Order of Aria

Chapter Eleven: Mages Meet

    The two mages of Aria stand outside of the meeting room, waiting to be told to enter. After their long night investigating and trying to avoid another round of Ronwynn getting sick, they had everything set for their meeting with the other kingdom's mages. Ronwynn starts to pace a little with her nerves getting to her.

    "Do you think we really have everything? I mean what if us staying up last night affected the notes. What if it affects our performance? Oh Medeis I knew I should've slept a little longer." Esmeray watches Ronwynn pace with an amused smile. It isn't until Ronwynn's hand goes to her mouth so she can bite at her nails that she intervenes.

    "Alright kid come on." Her hands are placed onto her shoulders. Ronwynn looks up at Esmeray. "We'll be fine. I've done this loads of times and you will have to do it too. There is always going to be at least one mistake while we talk, and that's not just due to no sleep or nerves. It happens, it's life."

    "Won't they try to hold any mistakes against us?"

    "Nope cause I have dirt and memories of their mistakes, especially when some of them were first-timers too. They can attack me all they want because I'm the seasoned professional. The second they go to say something to you, is when blood is going to be spilled."

    "I don't think that will help us with anything."

    "You're right it won't but, it will lead the blame back to me."

    "That doesn't help me. I just wish we got a chance to practice what we were going to say. Medeis I wish I could've gone over everything with Aslocke at least."

    "Wishing to see your boy huh? Seems very platonic to me."

    "Shut up Esme. This is serious. He's had to do things like this before, at least I think so. He's gone over his speeches and stuff with me. I figured I could do the same with him."

    "Yeah, yeah. Listen, we'll be fine. Just take a deep breath" she takes her hands off of Ronwynn's shoulders and moves them to signal a deep breath in, "and out. Just like that." They take a few deep breaths together until Ronwynn seems calm. She crosses her arms in front of her chest and closes her eyes.

    "I just wish we got a little more preparation for this. Why do we have to do everything as soon as we are physically ready and not mentally?"

    "Kid, no one is mentally ready for anything. Do you think I was mentally ready when I became the Royal Magician?" Ronwynn nods her head with a confused look. "Well I wasn't. I was about one hundred seventy-six maybe, when I became the Royal Magician of Aria. It wasn't just me though, there were others. I really didn't have to do much like now but, stuff happened and I became the only one left. So I was thrust into the life of a Royal Magician with little to no training. The most I had done were presentations for my classes and then stuff for the school when they wanted someone to come talk to them."

    Esmeray sighs and leans against the wall as she continues her story, "When I had to do my first big meeting like this, I was terrified. Worse than you are. There was no one to help me because they were either 'helping' the king and queen or off to train more apprentices. I not only embarrassed myself but destroyed a decent bit of the room. That's the main reason why I've been trying to convince Emeaira to let you come to these events. You never know what will happen." Her voice trails off at the end.

    The two stood in silence until a scribe alerted them to the other mages being ready. "Better late than never huh kid? Let's go show why we're the elite mages." Esmeray smirks at Ronwynn as they trail behind the scribe.

    "Now entering Mistress Esmeray Ravenshire and Misses Ronwynn Nodelor." The mages in the room stop chatting and look towards Esmeray and Ronwynn. Esmeray nods towards the group as Ronwynn gulps. She surveys the room to see the same group from the library, except this time they each have a guard from their kingdom beside them. When her eyes land on Harfoot, the mage from Kalrashaw, he waves and gives her a smile. She returns his smile and wave but stops as she hears another mage clear her throat.