Bouquet
(C) Intelligent Systems and Nintendo
-0-
Autumn Leaves Against Overcast Skies: Rose Acacia
(friendship)
When she had left for Aquleia, Louise had been much bemused when her father pulled her aside and stuck an icon of the blessed Saint Elimine in her gray suede cap lined with white rabbit's fur, telling her to think of Saint Elimine and all of her virtues while she was out in the capital city. Having traveled there many times before with her mother without similar warnings in effect, Louise had related to her mother what her father had said in an effort to understand what was so different about this time that would worry her dear father so.
"Oh, that man," her mother had scoffed, heavy skirts crinkling as she crossed her legs in the cramped carriage. "Never you mind him, Louise. Your father is only playing to the stereotype. Surely Lord Pent is no one to worry about?"
Certainly not, Louise had answered. It was a truth, but not the complete truth. The additional truth was this: Louise did worry. After all, Lord Pent was a genius and she was increasingly out of her depth. Surely he would, if he did not already, find her quite boring to be around? Compared to him, her own education was lacking at best, and despite her mother's love for the relatively new literary form of the novel, she far preferred going out-of-doors to practice archery or learn new farming methods than to recite Etrurian history or even work on sums, her best subject. The only book she had ever read more than once was the compilation of fables and parables handed down by Saint Elimine herself, colloquially known as the Journey of Saint Elimine. Lord Pent, however, seemed to be enormously well-read and, the most important thing, he had attended an academy!
It was not the only weight her mind had to bear, not when she was suffering the ill effects of other things she dared not dwell upon, but all the same she was left unsure of how to proceed. When she had decided that she would stand before Lord Pent as a potential bride, she had never once considered how complex, how confusing everything would become in just five months.
Ah, what a world!
This unusual flurry of nervous excitement, for good or for ill, continued to be her most faithful ally once they reached Aquleia and settled into the brick townhouse her grandfather, it was said, used to live in all but full-time when he had still been the Great General of Etruria. She had seen the painting of him, a behemoth in black steel trimmed with gold, his favored lance in one mighty hand, and had wondered how her mother, and by extension herself, could be related to such a man when they themselves were delicate ladies of unimpressive stature. But then again, her mother possessed a singular nature, perhaps exacerbated by being born in the first thunder month of April, that knew not common decency or the gentleness of their gender. Louise could only be grateful to that part of her mother, for it was due to that ability to push aside the restrictions of nobility and indeed give it all up that Louise was allowed to be brought into the world.
But pride for her mother could not quell the anxiety twisting inside her, leaving her to pick through the evening meal, then to lie awake in an unfamiliar bed. By the time it was morning and Celia came to help her dress for her day with Lord Pent, Louise was listless to the point that even her golden hair seemed wan and faded as she watched, through the vanity mirror, Celia's nimble fingers plait and pin the braids up. Louise immediately reached for her gray cap, the icon of Saint Elimine still tucked into the fur-trimmed brim so that the top half of the charm could still be seen and recognized, and placed it on her head. "I'll need my cloak as well," she said as if it were a mere afterthought. A glance at the vanity mirror revealed Celia's doubtful face.
"I'm not sure it's going to be that cold today, overcast skies aside. It's only October. And..." Embarrassment crossed Celia's heart-shaped face as she smoothed out her casual dress--Louise's mother always allowed both Celia and Lisette to dress normally while on excursions to Aquleia. "You're developing such a lovely figure. Maybe it's a little forward of me to say, but wouldn't you like Lord Pent to see you as a woman?"
"...I'd really like my cloak. It, it may be cold inside the academy." Louise fell silent afterwards, and the face that stared at her through the mirror would almost be unrecognizable if it were not for the fact that she could feel those selfsame emotions twisting, coiling, churning inside her. It was only after Celia finished the last purpleheart wood button of the cloak, which was the matching companion of the gray suede cap, did Louise begin to feel more comfortable with her appearance. The fur-trimmed hem of the cloak fell nearly to her knees in a series of loose, rounded pleats, with two holes on either side for her arms to stick out demurely. Underneath she wore a long-sleeved plum dress that was, according to her mother, a new twist on an old fashion, but it hardly mattered; she was determined to keep the cloak on until she had safely returned to the townhouse for the evening. Turning to Celia, Louise smiled. "Thank you. How do I look?"
