. Plus, if he finds out you've lied about everything you told him, all the time you spent building his trust will be wasted.”

 

“If we leave now, it's already wasted! Besides, we both like it here, right? Why leave a good place behind?”

 

Sid pinned the man with a look that spoke volumes. “That's exactly it, Calcifex. It's too good. Once the Faire is over, we'll be kicked out, anyway. We can't get used to it. We've already been here a month; let's just go.”

 

“I don't know, Sid… I don't want to give up yet.”

 

“Cal, please. If something goes wrong, not even your magic can-“

 

Even though neither of them noticed the quiet opening of the parlor door, and the shy figure looming next to the bedroom entryway, they certainly heard him gasp.

 

Both wizard and spirit whipped around to look at the intruder. Sidereus swore, but Calcifex, for the first time in his life, couldn't think of anything to say.

 

 

*******

 

Disclaimer: This story consists purely of fiction and is a product of the author's imagination. Any person/place/thing/event contained within that has any similarities to something or someone in real life is completely coincidental.

 

Constructive criticism is welcome.