ROYAL SORCERER FOR DAYS...

CHAPTER 10

"fine" he said. He looked like he was sick of not being trusted just because of his father, and I felt a bit sorry for him

So, I said "I am sorry, I didn't mean it"

"it's all right! I am used to being stomped on just because of my so-called father!" he said anger rushing in to his cheeks.

As he finished his sentence awkward silence filled the air around us, until finally he broke the quiet.

"you know, I will prove myself and so by doing this... um... will you be my friend?" he asked almost as if he was apologizing to me and I felt really guilty for judging him by his parents and not by who he really is, especially when he has done me a huge favour by getting Pearl under control when I could not do it myself.

"I'm... I really am sorry for saying that to you! I shouldn't have said that to you but if you will feel better after you prove yourself, then go ahead!" I said to him.

"tha... thank you for trusting me" he said as he hugged me.

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I suggested that we keep following the trail, but Arnold said that his 'father' was just trying to trick me by leaving a trail of 'X's burned onto the trees because he knew that Alex would send someone searching for him!

So, Arnold told me that he will show me where Alfred, his 'father' is hiding from the world that he had shattered apart by spreading a deadly disease that is caused by his, and his alone, evil and dark magic!

Arnold did not have a 'horse' so, I made some room on pearl for him and offered him the seat. He thanked me and pulled himself on top of pearl and squeezed in next to me, then we set off. I let him steer pearl as he was the one who knew the way to Alfred's hideout!

We turned around and headed towards the lake which I flew over on Pearl before, we passed the place where we rested before heading further in to the forest.

Trot, gallop... gallop...

We were getting closer and closer to the lake and as we got closer I noticed something, something strange, something weird....

Before, the lake was a bright blue in colour and it shimmered in the sunshine. But now, it has turned a blood red in colour somehow! How is this even possible? I asked myself.

"sorry, if this is a bit disturbing! But the lake turns red when I come anywhere near it! It's a spell my dad used to keep me away from the lake because he knew... because he knew that... that I have a phobia of the colour red! But now, I have conquered my fear and he cannot keep me away from him!" he said breaking the silence between us.

"why would you be afraid of the colour red?" I asked him because it really was unusual to have a phobia of the colour red!

"oh, it was terrible you know, when I used to live with my so called 'father'. He used to beat me up just because I stood up to him and told him that the way he is using magic is wrong. One day he came closer to me and he hugged me, I was shocked at first until I realised what he was doing! He needed a trickle of blood for one of his potions, so he... so he cut me just so that he could have all the ingredients he needed for the potion, he is a coward, he was too scared to cut himself so he cut me instead!" he said a tear escaped his eye and crawled down his face wetting his cheek.

"it... it's okay" I tried to comfort him as more tears came running out of his eyes, if the memory alone gives him this much of a hard time, I wonder what it will be like for him to face his 'father' again. Oh... it must be terrible!

"let's spend the night here and tomorrow morning we'll go face my 'father'" Arnold said wiping his cheeks with the back of his hands.

And so we rested our heads there for the night.