The Gifts
"This will be your room for as long as you wish to stay with us here at our Home. Make yourself comfortable. I need to go see Elsa, to see how Amanda is." He walked off, and entered the door at the end of the hallway.
I put the key the King gave me into the lock on my new bedroom door. I opened the door, and saw a huge bedroom, about twice the size of my room at the Palace. There was a window, viewing over the city, on the opposite wall of the door. The bed was also twice the size of my other, and I noticed four gifts on it. I closed the door behind me, and walked over to the bed. I sat down on it, and picked up the parcel closest to me. It was very light for it's size, I read what it said on the tag slowly. It said 'Welcome to Silmaria, Erik. I hope the prophecy is true. - Prince Justin.' I was curious to see what it was. I slowly opened the package, you never know if there is going to be a spell on the inside of the wrapping. I put the paper aside, and slowly opened the box. It was a silver and gold bracelet. I examined it, and realized it was a Magic Charm Bracelet. I was shocked, I've always wanted one! I placed it at my side on the bed. I reached for the next package. It was a little larger than the one from Justin, and was a bit heavier too. I read the tag on this one. 'Welcome, Erik. Hope you enjoy your stay. - Queen Elsa.' Again, I slowly unwrapped it, and I placed the wrapper on top of the one from Justin. I opened the box and saw an amulet with a sword on it. There was a note underneath it.
Erik -
Good luck on your adventure here on
Marete. Even though you have not yet
learned to use your sword, I believe in
the future, this Amulet of Attack will
- Queen Elsa
I placed the note on another empty spot on my bed. I put the Amulet of Attack beside the bracelet I got from Justin. Again, I reached for the next package. It was the same size as the one I got from the Queen. The tag on this one said 'Erik, I believe you will follow in my footsteps and become a great Hero. - Orion' I opened, anxious to see what it was, and put the paper on the pile with the others. I quickly opened the box and saw another amulet, this time with a shield on it. There was a note under this one as well.
Prince Erik -
I hope you will accept my gift of an
Amulet of Defense. It will help you
take guard when you are attacked
by more than one of any creature.
- Orion
I placed the note with the one from the Queen. I looked at the next package, I knew it was from Amanda. I slowly extended my hand to pick it up. I didn't get to know Amanda. After all, this was my first day in Silmaria, but to see someone in a coma like she was, with her mother at her side, hoping for the best, it all brings you down in tears. I sniffed, and picked the parcel up. It was the largest package, yet it was the lightest. The tag on hers said "To Prince Erik, Welcome to Silmaria, I hope you do what you must to complete your quest. - Amanda' I didn't even try to stop the tear from rolling down my cheek. I opened it slowly, careful not to tear the wrapping at all. The box had a picture of a wizards staff on it, casting a spell. I lifted the lid of the box, and saw two rolls of paper in it. I unrolled one of the papers. It had the familiar arcane writings. On the top of the scroll, it read in the Language of the Wizards - ~Dragon Frost = The Dragon of the Arctic Chill~ - I read the scroll, and felt the ancient knowledge in it flow throughout my body. I felt the power of knowing the spell. The paper crumbled in my hands, and disappeared. I picked up the other paper and slowly unrolled it. It was a painting of the Royal Family. It looked like they were standing in front of the Coliseum outside the Hall. They looked like a happy family, and I couldn't wait to meet Byron, the oldest child of Orion and Elsa.
I took off DragonFury and LifeShield, and placed them in the chest at the foot of my new bed. I now decided to cast detect magic to check out my room. The whole room glowed with an intense blue. There must be a very powerful protection spell cast on each and every room, so that it protects each and every object in the Hall of Kings. I picked up the wrappers and noticed that they were still blank, and carefully folded them up and put them in the box that Amanda gave me.
I then emptied the contents of my pouch on the bed. I put the painting of my family beside the one of the Royal family of Silmaria. I then picked up the painting of Arisha, and looked at her. Her sun-dyed hair, her radiant green eyes, the curve of her lips as she smiled. I just realized the meaning of what Bruce had said at the Dead Parrot. 'She was just beginning to enjoy life.' It's true for both Arisha and Amanda. They were just starting to realize what life meant to them, and they were attacked. I wanted Amanda to be okay, but for some strange reason, I feared the worst. I sat the picture down, leaving go of myself, and letting a few more tears roll down my cheeks.
I then picked up the old package my father had given to me six years ago. The wrapping was old and yellow. The twine that held it together was old and frayed. It could have easily fit both amulets and the bracelet in it as have room for another. I pulled on the string to undo the bow that held it shut. It gave way rather easily, and the string disappeared, leaving the old paper to fall, opening the package on the bed. It was a wooden box with my family crest on it. A dragon on top with a griffin on the bottom, separated by a lightning bolt, with four stars, connected with curved lines to form the shape a shield. I lifted the lid of the box, and saw another note. It said, 'Erik, you are to be a Hero now, Good Luck, my son. Love your father,' and then it had his signature, Erik Shamsuel, Jr. I now noticed that there was a small wooden board to cover what was underneath the note. I carefully removed it and saw a blue cloth. I lifted it, and it was a cape with a small golden clasp with my family crest on it. I tried it on, and felt pride in myself because my dad had faith in me before he even knew about me coming to Silmaria.
I knew I was going to be a great hero someday, and that I had a new life to look forward to.
