Chapter 8: The Academy in Earnest

  The next month passed by rather quickly and uneventfully. Sevagoth spent every day training either at home with Arthur or at the garrison with Theo and Hendrick. When he wasn’t training, he was buried in books at home in the study or at the castle library. And yet, Lilliana spent almost every day with him. She never complained about how long he spent training or reading; she would simply find a way to keep busy. Most of the time, she practiced her magic channeling, or she found a book of her own to read. Some days, she would fall asleep, snoozing away next to Sev. Sometimes she would ask for Sev to train her with the sword, which he would politely refuse.

  “I’m not a master at this myself; I have no right to teach you my bad habits.” He would say. Days quickly turned to weeks, and then into a month. The day before they would return to the academy, Arthur invited everyone over for dinner. Orsen, Camilla, King Byron, Queen Amalee, and Dottie all came over to celebrate the start of the new semester. Dottie cooked the meal with Sevagoth’s help (he was still trying to get her bread recipe, to no avail), and everyone enjoyed the meal and the company.

  Sevagoth picked up Lilli early that morning so they could walk to the academy together. Both of them were light packers, so they didn’t have enough luggage to warrant a carriage ride despite Amalee’s insistence. They reached the academy and attended the opening ceremony. The queen was present and gave a warm and genuine speech where she welcomed the students back and wished them the best for the coming classes. Before she ended, she dropped the names of Philip and his goons, Lerrit and Donivan, as well as the incident they had been involved in during the break. The queen turned from soft and gentle to stern and dangerous.

  “This academy is supposed to be a place of learning and growth, not one of petty bullying because of minor differences of appearance. These students have been permanently removed from the academy’s registry and will be prevented from advancing to any of the other academies inside the kingdom. If the school or I hear of other incidents such as this, we will not hesitate to hand out the same punishment.” As her words rang in the air and her speech finished, the children were all dismissed to prepare for the semester.

  Sev and Lilli got their class schedules and split up to get where they needed to go. As Lilli was 2 years older than Sev, they would only get to see each other during breaks and at the end of the day. Still, Lilli made Sev promise to walk her to her classes and spend his breaks with her. “My parents asked you to watch out for me, and you agreed. You can’t go back on your word now!” She teased.

  Sev wasn’t used to this. His first 4 month stint at the academy was spent completely alone, and now he had a friend he couldn’t get rid of. So much has changed so quickly. It’s odd. Not that I’m complaining, I guess. It’s nice to have someone around who is always so happy. They shared their meal times, and, in the evening after classes, they resumed their habit of reading and training together. Sevagoth often trained as late as possible, sometimes well into the night. The instructors were all familiar with him by this point, allowing him to stay until they had finished all their work. Lilli would often fall asleep while waiting for him, and occasions of him having to carry her back to the girls' housing were not rare, to say the least. Yet to Sevagoth, it was never a burden. In fact, it was kind of nice.

  The months of the new semester seemed to pass by much quicker this time around. Sev and Lilli would walk home together at the end of each month. Arthur had become good friends with Orsen, a fellow warrior. They would often spar together and go out for drinks when Arthur wasn’t on duty. Orsen was also an extremely skilled and fairly famous blacksmith and jeweler, as well as a learned Runescribe. He may not have been born with the talent, but he had worked hard for years to acquire the skill. Arthur would often sit and visit while Orsen worked on a commissioned piece, and was thoroughly impressed with the quality. After a few weeks, Orsen was given a contract and became the exclusive artisan for the King, as well as the paladin’s smithy. Camilla slowly began to see that most humans were actually good people and were just like her family. She started to smile and laugh more around Sevagoth and Arthur, and would even host dinners when the children returned from the academy.

  Lilliana celebrated her 9th birthday while at the academy, and the time for final exams was fast approaching. Sevagoth was slowly becoming more confident with the sword and had even started to improve with the bow thanks to Magdin’s tutelage. He was eager to start training with real blades. The end of the year hit, and Sev celebrated his 7th birthday. This time, surrounded by several people he had grown quite attached to. To think my life would change this much in less than 2 years. And yet, I still have a long way to go.

