All Shades of Magic

All Shades of Magic - Chapter 1

"Propius," I muttered to myself, silently praying it would work. Woosh. I grinned madly. The glass of water flew straight in front of me and into my outstretched hand. Sure, a few drops of water spilled, but still. Success! Still grinning, I chugged the water and rushed out on the balcony. Time to try the spell on something a little... harder.

Glancing to make sure no one was guarding the North Quarter of the castle (which is where my room is), I stared down at the house of Mrs. Soren's, which had a perfectly baked pie sitting on the windowsill. I checked if the pie was there with the telescope placed near my window. Sure, the house was far. The palace grounds were enormous, and my room was one of the highest up. However, my confidence is to the point of stubbornness.

Taking a deep breath, I thought of the pie, envisioning it on the windowsill. When the image was clear I took yet another breath and repeated the incantation.

"Propius," I sang, hope and power filling my voice. Squinting at the house, I watched the little pie tin lift, shake a little, and then slowly start its ascent up to my balcony. I put my hand out flat, and the tin floated into my hand. "Oh! Chocolate!" I cheered. "Thank you Mrs. Soren!"

Of course, Mrs. Soren would kill me if she knew it was me and not the pesky town kids taking (or trying to take) her pie every day for the last week while I practiced the spell.

Starting to cut up the pie, I read through my spellbook for a different spell I could try.

For clarification, my spellbook is my spellbook. As in a do-it-yourself spellbook.

It's basically a notebook (one of those nice ones, with the brown cover and a button to close it up with and stuff) that I've filled with spells. Spells I've found, spells I've read about, spells I've asked about. All kinds of spells. All kinds of shades.

"Princess Valerie?" someone-probably a servant- called from the hallway. "Your father requests your presence in the throne room,"

"Tell him I'll be on my way once I've finished my current activity," I replied promptly.

"Yes your majesty," the probably-servant mumbled. I grinned madly yet again, they would never have agreed if they knew my current activity was eating chocolate pie and reading spells that were anywhere from white to black magic. Yes, I know magic of all shades. The brightest whites to the coldest blacks and all the grays in between. My father hates magic, all shades. He never found out I started it.

Finishing up the pie, I quickly glanced around my room to make sure nothing suspicious was apparent.

My room is circular, a princess bed is placed on the wall opposite my bookshelves which have many, many books on them. Pillars made it look royal (as it was) and the marbling definitely helped. My desk was almost hidden in the bookshelves as well. And flowers, tables and other random junk filled most of the space left in the room. The wooden floors were coated in certain places by carpets. The balcony overlooked the kingdom and was a very nice way to snag pies from Mrs. Soren.

But nothing suspicious was showing, so I hid my spellbook in my desk drawer and hurried down the stairs to meet with my father.

I eventually arrived at the throne room where my father glanced down at me and just kinda... stared. You could say we have an odd relationship.

"Hello Valerie," he said.

"You called for me?" I put forth, cutting straight to the point and hoping it wasn't for a snack because those pies are super filling.

"Yes, I have some troubling news. The kingdom of Darius has called war upon us; they think we have stolen something from them. You will stay in your room guarded by the finest guards in the kingdom, the rest will protect us all," My father said. I was speechless, war? But the kingdom of Darius had always been our friendliest neighbors. Had this been their plan the entire time? Thoughts swarmed through my head, but the most apparent one is the one I was trying to push into the very back of my head. Does she know about this? She must. All part of their master plan. I choked back sobs and arguments. It was pointless.

"Let me help," I mumbled. It was almost a whisper. But somehow my father heard it.

"War is no place for a woman such as yourself. Nor is it the place for a princess," He snapped. All the sadness and fear suddenly turned to anger in my veins. No place for a princess? For a woman? She fought all the time. I can help. It is the perfect place for me! I can do this! But my father wouldn't understand. He's a sexist jerk! Anger continued to boil and my head was about to explode. It took me a while to realize my dad was still talking. "The action of guarding you will be taken into action right away. Please go to your room," he paused and I felt my head stir. "The guards will be there soon,"

I nodded and then sprinted up the stairs.

I guess the only thing I can be happy about right now is the fact that I managed to get into my room before sobbing madly and then cursing my father's name to the wind. This went on for hours.

Eventually, I got too tired to cry or yell, so I just sat near one of my giant windows and listened. For the sound of guards. For the sounds of concerned villagers. For the sounds of Mrs. Soren coming home and realizing her chocolate pie had been stolen yet again, this time with it not face down right near the window. I sat there for a very long time. The thing that snapped me out of it was the sound of a voice. Her voice.