April 23, 1988

Training can be a laborious process on both the mind and body. No matter how many times I tell Ludwig this, he tends to get more and more exasperated. He is a gifted young sorcerer, but learning the extent of one's dark art is not something easily done, no matter how powerful the holder. We have been practicing with higher levels spells recently, just like we did last fall. Unfortunately, the results are still the same. His mastery of tier four spells is amazing, which leaves me dumbfounded about why he cannot counter fifth tier ones so successfully. He is very agile and a fast thinker. I keep telling myself that he is still growing as a student and I haven't seen him at his best yet. Then, much to my chagrin, I remember how I was at his age.

Our last session ended with Ludwig on the ground, out of breath and in some pain. I had knocked him down with the same fifth tier wind spell I used several times in the past during our training exercises. Each time it was cast, I hoped he'd be able to retaliate and cause me to be the one flat on his back.

The weather permitted us to practice outside on that sunny afternoon. I had requested from the king and Ludwig's little siblings that we be able to train alone, as I've noticed that the appearance of others tends to throw the boy off guard. Distractions only serve to break a sorcerer's concentration. There have been times where many a sorcerer's life depended on their keen sense of blocking out everything around them in order to produce a spell. It took me years to acquire such a skill. I even had extra practice at it while ignoring Camille's ranting and raving later on. She said I was a poor listener. I just said I had selective hearing.

Tangents aside, I grimaced when I saw my protegee hit the hard grassy dirt. His eyes closed in discomfort as a groan escaped his lips. With a flick of my wrist, I triggered the effects of the wind spell to cease. Quickly, I made my way over to the boy and knelt down.

"Are you all right, Ludwig?"

He answered by opening up his eyes and sitting up. "I almost had you this time, Kamek. I thought I really did." His voice sounded bitter. I noticed that his hands were still glowing a faint red. I wasn't sure what he was thinking, but I did realize I had managed to anger him consecutively during each session we recently had.

"You know I'm only doing this to--"

"Yeah, I know."

I sighed. He and I both knew I was about to launch into the same speech I had been giving him when he encountered difficulties during his training. Fortunately he cut me off before I could do it. "Ludwig--"

"This sort of thing isn't easy," he mimicked. "It takes great responsibility blah blah blah."

"I believe you have it down pat." I smirked. Even I had to admit I was tired of the same old droning pep talk. "Since you already know what I'm going to say, I'll just cut to the chase. You have to keep at it, Ludwig. Don't let these hiccups hinder your overall development. We all learn at our own pace."

"Yeah," he quipped. "We can't all be like you, Kamek."

"And what was that supposed to mean, young man?" His comment amused me. I took a seat on the ground next to him and tilted my head to its side. "Mind clarifying?"

Chuckling, he began to pick at some blades of grass as he spoke. "Somehow I can just imagine you being the fastest learner in the class, you know what I mean? Like everything comes easily to you, including sorcery."

"Heh, not exactly." I immediately thought back to my sorcerer training years ago under the sorceress Arianna. She was especially hard on me, but I had Monika there for encouragement. "I wasn't an easy student, Ludwig." I slowly started. "There were times where I was impatient, and lacked focus and discipline."

The boy's eyes widened. "Really? I can't imagine you being like that."

"Well I was. Often I excelled at my art, yet I could be reckless when I wanted to. I guess I did it to impress someone."

"Your teacher?"

"No," I grinned. "Your mother."

"I figured it was for a girl."

Snickering, I began to tell him a story from my past. Within minutes I had transported us back to 1966, where I was only a boy of fifteen. Then I was under the wing of Arianna, a fifth tier sorceress who's occupation was to train higher level students. Her services were costly, but luckily since I came from a wealthy family, she accepted me as her pupil. Previously, I had been training with my grandfather. My powers were discovered when I was five, and I was immediately thrust into a life unlike that of other young boys my age. At the time, I didn't seem to mind. While growing up I always perceived myself differently from other children. Acquaintances came and went, and I only had few real friends. My life had become one that revolved around my art and the political influence of my father, a councilman under King Bowser's father. He dreamed of me following in his footsteps, but then again, what father doesn't? Eventually my abilities surpassed those of my grandfather's, who was a gifted, yet limited, third tier sorcerer. That's when my family sought out the aid of Arianna, who had successfully taught many in the past. At only nine years of age, I was required to spend a few hours a week with the sorceress at my father's estate in Dark World, where I grew up. There were also times when I visited her at her home, where she would often bring several of her students together for training sessions. It was there that I met a stubborn little aristocrat named Monika. If only I knew then how much she would change my life. We quickly befriended each other. It didn't take us long to learn that we were the only two fifth tier sorcerers in Arianna's bunch, and naturally, we became her favorite apprentices. This benefit did come with a price. She was often harder on us than her other pupils, and she enjoyed to make examples out of our mishaps in front of everyone. I do admit, there were times I hated her for making me feel like such an incompetent ass, especially in front of Monika.

There was one time in particular when I was singled out that I'll never forget. This was the highlight of my story. On that sunny afternoon over twenty years ago, Monika and I were in Arianna's backyard, having a friendly sparring session. She was my only match among my peers, yet sometimes I had a hard time retaliating against her, no matter how many fireballs she flung at my head.

"Come on, Kamek!" she joked. "I know you can do much better than that!"

"Heh, I'm only being easy on you because you're a girl." I replied, knowing well that my remark would hit a soft spot. Monika wasn't one to be intimidated by anyone, including me.

"I'm gonna kick your ass for that!"

"Go right ahead."

I honestly didn't see anything coming and only felt it after the spell had taken its effect. A gush of strong wind pushed against my back, forcing me to stumble a few steps forward. Upon looking up, I realized I was now standing extremely close to Monika. She wore a scowl across her lips while she brought her face right up to mine.

"Was that a challenge, Kamek?"

