She sighed in resolution and nodded. She had only known Arion a few days, but she had seen strength and goodness within him. She couldn’t explain why, but she trusted him more than she had ever trusted anyone in her entire life. If it meant that much to him, she would trust he only had her best intentions in mind.
She gave him a squeeze of compliance and reluctantly let go of his hand to turn and follow Garron. They walked around in silence until they found another fallen unicorn.
Valaria was the first to spot her. She dropped to her knees and lovingly stroked the beast. “Arion, her breathing is very labored. She’s not doing well,” she said fighting back tears.
He was right beside her soothing talking to the unicorn while simultaneously soothing her too.
“Hi sweet girl. I know you’re not feeling good, but I’m going to help that some.”
He stroked her throat as she winced. Garron stepped forward and forced her mouth open as Arion poured the potion down her throat. It was fast acting and they stayed with her until the unicorn was weakly nibbling on a patch of grass.
“Her heartrate is stabilizing already,” Valaria said in awe.
Arion grinned and winked at her. “Kind of like magic.”
Chapter 7
Arion collapsed into bed, exhausted. He had returned to help with the final burial, but not until the King sent a few of the guards to escort Valaria back to the castle while they finished cleanup. He knew she wasn’t happy with him for it, but he strongly felt it was for the best.
Zallon had a second team go out in the afternoon to administer another fifty doses of the potion. They had successfully reached one hundred unicorns throughout the kingdom, but it weighed heavily on them both that they had no way to determine how many others remained.
“Tomorrow I’ll have another batch ready for you take out,” Zallon said startling Arion who sat up to find the old man standing in his doorway.
“Okay. It’s getting harder to find them, but I’ll do the best I can,” Arion assured him.
“I know you will,” Zallon said proudly. “You handled today well.”
Words of praise from Zallon were rare. It warmed Arion to hear them and he sat a little taller because of it.
“Don’t think I didn’t see the way you and the Princess were looking at each other though. Is there something going on we need to talk about?”
The high from his praise quickly deflated as Arion’s shoulders shrunk.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” he insisted.
“I was young once too, you know. I know the powers of the female persuasion,” he said as he bounced his eyebrows up and down to Arion’s horrification.
“Please stop. I know my path, Zallon. I know what the requirements are too. I won’t let you down.”
Zallon sighed. “Arion, it’s not about me. This is a big lifechanging decision for you. If a wife and children is what you wish for in life, then this isn’t the path for you. That’s okay. You won’t let me down if you choose not to except it, but the time for you to make that decision is closing in quickly so I do hope you are putting much thought and consideration towards it.”
“It doesn’t really feel like a lifechanging decision though. I’ve been on this path for a long time. It’s kind of the inevitable. Besides, once I’m officially your apprentice, stuff like that will get easier, right?”
Zallon laughed. “Arion, being the apprentice or even the High Keeper does not magically protect your heart from a beautiful woman.”
“It doesn’t? But how come you’re not tempted then?”
“Of course, I’m tempted. It’s a choice, Arion. A choice you have to make each and every day to overcome the power of the flesh.”
Arion groaned at the thought. He didn’t want to be attracted to the princess or anyone else for that matter. “But why?” he blurted out.
Zallon sighed. “With great power comes great stupidity. It is why I chose you, Arion, as an orphan child. You didn’t have attachments to others, and I thought that would make things easier on you. No person or thing must ever come before your duty to the protection of magic.”
“I understand,” he said.
“Good. Now get some sleep. There is still much to do in the morning.”
Zallon left Arion to his thoughts as he allowed himself to consider not excepting the apprenticeship for the first time ever. Before tonight, he had always accepted that it was his duty to follow in the High Keeper’s footsteps and assume the role for himself. Could there be another path to his life?
He drifted off to sleep trying to imagine what that life could look like.
The next morning Arion arose with a headache. He hadn’t gotten much sleep and was grumpy as he set about with his daily chores as he waited for Zallon to give him more potions.
He was cleaning the kitchen when Zallon finally found him.
“Good morning,” he said cheerfully. “I have another one hundred doses for you today.’
“Do you think there’re still that many out there that need it?”
“I have no way of knowing for sure, but they seemed plentiful yesterday so would rather have too much than not enough. I’ll get another batch started, just in case. The apothecaries in villages will be pleased for it if we don’t need them.”
“That is true. I’ll finish up here and be on my way then.”
“Very well. Good luck today. You did well yesterday,” the wizard said before turning to leave.
Two compliments in as many days? That was beginning to worry Arion.
There was a knock at the door just as Arion was setting off to leave. He opened it and found Garron there clutching his side and trying to catch his breath.
“What’s happened?” Arion asked as the hair on his arms rose.
“It’s Valaria. She and her father argued, and she’s disappeared again. The King seems more worried than usual this time. He wants Zallon to run a location spell on her and I thought maybe you’d know where she is.”
“Why would I know where the princess is?”
Garron shrugged. “I thought the two of you were close. You looked a bit cozy yesterday.”
Arion sighed. “Well we’re not,” he said adamantly. “Go to Zallon and have him run a location spell. I have work to do.”
“Aren’t you even a little concerned for her safety? I mean she is your friend even if nothing more and there’s a murderer on the loose,” Garron argued.
“A unicorn murderer,” Arion clarified.
“Someone willing to kill a unicorn will stop at nothing. They are the gentlest creatures in Amaria.”
Arion snorted. “Clearly, you’ve never angered one, but I get your point. I’ll keep an eye out for her while I’m out today.”
“You’ve going back out there? Alone?” Garron asked.
“Yes Garron. There’s still work to be done.”
“But it’s not safe,” he insisted.
Zallon walked in carrying a sword and scabbard. “Arion, before you leave, I want you to carry this on you at all times today. It’s just precautionary should you encounter the less savory type on your mission. Plus, tomorrow we’ll have to arrange a journey for you to reach any of the unicorns further out in the kingdom. I just want to know you have some protection.”