The next day, after completing her book sorting job, Simina finished her work day by mopping with Gloria and Olivia. She didn't like working with Gloria. Gloria would purposely make more messes so that Simina had to clean them. Earlier, when they'd been mopping up the kitchen, Gloria intentionally spilled the flour and made it look like Simina did it, and Matilda made Simina clean it up.
This made Simina angry, so she glared at Gloria as she sauntered by, sneering. Simina huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face, slaving away to clean it. Now, Simina was in the foyer, trying to avoid Gloria while mopping. She clutched the crystal in her fist, thinking about what Prince Nar had told her about channeling the magic within it. She could feel the power coursing through the small rock. It pulsed into her hand, and with the smallest ease, the littlest bit of concentration, Simina drew it out.
Magic flowed through her like a rushing river, her entire being the most invigorated it had been in her entire life. She cast her magic upon the mop, and it wriggled from her hands. It spun and danced around the foyer on its own, cleaning the floor with ease. Simina smiled at her achievement, and wondered if this is what it was like for other Zormonians. Gloria watched in astonishment, mouth agape.
"How are you doing that?" she exclaimed, staring in disbelief. "You don't have magic!"
She heard quiet footsteps slowly tapping down the staircase. Simina released the crystal in her pocket and the mop dropped instantly. The magic inside of her vanished. Her ponytail swished around behind her head as she turned. She saw Nar coming down the stairs, but he stopped midway, one hand resting on the banister, the other on his hip.
Nar stood gracefully upon the stairs, not stiff or relaxed but with a posture of flowing, movements. His broad shoulders matched well with his significant height, pronouncing his perfect masculine physique.
Gloria looked up to see Nar next and immediately tried to make herself look good. Olivia, to her left, began to hyperventilate. Simina did not let her eyes linger on him for long and she quickly looked away. Nar let his eyes fall upon each girl, first glancing at Gloria, only allowing his gaze to rest upon her for a mere second before glancing at Olivia, whom he didn't remain on for much longer than Gloria.
Then, his eyes fell upon Simina, for whom he gazed upon the longest. Feeling his gaze, Simina glanced back up and met his eyes. Despite everything in her mind that tried to convince her that he was evil and dark, Simina could not help but feel a pull in her heart. Behind the anger and chaos, she saw vulnerability in his eyes. Gloria, the everlasting, jealous hussy standing behind Simina, noticed this. A fire brimmed hotter than the hinges of hell within that spitfire, and she clenched her fists at her sides. She hated the fact that Simina attracted Nar's attention, seething.
"Stop staring at him!" Gloria shouted, startling Simina out of her daydream. Simina broke eye contact with Nar and turned to look at Gloria, whose eyes burned with fiery jealousy.
"What?" Simina acted oblivious. Gloria stomped her foot and huffed, fuming. Nar rolled his eyes at this exchange, annoyance swelling inside of him for the cousin. Jealousy was certainly an ugly quality.
Simina ignored Gloria and turned back to face Nar, but did not directly look at him. From under the hood of her thick lashes, she kept stealing quick glances, wondering what he was doing down here. Nar cleared his throat and faced forward again.
"Your work is finished for today. You may go home," Nar informed them. Matilda scurried about, giving each girl her pay. All three put up their mops and turned toward the door to leave. Simina walked to the door, smiling to herself at the fact that she was able to make Gloria so jealous. Before Simina could leave, Nar stopped her.
"Simina," he called out.
Simina stopped. Chills shivered down her spine. Gloria passed Simina another hateful glare before stomping out the door in a huff.
"Yes?"
Simina was unable to read his stoic expression.
"Your duties are not finished," he told her. "You're staying."
Simina did as he said. She stayed while her two cousins left. Nothing more was said until the other girls had left. She approached the stairs where he stood.
"Why have you asked me to stay?" She stopped at the foot of the stairs, staring up at him. Curiosity grew within her.
"I have something to show you. Please follow me." He turned and started walking back up the stairs. She quickly ascended them to catch up to him, ponytail bouncing behind her.