I wasn't sure how to reply. Truthfully, right then and there, I just wanted to kiss her. She was a blunt young lady, while I often appeared standoffish. We flirted often, but I was always too scared to make the next move, so instead I opted to be the pompous teenager I had grown accustomed to being.

"I think I'd be too much of a challenge for you, Monika." I smirked. "I wouldn't want you to break a nail or something."

What I said and what I felt were two different things. The feelings which I tried desperately to hide were probably too mature for a fifteen year old boy to handle. I was already infatuated with Monika, my childish thoughts of friendship gradually eroding away. I wasn't sure if she felt the same way about me. I found it difficult interpreting her actions. Was an ice crystal hurled in my direction a sign of affection? Unfortunately I didn't find out her true intentions until ten years later.

She grinned and opened up her mouth to say something, but Arianna's voice seemed to escape from her instead.

"Monika! Why don't you let me take care of him?"

We looked up to see our teacher walking toward us, smiling wryly. Although she was middle aged (come to think of it, she never told us how old she actually was), we didn't let her demeanor fool us. She was one of the most powerful sorcerers in the Eight Kingdoms. Kings coveted her abilities, but she vowed to never use them for warfare. It was a point she stressed on her students, which leaves me in quite a predicament in my current situation as Head Administrator.

"Aw, I wanted to be the one to give him a whooping." Monika frowned before smiling at me. "Good luck, Kamek." She found a spot on the grass next to Arianna's flower garden and silently watched us.

On the outside I made sure to appear collected and calm, but I was feeling queasy on the inside. My teacher had been pushing me harder than usual lately and I wasn't sure as to why. It bothered me enough that she pulled me away from Monika. I couldn't imagine being defeated by her in my friend's presence. Ever since that day I made sure not to have outsiders watch decisive training exercises. It only serves to distract the trainee. I found that out the hard way.

Arianna addressed me in a voice that only I would be able to hear. "Lately I've noticed that you've been too preoccupied with something other than your sorcery, Kamek." She took a quick glance in Monika's direction, then stared back at me. "If you're out for a girlfriend, that's your business, but do not let it interfere with what matters most."

...Gods! And I thought I was hiding it well!...I remember thinking. I did not want it to appear that I was surprised at her statement, so I tried to conceal my shock.

"A girlfriend? I have no interest in such a thing. She's just my best friend."

"You're a poor liar."

"That's not the first time I've heard that."

"Don't get smart with me. I've been observing you lately as you spar with other students. It seems you're more concerned with showing off. You haven't been treating your powers with respect. Do you want to make a career out of appearing at children's parties?"

"No!" I angrily retorted. "Why are you suddenly catching an attitude with me?" I was never one to talk back to authority, especially Arianna, but she was making a fool out of me. It was the first and the last time I ever spoke so harshly to my teacher.

"You're the one with the attitude, young man. I heard the way you spoke to Monika earlier. With the way you've been acting, she could easily outmatch you."

I couldn't think of anything to say back because she was right, and I knew it. Instead, I stupidly replied, "So?"

"So? Is that the callous attitude you've adopted, Kamek? What has become of you?"

"Nothing..." I stopped and took a quick breath. That was another lie. I knew damn well what was bothering me, so without thinking, I blurted it out. "Actually, there is something. Why have you been pushing me so hard lately?"

"Pushing you?"

"Yeah, you've been pointing out all my mistakes in front of everyone. You keep telling me I need work while you praise the other students. Why is that?" I took a glance at Monika. She had been listening to our conversation, as by now my voice had grown from a mere whisper into an agitated shout. Her head instantly jerked in the opposite direction to make it look like she wasn't eavesdropping. "Monika and I are probably your only pupils who deserve such flattery, and yet you keep pulling me down with your snide comments!"

Amazingly she kept her calm. "It is because you're capable of more, Kamek."

Her answer took me back. "Huh?"

"You heard me." She brought her face close to mine to make sure I'd only hear what she was about to say. "You are capable of so much more. Why should I shower you with praise for casting simple spells and showing off? You know you're in a league above the majority of my students, Kamek. Your only real competition is Monika, but you don't see her parading around here like she's the gods' gift to sorcery, do you? What I'm trying to tell you is not to act so cocky about your abilities. I believe that one day you will surpass me, Kamek. I know you will...but not with this attitude. Either grow up or leave. I don't want you as my student if you're going to carry on like this."

Oh, was I angered at that! I was even more enraged when she turned her back on me to walk away. She called for Monika to join her and ignored me as I stood there seething. She had been so condescending by addressing me like she was talking to a ten year old. I knew I was capable of more and still had a long road ahead if I wanted to achieve that, yet what did I do? I let my temper control me once again and yelled back at her. That was a big mistake.

"Fine! I'll leave then! I'm so sick of being treated like a child."

Arianna and Monika both faced me. An appalled expression spread across my friend's face while my teacher continued to stare me down. She intimidated me without saying a word, but it did not prevent me from further making an ass out of myself.

"I'm going to go and find a teacher who will respect me and not treat me the way you do, Arianna! And one day I will be better than you!" I kept hearing a little voice in my head scream, Shut up! Shut up before you piss her off even more!, yet I continued to rant. I was such a fool. "I'm the best student you've ever had."

I felt both relieved and frightened. Relieved because I got it off my chest and let Arianna know how I really felt about her. Frightened because of what she'd do next. Not wanting to stick around and wait for it, I turned away and began to stalk back towards the yard's gate, where I would exit for the last time.

I heard my teacher's voice call out for me from behind, "You've got a lot of growing up to do, young man! Learn how to respect your elders!"

And then everything went black. At the time I was unsure of what had happened. One minute I was walking away, the next...I couldn't remember. The next thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a room I had never been in before. Then I heard her speak to me.

"Wakey, wakey, Kamek."

