The beggar prince, p.6
The Beggar Prince, page 6
part #1 of Unbroken Bond Series
Davian's smile swiftly dissipated. “I'm sorry.”
“What for, you do it on purpose?”
“No!”
“Then, don't say sorry.”
Davian lowered his gaze as a slow sad frown grew upon his lips. As she watched the frown grow, Marshalla felt her own guilt grow.
“Good to see you again though,” she said. Davian looked back at her, and as she smiled, so did he.
“Your father send you, Davian?” Mardaley called out from behind Marshalla. Smiling still, Davian looked past her to Mardaley.
“No sir. I'm on my play time.”
“So you chose to come spend it with us, we're flattered.”
Davian grinned.
“Does he know you came over though?”
Davian hesitated slightly as his grin faded.
“Yes sir,” he replied at last. A brief silence fell on all within.
“Good to know,” Mardaley said after a spell. He looked over at Marshalla.
“You'd better go with them, keep them out of trouble.”
Both boys grinned in unison at Mardaley's words. Marshalla looked from one to the other.
“Oh joy,” she said, a wry smile upon her lips. Chuckling, both boys pulled the door open and sped out, Marshalla hurrying after them.
“So, shall we go there?” Davian asked Tip just as Marshalla stepped out.
“Go where?” she asked. Both boys looked up at her. She liked the excited grins on both not one bit.
“Aqueduct!” Tip exclaimed. “Davian's got water spells he can show us. They're spectact…specat…they're special!” Marshalla looked from Tip to Davian, who beamed at her proudly.
“Too far to the Aqueduct,” Marshalla said, shaking her head as she spoke. “Won't make it back for late day deliveries.”
Davian shook his head at her. “We'll take the carriage, it'll get us there and back in plenty of time.”
Marshalla and Tip exchanged glances before they both looked over at where Davian had gestured.
“Proper carriage,” Tip muttered. Davian nodded as a slight frown twisted his lips.
“Is…something wrong?” he asked.
“Tip doesn't get to ride in carriages,” Marshalla replied.
“Or me,” Tip added, his gaze firmly upon the gilded elegance before him and thus oblivious to the wry smile on Marshalla's lips or the slight shake of her head.
“Well, come on, then!” Davian exclaimed, grinning as he raced to the carriage. Without a break in his gaze, Tip raced after him.
“Hey! Wait!” Marshalla exclaimed, but it was all in futility and, before long she, too, raced after Davian. Soon, all three bundled into the carriage, Marshalla sliding in beside Tip as Davian sat across from the both of them, and once all in, they rolled on down the street.
“Woah!” Tip exclaimed suddenly, staring into the ether as he ran his fingers across the seat within. Both Davian and Marshalla exchanged glances.
“What?” Marshalla asked. Tip looked at her.
“So soft,” he whispered. “Like feathers.”
“It's velvet,” Davian replied, grinning. Tip looked at him quizzically.
“What's a velvet?”
“I…oh, I don't know. It's what my brother calls it.”
“What, your brother's carriage?” Marshalla asked.
“Hm,” Davian replied, nodding at her as he did so. “Father thinks I'm too young to have my own, so Thalas lets me use his whenever I wish.”
“Nice to have money,” Tip muttered. Davian smiled guiltily as he turned to stare at Tip.
“Sorry.”
“What for?” Tip asked, frowning.
“I didn't mean to boast.”
“You were boasting?”
“I…” Confused, Davian looked up at Marshalla, but Marshalla merely smiled at him, shaking her head slightly.
“You like it, then, Tip?” she asked as she turned her gaze to little Tip. Grinning, he nodded in response as he began bounding on the seat.
“How did you two meet, anyway?” Davian asked. Marshalla's smile dimmed slightly as she looked from one little boy to the other.
“Met a while ago, almost a year now,” Tip spoke up. “Was raining that day, wasn't it?” He looked over at Marshalla. Marshalla nodded at him.