Celia averted her eyes. "Modest. But are you sure--"
"Father says that modesty is an excellent virtue to cultivate," Louise said a little too firmly. "Shall we go?"
For her part, her mother had only raised an eyebrow when Louise had descended the stairs. Lisette, as was natural for such a sanguine woman, was considerably warmer about the whole affair, and off the four of them went into the heart of the city proper. The cobblestone streets, though scuffed with the footsteps of the millions of people who had walked the streets since the time of the dominance of the Etruscan people, were still not quite as gray as the skies above them on this day. Whenever she was in Aquleia Louise always enjoyed a nice morning walk with Celia, the two of them peeking curiously into store windows while holding hands to make sure that neither of them were separated by the jostling crowds that filled the streets. During those times she remembered seeing the students of the various magic academies that inhabited the university line, one of the many prides of the cultural center of the continent that was Aquleia. She wondered if Lord Pent had ever been one of those students--if their paths had ever crossed before that fateful day she had been invited as a potential wife for him.
Now it was no longer about potential--she would be his wife once she passed her sixteenth birthday.
It was a strange thing to think of it, the fate she had willingly chosen, the fate that she couldn't escape. Nor did she want to. Though they had only met a precious few times so far, she liked Lord Pent.
She hoped he liked her, too.
At the beginning of the university line, where each academy along the pathway had its own center complete with fountain and plaque of commemoration, Lord Pent stood at the plaque for Edounis Academy just as they had planned through their letters. When she first saw him, like every time before, a little thrill of recognition had her straighten her posture and be more aware of each step she took as she made her way to him. Even dressed as casually as he was, he still retained something of his lordly stature as he watched her approach. "Lord Pent," she said with a curtsy, determined to greet him first, "good morning. I hope you haven't been waiting here long?"
There was a small smile on his face as he shook his head slightly. "No, not long at all. It's good to see you again."
Really? Uplifted by those few words, she grinned. "I'm happy to see you too."
"I don't mean to interrupt you two," her mother said from behind her. Louise nearly jumped from fright before she turned around, her face feeling as hot as a furnace. "Good morning, Lord Pent."
"Good morning, Lady Catherine. How are you today?"
"I'm quite fine. I'd just like to know, is this academy of yours empty today, or will there be a lot of people?"
"I wouldn't say a lot, but it isn't completely barren either. There will be a number of students working on their projects over the weekend."
"Oh." Her mother nodded. "Then, I can trust the both of you to go on without us, I imagine."
Surprise echoed in her heart and head as Louise stared at her mother. "Mother...?" With the sort of irreverent verve that served her mother so well, she watched her mother lift her hand in a showy little wave.
"I've no intention of maneuvering through dusty shelves and the like when I could just as easily spend my time among the jewelers' crafts." Her mother grinned. "Of course, I'll need Lisette and Celia to carry my purchases. Once you're done with your tour, come meet us over at the fountain in the front of the city." Louise watched, with a bit of growing consternation, as her mother left with the maids in tow, although Celia gave her one last look before they headed down the street. When she turned to face Lord Pent, she noticed that his expression had only slightly changed, conveying a sense of confusion with just a slight widening of his eyes and parted lips. She had noticed this before, but Lord Pent was not nearly as emotive as her own father or her cousins.
"Lord Pent, you needn't worry," she started, her face warming as his eyes shifted from watching the departing trio to her face. "My mother loves jewelry. Every time she comes here she just has to bring home a few pieces."
His lips curled into a smile. "One for each person to carry?" Louise grinned at this.
"Usually she comes here accompanied by Lisette, who has been her lady's maid since...since my mother left to marry my father. Celia is my lady's maid...oh, but she's also a dear friend of mine. We've been raised together since we were both small, so it's rather more like she's my sister, blood or not." The insistent feeling that she was rambling on finally was too much to ignore, and she covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers as she began to giggle out of nervousness. "Forgive me, Lord Pent. I've been told that I like to go on about the most meaningless things..."
"It's quite all right. I don't find it meaningless. We, ah, we know so little about each other, so it's not a bother." He offered her his arm, and after she slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow they began to walk. His nearness to her always made her feel a little flustered, so she was grateful when he began to talk again. "Louise, are you also an only child?"
