The Burning Blue Mage

5

     The next morning I woke up at the ungodly hour of 5:30. Though, while it is still early, that's half an hour later than I usually wake up so I must be adapting to my new schedule. I wonder what getting more than 5 hours of sleep feels like.
     My room was still a bit scattered from yesterday. Rook had surprised me and I kinda fell off the chair I was in. Nearly burned the papers I was holding. I'll have to be more careful next time.
     I threw on a dark blue tunic and dark gray pants. I ran a comb through my hair though it was still messy. My hair's just weird like that. It's impossible to control and look nice but it combs through easily.
     As I left my room, I grabbed The Hunter which laid on top of one of the tables in my room. I say one of because I have multiple dark oak tables scattered about my room in a sort of living area while a doorway, without a door though, led to the room with my bed in it.
     I walked out of the room with my book in hand. Scarce people wandered the halls this early so it was quiet and a bit eerie with the sky still being it's faded gray it gets at night.
     I was still a bit annoyed that I was staying at the castle. I didn't work well around royals. I'm just not someone who's polite and quiet. And I promised Marie I would be back soon but now I was staying here. I wonder if Rook would let me visit the Pub every once in a while.
     I headed to the kitchen, which yesterday I had struggled to find. Today I found it a little easier to find, though I'm sure I still didn't use the quickest way to get there.
     I peeked my head into the kitchen. The two cooks were already there and turned to look at me. They were the same cooks as yesterday- maybe the only or main cooks here- so I recognized them both.
     The first cook was a man in his thirties who had near black eyes, faded black hair, and light brown skin. His name was Mikael. He was from a village in the South that was known for it's hunting and cooking skills and were easily recognizable by their skin color.
     The other cook was a woman in her late twenties with strawberry blonde hair, faded green eyes, and fairly pale skin, though no where near as pale as Rook's. I remembered her name was Kacy and she was born and raised in Azmar.
     They were both good cooks, though I would take Lisa's cooking over theirs any day.
     "Boy, you gotta get some sleep sometime," Mikael said. He had a hint of an accent, even though he was still from this kingdom.
     I grinned at him. "Sleep's for the weak. Anyway, you got Rook's breakfast?" I asked.
     "You know, I've never heard anyone call the prince just his name, before," Kacy observed.
     My ears turned red. "I keep on letting it slip. I always feel so embarrassed when I stumble over his name and have to correct myself halfway through."
     "You better be careful doing that, especially near His Highness," Kacy said.
     I knew that better than anyone. Rook hadn't mentioned it yet, luckily for me, but I would be punished immediately if the king catched me slipping up.
     "You need something to eat while you're here?" Mikael asked.
     "Something small would be fine. Maybe a few strips of bacon?" I asked.
     "You got it," Mikael said, grabbing the bacon from where it was already cooking. He placed it on a plate and gave it to him. I stared to eat them.
     "Is the prince usually up this early?" Kacy asked, handing me a plate of his breakfast.
     "Nah, he'll be up in an hour or two. This is my time to read," I replied.
     "Then why you up so early?" Mikael said.
     I shrugged. "Force of habit."
     "Well you better get more sleep in the future. And remember to be more careful around the prince," Kacy said.
     "I will. Chao," I said, waving at them as I grabbed Rook's breakfast with one hand and my book with the other. I slipped out of the kitchen and started to head towards Rook's room.
     Rook's room wasn't necessarily far from the kitchen but it was still a good walk. It may have been closer and I just can't find my way through the castle whatsoever.
     When I got to Rook's room, I sat to the left of his door. After yesterday, I learned it was best not to lean up against a door that opens inwardly.
     I leaned up against the wall, placing Rook's breakfast beside me. I opened up my book and started reading.
     I was fairly far into the book. It was an interesting take on the tragedy of Lyneria. Or, at the very least, it gave a very good fantasy idea. The Hunter was about this beast like creature that everyone called the Hunter that would go around destroying villages. Always by fire, always at night, and there were always no survivors. It was a great thriller.
     After a good amount of time, Rook opened his rooms door. He looked over at me.
     "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," I said before I could stop myself.
     Rook stared at me, but not in confusion. He knew what I was talking about which is far worse than him not.
     "I have your breakfast," I said, standing up and grabbing the plate with Rook's breakfast. I kept my book in the other hand, making sure I didn't forget it like last time.
     Rook took the plate from my hand without a word. Rook doesn't speak much, it seems. I'm sure it's just his paranoia. He fears saying something that could be used against him.
     "So, is there anything you need from me?" I asked.
     Rook took a minute to think about that. "I don't think so."
     I ran my fingers through my hair. I hated how short and clipped Rook's sentences were. It made me feel awkward and a bit self conscious of my long sentences and stories.
     "Well, you know where to find me if you need me. Oh, and thanks for the sparring match yesterday. I had a lot of fun," I said.
     "You have great skills," Rook said.
     I shook my head vigorously. "Nah, I just have a unique strategy. Though I was certainly surprised that you asked me," I admitted.
     Rook tilted his head curiously. "Why's that?" He asked
     "Well, I mean, you're so paranoid all the time that I really didn't think you'd spar with anyone, least of all the person you've known for a couple of days."
