It was something he would need to consider long and hard before accepting the position, though there was no doubt in Arion's mind that he would.
A lot could happen in two weeks, but in that moment, Arion was certain about his destiny.
Each day as part of Arion’s training he worked directly with Zallon on mixing potions. Arion wanted to move on to casting spells, but so far Zallon would not budge and only allowed his young steward to mix certain potions and only under observation.
A courier arrived from the King, interrupting the potion they were working on and causing Arion to spill a little too much cherry blossom into the clear spirit he’d already poured. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was making, as Zallon always told him those sorts of questions should be saved for when he was an actual apprentice, instead, the old wizard just spouted off ingredients and portions for Arion to put together without any rhyme or reason. He could be making Zallon’s afternoon tea for all Arion knew.
“It’s urgent news from the King,” the courier said.
Zallon sighed. “It always is. What is it this time?”
“Princess Valaria. . .”
Zallon cut the boy off. “Princess Valaria has gone missing, again.”
“No sir. This time she came back on her own, very upset.”
“I have nothing to help with an overly emotional child,” Zallon muttered under his breath.
“No sir,” the courier said again. “She was upset because she found a unicorn in the woods. He did not appear to be injured but acted sick.”
“Sick?” Zallon asked.
“Yes sir, sick,” the courier confirmed.
“But unicorns do not get sick. Their healing properties are extraordinary. I’ve studied them myself for many decades.”
“Yes sir, that was why the King is so concerned and wishes you to investigate for yourself.”
Zallon felt certain it was nothing more than more of the Princess’s drama. The young woman reminded him on a daily basis why he happily chose celibacy.
“Very well. Tell me where she found the creature and I’ll have Arion check it out.”
“Me?” Arion asked, quite surprised.
“Yes, I think this will do you some good, the fresh air and all. Don’t think I didn’t notice how much cherry blossom you dumped into my clear spirit. I’ll have to start over, and it will be much faster if I just do it myself.”
Arion sighed. One minute he’s happy thinking Zallon finally trusts him to do something right, and the next he’s shot down, like an arrow straight through his heart.
“Do you know where the Princess found the unicorn?” Arion asked.
The courier nodded. “I can show you myself.”
“Very well, come on.”
The two young men left and walked down the stone stairway heading into the Valley, across the river, and beyond to the Forest of Prosperity.
“What was the Princess doing all the way out here?” Arion asked aloud.
The courier snorted and shrugged. “Who knows with that one. I’m Garron by the way.”
“Arion,” he returned.
Garron smiled at him. “I already knew that. Rumor has it you’re going to be the next High Keeper of Magic. You’re sort of famous in Gavalon.”
Arion laughed. “Yeah, sure. Me? Famous? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Are you kidding? Everyone knows who you are Arion. You were handpicked at such a young age it never even gave the rest of us a fighting chance.”
“A fighting chance for what?” Arion asked, feeling confused.
“The High Keeper’s Apprentice, of course.”
“Why would anyone else want that job? Do you know how lonely it can be?”
“Or how powerful? You’re going to be the most powerful man in the Kingdom,” he said excitedly. “My mates will freak when they find out I got to go on this adventure with you.”
Arion snorted and shook his head. “Come along then, but seriously you and your mates have my life quite confused for someone else’s.”
Garron hung onto every word and observed every move Arion made with sheer fascination. It wasn’t long after they entered the Forest of Prosperity that they found the creature in question. Arion’s heart caught in his chest.
“Callia!” he screamed as he ran to the unicorn’s side, slicing open his knee on a rock as he slid to the ground next to her. Pushing the searing pain aside he focused on his friend, his only true friend as she lay whimpering on the ground.
The unicorn tried to nuzzle against him, but she cried out in pain that nearly broke Arion’s heart.
“Lie still, girl. Let me check you over.” He gently ran his hands across her body finding no injury but feeling a strange presence he could not explain. “It’s magic,” he whispered softly to himself.
“You’re serious? This is some sort of dark magic then?” Garron asked with excitement.
Arion shrugged. “I don’t know what it is for sure. More like a feeling.” Arion thought he sounded crazy, but it was clear that Garron believed him whole-heartedly. “See if you can gather some small fallen tree limbs. We need to build something to help distribute her weight so we can carry her back or at least to a safer place.”
“The western palace stables aren’t far from here, and better than trying to carry her back uphill the way we arrived,” Garron suggested.
“Brilliant. We’ll take her there. If there’s a veterinarian onsite, perhaps he can confirm that there is nothing physically wrong with Callia.”
“Callia? Who’s that?” Garron asked.
“The unicorn,” Arion said making Garron feel like an idiot.
“The unicorns have names?” Garron couldn’t resist asking.
Arion shrugged. “Some do. This one does.” He wasn’t about to explain to Garron how Callia was his only true friend in this world. No matter what it took, he vowed to save her.
A rustle in the underbrush nearby startled them both. Much to Garron’s surprise, the dying unicorn moved to protect Arion, but he ran his hand gently across her soft coat and whispered soothing words to calm her.
Garron almost forgot about the noise as he stared in fascination.
The intruder stepped out from behind her cover.
Garron’s jaw dropped as he saw the princess and quickly dropped to his knees. “Your highness,” he said not daring to look upon her.
Arion reacted in a much different way seeing Princess Valaria for the first time. He rose, wincing from the pain in his knee, and scolded her.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded.
“Excuse me?” the Princess asked. “I don’t see what business that is of yours.”
“Perhaps your father’s business then? I’m sure he’d be quite grateful to hear where his precious daughter is.”
Her eyes were wide in surprise and dancing with the fire of fury. “Do you dare threaten your Princess?”
Chapter 3
Princess Valaria couldn’t believe the audacity of the commoner standing there threatening her. She was secretly impressed too. No one ever spoke to her this way.
Choosing to ignore her altogether, Arion tapped Garron with the toe of his boot. “Get up. We don’t have time for this.” Then, he turned back to her. “If you’re sticking around, the least you can do is help.”