Oh, um. Yes, let me explain a bit. It'll make more sense if I just start at the beginning, I think.
My kingdom boasts three magical treasures that ensure its prosperity — or did, for many years. The mirror is one of them; our legends say it once belonged to Merlin, and its greatest power is to tell the future truly. But I think in reality it more tells the truth than the future. The fairy that reached out to me to help me save my father did it through the magic of the mirror, so I think it must allow for magic in all sorts of ways.
Then there's also our chest of gold, which never empties no matter how much is taken from it, and the Shield of Achille, which protects the kingdom and its bearer from harm. Although, like Achilles, it has its weakness. It doesn't hold up against dragon fire.
Our last king was a good man, and loved the kingdom, but he...made some poor choices. Near the end of his reign he traded away each of the treasures in its turn for wisdom and wishes that never came to pass. So, as he lay dying, he charged one of his knights with retrieving the treasures, on the promise that if he succeeded, then he would also take the throne as the next king.
I love that old story. I could tell it in my sleep, how Daddy found all three of the missing treasures and became king.
[It's sweet, but it also does make him a bit envious. She'd been on an exhausting quest to save him, true, but that's still miles better than going on a quest to commit patricide.
Well. That's not really her problem, anyway.]
Thank you for answering my question about the mirror, and a bit of history to your family. Where I am from, there are mirrors that can be used for communication. I thought it an interesting similarity.
He's...yes. Yes, I do, so very much. For all intents and purposes, I was an only child growing up, and that made me Daddy's heir. He and Mother taught me everything, but...Daddy was the one I most wanted to make proud. He was leaving me awfully large boots to fill.
Though I suppose now, with my brother back...and a magician, besides. Daventry would do well with a magician for a king, I suppose.
But you say you have magic mirrors, too! How curious. Did yours belong to Merlin, as well?
If your brother takes the crown simply because of his gender, then your father could stand to be a better king. ...Forgive my saying so.
No, no. Nothing like that. They were created sometime ago, but nothing to do with Merlin. No one really knows how to make them anymore. The last person who knew was my father.
It's just that I wonder if they could have stemmed from the same source, somehow. We certainly don't know how to make another mirror like ours, either, and I suppose it must've come over with us when we withdrew, ages ago — but you see where I'm going with this, don't you? My mirror might've been made by Merlin in the Other World, and then brought over to ours. You said your father knew magic. Mightn't they both have known the same spell, somehow?
Oh, but no, Daddy would never do something like that just because Alexander is a son and I'm not. I meant because he slew the dragon and saved the kingdom — and me. That's usually how it works, saving a kingdom as a prerequisite for inheriting it.
I suppose that is true. However, whatever that spell might have been, I certainly do not know it. ...Though I suppose my father might have something in the castle.
Oh? Is that usually how it goes? What a simple methodology. So Alexander's lack of education on how to actually run a kingdom would not hinder him so?
Oh, that's a pity. It must be nice to know magic. Imagine, having the ability to just craft something like a magic mirror whenever one pleased! I can't even begin to consider all the ways that sort of study might prove useful.
Anyway, it's not as though we don't still have advisors. And one can learn such things, if one tries. He's very clever, you know, I'm certain he could do it.
If you think about it, now I'm the one who's off and disappeared on my family. It's likely his lessons have already started, now that I'm not around. That's just sensible.
Magic and science both are quite a marvel. Though I have seen how one's desire to pursue such things can affect them.
You seem quite determined to make yourself seem as if you have less worth than your brother. Perhaps this is a conversation best to have with your family when you return home.
I just admire him, the same way I do my father. You can't imagine what it was like, up there where the air was so hot and thick, trying not to give that monster the satisfaction of seeing me cry and scream. Just waiting for it to decide it was hungry enough.
And then it was gone, and there Alexander was, just...standing there. He didn't pose or shout or wave a banner. He didn't ask for gratitude. He just untied me and wept and said how glad he was to be home.
But I suppose tales of heroism always look more glorious from the outside, than they do for the one who's lived through them. His impossible deeds seem so grand to me, and mine are just all full of grave dirt and whale snot.
These kinds of things are rarely ever as noble and gallant, as you said. It's often filthy work. Sad, desperate, wretched. So rarely with a happy ending.
