The Past Is Prologue
Chapter 12: Magical Duels
I was ten years old the first time I went to Avalor Palace. The royal guardsmen came to my house to demand our presence by Queen Shuriki. Even at that age I knew it wasn't a good thing. Parents of classmates had gone missing after such summons, and I was already trying to teach myself magic, a crime punishable by death. My mother tried to tell me to stay at home, that she'd be back soon, but the guards informed her that we both had to go. Mom held onto me the whole way there. We were brought to the throne room, where Queen Shuriki was sitting on her diamond throne. I'd never been before royalty before, but I thought I should bow, so I did my best approximation. My mother stood straight and silent.
The queen said, "What a polite young man. You could learn from your son, Rafa."
Then my mother answered, "If you have a problem with me, then take it out on me. Leave my son out of it." I had no idea why the queen would have a problem with my mom.
"Oh, I have no problem with you, dear. In fact, I want to help you. I know how hard it must be for you since your father abandoned you. I want to show you that my Avalor is safe from the scourge of malvagos." When Shuriki said that, I thought that she didn't seem all that bad, that maybe my mom was mistaken about her. I was only ten. "Let me prove it to you."
Chancellor Esteban was there. He spoke to me by name, which surprised me since we'd never formally met. He offered to take me to see the guards at their training, saying, "That would be more interesting for a boy your age."
Queen Shuriki stopped him. She told my mother that a notorious malvago had been captured and both my mother and I were "invited" to watch the execution. In fact, she insisted upon it. I pieced together that Chancellor Esteban had been trying to spare me that.
Shuriki led us out into the courtyard and the guards brought a man out. He looked so tired. My mother didn't say anything but held me close. I found out later the man had been an apprentice of my grandfather. Shuriki raised her wand and struck him down. Afterwards there was no sign of him.
"Thus do I protect my realm from the scourge of wizards," Shuriki said to my mom. She patted my cheek, and I was shocked by how icy her hand was. "Don't you feel better knowing that your queen keeps you safe?"
My mother said coldly, "If that is all, your grace, may I take my son and go home now?"
"Of course." She waived us away. "Just remember what you've seen here, Rafa."
Chancellor Esteban arranged a carriage for us. Mom and I didn't speak until we got home. She sat at the kitchen table and then said, "Now do you understand why I can have nothing to do with magic, Mateo?" I had never seen her so demoralized.
-Master Mateo de Alva, Royal Wizard to Queen Elena Castillo Flores, A People's History of the Reign of Queen Shuriki, compiled by Professor Catalina de Torres
The following morning the boat was completely still, or "becalmed." Don Esteban was grumbling about how the boat wasn't moving. "Aren't you supposed to be a great wizard or something? Can't you conjure up a wind?" he snapped at Victor.
Victor haughtily adjusted his jacket. He rarely wore his apprentice robe unless he was working on a potion and didn't want to get his clothes dirty. Olivia didn't understand it. She loved wearing her robe every day, even when her mother tried to get her to wear something else now and then. Her fellow apprentice answered Don Esteban. "It is far too dangerous to summon a wind, since it cannot be controlled."
"I could do it," Olivia piped up.
Both men looked at her. Don Esteban said wryly, "I have no doubt you could create a wind, but we need something with less force than a hurricane, señorita Herrera."
"I can control how powerful the spells I cast are," the apprentice wizard insisted. Maybe in the first couple of years her spells had gotten a little out of hand, but she was far better now at modulating both her voice and the way she struck her tamborita.
Victor openly contradicted her. "A ship is no place for experimentation, Olivia. Stick to swabbing the deck."
That annoyed her. She'd been studying longer than Victor! Who was he to tell her what she could or could not do?
Olivia shrugged. "The choice is yours, Don Esteban. We can sit here until a wind comes up, or you can let me summon one."
Don Esteban scowled. "Very well, stowaway. Let's start with a light breeze, shall we?"
"You're making a mistake, El Segundo," Victor warned.
Olivia ignored her fellow apprentice. She made a great show of feeling the air, carefully waving her tamborita, and taking a deep breath before lightly tapping the drum wand and murmuring, "Cachoa." Everyone on the ship was watching her when a gentle breeze began fluttering the sails, and with the exception of Victor, they all clapped. She made a little bow.
After a few minutes, Don Esteban said, "Perhaps a slightly stronger wind…?" This time Olivia didn't even bother turning around. She simply banged her tamborita on her shoulder as she recited the spell. The ship began to move perceptibly faster.
"You know Mateo doesn't like you casting spells backwards," Victor scolded.
"Well, Mateo's not here, is he?"
"Listen to the girl!" Victor said in mock exasperation as all three guards laughed.
It was with a light heart that Olivia proceeded to do her chores. She was already proving her worth! Choosing to stow away had been a split second decision, but she was more convinced than ever that it had been the right one.