Groggily I moved my head to the side and saw Monika next to me. I realized that I was lying down on a bed, with my friend sitting on the bed's edge by my side. I groaned something incoherent and cuddled up next to her. She began to run her fingers through my dark brown hair.

"How do you feel?"

"...My head really hurts."

"Heh, it should after what Arianna did to you."

"What did she do?"

"She knocked you out with a blast of ice. Hehe, it was pretty cool watching the ice break into a million tiny particles as it hit the back of your head. She didn't hurt ya too badly though. No blood. You've just got a nice bump that'll heal with some tender loving care."

"Gods, she really did that?"

"Uh-huh."

"What a bitch." I chuckled. I lifted my head to rest on Monika's lap, where she carefully adjusted it so I wouldn't hurt it any further. Content, I allowed my eyes to close again. "How long was I out for?"

"About forty-five minutes. You deserved it though."

"You're right, I did. Is she still really ticked at me?"

"No, not so much. I think she's more hurt than anything. I don't think any of her pupils have spoken to her like that before. She really likes you, Kamek. She thinks you're gonna take her place one day. I can see how what you said would've hurt her."

I was silent for a few moments and enjoyed the feeling of Monika's fingers making their way through my hair. The back of my head throbbed. All I wanted to do was go home. I couldn't face Arianna after what I said to her. I truly was sorry, but lacked the emotion to express it.

"You should apologize, Kamek." Monika lightly explained. "It'll help."

"I know."

"Well, now's a good time." She pulled her hand away from me. I slowly sat up and saw my teacher in the doorway. "I'll leave you two alone." Before getting to her feet, my friend squeezed my shoulder. Arianna moved out of the way to let her pupil out, then entered the room.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Tirro?" she questioned, her tone mocking. She was almost gloating.

"I guess I feel okay, considering the circumstances."

"As to be expected." She took a seat on the bed and frowned at me. "I'm sorry for what I did-"

"No, I should be the one apologizing. I deserved it. I should've never talked back to you like that." I suddenly stopped, not knowing what else to say. "...I'm sorry, Arianna."

She nodded her head. "Apology accepted. My, I had no idea that I'd have to resort to harming you to get you to straighten up!"

"I can be a bit headstrong at times."

"A bit? Well, anyway, do you finally understand what I was trying to tell you earlier?"

"You mean about why you're so hard on me?"

"Yes."

"Now I do."

"Good. Kamek, I'm not going to applaud you for every simple hoop you jump through. My other students, they're not on the same level as you. I am hard with them too, but you're a special case. I am going to keep pushing you until you surpass me and I have nothing else to teach you. But until that day comes, am I still to be your teacher?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said earlier you wanted to find someone else. Are you still going to go ahead and do that?"

"No, of course not. I have no idea what I even meant by that."

"It's settled then. Besides, there's no way I would've given you up to another trainer so easily. You're one of the best pupils I've ever had Kamek, if not the best. Ha, there's some praise for you!"

"I guess it's nice to just hear it sometimes." I smiled, rubbing the back of my head.

She managed a grin. "I suppose so."

It was the first and last time that we ever had a conversation like that. From that day on, I upheld my position as one of her best students. She kept her word and pushed me like never before. In the end it paid off, because I did eventually surpass her. My training ended in my late teens and I went on to forge my political career. My story seemed to have an effect on Ludwig, who was now gazing at me with his eyes wide.

"Wow. She kicked your ass, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did. And watch your mouth, young man."

"Is that why you're so difficult with me sometimes, Kamek?" he innocently asked. "Not that I don't appreciate it and all."

"Don't worry, Ludwig. I'd never inflict harm on you...unless you deserved it, like I did." I reached out and ruffled his hair. He giggled. "All training takes is time."

"Kamek, do you think I'd ever surpass you one day at the rate I'm going?"

"Ludwig, don't mock yourself. We all learn at our own pace. I've told you this several times before." The wind rustling through the grass caught my attention, causing my mind to drift off. "You will surpass me one day. I know you will."

"If you say so." He grabbed my sleeve, bringing me back. "I'm hungry. Let's eat!"

Now, as I write this, I can't help but think back at the time I spent with Arianna. It saddens me that I haven't spoken to her in ages. Perhaps I'll get in touch with my favorite teacher soon. I'm sure she knows already, but I'd like to tell her what an effect she's had on my life and that I finally understand what she meant all those years ago. Being the Crown Prince's tutor has made me realize how difficult, yet extremely rewarding, training a young sorcerer can be.

May 11, 1988

These past few days have been somewhat of a mini-vacation for Ludwig, Lemuel and myself. Three days ago was the Alterian princess' twelfth birthday, and King Leirelat had invited me and the two princes to attend the festivities, under the condition that all we brought was ourselves...and, of course, presents. I thought I would have some trouble convincing Queen Adora to allow me to bring her son along, but she did not seem to mind. Lemuel had just turned ten the previous month, and as most children his age, he had a habit of chewing ears off, even if no one was listening. The queen probably wanted some peace and quiet for a change. I don't ever remember Ludwig acting like that, but then again, him and his little brother are very different on several levels. Regardless, he gets along with Lemuel, and did not protest when he was invited to come along to Alteria. Aside from spending the day there, we were granted an overnight stay at the palace, which was an interesting experience within itself. Prince Lemuel was the most fascinated with everything, as he had never visited the icy kingdom before. The weather was breezy and cool for early May, which I was told was normal for Alteria. It was a clear day outside, and the children chose to stay in the gardens as opposed to the richly decorated hall, where I conversed with Head Administrator Gregory.

"King Leirelat likes to keep things small, doesn't he?" I asked, sipping from my wine glass. It was a dry red wine, one of my favorite beverages. Camille often remarked that I drank too much while we were married. I argued back that I didn't drink enough.

"Heh, you say that so wryly, Kamek."

