Precious licked his paws clean while the lady patted his elegant white fur. Her lap was the most comfortable seat in the house, but she would often stand suddenly or shoo him when other humans came by. Alas, hissing was for peasantry. Precious was always composed, no matter what manner of fool strode through the estate – especially that mate of hers. He had a tendency to walk about like he owned the place. Even now, he was dropping scraps at the table, as if Precious was meant to clean up after him. Although, the meat on the floor did smell quite delicious. Yes, indeed...

Ahem! No. Precious had already eaten plenty earlier. The feasts prepared for him are much more appetizing than some...

Perhaps, just one bite... couldn’t hurt.... could it?

Precious leapt off the Madame’s lap and raced to the Master’s seat. The cat’s rough tongue picked up the gruel bits. Master Fitzroy laughed.

“What a disgusting little creature. Look how fat he is.”

“Tsk. Why do you cultivate his animalistic instincts, Jorge? You insult my pride.”

“An animal is going to behave like an animal, there’s no hiding it. You’d be a fool to think you could teach an old cat worthy tricks.”

“Well, yes. The cat may be so. But why does a ‘sophisticated’ man such as yourself resort to throwing your distastes onto the floor? Mind yourself – you're an aristocrat now.”

“I’m aware.”

“You cannot keep behaving like a rogue merchant boy.”

“Sure. I have every intention of carrying myself like a noble.”

“Good.”

“Then, where is the heir my wife is meant to bear for me?”

Darlene Abernelle Fitzroy halted the knife in her hands. She raised it, leaning the sharp tip slightly in the direction of her husband’s position.

“Mention that one more time, dear Jorge. I dare you.”

“Put the knife down, darling.”

“You and your cursed genetics!” Scowling, Darlene tossed the knife down onto her plate. She shoved away from the table, the legs of the chair scraping against the dining room’s marble floor. She stormed out.

As was her habit, the Madame locked the door to her chambers for the next two days, until Master Jorge Fitzroy left for work again.

* * *

Chapter 3

Ladd stomped his feet in the snow beneath the naked trees of the meeting location. Moving around was supposed to help warm him up, but his toes were sinking deeper into the white blanket and becoming even colder. The crunch of approaching footsteps sounded a few yards away, and Ladd turned his head to see his tutor shuffling closer.

Kyle pulled his coat on tighter. He wondered how he had been convinced to conduct the sessions at night after he clearly told Ladd it would be too cold to think, let alone play with water. His hands, holding the water bottle, were a dangerous shade of red. He should have made Ladd bring it outside instead.

“You ready?”

“Yup.” Ladd’s teeth were chattering.

“You don’t sound ready.”

“No, I am. Just put it down and put your hands in your pockets so your fingers don’t fall off.”

Kyle set the bottle into the snow, apprehensive that it might freeze.

“See if it floats first.”

Ladd shut his eyes.

“Why are you closing your eyes?”

“Huh?” Ladd’s eyelids fluttered open. “Oh, I don’t know. I just felt like it.”

Kyle considered it.

“Okay, try it that way. You never know what’ll work, honestly.”

“Got it.”

Ladd closed his eyes again, then tried connecting to the Water.

Hi, you there?

Silence. Right. Of course. What was he expecting, a response? Ladd scoffed at himself.

Sorry. Let me try that again.

...Do I just go right in? I feel weird skipping out on greetings.

What am I doing. You’re an element.

Okay, um... the float thing. That we did yesterday. Can you do it again?

After several seconds, Ladd thought to ask the Water another question.

Are you the same Water as yesterday? I mean, how would you know what I asked yesterday if you’re new Water. Or is all Water the same Water, like connected somehow. With shared memories- no wait. An element can’t have memories. Right? Or can it? Uh...

Gosh, I’m stupid. Okay. First, go up. Then float around for a couple of seconds, then go back into the bottle. Okay?

 Ladd waited ten seconds before opening his eyes. He looked at Kyle, who wore a patient expression.

“Did anything happen?”

“What? No. Did you Move it?”

“I tried to. I told it to.” Ladd frowned.

He tried again, with his eyes open this time.

Up. Float. Down- er, not on the ground! Go back into the bottle.

The water slid up reluctantly, hung in the air, and returned to its original state. Ladd beamed.

“Great. Now try moving it around while it’s in the air.”

Ladd paled. That sounded complicated.

Wanna, um, dance? Ladd’s chest tickled. Like... like... follow me.

Go up.

The Water obeyed, hovering in place as if awaiting orders.

Now, a circle maybe?

The water hanging centered itself into a sphere.

Okay, that was cool. But that’s not what I meant. Um. Like, snake? You know what a snake looks like? Can you draw a snake-

The ball flattened into a long string. One end began to take the shape of a snake’s head.

No, no! Not an actual snake.

The head paused mid-formation.

But the string thing was a good start. Let’s make a string first.

The Water took on a uniform girth, then thinned out Its ends.

Good! Now, if you can spin around yourself like... how a dog chases its tail?

The water string spun in horizontal circles.

“Yes! I did- 

Oh.”

The second Ladd thought to speak, his connection to the Water broke and it fell to the ground. Ladd stared in regret at the empty bottle.