"Oh, yes. Sometimes I wish I had a brother or sister, but I'm really very happy with my family, and with Celia I can't imagine a better sister anyway. My father's elder sister, my Aunt Charlotte, has three sons. I wonder sometimes what it would've been like to live among them, but they have a much different life. My uncle and aunt are hunters, you see, so my cousins are much the same way." Louise laughed, knowing that she was going on and on again--but she did so love to talk to others! "I suppose I'm sort of the same way too."
Lord Pent chuckled, a pleasant sound that had her feeling warm again. "Your mother told me during the festival that your aunt is an archer of considerable skill. Did you learn from her, then?"
"She was my inspiration, yes. I was only about six then, and my aunt came to participate. I was so filled with wonder at the sight that I immediately wanted to learn archery from her, but since she was leaving to go back to Lycia my father instead had me trained under Master Lionel. He's held the top rank for over a decade now, and he's taught archery to many children in Alloway. But, he's been telling me as of late that I lack true focus, so my skill for the bow isn't very impressive." Though she felt a little depressed at the thought, she knew it was the truth; she could concentrate, but she hadn't the focus to be a master of archery.
"...What a thing to tell his own student," said Lord Pent in a low, disapproving tone. Quickly, Louise shook her head.
"Please don't think less of him. He praises me to my father, but even so, I'm not doing this for the praise. I just really love archery, even if I'm not very good at it." She smiled up at him. "I think that love for a hobby is even more important than talent. The latter makes it easy, but the former will see you through even when things aren't going quite so well."
"That's very well put."
"Do you think so? I only said what was on my mind just now." Lord Pent began to laugh after she said this, and the heat she felt now was solely that of embarrassment as she exclaimed, "Lord Pent, please don't laugh at me!"
He looked away, though not enough that she could fail to see the corner of his smile on his profile. "I'm not laughing at you. I was just amazed. You have quite the talent for saying the most meaningful things. It's very refreshing just to listen to you."
Louise lowered her head. "W-well, thank you. So, what about you?"
"What about me?"
"Your family..." she trailed off after realizing that he had no family to speak of, as his father was dead and so too his mother, but it had seemed like such a natural thing to ask about that now she was left even more embarrassed than before. "I-I mean...do you have aunts and uncles as well?"
They walked in silence underneath trees with leaves the colors of vibrant reds, rich oranges and old yellows, Louise heartily reprimanding herself for such a foolish question. After some time, Lord Pent sighed. "After my mother's death, I do remember being taken to live with my mother's relatives for some time, but I seem to recall only relief once I began attending school in the city. As for their faces, or their names...I'm sorry. I can't even remember my mother, so I'm not surprised that it's not any different with them."
Louise nearly gasped. "You don't remember your mother?" Lord Pent shrugged.
"She died when I was about four or so. From the few things I've gathered about that time, she was usually in her sickbed. I suppose that's no different than my father's death of illness, come to think of it."
If she could feel any more horrible about her careless words, Louise could not imagine it. With her head bowed, she could only say, "I'm sorry."
"I don't mind your questions. I'm only sorry that I don't have answers more in the line of your particular experiences." He paused, then, "But that might not be so bad. If I hadn't lived the way I had, I wouldn't be who I am today. I...can't say that I'm displeased with who I am, not entirely. So, don't look so sad, Louise."
Her ears picked up his unusual phrasing and she raised her head to look him in the face. "Lord Pent, you shouldn't be displeased with yourself at all."
"Well," he began. She frowned, just like her mother would if her mother was feeling particularly annoyed with her or her father's lack of confidence. At this, there was a flicker of surprise on Lord Pent's face before he smiled. "Oh, all right. I apologize. I must sound considerably unlike what you might have expected of someone of my stature."
"Nonsense, Lord Pent," Louise said, cheerful once again. "I want to understand you, not your station in life."
He brushed some of his short hair out of his face. "That's, ah...thank you." Looking away, he gestured at the last academy in the line. "That's my old school," he said, looking more lively. "Come now, it's time for your tour." Having never seen Lord Pent look so enthusiastic, Louise suppressed a giggle as she hurried her pace to match his long legs. They only stopped once they reached the plaque in front of the white building, where Lord Pent gestured for her to read the words chiseled on the marble on the pedestal. It was, in all things, the old Etruscan tongue, which her father had made sure she was fluent in. It was also, improbably, only a single line:
Pour apprendre est de vivre.
