Chapter 4 – The witch and the prince
Sky quickly cowered behind a pillar and disappeared from Diaspro's field of vision. Diaspro had just turned fifteen and was therefore eligible to take part in the annual Mirror Ball on Eraklyon. The one ball where all the nobility of the magical dimension, good and bad, met for a diplomatic event. Be it to form alliances, negotiate peace or marry off their eldest daughters. For Sky, as Crown Prince of Eraklyon, this ball had already been obligatory for a year. In general, at the age of fifteen you were officially allowed to take part in the event. He understood that his father wanted him to take on a more serious political role. He had to admit that this ball was something for the older generation and that the younger generation often stayed at home. Sky didn't see the necessity to be present. But whenever he asked his father about it, he brushed him off. In fact, his father constantly brushed him off. When it came to asking him to accompany Diaspro to the Mirror Ball, he hadn't listened to Sky's refusal at all.
Sky liked Diaspro in a weird way. She was tiring, yes. She was bossy, yes. But she was also one of the few friends he had since his lonely childhood. Still, he didn't want to marry her, that's where they differed. Because Diaspro seemed really keen on it and Sky too could imagine worse things than marrying a friend he cared about. But then again… they were friends and Sky just couldn't imagine her as his future wife. Only very few nobles were entitled to a love marriage, and he was aware of that. And to be honest, marriage wasn't something he seriously thought about at his age. His thoughts were focused on the latest wind glider models and the next race. Unfortunately, Diaspro did not share this enthusiasm.
"Sky, where are you?" Diaspro's voice reached his ear and Sky quickly hid behind the nearest pillar. There was one thing he had forgotten about Diaspro: she was terribly possessive. And since she officially became his fiancée (also when she turned fifteen), she never left his side at all. Sometimes Sky felt like she was taking all his air to breathe.
"Sky, your father told you to stay close to me!" It wouldn't be long before she would throw one of her infamous tantrums, and when that happened, Sky wanted rather not be near her. Damn, he would much rather be traveling on his wind gliders now. As a child, he loved to ride horses and would often steal horses from the stables with Brandon and ride for hours with his best friend. That had been almost as wonderful. He loved feeling the wind in his hair. That was the only time he felt truly free. When he didn't have to be a prince. His father didn't appreciate his hobby. As a child, he once fell off a horse and broke his arm. Sky had to beg his mother to stop his father from killing the poor horse that had thrown him off. It took a long time before he was allowed to ride again. It goes without saying that wind gliding was no less dangerous. His father was also extremely displeased to see that. But as Sky got older, he wasn't so easily terrorized by his father. He bowed to his duties, yes. But he spent his free time however he wanted. And he decided he didn't want to spend the evening with Diaspro, who clung to his arm and spouted off the latest court gossip. Brandon would be much better suited to something like this than him. But his friend was not noble and therefore air to Diaspro.
He pushed his way through the crowd and headed for the exit of the hall. As he crossed it, the hallway suddenly became quiet. The protective wall that stopped the magic in the hall (so that no one could be at each other's throats. Despite everything, light nobility and dark nobility in one room was always a risk) and apparently also acted as sound insulation. It was almost dead quiet. Nearly. From a distance, he heard the faint tinkling of a piano. Someone from the staff must have taken advantage of the opportunity that the bigwigs were all at the ball and sat down at the large grand piano a few rooms away. Sky had actually planned to take his wind glider for a spin, but the music made him curious. It wasn't a happy song, but still very pleasant. So, he followed the melody down the corridor and gently pushed down the handle of the door behind which he had located the music.
It was a part of the castle that was rarely used. It was only prepared when there were important guests expected. Most of the time it looked like it did now: all the furniture was covered with white sheets, and everything looked lonely and deserted. Only the slow waltz music that was played on the grand piano in the next room filled the room with life in a melancholic way. Sky walked through the antechamber and then turned into the room with the grand piano. The moonlight was the only source of light and shone brightly through the tall windows. It made the light blue hair of the girl who was sitting on the piano facing him shine silver . Sky had never seen anything more beautiful in his life.
She noticed him as he entered and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but was undeterred in her playing. Sky was so fascinated by the sight of her that he stopped in the large double doors and just kept staring at her. He must have looked pretty stupid because after a short while an amused smile appeared on the girl's face. And that was probably meant for him. But he just couldn't tear his eyes away from her as she sat there at the piano. Her slender body was wrapped in a dark navy blue dress, a subtle silver necklace around her neck that matched her earrings that sparkled in the moonlight. She was definitely not one of the servants, but rather a guest of the Mirror Ball, and probably about his age. She continued playing the sad waltz, her fingers gliding over the keys like delicate waves.
"A sad song." Sky finally got himself in control, enough to let himself down onto one of the covered armchairs next to the door.