"As do you, Head Administrator."

"Well, Head Administrator, I can only humbly pour you more wine!"

"If you insist, Head Administrator." We chuckled at each other as he refilled my glass. "Seriously Gregory, how have things been going here?"

"The same old, Kamek." he answered without even looking at me. "My king has kept up his peculiar behavior. He's become isolated from others because of it. I've had to do the work of us both, acting as Administrator and ambassador for Alteria. He alienates himself, but blames it on everyone else. Has King Bowser expressed any concern as of late?"

"My king constantly seems preoccupied with something. He still hasn't mentioned it to me yet."

"I'm not surprised."

"He basically relies on me to maintain relations with Alteria."

"I have to admit, Kamek, King Leirelat has taken to you. You're one of the only few he trusts."

"Yes, he's mentioned that to me."

"He also trusts you with his daughter, which is something not many around here have achieved. Only the princess' nanny, Erica, and those closest to the king are allowed near her-"

"You're kidding me."

"Well, you see who's here today." He paused, looking around the room. I did the same. "It's just you, the princes, and some of Leirelat's family. No real outsiders to pose a threat. He just continues to get stranger. I can't explain it..it's like he's changed overnight."

"How is Victoria doing? As soon as we arrived, all I got to say was 'happy birthday', and then her and the princes ran off."

"I believe they're back inside now, peeking at the presents. Want to see them?"

"Sure. Anything beats standing here."

"Aw, what about the booze?"

"The booze is good." I grinned.

"Then let me direct you to the birthday girl." Gregory and I exited the hall, where he lead me down a familiar corridor. I finally began getting used to the palace's layout, since it was much larger than the one back home and took longer to get accustomed to. Already I could hear children giggling from a room nearby. Gregory and I lingered at the doorway and watched the three as they snooped. The room was where the princess' presents had been placed, as I spotted the gifts we brought. In front of a big wrapped box were two little sorcerers, whispering to each other. Lemuel was wandering around, occasionally picking up a box to shake the contents inside.

"This one sounds like it has something cool in it!" he shouted, turning his head. "You should open this one up first, Tori!"

"Right after we open this one up, Lemmy." she calmly replied, not bothering to tear her eyes away from the larger box. "Hey Louie, try it..."

"You sure?"

"Just do it small enough so no one else will notice. My hand isn't as steady as yours when it comes to fire. Plus, I want to know what's inside!"

"Hehe, okay."

"Whatcha gonna do, Louie?" Lemuel questioned as he joined the two. They still had no idea they were being spied on. I glanced at Gregory, who grinned back. We decided to leave them alone to their pranks. We watched as the Crown Prince's right hand began to glow a light orange. He then slightly singed the wrappings on the box with his fingers. It was just enough to peek inside. "That's so cool, Louie! Why can't you do that with my birthday presents?"

"Thanks so much!" The princess squeezed his arm in return, then leaned down to take a look.

"No problem, Tori. It's a little trick I learned while snooping through my own gifts." He bent over next to her. "...So what's inside?"

"Um, I can't tell..."

"It's a real big box! Maybe it's some kind of toy?" Lemuel chirped as he attempted to wedge himself between his brother and Victoria. "Toys are fun. I like toys."

"I wish it was a toy, but I think I'm getting kind of old for that."

"Maybe it's a TV or something like that?" Ludwig suggested. "Want me to take a peek?"

"Sure, here ya go." She moved out of the way so the prince could look.

At that point, Gregory moved into the room and loudly cleared his throat. The sound caused the mischievous children to jump up. "Your Highness, if you were to find out what it is now, you won't be surprised when you open it in front of all your guests."

"Yes I will. I'll force myself to." she nonchalantly responded. "Do you know what it is?"

"Nope."

"Then you're no help." Victoria smiled at the Head Administrator before addressing me, "Mr. Kamek, how long were you spying on us?"

"Not long. Just enough to see what Ludwig did with the box."

"We weren't being too bad..." The Crown Prince forced a smirk as he looked at me.

"Nope, we weren't!" his little brother reiterated. "We just found three shirts, two skirts, and a pair of ugly shoes!"

"As I said...'too bad'." Ludwig giggled to the princess.

"You guys are gonna get me into so much trouble."she sighed, playfully tugging on the Crown Prince's sleeve. "...Not that I don't already do a good job of that myself."

"Victoria, you are something..." Gregory laughed. "So Lemuel, how are you enjoying Alteria so far?"

"It's cold. A lot colder than Dark World." The child clasped his hands together and balanced on his heels. "Yup, I do like it here though. There's still snow on the ground, and it's almost summer!"

"And that's not something we see at home, is it?" I added. It was amusing to see Lemuel get all exited over something so simple as snow. I was not one to act in such a way. Letting my emotions known is rather difficult for me, as it is for Ludwig. I suppose that's why we get along so well...neither of us has any idea what the other is really thinking!

"You kind of get sick of the snow," Victoria began. "There are days when I wish there was no snow on the ground so I could go outside more."

"Then you should visit us in Dark World again!" Lemuel eagerly announced, unaware of the underlying situation regarding King Leirelat and his own father. I squirmed when he said that.

"I know it would be difficult for you, but I really wish you could." Ludwig only worsened the situation whether he realized it or not. I think he knew the sensitivity of the issue, but he went ahead and said it anyway. "I don't know why your dad has to keep acting like this."

"King Leirelat has his reasons." I interjected. "Doesn't he, Head Administrator?"

Before Gregory could answer, Victoria cut him off, "Yeah...he's doing it to protect me or something, but all I want is to just visit some friends. Do you think he'd have a problem with that, Gregory?"

"I think he would. You know that."