-Archsage Athos; 17 AS
"'To learn is to live'?" Louise questioned. Lord Pent nodded.
"I find it to be an excellent way to consider life." A slight smile appeared on his face. "It's about the only Etruscan I reliably know. I suspect you're more familiar with the language than myself."
Louise giggled. "It's a dying language even in Alloway. A lot of people say that the common tongue is the way to international peace."
Lord Pent's smile remained on his face even as a skeptical shading, an arch of an eyebrow, appeared. "That would be nice if it were true. Things do seem calmer between Etruria and Bern since Princess Hellene's wedding to the king of Bern. But you would know more about that than myself."
"My mother still writes to her, yes," she responded politely; she had a few people remark over her maternal link to the throne of Etruria, but she had never found such comments to her liking. "I do believe you have a tour to conduct, my lord?"
"So I do." And with those words, he lead her into the academy proper. Though the fact that the building used the same white rock as the palace itself was enough to convey the proper heft of its age, Louise couldn't help but marvel at what she beheld inside. This was no building of dusty bookshelves like her mother feared, but rather a house of knowledge updated for the modern era. The floors were made of imported tile with peculiar designs, and directly above the rounded atrium were a number of arches leading into a mutual peak, with each triangular space between the stone arches depicting a fragment of what appeared to be a reproduction of Lord Heizé of Caerleon's famous painting, Eight God Commanders. Because of the lights positioned at the bottom of each arch she could see clearly see the image of Saint Elimine, clad in the white gown and purple scarf that was now the habit for the sisters of the Etrurian branches of the Eliminean Church, as she held the sacred tome Aureola, her entire form bathed in the light of God as a gigantic dragon loomed menacingly before her. All the other heroes were in attendance, allotted their own space, but the figure of Saint Elimine was by far the most recognizable.
"Have you ever seen the original?" Lord Pent asked. Louise started, so caught as she was in the wonder of the art above her.
"No. It's over three hundred years old, isn't it?"
"Yes. I've heard that it's on display at the royal palace's gallery, but so far I haven't been invited to see it."
"And you are a count, at that," Louise teased. "But if you have to be invited into the gallery, why ask me if I've seen it?"
Lord Pent looked at her, his expression disappointingly blank, before he shook his head. "Forgive me, I'd forgotten."
She blinked, confusion a cloud that obscured her vision, before realization lit up her mind like sunlight. "Oh, that my mother is a pariah of the court." The look Lord Pent gave her then, that of surprised embarrassment, was almost too much for her to bear without bursting into laughter--but oh, how she tried to rein it in! "Lord Pent, I do know my own family's history," she chided, unable to hide the wide smile on her face.
He chuckled then, though he still seemed stiff with embarrassment. "Of course you do. I didn't want to offend you, though."
"I can't be offended," she said, still smiling. "If it wasn't for my parents' bravery, I wouldn't be here."
"And that would be a shame," he added, turning away just as she stared at him in surprise. "As you can see, this is the entrance. The rest of the academy isn't quite this impressive, but there are some nice amenities. The Père Magie Academy of Magic Arts, the full name of this place, was first constructed in 468 AS. It's the oldest standing academy in Aquleia, and just a couple years ago the school held its quincentennial anniversary celebration..."
Lord Pent has such a nice voice, she mused as she followed in step with him, listening to him talk about the events of the anniversary celebration two years ago and how certain events reflected upon the history of the academy itself. It's so very pleasant to listen to, and he sounds so mature. I feel like I could listen to him forever...
"Hey, is that Pent?"
Both of them turned at the mention of Lord Pent's name, and Louise witnessed a slight widening of his eyes when he saw the three people approaching them from one of the corridors. The two young men and a woman were garbed in cloaks Louise assumed were part of the school uniform, and she felt like hiding behind Lord Pent when she noticed their curious glances at her...and her hand, still tucked securely into the crook of Lord Pent's arm. When she looked up at him, indecisive to the point of panic on whether she should remove herself and stand at a more respectable distance, she noticed a subtle softening to his expression and felt calmer just to see it.
"Hello," Lord Pent greeted when the students neared, "it's been a while, hasn't it?"
One of the young men, his hair a fiery red more reminiscent of Lycia than Etruria, laughed. "That's for sure. You don't know how much you were missed when we had the end-of-terms last semester, Pent."