     Rook stared at me. "You think I'm paranoid?" It was the first time I ever heard Rook's voice waver, even though it was only for a second.
     I shrugged. "I mean, you're oyalty." Something I should remind myself far more often before I open my mouth. "You're practically born with a target painted on your back so it's probably impossible to not be paranoid. But hey, the paranoid survive, am I right?" I flashed Rook a grin. "If you don't need me, I'll be on my way."
     "Wait. At 10 there'll be a public hearing that you're required to show for." I thought there was going to be more to that sentence but there wasn't. As I said, short and clipped.
     "Thanks for the heads up. I'll see you later then," I said and headed out of the room.
     I wasn't quite sure what to do with my day. I had counted on actually doing whatever it is servants do today but I guess that's not happening. I've never had so much free time. I'm usually doing some kind of work. Even on my free days, I'm usually in town doing some shopping or doing some kind of other job for extra money.
     I could do some training, though I did a bit yesterday. I should probably wait a few hours before training again so my body can recover. Reading is always an option though I do feel the need to do something active. Workouts could keep me busy without being very strenuous. Maybe I could find something to organize. My room was pretty messy, right?
     Let's choose door #4! Congratulations, you won a messy room to organize!
     I headed back to my room, closing the door behind me as I entered. I've never been someone who enjoyed keeping my door open. I didn't like the thought of people going through my stuff. As I said before, the paranoid survive.
     My room was pretty organized but not as much as I would like since I moved in in a rush. Plus, a lot of things got thrown around yesterday.
     I picked up the papers scattered about the floor, frowning at the browned edges. And I was trying so hard not to burn them.
Other than being a little crispy, they were still perfectly usable, to my relief. I stacked them in a neat pile and placed it on one of the tables in the room so I could put them away when I thought of where to put them.
The chair was still tipped over so I decided to put that back up. The worst sign of disorganization was tipped over furniture.
     I started placing my stuff on shelves, inside drawers, and in cabinets. Anything more personal I placed into the sleeping part of my room with my bed in it. I placed a handful of books I'd brought with me on a shelf above one of the desks in the room. Most of the books I've already read and I was in desperate need of some more.
     My bed was already made from this morning but I remade it, making sure there were no wrinkles in the sheets. When everything was put away and organized, I had to go to a cleaning closet to grab a duster and broom. I started to dust and sweep my room.
     I still had a good amount of time so I started to rearrange the tables to my preference. I had a desk off in the corner and I had two tables not quite pressed against the wall but not in the middle of the room either. Wooden shelves ran along most of the walls, holding random things I found here and there. A latter leaned against one of the walls, just to the side of where my sleeping area was, that led to the almost attic like level of my room that I was using as a sort of miscellaneous closet in the time being. Though I would love to make that a reading or sleeping area at some point. I wonder if they'll let me redecorate. The walls really needed some pictures, especially in the sleeping area where I didn't have any shelves.
     Completely reorganizing my room took quite a big portion of time, though I was happy with the outcome. My room was perfectly clean and I knew where everything was.
     It was maybe half an hour before the public hearing would take place. I walked into the sleeping area, the only place in my room where I had a mirror, and started brushing my hair in the best attempt of taming it as I could get. Which, isn't much. My hair was still messy, fluffing out in every direction. It made me look a few years younger, which for a teen, wasn't the most desirable quality. My round face didn't help either. I did look a couple of years younger than 16, though I was pretty tall.
     I thought about changing into something nicer before I decided that I probably didn't own anything nicer. I only had solid colored, faded tunics and simple pants so I might as well not even bother changing. Besides, it was a public hearing, not a wedding.
     It suddenly occurred to me that I'd forgotten to ask what the hearing was about. Most hearings aren't public, only a few people being needed to be there, so the perpetrator must be bringing up something quite important for it to be a public hearing and for me to be there.
     Public hearings essentially mean that someone has an important statement or request or someone is charged with a huge crime, in which many guards and nobles will show up to with an occasional servant. I'm guessing I have to be there just because I'm Rook's personal servant, though I probably won't actually be needed for anything.
     I stared at my youngish looking reflection. My skin was anything but pale, being a tanned olive that made my emerald green eyes pop. My hair was messy, like someone put a ball of messy brown fur on my head. My lips were kind of pinkish, to my embarrassment, and freckles lined my nose and a bit of my cheeks. In my loose tunic that didn't fit me quite the best, I sure did look childish.
     I ran my fingers through my hair. Oh well, I guess there's nothing I could really do about it. I'm sure I'll be happy to look younger than I actually am when I get older.
It was nearly 10 so I decided to slip out of my room, closing the door behind me, of course, and made my way towards Rook's room. I thought I might as well grab him before heading to the hearing. Besides, I know nothing about hearings and the castle so I'll probably get lost along the way.
     I walked up to Rook's door and knocked. I heard footsteps inside the room and Rook soon opened the door.
     "Ready for the hearing?" I asked cheerfully.
     Rook nodded quietly. He was in his full royal uniform, which would hopefully remind me of his status. The purple really brought out the red in his hair, the black doing the same, and the gold clashed with his eyes. The kingdoms colors really looked good on him.
