Odin's Blissful Day

++This happens during Swing Your Sword (ch12), Just Chatter (ch13), and Second Lesson (ch 14). It impacts After the Lesson (ch15)++

(Just in case you worried Odin was hateful or something about his current situation.)

Lord Odin sits on the window sill watching the forest far below. It has become his favorite place to sip tea and think. Ten years he was trapped in the castle chasing down a difficult student. Ten years of pining for someone out of his reach even if she could be spoken to. Ten years of constantly movement, constant expectations, constant everything.

"If given the chance, I wouldn't go back." Odin sips on his tea. It's a nice morning.

Everything he could want is within easy reach. As gratitude for his ten years in court. Odin was forced to give up his mage tower to join the king's castle. To train the young crown prince with magic far beyond him. Odin tried to suggest there would be little support he could offer until the child was old enough to handle the weight of the mana.

"He even wears the curse for denial of mana use." Odin relaxes thinking of the small child who wanted to do everything. His magic was beyond his abilities. "Might be about now that he can actually learn to use the amount he has without threatening death."

The lord moves from the windowsill. The tower room has everything he could want. It is truly royal accommodations just in a forest near nothing. Exiled doesn't mean suffering. It would be nice if he could come and go as he would like, but he understands why the king refused that. He can acquire anything he wishes for. Mostly his magic can pull in whatever he wants. The rest can be gotten through the numerous letters he gains from the castle. Any of his wants are within reason.

"Eat whatever I want when I feel like it. Research as I wish without anyone interrupting. It's nice to not be the one called into service when the tracer spell goes off. Wasn't that a daily event?" Odin chuckles. It truly felt like it. They had to keep expanding Thomas's safe zone because he would just set it off often.

'I was just going for a ride.' 'I was helping them with laundry.' 'Shouldn't I wish to see the parade?' It was always something. The entire capital was within his safe zone when Odin was released from service.

"It truly is pleasant to be released. A decade earlier than I was first told I'd be. I thought I'd be trapped within those castle walls until Thomas became king. Then I could..." Odin waves it off closing his eyes. Thomas probably would do anything to keep him at the castle. His begging and pleading were top notch. A troublesome kid. "Much prefer this solitude. It was as if I gained all my wishes in one flew swoop."

Odin settles at the table just resting. "It was only a little flirtation, too. The king saw as we laughed together. We had not touched. We were in public eye. We were always careful to not let the true love progress. Still... I could understand how the king saw us. Knowing we are true loves. That is his queen. I am required to have distance." Odin struggles with the how given they were both to live in close quarters. He was her son's main trainer.

"Impossible." Odin can do so easily now. The queen and him at best can send letters. He never aimed for a relationship with her. Will not now.

A letter appears on his desk. That happens. Someone is sending him something often enough. A few even beg for him to return. As if he could return. The king has to decide that.

Odin picks up the letter. The return address has him opening it. What could the queen want?

'Dear Lord Odin Periwinkle'

Odin stares at his name in her writing. It has been tough getting the letters knowing who was attached. But nothing can change. If the king died... What is he even thinking? He supports the king and their marriage. Even if the king can guess what the inner thoughts may turn to. "I'm forever single. I decided that when I started into the deep end of my magic. Family would make it difficult." Shaking the ideas off, he returns to the letter.

In her gentle handwriting that draws his attention, the queen explains how Thomas ignored his father's request to not join the knights. It seems he snuck into the test and passed with flying colors. Odin laughs thinking that is exactly how the crown prince sounds. Still creating trouble.

The mage stops rereading the passage: 'Thomas has entered into knighthood.' "Wasn't he supposed to wait until eighteen when several of his curses end?" Odin rubs his face. "I can't name a more difficult student."

Odin places the letter down and goes back to his tea. He makes a meal while weighing how to pen this letter. Thomas always reads and responds to Odin's letters. "But refrains from the full truth." Like always. Odin sighs thinking of the difficulty. Thomas's last letter could have said something about these plans, but didn't. Thomas never jumps into things without careful consideration. Which means... "He isn't telling me everything."

"So how to write the letter to get more of the truth out of him?" Odin looks over the queen's letter again. She explained only as she knew. "If only Thomas listened." Odin picks up the pen and a new sheet. "Hope I can do this well enough."

With the letter signed, Odin allows his magic to aim for the kid when he is safe. That will be enough. The mage goes back to his windowsill watching the woods. "In four months... Will I get a visitor? Someone who will not turn back when they realize the difficulties of reaching me?" Odin wants to feel the ease he had only a few hours ago.

His difficult student will end up back in his life far too quickly. He wants to enjoy the freedom.

"It'll be at least four months." Odin sips on fresh tea. The calm must continue for at least four more months. "When he comes, he comes. I'll savor until then." Odin closes his eyes just resting in his tower where he is trapped.