A Twist of Fate

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(I am so sorry for not replying T.T I got sick, and then I had to make-up a ton of work.)

"It was the only thing I felt like I could do. Worrying about something seemed so much easier than letting it unfold on its own." Cryon replied, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes wandered to Mallin. It was true. The mage did seem much stronger and sturdily built than he had when he had been a child, but still, he could still feel a small inkling of his old friend in there and fear of what war could change him into made him more nervous than the actual fight itself. If his friend was to change, he didn't think he could handle it.

"I'm sorry, Mallin. I did not mean to come off as calling you weak or unable to help me, but you were my dearest friend, and to this day, I can't even consider making you join in something as terrible as war. I hope that makes sense." The king responded, his fingers fiddling with the glass in his hands. He didn't want to meet the mage's eyes, feeling a bit of guilt as he realized he was showing bias to his friend. He wanted to be a fair king, but even now, his childish heart still forced itself upon his mind and heart. Perhaps it had been better if he had let someone else take the throne after all.

"I can't wait to see your tricks again, my dear friend. You always put me in awe with the way you used it so gracefully." Cryon commented, allowing himself a small smile. Even though his parents had been killed by Mallin's magic, he never was able to see it that way. The bloody gore of his parent's, and the wonderous beauty of the mage's water tricks, they never could compare, never could fit.
 
((It's okay :) hope you're feeling better))

"I was never sure how to thank you." Mallin said softly, a bit shyly. "But you liked my tricks, so . . . I thought maybe that was enough." He was never a very confident child, especially not at first, and after Cryon had seen his magic the young Mage had wanted to share as much as he could. "We're older now, so . . . thank you, Cry, for being there for me when I was afraid." He couldn't say he'd done enough to repay the king, exactly the opposite, but he could at least thank his friend.

"I-It's all right." The Mage added, shaking his head with a little smile. "You've no reason to believe I'm any different than I was. . . Before, that was just what I could do instinctively. I've been training, since then. I have so much more to show you." And for once, there was a person that he could show it all to without that person being afraid, or trying to have him banished or locked away. It was liberating, despite the danger that could be ahead of them.

There was a pause between them, and Mallin took a small sip of his drink if only to stall. "I'm not . . . the same, Cry." He said quietly. "I'm not . . . I've had to fight before." He shook his head to dismiss the subject. "But that is besides the point. All I want now is to be home again." Where he could be sure his family and his best friend were safe, and that he would be near if anything went wrong. He was hopeful he could protect them after all the years he'd left them without even a goodbye.
 
"And I must thank you." Cryon said, his own small smile crossing his face, "You made sure this spoiled, lonely brat had a friend. I know it wasn't easy at first for you, and I'm glad you stuck with it." Cryon wanted to do something, anything that would show Mallin how much he meant to him. He had no idea how to convey his gratitude, and let out a soft sigh instead.

"I know you are not the same as you once were. Growing up is difficult and harsh, and it changed people. Forgive me for holding on to childish hopes a little too hard." Cryon replied, pulling his drink to his lips and draining it. He no longer felt thirsty from the hot day,but still, his mind felt fuzzy, muddled with so many thoughts in his head at once.

"It has grown beautiful since you left. The trees are fully grown now and sprouts flowers every spring and summer, and the rose bushes have grown tall and elegant, and are in all sorts of colors." Cryon said, his face lighting up as he thought of his home. "You should see the woods of the castle. There was an earthquake not long ago, and it formed a lake in the woods, and it is an absolutely beautiful sight."
 
Mallin hadn't really had a choice, as a child. The king and queen had chosen him, and not even the mage's parents could have said no for fear of threats or simply being on the royal family's bad side. But, at the same time, Mallin could have chosen not to be Cryon's friend and tried to hide the whole time, if he had been a more spiteful, less needy child. He often wondered if the witch had somehow manipulated things to get him there, wih a long awaited plan in place.

