Chapter Text
Once in a kingdom far away
There was a thorny tower
There would the wizard stay up late
Until at night the stars would shine
To show them to his knight.
Once in a kingdom far away
There was an ancient castle
There would the knight fight ´til the morn´
To always protect the wizard against
All the darkest frights.
Once in a kingdom far away
Two figures walked the woods
The knight up on his bright white horse
The wizard in purple cloaks and Boots
Wand´ring together at last.
It was a silver spring that year. The boy he wandered through the woods with was ten years old, just as he was. Mike had escaped his father that morning, he wanted him to help in the smith. His father was a book printer. Will thought, that it was an interesting job, but Mike thought it was rather annoying and this morning was way too beautiful to stay in town. Besides, Mike had stolen a sword from his mother, who was a knight for the count, and he wanted to show it to Will. He knew, Will would be excited, they loved to play knights defeating dark sorcerers and mighty dragons.
Birds were calling in the wide woods, the trees were turning green and the creeks were ice cold. The sun was weaving silver ribbons through the branches and placing golden white cloaks on stones and grass. Every place the sun light touched lilies of the valley began to blossom. Into this singing world the two boys were going, over paths forgotten by humans, but not by the creatures of the forest.
Wills father had left him with his mother and brother for another woman in a far away town. Will never talked about this, but Mike just knew, that it bothered him. His mother was working at a farm outside of the town. She was working hard and often, but Mike liked her because she always seemed glad to see him. Will smelled of grain, just like her. There were a lot of things Mike liked about being with Will.
So, they had escaped, together. Into a place, that belonged just to them. This part of the wood felt untouched by the grown-ups, and other children never dared to go that far into the forest.
The thorny bushes were ripping at their trousers, but it didn’t matter to Mike. „Maybe we should take another way “, Will suggested.
„Why? Are you scared? “„No…it's just that I…my mom told me, she hadn’t enough money this season to buy me new clothes, she told me to be careful. “
Mike understood. „Yeah, right, sorry. Okay uhm, then let's go that way, we could walk through the stream. “
Will nodded carefully and they left the scrubs to follow the small whispering stream between bright willows. As their light-shoed feet touched the icy water, Will shuddered. „Mike, that’s really cold. “„I think it’s fine. Its really warm today, don’t you think? “But Will seemed unsure. „You wanna go back? “, Mike asked carefully. „No…not really. I “- Will paused and looked around nervously. Mike tried to find the direction. „What is it? “
Will stepped into the creek and went through it until he stopped under the willows. Mike asked worried: „Do you…do you feel that thing again? You know, this weird feeling? “Will nodded and put a hand into the water. „Its here. I feel…It's like a track. Like a dog can sense the trail of a wolf. It…it feels warm. Its tugging at me…I don’t know Mike. “
„Okay, okay. Right. It’s a track, okay, so we could maybe follow it. See where it leads us to? “Mike walked through the water and took Wills hand. „Show me the way. “, Mike said and smiled comforting. Will nodded and led him out of the stream through two willows.
Under small trees they went hand in hand, until they reached a clearing, where the sunbeams brought thousands of lilies to life. Will stopped in the middle and looked up into the sky. „Here. Here it is, the source.“ He looked at Mike. „I don’t know, what we’re doing here. “But Mike spotted something bright between the trees across the clearing. „Will, there!“ He ran up to Will, and they glimpsed through the thicket. There was a bright, white deer. It had an aura of light around its antlers and watched them with wise eyes.
„What does it want? “, Mike asked Will whispering, his hand wandered to the shaft of the sword he had at his belt. „I…I don’t know.“ Tears were filling Wills eyes and he breathed faster. „Will, Will, please, what is it?“ But Will didn’t answer, so Mike squeezed his hand and whispered: „Okay, its alright, I’ll handle that.“ „No, no Mike, its“- but Mike let go of his hand and approached sneakily the deer.
The deer itself took steps, got closer to him, even though he held a sword. Mikes heartbeat got faster, he could feel his hands were getting sweaty. He was now face to face with the deer. Carefully Mike raised his arm and held his hand out to the glowing animal. The deer lowered its head and Mike could pet it. It was warm and the fur was soft. Their eyes met and Mike couldn’t move.
But out of the sudden the deer turned into white flames, it was vanishing slowly and after the flames died, white petals went into the tree crowns.
It took a while for Mike to become aware of himself again, slowly he loosened and looked around. Will was standing beside him and asked quietly: „Are you okay? What was that, Mike?“
But Mike had to answer: „I don’t know. But now its gone. Do you still feel weird?“ Will shook his head. They went back to the clearing and stood between the white lilies. But there was no sign of anything magic. As if it never happened.
„I would really like to know, what that meant, Will. I mean, it surely has to do something with this magic thing that you got. Don’t you think?“ Will nodded, but looked around troubled. „Yeah maybe. Lets go back please“, he suggested and Mike agreed.