"I don't feel like anything happier right now. Plus, I don't even play very well anymore," she admitted.
"You're playing charmingly," Sky replied.
"Suck-up," she said, but grinned broadly and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks.
Sky searched for words. He definitely didn't want to let the conversation stall. The fear of turning out to be the idiot that he felt like he was in front of the girl was too big. He was Prince Sky of Eraklyon. Actually, he was always cool. And to this day he had never had difficulty finding words with girls. Until today. So, he rambled on and said whatever came to mind first.
"Why don't you feel like something happier? The Mirror Ball is usually a huge event for girls your age."
The girl let out a snide breath. "For stupid girls, maybe. Those who have no idea about politics and think this whole thing is just a little fun game."
"And you know more about politics?"
"Certainly more than you."
That upset him a bit. He was the Prince of Eraklyon after all, he thought, as if that was proof that he was well-versed in politics. Of course, he wasn't and he would certainly have more knowledge about it if wind gliders weren't such a time-consuming hobby.
But the girl couldn't have known that. So, with a puffed-out chest, he announced, "I am Prince Sky of Eraklyon," feeling just a little stupid.
"I know." She grinned again.
Oh man, who could be mad at that smile?
She continued playing for a while, letting Sky sort out his thoughts in his head. Every now and then she stumbled a little over the notes. So she was actually out of practice.
After all, she's not perfect either, Sky thought, although at the same time he thought that he had never seen a more perfect appearance than hers. She wasn't like the giggling girls he knew. Those who cared a lot about balls and for whom the latest shoe model from the hot fashion brand was the greatest thing. She wasn't like the hotheaded Diaspro either. On the contrary, this girl was cool and controlled, even if she seemed to have an urge to plaque people a little. But he liked that. He was the Prince of Eraklyon and no one had ever dared to plaque him. She didn't seem to care, and her honest nature made her somehow special.
"So," he began, scratching his shock of blonde hair, which he had let grow long to look bold (he wondered if she liked that). "You know who I am, but I don't know who you are. What's your name?"
The girl played the next part of the piece particularly dramatically, meanwhile answering: "I'm Icy."
Icy. That actually sounded cool. Literally. And it suited her. She wore her long, light hair in a high ponytail, which was held together with a diamond-studded clip. So she must have come from a wealthy family. But her name wasn't familiar to him. He knew the names of the princesses from most of the houses of Eraklyon, as well as many of the high ladies of the magical dimension. But no one he knew had a daughter named Icy.
Her play faltered slightly during a faster passage and Sky took this as an opportunity to get up and sit next to her (albeit a little shyly) on the bench in front of the wing. He ran his fingers over the keys, completing the piece Icy had played with a flourish. Since he was the crown prince, court etiquette expected him to master everything he did to perfection. So he also played the piano to perfection.
"Not bad." Icy gave him an appreciative look and he noticed that she was no longer sitting as casually and elegantly as before. ( Maybe she was a little shy too? That would have been very cute, Sky thought.)
"You're not taking piano lessons anymore?" he asked casually and closed the lid over the keys. She leaned on it with her elbows and put her face in her hands. "No. Not in a long time."
"Don't feel like it anymore?"
"No money."
"Oh." He wasn't expecting that. Only then did he notice that the diamonds in her hair clip were not cut in the modern way and that the leather around them already looked a little older. Her jewelry also did not come from the current collections of the designers that Sky's mother and Diaspro valued so much. It was simple and delicate, but at a closer look it was older than it had seemed at first glance.
"Are you speechless or do you not talk to impoverished princesses?" There was suddenly something hard in her voice, as if she wanted to build a protection around herself.
"Um, no, nonsense. I just wish I hadn't asked so stupidly."
"Indeed, that was a really stupid question." Her voice softened again. "But you couldn't have known that." She continued: "I come from a very old noble line of Eraklyon. But their glory days are long gone. At the time of the Shadow Wars, they were among the most powerful families in the magical dimension." There was now a tiny hint of pride in Icy's voice and Sky was glad that she was telling him this so freely. Plus, he was very knowledgeable about history. And so he asked, "So during the time of the Ancestral Witches? So, they were part of the big families that fought against them?"
Icy smiled sadly. "No, we were their allies. My family goes by the name Whisperia."
Whisperia. Sky swallowed. This name was familiar. They had belonged to the black magic families who was in the service of the Ancestral Witches. Sky hadn't known the family still existed. He had thought they had perished like the three witches, shortly after they brought down the planet Domino.
"Shocked?"
"Well, a little bit."
Icy wrinkled her pretty nose: "Well, at least you're being honest." Then she smiled again. "I think I like that about you."
Oh damn, her smile. "I don't mind," Sky asserted. "I mean, that was all a long time ago and we live in the here and now. Someone like me can definitely – "
" – be friends with someone like me?"