“Yes, was raining really bad, too. Was trying to find a place to stay dry, place out of the rain. But everywhere, there was someone already there. But then went over to one of the small markets, don't remember which one. One of the stall places there looked empty, so went in. But Marsha was already there, that not right Marsha?”
Again, Marshalla nodded, her smile now almost completely wooden.
“Yeah, so…yeah. She was sleeping, and when she woke up, she let me stay, and we stayed together since.”
“That's nice,” Davian said, smiling.
“Yeah!”
Smiling still, Davian looked over at Marshalla, it was all she could do to smile.
“So, where are you both from?”
Tip shrugged. “Don't know.”
Davian frowned at him. “What do you mean? You must know.”
Tip looked shook his head at Davian. “Don't remember. Remember the day Marsha and me met, but don't remember before that.”
Davian stared quizzically at Tip. “Nothing at all.”
Shrugging, Tip shook his head.
“You don't remember your family? Your parents?”
Tip looked over at Marshalla. “Marsha's my family now.”
“But–”
“Davian,” Marshalla interrupted, “street rats don't want to remember, so don't ask, ok? Not nice to make us remember.”
“Oh,” the little boy replied. “Sorry.”
“And stop doing that.”
“What?”
“Saying sorry all the time.”
“Oh, sorr–” Davian grinned sheepishly. “I'll try.”
“Good. Now, my turn.” Grinning, Marshalla sunk deeper into the lush velvet seat.
“How many lovers you got, then?”
“Marsha!” Tip exclaimed as Davian instantly turned beetroot red.
“What?” Marshalla protested. “Look at him! He a looker isn't he? Must have them queuing up to love him!”
“That just…eww, Marsha! Eww!”
“Oh, shush you. So, Davian…how many?”
“Uh.”
“Don't answer. Don't tell her!”
“Shush, Tip.”
Shaking his head at Marshalla, Tip moved to sit beside Davian.
“Get back here, you!”
“Don't listen to her, Davian,” Tip said, putting an arm about Davian as he shook his head at Marshalla. Davian smiled, first at Tip, then at Marshalla.
“It's ok Davian, tell me later,” Marshalla continued, winking at Davian, “when Tip's not here.”
“Whatever, Marsha,” Tip muttered, sighing as he spoke, before turning to Davian. “So, anyway, your father teach you magic?”
“Hrm? Oh no. I'm not ready for his tutelage yet. He's been sending me to tutors in other kingdoms. Just came back from Aderelas in fact. Father sent me there to learn the secrets of wind magic.”
“Where's that?”
“Aderelas?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, it's the capital city of the highland elves.”
“Oh, it's a big city like Merathia, then?”
Davian nodded. “Yes, though not as nice.”
Tip grinned. “Don't think anywhere's as nice as Merethia.”
“Heh, you're probably right.”
“So, they teach you a lot?”
Davian frowned as he shook his head distractedly.
“No. I honestly don't know why father bothered to send me there. It was so boring!”
“Boring?” Marshalla asked. Davian turned to stare at Marshalla nodding as he did so.
“Yes. I learnt everything they had to teach me in the first couple of weeks. And they're not that good either.”
“How long you there for?” Tip asked.
“Four months.”
“Woah!” Tip and Marshalla said in unison
“Precisely.”
“What they make you do?” Tip asked.
“Ugh! They made me do these stupid exercises. They made me lift things with nothing but air, that's all. Oh, sure they made me use different spells, except it was more or less the same thing, the harder the spell, the bigger the thing I had to lift. It was so silly.”
Marshalla chuckled at Davian's words. She couldn't help it.
“No, truly. I mean, can you imagine the things you can do with air magic? You can stop a fireball in mid flight with the right gust, or turn a tidal wave right back to source with a strong enough current, or maybe even split it in two with a large enough wind blade. But did they let me do any of that? No, I just lifted things, over and over and over.”
“Sounds like you miss them,” Marshalla replied with a cheeky grin. Davian cocked his head to the side.
“Yes, of course I do.” His words elicited a chuckle from Marshalla.
“So, what one do you like the most?”
Davian looked at Tip. “Which one what?”
