To everyone who read the first chapter, thank you so much! I was blown away by the positive reactions this story received, and it really hyped me up to write.

In Other Words

Chapter 2 – To Heal the Heart

It wasn't a surprise when Kamui returned to the Northern Fortress a few days after the banquet, but Elise was still sad to see her sister go. The whole thing was so unfair, but of course she couldn't say anything to Father about it.

Xander and Camilla say that he wasn't always like this. Rumor has it he used to be cheerful and happy. She'd also heard that he used to… smile. Elise tries to imagine it, but the words Father and smiling just don't seem to fit together in the same sentence. The thought is so foreign, and she wonders just what changed him into the cold, unfeeling person who she's never received any affection from, much less a smile.

Elise knows it was really Xander and Camilla who raised her, way more than Father anyway. She rarely saw him growing up, even less than she does now, and so it was her siblings who she spent all her waking hours with. It was her siblings who played with her, laughed with her, loved her. Father was there, but that was all.

She wanders past the training grounds to the place where the practice weapons and healing staves are stored. Elise seats herself on one of the wooden chairs by the back wall and lets out a long sigh, chin resting against her palm.

The loneliness of separating from her sister never goes away no matter how many times they have to part. It seemed to hurt even more this time because now Elise knew just how much warmer the castle felt with her sister there beside her. And now she was gone again.

Elise swings her feet absently from atop the chair, wishing for something exciting to happen.

As if on cue, the door burst open to reveal a very winded Odin, puffing and panting with his hand still gripping the door handle.

"Odin!" Her face lights up when she sees him, and she quickly hops off the chair and skips forward to talk to him.

He's a little too out of breath to bow properly, but he grins and manages a wave. "Good afternoon, Lady Elise. I trust you're doing well?"

"Mhm!" She says with a nod. "And yourself? You look like you just ran a marathon."

"Er, something like that," he says. There's a slight smile on his lips that makes it feel like he's sharing a secret with her. Elise likes that, and offers one of her own.

"So, what are you up to?" She asks, swaying idly.

"It's a funny story," he says, a sheepish look on his face. "Truth be told, I need some help. I was practicing a spell that ended up backfiring, and now, well… anyway, could you show me where the healing supplies are?"

"You're hurt? Where?" She scans him up and down, and zeroes in on the hand he's attempting to hide behind his back. Pointing a finger at it, she shouts, "Aha! That's it, isn't it?!"

"Ah, um, it's probably better if you don't see it," he says, jumping back to avoid her attempts to grab at his hand. "It's not pretty to look at and I'd rather you didn't –"

"Aw, come on, it's okay – if you'd just let me – hold still!"

She's quick, but he's quicker, not to mention taller, and he manages to dodge her as she chases him around the room. "Er, milady, please stop – nothing to see here – I'm fine, really!"

She stops just as abruptly as she started and instead begins rummaging through one of the supply closets. Pulling out a staff she says, "I can handle it. I may not look it, but I know a thing or two about healing magic."

In a softer voice she says, "Let me help you, Odin. Please?"

He sits down on one of the chairs and smiles in a resigned sort of way. "Alright, alright. I know when I've lost."

She puffs out her chest in a self-satisfied sort of way now that he's cooperating. "That's right. You're looking at the best healer-in-training right here! Now let's see…"

He holds out his arm for her. She grimaces a little but doesn't turn away. He puts his good hand on her shoulder in an apologetic way. "Fear not, sweet Elise, for the pain is far less than it would appear."

She has a hard time understanding exactly what it is she's seeing. The skin is unbroken, and there's a lack of any cuts, bruises, or open gashes. But what is there seems almost more unnerving precisely because she isn't sure how bad it is.

The imprint of a magical seal glows faintly just above his wrist. His entire hand pulses faintly with a dark purplish aura that she's seen before. "Dark magic?" She asks. "The color…"

His hand twitches as he puts on an expression that she can only describe as intense determination. "My spell hand has been blessed with an otherworldly power, a darkness that whispers from beyond the void! It hums with magic, aching to curse all who seek to challenge the mighty Odin Dark!"

Elise turns his hand over to inspect the other side. "So, yes?"

He nods once. "Yeah."

She turns it back over, palm up. "Does it hurt?"

He raises his arm up, his good hand clutched over his heart. "The pain is minimal, and more than a fair trade for the epic power I have received!"

She blinks questioningly.

He brings his hand back down and shrugs a little. "But yeah, it hurts. Guess I took the whole dark aura thing a little too far this time, huh?"

She nods to show she's listening, keeping her eyes trained on his hand. "This is… different. I'll be honest, I'm not sure I know how to go about doing this. I've treated magical injuries before, but never any caused by dark magic." She frowns a little. "I learned that knowing the cause is important, because that tells you how to channel the healing spell to get to the heart of the problem. But this, well… I don't want to make it worse by messing up."

