Battle For the Title of Guard

This Wizard? (You're not an apprentice?)

Even the entry chamber was beautiful. 

The building was brightly lit, filled with magic lamps and floating orbs of glowing energy. The walls were creme in color and held up by thick, dark wooden supports. They arched up tens of feet in the air, vaulting at a dramatic peak Kazuichi guessed had to be around 40 feet tall. Said walls were decorated with streaming banners of rich blues and pearlescent silvers. They hung from rosy silver sconces and gave off a royal aura. Each one was delicately woven with characters of prosperity, regality, and [eh].

The floors were solid stone. Each one shone in the light as if every individual brick had been polished to perfection. Kazuichi hesitated to step forward. He didn't want to be the one to muss the pretty sheen. They were a cool grey, almost blue, like the stones outside. They were large and perfectly cut to fit together delicately upon this royal floor.

"Kazuichi Souda?"

Kazuichi sucked in a breath, snapping to attention. Before him stood a boy about his age, slightly taller and lankier, and dressed in deep black, gold, and violet velvety robes. The robes of a royal or of a mage Kazuichi couldn't tell. He had dark hair and a pale complexion, almost unhealthily so.  Kazuichi's eyes flicked around the chamber, noticing the absence of the man with glasses who had led him here.

"Er, yeah, that's me."

"And you are here to make the acquaintance of Her Majesty's Court Wizard?"

"Yes, that's right."

The boy reached out his hand. "Welcome, then. Gundham Tanaka."

Kazuichi extended his hand as well, hesitating. "Kazuichi Souda."

"I know that."

"Right, sorry."

The boy retrieved his hand, sliding both behind his back and clasping them there. 

"Any questions?"

"Huh?"

"Do you have any questions?" Tanaka tilted his head, annoyance visible on his face. "If you do not, I will show you to where you shall be staying."

"Wait, really?" Kazuichi blinked in surprise. "What do you mean, you'll show me to where I'll be staying? I thought I was supposed to meet Her Majesty's wizard." He looked around the room again. No one but himself, Tanaka, and a couple of guards were there. 

Tanaka sighed. "Apologies, I thought it would have been more clear." He stood up straight, looking down at Kazuichi. "I am Her Majesty's Court Wizard."

"Huh?! B-but, you're a kid! You totally seem like an apprentice!" Kazuichi realized as the words left his mouth how rude they were, but he couldn't stop himself. "And-- And the Court Wizard is some old old guy who came to my town once! I've seen him!"

The aura of the room had shifted. Now, Tanaka seemed to no longer be restraining his disdain for Kazuichi. He glared and his upper lip curled, revealing slightly sharp white canines. "I suggest you silence yourself before you lose this opportunity you have been afforded. I am in Her Majesty's court. I am no apprentice. And the truly last thing you should do is speak so foolishly of my late predecessor. That is something I will not take kindly to. Understood?" His tone was scathing, and it sent chills down Kazuichi's spine. He swallowed hard, nodded, and muttered a small apology.

Tanaka nodded curtly in response. "Good. Now, if that is all, I will be showing you to your quarters." He did not wait for a reply before turning on his heel and marching off. Kazuichi followed, scrambling to keep up. The last thing he wanted right now was for Tanaka to yell at him for falling too far behind or getting lost.

They wove through many layers of well-lit halls. Kazuichi got quite turned around, and he dreaded having to find his room again. Or find anything else, for that matter. After what had to have been 30 minutes of nothing but walking in uncomfortably tense silence, Tanaka came to an abrupt halt before a wooden door, leading Kazuichi to run directly into him. He stumbled back again, apologizing profusely and staring at the ground, only looking up just in time to catch another death glare from the Wizard himself. Shouldn't have followed so closely. Kazuichi punched himself in his head. 

Tanaka placed a hand on the wood and his fingertips glowed softly. The lock unlatched, making a quiet click. He pushed the door open and gestured Kazuichi inside. 

"Thank you." Kazuichi did as he was expected, hurrying to enter the room before he could screw up any more. Tanaka sighed, snapping his fingers and setting the wall sconces alight. The golden glow illuminated the small room, along with the soft light of the evening sun through the small window on one wall. 

"Rest. You will be expected at the training arena early tomorrow morning. I will send a servant to retrieve you. You had best not make me wait." And with those lovely words of encouragement, the Wizard was gone.

Kazuichi dropped his bag on the floor and gazed around the room. There was a twin bed clad in rough cream sheets, a stained and worn comforter, and one flat pillow. The bedframe was rough and splintered, splitting from years of little to no care. Which was a real shame, as it was crafted competently of polished cherry wood. On the far wall opposite the bed was a matching dresser. It, too, was showing signs of damage. Hanging on the wall above it was a small round mirror framed in badly painted wood. What kind, it was hard to tell. Upon the dresser sat a pitcher, towel, and washbasin set. The pitcher and basin were chipped and slightly dirty, and the towel was threadbare and stained from years of use. 

Under the window was a small chair, akin to a dining room chair he would have seen back home. It had a pleasantly designed back. Its frame was oak, and it was upholstered with a faded rose and creme patterned fabric. In this chair was a book. Kauzichi took a step closer to read the cover. Addressing Royalty In The Current Day. He groaned. He knew the Wizard hadn't even been in the room for that long, but it felt like Tanaka had just put this here to punish him. 

Kazuichi dropped onto the edge of the small mattress, kicking off his shoes. They landed on the worn rug that covered about half the floor. Its pattern almost matched the fabric on the chair. 

He pulled off his sweaty overshirt and leaned back onto the bed, letting his body sink into the mattress. It was a lot softer than his bed at home, and even more so than he had expected for a servant of royalty. As the wear of the day and sheer exhaustion of his long journey began to weigh on his bones and tug at his eyelids, he took one last look around the room. 

It may be smaller than he expected, but it wasn't any smaller than his room back in town. It felt a bit more cramped maybe. But that was almost certainly because this one came with a nice bed frame, a full dresser, and his own chair. Yes, it wasn't exactly what he'd call ideal, for saint's sake he was in the royal palace, but it wasn't bad. No, not bad at all. 

He watched the sunset through his small window as his eyes drifted shut. Right before he fell asleep, he thought, I can handle this.