The clearing was silent, as were the woods. No birds were singing as they walked out of the woods.
And silent they were.
Not talking about that deer again.
–––
Cold wind from the North went through Mikes black curls as he stood on the balcony and watched the morning town. Winter would soon be over, but this day was freezing and drove tears into his eyes. Cold and silent were the grey hills and the dark woods. Clouds built a high ceiling over Elinas, the town of men, and the castle Windhill. Strong towers protected it standing tall in the landscape of Andra.
He lived there for all his life. It was his home; it has made him a knight. One day he’d ride across the horizon through the thick forests and over the mountains. He‘d be free.
Mike sighed and rested his head on the balustrade. Will‘s gonna be free soon. Or perhaps not really, for he‘ll travel to just another imprisoning town. The wizards were getting ready for their big journey on the Dragons Way. One day he‘ll be a great wizard, the greatest of them all and won‘t think of his knight ever again.
Will.
He has known him for a while. Mike laughed. He couldn’t even remember a time he hasn’t known him. And now Will’s leaving. But that’s the way it must go. He knew it would eventually happen, that’s what wizards do. Travel through far away countries over the paths of the dragons, that died thousands of years ago. Exploring dark woods and deep valleys and cold caves to search for ancient spells. That’s what they do. Will‘s gonna be happy.
Someone tapped his shoulder. Quickly Mike wiped his eyes and nose and turned to see a knight in a sage uniform, the uniform the guards of Windhill wore. His name was Sorus, a knight from his troop. „Mike, we need to go now. Are you ready? Lady Amela awaits you in the courtyard! “
„Uh, yeah, I-I‘m coming. Didn‘t know she was coming too “, Mike said as he followed Sorus inside the room, leaving the fresh wind and the silence behind. It was a restroom near the stalls for the knights, with a fireplace, red carpets and green curtains. They took the door to the hallway and the great staircase down to the entry hall, which was decorated with red carpets too, the walls adorned with old paintings and weapons.
Sorus explained: „Amela changed her mind. After her illness she wanted to feel fresh air and the first springs breeze again, not my words.“ They reached the courtyard. Next to Mikes white horse was Lady Amelas brown one. Two pages were helping her get on the back in her long, violescent cape. „Well, I‘m gonna go get my horse, you don’t have to wait for me, see ya!“ And Sorus left Mike alone with Amela and the pages.
Mike approached the lady and looked up to her. She smiled and held out her gloved hand. He kissed the back and smiled at her beauty. Long, brown curls, soft skin, clever eyes. She wore golden bracelets and a sage dress. The courtyard was silent and they didn’t speak. A page wanted to help him getting onto his horse, but Mike denied.
They were leaving down the path to Stone Gate and then down the street. They passed a few houses with excited children and arrived at the the little forest between Elinas and the wizards Tower. Winter creeks were mumbling and some birds sang between the white lilies.
Amela pushed her horse to a faster trot and asked: „So, why were you delayed? Did you forget? “„N-no, I was just… admiring the winter morning. “The lady laughed and answered: „I can't believe you. We have to work on that! Isn’t this old friend of yours in this year's company, what’s his name again… “
„William. Yeah, he is, but we haven’t seen each other for years now, I believe two. He had to work a lot and probably won't remember me. “„Yeah right. “She looked at her gloves and patted her horse.
Mike cleared his throat. „Soo…you’re well again? Want to ride through the woods, maybe at the evening? “„What? No, of course not! Its way to cold for that and I got work to do!“ Mike nodded.
After ten minutes they reached the meadows in front of the tower. Mike looked up at it. The building was ninety metres tall and had a sharp pinnacle for a roof. Along the tower were a lot of rooms, smaller towers and balconies. It had to be magic that held it all together. Around the tower were houses and stalls, mostly hidden by a wall that went around the grounds. In front of that was a huge marketplace and a well.
There were already many people. On a wooden platform were chairs for wealthier people and another platform for the highest wizards in the gild. Behind a rope-barrier around the middle of the place was the townsfolk.
A young wizard-apprentice took their horses and led them to chairs reserved for them.
And then they waited. More and more people from Windhill, who Mike knew, arrived. Amela greeted them all, but Mike was silent. His eyes were fixed onto the gate of the tower. It was made out of black stone, two carved dragons were protecting it, probably literal with casted spells.
A long time ago, once the men left the seaside and began to settle in the green pastures of Andra, there came a funny old man from North. He was hooded in white cloaks and taught a farmer's lad his teachings. One night, the lad disappeared and people forgot, that weird things ever happened, after the old man died. But twenty years later the town was burnt down by a young man from North. All by himself he used coloured fire to set a town made of stone alight. He told the survivors, that he found an old language deep in the mountains, the one, dragons once used. He wouldn’t want to destroy mankind but teach a group of people to do the same. These people needed to have the flame in their hearts, to be children of the dragons. And since then, the wizards are doing their shit in this tower. But not this one alone. Osfalas, the white town of the East, is their real dwelling. They got towers all across the eighteen lands of men, but now and then they all return to Osfalas were the wisest men and women were trying to learn the dragons' spells. And sending young magicians to walk the Dragons Path to discover old caves and points of magic, where the magic flows strongest.