"It would be so much fun if you could come, Tori! You could play with our little sister Wendy, and we can...um...we can make smores!" Lemuel continued to perk the princess' interest, further causing Gregory and I to get uneasy. Neither of us had any idea what to tell the princess if she inquired further about the invitation. I certainly wouldn't mind having her visit Dark World, but I would not want to deal with her father's wrath. All I need is for him to lose his trust in me. The alliance is already on a thread, and I feel like Gregory and I are the fragile glue holding it together. Any missteps could cause it to snap.

"Lemuel, while I'm sure Victoria appreciates the invitation, there is no way she can accept." Gregory calmly explained to the prince. "For now, you and your brother can continue to visit her here-"

"I'm so sick of staying in here." the princess snapped. "Why is he keeping me cooped up like this? I'm not even allowed to be outside by myself anymore! I can't go anywhere without being followed by Erica or one of my father's servants."

I made a futile attempt to comfort her, "Your father loves you very much. He's just wants you to be safe. Your powers make you susceptible to those who desire them."

"Everyone keeps making decisions for me, but don't I have a say in anything?"

"Victoria, your father and I try to make the best decisions for you, while always keeping you in mind." Gregory elaborated. "It's not easy when your daughter possesses abilities that no one else in the Eight Kingdoms has."

"Head Administrator, you could not be more correct." King Leirelat's voice came from out of nowhere, startling everyone in the room. I didn't notice him standing behind me and whirled around when he made his presence known.

"Your Majesty," I stammered. "We didn't see you come in."

"He's just snooping again." Victoria grumbled. "He's good at that."

"I was just explaining to your daughter about why we're so strict." Gregory commented. "Prince Lemuel had asked if she would be able to spend some time with them in Dark World."

"Absolutely not."

"This is what I'm talking about!" the princess butted in. "You don't let me do anything, and the worst part is that you won't even tell me why! All you do is give me excuses. I'm so sick of being kept in here! I can't even go outside without you constantly keeping watch over me. I can't even visit my own friends! Why won't you let me go, if even for just one time?"

The tension in the room caused the Crown Prince to physically show how uncomfortable he felt. He knew he had helped to spark the father/daughter argument. All he could do was keep silent. He did not know Leirelat very well. By remaining wordless, he hoped not to offend him. Prince Lemuel was also quiet, but seemed to be off in his own world, unsure of what was going on in the room. I felt that I had to say something. I did not want the king to think that I helped insinuate the debate.

"Your Highness, I tried to explain to the princess that while we would love to have her visit Dark World, it is against your wishes, and those have to be respected above all."

"Victoria, Kamek is right. You cannot go to Dark World anymore. Do you understand?" He waited for his daughter to answer, but she did not say a word. All the princess did was fold her arms and stare at the carpet beneath her feet. I heard her exhale a long breath. "Good. Are we finished? We've discussed this topic long enough, and I'm tired of it."

His stern tone must have set something off inside of her, because Victoria instantly began yelling back at her father, "You were never like this before! Why are you suddenly so paranoid all the time? Is it something I did or said?" The raw emotion in her voice betrayed the cool front she usually displayed. Over the years, I've come to regard her as I would any child her age, excluding her extraordinary abilities, yet underneath, there was something off about her. I couldn't quite figure it out until now.

"No, of course not!" her father stammered back, surprised at the outburst. "You did nothing-"

"Then let me do all the things I used to do!"

"Things have changed. You cannot-"

"I'm so tired of hearing that!" she screamed. "You have no idea what it's like to be cut off from your friends. I really have no one here to talk to. You're too busy doing whatever you do, Erica hardly understands me, Ludwig is two kingdoms away, and my mother's dead!"

Her words were blunt and could not have been more true. Leirelat seemed mortified, as if he did not want to admit that she was right, even if he knew it. It was not the first time I had to hold my tongue while listening to a child argue with their parent. Both her and the Crown Prince were in similar situations when it came to family issues. Neither of them seemed to get along with their fathers, although Victoria's relationship was only strained. The relationship between Ludwig and his father had become nonexistent. It was sad to see two twelve year olds deal with such adult matters. They did a remarkable job handling the situation though. The princess' behavior had surprised me. She proved that she was much more mature than I had given her credit for. She masked her true feelings behind a peppy exterior while on the inside she ached for all the things other children possessed at her age--companionship, friendship, and supportive parents. Victoria seems to lack those things, which is where her and Ludwig differ. While his mother is dead and his father is doing a lackluster job at raising him, at least he has me and his siblings. The princess does not even have that. A young girl of her age needs a mother most of all. My heart went out to her.

Unfortunately, Leirelat saw none of this. He only retorted back, "Victoria, that is it! Do you wish to keep embarrassing yourself further in front of your guests?"

"At least they understand me." she hissed under her breath, just loud enough for him to hear.

"And what does that mean?" The king was fuming. I did my best to disappear into the background. This was a family quarrel I wanted no part of, no matter how much I desired to say something in her defense. Gregory sensed my anxiousness.

"Your Highness, how about you two continue this later? It is the princess' birthday, and we've got guests outside-"

"No, we'll finish this right now, since our birthday girl is so adamant about the topic!" Leirelat growled. "Go ahead, Victoria. Clarify what you meant. How do I not understand you?"

"Because you just don't!" she cried, infuriated. I could tell the topic had been repeatedly disputed in the past. Not only was her father sick of hearing it, but so was she. "Before, I used to be able to go out and do things, like visit friends, and...and, just be a kid! I don't know! Now I'm stuck here, unable to do everything I used to do...and that's not even half of it! Do you know what it's like to move things with your mind? Do you know what it's like to have to control these...these...insane powers I have?"

Insane was definitely an apt word for describing her gift of sorcery. As a sixth tier sorceress, the spell capacity she harnesses is more than I could ever dream of. Leirelat seemed speechless.

"No, I don't know what it's like-"

"Then maybe you know what it's like to hear the voices of dead people in your head!"

