Broken Kingdom

24

"You know, I've been thinking," Thomas says, interrupting the silence that I was enjoying. We had been reading in silence for about an hour, right after dawn. He'd gone on a run himself and decided to bring me the books from the library I'd requested. Two more days I had to stay in bed, Sina checking in on me daily, had made me nearly gone insane. Thomas had left me alone for the past days, had trained with the Royal Guards again. They'd handed him hiss ass on several occasions, as he said himself. But he noticed how he'd improved. 

"You thinking? Oh dear that can't be good," I say annoyed, not taking my eyes off the page in front of me. 
"Oh shut it. I've been thinking that you can still teach me to use my magic. You can talk, you can teach."
"You want to use your magic? Right now?" I frowned at him. Excitement shone brightly in his eyes. In the sun they seemed a bit more golden than usual. 
"I've something I want to show you." My frown grew, and I shut the book. 
"You've practiced?"
"In my library, every morning after my run and stretches. Though it's boring when you're not barking your commands at me." I rolled my eyes and sat a bit more upright. 
"What did you want to show me then?"

The prince got up from the couch, dropping his book on the floor. He didn't even bother to pick it up as he ran up to the foot of the bed. "So, I've been experimenting with a few of my abilities, such as rain. And I wanted to show you."
"If I get wet, you're dead," I warned him. He gave me a mischievous smile, holding the palm of his hands in front of him. A drizzle started above it. The water didn't fall further than his hand and he smiled. 
"Impressive control Storm. How long did it take you to figure it out?" I ask calmly. 
"Only an hour to figure out how to summon the rain. It took me at least double to figure out how to stop it. I was soaked." I let out a chuckle. "The smaller it is, the more difficult. Look outside." The rain on his hand stopped, and he walked to one of the windows. I followed him. The rain had been pattering on the windows for the past days now, as worse weather was coming. Thomas focused, and a small bit of clouds broke open to let the sun peak through, bathing the palace in light. I treasured the rays of sunshine on my face and smiled. 

"That's looking good. You're progressing quickly," I say, letting some pride shimmer through. 
"I'm no longer afraid. Not of my powers, not of accidentally using them. I'm excited to test my limits."
"Have you been testing your limits?"
"Oh no, not yet. That would be incredibly stupid. I'd like to do that with you, so you can step in should something happen.  I have been exploring what I can do with the powers gifted to me. So I might finally show them on Lharoninine."
"Right. That's in two weeks. Nearly forgot."
"So you do celebrate it?"
"Lharoninine? Of course. It'd be dangerous and foolish not to honor the gods who've gifted us with such powers. Especially the strength they've bestowed upon me."
"Right. You need an extra morning just to find release."

There was some sort of derision and disgust in his voice. "That strange, restless humming you felt, that made you feel lose control. For me, I feel that too, after about a day. So, imagine it after a week. A week of barely having any release because my body will betray me. I can feel it even now. Being restless. Like a storm, ripening. Waiting for an out."
"And you can't just do it in the early morning?"
"No. Not without bringing down a small part of the palace, including your library. I'll ride on Amaris to the open fields, and release my shadows there. That way, nobody gets hurt."
"Nobody but Amaris?"
"Amaris will be out of range. I'm not careless like that." A slight sneer in my voice as my sharp gaze met Thomas' narrow eyes. He cleared his throat.
"Right. Sorry."
"Good. Now, I don't expect you to fully understand nor comprehend what I mean. If you doubt it, ask General Holden about the moment I unleashed my powers during the Battle of the High Forest. He can describe it perfectly."

Thomas nodded. He stopped making the sun shine outside and sat back down on the couch, reading. I looked at Monica, stationed by the bathroom door and called for her. 
"Monica, could you get me some sweets and nectar from the kitchens? Oh and show the prince out. He's been bothering me enough for today." Thomas stood up, protesting.
"What? Show me out? Are you being serious?"
"I am. Leave me for today, please."
"Tell me what I did. Why do I have to leave this suddenly?"
"The tone of voice. I don't like requesting that morning off. If it were up to me, I was the one handing you your ass on the mat, not those egotistical Guards. But I was ordered to stay in bed by Sina and your mother. And I need to release my powers when I can still control it. That's why I need that morning."
"So what, I doubt you for a second, and you kick me out?"
"No. I am frustrated that I have been confined by these walls. But I can't leave. There's a lot of distrust surrounding me at the moment. And you being angry at me for needing to find release, is not something I am willing to deal with at the moment."
"I know about the distrust. I've been convincing everyone that it's ridiculous."
"Then try to understand I am balancing on a very thin line of being a traitor, and a hero. Despite my preference of being in Aeris, I don't mind protecting you, teaching you."
"Never thought you to be a sentimental type."
"Storm, I am going out of my mind in this room. So once I will be able to continue your training, I will. But everything requires balance. In this case, I need to look after myself first, before I can go back to protecting you. So please, leave."