"It's okay." The Mage assured softly, fingers folded loosely around the mug in front of him. "We . . . We have time now, to learn each other again." They were both different, Mallin knew that much even having only been with his friend again for a couple of hours. They had to be. Time and trial had come upon them both, and every person changed to some degree when faced with that.

Still, as Cryon described home Mallin couldn't help smiling. "It sounds beautiful. I can't wait to see it." He paused for a moment, thinking, and took another small drink, unwilling to chug his as Cryon had, as he hadn't eaten anything. The Mage prized his self control too much to lose it. "How long until Nima is married?" He asked, curious and contemplating. "I could . . . I could attend, an return here long enough to train a replacement. . . And then be home." Permanently, he hoped. In the time it took to train someone, he could say goodbye to the people he knew here, make sure that none of the things he always did for them would go undone. He wasn't so conceited as to think the town couldn't survive without him, but he had been there a long while now. Telling Eide would be the hardest.

((If I ever say Alex or Alexander instead of Cryon, forgive me haha That was the last character I used Mallin with, a long time ago, and I can't get his name out of my head for some reason))
 
(That's fine XD Happens to me all the time)

"Time..." Cryon said, a pleased smile crossing his face. Yes, even with all the citizens coming to rest on his shoulders, even with the impending war looming over his entire kingdom, right here and now, he had time, and that's all he could ask for. "I would love to learn you again. I want to know everything, no stone unturned." He said, leaning forward with an eagerness that came back to him like a tsunami. He had his friend, and he could learn as much as he could about him while he could.

"Two weeks. We're holding the wedding in the courtyard of the palace. We've invited all the citizens to join us. After all, Nima was a friend to everyone." Cryon said, his smile only brightening at the thought of the wedding. It seemed so sacred, so beautiful. How he wished to be able to have a relationship like Nima and his soon-to-be wife. "You should see them when they look at each other. It's been a long while since I've seen two people so in love."

"What do you plan on doing once you return home? Are you going to get work?" Cryon asked, tipping his head at Mallin curiously. He was almost hoping that he wouldn't. He could use the mage as his guide, especially in training magic users. Even though the use of magic was still frowned upon, Cryon knew that hiding from it would not solve problems, but it could create incidences like his parent's death, and he wanted no one else to suffer like that.
 
Mallin couldn't help feeling nervous under Cryon's gaze, wondering what he would tell the man so soon and what he wouldn't, and worrying that somehow he wouldn't be good enough for the other man anymore. He so hoped that they would be as good a friend to each other as they had been as children. There was so much time between their last seeing each other, time in which events that shaped them as people had occurred and might come between them. He had to stop worrying.

"So soon?" The mage blinked a few times, surprised, and tried to think of how long the usual journey would take between Arcturus and home. "I . . . Perhaps I should leave when you do, then." He would tell Eide tonight, and pack up what little he would need so he would be ready whenever Cryon left, in case it was all right for him to travel back with the king's entourage. "I don't know. . . I don't have really have clothes suitable for such a thing. . ." Perhaps he wouldn't so much as attend as watch from a window or doorway. He didn't want to disturb things, and he wasn't sure he could purchase something soon enough.

"Work." Mallin nodded, trying to stop himself from worrying about more things and just focus on the few things he had answers to. "I'll have to find something." He smiled a little, tentatively. "Unless you've some other use for me. As much as I do truly need a place to stay, I don't want to . . . to be a freeloader." He worked for his living here, and he could do it at home, too. No matter how much gold a king could have, Mallin didn't want to take advantage of his friend's hospitality. "And, I want to be able to send wages to my . . . to Mother." He supposed he couldn't really call her and the sister he'd never met 'family' anymore.
 
"I am sure that we could find clothes for you to wear. After all, the kingdom is full of different people with different shapes and sizes. Surely one would have the same birth as you." Cryon offered, looking the mage over thoughtfully. I would suggest his own clothing if they could not find some for him in time. They might be a bit big on Mallin, but it would suffice for just that day.

