Agartha

Chapter four

The king spoke softly, boy he is just like my uncle.

“As you all know, the younger child is always the heir of the crown, in this case is Erik. He should marry a high born, so the magic stays strong in our line and we protect our people the way they deserve. Erik is fully aware of his responsibilities but Galia cannot be blamed, she knew nothing about our existence until a week ago. Carrying our bloodline and her mother´s, she is the second strongest child in our family, Erik is the first one. It was only logical for them to be mates. Unfortunately, she grew up in a human world and had to become an adult too early. I will not charge her for attempt of murder this time, but I hope you control yourself better. Agree?”

He looked at me “Yes, great uncle. I apologize to Erik, his parents and all of you. I did not mean to hurt him, I was about to let him go”

“I know. Marilin should not have made that pact with Galia.”

“She was about to kill my son!”

“No, she wasn´t, she was putting us on a test and obviously, she won. Now, we need to figure this out, Erik has no prospect of a mate and the two strongest links of our family are separated because of Marilin’s recklessness”

“I´m sorry but I intend to leave Agartha as soon as…”

“Enough! You were told not to intervene” uncle Den interrupted me. “Galia, you cannot leave. There´s no way the humans that raised you will remember anything about you. You did not exist in their time and space, it was an alternate reality meant to protect you and no longer exists. Also, your powers cannot be taken from you, magic cannot be destroyed only transformed. To remove your magic, it must be taken and is unheard of, stealing magic would kill the owner and most likely the taker. The only reason my uncle made that promise is because he was certain they wouldn´t recognize you”.

Tears rolled down my face, my grandparents and grate uncle wouldn´t dare to look at me. “So, I´m trapped here. I lost my family, my everything…” I didn´t miss work, friends or places. I missed my family.

Uncle Den spoke again “No, Galia. You have a family, we all are here for you, we need you, we love you. You have my word, we´ll be patient and try to adapt to your ways. You are everything I have left from my cousin, you have his temper, his determination. Dear niece, you are precious to us, we want you to be happy, but we also need you to understand your importance in our world” I was crying my eyes out.

“May I speak?” asked Erik

“You may” answered the king.

“I do not appreciate your actions, but I do appreciate your courage, I forgive you. That marriage agreement was a big burden for me. All of you got to choose your mates, I want the same privilege”

The king spoke again “Galia demonstrated control over her abilities, she will join the training center next week. But we still have a problem to solve. She is now allowed to marry anyone, and her life is in great danger”. I rolled my eyes.

“Let´s make a prenup!” Everyone seemed puzzled. Rolled my eyes again. “Is a contract before marriage, in this world looks easier. I guess I could say: You all have my word, if I marry a wizard outside this family, I will quit my rights to my mother´s heritage. If you say yes, I will take it as an agreement”

“No” said my grandpa. “One of your children still could save your mother´s line”

“Fine: You all have my word, if I marry a wizard outside this family, I will quit claiming my rights to my mother´s heritage for myself or my mate. If you say yes, I will take it as an agreement”

“Yes” said my great uncle “Is a temporary solution but let´s hope the dark family is over by the time your first child is born” Magic sealed the agreement.

“Another thing, I´m not leaving my room until you get rid of Holger, is driving me crazy, there´s no need for a guard taking care of me, every time I see him, my nails turn blue. Besides, you have witnessed I can perfectly take care of myself”.

I excused and left to my room to cry my sorrow. After everyone went to bed, I decided to take a walk. Before even noticing, the gazebo was in front of me. This place made me feel secure. I laid down on a bench and felt asleep.

I woke up before the sunrise, walking back to the palace would get me caught and wanted to keep my visits to this place a secret, needed a better plan. I remembered the spell my grandpa did to bring me to Agartha, it should take me back to my room. It was easy but when the haze disappeared, magic threw me against a wall. Pain…

The next days, my cousins took me to meet all our lands. The beauty of this place was indescribable. Also, they prepared me for my upcoming classes. I would take two different history lessons every week (a general one and my family´s). My schedule had lots of free spaces because humans taught me the basics (reading, writing, math…), so they put me on a basic combat class. It was mostly for the high-born elves but my options weren´t that many. I would take geography and basic spells (classes for children) in private, to catch up with people my age. Healing and magical elements of nature looked interesting, so I took them too. Since I didn´t have someone looking after me at the center, my older cousins had to take turns to guard me, really uncomfortable for everyone.

Worst part, people attended training center until they were about forty. Can´t believe I’m going back to school, it´s a nightmare. After finishing training, high born witches and wizards take over their responsibilities for many years before they look for a mate. I guess if you are about to live for five hundred years, you can´t do everything during the first century…

***

First month at the center was interesting. The building was like a palace with open spaces everywhere. No second floor, except for ten towers surrounding the central building as dorms for students coming from abroad. Classes were fun, except for combat. I was the only witch in the class and terrible at using magical weapons. My instructor, lady Ada, was patient but demanding. Quitting sounded pretty good…

She announced a trip to the elves land because she was assigned other tasks. The class would be taken by Ragnar, a 700 years-old, fierce, high-born and high rank elf. Boy, I’m in trouble, he sounds worse than Holger…

The new combat instructor started a month later, happiness was over. A week after he took over the class we had our first encounter. It was a theoretical class, so it happened in a classroom. Talking to young elves was fun, nice people. The teacher entered and my heart skipped a beat. He was tall, black hair, three days beard and green eyes (all elves have green eyes regardless their skin color). What a beautiful man. Looked about thirty-two in human years. He introduced himself and said hello to everyone, he knew them because they were high-born like him. He placed his attention on me. With a very serious expression he said: “Hello your highness, I would like to have a word with you after class”. Excellent, he hates me already…

I wasn´t in the mood for conflicts so I left the classroom with the group before he could call me, left the center´s grounds and headed to my gazebo (not really mine but no one else used it). At this point, my family was used to my disappearances, I told them I was within the palace´s limits and they knew I just needed a quiet place to study. Also, my fast progresses in most classes had them very happy, therefore, no questions about my escapes.