"N-No,-"

"Of course you don't. You're keeping me away from the only other person in the Eight Kingdoms who does! Speaking of which, I spoke to Mommy, and she thinks you're a jerk for what you're doing to me!"

I braced myself for Leirelat's reaction. Gregory nervously shifted his gaze from the king to the princess, eagerly awaiting what the king would say. I was afraid he would ask me and the princes to leave Alteria, causing relations between us to become tense once again. Then, unexpectedly, the Crown Prince took a step forward and began to speak.

"Your Highness, may I say something?" he calmly addressed Leirelat. The king at first seemed astonished, then quickly nodded his head in approval. "I know I should keep out of this, but Victoria's my friend, and I for one know exactly what she's talking about. It's...It's not easy to talk to someone else about it, because they can't...fully understand. It just seems to make everything better when your daughter and I talk, because we know exactly what the other is going through. I think of her as my best friend because of this... Plus, she's the only real friend my age I've got, so..." He stopped and nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot. "But I do see why you want to keep her safe. I only wish I had a dad who cared that much...so she's lucky to have you."

Victoria forced a small smile at her friend, indicating some kind of mental communication between the two. There was no way for me to tell what was said, but I did see Ludwig smile back and shrug his shoulders. His little speech was probably the most emotional I've ever seen him get in front of others. It shocked me quite a bit, but also make me proud in the process. My protegee was maturing nicely. I had never expected him to talk to Leirelat in such a way, especially since he expressed the same feelings as Victoria, but the king appeared to absorb what he had to say. At once, his manner from earlier faded and his stance became less rigid. He frowned.

"Perhaps you're right, Ludwig. I think I've dampened too many spirits around here." The king turned to my direction. "Enjoy the rest of the party, Head Administrator. I hope I haven't ruined the festivities. Forgive my meddling." After giving his daughter one last glance, he promptly left the room. I took the chance to talk to the princess.

"Victoria, he's coming from a father's perspective. It's not easy for him to relate to you."

"Very true," Gregory backed me up. "It's hard enough for him to raise a daughter without her mother being around."

"I know, but..." She stopped to rub her eye. It was then I noticed a tear forming, which she hastily wiped away. Her voice still remained strong. "I hate it when he's like this."

"Aw, don't cry, Tori!" Lemuel had once again joined the conversation. "My dad can be mean too!"

"I'm not crying." She quickly answered back.

"Your father's been stressed lately." I began. "He's just overreacting. I realize it's a bit extreme, but as Ludwig said, it's because he cares." Smiling, I then addressed the prince, "Young man, it was very mature of you to speak to King Leirelat like that. I was even afraid to open up my mouth!"

"Really?" Ludwig asked, unsure of why I was praising him. "It was no big deal. I just thought maybe it would mean more if it came from me, since Tori and I are the same age and in the same boat."

"Yeah, thanks so much for sticking up for me, Louie." The princess warmly squeezed his arm and momentarily rested her head on his shoulder. "You'll always be the one who knows me best."

He blushed at her action, which caused me to hold in a chuckle. Ludwig was never one for physical interaction. Even with me it was used sparingly, since I'm not a fan of it either, but did not object to Victoria's display of affection. It was quick, innocent and childlike, reminding me of how Monika and I were as early teenagers. Lemuel watched his brother and gagged. I could not tell if he was jealous, since he often liked to be the center of attention, but it was comical to see the faces he made at the two.

"Do you feel better now, your Highness?" Gregory questioned the princess. "I mean, to get that off your chest, it must've felt good. You've been complaining about your father for some time now."

"I do feel better, but I hope I didn't piss him off too much."

"Why not? My father's permanently pissed off at me." Ludwig smirked.

"Now, now..." I thought for a moment, making an attempt at trying to say something defending my king. I couldn't think of anything.

"It's just real hard for me to let him know what I think." Victoria said, wringing her hands. "There's so much I wish I could tell him, but I just can't. I really wish I wasn't like this. What makes it even more difficult is that half the time he has no idea what I'm talking about. I usually find myself bothering Louie a lot when I need to talk, because it just comes so easily then. But I wish I could do something else about it."

Her words caused me to remember the birthday present I had brought her. It was the perfect time to give it to her, so I walked over to the table and produced one of the gifts we had brought. It was from me personally.

"Here, Victoria. I got you this for your birthday. You may find it handy for the situation you're in." I explained, handing her the medium-sized package. She stared at it for a moment, puzzled about what awaited her under the wrappings.

"Go ahead, you can open it." Gregory told the princess. "You don't have to wait until later."

She started to tear at the wrapping paper in a delicate fashion, treating it like it was part of her gift. I had asked my queen what color I should use, as I'm clueless to the ways of preteen girls. She recommended light purple. I would've guessed pink. Shows how much I know!

"I like this paper," Victoria mindlessly said to herself. The color had prompted me to think of her eyes, which were famous for their amethyst hue. As she grew older, their color seemed to change into a silvery/light purple mix, but the iridescent quality of them remained. Finally, she pulled the remaining pieces of wrapping away and held up my gift. "It's a book. Wow, nice velvety cover..." She thrust it into Ludwig's chest. "Feel the cover!"

He obliged and nodded his head in agreement. "Very nice!"

"The pages are all blank," she announced to the princes. "This is my type of book!"

"Is it a coloring book?" Lemuel asked, looking up at me with a quizzical expression upon his face. "Can she draw pictures in it?"

"Victoria, it's a journal. It's for when you have something to say, but don't know quite how to say it yet." I took the book from her hands and flipped through its pages. "Here is where you can put your deepest thoughts, the ones you don't want anyone to know. It feels good to write things down, especially things which you cannot find the emotions needed to express to others. I'm...not good with dealing with emotions and all, so I too like to write down my thoughts. I figured you'd maybe like to do the same."