"Hmm," he says, using his good hand to stroke his chin thoughtfully. "I trust you, Elise. Death shall not claim me so easily, yet even if I succumb to the eternal sleep, I shall depart knowing your noble efforts were born of good intentions."

"Odin!" She says, but he winks at her and she can't help but giggle. "Alright, I'll do my best. But please, promise to tell me the second it starts hurting, okay?"

He bows, or at least does the best he can from a sitting position. "You got it."

His hand is already warm as she takes it, touching the tip of the staff to his wrist. He winces a little, and she murmurs an apology. She concentrates on the staff until a soft light appears around his hand. Slowly, they watch the seal fade from his wrist along with the purple aura.

"Ahh…" Odin sighs in relief. "I feel the darkness receding, drifting away like a bad dream. Though its powers were great, yours were far greater. I owe you my life."

"Don't mention it," she says with a blush. "I'm just glad I could help."

"I am curious about one thing though," he says as he wiggles his fingers. "Why did you touch your staff to me? In all the healing sessions I've seen, never have I observed methods such as yours."

She hums thoughtfully. "It's true most healers don't do that, but I've found that physical contact helps make the magic connection stronger. Usually it's not recommended, especially if the injury is more serious because it might hurt the patient more. But in strange cases like dark magic it gives me a better idea of how to treat it."

He nods appreciatively. "Wow, that's pretty cool… I'm impressed by how much you know."

She rubs her arm self-consciously and smiles. "I do the best I can. If anything, I'm impressed by how much you know about healing when you're a mage."

He looked a little embarrassed as he shrugged his shoulders. "My mother was a healer, so I picked up a bit from her."

Elise's eyes light up with interest. "Really? What was she like?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "Well, to tell you the truth, she was… actually a lot like you, Elise."

She blinks. "Really? Like me?"

"As it so happens, she too was a princess. The youngest, just like you, bright and cheerful with blonde hair tied in two pigtails."

"Wow," she breathes. "A princess too… wait a minute!"

She jumps up suddenly, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "That means you're a prince!"

He looks surprised, like he'd never considered it before. "Hm. I suppose by that reasoning, yeah, I guess I am."

She pushes against his shoulder, a pout on her face. "Odin! Why didn't you tell me?"

"The topic never came up? Now you know?" He says, grinning apologetically. "Surprise?"

She laughs at his goofy grin. "So why are you here, serving my brother of all people?"

He shrugged. "It's a long story, one best saved for another time. But rest assured, I am content to remain here in your company for as long as Lord Leo requires my services. Or at least until he fires me. Which could happen tomorrow if he finds out I accidentally broke that tome he was saving. Er, keep that between us would you?"

Elise giggles. "Your secret's safe with me. You're pretty mysterious, Odin. But I like that about you, too."

"Heroes are best when they have a bit of a dark past behind them," he says, posing with one hand in front of his face. It appropriately casts a shadow over him, and he closes his eyes dramatically.

"You really take this hero-ing stuff seriously, don't you?" She says, safely putting the staff back with the others.

"I couldn't just think this stuff up overnight if that's what you're suggesting," he says. "A hero's story begins at birth but ends not at death, for legends live on beyond the grave so long as there are those who continue to tell their tale. And I aim to be such a hero, naturally."

"I think you're well on your way," she says sincerely. An idea strikes her, one so perfect she can't believe she didn't think of it before. She clasps her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels. "And heroes are duty bound to help those in need, right?"

"But of course! Does milady have a task for me?" He says, an eager grin on his face. "A job which must be done? Worry not, for I shall not sleep until your fears are put to rest. I would boldly scale mountains if necessary to ensure your dreams are peaceful ones!"

She laughs because of how utterly serious he is. "Well, there is one thing," she says.

He grins and rubs his hands together in anticipation. "Excellent. Now this task you have in mind, does it involve… danger?"

"Er, probably not," she says honestly. "At least, I hope not."

"Alas," he says, eyes downcast as he looks to the side. "It seems I shall have to prove my superior servitude next time. But let it be known that Odin Dark never refuses a mission, no matter how small!"

She runs her fingers through one of her pigtails bashfully. "I was wondering if you'd show me how to do a spell? I want to be able to do more besides just healing, and Leo always says he's too busy…"

"So it shall be done!" He shouts, instantly reviving. He extends his hand to her, a determined look on his face. "I'll have you casting spells like a pro in no time! Allow me to pave the way for you, Elise. A world of magic awaits us!"

She takes his hand without hesitation, laughing brightly. They walk to the training grounds, Odin entertaining her all the while with heroic stories about cursed tomes and magic duels to the death. She sneaks a glance at him beside her, laughing at the way he really gets into it, using large sweeping hand motions and rapidly changing facial expressions.

For the first time since Kamui left the castle, Elise smiles freely without holding back.

Next chapter – A story beneath the stars.

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