Pressure - A Wish Sequel

Their Grief

King Magnifico stood at the window of his study, looking down at his kingdom. Things in Rosas were quiet and subdued, with barely anyone out in the streets. The Kingdom was changed, reality had bitten and everyone had felt it in some way.

It had been weeks since the war, since the destruction, since the Entity of Forbidden Magic, since Amaya—

He shook his head, turning back to look around the room, remembering the organised calm it had once represented back when Amaya had organised his books. She'd had such an intricate system, organising everything by magic type, then alphabetically, with every book referenced and with its own place. Now, Magnifico's study was filled with books off the shelves, in piles, scattered around the place, the way she had left it when she'd been looking for a way to free him when her desperation had grown because the threat of war and her need to have him returned to her both loomed over her like a shadow. Magnifico sighed. Someone knocked.

"Come in."

The door to the room opened almost timidly, and the King's eyes moved from the piles of scattered books to Asha as she moved inside, gently closing it behind her. It was strange. There was a time when the sight of her filled him with white-hot rage, but now he just saw a young girl, raised in a Utopia, forced to grow up when the real world showed up in her home. He remembered how she'd helped him, even after he'd almost killed her, and he remembered what a help she'd been since then.

"Are you ready, Your Majesty?" she asked him lightly and Magnifico forced himself to smile at her.

"Almost. But first, I have something for you." he handed her a long, thin black box and Asha opened it with urgency, her curiosity getting the better of her. As the lid opened, she looked at the King with surprise on her features.

"You fixed it?" She asked, taking the wand out of the box, and examining it. The dark entity that had taken the Queen had snapped it in two, her gift from Star, and Asha wasn't sure that she was ever going to get to hold a wand again, especially now that King Magnifico was back in power.

"Not quite... I made you a new one." He shrugged "I think, after everything you did that day, you deserve it... and perhaps Rosas deserves more than one magical protector."

"Wow, I... I don't know what to say." Asha swished the wand, watching as a dozen silver stars spilled from its tip, dancing in the air before them. She gave it another swish and a jet of magic flew from it, hitting one of the books that was still on the shelf and causing it to fly across the room.

"Oops!" She looked at Magnifico apologetically but he just chuckled, shaking his head.

"And on that note... I'd like you to start work as my apprentice."

"Are you... serious? You just.. you saw what I just did, right?" Asha stared at him in disbelief. He was offering her a job? After everything that had gone on? After she had overthrown him and caused all of this?

"Yes, well, you certainly need some more lessons. I can't have a teenager running around Rosas with a magic wand, without giving her the knowledge she needs to use it properly and safely." Magnifico laughed gently.

Asha gave him a soft smile, nodding.
"It would be an honour.." she smiled and suddenly her arms were around his neck as she hugged him.
"Thank you. For everything you did that day." She sighed softly. "I know it cost you—"

"That's very sweet, Asha, but I don't need thanks" Magnifico interrupted her, letting out a sigh, breaking the hug. "A King is supposed to protect his people, his Kingdom. That's all I did."

"Yeah... I.. I want to apologise again. For everything I did that led to.."
Magnifico raised a hand, shaking his head.
"We've already done the apologising, Asha. I meant what I told that.. thing. I forgive you. I forgive you all. And perhaps there were things I could have done better, perhaps if I had, then Amaya--" he stopped himself. "Anyway. Let's get going."