  The 2-month break from the academy was filled with the same old events. Sev would spend around 8 hours a day training, both alone and with the paladins. Most of his training involved joining the paladins for long-distance runs and fighting with wooden swords, but he was confident that he would be able to wield a real sword soon. He just needed to get a bit older and a bit stronger, and then real training would begin. He got his own set of mock plate armor and would wear it alongside the others on their long rucks. He ran their drills with them and insisted on joining them for their other workout regimens as well.

  Elias had started to try to teach Sev magic, but Sevagoth refused to learn. When asked why, he simply responded with, “My parents were murdered by one who abused magic. I won’t go down that path.” A noble and yet foolish hill to die on.

  Arthur was rather concerned when Elias told him this. Magic is central to our position as paladins. It’s one of the only things that sets us apart from run-of-the-mill soldiers and guards. If Sev refuses magic, will he even be allowed into the order? We have to publicly announce the basic stretch of the paladin's magic abilities and talents, so who can say if the public will accept him? He might end up having to sign on with the guard instead… Yet Arthur didn’t push Sev; he simply allowed him to make that decision. While Arthur considered Sev to be family, he also knew that he wasn’t really his father. He may have been his guardian, but Arthur didn’t want to burn a bridge with Sev over something that may not even be an issue. I’ll bring it up when he is older. Arthur would tell himself. But he couldn’t simply ignore it, could he?

  Finally, the time to return to the Academy arrived. Lilli and Sev set off once again, excited to see what this year’s curriculum would hold. Lilli was scheduled to have classes focused on the use and application of magic, rather than just the theory and study of it. Sev once again opted for classes focused on history and governmental politics. He was too young for classes focused on combat, so he focused on the other topics he couldn’t learn from the paladins. Lilli insisted that Sev continue to walk her to classes, as well as spend his breaks and meals with her. Though, as compared to last year, this time felt different. She seemed anxious about it, and even more so than usual, tried to find ways to be around Sev. After a couple of weeks of noticing this pattern, Sevagoth realized this was her final year at the academy. After this, she would be starting her apprenticeship, most likely at the continent's largest academy for mages. The academy was almost 3 weeks away from the capital, in the city of Kelgrim. Kelgrim was the city that sat on the junction of all 3 nations' borders, and as such was massive even in comparison to the 3 capitals. She must be getting anxious about moving so far away from home. It’s understandable, I’ll just have to try my best to help her out.

  The first break of the semester arrived, and Sev was eager to get back to training with the paladins. However, he had a different idea this time. He took Lilli home and asked Orsen a strange question. “Can you teach me? How to make and runescribe jewelry, I mean.”

  Orsen was a bit caught off guard, but gave it some genuine thought. “Sure, I don’t see why not. Can I ask why you want to learn?”

  Sev simply shrugged. “I want to know how to make things. All I’ve learned so far is how to break things. Breaking things doesn’t really make for a great gift.” He said flatly. Orsen laughed and agreed to teach Sev what he could. There wasn’t much time on the weekends, but he would do his best to give Sev the basics. Then, when Sev took his month break, they could focus more on it.

  Sevagoth was ecstatic and insisted they begin immediately. There was something he needed to make, and quickly. “Fine, fine. We can get started while we wait for Arthur. But don’t expect to get much out of today.” Orsen said as he began to smelt some of his scraps, showing Sev how to operate the forge and kiln. Sevagoth, much like with everything, absorbed the teachings quickly and completely. It took a few trial runs, but Sev was fairly comfortable with the basic operation of the forge in the matter of an hour. Orsen was surprised. Who knew Sev was this gifted? He asked himself. The gold was finally ready to work with, and Orsen asked what Sev wanted to try to make.

