-Victoria-
Magic was much harder than it seemed in movies. So often you'd see a young hero discover they had magical gifts and gain near instant mastery of them in a few weeks. Apparently, that's complete bullshit.
I'd been taking private lessons with Professor Zekora every night for a month and a half, and I still hadn't made any progress. I felt so embarrassed. I had no control and people noticed. I walked into the dining hall with things floating around me and more stuff would fly out of nowhere with a wayward thought.
I sat with my friends, and my mind immediately went to a need for coffee. A full coffee pot came shooting towards us as students dove out of the way. Just as I was thinking how at least something I loved was going to kill me, it froze. There was a collective sigh of relief as I turned around to find Azax standing there. He looked at me with sympathy before waving his hand, the coffee pot returning to rest on the counter.
"Thanks." I mumbled, looking down in shame.
"Glad I made it in time," He replied, snapping his fingers.
All the items floating around the room either landed or flew off back to wherever they came from. He sat next me, making a move to grab my hand before thinking better of it.
"How are you?" He asked.
"Oh, I'm just great," I sassed to which he raised an eyebrow. I sighed, "I thought this would be easier but I'm just a complete mess."
"Even I've never been this bad," Ani said, "And I make things blow up all the time."
"Professor Zekora has been working with her every night," Anna explained, "But nothing seems to be helping."
"Well, no wonder you're not getting anywhere." Wall laughed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, slightly offended for my mother's friend.
"You see the Professor-" He began to explain.
"Wuzahl." Azax said firmly, stopping him mid-sentence.
"What?" I turned to Azax, "What is it?"
"Professor Zekora is a great advanced teacher," Azax explained, delicately, "Being a jack of all trades helps her. However, she is not very good at early magic."
"How would you know?" Anna sprung to the defense of our favorite teacher.
"She's admitted it herself." Azax said, his hands up in defense.
"When did she tell you this?" Ani asked, skeptical.
"This is going to sound really bad," Azax admitted, "But I didn't hear it from her. An Aivorian spy in King Udel's court heard it when he was looking for a teacher for the princess."
"What?!" Ani, Anna and I all yelled together.
"There are spies from both kingdoms in both courts," Itrix chimed in, "It's an age-old tradition."
"It's really just a habit left over from centuries of war," Axaz assured, "They only report on small happenings and often time act as messengers between the Kings."
"So, one of your spies told you Professor Zekora isn't good at early magic?" I asked to which Azax nodded, "But why? If she's a jack of all trades wouldn't that make her good with any type of magic."
"Just because a musician can play and read the music doesn't mean they can write it." Azax pointed out.
That seemed to strike a chord with all of us.
"What am I going to do now?" I sighed, "If Professor Zekora can't help me, who can?"
"Professor Ethar!" Nothall said happily.
"Who's that?" I asked.
"Someone who can write the music," Azax replied smiling, "More definitively, the Aivorian advanced magic professor."
"Won't he have the same problems as Professor Zekora?" Ani asked.
"Not at all," Azax assured, "He's not good at performing all the magic but can teach the theory and applications very well."
"But how do you know he can teach early magic?" Ani clarified.
Azax blushed, becoming very interested in the plate in front of him. Wall laughed loudly while Itrix smiled. Wall threw an arm around Azax.
"Cause our dear prince here wasn't always so good with his magic," Wall explained, "In fact, for many years his magic did exactly what yours is doing now."
"Professor Ethar was brought to the palace by the King to help the prince learn control," Itrix continued, "It worked extremely well, as you can see, and he even returned each summer to train us in more advanced magic."
"That's why you're basically already a spy." Anna said to which Itrix nodded.
"He's also been helping me," Nothall added, "He's been helping me learn to pull back my natural ability to blend in so people will notice me."
"If anyone can help you, it's Professor Ethar," Azax concluded, "I'll explain the situation to him after class and take you to meet with him after dinner. You'll have to tell Professor Zekora you won't be attending her lesson."
"Ok," I conceded, "If you all think it will help."
We all went our own way after that. Ani, Anna, and I heading off to the morning classes. I felt a bit guilty going into talk with Professor Zekora but she assured me she understood. Even admitted she wasn't the best for the task and that Professor Ethar would be a fine teacher.
Later that evening, after dinner, Azax guided me to Professor Ethar's office. His office was the exact opposite of Professor Zekora's office. While her office was messy and chaotic, Professor Ethar was organized and clean. He was an impressively large man wearing carefully pressed blue robes. I did see, however, a purple lapel pin. Seemed he was more like Zekora than first appears.
"My prince," He greeted Azax with a deep bow, "I hope dinner was to your liking?"