The lone woman of the trio elbowed the redhead before smiling at Lord Pent. "Sorry about that, Lord Pent. A lot of us still keep forgetting your new status."
Louise blinked--was she imagining things, or did Lord Pent's expression dim? "I don't mind," he responded, his tone mild.
"Come now, you can't say that. You're Count Reglay now, not the guy whose class notes saved us all from academic probation semester after semester," said the other young man, who had short brown hair curled just above the tips of his ears. He glanced at her, then at Lord Pent, then back again. "Oh, are you the mysterious fiancée? I heard that Lady Jacqueline, the current mage general's daughter, was one of the potential brides, but, ah, you're the one who was chosen, huh?"
Smiling, Louise said, "I'm Louise of Alloway. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Alloway? That's the farmland county to the southwest, right?" Before Louise could respond, the brunet smiled. "So, how are you liking the big city?"
"Oh, I like it very much. I've come here with my mother many times since I was a child, usually on the way to visit my grandfather's estate."
"Your grandfather is of the titled nobility?" asked the young woman.
"Yes, he's Duke Mersey, the former Great General of Etruria."
"Wow, now I get it." The redheaded young man nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "Well, we'll leave you two alone now. It's nice to see you again, P--ah, Lord Pent."
"Likewise," Lord Pent said. Although Louise was distracted with trying to understand just what the redheaded student 'got', there was something nearly maudlin in Lord Pent's tone that had her instantly concerned. Lord Pent was obviously a man who did not reveal his feelings so easily, and so Louise decided to rein in her natural desire to question and soothe him, instead merely walking beside him as their tour continued. However, the near-jovial atmosphere between them had long since fled, and even as she tried her best to be engaged by his words and to engage him in turn with the brightness of character that her father so loved in her, it did not work. Their burgeoning connection had been cut.
I must do something, she realized. Not only for the sake of us, but...Lord Pent is suffering.
"Lord Pent," she murmured after some time of silence, "is there a place where we can sit for a while?" He nodded before leading her down a hallway and out a door into a private little area that was as much a garden as it was a study area, though autumn yielded it no blooms to resemble the former at the moment. As the academy was the last of the university line, it held a uniquely valuable location; from the little outdoor area, one could see clearly the royal palace, the height of wonder in the most wondrous city in all of Elibe. But to Louise, its many spires and perfect whiteness could not hold her attention the same way Lord Pent's subtle lack of liveliness did.
They sat together on a single bench against a wall, not touching; Lord Pent's eyes were closed and to her he looked very tired. Even dressed in casual clothing he seemed to exude a sense of self-awareness about himself and his place in the world, not even slouching in his apparent exhaustion. It seemed cruel to bother him, but Louise was more uncomfortable with the idea of simply letting things be; what would be good about continuing on in this lifeless manner?
"Lord Pent," she called to him, her voice soft so as not to startle him. He opened his eyes and looked at her, the color a lovely shade of violet she had never noticed before--that is, her face had never been so close to his before. The thought made her face warm, although his lack of expression worried her now more than ever. "Is something wrong?"
"...No, not particularly," he said after a moment's pause. She couldn't help but frown in the face of this obvious untruth, determination sparking within her to be bold, as if she were her mother's child in temperament as well as appearance.
"Let's try this again, Lord Pent. What's wrong?"
A very complicated look crossed his features, all at once surprised, annoyed, and perhaps a bit of relief (she hoped the last was not merely her own mind playing a terrible trick on her). He smiled, though she had a feeling it was not altogether too honest. "Well, if there is something wrong with me, perhaps you already know what it is?"
Her first thought, and nearly her response, was that it had to do with her. All her doubts about being suitable for such a remarkable man, about herself and the physical and mental changes of growing up, wanted to burst free from her and be, if not validated, then acknowledged by someone other than herself. It was difficult to turn away from those doubts and think about Lord Pent himself and his own problems, his own worries and concerns that she knew so little about because they simply hadn't had the time to form the bonds necessary to speak so frankly. But then she remembered the slight glow in his already pleasant expression when his old schoolmates had called for him, how much he had appreciated seeing them in the place he seemed to regard with more fondness than Reglay itself, and how that had irrevocably changed at the mention of his title.