  “What’s the most meaningful piece you’ve made, Orsen?” Sev asked curiously. Orsen was taken aback. What is my most meaningful piece? How do I even answer that??

  “I don’t know, to be honest. I suppose it depends on the person. For some, rings are most important as they are typically given as engagement gifts. Some people find the weight of a necklace comforting, and others find the constant pressure of a bracelet helps keep them grounded. It really depends on the person and the intent of the gift. Why do you ask?” Orsen said, trying his best to actually answer the question.

  Sev took Orsen's words to heart. It depends on the person. I suppose that makes sense. “I get it, that makes a lot of sense. Let’s just start with a ring or a bracelet, something simple, I guess.” Sev said. Orsen simply smiled and nodded, showing Sev where his molds and tools were.

  A few hours later, it started to get dark. Orsen and Sev had lost track of time, solely focused on crafting a simple gold ring. Orsen wasn’t planning to go into so much detail today, but Sev asked so many questions that it was hard for him to hold back. It’s not often I get to talk so much about my work. Really, only Arthur and Sev have ever even asked about it. Orsen mused as Sev worked on polishing the ring they had made. It had several blemishes due to being made from scraps, but aside from that, it was a surprisingly well-made piece. Sev had listened carefully and followed Orsen's instructions perfectly, something that was rare even among actual students of the trade. They had sized the ring off of Sev’s hand, making a small and simple gold band. “Now, for the finishing touch. The rune.” Orsen said, taking the ring carefully from Sev and getting his burin set. “What kind of rune are you wanting to learn about? There are a LOT of options.” Orsen asked.

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  Sev thought carefully for a moment. “Is there a rune that can hold a message? And then you can hear it whenever you activate the rune?” He asked. Orsen started to understand what was going on.

  He chuckled slightly and nodded several times. “Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. It’s called the ‘rune of recitation’. It is a rather complicated rune, though. Is there any particular reason you want to start with that one?” Orsen pried gently.

  Sev nodded, mulling over what Orsen said. “Complicated, huh? I want to make a going-away gift for Lilli. She seems pretty worried about leaving the capital at the end of this year, so I wanted to make her something that would make her feel better. I figured if you and Camilla were able to record a message for her, she might not get so homesick.” He answered with a shrug.

  Just as Sevagoth answered Orsen, Camilla called from the house that Arthur had arrived and that dinner was ready. Orsen set the ring down gently before gesturing for Sev to head towards the house. “Come on, kiddo, let’s call it there for the day. After all, we don’t want to miss out on a warm meal, do we?” He asked, his voice soft compared to his normal tone. Sev agreed, finally realizing how late it had gotten. The two joined the rest of the group and got ready to eat. After the meal was over, Arthur and Sev headed home. Orsen waited until they had left and Lilli had gone to bed. He pulled Camilla into his workshop and showed her the ring, telling her what Sev had said about Lilli.

  Camilla was touched and started to tear up. “He truly does care for her, doesn’t he?” She asked Orsen.

  Orsen simply smiled. “He is a good kid. I’m grateful that he found her that day. Who knew that she would be gifted with such a wonderful young man?” He said thoughtfully.

  Sev barely got any sleep; he was too excited about what he had learned from Orsen. He spent the entire trip home explaining how to melt and prepare gold. Arthur simply listened with a smile. So he is into goldsmithing, too, now? Wonderful, just wonderful…. The next day, Sev woke up early to get his exercise in before heading out to work with Orsen again. Arthur waved him off as he returned to the garrison to work his post. Orsen was waiting for Sev when he arrived, knowing that he wouldn’t waste any time. Sev spent the next several hours practising runes. Orsen had him start with the simplest rune, heat. It was the same rune that was used for cooking and the aqueduct system in Whitemane. It could be scribed into almost any substance, including simple rocks.

