My footsteps echoed down the carefully carved stone corridor, lit by blue magical fire.
The academy's students and staff hurried along, heading toward their classes and assignments.
Eventually, I passed a large window, revealing the city in the distance, seemingly so tiny from the high walkways of the building I stood in.
However, this vision was fleeting compared to the beautiful woman I walked arm in arm with.
Romance had never been a priority in my life; I imagined that after our encounter on the training grounds, we would go our separate ways and never meet again.
Oh, how wrong I was.
"Alden, dear?"
"Yes, my love?"
"What will you do when you graduate?"
"Hm... If all goes as planned, I will attempt to become a member of the Academy of Magic. I wish to further my research, and I believe this is the right place to start. What about you?"
"I received letters from my mother and sisters. They miss me and wish me to return after completing my Pyromancy studies."
My heart sank, and tension coursed through me. My beloved seemed to notice, as her worried eyes met mine.
"Y-you're leaving?"
"Yes, but not forever, I hope. I told my family about us, and they approve of our union, and I want it to stay that way. And your parents, what did they say about us?"
I frowned, thinking about the day my relationship was discovered. Rumors reached my parents faster than my words, and the result was anything but what I desired.
-XXXXXX-
"Alden?" My father's deep voice reverberated through the dining room, like the sound of creaking wood.
"Yes, Father?" I said after putting down my cutlery and swallowing my food, but not daring to meet the eyes of the man at the other end of the long table.
"Your mother and I heard some interesting rumors coming from the academy…"
His elbows rested on the table with a thud, and his hands were in front of his face, hiding his mouth.
Internally, I prayed it was about anything but what I expected.
"…that you've become close to a young foreign woman."
The room with its shuttered windows lit by golden chandeliers fell silent.
The children of varying ages, my brothers and sisters, who sat on the sides of the table between my father and me, stared at me in surprise.
The mischievous glint in their eyes and the upturned corners of their mouths indicated a wave of teasing to come.
Slowly, I reached for the bottom of my plate, ready to throw it, but my mother, ever the mediator, interrupted the conversation with a polite cough, speaking in a gentle tone.
"Children, please don't tease your brother. You wouldn't want to be bothered for courting a lady, would you? And, dear, I think you could have approached the subject more subtly. It looks like he's going to be sick, poor thing."
My father let out a growl like a rabid animal, and my mother shrank in her seat.
She was already a small woman, thin and pale, with golden eyes and dark hair styled in a complicated hairstyle that had become fashionable among noble ladies, which, along with her voluminous dress and shoes, made her appear larger than she was.
I believe this was a way for her to feel secure and confident. Honestly, I thought the way she dressed was ridiculous; the amount of fabric blocked the corners of her vision, so she could only see what was directly in front of her.
However, I'd never in my life voiced my thoughts, and I never would. I felt sad every time I saw her, the woman who raised me with so much love reduced to a figure filled with fear and terror.
My father, on the other hand, seemed like a monster, or he was one, considering how much he'd changed.
There were paintings in his study and library of a tall, strong man in his youth, exuding strength and power born of deep dedication to magic and military experience.
Nowadays, I wondered if he was really my father, for the person in the paintings and the one in front of me couldn't be more different.
His once bright red hair and beard, short and neat, had become a sea of pale wine and white, his once towering height had diminished considerably, as had his mental faculties.
He had also gained weight, not to the point of being unhealthy, but rather bear-like; he still looked like someone capable of throwing me across the room.
In other words, age had destroyed his body, but I believe the stress and horror of the battlefield contributed.
"Next, who is she?"
I realized I had been talking to myself for too long, so I stammered a response, much to my father's displeasure.
"H-her name is Z…"
"COME ON, SPEAK! YOU HAVE A MOUTH, SO GET YOUR WORDS OUT!"
The dining table shook with the blow, and everyone flinched in their seats.
"HER NAME IS Z̴̧̰̰͋…"
"Hm… I see… And what family does she come from? What will our family gain from the union of you two?"
I knew it would come down to this. I wasn't naive; I knew I wouldn't live a fairy tale where I'd marry a commoner and we'd escape together on a white horse.
I was just lucky to fall in love with a woman my parents might approve of. After all, you don't enter Melfia without some kind of power or connections, be it financial, political, or magical.
"H-she's part of the Clan of the Desert Sorceresses of J-jugo."
I expected my father to explode immediately, throwing dishes and shouting insults. Instead, he placed a hand on his chin, thinking deeply.
"Does she hold any position of importance?"
"Z… She's the eldest daughter of the clan Matriarch."