Count Reglay, Lord Pent. She dimly remembered the Festival d'Armements and his mentioning a certain discomfort he felt about his work as the ascendant heir, but at the time she had thought it to be more of something that he was still struggling to get used to. She could understand that, now that she was studying to be a proper lady. But now she wondered if there was something deeper to his dismay, a darker emotion than the grays of unease.
"Lord Pent," she began, nervousness plucking an unsteady tune in her stomach, "do you perhaps...hate being Count Reglay?"
The words had an immediate effect upon him, stripping away layers of privacy and reserve and leaving only him, shock, and finally resignation. His lips twitched, as if he were about to say something, and then he pressed his lips together in an expression that was not quite a smile, but markedly more honest than before. Finally, he shook his head. "You're amazing. I'm that obvious, is it?"
"No, not at all." Though she felt herself flush with pleasure at the compliment, she kept herself from being distracted by focusing on his face. "I know I can't be of much help, but I'll listen to you if you like."
Lord Pent seemed to think about that for a moment. "I do resent it a bit. I had clear goals for myself, and I never imagined that I would have to ascend to my father's position at this age." He paused, then shook his head as he smiled. "You see, I'm still thinking of it as 'my father's position.' He really was the quintessential count...well. He was more count than father, at any rate." Sighing a bit, he looked a bit sheepish as he returned her gaze. "Do you see? I'm not very admirable at all. If I didn't have my steward to handle everything, I don't know where Reglay would be now."
She tittered a little nervously. "That's not true. I admire you."
"For what?"
"You...mnh." Edginess rose within her as she struggled to put into words just what had drawn her to him other than a sense of pity at his predicament. "Well, when you...chose me, there was something about your presence. I felt I was being--" She quickly stopped herself, not wanting to reveal something so embarrassing as that. "I felt your kindness. What I said that day was something everyone found worthy of mocking, except for you. Even if maybe you should have laughed the hardest."
"What was so amusing about that?" he asked, lacking all of his reserve as a look of indignation crossed his face. "You offered to protect me. Everyone else offered songs, or poetry, or dances, and they were certainly all very skillful, but you offered me your life, Louise. No one with any sense of dignity would mock such an offer, and the fact that all of those people, though they would claim nobility by blood and marriage, would not only brush your words aside but find ridicule in them only proved what a farce 'nobility' is. No one who displays such earnest sincerity should ever be found as amusement. They should be honored."
Louise grinned. "There, Lord Pent. That's why you're admirable."
He stared at her in shock for one moment, then he began to laugh. She joined in, covering her mouth when he glanced at her with such fond regard that her entire body seemed to be one heartbeat just underneath the skin, which burned with an unnecessary amount of heat. She must have looked like a tomato to him! His looking away from her was a hidden kindness, allowing her time to regain her composure--such as it was. "Don't ever change, Louise," he said, still looking away, his words quite audible. "I'll be very unhappy if you do."
She giggled. "Don't worry, my mother says that all propriety earns in return is a stiff back and a multitude of regrets. I don't want to regret anything in my life."
"That's good." Lord Pent stood up, then held out a hand to her. "Speaking of your mother, we should get back before she regrets not chaperoning us. I'd like to speak more openly with you in the future, after all."
"I'd love that," she said as she took his hand, feeling a little shy but very hopeful as she wrapped her fingers lightly around the side of his hand. "I know I might not be of much help, and I may not even understand, but please confide in me if something is bothering you, or even if something isn't. I...I'm here for you."
"Thank you." Though his natural sense of reserve seemed to have returned to him, to her he seemed considerably lighter than before as they headed inside the academy again. "And likewise, though you don't seem to have any worries whatsoever."
"That's not true," she immediately replied, before burning with embarrassment--she couldn't tell Lord Pent about those kind of things!
"Hm, really? What is it?"
"W-well, it's really nothing. I won't bother you with it."
"Ah, I see. Our relationship is far from mutual, is that it?"
"Lord Pent, you're teasing me again...ah! Don't laugh!"
-end-
And here's the second part! I'm very sorry if the first part disappointed you, considering that no one has said anything at all about it, but I do hope this one makes up for it for you. I hope to have two more stories up in July, so please look forward to them. Thank you for reading!
Père Magie--Father (of) Magic. Judging by the quote outside the school, it's obvious who this refers to. Although Athos represents Nabata, since he didn't go there until long after The Scouring I'd suppose he was originally Etrurian. He is lugging around Elimine's sacred tome, so...?