  Orsen wrote the rune onto paper, and then demonstrated to Sev how to scribe it into the stones they would be practising on. “Many people think that Runescribes carve the runes and then infuse them with magic. That’s just not true. If that were the case, we would have to constantly recharge the magic supply within the rune, removing the value and convenience that runes are meant to provide. The runes themselves, said to be the writing of the gods, are what infuse the object with magic. We simply run the burin, the runes run the magic. If you scribe the rune correctly, eventually magic will take hold, and the object will become infused with the effect the rune provides. If done incorrectly, or if you aren’t skilled enough, the object will reject the rune and be damaged or destroyed. Obviously, each rune has its own unique effect. The heat rune does exactly that; it heats up the object it is scribed on when activated. To activate the rune, you simply have to say or think the command word for the rune while touching the object. For example, ‘warmth’ is the command word for the heat rune. ‘Speak’ is the command word for recitation, etc. However, not all runes require activation. Some runes, such as ‘unbreakable’, used for weapons and armor, are active permanently as soon as they are scribed. Does that all make sense?” Orsen explained as he carved heat into the face of a stone. As he finished, the rune filled and pulsed blue, before dulling to a soft and steady glow. Sev watched in awe, eyes intently focused on the rune.

  Sev practiced drawing the rune dozens of times on paper. He tried to mimic the exact pace and movements that Orsen had shown him. Lunchtime came and went, and Sev was still practicing on paper. Finally, after drawing the rune over 100 times, he asked to try on a stone. Orsen smiled and nodded, handing him a flat stone and the burin. Sev sat there for a moment before beginning, slowly tracing the outline of the rune. He then slowly and methodically began to carve the rune into the stone's surface. Orsen couldn’t help but watch. I didn’t even practice that many times before making my first attempt. I can’t tell if he is nervous or just very conscientious. It took him a few minutes, but Sev finally put the final line into the rune. Sev let out a breath that he had been holding for who knows how long. Both he and Orsen stared at the rune, waiting for it to be accepted or rejected by the stone. Heat isn’t a complicated rune, but even students struggle getting the rune to take hold on their first few attempts. Hopefully, he won’t be too discouraged when it fai——. Orsen’s thoughts were interrupted as his eyes opened wide as a soft blue light entered the rune. After a few seconds, the light pulsed and faded into the soft, gentle glow of a finished runestone.

  “It worked, it actually worked! You are the best teacher ever, Orsen!” Sev yelled as he stared at his very first runestone. Orsen was speechless. On his first real attempt? He’s a damned savant!

  The weekend passed, and Sev returned to the academy with Lilli. Orsen and Arthur waved at the kids as they walked down the main road out of the hidden quarter. Once they were out of sight, Orsen quickly turned to Arthur and all but shouted, “Is there anything that kid can’t do?!??!!?” Arthur was startled a bit. Orsen was usually far more composed.

  “What do you mean? What happened?” Arthur asked, almost concerned about what the answer would be. Orsen excitedly explained to Arthur what had happened, who listened with a coy smile on his face. “Well, what can I say? My protege takes after his master.” Arthur responded, fake flicking his hair over his shoulder.

  Orsen rolled his eyes, and both of them laughed heavily. “Seriously, your son is something else! If he doesn’t make it into the paladins, I would pay a LOT to have him become my apprentice. If he can get a rune on his first go at this age, he might become a scribe skilled enough to do double inscriptions!” Orsen said excitedly, not noticing that Arthur had suddenly fallen behind. “Arthur?” Orsen asked as he noticed and turned to see what had happened. Arthur simply stood there in silence, his eyes wet with tears he was trying to hold back. “If I said something to offend you, I’m truly sorry, I meant no offen—” Orsen started, hastily trying to recover the situation.

  Arthur quickly cut him off. “No, no, it's nothing like that. In fact, I’m extremely flattered. But Sev isn’t my son, as much as I may wish he was.”