"Exactly."
"Nice." That furtive smile crept onto her lips again. "As a terribly important Prince of Eraklyon, why aren't you at the ball? That's your political duty."
"I'm on the run, so to speak," Sky admitted. "And then I heard your beautiful – I mean your piano playing."
"On the run, I see. In front of your fiancée?"
Sky paused: "How do you know I'm engaged?"
She sighed. "Listen. This was announced a few months ago. Everyone in the magical dimension knows that. At least," she grinned, her white teeth flashing, "at least everyone who cares about politics."
"I don't want to marry her." Sky blurted out, unable to stop himself. What was it about Icy that made him want to justify himself to her over and over again?
"I figured as much."
"Are you, I mean, engaged too?"
"Not yet. My family is no longer important enough for that. Or rather, it has fallen too far out of favor for anyone to seek a political alliance with us. Your father," and now her voice became cold again, "took away the last large remaining portion of our lands from my family last week. That's why my mother is here today. Actually, her health no longer allows her to attend such events here. But she wanted to speak to the king again. After all, the Mirror Ball is the best opportunity to bury feuds and make peace."
Sky understood. "That's why your piano playing was so sad."
"I think so."
The whole thing Icy told him made him feel uncomfortable. His father could be domineering and – Sky had to admit it – cruel. King Erendor of Eraklyon ruled his planet with an iron fist. This was the only way, he had told Sky, that secure rule was possible. His father never forgot anything. No offense, no wrong word. And all such were punished. On the other hand, he never forgot any favor or service that he generously rewarded. Like to the Count of Isis, Diaspro's father, last week. A storm had caused extensive damage to the royal lands last month and the king's vineyard had been completely devastated. The Count of Isis therefore gave the king his own winery. As a result, he received a large portion of new land just last week. Sky knew about it. His father had told him and cautioned him to always be generous with an ally to ensure their loyalty. At least those who you wanted to be on good terms with. The rest, who were not dependent on them, did not need such treatment and were forced into obedience through oppression.
Just like the family that King Erendor had taken over the lands from. Sky hadn't known it was the Whisperias. He had expected it to be an insignificant part of Eraklyon (and that was true) and didn't think about it any further and was now ashamed of it. He didn't particularly like his father's style of government and had realized ever since he was taught the country's politics that he would definitely do things differently. Later. But perhaps it was necessary for him to think about it now and try to influence his father positively (if that was possible with Erendor). Sky knew his father well enough to know that he did many things out of cold calculation, making life as difficult as he could for those he believed didn't deserve his mercy. In other words, he used his power without remorse. He wasn't like the kings that appeared in the knight stories that Queen Samara, Sky's mother, had read to him when he was little. Wise and just. No, his father was not fair. He was bossy and very cruel at times. And Icy and her family suffered because of it. He looked at her at his side. Icy had her arms folded over the piano lid and her head resting on them. The moonlight made her skin appear snow-white and she looked like an angel.
Sky had heard often enough from his father - and from his mother - that the black magic families had to be kept small so that they would never again rise up against the white magic families and endanger the peace in the magical dimension. But how long had it been like this? The battle against the Ancestral Witches was almost a thousand years ago. Why did Icy have to pay for what her long-dead ancestors had done? Wasn't it time to bridge the gap and include these families in the circle of the rehabilitated? Sky suddenly wanted to speak to his father as quickly as possible. A lot had to change. Starting on Eraklyon but also everywhere else. And he would break the first ground.
"I'm talking to my father," he broke the silence.
She raised her head and raised an eyebrow: "Because I have pretty eyes, you are talking to your father?"
"I didn't even say that you have pretty eyes!"
She smiled amused: "But you thought it."
Sky was amazed. Could she read minds? According to the old stories, there were black magic families who were able to delve into the psyche of their counterpart. So, he hastily asked if she was one of them.
"No," Icy shook her head, making her long ponytail swing in the air, "but my sister is just learning. And it looks like she's a natural." She shrugged, as if it was normal for little sisters to learn such things. "I guessed it, though, it was written all over your face. " She touched Sky's nose with a long, outstretched finger, then apparently noticed what it must look like, blushed slightly and lowered her finger, a little embarrassed.
"I'm talking to my father," Sky began again, "because the way he treats your family is unfair. You were followers of the prehistoric witches, yes? That was a millennium ago. What else do you have to do with it?"
"We still practice black magic," she said hesitantly and then continued as if she were seeking justification for it. "But it's always been that way. After all, without darkness there is no light, right?"
How smart she is, Sky thought, aware that he had to stare at her like the last love-struck idiot again. She seemed to agree and giggled softly. Not like Diaspro. Icy sounded much more mature and the giggle was sweet and not intrusive.
