"Arabian Nights"
Part 67
by Mel
The boys finished organizing the rooms and were relaxing in each other’s company. Ian had pulled them aside, letting them know that the Caliph’s 40th birthday celebrations were fast approaching. The preparations had been muted while the Prince had been sick, but now that Liv had given him a clean bill of health, everything was back in full swing.
Elijah and Orli had taken Jared with them for the dancing lessons Ian had suddenly foisted on them. Viggo might find himself having to entertain dignitaries and guests who were visiting for the Birthday and Ian wanted to be sure the boys were ready for it. Sean was with Viggo whilst he was working. Though the Caliph had done most of the work that he could, there were still things that had required Viggo's input and signature. Though the Caliph had insisted he start slowly, there was still much to catch up on and Viggo was quickly finding himself swamped. The kittens took care to look after him when he did arrive home.
But that wouldn’t be for quite some time yet.
For now only Dominic and Billy remained in their rooms. They sat back to back, Dom’s head bent over in one of Orli’s puzzles that he had half finished and left lying in the corner of the courtyard. Billy used his back to hold himself up as he, very carefully, strung beads on a single wire.
“Who’s that for?” Dom asked, finding a piece and putting it into place.
“The Prince,” Dom could hear the other man’s smile. Billy was a funny one, Dom had decided. Dom had thought most free people would object to finding out they’d been given, without their permission, to another man. They had all fought in their own way, with Orli being the only exception, and Dom believed the other boy would always be an exception.
To find Billy, who had obviously been ripped from his homeland, could also set himself easily to this life, was something Dom found difficult to believe.
“Each bead,” Billy continued, oblivious to Dom’s thoughts, “is a rune, part of a more complex protection spell than I could hope to ward around the rooms. They guard against many things. They will heat when poisons are near by, and alert me should a curse be directed against the bearer. Together with the copper wire connecting them, and a little of my own will, it should make a fine portable protection charm.”
“Why?” Dom asked, attention wavering from the puzzle. “Why so much trouble for a man you don’t even know? For a man who now owns you?”
Dom was surprised to hear Billy chuckle. It was not quite the response the other boy had expected. It was light, Billy sounded generally amused by the question.
“You don’t know much about my people, do you?” Billy asked, though he didn’t appear to need an answer. “I suppose that’s understandable, with so much land and sea between here and my homeland, I would be surprised if you did.” There was silence for a moment.
“Did you know I never knew my family? Druids and magic workers are found long before their third year. Before they have any memory of their families or parents. I was two when I was brought into the fold. I can not remember my Mother’s face or Father’s touch.”
It was such an easy revelation that Dominic couldn’t
stop a small shiver. Billy talked about it as if the very thought of it was
common knowledge. Dom could not imagine not knowing his Father.
“It’s not an awful thing,” Billy assured him, “amongst
my people it’s a great honour. It also serves the purpose that our only
attachment is to the order and we can not be used for selfish needs. We can
be kept safe and trained to use our gifts. To survive the first years of training
is a great feat that few manage. To keep the use of only a few limbs, or to
die, happen more often than actually making it to adulthood.”
“That’s awful,” Dom breathed, staring at the puzzle in disbelief. How could anyone do that to a child?
"There’s not really much choice, considering the other option."
“Other option?”
“To be hidden by your family when they realise your gift. To be untrained, full of raw magic. Then when something awful happens to call on powers you can’t even begin to control. To kill everyone within many miles who can not use their own magic to protect themselves. I’ve seen it Dominic.” The voice was cold. “We could feel untapped magic as we were passing a village. We stopped in the hope of getting the child peacefully, we had only made it to the outskirts when we saw another child fall from a horse in front of the young wizard. We barely had enough time to set up our wards before the backlash of surging magic engulfed us. When we woke up the village, as well as its families and children, were gone.”
Billy looked slightly over his shoulder, his hair brushing against Dom’s skin. “Isn’t it better for someone with that sort of power, to develop their attachments after they can control it? Than destroy a whole village and die anyway?” Billy sighed. “I sometimes wish I had been born without this gift, that I could have been brought up with a family and close friends. When the only protection I would have had to offer them was my own hand and mind.”
Again Dom could feel the smile, the underlying happiness. “But why wish for something you can’t change? For something that’s nothing more than a passing fancy? Why, when I can do so much good?”
There it was. What Dom had been searching for. The reason he had wanted to hear.
Why Billy choose to stay here with them.
“You’re here to keep us safe.”
Turning Dominic found himself regarded with a delighted twinkle and a gentle smile. There was no malice, no hate, no ulterior motive. Just Billy, plain and simple. His heart laid bare and open, his honest feelings had always been there.
“Do no harm,” Billy smiled, “it’s the first oath we ever make. ‘Do no harm, Protect the weak’. Besides,” he tapped a finger against Dom’s nose, “isn’t that why you’re here?”
Dom’s smile spread across his face. Of course, Billy was right. When he first arrived, he had been here to protect Orli. Things had changed, the number of people he protected had grown.
“If you didn’t stay here to protect the ones you loved, then why else would you be here?” Billy chuckled, slinging his arm around the other boy’s shoulder. “And now I can take over.”
“Take over?” Dom scoffed, “I don’t think so.”
“Sure you do! I’m older, and stronger and-”
“An idiot?” Dom tackled the other boy before he could finish his sentence. The courtyard rang with light laughter for some time.
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