"A best friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway." - Elbert Hubbard -
"I wasn't expecting you this early."
Under a huge oak tree nearby, a green robed figure sat waving at him. Akkarin lifted a hand in response.
"Good afternoon, Lorlen," Akkarin sat across from him, a wooden game board spread between them. He glanced around with a small appreciative sigh. The well secluded spring always brought him a sense of peace and relief. Even the sound of slow moving water was a kind of silence by itself, as was the soft summer breeze. His brows rose with interest, noticing the wine bottle in Lorlen's hand. "Well now, what do we have here? Having a drink this early?"
Lorlen snorted to Akkarin's teasing and picked up two glasses from the woven basket he brought with him.
"For you, it's never too early to drink," he tipped the bottle and filled the glasses with the dark red liquid. Then, handling one to Akkarin, he lifted his own to a toast.
"To the great adventure that awaits you." His mouth crooked into a grin.
Akkarin chuckled, raising his glass. "To your insipid life in the Guild," he smothered a smile when Lorlen gave him a soured look. "I meant to say 'inspiring'," he added shortly.
Playing the part of a forgiving friend, Lorlen inclined his head and emptied his glass. Akkarin followed suit.
"You are done packing, I assumed?" His friend enquired.
Akkarin nodded in reply, refilled their glasses. "I've taken all I need, as for the rest-"
"The servants would see to that," Lorlen finished his sentence before Akkarin could and he laughed when Akkarin made a show of rolling his eyes at his presumptuousness.
Akkarin shook his head in wonder, feeling both amazed and embarrassed by the fact that Lorlen could understand him so well. Lorlen was right of course, for indeed Akkarin could not be more than grateful to remove himself from the cluster and madness of his rooms. It was no more than six months ago that he had moved into the Magician's Quarters. For certain, he had no wish to be put through the same laborious process of going through his belongings all over again. That being so, very little was needed for his trip. What could not be replaced, he would carry with him. That left him with only his robes, boots and most importantly, his old diary with only a few blank pages remained for writing. In an ironic way, it summed up his life in the Guild all too easily.
He helped as Lorlen began sorting out the game pegs by their colours and picked up the set he usually played with, placing them on his side of the board. They moved with a quiet efficiency, and familiarity. In no time, they were ready to start their game.
"Here."
Lorlen spoke after Akkarin made his first move. An object which Akkarin had not noticed earlier hovered from the ground with an unseen force.
"I thought you might need this."
"What is it?" The item landed on Akkarin's hands. He smoothed a hand across the brown leathery surface and the hard, sturdy spine. "A book?" The rich smell of finely treated leather wafted to his nostrils as he began to leaf through the crisps pages.
"It's a new diary," Lorlen said, smiling at Akkarin's delight. "For you to record the accounts of your journey." Looking pleased with himself, he reached out to move a peg on the game board.
As Akkarin marvelled at the fine quality of the gift, he thought of how the last few days he was constantly stopped along the corridors and surrounded by magicians in the Night Room bidding him farewell. Many offered advices while some left an assortment of items they thought would be of use to him on his journey. He had no intention of carrying any of them unfortunately. However, the wonderful gift he held in his hands now was too precious to leave behind, especially so when it came from a friend who knew him best.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "I wasn't expecting this." Then, looking up with a rueful smile, "I wished I had the foresight to prepare you a gift…"
"Do not trouble yourself, my friend," Lorlen's expression softened. "You are the one leaving, not me."
"Still…"
Akkarin let his words trail off as he detected a trace of loneliness lurking in Lorlen's voice. He felt his heart took a small dip.
"If you insist," Lorlen added shortly, a full smile returning to his face. "A crate of Elyne wine would be good." He raised his glass to his lips, and looked over the rim expectantly.
Akkarin struck out two fingers. "Make it two," he countered, "and a letter from me each month."
"How generous," Lorlen remarked appreciatively. "Unless they bring news of the Elyne gossips, I'm not convinced your letters would be worth reading…."
"Only if you promised to send me word of all our family scandals," Akkarin held his gaze levelly.
"You do realised when I said gossips, I meant those involving you especially," Lorlen's eyes glinted with amusement.
"What has this to do with me?" Akkarin retorted.
"Well-" Lorlen gave him a meaningful look. "Word of your popularity among the ladies must have gone further than Imardin. From what we hear of the Elynes, I believe you would find them a nice distraction from your research." He flashed a teasing smile. "Who knows, you may end up being so distracted and not return at all. Or, return with an Elyne wife at your arm."
Akkarin winced. "I'll be back, my friend. But not with an Elyne wife." With a darker tone, he muttered. "You know how my family seldom approve my choice in women. The Elynes are best known for their frivolities. It is one thing to make a friend or two over there but quite another to return home with one of them. Besides, despite what my parents think, I'm not ready to marry."
"Oh, I don't believe anyone can talk you into something you have no wish of doing."
"That's true," Akkarin agreed coolly.
"But I do envy you," Lorlen gave a small sigh that sounded almost regretful. "Even as I consider the Guild more than a home to me, I found myself wanting to see the world more often you would care to believe." He looked afar wistfully. "Perhaps I am just caught up with your enthusiasm to slip away."
The faraway look on Lorlen's face reminded Akkarin the yearning he felt when he first wondered about leaving. Stories his Elyne, Lan and Vindo classmates told of their homelands enthralled him and the paintings and pictures of places he had never seen drew his heart away from the Guild and its rigid rules progressively.
A cool gentle breeze brushed across his face. He quietly considered that a weather of such fine temperament would make travelling by sea a more comfortable, if not pleasant experience. His dream of travelling around the world had finally come to pass. If the weather remained untroubled, he would be in Capia in less than two weeks time.