"You're absolutely right," he finally managed to say and stood up. "And that's exactly what we're going to tell my father." He held out his hand to her. "Together." She smiled again. That slightly amused smile accompanied by a raised eyebrow. Then she took his hand and stood up as well.
"But before that," Sky said, trying to sound bold and not at all nervous, "well," he faltered. "Before that, will you do me the honor of a dance?"
Her smile grew wider. "Very gladly."
He led her back through the adjacent room and down the corridor into the main hall. Sky noticed that there were a few pairs of eyes watching them as he led Icy onto the dance floor. But he didn't care. They should look all they want because he was dancing with a black magic. Wasn' t that what the ball was for? For the connection between good and evil?
A waltz tune hummed in the background and Sky got into position. "Do you dance the waltz well?" he whispered.
"Not particularly well," she admitted, seeming a little hesitant for the first time.
Sweet.
"And it doesn't really help that the entire room is suddenly staring at us like that," she said.
"Ignore them. Just focus on me. I'm leading, nothing can happen to you." They slowly intertwined their fingers and after a few unsteady steps, Icy quickly got into the flow. Sky wondered if she had been lying about her dancing skills, or if he just led really well and made her feel safe. He hoped it was the second. After a short while, Sky forgot that they were in a hall with countless people. He felt as if there were just the two of them. He had often danced with girls, but he had never felt so free. Icy didn't seem to feel any different. Her icy eyes became softer, and the tension fell away a little more with every step.
Finally, the music ended. They paused and looked at each other. By now Icy's smile had reached her eyes too. And just when Sky thought he was going to drown in her blue eyes, his father's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Sky." They both turned their heads. Erendor stood at the edge of the dance floor, his arms crossed. He was obviously not amused.
Sky didn't let that deter him. He didn't let go of Icy's hand, but led her to his father. As they got closer, Sky could see the vein throbbing in his father's temple. Not a good sign, but there was no going back.
"Father, this is Icy Whisperia."
"I am well aware of that." The king's voice was deep and rough. Sky knew that if they hadn't been around so many people, he would have had a tantrum by now. But he didn't care. Today, Sky wouldn't be impressed by it. For far too long he had cowered from his father whenever he had another one of his fits. Not today.
"I, no, we have a request."
Erendor's eyes narrowed. "Well then, let's hear it, my son."
Sky was just about to continue the matter when Icy spoke up. "It's about my family's lands that you confiscated last week. There was no reason for this measure and if we have in any way negatively affected Your Majesty, I apologize. Therefore, I ask -"
He interrupted her: "You demand your family's lands back." Erendor's voice was cold and distant and there was anger in it.
"No," she said quietly but firmly, and Sky admired her for that, "I'm asking it back."
"Your request will not be granted. Your mother has already auditioned and there is no reason to question my decision and demand it again."
"She asked for it, not demanded it," Sky said in a strained voice.
"It doesn't matter to me," Erendor now turned to his son. His voice was a hiss. If they had been alone he would have roared, Sky knew that. "She is a Whisperia, she deserves no mercy. Haven't you learned anything in all this time, my son? Black magic families don't deserve anything."
"But -" Sky protested.
"Let it go, Sky." Icy grabbed his arm and held him back. "Some battles can't be won." She put on a diplomatic smile. "I thank you for your time, Your Majesty." Erendor nodded curtly. "You are dismissed."
He might as well have added „scum" at the end of his sentence. Icy curtsied and walked away. Sky tried to reach for her hand, but she quickly pulled it back. His eyes followed her. She went to a black-haired woman who had sat down on a canapé and was deathly pale. She was clearly not feeling well. It was definitely Icy's mother, who was already in poor health. Sky wanted to rush over to them and apologize, to help them somehow, but suddenly he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, gripping it firmly and clearly signaling you are staying here. Sky turned his head and looked into his father's stern face.
He was just about to say something. How unfair he was and that it wasn't right to judge someone based on their family name. But like all too often a stern look from his father was enough to silence Sky.
They stood there like that for a while until Erendor said quietly: "I am very disappointed in you. I asked you to keep Diaspro company. She's your fiancée, Sky. And instead, you arrive with this little snake that doesn't deserve your attention in any form."
"I decide for myself who deserves my attention." Sky was surprised that he dared to speak against his father and before he could say anything back, Sky tore himself away and looked for Icy.
She and her mother had disappeared, and he just caught a glimpse of long light blue hair disappearing through the double doors at the exit of the hall. He hurried to follow them, but he had made the calculation without Diaspro. His childhood friend stood in his way, snorting in anger.
"Sky! Where have you been all this time? And how did you come to dance with Icy? She's a black magic noble." Diaspro pouted, but her voice wasn't quite as harsh as Sky had suspected it would be. He preferably wanted to go after Icy as quickly as possible, but the fact that Diaspro seemed to know Icy made him stop.
