The Fallen Jester of Remnant

The Silver Prince Part 2 - A Purpose

Daren was now seven years of age, yet he didn't know what to do. For an entire year, he wondered how he could protect his sisters. There were seemingly many good ways to do so in his young mind, but what he should focus on. His mind drifted to how powerful his parents were. He had seen them use magic, but he knew that they never used their power to their full potential. A tiny seed of an idea was planted with that thought. He nurtured it, and the fruit it bore tasted sweet. "That's it! I will use magic to protect my sisters. But Mommy and Daddy said that people lost the ability to learn magic. I'll prove them wrong. I'll become the strongest wizard in the world."

He ventured into the castle's archives, where he knew held the ancient tomes used long ago. Inside he found that it was already occupied by the royal scribe known as Laffer. He was an aging man with salt and pepper hair, pale skin, and rosy cheeks. He was a jolly fellow. The joy radiating from his face was contagious, and his laugh could brighten the sourest of moods. Currently, he was translating certain books the queen asked him to so that the ancient knowledge could be spread throughout the kingdom. "Hmm? Who goes there? Did you bring lunch for me?"

"No, Laffer, it's just me. I want to learn how to read Filantic."

Laffer looked up from his transcripts, his confusion giving way to a cheery grin after seeing the royal boy. "Ho-ho! I never expected anyone to come to me to learn this ancient language, but the prince himself comes for my aid. May I inquire about why you want to become fluent in Filantic?"

"I want to read the tomes and learn magic like Mommy and Daddy."

Laffer forgot about his increasing hunger pangs in surprise. "Magic?! No one other than your parents has been able to use it. Everyone else that tried couldn't even start a simple fire! Forgive me for saying this, but what makes you think you can do it, Daren?"

Daren looked up to the ceiling, his arms swinging back and forth. "Mommy said that she noticed one thing when anyone tries to recreate magic. She said that they have no soul when practicing. I thought everyone had souls, Laffer. Do you know what she meant by that?"

Laffer put down his quill and stroked his chin for a moment, his eyes twinkling as he thought. "I think what she meant is that they don't have a true passion for learning it. They only study it just to gain power. That's what I think of it anyways, young Daren. Alright, I've made up my mind to teach you how to read and speak Filantic starting today. Not that I could refuse anyways. Ha!"

Upon hearing that, Daren started shaking, a smile growing on his face before he began to jump up and shout in excitement. "YAAAAY! ♪~ I'm going to learn Filantic. I'm going to lea~♪"

Laffer put up a finger. "BUT! I'm not able to teach you all of the time. The most I can spare is one hour a day after work. In the meantime, try to find another hobby to pass the time. Come back here when the sixth bell rings, and don't be late. I need my rest, you know."

Daren nodded his head with dizzying vigor, the time constraint not hampering his excitement. "Ok! I won't let you down, Laffer. I'm going to be the strongest wizard in the world!"

Laffer let out another hearty laugh seeing Daren's enthusiasm as he ran out the door. Although the boy might never learn magic even with the knowledge of Filantic, he truly enjoyed the boy's company. Daren always had a smile on his face, always trying to make others happy in whatever silly way he could muster. Laffer turned back to his work with renewed vigor, intended on finishing his translations to prepare a lesson for the prince.

Emerging from the archives, Daren set out to find another person to teach him. He was always interested in weaponry from the stories his father told him and his sisters. Perhaps Orus, the captain of the royal guard, could teach him how to fight. With a skip and a hop, he made his way towards the barracks where he knew Orus would be training his soldiers. On his way there, he saw a maid carrying a tray that consisted of a soup called pozole and some chamomile tea, Laffer's favorite meal. 'Maybe I should learn how to cook one day. I might need it if I go on any adventures.'