A cursed mystery

Natural Magic

Celene worried about what Sidra had said, about her guilty feelings around Hero. But she knew that was what Sidra did: she played with people's insecurities and manipulated them into getting what she wanted. Celene was too strong for that. Anyway, she had many options. As she had told her father, they were the royal family: they could access the best healers and sorcerers. Money was no object and they would make Hero well again.

She did not normally visit Ardis in his own quarters. Usually, he was summoned where he was needed. But this was an emergency and Celene did not care to send official messages. She knocked sharply on his door. He opened it slowly, looking unsurprised to see her, and invited her to step in.

His quarters were decorated in cool colours: blues and greens.

A large window let in lots of light. By the window, an Elithian silk wall hanging fluttered in the breeze. Plants trailed from shelves, climbed the walls and brightened dark corners. It was a little like being in a garden, but inside.

Ardis was barefoot on the natural matting and Celene removed her shoes without being asked: it seemed like the respectful thing to do.

He greeted her with a warm, perhaps pitying, smile. He took a small glass and poured in what looked like water from a jug. Celene took a sip. It was minty and refreshing.

"Welcome, Princess."

"You know why I have come?"

He nodded. "Your brother is unwell."

"Ardis, can you help us? Please?"

"I am sorry, princess, but I have already examined your brother. There is nothing I can do; a greater force is at work."

"That is what my father said, but I cannot believe it. You have so many skills."

"We sorcerers like to show the power of our magic. Some of us more than others. We like to hear gasps from crowds when we make objects appear or disappear."

Celene tapped her foot, waiting for Ardis to get to the point. She needed answers, not speeches on the history of sorcery.

"I can make a plant flower. . ."

He picked up his staff, which looked like a young upturned sapling, and tapped it on a pot some distance away. Pretty violet flowers sprang into life on the bare green leaves.

"Or I can make them fade. . ."

He tapped again and the flowers shrivelled, turned brown and fell from the ends of the leaves.

"I can turn the plant into a teapot and the teapot into a plant. . ."

Ardis performed the tricks as he explained.

". . .But I am only using the magic which resides within the plant. Do you understand?"

Celene understood, but she wasn't particularly interested, as it had nothing to do with her brother. "I just want to know if you can help him. There must be something, some plant, some rock, something that will cure him."

"But, Princess Celene, I have answered this question. I cannot help Prince Hero. There is a treatment for almost every poison, if you know where to look. Normally the antivenom can be found from the same source as the poison, but in this case we do not know what creature has bitten him or what the cure might be. I am touched by your dedication to your brother, but I must warn you: where death is intended, death will prevail. The best thing you can do for Hero right now is to be with him, continue to speak to him, and to hope that he hears you, wherever he is, it might be that the best thing you can do is say goodbye."

Celene stared at Ardis and shook her head. She had not expected Ardis to admit defeat in the same way as her father. Surely he knew a way? Sidra's voice popped into her head: He knows what do to but he will never do it. You need someone who is not afraid to communicate with dark spirits. 

"I refuse to accept this. I have seen and heard of greater magic at play. I know that other sorcerers can do what you refuse to do - bring people back from the brink of death. When you say you cannot, what you mean is that you will not. You are afraid."

"That is not true," said Ardis with a sigh. "The sorcerers that claim to do such things are not people of magic; they are thieves - criminals. They are evil! Even my sister. Especially my sister. If you take something from death, then death requires so much more in return. These sort of pacts benefit no one in the end."

"But it can be done?"

Ardis shook his head, not looking up at her. "We mortals should not meddle in the matters of the afterlife. It is too dangerous - the cost is too high."

"I don't care what the cost is!" shouted Celene. "I will pay any price."

"No riches in the world can stop death, child."

"I am not talking about riches. What about if I gave you something else? I have heard that others have paid with their very souls-"

"No! You cannot think such thoughts. You have not been listening to me, Princess-"

"-No, you are not listening to me!" said Celene, trembling with frustration. "If you think I will be content with your answer then you are wrong. You have known me since I was a child and you should know that whatever I do, I do it well. And right now, my intention is to cure my brother of his ailment. As commander of the knights and Princess of Elithia I insist upon it. So I ask you, one last time, will you do what I ask of you?"

Ardis sat and put his face in his hands. Then he looked up. "No. I cannot."

Celene lifted her chin. "Well, no matter. I know what to do. There is someone who will help me, even if you won't."

Ardis sighed deeply. "Please do not go to my sister. The magic she practices is not true magic. True magic harnesses the power of nature and works with it. She tries to go against the natural order of things. It never works."

Anger bubbled up inside Celene. She wasn't really considering consulting Sidra, but she was offended that Ardis wouldn't help her.

"You advise me on what I should and should not do, yet you will not help me yourself?"

"Beware of my sister. Everything that Sidra does benefits her, and her alone. Do not go to her, my child. I know you are hurting, but on this occasion you should let nature run its course. Sometimes, we must trust that everything will work out exactly as it should. What will be, will be. That is the way it has to be."

Celene turned and put her shoes back on her stockinged feet without looking once in Ardis's direction. She let herself out.

"Do what you can to help your brother, but promise me that however bad he gets you will not go to Sidra," Ardis called after her.

But Celene left, without any such promise.

Word count - 1167 words.