The magic that binds us (Short Chapters)

Chapter Two

JULIUS-

The windows of the keepers inn are grimy and the rowdy sounds of drunk men echo out into the street. It is dark now and a chill has crept into the mist surrounding the harbour and the bay of Sedlina. Slave-traders and businessmen have gone home, the markets are abandoned and sway in the wind that tastes like salt water on the tip of my tongue. The palace looms over me, perched on the hill like a giant eagle watching its prey.

I face the Inn again and brush the dust off my blazer. I manage to catch my reflection in a puddle of black water. A boy, nearly a man, black hair neatly combed to the side and dark eyes glimmering. The tailored black blazer and shirt fits me perfectly and my black boots shine effortlessly.

I step in the puddle, rippling the image before opening the door that creaks unnecessarily loudly. When the people see who I am, the conversation stops and all eyes are on me. They know I'm here for business.

I stride up to the bar to where the bartender has his back to me, chatting away with some middle-aged man with a beer belly. I tap his shoulder and he turns, flinging a grimy towel over his shoulder, "what can I do for you young man..." he stops talking when he recognises me and I see fear seep into his eyes. He then attempts to smile, "Julius Winzenguard sir. What is it you require?" I look around the stuffy room, scanning and then turn back to the bartender, "I'm looking for a man called Ivan Saunders. I heard he often comes to spend his evenings here". I wince and the surrounding grimy bar and tables. The bartender tries his best not to look offended. "Yes, he does usually come here" the man looks around the room and then nods at what looks like a pile of rags in the very corner or the room on a tiny circular table. I raise an eyebrow then stride toward the table.

I pull the rags up and expose a man; a middle aged and very VERY drunk man a long way past the stage of stumbling around and shouting. No, this man is on the edge of falling into unconsciousness. Disgusting.

I nod at two men on another table. "Take this man to a back room and tie him up. Tightly". The men look mildly surprised at being commanded by a seventeen-year-old boy but they know who my father is. They all do.

"Of course" they mumble and pull Ivan Saunders onto his feet then drag him behind the bar and through a door. I walk back to the bar and lean over to whisper in the bartenders ear, "no one will enter that room and no one will speak of these events". I leave before he can reply.

The men have left the room when I enter and the limp figure tied to the chair remains limp. I sigh again before dropping a few drops of a substance from a cloudy bottle into his mouth. A couple of moments later Ivan Saunders is squirming in his chair, all evidence of drunkenness gone other than the dreadful stench he is giving off. Those are the few perks of having a famous merchant, dealer and well... murderer for a father. I walk over the door and close it; the sounds of cheerful voices from the bar are muffled.

"You know if your father wanted to talk with me he could have come himself." Ivan spits, "besides you are only a little boy. A boy simply obeying his fathers orders". He's trying to wind me up so I just make a simple action and pull a dagger from my belt and he is instantly silenced.

I smirk. "Oh, I understand now. I'm just a little boy. Only seventeen years old. Weak. Young." I take a step closer to Ivan and gently push the knife into his cheek. He flinches and a spot of blood appears and trickles down his chin. "What do you want?" he whispers.

I pull his chin up so he is looking at me rather than the floor, "talk about the pirates" I demand. Ivan's eyes are suddenly full of fear. Fear I put there. "What pirates? I don't know what you are talking about". I sigh, "don't play dumb Saunders. You know exactly what I mean". Ivan shakes his head, "I don't". I pull up a chair and sit opposite him, "You are making this more difficult than it needs to be" I remind him and turn the knife over in my hands.

A low rumble of thunder reverberates outside. Ivan continues to just shake his head, "what pirates? Please. I don't know..." I lean in even closer; my breath is on his face. Perhaps this man needs a reminder what pain feels like.

The knife in my hands is plunged deep into Ivan's upper thigh and he lets out an ear numbing scream then whimpers, tears of  agony escaping his eyes. I tilt my head sideways at him, "crying are we? Now who's the little boy?" he says nothing just clutches his leg.

There is blood everywhere. "You let about a dozen pirates escape holding cells in my fathers manor about six months ago and you used to be part of the crew. I believe you were born on their ship actually. Do you remember that now?" I ask, wiping the knife on my trousers. Ivan takes a few ragged breaths before replying, "I do seem to remember that now, yes, now I think about it." I smile, "is that so?"

Now he will talk. "My father made the captain of that ship steal magic. A token to give to his pregnant wife to make his son magical. That son being me of course but I'm not magical. What's the downside Saunders? My mother died because of it but apparently that can't be the only downside. You must know. You were there." I wait for a reply and thankfully it comes, "You know of the curse?" he whispers. I frown, "it's not a curse, its just magic". Ivan shakes his head and then chuckles, his eyes are huge and rounded, "oh no boy, don't you understand? All magic is a curse."

I swallow down the feeling of discomfort that those words bring to me and press on, "why don't I have magic?"
"you do" Ivan responds, the faraway look still in his eyes, "you will be able to use it on your eighteenth birthday and have it a burden from that day onwards". I grin with the information I just required. My eighteenth birthday is only a week away and then my father and I can have everything we've ever wanted. "So that's it? That's the downside?" it sounds too good to be true.

Ivan chuckles again and it's starting to get on my nerves. "Well spit it out then" I say and he nods slowly, and still chuckling tells me, "When you were born. A royal was born. A princess. She will have the same powers as you. You are bonded by fate" he starts to whisper, his voice rough and quiet, "the only way to get all the power you need is by killing her".

I stand up straight, I have everything I need, "is there any more information you can give me?". Ivan avoids my eyes and looks at my shoes instead, "I will say no more just that Princess Avisa Delmare was born to be your counterweight, born to be you downfall and the bond between the two of you is far more complex than you will ever understand". I nod. Stupid words. I will kill this princess and it will be over. I will have all the power I will ever need.

"Thank you for your cooperation Saunders" I tell him, "You may go now" He looks up and me, startled, "really?" he exclaims. I give him a little smile and his face lights up with hope before I grimace at him and all hope in this pathetic man vanishes, "Of course not".

I leave the Keepers inn covered head to toe in somebody else's blood. The knife in my hand drips with it and I walk home to the manor on the cliffside letting the ice-cold rain wash away Ivan Saunders'  blood. I now know more about this magic, this curse, than I ever did before and now nobody can stop me.