After all his labors all day long, the noble prince took a dip in warm water with flower petals and restored his strength.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
«Your Highness! What you asked to report...»
«Hmm?» The prince turned.
«The lord Leo has left the castle and moving in the direction of our kingdom.»
Galh hurriedly got out of the bath, wrapped himself in a towel and opened the door to let the servant in.
«Why now? Why is he going here?»
«His kinsman is ill, he is coming to ask for help.»
«Hmm, that's how it is,» Galh thought to himself. «How long is it before he gets here?»
«Two more days.»
«Two more days» Galh repeat.
The next day the prince got up before dawn and toiled tirelessly through the night. As soon as the people had dispersed, he took a bath, packed his things, and left the palace, declaring a day off.
With his magic, he used a quick method of travel and found Leo at the inn. Galh knew that the prince would not recognize him again, so he knocked on his door without fear.
«Master, are you on your way to the kingdom of Rau?»
«How did you know?»
«My lord sent me.»
«Who is your master?»
«Prince Galh.»
Leo's eyes flashed angrily.
«The prince cannot meet you, he is very busy helping his people.»
«Bastard!» - Leo exclaimed.
So he was refused before I even tried to talk him into it, wasn't he? You bastard! You bastard!
Leo was about to tear the room apart when a young man with a staff drew his attention to himself.
«Who are you?»
«The Prince sent me to help the child you're worried about.
«He... what?»
Leo couldn't believe his ears. How could Prince Galh know everything? So he really is a great wizard? And he sent this guy...
«Are you a wizard too?»
«I am an apprentice, sir, but I can help you,» the young man replied modestly. His face was concealed by a veil, and his nomadic clothes hid his body. He looked young and frail.
«How did you get here so quickly?»
«With my powers. If you don't mind, sir, we must go to the child at once.»
Before Leo could object, the young man had already written glowing letters on the wall and they passed through several seals to find themselves in the castle of Saui. Everyone was asleep, only a few frightened servants nearly dropped their spears when they saw the figures emerge from the wall.
«Don't be afraid,» Leo reassured them.
Though he said so, he himself was in awe of the mage's revealed powers. All his childhood memories and dreams came to life anew. Why, why was he born ordinary! After all, if he had powers, he would have been able to help his people...
They walked quietly up the stairs to the second floor. The grieving father was walking down the corridor. When she saw the prince, she froze in amazement. The prince gestured for him to follow him.
Incense was burning in the child's room. On the edge of the bed slept the exhausted mother.
As they entered, candles flickered all over the room.
The woman, aroused by the noise, pressed her hands to her mouth to keep from screaming.
A young wizard entered the room.
He was carrying a magic staff. Three adults and a child stared at him in astonishment... He looked as if he had come from an ancient painting.
The young magician was looking at the child. Yes, he could see his life energy draining through the breach in his vessel.
«Everyone out, please,» Galh asked.
As everyone left the room, he prayed, kneeling, appealing to a higher power that continually sent energy into his body. Asking for the strength to restore the child's vessel, Galh knelt by his bedside all night.
Toward morning he felt the breach tighten. When he looked at the child, he saw a blush on his cheeks. Vitality was beginning to build up. The boy's eyelashes fluttered and clear eyes opened.
«Who are you?» The boy whispered.
«I am a friend,» Galh smiled. «How are you feeling?
«I'm hungry.»
«That's wonderful,» Galh smiled with relief.
He squeezed the little hand and left the room. In the hallway, the boy's parents were asleep on chairs. Leo dozed beside them, too. Galh treaded like a cat on a thick carpet. He walked over to Leo and touched his face with his fingertips.
The quickly awakened prince immediately grabbed Galh's hand by the wrist, and when he realized it was a mage, he unclasped his hand.
«The boy asks for food,» Galh said.
The parents immediately scrambled and ran into the child's room. A bright lively voice was heard and the mother's cries were heard.
They walked out into the hallway, carrying the boy in their arms.
The young father bowed to the ground.
«No need, I am sworn to protect life,» Galh replied, smiling.
«What is your name?» The woman asked, «How can we thank you?»
«No, I've just come to serve you and I have to leave now. My lord told me to tell you,» Galh looked directly at Leo, «if the Kingdom of Saui needs any help, he will give it.
While everyone was stunned into silence, Galh drew a magical seal and passed through it, disappearing.
There was a feast in the house of Sowie. A great feast was given in honor of the young heir's recovery. Many healers testified that the child was completely healthy. Prince Leo felt something strange.
The horrible image of the sassy prince Galh had cracked.
His chest felt strangely uncomfortable. He kept rubbing that itchy spot and thinking about his stupid past.
Having gone through thousands of years of war, he had hardly changed. Then could Galh have changed much? What if... what if...