"Thank you, Mr. Kamek." She smiled, running her fingers over the black cover again. "I'm not really one for writing, but I'll give it a shot. It would be nice to have a diary."

"It really does help, especially when there's no one to talk to. Sure beats keeping these things stored inside, you know?"

"I do."

"How about returning back outside, young lady?" Gregory interjected. "Time to meet and greet the guests."

"Yeah, like all five of them." she whispered to the Crown Prince.

"Is there gonna be cake? I like cake. I'm hungry." Lemuel babbled on. "I want to see more presents. If Tori gets any toys, I'm gonna play with them too."

"Don't you ever shut up?" Ludwig turned to his little brother and scrunched up the child's hair. The Crown Prince often played the role of the big brother. Protective, but also the bearer of relentless teasing.

And so the day's festivities went on. Victoria opened up the remainder of her gifts in front of all the guests, and pretended to like each and every one, including the hideous lime green sweater some distant relative had sent her. Once the party ended, Gregory showed us where we would be staying at the castle for the night. Lemuel was excited to see the room he was placed in, and showed it by jumping up and down on the bed until he got nauseous. After placing the boys to bed, Gregory and I sat down for a cup of coffee and conversed about many matters of concern-the weakening alliance, Oceanside, and King Leirelat's behavior. I hadn't seen the king since the afternoon. He had probably skipped the rest of his daughter's party so his presence would not affect her. I think he made the right choice by doing that. Talking with Gregory was something I enjoyed, because such conversation was not readily obtained back at home. King Bowser was a man with stanch opinions, and lately we've seemed to clash over almost everything. He's too hard-headed to listen to me anymore, even when it comes to an impending war between our kingdom and Oceanside. Alteria's king is becoming an introvert, and my king is hellbent with his own selfish ambitions. As the two kingdoms Administrators, we tried to make light of the situation by adding some brandy to our coffee, but that only made us more tired!

We agreed to call it a night, and he directed me to my quarters before heading to bed himself. Alas, I found that I had caught my second wind upon changing into my night clothes. The castle was dead quiet. I found it to be a good time to take a tour. So off I went, into the palaces many passages. I already had a good idea about the floor's layout, and I prayed that my memory would not fail me. Getting lost would have been quite embarrassing! I wandered down the halls, examining all the pictures that hung on the walls, the decorations, and anything else that caught my eye. Somehow, I could not imagine the castle at home looking like that. Adora's tastes were simplistic compared to what Leirelat and his late-wife had concocted. Perhaps Monika would've had more of a field day decorating...that is, if her life wasn't cut short. All was silent around me until I heard familiar voices chatting in a room not too far away. I paused and instantly recognized them. Eager to hear more, I quietly maneuvered over to the doorway where the sounds were emanating from and listened. Luckily, the door was ajar and I could peek inside. I honestly should stop spying on people.

It was the room where Prince Ludwig was staying. Inside, I found the prince seated on the bed, with a plate of half-eaten ice cream cake on his lap. Sitting across from him Indian style was the Alterian princess. The book I had given her was lying in front of her on the bed, opened up to a fresh blank page. In her hand was a pen, which she gracefully flicked around her fingers like a little author getting ready to write her greatest work.

"Hmm...today will be my first entry." she proudly explained. "Let's begin! May 8th, 1988. Good start?"

"Uh-huh. Oh wait, I think it's the 9th now." Ludwig shoved the spoon into his mouth. Neither of them noticed they were being watched. At the time, it didn't bother me to see that Victoria had snuck into the prince's room. It was well after midnight and they should have both been in bed, but since the two did not see each other much, I let it slide. Besides, their conversation was amusing.

"Okay, I'll change it then. May 9th. Dear Diary, today was my birthday. Everything was going great until my father went nuts on me. Why does he have to act like such a..." She put her pen down. "Aw, I feel bad. I can't write that."

"Here," Ludwig took the book and the pen from her hand. He scribbled something, then showed her. Upon reading it, the princess burst out into wild laughter. He returned the journal to her and she began reading aloud a second time.

"'Why does he have to act like such a dick?' Hmm...hehe, it's a bit mean, but he does get me so mad at him!"

"Well, you heard what Kamek said. This book is for writing down what's on your mind. It's only for you. Write what you like. It'll make you feel better."

"You're right. Here I go..." She picked up her pen and began jotting down her thoughts, saying them out loud as she wrote. "I love my dad a lot, but I have no idea what his problem is. He's been up my ass so much lately!"

"Keep writing, girl." the prince coaxed in jest as he downed another spoonful of ice cream.

She continued to write, "He makes me so fucking angry!"

"So fucking angry!" he parroted after her. Their choice in language alarmed me. Most twelve year olds did not speak like that, including my Ludwig, but then again, I had no idea what they were like when adults weren't around. Plus, they were not average twelve year olds. They were much more mature and intelligent for their age because of the vigorous training they've had to endure. I was not one to use four letter words often, but when I did, I could be vicious. The children were more carefree about using their colorful vocabulary, but then again, most kids did that.

Victoria wrote feverishly, "Why can't he understand me? Why can't he let me do the things I used to do? Why can't I be with my friends? Why can't I take a step without someone being there?"

"At least your dad cares enough to do that. He's not really a dick. I was only kidding. My dad's a dick."

"I suppose you're right--about my dad, I mean! Your dad...your dad has his own thing going on. At least you've got Kamek. He's really cool."

"You think so?"

"Definitely. He cares a lot about you. Believe me, I know."

"How?"

"...I've read his mind."

"You did?!"

I was just as amazed as Ludwig. She was a sneaky thing! There was no way for me to know if she was reading my mind or not. I felt sheepish at hearing them talk about me, especially since I was eavesdropping on them. Part of me was fearful about what they were going to say, causing me to almost turn around and leave. Then, my nosey side immediately took over, making me stay.