His fascination for Elyne was the greatest. Unlike the conservative society of Kyralia, the harsh moral standards of the Lonmars and the obsessions with trade and money of the Vindos, the Elynes were frivolous and outrageous in their way of living, much to the liking of Akkarin's libertarian beliefs.
When he chanced upon vague references about an old vanishing form of magic, he knew it was his gateway to the world outside. It was a worthy subject to be written into a book. But to do that, he would need more materials to work with, and the only way to gather those that could not be found in the Guild was to look elsewhere.
The Great Library of Elyne.
His decision to leave the Guild then was not founded on his desire to be part of the revelries his classmates had often boasted about. Instead, he wanted to discover for himself what other challenge and wonders magic could offer him. His heart throbbed with excitement. Looking back now, the last time he felt such elation was when he took his novice's vow. How strange it was to feel the same way at the prospect of leaving the Guild after five long years of earning his full magician's robes.
The only difference was that he would embark this new journey by himself. Lorlen would not be there to watch his back as he always did, nor point out any shortcomings which Akkarin could not see.
Although excited, he knew an instant of unease when it occurred to him that he would be truly on his own this time.
"You could leave as well," Akkarin found himself suggesting. "You have expressed interest in several occasions of wanting to discover new herbs and plants all over the Allied Lands and ways of Healing. It's not too late to do that."
For a short while, Lorlen seemed to consider the possibility but then he shook his head.
"The Guild needs all its healers no less than my desire for knowledge no other man has uncovered. Unlike you, my friend, my purpose is here."
Akkarin gave a low laugh. "Yet you envy a person who has decided to leave his responsibilities behind to satisfy his own selfish curiosity."
"You know that is not true..."
"Ancient magic," Akkarin took another sip from his glass then stared at it. "I could be chasing a fable, Lorlen. What if I end up returning to the Guild with both my hands empty? What becomes of me then?"
Silence fell between them. Akkarin emptied his glass in a thoughtful draught.
"You have set out to do a thing not many would have endeavoured," Lorlen began shortly. "This is not some selfish desire but a cultivated curiosity of one who have committed his life to research and study."
"If all else fails-," Lorlen continued. "You could bring back an Elyne wife."
Akkarin could not help but laughed.
Tomorrow, he would be leaving the Guild, leaving everything behind here to travel around the world. At that moment, he realised that in a time like this, a friend would offer well wishes to send him off on his journey, while a good friend would leave a gift or two and advices for him. But only the best one would understand how important a dose of goodwill and courage would be needed for a new life journey. And only a best friend would do all of these unconditionally. He felt his heart swelled with the trueness of their friendship. He considered how he could expressed his immense gratitude to Lorlen for putting his uncertainties at ease so easily, but then a stem of belief rose inside him that he felt certain his friend would know how his words had made a difference in him.
Akkarin shook his head fondly.
"This is your last chance in making me an object of your mockery. So enjoy it while you can, Lorlen."
He curled his lips into a half smile, and selected one of game pegs which had already advanced to the opposite side of the game board. He bypassed the defences of his friend's formation then claimed the spot which marked the high throne.
"In return, you shall content me by acknowledging I'm the best opponent you have ever met."
Lorlen looked down in surprised and groaned.
"Not again!"
Back straightened with pride, Akkarin flashed him a well-satisfied grin. "I hope you will be better at this by the time I return."
Lorlen puffed out a huge sigh, his shoulders lowered in defeat. "I can't imagine playing this game with anyone else." He started putting the pegs back to their original positions then changed his mind and removed them all from the board, despite Akkarin's befuddled protests.
"No, no more games." Lorlen declared suddenly. "Our youth is over. From this time on, we shall whole-heartedly pursue our dreams without reservation or hesitation."
Akkarin resisted the urge to laugh at Lorlen's sudden change of behaviour. He secretly wondered if his friend was simply annoyed that he had lost another game. "And?" He arched an expectant brow, the look on Lorlen's face indicated he had more to say to that topic.
"And we shall not return to this place until we are both satisfied with each other's achievement."
"Did I just hear a challenge?" Akkarin felt the competitive side of him stirred into life.
Lorlen nodded seriously. He folded the game board, which was also a box itself when folded into half, and placed all the wooded pieces inside. He sealed it with a magical barrier then surveyed the spring with a critical eye.
"What are you looking for?"
"Somewhere to hide this," Lorlen replied distractedly.
"Why is that necessary?" Akkarin asked but Lorlen was no longer paying any attention to him. He sighed quietly.
"Allow me then…" Akkarin willed the box out of Lorlen's hands.
Sending it hovering before him, Akkarin strode to a large boulder by the spring and hefted it aside. A dark hole revealed. He reached inside and withdrew a wine bottle and lowered the game box in its place instead. The boulder shifted to its original position, covering the hole completely.
"When did you…?"
Akkarin smiled at Lorlen's amazement, pleased at how impressed his friend was. He turned the bottle in his hand carefully and checked for the slightest sign of damage.
"I had this hidden here a long time ago to celebrate our graduation." He explained slowly.
"It seemed to me you had forgotten about it," Lorlen pointed out.
"So it seemed…"Akkarin agreed, then mirrored Lorlen's grin. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Well, it depends on what you are thinking."
They stared at each other and laughed.
Author's notes: I've always wished that there were more about Akkarin and Lorlen's youth in the actual books and I've wondered for a long time how they were like before they both assumed the most important positions in the Guild. So this is my take on it and I wanted this to be on a light-hearted side but at the same time portraying the depth of their friendship.
I hope I've succeeded and that you've enjoyed reading this. If you did, please leave a review and let me know what you think!
BIG thanks to Laura for beta-ing!