After lunch everyone was surprised when César, the adolescent guard-in-training, asked Ixlan to teach him Maruvian hand-to-hand combat. The Lightening Warrior consented at once, but both Rico and Antonia seemed concerned. Antonia put her hand on her spouse's arm and murmured that César was still a novice, while Rico said, "Please don't break the new recruit."
Impassive, the Lightening Warrior replied, "As you can see from my expression, I am annoyed by your lack of faith in me. I know how to train." True to her word, Ixlan did manage to refrain from harming César, and even smiled an actual smile when, after an hour, the cadet guard was able to flip her using one of the techniques she'd taught him. César looked quite pleased with himself. Afterwards, he and Olivia high-fived one another. They'd both proven themselves this day.
"Maybe we should train," Rico said suddenly. "It's been a while since I've practiced with my tamborita. What do you say, Victor?"
Olivia's breath caught. Rico and Antonia were part of an elite unit of guards who had been taught a few basic combat spells since Avalor had so many magical enemies. They weren't wizards, of course. They learned their spells by rote and weren't taught magical theory, so they wouldn't be able to create new spells. Once Victor and Carla Delgado ceased to be one of the magical threats against the realm and had become Mateo's apprentices, they often served as sparring partners for the magic-wielding guards. Mateo forbade Olivia from even watching these sessions, (rightly) assuming that she would try to learn the combat spells that the Master Wizard thought she was too young to use. Olivia disagreed. She wasn't nine anymore! And now she would get to witness a mock magical battle!
Victor smiled and responded to Rico. "I say you should ask the senior apprentice aboard. She's in charge since Mateo's not here." He winked at Olivia.
"Wait. I'm in charge?!" she said excitedly. "I mean – yes, I'm in charge," she tried to sound more mature. Victor coughed in a way that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. "I – um – yes, we should train, Lieutenant Villalobos. Uh, what would you suggest?"
Rico Villalobos raised an eyebrow and looked at Victor, who gestured back to Olivia. "Well, based on the size of the boat, I'd suggest one on one combat rather than a melee. The winners of the first two bouts face off against each other. How will we determine the winner? Often we fight to immobility."
Those were the types of spells Olivia hadn't learned. "How about we try to take each other's tamboritas?"
Rico nodded thoughtfully while Victor proclaimed, "Perfect. Antonia, I want a rematch for last time."
"You're on, Delgado," Antonia grinned. They squared off against each other.
"I think that means I'm your opponent," Rico addressed Olivia. The apprentice wizard ran through the spells in her head and was caught off guard when Rico bowed to her. Oh, yeah. This was a formal duel. Belatedly she bowed back.
What was it that Antonia had called Rico? Gingerbread boy! That had been his nickname ever since he accidentally turned the palace to gingerbread during the first magical lesson of the guard. Olivia was sorry she hadn't been there. That would have been a sight to see. And it gave her an idea.
She pointed her tamborita not at Rico but at the sea, banged it once and chanted, "Mortoloz vicarsi!" A giant gingerbread man seemingly emerged from the ocean and began advancing on the ship. As the lieutenant stared in open-mouthed wonder, Olivia struck her tamborita again and called out, "Canaza!" Rico's tamborita flew from his hand and Olivia deftly caught it.
"Ha, ha, ha," Rico commented sarcastically when the giant gingerbread monster vanished and the lieutenant realized what Olivia had done. But he smiled as Olivia handed him back his tamborita.
Victor and Antonia were still going at it. Olivia was taken aback at how physical the match was. There was a fair amount of ducking, weaving, and rolling while dodging spells, and at times they even crossed their tamboritas like swords. Olivia was starting to think her friend Amara was right when she tried to encourage the apprentice wizard to participate in more active rough-and-tumble childhood games, that it would help her develop skills useful for a wizard.
The fight ended when Victor froze Antonia and knocked her tamborita from her hand. He released the spell and then helped the guardswoman up. She clasped him on the shoulder, grinned, and said, "Good fight." Olivia was surprised at how friendly they seemed after the apparent ugliness of their match. But there was no ill will.
César spoke up. "So with Olivia and señor Delgado as the winners, does that mean they'll fight now?"
"Yes!" Olivia called out. She would actually get to fight a malvago! Well, an ex-malvago, but still. If Mateo were here he'd never allow it. Good thing Mateo wasn't here then.
Her fellow apprentice grinned at her as he said, "Don't worry, muchachita. I'll go easy on you."
Olivia scoffed, "Don't bother! I'll defeat you even if you don't." The guard cheered the exchange. Ixlan watched impassively as she did most things. The young apprentice wizard thought how best to defeat Victor. She had a few ideas…
Then Don Esteban's mocking laughter rang out across the deck. "Either way you lose, old friend."
Victor's good humor vanished immediately and his face darkened as he scowled at the queen's cousin. Olivia didn't get it. How would Victor lose either way? He'd lose if Olivia got his tamborita, but would win if he got hers. She tried to work out how Victor could lose through winning.
