The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

Even though they didn't do anything for a while, the Church knows well enough about my magic. And about my child's... Even though they inquire about him only, asking nothing from me.

If I didn't know better, I would think Adelphium told them a partial story. I am a little worried about the name we chose, but we'll make it through somehow.

The Church won't link the name Laurentius to a Mage but rather the endless line of scholars or inventors, as well as saints who had that name.

The first time a priest visits, though, I am not alone. At least this!

Flavius came to my lodgings after days of deep thought and, thankfully, he decided a weapon was allowed to visit babies.

«Little,» he says, bowing over the cradle and getting closer to observe my sleeping son from up close. «Mini Ignatius is just so delicate... Are you sure he will grow up and become like us?»

«He will. He'll be as tall and handsome as his father.»

«But he's cute, isn't he? He reminds me of Ignatius a lot,» he comments, analysing my son's face features. «Except he has your nose and your eyes. But it's fine... He couldn't be exactly the same as your husband, right? He had to take something from you.»

«He has a name,» I point out.

«Yes? Which one? Or, better, how many? I guess he has more than a single name...»

«For now, just Laurentius. But I call him Lars.»

«Lars? That's such a peasant name...» he scoffs, but he still turns back to the baby and repeats that same peasant name a couple of times.

«Is he the Crown Prince now?»

«Not yet. I mean, he is but hasn't been officially crowned yet. We will perform the coronation during the naming ceremony at the Temple.»

«I can serve the Royal Family and the Crown of Alba. If Lars is the Crown Prince, I can serve him as a weapon.»

«You don't need to find excuses if you want to play with him, Flavius.»

«Are you sure? I've heard someone say that weapons are dangerous and shouldn't be allowed next to children.»

«You are no weapon. You can come close to Lars as long as you're careful not to hurt him in any way.»

«Of course. I'm a loyal servant and a weapon, but I am not evil.»

«Sure,» I sigh. «That's what I'm trying to say...»

«Look, he likes me! Lars likes me!» Flavius shouts, jumping in place next to the cradle. His hand is inside, probably playing with my son. «He caught my finger: look! It's a sign.»

«Yes, it's a sign,» I sigh.

Lars catches fingers and other objects when they're around, but Aida assured me it's no sign of a genius. Just what babies do when they've just been born. It will disappear little by little, and then he will start moving by his will.

«He chose me, right? I can be his weapon!»

«Sure, Flavius. But Lars doesn't need weapons.»

I walk to the cradle and pick my son up. He's still light as a feather and sleeps all the time. But he now makes cute grimaces every time he's near me, other than taking advantage of the contact to cast some magic.

It isn't unnoticed by Flavius, who stares at us with wide eyes. He claps his hands, making us both startle, and runs around me, analysing this weird phenomenon.

«I want to play too,» he said, offering his hand again.

Since Lars grabs everything on his palm, he also does so with Flavius's finger. My energy is channelled towards this foreign body, and Flavius is hit by lightning. He deserves it a little, doesn't he?

«How cool!» he says, instead of getting angry or offended. «He knows how to play with magic already!»

«Yes,» I sign. «No... Well, it depends. Lars uses my body as a catalyst. He used to send jolts to Ignis during the pregnancy... Not that he now stopped, just... Ignis isn't around as often to be hurt by it.»

It's not like I can't understand him. Also, it's mostly my fault. I should have been more careful when he was around: it's a King we're talking about! Still, the way he left us alone is not very comforting. I'd prefer to see him more often.

After the night we spent together, I haven't met my husband again.

I thought our issues would be solved with communication and that he was getting ready to talk with me. Yet, nothing actually changed even after he saw how pretty our Lars is growing up.

Noticing my mood, both Lars and Flavius stop their silent communication, and they turn to me.

«Hey...» I moan, staring back into my son's grey eyes. Are mine like this, so beautiful? «Do you want to play with Flavius?»

I also glance at the other child, and I notice his red cheeks and his black eyes asking for love. He grew up alone, without parents or siblings. It's difficult to explain how love works to someone like Flavius.

«Do you want to hold him?» I inquire.

A simple nod reveals his thoughts, even though he doesn't dare reply with words. He's a little nervous as if this was a raging spell and not a little baby. Oh, not that it's far from the truth... My son does cast spells in certain situations.

I show Flavius how to hold a baby, and I remind him to pay extra attention to the head. Then, I take a step back and observe.

«Ah, this is ticklish!» Flavius comments.

All while his hair starts floating in the air. It stabilises after a while, forming a mane on top of his head. His curly locks are almost straight because of the magic... Or the electricity?

«Your son is an elementalist,» he says. «He controls thunder!»

«I see,» I murmur. I thought that it was because he used my body, but it seems that, even with Flavius's soul magic, Lars uses elemental magic. Especially lightning.

Lightning Mages are rare, just like everything else about Lars. Moreover, it's not the first type of magic one learns usually. More often than not, an elementalist knows another kind of magic, maybe two, before learning to control thunder.

I'm sure Lars will also learn to control other elements soon. Did he learn about thunder while in my belly? I've also used fire to warm tea and food; water for cleansing my body. Can Lars use fire as well? Or was it too boring for him to learn?

«My son is a genius,» I comment.

«Sure! I have never seen this before! It's tickling, and he's clearly having fun while doing this. He likes me, right? Right?»

«I'm sure he does. Will you help me with him in the future? Lars needs a guard, Flavius. And who better than the crown's mage?»

«Can I? Does it mean I'll carry him more often? Oh, but guards don't do that kind of thing. They stay in a corner and stare with dark looks. I'm not sure I'm good for that job.»

«It's different when we're talking about the little Prince,» I say. «He doesn't need just protection but a playmate and people who can teach him something.»

«And am I that someone?»

«You can be, but only if you want. First of all, you can't be a weapon. You should try being a person for a while, and then, if you really hate it, go back to being a weapon after playing with Lars.»

«Oh. That sounds good.»

«Why aren't you startled because of the jolts, by the way?»

«Why? It's just a game. Lars doesn't want to hurt me, does he?»

«I don't know.»

«I don't think he's doing it on purpose.»

«No?»

«It's just something natural, like breathing or eating.»

«Is that what you feel?»

«Yes, Veronica. Your son is a Mage, and magic is natural to him. Even this form I have never witnessed before. It's how we're built, and we can't fight it.»

«That's true. Not using magic means growing crazy or having unstable spells. It makes it harder to hide for us.»

«Why hide? Isn't it easier to erase the Church altogether? You have the power.»

«I have, but what about the others? I can fight my way out, but most Mages aren't powerful enough to follow me. If anything, they need protection and comfort.»

«Oh, how useless... But I wonder... How do they burn elementalists? Especially fire mages?»

«They use magic chains to keep their powers restrained. The Mages burning at the stake can feel their power, but they can't access it. It's torture by itself even without the flames devouring their bodies and smoke invading their lungs.»

Since they seem to be playing happily, I entrust Flavius with my son and sit on the sofa.

Bea walks in, paying little to no attention to the weird spectacle. She delivers a missive and bows before talking.

«Your Majesty, the Priest the Church sent to see his little Highness is here. Shall I tell him to wait?»

«Wait? No, if he came here at this very time, there must be a reason. Fate wants us to meet him like this.»

With Flavius by my side, I won't be hurt with two Mages defending my son and me. Moreover, I'm not easy to bully.

That Priest better gets used that I won't just bow my head and follow everything they say.

I am the Queen, after all, and Ignis was clear: they can do nothing to Lars and me. We're not theirs to condemn.. We are of Ignis, and of Alba.