Mistress Camellia

“Mr. Kamikiri, I want you to cut my hair. Can you do it?”

Roan blinked hard and looked around him. Where do I even begin?

“Uh, well. Madam, I’m sure….at least I think I can…but I don’t have any tools.”

Inago produced the same knife from before that Roan had used on the road. He winked and gave it to Roan.

“That seems to have been remedied, please come forward and do as requested.”

He sighed and began walking towards the beautiful woman on the sofa in front of him. As he approached, she raised her arm out from under the white duvet and motioned for him to go behind the sofa. He walked around and saw that her head was laying on the arm rest and her hair fell into a rather tangled pile behind. He could just barely make out where the locks on her head began.

“How, uh, short do you want it? Um, m’am? Madam? What should I call you?”

She gave a short chuckle and responded, “Address me as Mistress Camellia. As for the length, as short as you can manage. Please.”

Roan nodded. She speaks in such formal language. I feel like I’m talking to a high class noblewoman for sure.

He took the knife out of its sheath and reached down to grab a handful of hair. When he touched it, Mistress Camellia gave an audible gasp and a slight whimper escaped from her lips. Roan immediately let go.

“Did that hurt?”

“N-no. I’m sorry. Please continue.”

Roan looked at Inago who was unusually quiet. He looked on with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape. What? Why’re you looking at me like that? I’m just cutting her hair. Relax.

He once again grabbed a handful of the soft and silky strawberry blonde hair. The mistress’ body tensed up. Roan wrapped some hair in his hand and pushed the knife against the strands and slashed. Nothing. Nothing cut at all.

Confused, Roan applied the knife again. That’s when he saw it. The blade wasn’t even touching her hair. As he pressed on the knife handle, it felt harder and harder to get closer to the woman’s hair. It was as if a force was repelling the against the metal of the knife.

“What? What’s going on? Why can’t I even get the knife close?” He struggled even more and let go of the hair with his other hand and began to press down with both hands on the handle.

“Hey kid, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Inago said cautiously.

Roan ignored him and put all his weight onto the knife edge. Immediately he felt a surge of energy blow out from the mistress’ hair. The knife slipped out of his hands and soared towards him. He was able to just barely duck as it sliced his left shoulder open. He heard it embed itself in the wall behind him. Blood poured from his wound.

He reached up to grab his shoulder but before he could scream in pain another force hit him square in the chest. It flung him into the air and towards the other end of the long room. He screamed and felt heat on his back. Instinctively, he tensed his back muscles and closed his eyes bracing for impact.

That impact never came. Instead he felt his back muscles burn with an intense heat. He opened his eyes to see that he was floating in the air in the middle of the room. Inago and Mistress Camellia’s eyes were both wide open in disbelief.

“W-what is happening? I’m flying? Again? Ha ha! This is amaz…ow! Ow! It hurts! My back is on fire! Help me!” Roan struggled in the air and reached for his back as blood gushed from his shoulder. He caught a glimpse of the air behind him as it rippled in a circular heat wave around his back. He screamed as pain washed over him.

Inago shook his head to rouse himself from his transfixion. “Roan, listen to me. You’re casting magic right now. You’re flying. But, you have not trained your body nor your magic reserves. If you keep this up, you could die. You must let go.”

Roan screamed, “I don’t know how! What do I do? Ow! It feels like my back is gonna break open!”

Mistress Camellia looked on but was whispering something under her breath. Inago, after glancing at her, approached Roan slowly.

“Roan, focus on the sound of my voice. Do exactly as I say. Okay?”

Roan nodded fiercely.

“Good. Relax your back muscles. Magic flows through the magician and is manipulated by the magicians body. In this case, flight, is manipulated by your back muscles. Relax them and the casting will stop.”

Roan began to shake and shiver, “I’ll try.” He uttered.

Inago turned to Mistress Camellia and nodded. She then spoke up, “Ich feld voultah nue.” She reached out her hand and a red pulsing wave of light spread throughout the entire room. Inago and Roan both visibly relaxed their bodies.

Inago was able to stay standing but Roan fell to the ground with a thud. He looked up just in time to see the red light fade away and Inago run up to him before he passed out.

---

Inago’s hands glowed green as he covered the wound in magical energy and sealed the deep cut. Behind him Mistress Camellia was still chanting softly.

“It’s okay, he’s out and limp. The casting is over. You can release the enchantment, mother.”

Camellia said a few more words and then stopped as her body relaxed as well.

“That was interesting to say the least.” She said as she rolled onto her back. “I’m glad you were able to find him before the enemy. You did well, son.”

Inago rolled Roan onto his back after quickly inspecting him for any other wounds. He then stood up and walked towards Camellia.

“Thank you but is this kid really all that important? He has no magical training at all! Whoever took him through the Un-binding Ceremony was reckless and damaged him. He’s a lost cause.”

Camellia turned her head and looked at Inago with fierce eyes, “And yet, no one, not even you, has been able to even touch my hair. Which means he’s a Courier, like me. I need you to train him. He must learn to control his magic. And in time, I will teach him to control the comb as well. You’ve secured us a great asset. Be proud, my son.”

“An asset? This…kid? I admit he’s not a complete idiot but he’s not exactly a fighter.”

“Then teach him. You weren’t much better when I found you either. And I’d stop calling him a kid, you’re only a few months older than he is.”

Inago gave a resigned sigh, “Fine, but if he does manage to cut your hair I get the first…h…” Inago blushed a deep red. “I get the first hug…” he mumbled.

Mistress Camellia gave a warm smile, “Deal. The first one I get to embrace will be you, my dearest Inago. Now go. You have much work to do.”

Inago nodded and turned around. He stretched out his hand and tensed it. A disk of blue light appeared beneath Roan’s sleeping form. It raised up and began to move as Inago walked forward. He turned one last time before leaving the room and closing the door.

“Don’t worry, mother. I’ll have him in tip top shape in no time. You’re going to be free from this room. I swear it.” He bowed and closed the door.