"You know her? From where?"
Diaspro sighed. She didn't like talking about other girls except herself. Sky had gotten used to that, but, when he was alone with her, she wasn't as full of herself as people always thought. That's why Sky wasn't surprised when Diaspro calmed down and calmly explained to him that she and Icy attended the same magical school here on Eraklyon. "Besides being a black magician, she's not that bad," Diaspro admitted. "And she is very talented. When it comes to group work, I always let her go first, so I always get a good grade." Then her gaze became cooler again. "But why do you care about her?"
"It's complicated," Sky said, then turned on his heel and left Diaspro behind to run after Icy.
"Hey, Sky, wait! Where do you want to go now? Argh!" Not much longer and Diaspro would implode. But Sky accepted that. The most important thing for him now was to catch up with Icy and - and what? Well, something would happen. An apology for his father's behavior was the least he owed her. He ran out of the hall and turned into the hallway that led outside.
Icy and her mother, who was being supported by Icy, had just stepped outside. When he called after her, she stopped and looked back. Then she said a few words to her mother, who held on to the railing outside and went down the long stairs that led to the forecourt of the castle. When Sky arrived at Icy' s, an old black carriage was pulling up downstairs.
He had stitches in his side from running and certainly didn't look very regal as he gasped and choked out an "I'm so sorry!"
Icy sighed, but she didn't seem mad. Discouraged, but not angry. "It's not your fault. You did your best. And for that," she smiled at him again with that wonderful smile, "I thank you very much. I never thought the Prince of Eraklyon would stand up for me."
"This prince would like to be your friend," said Sky.
"Your father probably wouldn't like that."
"I don't care what my father says about it. That's just yours and my business."
Icy looked at her mother, who was getting into the carriage, and then said quietly: "I don't want any trouble, Sky. I can't put that on my mother."
Sky understood. If they really became friends and his father found out, things would probably go worse for Icy's family . If word got out, Sky would be grounded or banned from wind gliding. The Whisperias, on the other hand…
"This is a pity. But I understand you," he said crestfallen.
"I'll end this at some point. The humiliations my family have to endure. Year after year. I'm going to end this."
He looked at her. Her gaze was directed into the distance, and she seemed determined.
"How?"
She smiled. But it seemed tortured. "You will see. Somehow. Sometime. But I will end it no matter what it costs me."
He looked at her confidently. "Maybe we'll end it together."
She looked at him, her eyes questioning.
"Tomorrow," he then said, "tomorrow at noon on the border of the royal lands with the Whisperias. We'll meet there."
"I think the border no longer exists. Our territory has become very small."
He thought for a moment.
"Then at the Blue Lake. There's a place-"
"Where the bank is overgrown with reeds and protects from prying eyes. I know the place."
"Then there," he said firmly.
She hesitated and Sky feared she would refuse.
But the mischief found its way back into her eyes. She raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Then there. Goodnight, Prince Sky of Eraklyon." With these words, she turned around and followed her mother.
It didn't end with this one meeting. Whenever they found time, they met secretly. Almost every day in the summer months. Then school started again. Sky was educated privately and Icy, as it had turned out, attended the same secondary school as Diaspro. A prison: That was what both of them had independently confirmed to him. Now the meetings became less frequent and that made them more and more valuable. It wasn't uncommon for Icy to climb over the wall that surrounded the school and for Sky to elude one of his royal, but frail-old and therefore slow teachers, so that they could meet. Down by the lake. This became their secret place.
Nobody knew about it. King Erendor and Queen Samara didn't and Icy's mother and her siblings didn't know about the secret liaison. It was their biggest and most precious secret, and, so that no one would tear them apart, they kept it to themselves. Even when Sky turned eighteen and transferred from his private teachers to the Red Fountain School in Magix and Icy attending the Cloud Tower school for witches, they didn't separate. Icy followed her family's tradition, even though she might as well have become a fairy. It would have made so many things easier. After all witches were seen as bad and evil by society and got excluded a lot. Fairies on the other hand were the kind of magic forms every good family wanted their daughters to be. If Icy had become a fairy, things might have changed. But Icy refused to be anything other than what she was.
And Sky understood that. He loved her for that very reason. Then she was a witch, so what? The times of discrimination should be over in his opinion. There were also a few princesses in the magical dimension who became witches. Few, but they still existed. And it was time for society to change. For people to realize that it didn't matter if you were a fairy or a witch, you could still be a good person, with or without wings. But society seemed to be miles away from this idea. So their private meetings remained secret. Until Icy said they had no future. He was in his third year at Red Fountain, they had been a couple in secret for over three years. He no longer understood the world.
"But we wanted to fight for a new world, together! So that no one can separate us anymore."
"Don't you understand?" She was distraught and Sky wanted to hug her, but she had put herself out of his reach. "It makes no sense. The world will never just change. Not for us either. It has to end this way."