They said, wizards could feel the magic when they’re surrounded by it, but Mike never felt anything like that. Will did and the wizards took him. This old legend was all he knew about the secret work of the magicians. They could probably take over the world and govern over the stars and just with a few words all the people would be ash and dust. But no one cared really. All they knew was, that they were doing weird shit here. Some people feared to come near to wizards' towers. But children loved the coloured fires they could cast. Some wizards just end up as entertainers.
… “Mike…Mike!“ „Huh, wh-what? “Amela eyed him curiously. „My father‘s here!“ „Oh! Oh, what an honour, Mister Cantona.“ He got up and nodded friendly. The old man smiled politely and sat down next to Amela. He was the head of the towns‘ finances. Amela has had her eyes on Mike, the handsome knight, for over a year now and was trying to get her father to arrange their marriage.
Mikes troop leader gave him the permission. He even called him to his room once and spoke heart to heart, that he should not let this opportunity slip through his fingers. „Amela Cantona is a wealthy woman“, he said, and: „Her father has great influence over the Count of Elinas and the Count has connections. You don’t have to stay in Elinas all your life, you have potential, you’re a smart guy. By the red dragon Mike! Marry that woman, I mean it! “
And sure, Amela was a beautiful lady. And maybe he could be happy. He could do what they asked him to.
At this moment the gate opened. The dragons let the stone doors go and out rode the company of young wizards. There were eleven apprentices and one older one who had a silver flame on his cape. That means he’s an important guy, Mike supposed. Suddenly his breath got shaky and his heart beat higher. There was Will. In purple cloaks and with a silver star on his vest. He seemed older now and waited brave in silence beneath his colleagues. On the wooden platform was a sorceress and two wizards in sage cloaks, who stood on a silver carpet.
The sorceress began to hold a speech, but Mike didn’t listen. His thoughts were floating and spinning, and he crossed his arms to have something to hold onto. Would Will recognise him? He needed to talk to him, needed to tell him… tell him what? Good luck? Why was he so desperate to talk to him? He meant probably nothing to Will; they were just some childhood friends. Will won't need him anymore, not like back then. He will become more powerful, than Mike could ever be. He’ll be wiser and Mike would just babble stupid shit into his face. He should let it go, let Will go. He must. That’s how it goes. He knew it from the day Will went up this hill to the stony, thorny tower, the day he left him in the cold castle.
Two speeches followed the first. Mike could tell that most of the farmers and townspeople didn’t understand a thing it was about. He could have understood it, maybe, but he didn’t listen. His eyes were fixed on Will, the wizard had him under his spell, Mike supposed.
And then the wizard with the white cloak said words in a foreign language. It was maybe a spell to protect them, or for luck or maybe just an old ritual, Mike didn’t know. He could have asked Will, if it wasn’t him that was leaving for the far away wizards' town Osfalas.
The audience began to clap and cheer. Mike didn’t know why, he just began to clap with them and rose from his chair like the people around him. He was then suddenly stroke by a lightning. Not a real one, but it felt like it, because their eyes met.
Will looked at him.
It was a short moment, but Mike felt it in his whole body. Will looked happy and dutiful. Mike looked shocked and shattered. He tried to tell him a thousand words through one look and knew, it was impossible. ‚Take me with you!`, he wanted to scream but couldn’t find the words. And then the moment was over and Will looked at the path, that lay before him. He looked into his future and not back. And Mike envied him for that.
Dark clouds were building up at the horizon over the cold forests. Mike stood now on the castles wall; his shift would go long into the night. Maybe the rain would reach him in a few hours with its cold fingers and drown him in ice. His fingers tipped uneasy at his sword on his belt. His eyes went East. Will was gone now. He would never see him again. Maybe he could find an excuse to visit Osfalas once. But maybe Will would be on a mission. It's impossible to ever see him again. He was stuck here. He would marry Amela and become the leader of the Count's army. Maybe he’d even be settled to Ridon, the huge town of the South, where he could serve the king.
But deep inside of his mind, deep buried, like a dark spell in the deepest valley of the woods, he knew, that this wasn’t right. He didn’t love Amela. She didn’t deserve this. He would never make her happy, he would never love her, he would never love their children, because all he could think of was his best friend.
His best friend, to whom he meant nothing.
He sighed as he buried his head in his hands. The clouden mountains got taller, the breeze turned into a strong wind and eventually the rain came and drowned him in this cold night.