The Reborn Magus and His Prince

Chapter 31

With the secret path, Yulian no longer got lost and easily reached his destination in no time. 

He stopped in his tracks the moment he got near the tree. Four beautiful carved lanterns hanging on a pole surrounded the lone table with two chairs under the tree. 

Alex raised his head when he heard the rustle of the dried leaves on the ground as Yulian continued walking to him. The lights created a special effect on his golden eyes.

"Wow! This is nice!" Yulian exclaimed the moment he got on Alex's side. No one knows if he's referring to the ambiance of their surroundings or Alex's eyes which he stared directly.

"I've always wanted to eat here, now finally found the chance to do so." 

The two took their seats facing each other. And soon after, his attendant came from behind the tree carrying their dinner. 

They ate just like the past dinner they had. Occasional small talks with anything that interest them. A tacit understanding came between not mentioning the matter that had happened two days ago. 

After their desserts, Alex laid out a blanket on the ground and made him sit down beside him. He reckons the lamps had a special spell on them, they kept the little insects away from the squared area the four lamps formed.

Yulian took an apple on the table with a tray full of fruits. He took a large bite and crossed his two knees while sitting down. He then offered Alex his apple. 

Alex took one bite beside his and silently chewed. He had his hands leaned on the ground at his back with his two legs outreach and crossed his ankles.

They stayed like that for a full five minutes. Yulian tried to offer Alex again his apple within those time but the prince took two bites before he politely refused. Yulian perceived again the same unrest surrounding Alex back when they were inside the carriage two days ago. He did not know what happened when he went back to the palace and how much Alex tries to act casual, he could still see through him.

Just as he threw away the stalk of the fully eaten fruit. Alex finally decided to open his mouth.

"That night..." He started without looking at him. "You must have been wondering what happened. You've seen a pathetic side of me."

Uh, not really. Yulian did not voice out his contradiction, afraid he'll ruin the mood. In his thoughts, the day he defeated the prince, he already thought of him as pitiful to be easily defeated by him.

"I saw it, those strange symbols hanging above us. I don't why but seeing those made me run cold. It felt like death was looming above us."

Alex saw the magic circle then it only means he has the potential to be a magus. So far, the most he could be only healing. 

An unusual calmness that Alex did not expect from Yulian even after he heard him. So he glance at his side and the boy had a thoughtful appearance on his face. And Alex had mistaken it as Yulian not believing him.

"Really, it was there. You did not see it, everyone did not see it. I told the captain about those, they concluded that those must have been symbols of a magic circle, and only I had a glimpsed of it when the initiator died, and with its last vitality of magic, the symbols resonated then disappeared."

Alex had a frantic voice like a little child wanting his parents to believe his reasoning after committing trouble. Another side of the prince that he revealed to Yulian and he can't help but find it amusing. He had to resist the smile tugging his lips, he's afraid the big 'little' child would pout. And by gods above, it will be a direct strike.

Yulian extended a hand and grabbed Alex's left hand to calm him down and refrain from flailing in struggling to explain everything to him. "Alright, I believe you." 

At his touch, the prince became aware of his behavior and quieted down. "I really saw it." 

"And I said, I believe you." Yulian adjusted his butt so that he can face directly the prince. "So, if those symbols were a part of a hidden magic circle then does this mean that you're a magus?"

"No," Alex imitated the way he sat and likewise faced him. When Yulian said that he believed him, his enthusiasm returned. 

"Not everyone remembered but my mother was a master healer. She was on the threshold of being magus but her marriage to the late king impeded her progress. Growing up, she wanted me to follow her footsteps and thought me about magic circles, I can mostly discern when I see one."

Oh, that explains it. What a pity for her mother. But Yulian frowned, if Alex already studied about circles then...

"I simply do not have the brilliance my mother has." Alex read his mind and answered his unsaid concern. "It seems having a magus in the family is not written in our fates. She died with her dreams unfulfilled." 

"I'm sorry..."

Alex chuckled. "What for? My mother died long ago and certainly, you're not at fault. Or... don't tell me you're being sorry was because I'm hopeless?"

"No!" Yulian sprang up. But when he saw the slight shaking of Alex's shoulder, he had the urge to smack him. Of course, he did not do it. He had developed a trauma when he slapped the prince back at the observatory. 

"Don't put words in my mouth! We are talking about important stuff here. Be serious." 

"Sorry." Alex after getting scolded bit his lower lip to stop his laughter from spilling out. The face of Yulian kept on replaying on his mind with his wide eyes getting wider and like a cute puppy getting caught at doing something mischievous.

Alex had to pull Yulian again to sit him down at his side. 

"Stop laughing." Yulian glared at him.

"I'm not."

Yulian stared hard at him for a half minute and Alex maintained a straight face to show his solemnity. 

"So what happened to your mother? If she's a candidate to be a magus, how could she die so early?" 

Yulian jumped back again at their topic. He wished to know more about Alex.

"Hmm... I was very young at that time. I was her sole companion aside from the silent servants. As I remember, my brother was being reared for the throne and hardly had the time to visit us. The late king no longer favored my mother in his heart. With her dreams gone and the man she traded for it deserted her, my mother fell into what you call the ailment of the heart. Added with the inner palace conflicts, the queen drowned in despair, no one can cure her. Not her own hands and not even the presence of her youngest."

"But!" Alex continued before the atmosphere could turn gloomy. "I know she loved me and my brother dearly. Her smile was the most radiant when she held us."

Yulian did not say anymore and took Alex's hand in his and gave it a little squeeze. 

The prince eyed their joined hands before looking at him. "And your parents, what were they like?"

Yulian had already told him a little about his family's history in passing and how they died in the plague. So Yulian was relaxed about his question and told him things he knew about them. 

"Well, they also loved me dearly," he borrowed Alex's words. "My father was a tinker, he likes to piece things and sell it to merchants who find them interesting. My mother fully supported him and even assist him in his little inventions. We were happy but unfortunately, the plague happened, and..." he shrugged his shoulders. "... you know the rest."

The two descended into silence, almost commemorating the deaths of their family by offering a silent prayer after remembering them. 

Truthfully, Yulian felt nothing familial with his so called 'parents. At most, he's apologetic to them for taking their son's body. So with his utter sincerity, he prayed for their souls to the gods.