"I assume she will become the next Matriarch in due time?"
"R-correct."
Silence returned, and we watched apprehensively for his answer.
Momentarily, I thought it would all be over and we could return to our meal, but the scrape of my father's chair across the floor sounded like a warning of calamity.
My mother muttered a call, but was silenced by a glance from the man approaching me. My brothers and sisters lowered their heads as his heavy footsteps approached them.
I sank into my seat, trying to appear as small as possible as he stared down at me like a giant with darkness hiding his face except for his goddamn eyes.
A large, heavy hand rested on the chair just beside my head. I fought the urge to look away and listened intently to the words that came next.
"I hope your memory serves to remind you of my words as it reminds you of your spells. The more power our family gains, the better—more land for the peasants to cultivate, more mines to extract resources, military and political connections to advance our interests. It was thanks to the union of your mother and I that we were able to secure a future for you at the Academy of Magic. Frankly, I wish you had chosen the daughter of one of the noble families of Melfia or neighboring kingdoms, not a band of wild women from a small kingdom covered in deserts forgotten by time. However, I see potential. The Matriarchs of the sorceresses hold power in the court of Jugo thanks to their service in times of war. I don't need to explain further, do I? Make sure this romance of yours with the sorceress works, or I will choose a new partner for you. Don't disappoint me, Alden; I have invested much resources in you."
With these words, my father's bulky form passed me by. His footsteps receding and the solid wood doors opening and closing signaled his departure.
I waited for his sounds to fade down the hallway before exhaling, gripping the table with trembling hands.
HUMP! He spoke as if I hadn't disappointed him my entire life. The first time had been when I was born, a weak and sickly child, the complete opposite of the man who called himself my father.
Little changed as I grew older. I remained small, weak, and thin, although my health improved, but that wasn't enough to please my father. I don't doubt he wonders if I'm really his son. Well, that didn't stop him from blaming my mother and trying to do more, whether with her or with other women.
It was an open secret; everyone knew, but no one talked about it. Some maids left suddenly and were never heard from again. I hope they received a generous sum of money in exchange for their departure and silence, in the face of the worst that could have happened.
My mother wasn't the best, but at least she made the effort to keep her secret hidden. I discovered her encounters with younger lovers by pure chance, and she knew it. I believe that was why she was so nervous to see me, and I suddenly found myself receiving special treatment from her.
She wanted my silence, and I wasn't about to speak anyway; I had enough problems of my own. After all, these were the intrigues of noble families. I wouldn't be surprised if my father suddenly fell ill and a new man entered our lives on the same day. The wonders of poison.
Hmm... How many of my relatives are actually my relatives? At least my brothers and sisters don't have dark secrets, yet...
The second disappointment came when I revealed to my parents that I didn't intend to pursue a military career. I still remember my father's screams and the spell aimed at my face. I thought I would die right then and there, but my mother managed to calm him before the worst happened. However, the phantom pain of the blow to my head still haunted me.
I desired to study magic to advance Melfia society, the thoughts of a scholar, but my father desired magic to conquer, the thoughts of a soldier.
The third biggest disappointment was when I grew tired of my frail physique and decided to take up arms to improve my skills—swords, spears, daggers, and axes. My good friend, whose name I constantly forgot and who boasted about his future as a warrior, put me on this path.
I understood the appeal, despite being terrible at close combat. However, in doing so, I went against a tradition that was slowly disappearing in Melfia: that swordsmanship and magic shouldn't mix.
Spells that created large soul blades and imbued swords and shields with magic were popping up in droves. Battle mages, I believe, were the correct term, but the kingdom's old guard, military men, and sorcerers, including my father, constantly protested.
From that day on, I stopped caring, made the decisions I thought best, and tried to hide it as much as possible from him. I believe I began to deliberately contradict him just to irritate father in secret; it made my heart skip a beat.
"Son?"
My mother broke the silence, and I slowly raised my head, staring into her nervous, hesitant face.
"Could you tell me more about her?"
The woman in front of me offered a shaky smile, which I returned, nodding before speaking more about my beloved.
-XXXXXX-
Z… I was still waiting for my answer, concern creeping across her face at my silence, so I sighed, pulling her into a comforting hug.
"The answer wasn't good, was it?"
She whispered gently, stroking my back with her gentle hands.
"My mother's, yes, but my father's, not so much."
"Look at me."
I did as she asked and found myself lost in her yellow eyes.
"It's going to be okay, understand?"
I nodded and watched as her lips approached mine. I returned the gesture, closing my eyes and leaning in too.
Finally, our lips touched, and then…
END OF CHAPTER