"I would be glad for the company of you were to leave with us. The guards are not very talkative, you see, and I find it very dull just talking to myself." Cryon continued, shaking his head as he thought of the guards. They were the best of the best, but beingso meant that they took their job way too seriously. The king felt grateful to them even if I complained a bit.

"I would certainly pay you to care and teach the other magic users of the kingdom. What you learned here could really help them and make sure....nothing that happened to you can happen to them." Cryon said, his voice dropping as he looked down uncomfortably at the table. The drink was finally effecting the king, churning his stomach but easing his senses. He hadn't even realized how emotional he felt until it began to wash away.
 
"I don't want to impose on anyone. . ." Mallin said softly, thoughtfully. He wasn't sure who would remember him, after all, and how they would receive him well. Even without worrying about that, Mallin was rather tall and thin and didn't know what sort of clothes he would fit into. He hoped no one would notice his bandages enough to care about them. He wouldn't remove them in public, not unless he could wear some sort of gloves in their place.

"I'd be happy to keep you company if no one minds." The Mage agreed with a smile, glad to have Cryon's invitation. "I won't cause trouble, I promise." He paused, after a moment, and gave a sheepish shake of the head. "But, perhaps it's better if I do go on my own. I haven't a horse to ride, and you are probably not traveling at a walking pace." He could run, faster and longer than normal people could with his magic's aid, but it would probably look strange to Cryon's guards, and he was never sure how the horses would react.

When Cryon offered him such a duty, Mallin was quiet, unsure how to react at first. "I . . . I could do that?" He didn't know how good of a teacher he would be, but he would do his level best, and he would work hard at finding and helping any mages he could, young or old. "You would pay me to do that?" He was far from perfect, given his past, and probably far from qualified, but what could he dream of that could be better?
 
"It's no issue at all, Mallin. I give you my word." Cryon assured, patting the mage's arm gently. He felt warm inside now that the drink had taken full effect, easing his mind to a pleasant state. He was still clear-headed, and logical, but maybe not as finnicky at the moment. He was never a light-weight when it came to alcohol, but with the lack of food and the sweltering heat outside, it was effecting him more greatly now.

"If you need to, you can ride my horse with me." Cryon replied, shifting in his seat to get more comfortable. "I don't want you traveling on your own, even if you can take care of yourself. Safety in numbers and all that." It was better if Mallin traveled with him anyways. The king doubted he could even rest until he was sure that the mage was safe and sound, and no amount of reassuring from his found friend could change that.

"I couldn't imagine anyone better for the job. After all, you are skilled and have learned a lot over the years, have you not?" Cryon said, a smile crossing his face at his friend's obvious surprise. "I already know of several mages in our kingdom, and I'm sure there are more that hide their abilities. I trust you to find them and teach them its okay to have magic as long as they use it for good."
 
Mallin wasn't sure of just how much Cryon was feeling the mug he'd drained, as he'd only taken a few small drinks himself, but the king seemed coordinated enough for now so the Mage had to assume he was still thinking straight. "You're doing so much for me already." The Mage almost protested, a small, grateful smile on his face. "Your horse won't tire? When we move slowly, I can get down and walk. I don't mind. I'm always on my feet here." Walking was just a part of life when one couldn't afford a horse or even a mule. Mallin could always reinforce his own physical strength with his magic, as well.

"You mustn't worry so much." The Mage said with amusement in his voice. "I would be all right, but if you insist." He didn't want to ruin Cryons mood by pointing out that he was generally always traveling alone here, and that any bandit with a sword or other weapon wasn't really a danger to him. It was better just to let those things be unsaid, as it seemed his old friend was very worried about him now, after learning Mallin was still alive.

The Mage couldn't help a slow shake of the head, not quite denying Cryon's task for him but still in shock. "You sound so very confident in me." He said, sighing softly. "I don't know that I would be a very good teacher, but . . . I only worry that it is safe for them. . ." Mallin had little worry for himself, but there were those that feared mages for being stronger than normal people, and as such could harm an inexperienced or low strength Mage. Mallin wanted anything but that, and he feared any 'students' he might have being hurt or used - or worse, having them use their strength for more nefarious purposes.
 