So if Victor won, why wouldn't everyone just congratulate him? Olivia certainly would. Then it came to her. She and Victor were the only two people on the boat who understood just how advanced Olivia actually was. If she won, Victor could be mocked (and probably would be by Don Esteban) for losing to a child (though at fifteen, Olivia didn't see herself as a child.) If Victor won, the others might see him as a bully taking advantage of a weaker opponent, even though that was not the case.
That really wasn't fair to her fellow apprentice. Olivia would have other opportunities to train in the future. She didn't want to make Victor look bad.
She turned to the ex-malvago. "Look, we don't have to…"
"Quixcapa!"
Suddenly Olivia found herself hanging upside down in midair! Without warning Victor simply snatched her tamborita from her hand.
Well, it looked like Victor won by cheating. Olivia glared at him while trying to look dignified, not easy to do when you're hanging upside down. With difficulty she crossed her arms.
"You really think you could defeat me?" Victor hissed. "You – who only knows one offensive spell, which Carla taught you behind Mateo's back?"
"You only won because you cheated!" Olivia retorted.
The former criminal laughed incredulously. "Cheated? Do you really think malvagos play by any rules you'd recognize? You think you're ready to fight monsters, you who hesitate to strike a foe to…what? Spare his wounded pride?"
"I won't make that mistake again," Olivia muttered. Then she spoke louder. "You made your point. You can let me down now."
"I can," Victor mused, "but I don't think I will." He pointed his tamborita, and suddenly Olivia was sent shooting above the ship.
She could hear the others call out to Victor in concern, and Victor snarl in reply, "Stay back, or I drop her." He didn't really mean that, did he? Until a few days ago, she'd always gotten along with Mateo's other apprentices. Of course, even if it wasn't meant as a threat, Victor was still right. If anyone tried to interfere, he could accidentally drop her. And she really didn't want to be the object in a magical tug-of-war. Olivia was better off if the original spell-caster let her down…if he planned to, that is.
Abruptly Olivia plunged towards the deck and let out a cry of surprise. Victor pointed his tamborita and Olivia came to a sudden stop about five feet above the deck. Almost lazily Victor spun his tamborita and Olivia turned right side up but remained suspended in midair. Antonia tried to grab her but Victor banged his tamborita over his head and cried, "Ximocu!" encasing both apprentice wizards under a shield. Olivia gulped. Doing more than one spell at once was her thing. She didn't know Victor could do that too.
"You, my dear, did not think this through." Victor bopped Olivia on her nose with her own tamborita. She made a grab for it, but Victor snatched it back. "Sneaking on board like you did without warning anyone, as if you could possibly defend yourself against a real threat. Running away without so much as a by-your-leave to your poor parents, who are most likely worried sick and don't deserve such an ungrateful daughter!" He was all but yelling now. "You can't even defend yourself against me, and I'm not Mateo's best apprentice." His eyes narrowed. For the first time Olivia saw the malvago Victor had once been. "What would you do if I were truly your enemy? Nothing! You can do nothing without your tamborita, and you let me take it far too easily.
"If I genuinely wished you harm, I could send you flying into the sun," he sent her speeding towards the dome of the shield, "or drown you in the sea," he released the shield and sent her overboard, stopping her an inch above the water. All three guards ran to the side of the boat, and Rico even lifted his tamborita, but before he could strike Victor sent Olivia flying over their heads and brought her close to him. With his left hand he grabbed her chin. "I could turn you to stone."
"You wouldn't dare," Olivia choked out, shocked.
"Or," and he sent her shooting above the sails again, "I could simply…release you." Victor banged his tamborita, and Olivia plummeted to the ship below. Ixlan caught her before she hit the deck.
"A real enemy," Victor said, "wouldn't make sure there was someone to catch you when you fell." He tossed her tamborita at her feet. "Lesson over!"
He turned to Esteban and spat, "I win, El Segundo. Again!" He stalked to the far side of the boat. Everyone stared at him in stunned silence.
Then they turned to look at Olivia. The young apprentice didn't want to deal with the concern and pity she saw in their eyes. "What? He won," she snapped. She tried to hide the fact she was still shaking as she walked in the opposite direction of Victor. She went to the storage bin where she'd first stowed away and shut the door behind her. She didn't want anyone to see her cry.
AN: A story cannot contain a song, of course. But if you would like one, imagine an '80s Latin Pop ballad sung by Victor as he's standing alone. He reveals all his frustrations and fears. He feels guilty for losing his temper at Olivia, but also resents her for being better at magic than him. He is scornful of Esteban, but also mourns their lost friendship. And he is afraid – desperately afraid – for Carla, and doesn't know if she's safe. At the same time he is furious that she risked all they had built over the last two years in Avalor City. Most of all, he is deeply hurt that his daughter has abandoned him.