Chapter 3: Childish DisputeA Chapter by Sairek CearesteCovered in mud, and half soaked from the wet grass. Sairek clenched his teeth angrily. He felt cheated and used. His father would not get away with this without hearing his anger.
Previous Version This is a previous version of Chapter 3: Childish Dispute. “Master Apprentice, are you feeling alright?” Sairek heard Laure ask. “…I do not wish to talk about it right now... I made a stupid mistake... The stupidest one I could have ever even made...” Sairek half spoke, half muttered. “The longer you keep it in, the tougher it will be to endure it.” “Those are true words. But I only want to talk about it when the timing is right. It may be sooner then you think.” “Very well then, we shall see.” As they walked back up the hill to the castle gates, Sairek waited patiently for the gates to open for him. Sairek wasted almost no time walking on through when they did, as he walked, he glanced at one of the guards. “Tell father that once I get myself cleaned up, I wish to have word with him. I imagine I should be no longer then twenty minutes.” He ordered. His tone of voice was flat. Laure who was with him always, knew that he used this tone when binding back anger in him. “Yes master.” The guard answered back, bowing in obedience, before moving his way into the castle. “Do you wish for your clothes to be changed, master?” Laure asked him cautiously. “No, leave the dirt and dampness, and the odor of my sweat stain the air around me for now.” “…You are mad it his majesty.” Sairek glanced back, a stern look on his face, obviously hinting the anger in his face he hid from the guard. Now that he knew for sure that she knew, he had no reason to hide it. “Yes... Yes, I am.” Sairek merely answered with. Laure knew he was going to answer with something else, but he had changed his mind. That alone showed Sairek's maturity with other people; but the child that was in him as well. “Then why tell the lord you are cleaning up and have a twenty minute delay?” Laure asked him curiously. Sairek looked away and closed his eyes. “Because I want to be angry; but I don’t want to be furious as I am right now. No success will come to either of us if we were to quarrel at each other trying to win an argument that will never be won. It is better for me to argue not for the sake of winning, but for the sake of merely being understood.” “I understand, master. I shall leave you be until after your discussion then.” Laure turned around and walked away. Sairek didn’t necessarily look back at her to watch her leave. Instead he bit his bottom lip, and moved his way towards his bedchamber to attempt to calm himself down. “Master, I thought you were going to clean up?” “I lied.” Sairek admitted flatly. “I apologize for making you say false words to my father. But it was for good reason. Is he ready for me?” “Y-Yes. You may enter now.” The guard pushed the door open, as Sairek walked on through, dragging his staff on the red carpet, as he was still annoyed. Sairek walked up the steps to where his father lay seated. “Sairek, what is th--“ “Clear the room.” Sairek interrupted to him. “Sairek, you can’t--“ “I said clear the room.” Sairek repeated. His voice sterner this time to attempt to subliminally tell his father that he didn’t care what he was going to say about him ordering his guards.
"Sairek, you will not ord--"
Sairek closed his eyes tightly, and then swallowed before yelling one last time. "Clear the room, father!" It was hard for Sairek to disobey his father's words. There were many times where he and his father fought each other mentally like this; testing each other's limits. Sometimes Sairek won, other times he simply folded and gave in. This was one where Sairek would be the victor.
His father sighed, motioning for all guards in the room to exit. Following the signal, they all left the room. Sairek remained silent until he finally heard the door close with a loud clank. “Look at me father. Is the mess that I am your special way of teaching me magic? I’m smelly, sweating, muddy and wet. I had to ‘battle’ a man nearly doubled my size... That, all for your mere satisfaction?” “Sairek, combat doesn’t come with comfort. Sometimes you will face opponents who you are comfortable dealing with, other times, you will not. That is the reality of battle.” “I said I would do the combat when I was ready. Instead you forced me down there, and made me embarrass myself all to use me, your son to solidify your own popularity!” “Sometimes you have to fight when you aren’t ready, Sairek! That is why you must always be ready. You should never plan to always be the victor in combat. You got a real taste of what was comba--“ “Father, I do not recall wanting to be a soldier for you, or anyone! Just because I want to be a magician, does not mean I am to be used as a a tool for war or you, and I am quite disappointed if you want to raise your one and only 'precious' son that way! And, for the record I am not a tool for your own social status just because I am progressing far more quickly then normal! Is it too much to ask to just want to be a normal child? You cut me off from society and shelter me like a bird in a cage! Let me be with others my own age!.” His father was about to speak, but Sairek cut him off with a hand. He closed his eyes turning his back to his father. He opened his eyes as he raised his gaze up to the ceiling, speaking again. “I have a talent and interest in magic, and it is in your best interest to help guide me. I get that. But magic is not all about combat, father. Just because you were a magician of war does not mean I wish to be one as well... That is not how I want to follow your footsteps. As just said, the way you are forcing me to practice is no less then that of breeding a bird in a cage. The bird is safe, but unable to be free. It is forced to do the same tasks over and over again with no choice. The only life it would have is the boring tasks of eating, breathing, and sleeping. I do not want to live a life where I am forced to use my talent for the same thing over and over again... Let alone, be the act of harming other people! The kindgoms are all at peace! We've been at peace for years!” “Then what do you plan to do with your magic, son?” “I do not know yet. Whatever I feel like doing. Is that not the entire point of one’s life?” “Sairek, the reason I try to push you into magic with combat so much is because it was your mother’s dying wish to--“ “Are you putting her values above mine, just because she’s dead, father!? Am I no more then a mere tool, all for your satisfaction?!"