"Icy…"
"No."
"Icy, what's wrong? What happened?"
She was shaking and Sky didn't know why. A wound covered her cheek, but she hadn't replied when he asked her about it. He had never seen her so fragile.
"Something happened that opened my eyes. It's not a game, don't you understand? We are no longer teenagers who believed our dreams could come true. This is reality and reality doesn't change just because you believe it will or because you want it to. There's so much more that needs to happen…"
"Icy-"
"Leave it," her voice broke, and she turned around. "We need a break. I have to sort myself out first."
Back then he was too shocked to say anything back then. This breakup came out of nowhere. Just a week before, they had met secretly in Magix and everything had been fine. Icy had been in high spirits and had predicted that something would change soon. But, at that time, Sky hadn't expected this kind of change. She had sounded so positive and now she was the exact opposite of then. Now he was standing alone at the Blue Lake and had no idea how to move on. He held back tears, wondering what on earth had suddenly happened to Icy. He hadn't heard from her for a few days and had put it on the final exams at the end of the semester. Just as he had arrived back on Eraklyon, her message had come. So they had met. Here at the Blue Lake. In their secret place. Met to say farewell. But Sky had never figured out why.
Sky stood at the railing of the small balcony that led off his and Brandon's room. It was always strange to watch the starry sky from another place. It was a completely different sky than over Eraklyon. The stars were different and there was no great ringed planet that could be seen clearly.
When they were younger, he and Icy had often looked at the starry sky. They had lain side by side on the grass on the shore of the Blue Lake and simply talked. They would tell each other everything. There had been nothing that they had kept secret from each other. Completely different from now. Just two months ago, Icy had broken up with him and kept the reason a secret, and yesterday, when he met her at the Mystery, everything had been the same again. In retrospect, he was annoyed that he hadn't asked her any questions. After all, he didn't know at all where he stood with her. But yesterday there had been little opportunity to talk. After all, they had been very busy elsewhere. But he really needed to know what was wrong with her.
"Sky!" The voice of his best friend and roommate broke him out of his thoughts and he turned around. Brandon stood at the open balcony door. "You haven't really been yourself lately."
Sky just sighed. "You know exactly why, so why are you acting like you're so surprised?" He turned around again.
"You have to forget about her, Sky." Brandon's voice sounded serious. That was rare. "There are so many other girls."
I'm not interested in other girls, Sky thought. He didn't say it out loud, but Brandon seemed to know what he was thinking. "She's just playing with you. Don't you notice that? One day she sends you to hell and the next day she throws herself at you. It's not good for you, Sky." His voice softened a little. "I can see how this is bothering you. Let her go and find someone who is serious."
Sky didn't answer. He knew Icy very well. Or… he thought he knew her. She used to be like an open book to him and he hadn't doubted her sincerity for a second. But now, he wasn't so sure how much he could trust her anymore. Was Brandon right and she was just playing with him? He wished this wasn't true and tried to convince himself that there had to be a reason for her behavior.
"I've told you a thousand times," Brandon chimed in again. "Try this fairy from Earth. Bloom. Stella wants to set you up, she told me."
Sky rolled his eyes. But since he was still facing away from Brandon, his friend couldn't see that. Maybe that was for the best.
When it came to Stella, Brandon hadn't been able to joke around for some time. He really seemed to care about her. Sky was even more surprised that his friend didn't realize that Icy was just as important to him and that he didn't want to give her up
"You know Brandon, I don't want to - "
Brandon interrupted. "Wait, before you say anything, let me make you a suggestion." His friend came up to him. "Just try Bloom once. And if it doesn't work, then I won't bother you with her anymore. But she seems really nice, and I think you need a nice girl and not a… well, a witch."
"You think it's because she's a witch."
"All witches are like that. Or do you know a nice witch? They're not bad for, you know, short numbers. They have a temper, but for a long-term relationship, you'd better look for a fairy. They are different. Friendly and, well, good."
Again, the old cliché of good and evil. Sky couldn't hear it anymore. His father had also liked to dig it up over and over again back when he had seen them dancing on the Mirror Ball. A witch is no match for a prince. It is black magic and black magic only brings chaos and darkness. If his father could, he would have hunted all witches down and cleared every inch of Eraklyon of them. But even the King of Eraklyon couldn't do that. Eliminating a group of people who hadn't unambiguously done something bad would make him look like a tyrant. But there was no denying that things weren't easy for witches on Eraklyon. Nowhere in the Magical Dimension. Magix seemed to be an exception at first glance. A least when it came to the schools. The principals of the school for fairies and the school for witches seemed to get along very well and there had even been events over the years in which all three schools had come together. And Sky realized that there would be another event like this soon.
"So, Sky, will you promise me?"