My suggestion to you is to not undermine yourself. Admire as you wish, but perhaps your family will find things about you that they do not have for themselves.
You're always so good at cheering me up. But...I admit you may not have been entirely wrong before, either. Likely I am a little jealous. And worried about how I might measure up. And as you say, undermining myself before anyone else can do it for me.
I suppose that means I'll have to be better about the way I admire you, just the same.
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My kingdom boasts three magical treasures that ensure its prosperity — or did, for many years. The mirror is one of them; our legends say it once belonged to Merlin, and its greatest power is to tell the future truly. But I think in reality it more tells the truth than the future. The fairy that reached out to me to help me save my father did it through the magic of the mirror, so I think it must allow for magic in all sorts of ways.
Then there's also our chest of gold, which never empties no matter how much is taken from it, and the Shield of Achille, which protects the kingdom and its bearer from harm. Although, like Achilles, it has its weakness. It doesn't hold up against dragon fire.
Our last king was a good man, and loved the kingdom, but he...made some poor choices. Near the end of his reign he traded away each of the treasures in its turn for wisdom and wishes that never came to pass. So, as he lay dying, he charged one of his knights with retrieving the treasures, on the promise that if he succeeded, then he would also take the throne as the next king.
I love that old story. I could tell it in my sleep, how Daddy found all three of the missing treasures and became king.
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[It's sweet, but it also does make him a bit envious. She'd been on an exhausting quest to save him, true, but that's still miles better than going on a quest to commit patricide.
Well. That's not really her problem, anyway.]
Thank you for answering my question about the mirror, and a bit of history to your family. Where I am from, there are mirrors that can be used for communication. I thought it an interesting similarity.
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Though I suppose now, with my brother back...and a magician, besides. Daventry would do well with a magician for a king, I suppose.
But you say you have magic mirrors, too! How curious. Did yours belong to Merlin, as well?
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No, no. Nothing like that. They were created sometime ago, but nothing to do with Merlin. No one really knows how to make them anymore. The last person who knew was my father.
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Oh, but no, Daddy would never do something like that just because Alexander is a son and I'm not. I meant because he slew the dragon and saved the kingdom — and me. That's usually how it works, saving a kingdom as a prerequisite for inheriting it.
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Oh? Is that usually how it goes? What a simple methodology. So Alexander's lack of education on how to actually run a kingdom would not hinder him so?
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Anyway, it's not as though we don't still have advisors. And one can learn such things, if one tries. He's very clever, you know, I'm certain he could do it.
If you think about it, now I'm the one who's off and disappeared on my family. It's likely his lessons have already started, now that I'm not around. That's just sensible.
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You seem quite determined to make yourself seem as if you have less worth than your brother. Perhaps this is a conversation best to have with your family when you return home.
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I just admire him, the same way I do my father. You can't imagine what it was like, up there where the air was so hot and thick, trying not to give that monster the satisfaction of seeing me cry and scream. Just waiting for it to decide it was hungry enough.
And then it was gone, and there Alexander was, just...standing there. He didn't pose or shout or wave a banner. He didn't ask for gratitude. He just untied me and wept and said how glad he was to be home.
But I suppose tales of heroism always look more glorious from the outside, than they do for the one who's lived through them. His impossible deeds seem so grand to me, and mine are just all full of grave dirt and whale snot.
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These kinds of things are rarely ever as noble and gallant, as you said. It's often filthy work. Sad, desperate, wretched. So rarely with a happy ending.
My suggestion to you is to not undermine yourself. Admire as you wish, but perhaps your family will find things about you that they do not have for themselves.
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I suppose that means I'll have to be better about the way I admire you, just the same.
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I struggled with the idea of trusting you. That is not in any way a reflection on you, but on me.
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There are times I am still uncertain. Again, that is not due to you. I am still working to sort out some feelings I have.
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I was mostly feeling bad for myself. Drinking a lot.
Was a bit like the hunter I told you about. Which horrifies me to this day.
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All right, very well, then. I'm going to get a laugh out of you whether you like it or not. What's a ghost's favorite type of music?
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Fine. Tell me. What type of music?
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