"He's a strong horse, Mallin. Don't let him hear you say such things. He might take offense." Cryon said, giving the mage a small teasing wink before he chuckled softly. His horse was a fine one, bred down through the generations to be a powerful horse in both travel and battle. He was sure carrying two people would be a breeze for the mighty steed. "You have nothing to worry about. He can certainly carry the two of us. We're not exactly the heaviest of men."

"Mallin, you must remember. I may be a king now, but I am not much different than when I was a child." Cryon said, smiling at him with a cheeky look on his face. "I will worry about you even if you are only going only a room away."

"Without training, they can be a large danger to not only other people, but themselves." Cryon said, shaking his head at the mage's lack in confidence. "I trust that you can train them because you have said that you have grown stronger. That is all I need to hear to know that you speak the truth." Cryon paused, his features growing softer. "I believe in you. Do you think you can do it?"
 
Mallin laughed softly at the teasing, thinking of the horse being upset with him for doubting its strength. "well I wouldn't want that." He said with a chuckle. "I'll be sure not to say anything around him." 'Nothing to worry about'. There were so many things to figure out still, like what he would do without his constant duties here, or how things would have changed - but it was such a comforting thought. To not worry for once . . . He hoped home would be like that again, even without a child's optimism.

"I suppose it is rude of me," Mallin smiled a little, taking a small drink and thinking back on old times. Despite some of the trouble Mallin had tagged along for, Cryon had always worried about him and made sure he was okay. Perhaps now that they were older he could return the favor a bit. He promised himself he would be as little of a burden as possible.

The possibilities weighed heavy on his shoulders, thinking of a Mage gone bad, or the witch seeking power, or any number of things that could go wrong, but Mallin refused to let it push him down. He couldn't let fear of the unknown paralyze him when the results of doing nothing could be just as bad, or worse. "I think . . . I think that I want to try." His friend's confidence was at once intimidating and reassuring. He would just have to do his best to live up to it.

". . . Oh. It's getting late." Mallin said as he looked to a window, shaking his head a little and moving to stand. "Here, I . . . I can walk you back." Cryon had yet to attempt standing so he wanted to be sure the king would be okay walking back despite his drink. Besides, he had his own agenda at the castle.
 
"That's good. I can assure you, I will pay you enough for your family to live comfortably. It's the least I can do after what they had done for me." Cryon replied, a grin on his face as the pieces finally began falling into place. He was helping his friend get home again, and it was a feeling that he never imagined he would come across after his parent's died. It was contentment, and he wouldn't give it for any amount of gold the world had to offer.

"Oh...." Cryon said, glancing towards the window as well and furrowing his eyebrows at how much time had actually passed. "It seemed like we only sat down a few moments ago, but I guess that time does fly, doesn't it?" The king said, standing and slowly testing his balance. Although he felt a little light-headed, maybe even airy, his feet stood firm on the ground, and his balance was adequate.

"You do not have to. I'm sure that is quite a long walk for you to making." The king commented, stretching and letting his joints loosen. He didn't even noticed they had stiffen from sitting, which was quite a feat with his rambunctious energy, tugging his shirt down back into place before smiling at the mage.
 
It was difficult for Mallin not to refuse the idea that Cryon could be paying him too much for his task, but years in this place had taught him to accept hospitality when it was given, and to give it back as often as he could. When he was home again, done with the wedding and done with finding a replacement here, then he could focus on paying the man back somehow. He was sure he would know better what to do once they got back to learning each other again.

"I'm sure you know the way." Mallin said as he stood to stretch his legs, rolling his shoulders a bit. "I just want to be sure you get back before full dark." He glanced out the window again with a sort of concerned frown, shaking his head. "The cold will come quickly once the sun is no longer around to keep shining on things." It wouldn't be long after full sunset that things started to get very cold.