“Oops?” Kyle was offering a gentle smile. Ladd's lower lip trembled.

“I didn’t think I would lose it so easily.”

“It’s okay. You only started a couple of days ago. These things take practice.”

A tear rolled from Ladd’s eye.

“See? It’s hard. Oh. You don’t need to cry, Ladd. It doesn’t mean you’re not talented. It’s just like that. You’ll get better soon.”

“It was working!” Ladd cried out. His voice carried pain. Kyle wondered why it was affecting Ladd this much. Yes, he wanted to be the greatest mage in the world. But things take time and Ladd knew that, surely?

“And it will work later, too. By the time you get to school you’ll know way more than everyone else.”

Ladd picked up his head, staring at Kyle.

“Oh, that’s right. School.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re going back in a month.”

“And?”

“Then you can’t teach me, and I can’t practice.”

“Ladd, it’s illegal. We shouldn’t be practicing even now, but...” Kyle put his face in his hands. “Let’s go back, I’m cold.”

Ladd nodded, still pouting.

Lessons resumed the next day. Ladd carried two bottles, and Kyle brought a third. Ladd took a deep breath and engaged the mental conversation. At first, the water in all three bottles responded. Ladd yelped, terrified, and the Water calmed Itself before making it out of the containers.

“That was close.”

Kyle nodded his agreement. “I haven’t tried moving one of a group before, I don’t know if it can be done.”

“But it has to be, right? It’s not like mages working can just Move all the water in front of them when they’re doing their jobs, right?”

“...Right.”

“So, I just have to figure out how to Move only one.”

“But you have to be careful.”

“I know.” Ladd concentrated on one bottle. However, he faced the same problem he had the first night – containers are obstacles.

“Grr, this is so frustrating.”

“That’s why there are teachers in the Academy.”

“Shut up, Kyle. I am not waiting two years to be able to Move some dumb water.”

Kyle raised an eyebrow. Ladd gasped, then covered his mouth.

“I mean – to do this really cool thing with really cool water.”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “Just focus already.”

“Right, yeah.”

Ladd stared at the bottle in the center.

How... should I do this? How do I talk to the Water and not the bottle?

Alright, alright. I can do this. I am a powerful mage. I can do this!

Water! ...in the center!

Not all of you, just the water in the middle bottle. Come with me? Up? But not the rest of you! J-

Wait. You moved. But then you stopped. Why? What did I do?

Look, I’m concentrating on you. No one else. See? I’m not even talking. So, please. Come up-

Yes. Like that. Up. Just you. Just you.

Ah, I get it. Don’t talk to the other water, right? You want all eyes on you? Okay, you got it. Come. See, I’m very focused right now. You have all my attention. I’m not even minding the frozen snow on the floor-

The water in the center bottle, which had been slowly rising to the call, plopped down onto the icy ground as soon as Ladd remembered his surroundings.

“No! No!” Ladd was about to scream, but Kyle, on standby, clasped a hand over Ladd’s mouth. Ladd paused, then relaxed his body language. Kyle let go.

“Sorry about that.”

“You’re the same as always.”

“I just... I almost had it!”

“What went wrong?”

“I was telling the water that I wasn’t thinking about anything else, which made me think of the ‘else.’”

Kyle stifled a laugh.

“What.”

“You had to tell it that? That you weren’t thinking of anyone else?”

“Not ‘anyone’ else, anyth-... yeah, basically. I was coaxing it. Goading it? What’s the right word?”

“The water isn’t a girl you’re trying to date, Ladd. It doesn’t need you to swear loyalty.” Kyle was clutching his stomach. This was all apparently soooo funny to him. Ladd huffed at him.

“What would you know, you’ve never done it before.” Ladd realized something. “Neither this nor that, actually.”

“Huh?” Kyle’s laughter took a break.

“You’ve never dated anyone or tried to Move water that was with other water. How would you know what it’s like.”

“...You’re mean.”

“So, stop laughing at me.”

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Let’s keep going. You still have two bottles. You said you were close, right?”

“Yeah.” Ladd composed himself. “Okay.”

Let’s go again! Ah, I have to pick. Who am I even talking to? Hahaha.

Okay, bottle on the right!

Ah, no.

Water! Water in the bottle on the right. Let’s do this. Come on out, out of the bottle.

The bottle on Ladd’s right teetered as the water inside it slithered up, heading towards him.

Hm? Why are you coming to me? I didn’t even tell you what I wanted you to do yet.

The Water rested in place near his right shoulder.

Oh? Are you preparing for my command? How cute.

Since you came all the way here, should we go for a walk together? Like a pet?

Yeah, let’s try that. I’m going to walk. You follow me. Okay?

Ladd’s chest filled with a stirring that nearly broke his focus. He tried his best to look at the ground while still thinking of the Water. In fact, he was so focused that he didn’t notice the water in the remaining bottle floating up to get closer.

Ladd took a step, then another.

You’re still with me, right? That’s why it feels so heavy in my head? You’re taking my energy and walking with me?

Ladd blinked. The Water had given an affirmative. He didn’t know how or how he knew; he just did.

Okay... Let’s go together, then.