Or rather, that was how they thought it would start. It didn't though, not really. After over two weeks of trying it became apparent that the moments of solitude they'd need to practice magic in secret, such as the one they'd had when they'd first discussed it, were few and far between.
It was during one of Fai's language lessons that he discovered a compromise.
The county of Seresu was filled with people from different countries and there were about twenty languages commonly spoken in the main city, Celes, alone. Fai was supposed to learn all of them so that he could be sent to help anyone in the country without needing a translator. He had a gift for it though, so it wasn't nearly as hard as it would seem.
Along with spoken languages, there were also several stiles of writing that he was expected to learn and his tutor, a young woman named Maitresse Angeline, considered the runes used in lettering magic a written language.
All Fai had to do was ask King Ashura if they could have their lessons together, and hope he assumed Fai only practiced magic on his own. Then, he could ask her to review runes so that Mangetsu could learn them and he could show her how to string them into spells later.
It was perfect, aside from one huge, glaring, flaw: Guilt.
Despite the fact that Fai now knew King Ashura hadn't just helped him out of the kindness of his heart, that he had plans for him, he still felt incredibly guilty about going behind his back. The only thing, aside from Mangetsu, keeping him onboard, was that he thought King Ashura's anger was more likely than his disappointment. That the kindness had all been a front; that and the fact that he was more worried about his anger than his disappointment. Those things reminded him that he was doing the right thing, no matter how much it hurt.
The following day, Fai made up his mind, pushed back his fear, and asked Ashura if and Mangetsu could have lessons together. He seemed genuinely pleased and told Fai it would be fine as long as promised to improve himself in the areas of study he was currently lacking; namely math.
Fai promised, thanked him and went to tell Mangetsu.
Mangetsu was slightly apprehensive.
"No."
"What?"
"It was one thing when you were just showing me some stuff, that I can deal with. But I have enough pissed off tutors who hate me, I don't need any more."
Fai wondered briefly where she learned to talk like that before explaining further.
"Mang-mang, it wouldn't be a separate lesson, we'd just take our lessons with my tutors. I don't think King Ashura has really said anything about you to anyone, so they won't know not to teach you runes or some of the basics of potion making and I can just show you haw to use it later."
She thought for a minute, shifting her weight forward and back in her very un-ladylike crouch on a shelf in the storage closet they had taken to talking in.
They had to talk in a storage closet because it was so hard to get Sylvia and the rest of Mangetsu maids out of her rooms at a moments notice. So instead they said they were going to the kitchen, then walked strait past it and into a closet at the end of the curving hallway. Since no one was expecting them in the kitchen, they could talk as long as they wanted, then just go back.
They sat across from each other on the empty spaces in the shelving, and Natalia evaporated (Evaporating: Animals instilled with a high level of magical power are able to dissolve into smoke and drift after their masters to places large animals might not normally be able to go. They then manifest at their master's command or, if they are particularly well trained, when they sense that they are needed.) at Mangetsu's command.
The first time Mangetsu suggested it, Fai thought she was kidding. When he realized she wasn't, he was practically shaking at the thought of being caught. She gently told him to "Quit being a girl" and now he just went to avoid the insults.
"Alright," She groaned, "but I'm telling you now I can't do math."
Not nearly as depressing right? Well, review it and tell me! I can't read your mind! Also, I've just posted a picture of Sylvia on Deviant Art so go take a look^^
ありがとう
ShingetsuXMangetsu