Mallin left some coins on the table for their meal and waved Cryon with him as he moved towards the door, ready to head out. Others were already beginning to leave and go back to their homes as well, the town quietly shutting itself up for the night. "I don't mind the walk." Mallin said with a smile as they got outside, shaking his head a little and watching to be sure Cryon's balance was all right. "Believe me, I have probably crossed as much distance three times already today. It isn't such a long way when you're used to always walking." It would be dark by the time he headed home, but he knew how to keep himself warm, and once everyone was closed up for the night he could just run the distance. He needed to go to the castle anyway, and seeing his friend safely back was a bonus.
 
The king shuffled past the tables towards the exit of the tavern, dipping his head politely to people he passed as he went. He kept close to the mage subconsciously, his movements feeling a bit sluggish in his own mind. Whether or not it was showing in his actual steps, he was not sure.

"If you're sure. I don't want to force you to walk all the way there and back to your own home." Cryon said once they reached the outside of the tavern, rubbing his arm in a tentative manner. He didn't want to pose a burden on the mage, even if he had offered to do so in the first place. "Thank you though. I really appreciate having someone to walk with."

"How cold does it get during the nights?" Cryon asked, glancing over at Malin curiously. It had already grown cooler than the day air, which he couldn't help but feel at least a little thankful for. This momentary temperature reminded him of home, and if he concentrated hard enough, he could smell the clump of flowery scents from the spring blossoms that filled the air. It brought a longing in his heart to be home, and he couldn't help but wonder if the mage still had his old boyish smell or something more weathered like the area around here.
 
Cryon lagged behind a bit, without any spring in his step, but Mallin went slowly for him just in case. The king didn't look drunk, outwardly, so the Mage could give him credit for that. It wouldn't take them too terribly long to get to the castle, even at this slow rate, so Mallin hoped they would get there before things actually started to feel cold and not just cooler in a relative sense.

"When the sun has been down for hours," the Mage said in answer as they walked, hands clasped loosely behind his back and looking ahead, then aside at his friend, "it can be cold enough to freeze a person. I don't understand it, with all the heat during the day, but once the sun is gone it's as if all the warmth goes to hide beneath the dirt and sand, and all that's left is cold air.

"But, then, there is no one going for nightly strolls even if it were warm." Mallin smiled a little, almost tempted to laugh. "More of the local animals come out at night, and if one roams in the open too long after dark they may stumble across a poisonous snake or lizard, or simply a large, unfriendly bird." It was better to stay in for many reasons. "But those usually stay away from towns and cities. I think they've learned that if they're around people too much they'll be eaten."
 
"It seems like a harsh land you live in. You die of heat during the day and freeze at night. Can you even grow crops with that kind of weather?" Cryon commented, looking up at the sky with a soft smile. The stars sparkled prettily in the night sky, splattering across the dark blue. "But even with the land the way it is, I have never seen the stars glimmering so brightly before. It is really a sight to behold."

"Poisonous animals? You can eat them?" Cryon said, arching one eyebrow as he looked over at the mage curiously. What would a poisonous animal even taste like? Did it have a tang compared to regular animals? "But what if one does come into the city? How do you kill it without getting bit?" He continued, furrowing his eyebrows. He had seen snakes before in his life, even tried to kill a few, and found that they were hard to kill with their speed and harsh bites.

(Ugh, writer's block is hitting me hard this morning.)
 
Mallin chuckled softly at his friend's view of the land and shook his head. "One might think so, only hearing the bad, but you have to learn the bad first to understand how life goes on here." He shrugged. "We build shelters for the plants we grow, buildings with mesh roofs to filter the sun when it's too harsh, and I fill the water cisterns there as I do for individual homes. It takes a few tricks to make it all grow well enough, but most people have a share of the space or buy their food from others."