"It was professor," Azax said with a fond smile, "I've brought you your new student."
"Ah, yes," Professor Ethar directed his attention to me, "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Victoria. I've heard much about you from my students."
"Nothing bad I hope." I said with a slight laugh.
"Not until recently," He responded, shocking me with his honesty, "Speaking of which, my prince I know you are containing the young lady's magic. I would like you to release it so I can gage the problem."
I looked at Azax stunned. He hadn't told me he was containing my magic for me, but I guess it made sense. Every morning I'd have things floating around me and flying out of nowhere. We'd all meet for breakfast and with a snap of his fingers it would all stop for the rest of the day. There was no snap this time though. Instead, he just released a sigh, like he'd been holding his breath all day.
Instantly, things around me began to float and zip around the room. Azax and I dodged rapidly flying items while the professor just observed. One particularly heavy looking book was about to hit me square in the head when the professor raised his hands, and everything froze.
"I see," He said, "What was Zekora having you do during lessons?"
"Mostly meditation and focusing on one thing at a time," I explained, "Like moving one object at a time."
"I understand now why you haven't made any progress." He said going to sit at his desk.
"What is it?" I was excited to finally have an answer.
"The problem is there is just too much extra magic inside you bursting to get out," He answered, "As soon as we are born and bathed in our parents magic it activates our own. We then expel magic for the rest of our lives."
"Like an aura?" I clarified.
"Exactly," He confirmed, "But if we are never touched by our parents magic or our magic is intentionally blocked, the magic will accumulate and be uncontrollable until all the excess is gone. Blocked magic is most likely what your problem was, just like our prince here."
"Really?" I looked at Azax who clenched his fists in anger.
"His mother..." The professor began.
"The bitch." Azax interrupted.
"The Queen," Professor Ethar sternly corrected, "Sealed his magic after his birth in hopes the King would think him useless and would allow the prince to be..."
"Killed," Azax finished causing me to gasp, "So they might try for a first-born daughter instead."
"That's awful." I said instinctively grabbing Azax's hand.
"Luckily, the King had no intentions to do so and after the prince showed no magic had the boy tested," The professor continued to explain, "The Queen's plan was discovered and she was sent away from court. She has not returned since."
"Since my magic was sealed, I had to burn it off," Azax explained, "Basically use a lot of focused magic at the same time."
"The problem is the same, so the solution is the same." The professor said, "In order to gain control you need to use your magic excessively. I'm sure the prince can help you with that. From what I've heard, you two can produce quite the light show together."
"And just where did you hear that?" Azax asked while I blushed brightly.
"I would never reveal my sources," Professor Ethar laughed, "But I can also say I've seen it first-hand."
"Where?" I asked, certain he wasn't around for either time it had happened.
"Have you looked around the room?" He inquired.
Sure enough, looking around the room, there were thousands of lights shining all around us. I quickly dropped Azax's hand causing the lights to fade. Professor Ethar laughed again.
"I think if you can make millions of those lights together," He said, "Have them explode and dance across the sky, it should the trick."
"Thank you, professor." Azax said grabbing my hand and pulling me out the door.
"Make sure you do it outside." I heard the professor call after us.
Azax pulled me down the hallways and through doors, not stopping for anyone. I stumbled behind trying to keep up. We burst through the main entrance and into the wide expanse of the courtyard. It was only when we finally stopped that I was able to free my hand from Azax's grip.
"Azax..." I began to say but he held up a hand to stop me.
"Victoria, please just listen," he said, when I didn't respond he continued, "I don't care about fate. I don't care about my engagement. I only care about you. About holding you, caring for you, comforting you, loving you. My father understands what I want. He's more than willing to call off the engagement so that his only son can have a happiness he never had. I don't want to fight these feelings I have for you, and I know neither do you. So please, take my hand. Make magic with me like only we can."
He held out his hand for me to take. Tear welled in my eyes as we stood across from each other under the moonlight. Slowly I placed my hand in his. Lights filled the sky. The more I accepted my feelings, the brighter the gleamed and the more they multiplied. Hand in hand, we watched them as more and more students joined us in the courtyard to witness the event.
I pealed my gaze away from the sky to look at Azax who was just watching me, love and devotion in his eyes. As soon our eyes met, he pulled me in for a searing kiss. The sky above us erupted with explosions of color. The lights danced, exploded, changed colors and flew across the night sky to the delight of the other students.
When the need for air came over us, we separated barely a few inches. Axaz pulled me close into his arms, resting his head on mine. I cuddled into his warmth, content to stand there in his arms forever while our light show played above us. This was right. This was home.