The Secret King

Wizards in Gleneden

"Five more minutes! You can do it, Robbi. Concentrate!" the tall silver-maned man with the flowing beard encouraged. The object of his pronouncement was a lovely snow-white rat, sitting cross-legged in the center of a large empty room. Around her, a violet-colored, translucent egg-shaped shield pulsated and rippled. A look of determined effort played across her face, her eyes closed and scrunched, her brow furrowed.

"Don't forget to breath!...That's it, slow deep breaths... you're almost there." The man coached her, smiling in admiration.

The man was Vattus, High Magus of the Council of Wizards and the rat was Robbia Veritus Praxus, known as Robbi, Magus of the Council and Wizard of Evyan. She was the first non-human wizard ever seated on the council, as well as the youngest by many decades. The relationship between Vattus and Robbi was far deeper than that of a master to an apprentice. He was for all intents and purposes, her father.    
He had discovered her, years before, abandoned in Aolas and had taken her in as his own. He loved her dearly, and she, him.

"You're almost there, a few more seconds...," Vattus said happily, "and....that's it, you did it!"

Robbi exhaled strongly and opened her eyes. The egg around her disappeared in a sudden puff. She fell back on the floor and breathed heavily.
"I can't believe I did it!" she smiled.

"One full hour! You are a very special girl, Robbi, very special indeed." Vattus said proudly, going over to the exhausted rodent and gently picking her up. She pretended to be unconscious, so Vattus gently tickled her belly.

She began giggling.
"Stoooop," she protested, "I give up. "

He put her down. Robbi walked up to him wagging her finger.
"Shame on you, High Magus! Is that anyway to treat a fellow wizard. What would Malvus do if you tickled him?"

"Explode probably," Vattus laughed, "he's wound up pretty tight. Pellus would probably like it though."

Robbi put her paw over her mouth to stifle a laugh.
"Well Pellus certainly has enough belly to tickle." She commented.

"Enough for three wizards, I venture." He turned serious, "You did very well, darling. This is the longest you've ever held the shield."

"I didn't think I could do it, Vatti, it was very hard."

"You are capable of far more. You are the purest wizard of us all."

"So why do I have to work so hard to just get a little bit better?" Robbi asked.

Vattus laughed, "It's about achieving your potential. If a person has the potential to be the world's greatest swimmer, it does him no good unless he takes the time to learn how to swim. You are learning how to swim."

Robbi thought for a second, " Well, I'd like to dry off now. What's the point of visiting Gleneden if all I do is study?"

"I understand. I tell you what, let's go eat and fill our bellies. I'll instruct you... just a bit, during lunch...and then we'll take the next few days off to visit with our friends. What do you say?" he asked gently.

She rushed over to the wizard and gave him a tight hug, " I say that's great! I'll listen extra hard to what you say and then we'll have some fun. We're going to have a wonderful time! It's nice to travel. I love Wiccinas, but it's really swell here in Gleneden, it's so different. The moles are such fun and the wizards are kind of...."

"Dry, boring, stuffy?" Vattus finished her sentence smiling.

"Well...sort of," she said shyly, "except for you of course."

"Of course," Vattus chuckled, "and you, you are a wizard after all."

"Absolutely!" Robbi laughed, "We are definitely the non-dry, non-boring, non-stuffy ones."