     "Lead the way," I said, stepping to the side so Rook could exit his room and walk past me, me following in suit.
     We didn't talk the whole way to the throne room. Rook never was one to talk and I was sort of too nervous to talk. I wasn't used to being around royalty and I was actually trying to avoid the king. Now that we were heading to the hearing, it occurred to me that the king would be there.
     The throne room was pretty far from the living quarters so it was a decently long walk and the silence honestly made it longer.
     We finally made it to the throne room. A handful of nobles and guards were entering the same time we were, everyone giving respective bows to Rook.
     When we got in the room, King Rhian was already sitting on his throne. Rook ended up standing slightly behind the throne and everyone else stood somewhere along the edges of the room. I stood in the corner behind Rook. I'm not a shy person but I was happy to disappear into a corner with so many higher ups in one room.
     It took a few minutes for everyone to settle down and get into their respective places. Soon after everyone settled, two guards dragged in a women.
     Her faded black hair looked kind of brownish due to the dust and mud that coated it. Her face and legs had cuts along them and she was dirty.
     The guards forced the women to her knees in front of King Rhian's throne. You could see the tear lines on her cheeks from hours of crying.
     "Ms. Banya, you are being charged with the illegal use of magic. A spell book was found in your possession yesterday," King Rhian said coldly.
     I stiffened ever so slightly. This was a hearing about magic.
     The woman sobbed. "I swear that book wasn't mine. I don't know how it got there."
     "So you're denying being a mage?" King Rhian asked skeptically.
     "I'm not a mage. I'm not a mage. I swear to the gods that I'm not a mage," Ms. Banya mumbled over and over again.
     I felt sorry for the women. The magic law was enforced quite harshly and, while I understood why we have this law, it's dreadful to watch the accused get punished.
     "If you're not a mage then explain why you had a spellbook on your property," King Rhian said, his voice challenging those who would object him.
     That's another thing that made him such a great king. Well, great in the sense that he gets people to follow him and won't be conquered easily. He knows how to be intimidating, how to make even the most powerful people squirm under his gaze.
     I think the temperature dropped slightly, though it was kind of hard to tell. I fought the urge to cross my arms to warm myself up.
     Ms. Banya shook her head slowly. "I don't know where that book came from but I swear it isn't mine!" She shouted desperately.
     "And you would dare lie to your king?!" King Rhian shouted angrily.
     The room was impossibly quiet. The scene made me wonder what I would have done if I was in her position. Would I just admit to being a mage or would I deny it, knowing it was pointless to defend myself? I guess it truly narrows down on if they're actually a mage or not.
     That's another thing I've wondered often. With the execution rate of mages going up in the past year it makes you wonder, how many are actually guilty? How many are innocent? I can't be the only one wondering, though I sure as hell won't be the first to ask it.
     "I'm not a mage. I swear, I swear! I'm not a mage," Ms. Banya was mumbling over and over, her words mushing together in fear.
She was pleading for her life. Was that a very guilty trait? No.
     I turned my head away, my eyes staring at the ground. I couldn't look at the women any longer.
     "You lying mage!" King Rhian roared. "I hereby sentence you to death!"
     The two guards grabbed the woman by her arms as she started screaming. "No! No! I swear I'm not a mage!" The guards dragged her off.
     I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. That was the sentence for using magic here. Death. They didn't always keep it the same, the executions were always different it seemed. Some were burned at the stake, others lynched, some had their heads chopped off, and even drowning was a source of execution here.
     With more supposed mages getting caught, there was roughly an execution every week and even then, some died in the dungeons before their execution dates.
     The whole room was still for a second before the king dismissed all who were present. There was no point in any of us being here. The only reason why this was a public hearing was to remind everyone what happened to those who crossed him.
     I stayed still, staring at the ground for a few seconds until Rook walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.
     I immediately turned my head to look at him. An easy going smile slipped onto my face. "Oh, sorry, I must of dozed off. You need me?" I asked, voice cheerful. I was a good lier, that was for sure.
     Rook studied me for a few seconds, his face unreadable. That always caught me off guard. I can usually read people easily. I know what'll please people, what they think. But not Rook. I had no idea what Rook was thinking.
     I noticed I was suddenly shivering. The room was freezing.
     "We're going," Rook finally said, taking his hand off my shoulder and walking towards the door. I followed behind him.
     When we got out of the throne room I wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing at my arms in an attempt to stay warm. I couldn't remember the last time I was this co bb .ld.
     We walked around a bit in silence. I wasn't sure where we were going or if we were just walking around in general. I was just following Rook.
     Rook suddenly stopped and turned to look at me. "Sage, what are your thoughts on magic?" He asked seriously.
     "Hmm? Oh, I think your armor's still pretty dirty. I should go polish that up," I said cheerfully and quickly started walking in the opposite direction. I wasn't sure where I was walking and I didn't care. I just needed to get away from Rook. I'm glad he didn't try and stop me because I wasn't sure what I would have done if he did.
     What are my thoughts on magic? Honestly, I don't even know myself.