A Roly-polly Mage

“No sir. I’d never wish for it.”

“I figured.”

“If that’s all, make sure to ring this bell if you need anything, we’ll come as soon as we hear it.”

“Thanks William, have a good night.”

“You too sir.”

So this is my room? Quite nice, just as one would expect from royalty.

Now… this hall has almost no security compared to the others, it’s a shame I couldn’t trick the butler, but at least I got some information.

So what’s the plan? Even if I managed to find her it’s not like talking to her would do much… Should I just wait for a better moment? Should I focus on how magic works?

What if I just kidnap her? Would that work? I guess all of our family would get punished for my actions… that must be why she doesn’t try to resist.

I should first map the castle but something tells me going around the halls is not a good idea.

So let’s do this the old fashioned way:

Open the window—check.

Look for guards—check.

Get ready to push my new body to its limits—check

Mentally prepare for an instant death if I fall—check.

Ready… set, Go!

This would be impossible in Notos, the stones would be slippery and the winds wouldn’t help, but these are the perfect conditions. I missed this sensation, the adrenaline of knowing a wrong hand or foot placement will bring you to your end as you cling to the wall, hoping you don’t get caught.

“Ahhhhhhh! a human sized spider!” A female voice shouted.

Wha da… I double checked there were no guards in sight! Whatever, I’ll jump into the bushes, I should’ve descended enough to survive the fall. Who would confuse a human for a spider tho… Is she dumb?

“What was that? Who’s there?” A guard exclaimed.

“Eeek, What should I do? What should I do? I’ll get caught. I’m done for!” The female voice panicked quietly. As I landed next to her—noticing she had curled up like a rolly-polly and was on the verge of tears. “Ahh-” She was about to scream when she saw me, but I shut her mouth and dragged her into the bushes.

“HMHMHMHMHM” She wiggled.

“Shhh! I won’t do you harm, stay calm, you don’t want the guards to catch us do you?”

“Mmm-mm…” She shook her head.

“Right, so don’t make any sound.”

“Mh…” She nodded.

*Sigh* I should’ve used her as a decoy and escaped. What’s the deal with her? Why is she at this place at this hour? Could she be an assassin? No… she’s too weak… too fragile to be… But magic can kill right? No… if she could kill she wouldn’t have reacted the way she did… Who are you???

I threw a rock into a bush in the corner of the castle.

“Quick! They don’t have a way to escape, catch them!”

It seems it worked.

“They are gone so I’ll take my hand off your mouth. But we are still in trouble so keep your voice down. Understood?”

“Mh” She nodded again.

I took my hand off.

“You shouldn’t be here this late! This is the king’s castle!” She said, worried, as if she thought I was a lost child.

“The same applies to you… Aren’t you too young to be sneaking around here?”

“How rude of you! I’m no child! I’m a PhD!” She said proud, closing her hands.

“You’ve got a PhD? in what? Rolling up like an armadillo?”

“In magic of course!” Her eyes lit.

“Magic…?”

“Yeah!”

“Right… Miss… sorry… doctor…”

“Boulanger! Sofia Boulanger!”

“Bffff Hahahaha”

“Hey! What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing. Heh. Don’t tell me… your mother is Lili Boulanger?”

“Huh? No… Who is she?”

“Eh? Did I get it wrong? Sorry.”

There’s no way coincidences that big exist. But it’s nice to hear a familiar name.

“Anyway I should go home… Thank you for saving me from the guards! I owe you one.”

“You DO owe me one but tell me Miss PhD in magic, how exactly do you plan on getting back home?”

She froze…

Don’t tell me… you didn’t think of that? How did you enter then…?

“I… used an invisibility cloak but… I lost it…”

“You… lost it…?”

“Yes…”

*Sigh* Why do I have to babysit this girl? Don’t lose your only way to escape!

I’m also worried my mother will go search for me if she hears the guards…

“Don’t you remember where you saw it for the last time?”

“It’s an invisibility cloak, I’ve never seen it.”

“I meant if you remember the last time you knew where it was…”

“Uhmm… the wind blew it off…”

“The wind… Blew it off…”

“Yesh…”

“*Sigh* Listen, I’m a guest of the king, and I’m staying at the room right there, so I can hide you there until we figure out a way to get you out of here. Do you know any spell which can help us reach it? The alternative would be for me to climb the wall with you on my back, and I doubt it’d work.

“We mustn’t climb! I saw a human sized spider on the wall just a while ago!”

You’ve got to be kidding… Just connect the dots!

“Anyway, do you know any?”

“Hummm… I know one which can make us lighter.”

“That’ll do. Cast it.”

“Ok.”

She took out a piece of chalk out of her pocket, closed her eyes, and then—started writing on the air—bunch of numbers and letters glittered by, and then she said: “Let the lie be true.”

I know it’s redundant, but it was magical, In plain of night, those numbers glimmered even more beautiful than stars—“Êôs-Astraios” it made total sense now, stars are not but mere reflections, of what their power represents.

In the gleam I saw her amber eyes turn bluish, her light brown hair turn celestial, and in her concentration—the resolution of a true mage.

“Ready. It’s done.” she said as the sparkles faded.

“Then giddy up”

“Eh? Huhhh???”