Emptiness

Each day that passed only added new stresses for Henri. And not all of them came from running the kingdom. Many came from one single source, Sophia. It began with her return from Galen, the first town that reported the disease. He had seen her fatigued before from Kalendirn, but this was nothing like it. The way she talked her mana was fine, but mentally she was completely drained.

As much as he would have liked to go with her, it was both impractical and he didn’t want to make her feel like she was being smothered. So he kept his distance and worked. But the burden of going home to home healing people, not knowing if the new one she found would be dead or alive. It sounded like hell. For all of the things that he knew his father cursed her life to, this wasn’t one that he envisioned. They gave her a far more cruel course than ever considered.

For breaking an innocent woman, hell had reserved a special place for him, Henri knew. He quietly accepted his fate. And was forced to watch her week after week return more worn down as the disease spread faster than she could manage. For all their caution and work, nothing slowed down its spread. It was already believed to be in the capital. The entirety of the kingdom was likely in the grip of this plague. And Sophia was shaving her sanity away a day at a time.

On one return from the village of Melbon, he saw Sophia looking like she was the living dead. The trip forced her to visit three villages all suffering. It was becoming a cycle of futility. He granted her rest before visiting her on the following day.

After breakfast, he stopped her before she continued her routine of meeting with Jolsi. “Sophia, come with me.”

“What? I have a planned session with Master Jolsi. We’re trying to refine the formula for the Blue Dream.” She already started to proceed down the hall with her guardians. But the white haired Prince cut her off. “Henri?”

“Please. You have all day, a little time isn’t going to hurt you.”

“Very well.”

He took the lead to guide her away. ‘She’s been nothing but work. If she’s not healing the sick, she’s with Jolsi practicing. Her focus is more impressive than I gave her credit for. And he even said she’s teaching him things, scary as that sounds. She seems blessed with magic.’ Henri wondered what her life might have been had she not been born in this country. If her talents went with her, she might have been a highly respected mage.

“How has the investigation been going?”

Pulled back to business, he straightened himself out. “Welhem still hasn’t dug up much. We did finally rule out Rothiel as the culprit, but the shadows of this conspiracy continue unchecked.” He looked back subtly at Sophia to see her reaction. It wasn’t the news that he wished to deliver. A decisive conclusion would have put the whole matter to rest, but they would drag it out. “I’ll see the guilty party punished. I promised you that, Sophia.”

“I know. I believe you, it’s been a month already.”

“These things don’t move quickly.” He hated to say that some degree of luck would probably be involved. In equally skilled sides, it was the first mistake that led to victory. And whoever was moving behind the scene was highly skilled.

A little silence carried between them through the halls until Sophia spoke again. “Why are you taking me to the library?”

“You needed a break. I don’t think I’ve seen you read any of your books since Galen.”

“There hasn’t been time. Lives are on the line.”

“I’m grateful you’re taking your responsibility seriously, but there are limits.” He stopped to address her directly. “I see you each day you return. There’s less light in your eyes each time. Your Veil is brighter than you are now.”

“It’s surprising to hear the cold hearted Prince worrying that I’m becoming too distant.”

“Sophia. Perhaps it’s because I know that look, but it’s true. It’s why I have Welhem. Bothersome as his insistence is, he’s always right.” He never imagined to see such a familiar look turned back on him. Henri almost felt that she might have become more empty inside than him. It was almost like she absorbed it all from him. His hands clenched up at the blame he carried. “A different perspective if nothing else. The books we have are extensive.”

“You’re giving me a full run of the library.”

“If you’ll take the rest.”

A sigh came from her. “I understand.”

He found himself almost disheartened that there was hardly a reaction from Sophia. As off putting as it was initially, he found it a warming sight to see the joy she had in even the thought of reading a new book. Now she looked at the prospect the same as she could going to market. ‘It’s even worse than I thought. Will she ever recover any of her old self back?’

They reached the library shortly. He wondered what she might search for this time. Before she wanted to get something on the Balstar Oracles or Thistel’s notes. ‘With all the doubts she had and what’s happened, does she still question Euthemia?’ Given her logical approach, he believed if there were ever new translations and they still matched the current ones she would accept it. For as much as she harbored pain, she didn’t seem to be willing to let that bias her ideals. ‘Would she want to tear everything down?’

Watching Sophia, she moved with a slow purpose to her step. It wasn’t the flittering eager bounding, but he noticed a hint of energy where it hadn’t been before. Henri held on to that hope.

He expected her to go after the Sulish books that she was so interested in again. However, she didn’t even make it back to the end of the library this time. She began scanning the shelves nearby. Henri tried to recall what was on those shelves. The library contained a vast array of books, though the collection was more out of personal interests of each member of the royal family than a need for it to be filled. It meant it was far more eclectic than might have expected. And worse for him remembering what was housed in the room.

Sophia eventually moved on to the next shelf flipping through books at a casual rate. It certainly wasn’t enough to absorb anything. ‘She’s searching for something. Not surprising, but what? The Blue Dream is a new disease. There’s not going to be any records on it.’ He could only watch, though it started to get a little awkward him staring.

Trying for some subtly, Henri picked out a book and sat down in the corner that gave him a view of the entire library. Opening the book, he only looked at the pages while monitoring Sophia. She didn’t seem to be relaxing anymore than before. He hoped that there would be some life returned to her. Her claims that she could live off books started to seem empty now.

The only part that encouraged him was that she stayed. After her resistance, he thought he would have to fight a little harder to get her remain, but she seemed caught. Though he still waited and watched to know if what captured her was for good or ill.

After two hours, she sharply closed a book. Henri snapped forward looking to see what she found. Though all that she did was return the book. Sophia did read it to an extent from what he could tell, but not enough to go cover to cover. ‘Did she find what she wanted or giving up?’

Henri put his book away and approached her. “Was it worthwhile?”

“Proof that it can be done, but practically impossible.”

“What were you researching?”

“Magic formulas.”

“Not Sulish or the Oracles?”

“Besides not being possible, I have better uses of my time right now.”

That answer hit him a little heavier than he thought. But he worked to keep it covered. “Mage Jolsi is well versed in formulas, what did you find here that he couldn’t aid you in?”

“Constructing an array over the entire kingdom.”

Henri blinked in silence, needing a moment to absorb that statement. The Saints had been known to give powerful displays. And even historically, they were said to protect the whole kingdom, though it came off more metaphorical. “Is that even possible?”

“That’s why I was looking into it. All of the books are from the experience of a common mage. Someone with the reserves of a Saint isn’t accounted for. But there are records of large scale projections for fortification or buildings. But it required preparation or numerous mages to undertake. Making it theoretical, but not something that can be done in reality.”

“To what end?”

“To cure Blue Dream all at once. Villages I’ve cured are becoming re-infected. We’re losing ground. Even if Master Jolsi and I can refine an efficient formula, I can’t be in every place in the kingdom quickly enough to bring it to a halt. People will die. Too many. I’ll fail.”

He had never considered the possibility of a massive spell that affected the whole kingdom. Only someone with the strong power of the Saint like Sophia could even consider it. And yet even she doubted its chances. ‘What will become of Eulire? People will survive, but what will be left of us at that point?’