Atlantis 3: Opening the Door

Chapter 17

"Alexandria Fetch!!!" Lorna said in a surprisingly loud voice as she walked in to the library of magic. Alexandria jumped and fumbled the book she was holding. She looked at Lorna with a terrified look on her face. "What are you doing in here?" Lorna asked. "I was only trying to help organize the books. They are all mixed up." Alexandria said in a rushed attempt at an explanation. "How could you possibly hope to organize them when you can't even read them?" Lorna scolded. "But I can read them my lady." Alexandria said. "You can?" Lorna questioningly asked. "My Grams thought me to read before she passed." Alexandria replied. "But these titles are all written in magical language." Lorna said. "I can read it too and write it some." Alexandria said. "You shouldn't even be able to see it much less read or write it." Lorna said confused. "Why not? Is it not written like any other language?" Alexandria asked. "No. They are written with magic. Something only magical kind can see. I was unaware that you come from a magical lineage." Lorna said. "I know nothing really as to where I come from. My Grams never really spoke of our family." Alexandria said. "So your Grams could read & write in magical language as well?" Lorna asked."Yes. She had lots of books. When she caught me looking at the books on her shelf she asked me why I was looking at her bookshelves and I told her I was curious about the books. She seemed a little upset and said that since I could see her books I might as well learn the language on them. She said that she had all those books because she was something called a keeper. I figured it was a hobby or something." Alexandria said. "How many books did she have?" Lorna asked slowly in a cautious voice. It was obvious that she had a thought in her mind but what it was Alexandria didn't know. "Well the last time I had

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help her organize and catalog them all there were fifteen hundred and sixty four books in the magical books and another eleven hundred on just regular stuff. So twenty six hundred and sixty four books and then she had fifty six booklets and thirty five scrolls. Really I don't know how her study room held it all but she always just said that she had all the space she needed when she needed it. Whatever that meant." Alexandria replied somewhat disinterested. Lorna's eyes were fixed on Alexandria at this point. Alexandria noticed the look on Lorna's face. "Um am I wrong with something I said?" Alexandria asked. "No. No. I need to find Tural. I just remembered an urgent matter I need his help with." Lorna said quickly. She then turned and headed for the door. "Ok. Do you want me to continue organizing these books for you? With the princess away I've really nothing to do." Alexandria asked. "Absolutely. You may organize them til your tired of organizing." Lorna said with a smile and wave of her hand. "Not that I think you would ever tire of that." She added before disappearing out the door. Alexandria shook her head confused at Lorna's statements. Then shrugged her shoulders and carried on with the organizing.
Lorna all but ran to Tural's quarters. When she reached the door she knocked franticly. "Tural. It's Lorna. I desperately need to speak with you." Lorna said and she knocked again. Tural opened the door. "What is it woman? I'm very busy." Tural said. Annoyance showing on his face. "What if I told you I found the keeper of the magical library." Lorna said with amusement sounding in her voice. Tural cocked his eyebrow upward. "You have my attention." Tural said. "She's been here all along. Right under our noses. She doesn't know of her abilities." Lorna said. "Out with it already. Who is the she you speak of?" Tural asked impatiently.

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"Alexandria Fetch." Lorna said matter of factly. Tural looked at here with one of those are you stupid kind of looks on his face. "Lorna I am very busy. I do not have time for jokes. I have work to do that is far beyond these silly ideas of yours." Tural said dismissively. "She can read magical language." Lorna interjected. "Fluently." She added.
"Has she been tested?" Tural asked. "Not that I know of. It wouldn't surprise me if she is magical because of her mother." Lorna responded. "Her mother had an unidentified magic scent to her yes but her abilities were never tested because they never presented." Tural said conclusionarily. "Merriam was best friends with her for many years. Merriam didn't usually become friendly with the nonmagical. Ranist was the first nonmagical that she got close to. Her interest in him was for obvious reasons." Lorna countered. "Yes. Becoming a queen would be reason enough for any young woman." Tural said snidely. "That was not her reason. Merriam was never power hungry nor was she a position seeker. It was fated that those two would be together. The first time they saw each other he kissed her with in ten seconds of their eyes meeting. She was hopelessly lost in love with him on sight and him two with her. I was there and saw the whole thing." Lorna said. "Pish posh I say. No one falls in love at the first sighting of another. It is physically impossible." Tural said scornfully. "Oh now I would say if you had saw them you would feel differently. Merriam and I were at the market looking for a dress for her. She was to begin her final level in magic school and wanted to be best dressed because she was already best in skill. Across the street Ranist and that crazy brother of his were looking at swords or something. Grenol whistled at me and I paid him no mind but then Ranist stepped out from behind a rack