"That I'll try Bloom?" He hadn't seen the red-haired fairy since their mission on Earth. And yes, Brandon was right, she was definitely nice and not as stubborn and moody as Icy. Not as mysterious as her. She wouldn't have Icy's dark sense of humor either. She would be completely different from her. Was it perhaps worth a try? Deep down, Sky knew it was just a waste of time. But to please his friend, he agreed and promised.
Brandon's face brightened significantly. "Then let's go down to the meeting now. That's actually why I came to get you."
"That's right, the weekly meeting." They went back inside and then into the hallway, where Riven and Timmy were already waiting for them.
"Well, the prince has found his squire after all," Riven teased and grinned. Sky ignored him and Brandon didn't respond to their teammate either. Riven was...difficult, and paying too much attention to him only made his comments worse. So, Sky mentally counted to ten instead of punching him straight away, which he would often like to do.
"Let's hurry, the meeting starts in exactly three minutes." Timmy looked at his technomagic watch, which showed a hologram of the current time. So, they made their way to the elevators that would take them directly to the school's forum.
There was an uncomfortable silence in the elevator. Even after two years, they still hadn't really become friends. They were a team, a unit. But that was about it. Sky and Brandon had friends on other teams and Timmy also had friendships of his own, even if he was the only one who got along well with Riven. Whether they were actually friends or just roommates, Sky didn't know, and he had never really thought about it. Riven was a loner. He was the lone wolf of the school and was ill-tempered and hot-headed. Sky didn't really think much of him, and it didn't surprise him that Riven had no friends. It was better to leave him alone and only interact when they had outings as a team/when they were together as a team.
With a ding, the elevator door opened. The school's forum was already full, so they searched the back rows for seats. The rows of seats were arranged like an amphitheater and the walls were constructed in such a way that the headmaster, Saladin, a small, frail-looking wizard, did not have to make any effort to speak particularly loudly. His voice could be heard all the way to the last row without any problems.
"My dear students, it is a pleasure to inform you that tomorrow evening the annual gala in honor of the new students will take place at our sister school Alfea. Like every year, we are invited again. That's why tomorrow evening at 6:45 sharp we will all gather in the large square outside and set off together for Alfea. And one more thing should be said: the specialists at the Red Fountain have always enjoyed the reputation of being polite and courteous gentlemen. And we don't want to disappoint the lovely fairies."
Sky frowned. Just the fairies? What about the witches of Cloud Tower? For the last two years that Sky had been at the school, the gala had taken place for all three schools.
"So," Saladin continued, "put your best foot forward. Your behavior reflects this school and I expect the young fairies to be treated decently."
Giggles spread throughout the large room and echoed from all sides. Brandon elbowed Sky in the side. "He says good manners. I don't know if I can handle it with Stella." Sky only listened to his friend with half an ear and just mumbled a "hm". His thoughts were elsewhere. Saladin had spoken exclusively of the fairies. Accordingly, the Cloud Tower students were not invited this year. But before Sky could pursue his thoughts, Codatorta, who was standing next to Saladin, shouted "Quiet!" Immediately, everyone fell silent again. No one was keen to attract negative attention under the bloodshot eyes of the school's strongest trainer.
"As I said," Saladin spoke again, "I want you to be on your best behavior. And yes, I know that a waltz is not a combat exercise, but it also trains your motor skills and your sense of balance. To be honest, I'm a fabulous dancer too!" The little old man did a twirl and then continued. "So, we'll meet tomorrow evening at 6:45 sharp!" He turned around once more and disappeared.
Gradually, the ranks cleared, and Sky joined the crowd of students behind Brandon and Riven. Without a doubt, Sky ruminated, Saladin had only spoken of the fairies. But why? Just as he was wondering what the reason for this could be, his teammate Timmy, who was walking next to him, beat him to it: "So they're actually excluding the witches this year. But after the incident two months ago, that's no surprise."
"What incident?" Sky hadn't heard about anything like that.
Timmy adjusted his glasses. "Well, it's not talked about. I only know because my father is on the board."
"Okay, and? What is it?"
"Two months ago, at the end of the last semester, there was a tragic accident in Alfea. Apparently, a group of witches broke into Alfea and attacked an Alfea student. Nobody knows exactly why. Maybe it was an argument that led to this, but in any case, it apparently escalated in the potions lab. The student who was attacked accidentally blew up the entire lab, and one of the witches was killed."
There was silence for a while until Brandon caught himself. "You would have noticed that, wouldn't you?" he asked in disbelief. "Who was the Alfea student who blew everything up?"
A pained smile crossed Timmy's face: "Stella from Solaria." Brandon paused and Timmy continued, "Her father paid for the damages, of course, and there's a rumor that he also bribed the board of Alfea, so that there would be no further investigation. It was labeled an accident, and Alfea received a huge amount of donations."