No. Prince Leo clenched his fists. Instead of celebrating, he got on his horse and rode around the lands. He wanted to see for himself the distress of the people and figure out how to help them.
In the middle of the ride, he heard some strange news: Prince Galh was looking for apprentices to rebuild the mage caste.
This news literally blew the air! Everywhere Leo went, he heard about how Prince Galh had returned and how he was serving the people, helping others all day long. And now he was ready to recruit disciples to spread the secret knowledge and save people from many calamities.
All this news made Leo turn back. His horse was languid, stumbling at every step, just as the thoughts in his head were.
Prince Leo felt so... useless.
When he returned home, he learned another piece of news-his little kinsman had received an invitation to go as an apprentice to Prince Galh.
«He... what?»
Leo couldn't believe his ears. How could Prince Galh know everything? So he really is a great wizard? And he sent this guy...
«Are you a wizard too?»
«I am an apprentice, sir, but I can help you,» the young man replied modestly. His face was concealed by a veil, and his nomadic clothes hid his body. He looked young and frail.
«How did you get here so quickly?»
«With my powers. If you don't mind, sir, we must go to the child at once.»
Before Leo could object, the young man had already written glowing letters on the wall and they passed through several seals to find themselves in the castle of Saui. Everyone was asleep, only a few frightened servants nearly dropped their spears when they saw the figures emerge from the wall.
«Don't be afraid,» Leo reassured them.
Though he said so, he himself was in awe of the mage's revealed powers. All his childhood memories and dreams came to life anew. Why, why was he born ordinary! After all, if he had powers, he would have been able to help his people...
They walked quietly up the stairs to the second floor. The grieving father was walking down the corridor. When she saw the prince, she froze in amazement. The prince gestured for him to follow him.
Incense was burning in the child's room. On the edge of the bed slept the exhausted mother.
As they entered, candles flickered all over the room.
The woman, aroused by the noise, pressed her hands to her mouth to keep from screaming.
A young wizard entered the room.
He was carrying a magic staff. Three adults and a child stared at him in astonishment... He looked as if he had come from an ancient painting.
The young magician was looking at the child. Yes, he could see his life energy draining through the breach in his vessel.
«Everyone out, please,» Galh asked.
As everyone left the room, he prayed, kneeling, appealing to a higher power that continually sent energy into his body. Asking for the strength to restore the child's vessel, Galh knelt by his bedside all night.
Toward morning he felt the breach tighten. When he looked at the child, he saw a blush on his cheeks. Vitality was beginning to build up. The boy's eyelashes fluttered and clear eyes opened.
«Who are you?» The boy whispered.
«I am a friend,» Galh smiled. «How are you feeling?
«I'm hungry.»
«That's wonderful,» Galh smiled with relief.
He squeezed the little hand and left the room. In the hallway, the boy's parents were asleep on chairs. Leo dozed beside them, too. Galh treaded like a cat on a thick carpet. He walked over to Leo and touched his face with his fingertips.
The quickly awakened prince immediately grabbed Galh's hand by the wrist, and when he realized it was a mage, he unclasped his hand.
«The boy asks for food,» Galh said.
The parents immediately scrambled and ran into the child's room. A bright lively voice was heard and the mother's cries were heard.
They walked out into the hallway, carrying the boy in their arms.
The young father bowed to the ground.
«No need, I am sworn to protect life,» Galh replied, smiling.
«What is your name?» The woman asked, «How can we thank you?»
«No, I've just come to serve you and I have to leave now. My lord told me to tell you,» Galh looked directly at Leo, «if the Kingdom of Saui needs any help, he will give it.
While everyone was stunned into silence, Galh drew a magical seal and passed through it, disappearing.
There was a feast in the house of Sowie. A great feast was given in honor of the young heir's recovery. Many healers testified that the child was completely healthy. Prince Leo felt something strange.
The horrible image of the sassy prince Galh had cracked.
His chest felt strangely uncomfortable. He kept rubbing that itchy spot and thinking about his stupid past.
Having gone through thousands of years of war, he had hardly changed. Then could Galh have changed much? What if... what if...
No. Prince Leo clenched his fists. Instead of celebrating, he got on his horse and rode around the lands. He wanted to see for himself the distress of the people and figure out how to help them.
In the middle of the ride, he heard some strange news: Prince Galh was looking for apprentices to rebuild the mage caste.
This news literally blew the air! Everywhere Leo went, he heard about how Prince Galh had returned and how he was serving the people, helping others all day long. And now he was ready to recruit disciples to spread the secret knowledge and save people from many calamities.
All this news made Leo turn back. His horse was languid, stumbling at every step, just as the thoughts in his head were.
Prince Leo felt so... useless.
When he returned home, he learned another piece of news-his little kinsman had received an invitation to go as an apprentice to Prince Galh.
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