"Yup, I read his mind. He's really smart, even smarter than my dad. And he does care a lot about you. Louie, you don't have to worry about not having your father around, because you don't need him. Kamek's there for you. He's like the cool dad out of a bunch of crazy dads like mine."

"Haha, I know..." Ludwig shyly giggled. "He also was a good friend of my mother's, and he tells me lots of stories about her. My own father doesn't do that. It's like he tries to forget she even existed, but Kamek won't let him."

"No matter how hard your father tries to erase her, he won't be able to." Victoria leaned over and tapped her fingertips on the side of the prince's head. "Because she'll always be right here."

His chin lowered, hiding the smile that appeared across his lips. The princess slid back to her former position on the bed and proceeded to write more in her diary.

"Today was a good day, since I spent it with my friends...who had to come visit me because I can't leave my castle!"

Ludwig laughed, playing with the ice cream on his plate.

I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. Instantly, I jumped up and whirled around. It was King Leirelat, who apparently was a better spy than I was. Wordlessly, he motioned that we walk away from the doorway to avoid being heard. Once we were at a safe distance, he spoke, "Sorry to scare you like that. I didn't want the kids to notice."

"It's alright. How did you find me?"

"I first went to Victoria's room to talk to her, but found her gone. I figured she'd be visiting the prince, so I came here and found both you and her."

"I wasn't spying on them." I lied, then realized he knew damn well I was. "...For long."

"No, I'm not angry. Did you overhear anything good?"

"Just that kids can say the darndest things."

"Ah," he chuckled. "I want to apologize for what you had to witness earlier between Victoria and I. We've been fighting a lot recently. As she gets older, she wants more questions answered, and it's difficult for me to keep hiding the truth from her. All I want is to protect her."

"I understand. No need to apologize, your Highness."

"Our relationship's been suffering. What makes it even worse is that her mother's no longer around and I have no idea how to deal with a girl her age."

"They're at a difficult time in their young lives now." I explained, trying to sound authoritative on a subject I too knew relatively little about. "I remember it being a very awkward age. Sorcerer or not, being twelve was brutal."

"I just want her to be safe, but I also want her to be happy. The way things are going, I don't think we can have the two at the same time."

"It'll be a difficult balance to maintain, but I believe it can be achieved."

"Indeed," he agreed. "Kamek, I'm trusting you."

Perplexed, I raised an eyebrow. "Your Highness?"

"I'll let Victoria visit Dark World to see you and the princes, just for one day. But please, don't let King Bowser know about it. I'd prefer it if she stayed away from him, because frankly, I don't trust your king anymore."

His words didn't surprise me. I wasn't even sure if I trusted my king anymore, but I was elated to hear that Leirelat was allowing his daughter to come see my kingdom again.

"You don't even have to explain. You have good reason to feel that way. I'll take the children into our capital. This way, it'll keep the princess away from my king, but allow her some freedom. Does that sound good to you, your Majesty?"

"Sounds wonderful." He looked down the hallway and listened to the faint voices of the kids still chatting away. "I think she'd like that very much. I'll tell her in the morning."

"I'm sure she will. Think we should make them go to bed?"

"No, leave them. I haven't heard her laugh like that in such a long time."

From there, Leirelat accompanied me back to my quarters for the evening, where I enjoyed a great night's rest at the king's expense. Convincing the princes to leave the following morning proved difficult. Neither one encouraged the other to go, and I had to practically bribe them to get ready to depart. The Alterian king made things easier when he revealed his surprise to Victoria, who immediately shared the news with her friends. They too were excited about it, and I made plans to take them all into Dark World's capital the next weekend. My promise to the boys was enough to get them dressed and onto the airship. This time, I noticed the "good-byes" between the Crown Prince and princess lingered longer than usual. They both seemed sad to part ways, but I assured them that they would see each other again shortly. Leirelat had come to see us off as well. I had thanked him for his hospitality and also spoke briefly to Head Administrator Gregory before boarding the ship. It was pleasing to know that Victoria and her father were on good terms again that morning. He held her close as she waved to the princes.

On the ride home, once Ludwig had conquered a bout of air-sickness, I asked him what he thought of his visit. As always, he said he enjoyed it very much, and that anything was better than staying home in Dark World. Lemuel was verbal too, voicing his opinions about everything from the crisp Alterian weather to the color of his jacket. The fluffy bed he had got to sleep in the night before was another highlight of our conversation, and he told Ludwig and I repeatedly about it. The Crown Prince had yawned several times while his brother prattled on. Smirking to myself, I asked him why he was so tired. He replied that he had gone to bed early, but that he did not sleep comfortably in a bed other than his own. I played dumb and shook my head. We dropped the topic there. I left him alone for the rest of the ride.

Already I began making plans for when I would take the children out. I amused myself, thinking that I had become somewhat of a royal babysitter rather than a politician. In such strenuous times, perhaps one needed a little escape from things. I hoped that the following weekend would be such a time for that. Aside from my parental escapades, I also plan on talking with King Bowser about a topic that has been bothering me for some time. He always gets uncomfortable when I bring up the subject of his dead wife, and I want to find out why. I see a bit of detective work in my future.

Goddamn, this chapter took me four months to complete. Not because I slacked off (er, I'm lying. I did slack off a bit), but because the end of the fall semester drove me insane. Ok, I lied again. I'm already insane, but this semester made me even more insane than usual. At least it's really freaking long! It's the longest chapter I've written so far, so relish it! Kiddies, don't go to graduate school unless you want to be a glutton for punishment. Anyway, all rambling aside, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I wanted more of an insight on Victoria's character. I don't want her to appear bratty, because I hate bratty kids. I promise that the next chapter won't take me four months to complete!! It's really bad. This story is almost two years in the making. I gotta finish it and get on to the next part!As always, feedback is very appreciated! Shameless self-promotion--go to my website, dammit! Until the next time, bitches!