“Magic thing. Like air.”
“Like…oh I see. Water's my favourite.”
“Oh?” Marshalla asked. Davian nodded at her.
“Why?” asked Tip.
“Because…I don't know, there's something…nice about water. The spells…they calm me.”
“Is it the strongest?” Tip probed.
“Oh, gods no. The most destructive is fire, by far.”
“So, water's the weakest?”
“Hrm, no. It's the most…I don't know. It's definitely not the most protective, that's earth. Water is…it's in the middle between the two.”
“Is it easy to learn?”
“Why, you wish to learn?”
Tip nodded simply, an act that called forth a curious frown from Davian, and a worried stare from Marshalla.
“You wish me to teach you?”
Again, Tip nodded.
“Well…I can try, if that's what you truly wish.”
Once more, Tip nodded, this time more emphatically.
“Very well, I'll teach you what I can, but it's not easy to learn.”
Tip grinned. “Still going to learn.”
Grinning, Davian looked over at Marshalla.
“Shall I teach you too?”
“Marsha hates magic.” Tip snickered.
Curious, Davian looked from Tip to Marshalla. “Why?”
Marshalla smiled politely. “Have my reasons.”
“Oh, alright,” Davian replied with a deep frown. Just then, the carriage began to slow.
“Ah, we're there!”
“About time!” Marshalla exclaimed as she turned to reach for the door. “Didn't think it would take this long.”
“Oh, it's because we went to its source.”
“Source?”
A slow delicious grin spread across Davian's lips. “You've never been to the Aqueduct's source?”
“Well…we seen it,” Marshalla replied. “can't go anywhere in Merethia without seeing it sticking out like that. Just…never gone to it before.”
“Oh, in that case, you are in for a treat.” Angling past Marshalla, Davian swung the door open, clambering out while Marshalla and Tip stared at each other.
“Come on, then.”
Before long, both clambered out to stand beside Davian, but the sight they beheld stole their breaths. The carriage had stopped alongside the Aqueduct itself, and towering before them lay, just as Davian had said, its source. Except its source was none other than the very heavens themselves, for standing before them was a magnificent bridge, one which carried Merethia's Aqueduct skywards, reaching higher and higher until it touched the very clouds of the air, Merethia's city walls running about its final pillar. The water that flowed down it was of crystal purity, rushing forth like a flood and giving a roar akin to a waterfall. It was truly a majestic sight to behold.
“Gods above,” Marshalla whispered while Tip merely stared open-mouthed. Davian simply chuckled at them.
“Come,” he said. “I'll show you the way up.” Coming to their senses, both followed Davian as he headed towards the levelled part of the bridge.
Straightening in his chair, Thuridan placed the little smooth stone he'd been holding against his ear on the reading table beside him as he raised his goblet to his lips.
“Now, isn't that interesting?” he muttered as he took a sip. “The little boy wishes to learn magic, but the girl hates magic. Why, I wonder?”
But as he rose his goblet to his lips for another sip, a curious thought wormed its way to the fore of his mind, and with it came a most delicious smile.
“Now, wouldn't that be something?”
Draining his goblet, the scheming mage sprang to his feet. This was a thought simply too good to ignore.
*****
As the carriage arrived back at Mardaley's, its door flew open as Marshalla and Tip stumbled out, drenched and exhausted.
“But truly, Tip, you did rather well today.”
“Stop saying that, his head'll swell again.”
In response, Tip made a face at Marshalla as Davian chuckled.
“Sorry you got wet,” Tip mumbled as he looked from Marshalla to Davian. Davian grinned in response.
“I don't mind.”
“Well, best get inside,” Marshalla said. “Take care, Davian, today was nice.”
“That it was, yes!” Davian replied with a grin.
“Coming tomorrow?”
Davian nodded. “If Father will let me out.”
Tip grinned. “Ok, see you tomorrow maybe.”
Davian's grin widened in response.
“See you tomorrow maybe,” he echoed as he closed the door. And with that, the carriage rolled down the street with both Marshalla and Tip watching it go.
