Ezran leaned back a bit further in his chair and was very tempted to let his head thump against the back. Two months after the declaration of peace from himself and the Dragon Queen, and every meeting was still nonstop arguing. The topic of contention today was a frequent point of argument: Dark Magic. "How can we trust your people when we see you using our kin every time we turn around? You may decide to try and use us next," one of the Skywing elves declared.
The young king glanced at his brother, hoping Callum would counter this. He was, after all, the kingdom's go-to for anything magic related. The image of his awkward brother dressed in Viren's long robes ran through Ezran's head and he almost laughed out loud. "I agree that Dark Magic is doing no one any good. It hurts the people casting it and the magic isn't as potent. Also," he glared at the elf, "You're overestimating how many people use it. Less than one percent of our population has access to the items needed for Dark Magic, let alone the knowledge of how to use it. And we are trying to change." Ezran perked up. This part, he hadn't heard before. "Ever since we told the public that it is possible to connect to an Arcanum through study, we've had several people come to the castle, wanting to learn how." Callum looked at his brother. "Some of them have been very persistent."
Ezran's eyes widened. "You mean Valeria? I thought she just had a crush on you!"
The prince blushed to his ears and flailed. "No, no, no! She just wanted my help connecting with the Sky Arcanum. She really wants to fly." The he saw the deadpan looks of the others at the table and quickly ceased flailing. Trying to regain his composure, he coughed into his fist and continued. "As I said, we already have candidates who wish to learn, but not the means to teach them. To know an Arcanum, you have to know it with your hand, head, and heart. The head and heart part students can learn on their own. There are people who already understand them." His mind wandered back to a certain captain. "But to know it with your hand, you have to know what casting magic feels like, and that can only be done with a Primal Stone."
The elf who brought up the topic was studying Callum more closely now, as was Ezran. He hadn't heard any of this before. "That was my first experience with magic of any kind, and it's why I chose not to perform Dark Magic, even after I lost the stone. But if we don't give people a taste of what can be gained by learning an Arcanum, they'll rely more on what they do know."
"Then what do you propose," another of the elves said. She was one of the sun elves who their aunt had picked as an emissary, and was more level headed than some of the others around the table.
Callum pushed back his chair and stood up. "I think, if we can somehow obtain Primal stones for all six sources of magic, people can learn which type they're most compatible with. They can train here with me for a few weeks, learning what it feels like, the hand aspect. Then, we send them out into the world to learn the other parts and see what happens." He shrugged and sat back down. "That's how I learned, and I'm kind of the only example we have right now."
With a scoff, the Skywing representative rose from the table. "We have already lost one primal stone to your kind. They are not cheap trinkets. Ask us again when you are a gifted mage, human. Then we will talk." He then walked out of the room, several other delegates following behind.
The boys watched them leave until the room was empty, save the two of them. "I don't get it," Callum complained with his chin cradled in one hand, elbow propped up on the table. "I learned the Sky Arcanum. I'm a primal mage, but that's still not good enough. What, do I need more runes? What can I do to make them take us seriously?"
Ezran reached down and gave Bait a pat where he was sitting in the young king's lap. "I don't know, but it keeps coming up. Maybe you need to go back to Xadia and learn more magic or something. I think you should wait to leave until Rayla gets back, though. I need someone on my side with some magic at least."." Dislodging Bait from his seat, Ezran got up. "It's time for lunch anyway. And you have somewhere else to be."
Callum rolled his eyes as he also got up. "I told you Ez, I'm not going. It won't be any different than the last three times you made me go."
"Made you go where?" The boys turned around and, low and behold, another moonshadow elf stood in the doorway, though this one probably wouldn't argue with them.
"Rayla," Ezran exclaimed and ran forward to throw his arms around her waist. "You're back! Were you able to get them to break the spell?"
She smiled and let go of the young king. "I'm no longer a ghost, if that's the spell you mean."
Grabbing her hand, Callum asked, "why don't you come have lunch with us? We just got out of a meeting."
Ezran grabbed Rayla's other hand and tugged. "Oh no you don't. You're going to the healer, Callum. I'll take care of Rayla."
The elf got yanked in the other direction again when Callum argued. "I told you, it's nothing."
"Fainting is nothing?!" Rayla grabbed back her hands as Ezran continued to argue. "You're always tired, you don't eat, you keep getting dizzy, and yesterday you almost fainted in the middle of dinner! That is not nothing."
Suddenly, Ralya got between the two brothers, eyes very wide. "Wait, that's been happening to you?"
He looked everywhere but at her as he answered. "It's nothing, I'm just tired from all the meetings and stuff. What I need is more sleep, not another meeting with the healer." He glared at his brother.
"Are those your only symptoms," Rayla asked quietly. Both boys looked at her and saw her nervously biting her lip. Okay, a nervous Rayla never signaled anything good.
Ezran glared at his brother. "Anything else that's nothing?"
Sheepishly, Callum rubbed the back of his head. "Well, there is one more, but it's kinda embarrassing." He tugged at his tunic.
Now that Rayla was looking, she noticed that he wasn't wearing his usual purple shirt and blue jacket. He had on a loose black shirt that fell from his shoulders in folds and shimmered slightly. "Is that silk?" She asked, pointing at the piece of clothing.
The prince quickly turned red. "Yeah. My other shirts are kind of, uh, irritating." Rayla's eyes went as big as plates and she quickly pulled them back into the empty throne room, slamming the door behind them.
And here's the third chapter. It's also the end of major timeskips as far as I can tell right now. I have most of the story mapped out in my head but figuring out the timing's a bit difficult. As always, review with questions, comments, and constructive critiques.