She followed Nar, and neither of them said anything as they walked. Simina recognized the path he was taking. At the end of the corridor, they turned right and he guided her into the first room on the right. This was the room she'd gone to when she first arrived. Simina recalled the desk, the tall bookshelves, and the leather chair by the window. Prince Nar closed the door behind them and walked swiftly to his desk.
"If you'd be willing...I would like to tutor you in magic." His voice was a soft, quiet little murmur. Her nerves fluttered around inside of her, somehow turned into little flitty butterflies. She looked at Nar.
"Have you used the crystal I gave you?"
Simina nodded. "Just once."
"And?" He raised a brow.
"It works very well," she said. "I was able to do magic in an instant. How will this help me?"
"Channeling the crystal will eventually teach you how to channel your own magic within yourself. It should help it become less dormant and more active in your system. Once your own magic isn't dormant anymore, you shouldn't need the crystal and you should be able to use your own magic. Do you understand?"
"So...essentially, using the crystal will help draw my magic out?"
"Correct," he confirmed. "Do you agree to let me train you?"
"Okay." She was still wary of him, but Simina wanted to continue to learn how to use her magic. She didn't want to feel useless anymore, like she was an anomaly because she was the only one who couldn't use magic.
"Then every day after you are finished with your tasks, you will meet me in the artifact room," he said.
Simina agreed.
"Good." Nar slipped a book off the shelf behind his desk, a rather thick book. He brushed off a thick layer of dust and handed it to her.
"Start with this."
Simina took the large book. The cover read: Magic for Beginners. The spine cracked as she opened it, the pages yellow with age. They were smooth and feathery, like a well-worn glove. The book was much older than Simina expected, as the language of the title and the words were written in the ancient Zormonian language. This didn't deter her at all, however, as she was well versed in it. Before she finished the first paragraph, the door swung open violently, slamming against the opposite wall.
"Prince Nar," Matilda said, voice urgent.
Nar glared at her, clearly agitated. "Matilda, you should know to knock! Don't you ever enter like that again."
"Apologies, your majesty, but this is an urgent matter," she said. "The King is requesting your presence."
"I'll be there shortly."
Matilda bowed and quietly left the room. Prince Nar sighed heavily.
"Did she say the King?" Simina had been all over the castle, but had yet to lay eyes on him. But if he was sick like Olivia said, then he'd most likely be bedridden.
"Yes, the King," Nar replied. "I'll be back shortly. Will you wait here please?"
"Okay."
Silently, Prince Nar strode out of the room and into the corridor. Simina waited several seconds before following after him, curiosity getting the better of her. Shoving her hand in her pocket, she clutched the crystal and channeled it. She didn't want Nar to know that she was following him, so with the magic of the crystal, she made herself invisible. Simina followed him down the corridor and up a flight of stairs, until he entered a room. She didn't want to risk following him inside the room, so she stayed just outside the entrance and peeked in.
Prince Nar and Matilda stood at the King's bedside. An open curtain let in bright, late afternoon light. Lying delicately in the dark red duvet in the four poster bed, Simina saw a frail, withered old man. His face was full of hard creases and wrinkles, with dark, heavy circles under his eyes.
"I'm here, father," Nar said gently.
"Come closer, my son..." the King rasped. Prince Nar got down on his knees, level with his father's face.
"My days are growing shorter...please tell me you have begun negotiations with Azria..." he wheezed.
"Not yet, but I am scheduled-"
"Silence!" the King snapped harshly, but immediately dissolved into a coughing fit that lasted for several minutes.
"Useless..." the King groaned, dabbing blood from his lip.
Prince Nar pursed his lips. "Negotiations are scheduled to take place soon."
"Have you at least found a proper maiden to take as your Queen?"
Nar was silent.
"Answer me, boy!" his father spat.
"There is...one girl I have taken a bit of an interest in, yes," Nar finally answered.
"Oh? Is she rich? What kingdom is she from? Doesn't have to be royalty, but just as long as she's some sort of nobility..." He trailed off, coughing slightly.
Nar sighed heavily. "She's a peasant."
The King exploded. "A PEASANT!? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? HOW-"
Due to the excessive shouting, he started coughing and hacking like mad. Spittle and blood flew everywhere, and his body shook uncontrollably. Nar placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Please don't shout, father," he said.
