Part Four

Wanna-be lovers lined the paths through the courtyard as I made my way to the teachers' quarters to find out my results from Hartia. Eris was among them, talking with a group of her friends - obviously about her hairpin with the way she kept pointing to it. She had her back to the walkway, so I had no trouble passing her. Her friends were too busy 'Ooh-ing' with envy that they didn't notice me either. I'm glad there are so many blonde boys attending the Tower. I blend in very well.

As I cut through a garden to get there quicker, I saw the brilliant white of a single flower struggling to touch the sunlight through its leafy neighbours. That was it - the same sort of flower I'd seen pressed between the pages of the Black Tiger! I knelt in the dirt, pushing the leaves away to reveal the flower's glory.

Why, as humans, are we compelled to kill everything? I can't explain why I plucked it from its stem while I stood there mesmerised by it. I wanted it. I had to have it. The next thing I knew, it was in my hand! I didn't mean to kill it... I didn't want to see it die!

So I did the only thing I could as a sorcerer's apprentice - I used magic...
And I somehow managed to cast the love spell on it.

It took the spell like it had been made for it! Its petals seemed to glow with new light... with new life. And I felt the love I had inside me radiating from it.

It was the Black Tiger's flower...
And I would give it to Hartia for White Day.

It would be perfect.


I seemed to float the rest of the way to my destination. I'd cast two spells in one day, and neither had destroyed anything or hurt anyone! I was on a high that couldn't be brought down by anything!

I'd march up to Hartia's door and present him with the flower, no stalling, no nothing - I'd just do it. Right now, it didn't matter how he reacted...

I just wish he had been there to react.

"Master?" I called into the obviously empty room. "Master, are you there?"
Nothing but deafening silence answered me, so I ventured into the room, wondering whether it had been this cold and barren when it belonged to Childman.

There was a large oak desk in front of a monstrous window that stretched all the way up to the high ceiling, but there was very little else apart from a closed door, which I suppose lead Hartia's bedroom - but I wasn't about to go snooping around in there!

The best thing to do would be to leave the flower on his desk and go. Perhaps it would work out a lot better if he didn't know who it was from? At least then he wouldn't laugh at me. So that is what I did. I could find out my test results later during training.

I placed it in front of a small, framed photograph, arranged to face whoever sat in the single chair. The colours had long since faded, leaving but a dull skeleton of the picture's original form - but its smiling subjects were still very recognisable. A young Childman with his arms around Orphen and Hartia, who both looked no older than 10.

As I left the room and scuttled down the corridors leading into the main hall, every fibre of my being was begging me to go back and get the flower before it was too late... before Hartia found it.

Have you ever heard of a guy giving another guy a present on White Day? My mind nagged me. You couldn't just be happy with passing your practical; you had to go wreck everything for yourself, didn't you? What if he works out who it's from? What if he tells Lai? What are you going to do, then?

I stopped dead in my tracks. Of course he would know who it was from - I'd cast his own spell on it! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!

By chance, I looked out into the courtyard and caught a glimpse of red hair. Hartia! Lai was walking by his side, his crystal ball cradled in his arms, barely reaching his lanky friend's shoulder with his small, but intimidating frame.

Great. Just great! I didn't want to get into more trouble, so I just stood there hoping - praying - that if Hartia was headed to his room, he would go there alone. Not that you can hide much from a psychic of Lai's calibre... but you can try, right? He doesn't see everything.

No doubt Lai was giving Hartia a similar lecture to the one he'd forced upon me in the library. Well, maybe... Except that they were both smiling. They were probably reminiscing about the past again, and not talking about me. My ego felt like it had taken a savage beating. I don't even know why I was upset - it's not as if I wanted Lai complaining about me, and my 'childish infatuation'.

I guess...

I guess I wanted to know if Hartia would defend me.

"Master!" I called through the archway beside me.
He didn't hear me, but Lai did (or he sensed me, for all I know). He cast me a warning look that made me physically cringe, which lasted until he could no longer turn his head to keep eye contact with me. I don't know what I've done to deserve him treating me like this - and only he knows what I'm going to do

I don't mean to sound like I hate the guy! Usually, he's very quiet and well-mannered. I understand he wants to protect his friend from the wrath of the Elders, but I think he's making far too big a deal over this. Unless he's seen something to make a big deal over...

"Oh, my! Majic are you all right?"
The words registered and I understood them, but my brain was not present to answer. It was thinking about what Lai might have seen... Hartia and I, together? Was he going to kiss me after he found the flower? Would we go even further?

I couldn't help thinking about my dream last night, and how gentle he had been with me. I could still feel his kisses; feel his skin moving against mine; feel him inside me-
"Majic!"

"Eris?" This, I didn't need.
She reached up to touch my flushed cheek, and then pushed my headband out of the way to feel my forehead. "You're burning up!"
"I'm okay." I assured her, pulling my headband back down and playing with my fringe until it fell the right way again. By her reaction, anyone walking past would think I was dying! It was just a little blush, coupled with some major arousal - which, thankfully, the folds in my robes hid.
"I never got to thank you for the beautiful hairpin this morning. And since you're obviously not well, I'll make it quick." She threw her arms around my waist and squeezed tight. "Thank you, Majic! You're the sweetest boy in the whole world. I love it!"
I was about to return the hug when I caught sight of Hartia returning. I gently nudged Eris away, explaining that I had things to do with my master, and ran to meet him halfway.

"I'll see you later, then!" I heard her call out in a hopeful voice behind me, and I felt terrible. I didn't want to hurt her.

Hartia was carrying a rolled piece of parchment bound with red ribbon, presumably containing my results, and he was strangely alone. As he got closer, I noticed it - perhaps the reason why he was alone - he had my flower pinned to his robe! He didn't look angry, but then again, he didn't look happy either. He didn't have any identifiable expression at all.

"Here you go, Majic. You should be very proud of yourself." He handed the parchment over to me with a nod of respect.
I pulled the ends of the bow and unfurled my results, beaming as I realised how good they were. They weren't perfect; they were average, but certainly good enough to warrant writing my father a letter about them.
"Thanks, Master!" I moved to hug him, but I stopped short when I saw him tense up. The air suddenly felt very awkward, so I filled it with an idle comment. "My dad will be so happy."
"And so he should be." I know I made a squeak of fright when Hartia's hand clamped down on my shoulder and he leant over to whisper close to my ear. "You know, Majic, I'm not a girl."
"I know that, Master." I stutter back to him, blushing even worse than I was before.
"Then what are you doing giving me flowers today?"
"I just thought..."
He motioned for me to continue walking with him, and not a single word was spoken the whole way down to the training grounds.