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and locked eyes with Merriam. He immediately crossed the street, walked up to her said hi I'm prince Ranist Talantis. She said Merriam Stormbringer. Next thing you know he took her in his arms and kissed her. After what seemed like 5 minutes of them being lip locked they finally parted their lips and he said she wouldn't be a Stormbringer for long and that she was to be his queen. She smiled and said ok. They were wed the following night. Now if that isn't love at first sight I don't know what is." Lorna said dreamily. "Hmmp." Tural grunted. "Have the girl tested and then once you have her results and they provide proof of her being worthy of my noticing then you may return to bother me. As stated earlier. I'm busy and have no time for your fanciful tales of blah blah blah." Tural scolded grumpily. Lorna looked at him with a playfulness in her eyes. "You know your just a curious as I am." Lorna said smiling brightly. Tural took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Lorna. If you don't let me get back to my work I'm going to tell Grena that she is your new magical arts assistant." Tural said with a seriousness that made Lorna's smile fade. "You wouldn't dare." Lorna responded. "Good bye Lorna." Tural replied with a wicked grin. Lorna turned and walked away without another word.
Lorna had to figure out a way to have Alexandria's abilities tested in such a way as to gain Tural's attention. She knew that she couldn't just take her before the magic council because Alexandria was not raised in the magical community so they wouldn't give her a second glance. They would say she is to old to be able to control any magical ability because she had not been properly schooled by the age requirement and then they would strip her of any abilities she has. Lorna didn't agree with that type of standard regulatory judgement. Just because she hadn't

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been trained by their methods doesn't mean she had no training at all. She had been taught by her grandmother and from what Lorna had seen she had very good control of her abilities and was knowledgeable of the basic fundamentals for who she was. Keepers didn't need to have formal training on magical usage or practices. They didn't need to even be capable of using magic in any way. They only had need of being able to read, write and catalog magical literature & artifacts. Alexandria had those abilities easily mastered.
Lorna rounded the corner to the main hallway and ran directly into her sister Grena. "OH." Lorna almost screamed as they collided. "Where's the dragon?" Grena asked sarcastically. "Where the what?" Lorna replied seamimgly confused. "I figured there had to be a fire breathing dragon chasing you to have you moving hard enough to run me over like that so where's the dragon." Grena said. Lorna looked at her with a somewhat apologetic look. "I have no dragon chasing me. I have a bit of a problematic situation on my mind that I must find a solution for is all." Lorna said dismissively. "Is it a magical situation?" Grena asked excitedly. "Yes but it is a situation I highly doubt you would know anything about." Lorna replied. "How do you know if I do or not? You haven't asked me about it." Grena said. Because it is a very sensitive matter Grena. It's not fancy fun nor using magic to play tricks. It's serious magical regulation of which you have no respect or regard for. Lorna said impatiently. "Just because I chose not to limit myself to the confines of the councils stuffy old ways doesn't mean I do not know them. One must know all the rules in order to break them safely." Grena said with a devious smile. Lorna just rolled her eyes. "Come on sister. Let me help. I might just surprise you." Grena said pleadingly. "Ok but not here. Meet me in Merriam's study." Lorna said. Grena smiled and nodded her head before turning and moving back down the hall.
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    (End of chapter 17)