  Orsen and Arthur stood there in the street, an awkward silence hanging in the air. Arthur spoke first, “Well, should we go inside? It seems I owe you a bit of an explanation.” Orsen and Arthur went inside, sitting down at the table to speak. Arthur once again broke the silence, “You see, Sev is an orphan that I found on a trip I took to the Icelock summits just shy of 2 years ago now. He didn’t have anywhere to go, so I brought him home with me. He is incredibly mature and talented, but I have personally had very little to do with that. He has been this way since I found him.”

  Orsen sat there in stunned silence. “Wait, seriously? With the way you two behave, I just assumed you were his father. Especially since you and the king are so close and he calls himself ‘Uncle Byron’.” Orsen said frantically.

  Arthur chuckled slightly before continuing. “Well, I lost my father when I was young. He was a foot soldier in the city guard, and he died when he was escorting some noble family to their summer home. My mother was devastated and couldn’t handle raising us on her own. So she just up and left one night, leaving my brother and me all by ourselves. Luckily for us, several of the local store owners were patient enough not to call the guards when we got evicted from our home and started to steal food and clothes. After a while, my brother started his training and the shopkeepers took turns taking care of me until I was old enough to start my own training. Sev’s story is different, and much worse than mine in many ways. Better in some ways, too, I suppose. But when I met him, I couldn’t help but see my younger self in him. I knew how I felt at that age, and tried to use that as a guide for how to treat Sev. I’m lucky; he is extremely mature, and he has been patient to make things work out around the house. I’m not trying to replace his parents, and he knows and appreciates that. But the more I spend time around him, the harder it is for me not to consider him my son.”

  The air had shifted considerably, and the tone was heavy. Orsen was silent for a few minutes before asking, “It may not be my place, but what exactly happened to Sev? What could be worse than having your mother abandon you?”

  Arthur simply laughed, looking at the ground to keep Orsen from seeing his tears. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this without asking Sev, but he seems to be pretty fond of you. Hopefully, he forgives me. I just ask that no matter what, you won’t treat him any differently than you do now. Deal?”

  “Deal…” Orsen replied somberly. Arthur took a deep, shaky breath before telling Orsen what he had seen the day he found Sev in Whitemane. He then followed up with everything Sev had told them. Orsen simply sat in silence, slowly trying to process the harrowing past that Sev bore. “I see. Thank you for telling me. It answers a few questions, I suppose.” No wonder he seems so much older than he is. With a past like that, he had to mature to survive. How awful.

  Arthur apologized for putting the mood so low and got ready to leave. “I truly am sorry, I didn’t mean to offload so much on you today. But thank you for listening, Orsen. Again, I just ask that this not change how you act around and treat Sevagoth. He doesn’t need or want pity or special treatment. He just wants to be treated in a way that’s befitting to his intelligence.”

  Orsen nodded and shook Arthur’s hand as usual. “You have my word, Arthur.” Arthur nodded gratefully before heading out. As the door closed, Orsen found himself alone with his thoughts once again. He slumped onto the sofa and held his face in his hands, replaying the words that Arthur had spoken. Dear gods… Watching his family be slaughtered? What an awful fate to befall such a boy. And to think, he bears the weight so well. I never would have guessed he had such a traumatic past. And he was so willing to take care of Lilli, even though it may have been him who needed care. I just hope that he doesn’t end up crushed by the expectations and burdens he has taken upon himself. I’ll do everything I can to help him, even if all I can do is be a consistent calm in the storm.

  Arthur returned home and collapsed onto his bed. Tears flowed freely down his face. He knew the day would come when Sev would leave. He also feared that once Sev had left, he would never return. The words Sev had spoken rang in his heart and mind “I already have a family, I refuse to be forced into pretending to have a fake one.” Arthur knew that he wasn’t his father. And yet, Sev truly had become like a son to him. He loved Sev as if he were his own. Byron truly did consider himself as Sev’s uncle, and Amalee was clearly somehow even more attached to the boy. Does Sev feel the same way about us? He never outright says it, but that’s just not how he works. Right? Surely he cares about us too? Arthur lay there, running through the worst-case scenario over and over again. Will he ever consider us family?