I put my books on hold to read a bit of a Spanish poems book I had in my purse when I was brought to Agartha, I miss TV. Suddenly, I heard a man´s voice saying “what are you rea…”

The voice made me jump and an explosion of blue energy came from my hands against the stranger. With unnatural speed he blocked it with a spear and said “Wait! Is me, Ragnar, your instructor!”

Is he kidding me…?

“I didn´t mean to scare you, I wanted to talk to you after the class, but you left”

“How did you find me?”

“I´m good at tracking anything that moves. May I have a word with you now?”

Creepy. Although, his voice was hypnotizing.

“Yes. Just don´t tell anyone you found me here. This is my haven, so to speak”

“Well, won´t take too much of your time. I know who you are. Your grandfather told me everything. The reason is I´m a General and one of two elves who knows what Agartha means. The other one is my king”

I was shocked but kept a serene expression. “Still, don´t understand why he would tell you anything”

“He asked me to teach you how to protect yourself and keep an eye on you at the center. I´m responsible for you and the children of my king, who also stay at the center”

“Excellent” I said sarcastically, “at least you speak more than Holger”

“Holger! He´s not very chatty”

“Really...?”

“Did you know sarcasm is considered rude in our world?”

“Did you know I disagree with you being responsible for me and that is going to end today?”

“It was your grandfather´s decision, my dear student”

“I do not appreciate your condescending tone… and I´ll deal with my grandfather later”

“I apologize your highness, you are…”

“Please, professor Ragnar, call me Galia” I interrupted

“Galia, you are misinterpreting my intentions, I´m trying to be friendly, not condescending”

I laughed “That´s worst! Let me guess… My grandfather asked you to be friendly to try a different approach since Holger was insufferable”

“Clever girl! I was warned you have the wit of someone eight times your age”

“Did you know that is considered rude where I came from?” I said with a smirk.

“I did. My bad” He laughed. He has the most beautiful grin in the world. “I planned to request a copy of your schedule, but I guess you´re not giving it without putting a fight”

“I´m not giving it. That’s it”

Ragnar´s POV

This girl can´t possibly be 23. Her determination is so pleasant. She´s so beautiful… for a witch. She has curly, honey color hair. Her eyes are dark and mysterious. I need her to trust me so I can protect her, she´s in great danger.

I saw a book on the floor, next to her. “What are you reading?” I picked up the book and handed it to her.

“Thank you. Is a book of poems in a foreigner language, teaching languages was my job before coming here”

“Can you please read a few lines for me?”

“You, the General, like poetry?” Does she take me for a brut?

“Now you are using a condescending tone”

Big laugh “Apologies, I could read but you wouldn´t understand”

“A translation would be necessary, it loses something but I´ll take my chances”

“Please have a sit. But you must leave after I read” Guess I´m not welcome… But I´m curious.

“You have my word”. She sat next to me keeping her distance and begun reading.

“The authors name is Neruda... I like it when you are quiet because you seem absent, and you listen from afar, and my voice doesn´t touch you. And it seems like your eyes were blown away. And is seems like a kiss would close your lips”

I was captivated by her, didn´t want her to stop. “Please, just a few more lines”

“As all things are made of my soul, you emerge from all things so full of that soul of mine. Butterfly of a dream you resemble my soul and you resemble the word melancholy”

She has the most delicate, full and beautiful lips matching the words pronounced by them. It was hard to remind myself I was in front of a very young girl and on an official purpose here.

“Galia, as promised, is time to go. But know this, I´m not going to stop taking care of you at the center, it is my duty, even though I´ll keep my distance. Are you ok with those terms?” My heart was paralyzed waiting for her answer. Just want to be her friend and make sure she´s safe. She was examining me with her curious eyes, like trying to guess the trick. “There´s no trick, you have my respect, I will never lie to you”

“Appreciate it. Very well, do your job, I´ll do mine. Good afternoon, General”

I wanted to ask her to call me by my name, but wouldn´t be appropriate “Good afternoon, your highness”

“Please, Galia”

“You call me General or professor, I call you your highness”

“I can´t call you by your name”

“True, is an impasse”

“Not necessarily. Let´s make a deal. If we ever find each other in this place again, you call me Galia and I´m allowed to call you Ragnar” My name coming out of her lips had never sounded better.

“Because this is a place out of time and space?” I said with a smirk

“Exactly! Which means, here no one is neither young nor old”

I did not see that one coming… this is my new favorite place in the world. “Agree, Galia”

“Good bye, Ragnar”

I left, but my thoughts stayed at that gazebo with her.