"I can't believe this!" the King said when he finished coughing. "My own son, interested in a peasant! I didn't raise you this way!"
Nar's jaw tightened, his fists clenching. "You're sick. All this shouting isn't good for your health."
"I can't believe I have to leave the Kingdom of Lazera in your pathetic hands!" he raved. "If only I'd had other sons, before your mother died, but you killed her! And now you've killed me too!"
"Father, please-" Nar gritted his teeth.
"You did this to me! Your darkness!" he went on. "My legacy is dead..."
Purple eyes glowing, Prince Nar snatched the King up by his shirt, jerking his face up towards him.
"Shut up, you old fool," he hissed. The King's eyes bulged with fear as he stared up at his son, whimpering. Nar threw him back down on the bed.
"My kingdom..." the King mumbled, coughing. Without another word, Prince Nar stormed out in a fury; a dense, thick amethyst smoke trailing after him.
In all of the commotion Simina must have let go of her crystal because Nar was staring right at her.
"What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here!" he shouted at her, his eyes dark and stormy.
Simina flinched at his tone and shied away, clutching the book to her chest. "I'm sorry..."
Nar was immediately guilt-stricken when he saw the hurt and scared expression on her face. He realized that he was unfairly taking his anger out on her and he'd made a promise to himself that he wasn't going to be that kind of person anymore.
"I...I'm sorry," he apologized, sighing. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."
Simina blinked rapidly in surprise. "It's okay..."
"Here, I'll take you home." Prince Nar held out his hand. Simina didn't take it. Instead, she said,
"You don't deserve to be treated that way."
This time, it was Nar's turn to be surprised. "I beg your pardon?"
"Your father. What he said to you...it's wrong," she said. Simina regretted all of the times she'd called him evil. Maybe he was this way because of constant mistreatment from his father. Simina saw from his previous efforts that he was trying to be good.
"Perhaps," Nar said tightly. "But he might be right, I...I destroy everything good around me..."
Simina gently took his hand. "No you don't!"
Nar laughed softly, sadness in his eyes. "You have no idea..."
"You're not pathetic." She squeezed his hand, staring into his teary eyes.
With a heavy sigh, Prince Nar cupped her cheek, stroking her face. "You are a kind person."
Simina leaned into his touch, her heart fluttering. He wasn't evil. Not at all. Someone evil would never show emotion like this. An evil person would have let her die that day in the bitter cold.
"I've never properly thanked you," she said.
"For what?"
She smiled at him. "For saving my life."
A genuine smile raised his lips. "You are welcome, my lady."
Simina wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, pressing her face into his shirt. Nar's breath caught in his throat, utter surprise rendering him speechless. Uncertainly, he returned the embrace, gently stroking her hair. It was pleasantly soft. Without a word, he used his magic to teleport her home, and in seconds, the two of them were standing on her front porch.
"Simina," Nar murmured. She was still hugging him, and hadn't noticed that they'd teleported. "You're home now."
She opened her eyes and pulled back from him. She suddenly realized what she was doing, and blushed. Simina stared at the buttons on his coat, observing his shirt. Had she really just hugged him? Simina suddenly became aware of the warmth of his body against hers. Simina's brain went on overload, and a warning filled her mind. What am I doing? she thought incredulously. Immediately, Simina ripped herself away from Nar. She took a few steps back, gathering herself, dropping her gaze away from him. She scuffed the ground with her shoe.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me..." she muttered sheepishly.
"It's quite all right."
She raised her head to meet his gaze once more. "For what it's worth, I think you'll make a great king one day."
Nar smiled and took Simina's hand. "Until tomorrow."
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, never taking his eyes from her. Simina's face flushed, and a bashful smile curled her lips. Her heart beat a mile a minute, her spine tingling. After, Nar pulled away and disappeared, leaving Simina speechless and very, very confused. She didn't know how to feel about the Prince now.
Little did Simina know, Gloria had seen it all from her window. The flame of jealousy burned hotter and brighter than ever. So, Gloria began forming a diabolical plan.