I Followed

I Dreamed

~~Zoey's POV~~

"Zoey. I have to tell you something." Rythian turns serious

"I'm listening." I smile.

"It's about Sjin. We aren't having a friendly discussion later this week. It's a bit... Bigger." He looks at me, concerned.

"How much bigger?" I respond quickly.

Rythian takes a moment to get his words into orbit, and then sighs sadly. "Sjin... Sjin wants to duel me. He wants me dead. I'm going to his Kingdom on Saturday. Don't expect me back."

"Rythian? What do you mean?" I ask, my facxe twisted with confusion.

"I mean Sjin will probably kill me. He has science, and my magic won't work against it." He looks to the floor painfully.

"Rythian, you are such a powerful mage. You taught me everything I know, and I don't think even the best scientist can fight against you. Just teleport around him to wind him up!" I joke.

"Thank you, but I won't be fighting much. It will be a lot of magic against a lot of science. May the best man win." He sighs.

He seems so sad. It looks as though he's hiding something, but he just told me everything. He did tell me everything, right? All I can do is hope and pray to Notch that he'll be safe. He's never been the cause of trouble, he's always been dragged into things, he's always so calm and collected. I don't think he will ever crack. He is one tough cookie. I like cookies.

"Don't go." I blurt out. Why did I say that?

"I have to. For Anna's safety. For your safety." He hugs me tightly, and the room around me disappears. It's just Rythian and I, together in a white room where pictures once hung and the blackboard once had drawings on. The board now only consists of white scribbles, or swirls, it's difficult to tell, and the couch I was sat upon now changed to a creamy white.

He lets go, much to my dissapointment, and walks out of the room. It turns back into an explosion of colour. He either went into the kitchen or straight into the hallway, I can't remember. All I know is that I should treasure time with him, because in five days, he might be gone.

~~Rythian's POV~~

I couldn't stay in the room. Her reaction heartbroke me, I had to leave. She can't see me cry. She's never seen me cry.

"Oh, Sir, I needed to talk." A knight walks up to me. His Scottish accent is obvious, and he must've known me for a long time to have the courage to walk right up to me.

"I can't talk now. Maybe later?" I add.

"Oh, no Sir. It doesn't matter. It's Ravs, by the way." He marches off down the corridor. I feel guilty, I didn't recognise Ravs. Well, he did have his helmet on. I won't cry in front of anyone. Exept my sister... And my niece... And even then, I try not to. I don't cry.

I need to make weapons. I need to revise spells. I need to prepare, my battle is in five days. The more time I get training, the better a chance I have to win. No one will die. But no promises are made. My daughter needs protecting, Sjin hasn't learnt his lesson. He doesn't know that I am more powerful than he is, he keeps challenging me. Stupid King, if I'm honest. I would've easily killed him years ago, if I was fine with killing humans. But I'm not, humans need teaching lessons of life, not how to kill. Life doesn't work that way.

I enter the magic room, keen to start making a brand new set of armour. My old set was getting broken anyway, and it's not as if I don't have the materials. Opening the alchemy chest, I rummage through until I find some red matter in a bag. But when I pick it up, I see a sparkling object under it. When did this get here? Using my free hand I reach down to pick it up. When it reaches the light, I remember what it is. It's Zoeys. From me. It's a beautiful emerald ring that I haven't given her yet. I'll give it to her when the time is right. After I fight the duel. I tuck it into my pocket and try to forget about it. Closing the alchemy chest, I prepare my armour.