Magic and spirit

Iris's happiness didn't last long. The very next day, Benjamin was already busy in his study, sending only Gilda to make her tea. At least he was thinking of her even when he had so much work.

When Gilda came with the tea, Iris drank it gladly, inquiring about the girls' training. The maid assured her lady that both she and the housekeeper were doing their best to find the girls adequate jobs for their skills.

Eira was training under Mary and Daisy, serving Iris everyday and the lady was very much pleased with her. She tried her best in every situation and was a quick learner. Soon the little girl will turn into a young woman and then Iris would be sure to give her a whole wage.

The following weeks, spring made its way to every corner of Alutus castle, turning the white scenery into one in full bloom. Only now could the garden be admired as it should. Tulips of all colours decorated the inner garden while rhododendron and rose bushes started to bud, intoxicating the air with their smell. Small pansies were planted in the small garden in front of the entrance. The hum of the bumblebees could be heard even inside the castle.

Everyday Mary or Daisy, sometimes even Eira would come with fresh flowers to decorate their mistress' bedchamber and study. Iris found it hard to stay still and often ventured outside but didn't want to wander around too much so that she wouldn't be heading towards her husband's study. She had to wait for him.

Instead, she decided to go visit the mage. The books she took from Ray provided plenty of information and now she needed more. Not long after that thought, she found herself going up the stairs to the tower once again, although she promised herself so many times to call the mage instead.

He wasn't surprised to see her, almost as if he was waiting on the other side of the door for her steps to be heard going up the stairs.

"My lady, have you read the books already?" he asked her with a bright smile.

"They were very informative, but somehow incomplete. They raised more questions than they answered."

"It's only the basics you've read, and you might have to continue doing so until you're well acknowledged with chemistry. After that, we'll start making spells."

"Do you have any new suggestions regarding my affinity?"

"I found some texts that might be of help, my lady. Just a moment to find it."

While he was searching in a thick book, Iris's mind flew to her husband once again and she remembered she had something to ask the mage.

"Ray, is spirit similar to magic?"

He stopped to look at her, thinking before giving his answer.

"They might be similar. Spirit is now studied at the academy, but there are not many spirit users, so knowledge is limited."

"Why is that? When there is so much we know about magic?"

"Like I said, there aren't many spirit users."

"There aren't many mages either," Iris pushed, beginning to feel a little annoyed.

"People who can use spirit are even fewer. No more than 10 we know of. In past generations there were even fewer. A theory that this is taking over magic is studied at the academy and is based on the fact that the number of mages is decreasing while spirit users are increasing."

"There are only 10 known."

"It might be so, but it's more than a hundred years ago when there were none."

"None?"

"Probably none."

Iris looked exasperated at Ray for not explaining properly not the first time. Flinching under her gaze he continued.

"We realised that there is such a power only a hundred years ago, in the war with Meria when King Frederik showed a greater strength than the average man, being the first known to imbue his sword with such power."

"Was the king the first one to show it?"

"The first one we know of."

"That might explain why Prince Alwyn is the best-known spirit user," Iris said thinking about how everyone knew the fact.

"But not the strongest, my lady. Lord Rolfe is stronger by far and people in the capital only witnessed his power once. There is rumoured that he was actually holding back his powers then."

Iris could not miss that Ray called Lord Rolfe by his name, not beast lord as many of her acquaintances. She liked that as she always thought he was a gentleman and a lord, deserving the respect of others.

"What about my husband?"

"What about my lord? He is also known to have spirit powers, there are some who say he is on pair with our prince, others that there is no comparison between the two. But neither I nor the rest of the capital ever witnessed his powers first hand. We heard more about his deeds in the Dark Wood than his strength. I suppose the two go hand in hand."

He thought about it before adding.

"My lord is said to be so powerful that, besides Prince Alwyn and Lord Rolfe, there are only 4 or 5 persons that could stand against it, those being mages. I, myself, am not one of them, of course."

"So few! How could spirit become so strong in such a short period of time, having three of the most powerful persons using it?"

"It is speculated that spirit actually existed long before king Frederik, but we did not have the eye to see it."

"Meaning mages ignored it."

"Most likely."

"Well, that's arrogant of you."

"Of them, if I might say," Ray defended his peers as well as himself.

"Of you, as even now you don't keep track good enough on existing mages. Who knows how many other talented people live their lives right now without knowing what they are capable of. They might be farmers, soldiers, maids and who knows what when the need of magic is so big!"

She was starting to get angry thinking of Sir Marco who was left in despair when the healer proclaimed his knight days were over. Thoughts of others who could use such a remedy to cure themselves led her to think of how maybe her mother could have still been alive and well if she knew what power she possessed. Mostly she was angry because of her helplessness.

"Your Grace, I beg your pardon, but the people at the academy have no way to find those who were born outside the heritage of magic families."

"Of course, you do! You can call every 10-year-old to be tested."

"But there are millions of children born every year and not nearly enough mages to test a tenth of them."

Iris looked at him, ready to retaliate, but stopped herself. Ray was still so young having graduated from the academy not even a year earlier. The eight years he spent there didn't give him any position of power, a chance to make any changes. She tried to calm down.

"I apologise for losing my calm."

"There is nothing to apologise for, my lady. I am but a mage working for your grace," he smiled sadly at her, confusing her with such a thing,

"You said that spirit was detected a century ago. When did people find out about magic?"

"We always knew magic existed because our world as we know it was created with its help."

"Since the beginning?"

"Yes, my lady. Have you ever heard the legend of the Sun's son?"

"The Sun's son? Never heard of it."

"It doesn't surprise me, my lady. Since the creation of the new faith, many such stories were lost for most people. But there are still plenty of books, both at the academy and at the royal library of those events."

Iris's curiosity peaked and she remembered the stories her mother told her when she was just a girl. Seeing her interest in the matter, Ray continued.

"The story begins a long time ago, long before the thought of humans even existed…"

A knock on the door interrupted the mage and the butler came in.

"Your Grace, I am sorry to disturb you," he started, looking around, not knowing for sure what he was actually interrupting, "You have a guest my lady."

"A guest? Who is it, William?"

"A lady named Miss Elisabeth Larossi."