"Damn." Brandon had turned completely pale, and Sky wondered what his friend was thinking. Apparently, Stella hadn't told him anything. Which was hardly surprising. Who would reveal to the guy they were dating that they were complicit in a murder? Once they were alone, Sky would stand by his best friend if he wanted to pour his heart out to him. Or he would stand by his side in silence. Whatever would help him. They were best friends, even if Brandon wanted to distract Sky from Icy. He didn't mean any harm, Sky knew that. His friend just wanted what's best for him, and that's what Sky appreciated about him. He felt no different and placed a brotherly hand on Brandon's muscular shoulder. Brandon, eager to deflect Stella's involvement, asked, "And the witch student?"
"Hmm," said Timmy and suddenly seemed to be a bit sad, "I guess she didn't have a family. Either way, Principal Faragonda and Miss Griffin's relationship has been strained ever since. So it's no wonder that Alfea doesn't want the witches from Cloud Tower to come along."
"And the other witches who were with her?" Riven spoke up for the first time.
Timmy shrugged as if he didn't want to talk about this matter any longer. "As I said, she was traveling with a small group. But no names were mentioned; people are stubbornly trying to keep the whole thing quiet. But, supposedly, there were two other witches. Both were slightly injured, but apparently nothing serious. Well, given their friend's death, they were probably glad they only got a few scratches."
Sky's mouth became dry. "You said two? So, there were three witches in total?"
"From what I know, yes."
"Then the dead witch may be…," Sky began and trailed off.
"Lilith," Riven voiced what Sky was thinking. "That's why she wasn't at the club with Darcy and the others the other day. She is dead."
And suddenly the scales fell from Sky's eyes: Icy had broken into Alfea two months ago along with Lilith and Darcy - to attack Stella? What was the point of that? But it explained Icy's completely out-of-nowhere desire for distance that she had expressed two months ago. She may have been completely distraught after her friend's death!
Sky could still see her in front of him, a big scratch running down her cheek, deathly pale. Of course, because she had just lost her friend! And there he had been, racking his brains for days about why she had essentially broken up with him. That was the only reason he had been able to keep this „distance" that Icy had asked for. For a moment, he had even begun to think that she might have met someone new. He had been so hurt that it hadn't even occurred to him that there could have been something much more significant going on.
"But apparently Icy and Darcy have completed their trio again," Timmy said. "There were three of them again in the Mystery, right? That's why it didn't even occur to me that it could have been Lilith. I just saw that there were three of them and figured Lilith must have been there." He laughed nervously.
Brandon's mood brightened. "That was because you didn't have your glasses on, mate."
Timmy blushed and said angrily, "That was because you took away my glasses, Prince Sky, because you said it would make me look cooler."
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Brandon patted the spectacled man on the shoulder. "But it looks like they quickly filled the gap again. I wonder who the new girl was. She looked good from what I remember." Sky wasn't sure if Brandon was just trying to distract from Stella and his ignorance of what was happening, or if he actually found Icy's little sister attractive. He feared it was a mix of both. Sky sighed and removed his hand from Brandon's shoulder. But it was clear that Brandon had immediately noticed the new addition. Alfter all, he was a womanizer with all his heart.
Riven explained to Brandon: "The new one is Stormy, she is the younger sister of Icy and Darcy."
"So, she's probably 18…" Brandon mused fondly.
"Sky, we just learned about a tragic death and all you're thinking about is who you're going to flirt with next?" Sky asked his friend angrily.
"Hey, hey, calm down, Sk–Brandon. It was just a factual statement!" Brandon raised his hands placatingly.
"As if the situation wasn't serious enough," Sky murmured, his thoughts only on Icy, who had lost a close friend and was probably all alone with her grief. He could have been there for her! Before he could think further about why she dumped him, instead of seeking comfort from him, Riven interrupted his thoughts, interpreting Brandon's behavior as: "He just wants to distract himself from the fact that his little sunshine didn't tell him that she has someone on her conscience."
Brandon spun around angrily: "What are you saying? How can you turn it like that? It was definitely an accident!"
Riven had a nasty grin on his face. "But Timmy just told us differently. On the contrary, even her dad paid for it to be dismissed as an accident. It was definitely her fault that Lilith died."
"Riven, you're going too far!"
"If you say so." Riven folded his arms behind his head and walked into the room he shared with Timmy without turning back.
"This…" Brandon grumbled. "It certainly wasn't Stella's fault."
Sky wasn't so sure, but he didn't say so. Although he had planned to be a support to Brandon right now, he felt an urgent need to clear his head. He said goodbye to his team, saying he wanted to go train some more. He had to force these thoughts out of his head before the questions took over and kept asking: Why did Icy dumb you? Why didn't she tell you what was going on? And why did she act like nothing happened the other night?