"The venom is in their mouths or spikes, and whatever glands produce it, but the meat is mostly safe. I wouldn't advise trying to catch one on your own, though. Snakes can be shooed away, prodded into a bucket or bag with a long enough stick. Lizards scurry a bit faster, but we use relatively the same method. They don't really like people, so it's best to just let them be and keep children away."

((It's okay. Did you want to skip to them leaving then? I can breeze through Mallin talking to the King, and then they jump to leaving. And to avoid the same thing happening we can skip to them getting home after like a day of travel or something lol))
 
(Could we? I've just hit a wall here, and I can not think of a thing in response. I'm sorry for causing this inconvenience T.T)

"I see, and that makes enough for food for everyone? You must be very important to them. I wouldn't want to take you away from your duties." Cryon said, giving Mallin an impressed look. He always knew that the mage's magic was special, but still, to the degree that so many people depended on it shocked the king.

"Trust me, I may be bold, but I do not plan from getting bit by one of those creatures." Cryon replied, shuddering at the thought. He didn't want to think of how quickly the venom might run through the body. He doubted he could help before he keeled over if he were to get bit. "No reptile catching for me, I'm afraid."
 
((No, I get it. They were just kind of sitting around responding to each other without really doing anything or getting anywhere. We can move on
Btw I'm gonna name their home kingdom Jorell because I'm tired of not having a name for it haha))

Mallin did his best to assure Cryon he was safe if he stayed in the light, and there were plenty of lights at the castle, as it had night guards as a necessity even in this place. When they reached the gate, Mallin was allowed to go as far as the entrance to the castle before stopping, and let Cryon proceed from there. It was only when his friend was gone that the Mage turned to a guard and asked for a word, and afterwards quietly stressed that there was a time-sensitive need for him to speak with the king, and that it wouldn't take more than a few minutes of time.

It was a risky sort of thing, just demanding an audience with the king of Arcturus, but Mallin was not unknown in this place either, and he was sure to make his words a request and a plea rather than a command. And truly, his visit did not take long. Quietly, away from where Cryon would be staying, Mallin was taken to a heavily guarded room where he waited as the king was informed of his arrival. When the man came and they exchanged greetings, Mallin expressing his respect for the man in that way, they got right to the heart of the matter.

Mallin told the man in no uncertain terms that if Arcturus and Jorell were to go to war, he would be going with them.

It wasn't a threat, nor was he trying to force the king's hand, but it was an assurance left to help the man make his decision whether or not to form an alliance. Mallin had lived in Arcturus for a decade already, after all, and he was sure that Eide and the king had spoken of him - the king could not have let a Mage with such power live peacefully in his kingdom without knowing of Mallin's existence, after all. Even if Mallin did sometimes fear his own strength, he knew it could help reassure the man that if a war were waged they would not lose.

That night, he went home in the dark feeling some burdens lightened and others heaped upon, but overall he was happy.

**********************************************************

Eide wasn't happy. Mallin did his best to explain to the man what was happening and why he was going, and that he wouldn't be gone long at first but then would go to live in Jorell for good. The younger Mage promised to visit, of course, but it was still a separation that hadn't come between them in a long while. Mallin thought that maybe somewhere his mentor was worried, but there was a promise between them that Eide would fill the cisterns himself until a replacement could be trained. Mallin supposed it would be good practice for teaching young mages in Jorell.

It was only another day or so before Cryon had to leave, and Mallin was for once grateful he didn't have many things that he owned, or that he was attached to enough to want to take with him. He dressed in his usual clothes but with a traveling cloak thrown on, and carried only one bag with him. He didn't want to be a burden, and he knew he would need to get more suitable clothes to be staying in the castle anyway, and that he would have to return to Arcturus for a time before settling there permanently. He would have to sort all that out before going to see his family, he thought, and tried not to admit to himself that he was stalling.

"Good morning." The Mage said softly when Cryon arrived with his entourage at the edge of the kingdom's main city that had been his home so long, giving a small wave and wondering if his guards had been told or if they minded his presents. "I'm glad you chose to start early. With luck the heat will stay away for a few more hours."
 
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