“That was fun,” Marshalla said at last as she watched the carriage disappear round a corner.
“Mhm,” Tip replied, nodding in agreement as he spoke. Smiling, Marshalla turned to stare at Tip.
“You like him.”
Grinning, Tip turned to return Marshalla's gaze.
“Yeah,” he replied. “He's funny,” Marshalla's smile grew at his words. “And he's good at teaching things.” Marshalla's grin shrunk greatly at this.
“You don't have to do this, Tip.”
Frowning, Tip shook his head.
“No, Marsha,” he replied resolutely, “need to. We look out for each other, you said. You always said we look out for each other no matter what. And you don't like magic, so has to be me. Have to be strong so can protect you. And got to protect you, Marsha, got to. We look out each other, no matter what.” The fire in Tip's words burnt deep into Marshalla's heart. Forcing a smile, she reached out and ruffled Tip's hair, eliciting a chuckle from the little elf.
“Thank you,” she managed to say. Tip grinned at her in response.
“What time do you call this, then?” A voice called out to them. Startled, both turned to stare at an angry Mardaley as he stood outside his store, a delivery sack in his hand.
“Sorry, Mardaley!” Marshalla shouted back at him as she hurried over.
“Yeah, sorry!” Tip added as he followed.
“Sorry, nothing,” Mardaley replied. “You were supposed to…what in the world happened to the both of you?”
Smiling guiltily, both looked at each other.
“On second thought, nevermind, tell me when you return. These are past due!” Frowning deeply, he shoved the delivery sack into Marshalla's right hand and a list into her left as he glared at the both of them.
“Well?” he demanded as they stared at him. Turning, both headed down the street away from their irate employer.
“Wrong way!” Mardaley thundered.
Stopping, both turned and headed the other way.
“Sorry,” Marshalla mumbled as she hurried past him.
“Sorry,” Tip repeated in much the same manner.
“He's mad at us, isn't he?” Tip whispered at Marshalla once out of Mardaley's earshot.
“Just a little,” she replied. Sharing a guilty grimace, both quickened their steps as they hurried to their first delivery.
As the carriage neared his home, little Davian couldn't stop a contented sigh escaping his lips. It had been a far more pleasant day than he'd imagined. All his life, he'd wondered what it would be like to play with someone his age. No competitions, no scrutiny, no false laughters or empty praises, but simple happy play. And now he knew, but not only that, it was every bit as glorious as he'd imagined. More than that, it was so wonderfully liberating.
Sighing once again, he leant back into the plush velvet seats and savoured the memories once more, closing his eyes as a smile parted his lips. As he relived the events at the Aqueduct, the odd giggle escaping, he was blissfully unaware as the carriage finally pulled up.
“Master Davian?” a voice intoned from outside the carriage. Opening his eyes, Davian looked at the door. “Your tutor's waiting.”
Almost immediately, the smile on Davian's lips dissipated as he glared at the door.
“Master Davian?”
Frowning deeply, Davian took a deep breath as he shuffled toward the door. “Coming.”
The reprieve was over.
“Aatchoo!” Tip cried as his almighty sneeze echoed all about them. Grinning, Marshalla stared at him.
“Sorry,” he mumbled the moment he noticed Marshalla's stare. Shaking her head, Marshalla adjusted the delivery sack across her shoulder and continued on.
“Not my fault,” he muttered glumly once he'd reached her side, “ got to sneeze.”
“No, Tip,” Marshalla replied. “it's very your fault. You pushed Davian into the water, and then jumped on him. You sat in the water giggling and playing with him, even after me telling you to get out of it. It's very your fault.”
Tip pouted briefly before breaking into a wide grin. “It was fun though.”
Marshalla grinned in response.
“Aaatchooo!” Tip sneezed again, his whole body shaking from the effort. Chuckling, Marshalla stared at him as he wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve. Even after all this time, she still hadn't gotten used to how something so loud could come from someone so small.
“Sorry,” Tip muffled. Thankfully, they'd reached Mardaley's.