“Sairek, you misunderstand. Magic and combat does not have to be about war. It can be about protecting what is dear to you as well. She didn’t want you to lose anything dear to you as I’ve had by losing her.” “Tell me father, what is there for me to protect if you void the opportunity for me to gain something worth protecting?” “You are too young yet to find something worth protecting right now, Sairek.” “If it’s anything I should have taught you already, it is that age doesn’t have any boundaries! How else do you suppose that I am one of the fastest progressing apprentices in the entire continent, with a far higher then average intelligence and maturity, to that of matching an adult? Where in the laws of life does it say age has rules and strict guidelines?” “You’re still childish in many ways Sairek. You just don’t notice it." Sairek let out a “Tch...” in annoyance. He had enough of this for now. Without saying another word, he spun himself around and began to walk out. “Sairek, where are you going?” Sairek stopped temporarily, turning his head to address his father, but not to look at him. “First, I am going to actually clean up -- by myself -- then, I am going to leave these walls and go out without a crowd of people wandering behind me to attract any unwanted attention.” He didn’t wait for his father to say anything else, as he tightly gripped his gnarled staff and walked out of the room. Despite his own words that he said to Laure, he still tried to win the argument. Maybe his father was right; perhaps he was still childish in some ways after all. But at the same time he was pleased to know for a fact that despite him being a king, his own father was too. Sairek marched his way down the hallway, opening the door outside of the actual building, and continued his way through the cobblestone road towards the exit of the castle walls. He was about to push his way through when a guard marched up and blocked his way. “My apologies Master Apprentice, but I am afraid it is His will to not allow you to leave the castle grounds." “What am I, grounded?” Sairek asked sarcastically. “Actually Master, you are as a matter of fact. You are to report to your bed chamber immediately, or I am to escort you there if you refuse.” A dull look swept across Sairek’s face. “I see no difference as I’m already bound to these walls, not only by night, but during the day as well. Father is a bit foolish to think shrinking the distance of which I am allowed to walk by a few hundred feet is going to really make me upset. Nonetheless, I have no business to report to my chamber at this time. I simply wish to be alone. Now, step aside.” “The King’s orders are above yours. I will not move aside.” Sairek was about to say something, but soon a better idea formed inside his head. He pointed at the healthy and fresh green grass to his right with his staff. He starred at it before looking at the guard with a blunt expression on his face. He held the staff at the direction of the grass before flatly chanting out “Balinzer!” A small jet of weak flame shot out from the staff. It wasn’t very much fire, but a sparked a flame in the grass, which soon ignited and begin to burn into a live fire. The guard looked at Sairek in shock, as the boy repositioned his staff at his side, he looked up to the guard and merely smirked. “Let me on through, or let the grass burn and the fire grow bigger. I’ll take the blame for leaving and will admit to what I have done, but if you leave the fire going, then expect the damages to be out of your paycheck. I will not take the blame for the fire alone without taking the blame with leaving as well. Oh, and don’t call for help either, because I just walked this way, and there is nobody nearby. I wouldn't do such a bold more like this if I wasn't sure that someone else might be close by.” The guard looked back and forth between the boy and the growing fire on the grass. He let out a groan of nervousness before soon surrendering, leaving the door to go pat down the flame that was burning the fresh green grass. “If father demands where I am, then say that I am at the beach.” Sairek informed the guard, watching him pat down the fire. “Are you actually going to the beach, Master?” The soldier asked, as he beat down the fire with his foot. “Not directly, but yes I will be there.” Sairek confirmed. “I don’t want to attract too much attention in the village with me wandering about unguarded. Too many questions will be raised.” “What are you going to be doing at the beach Master? Surely you don’t plan to... go for a swim?” “I do not have any intentions of swimming. But if there is a case that I will be swimming, it will not be in the bliss of the ocean water." Sairek commented, before closing his eyes and looking away from the guard. "...Rather, it would be within the sorrowful waters of my own tears...” © 2011 Sairek CearesteReviews
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Added on June 7, 2011 Last Updated on September 20, 2011 Tags: The Ethereal Elixer Fanatasy Adv Author
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