Chapter 84 Cadence
The governor ignored the awkwardness of the whole scene and spoke with in a tranquil tone;
"Adalia, you will see to it that someone arranges a decent lodging for Xzavier, he will be staying with us for a few days. Make sure it is suitable for a temporary arrangement. At least, till he is fixed up in. A more permanent residence."
.Xzavier took in the information as thought it was amusing just how presumptuous it was of the governor to make arrangements for his accommodation, without even consulting or bothering to ask if it was okay. Of course Xzavier had no other plans whatsoever. But still, it would have been nice to ask. He felt like a piece of meat with the way the governor had overlooked him, even though he was standing right there!
Adalia received the order, and began her awkward descent down from Xzavier's shoulders to the ground. It was a bit tricky for her because she wasn't the athletic type. Even when she touched down on the ground. Her face was still red with shame. It didn't help that Xzavier was the one who facilitated her descent by carrying her like a baby who weighed nothing more than three bowls of rice on a tray.
Still blushing very hard, and unable to look Xzavier squarely in the face, the beautiful, blonde servant girl led Xzavier out of that place with her cheeks bursting with the color red.
The shrewd Knight had also recovered from the shock of what he had witnessed and had already begun another round of shrewd analysis. Dale was aware of the process it usually takes for the approval of a guest to stay in governor's quarters. But he kept his doubts to himself. He knew that the governor, as Lord of this region, had other arrangements. Dale tingled with excitement like a little boy who had chanced on a serious plot. The diabolic Knight couldn't wait to see what the governor had in store for Xzavier.
It turned out that Dale's suspicions were well founded. His eyes followed the governor's every move, and just as he had suspected, something sinister occurred right there.
The manipulative Quaid didn't utter a single word, but the high handed look he gave Laddie was heavy with hidden meaning. Obviously, the old man caught on to what the governor had been trying to imply with his wordless message. Immediately, Kadin bent down to salute. Dale recognized that salute. It was one he had seen one too many times. It was a salute reaffirming his loyalty. It was salute that said that he was never going spill what happened there that day.
The governor had truly mastered his poker face. While the shifty governor retained a look of dead calm on the surface, beneath the cold composed mask he was wearing, Quaid was trembling with excitement. His hands were always hidden in his robes for a reason. It wasn't because he liked to appear in that way, it was because he hated having anyone see his fingers trembling in excitement like they were now.
What Quaid had witnessed here today was the best and most interesting thing to have happened to him all year. The governor didn't rise to the position of power by missing out on life changing opportunities. In fact, one of the traits that made him the governor, was the chilling ability to see potential. He could see what no one else could see. And even if anyone else did manage to somehow see what he saw, they wouldn't be able to act on it. At least, not in the way he would.
The one in the background, the only soul that hadn't uttered a single word all through the performance, watched with soft dark eyes as the whole scene unfolded. He was a character unlike the rest. His name was Cadence, and he was the son of the Governor of the state capital.
Cadence was a unique child. Unlike most children with powerful political figures as parents, Cadence didn't allow his background to rob him of the lessons and benefit of hard work. His life was one of sacrifice and studying. This was very uncommon at the time. Almost all the politician's kids his age were playboys. They lived lives of luxury, which in turn opened the doors of dissipation, and flooded their lives with questionable vices.
But Cadence, not allowing himself to be encumbered by the benefits of his privileged status, gave himself to studiousness. He practically devoured literary piece he could find. Magic just happened to be one of his many interests. In addition to his academic life, Cadence didn't neglect his moral life as well. His pursuit of excellence reflected in all areas of his life. He was a loyal son who abided by his father's teachings and statutes. To crown it all, he was also a very humble boy.
Though he was very young, the governor's son had already developed a sound philosophy of life that was grounded in sound moral principles, as well as codes that had been indoctrinated into him by his father. From Cadence's perspective, he saw that the rules that make the world go round were questionable. His young mind saw that they were not fool-proof.
Because he was close to the center of authority of a major metropolis, he saw first-hand that these universal rules appeared to be a bit deficient in the areas of politics and magic. He had been brooding on this for a while. He never bothered to voice his concerns and ambivalence to anyone, because he knew that there was no deep thinker around who would understand him. And even if there was such a mind, they would have been corrupted a long time ago by the scourge of life's unfairness.
But today, Cadence had chanced on something of a life changing experience. Indeed, it had been unexpected, but he didn't believe for a second that it was pure coincidence that he ran into this mysterious man whom Adalia and the rest referred to as 'Xzavier.'
"Xzavier," Cadence repeated the name again in his head.
"Even the name sounds cool, and invokes mystery…"
In Cadence's mind, Xzavier was much more than just a mysterious stranger. He was the clear manifestation and the answer to the nagging question that had been tugging at the creases of his mind. Yes, this was a man to whom the rules didn't apply to. This was a man who could break the rules.
He was glad that he got to witness this. The fact that his father hadn't asked him to leave showed that the governor had complete faith in his son. Not just in the area of keeping secrets, but in his ability to judge for himself, without the influence of outsiders and external forces.
When the small gathering began to disperse, Laddie walked over to his students with a stern expression on his face. All through the time that both Earlene and Cadence had known him, the old man always had a facial expression that gave off the aura of pure seriousness. They didn't think it was possible to see their tutor even more serious than he usually was.
But Laddie surprised them by showing that there was an even higher degree of seriousness that they were yet to see. In a particularly deep croaky voice, Laddie charged his students saying;
"Listen up both of you! What you've seen here today has to be kept a secret. Is that clear?"
There was no reply.
The old man added more flair to his speech and charged them again.
"Snap out of it! Servants were sent out for this! This is a very serious issue. You cannot tell anyone about this!"
The old man reiterated his warning again.
"TELL ABSOLUTELY NOBODY!!!"
Though Earlene and Cadence were physically present, they might have as well been somewhere else at the same time. Unlike the governor, and Dale and Laddie (who were matured enough to get over something like this), both siblings were still trying to process what they had just seen. It was completely their fault. They had grown up in a world where magic was everything. They had had spent weeks, months, and the early formative years of their lives studying and practicing to become better mages, and ultimately, more powerful people.
So, when Xzavier successfully pulled the stunt of the century, he systematically destroyed the very foundation of all their belief system. He had done the impossible! And both Cadence and Earlene, (young ones with very impressionable minds) were busying thinking what other possible wonders that awaited them in the real world. Though Earlene didn't realize it at the time, in her very volatile mind, deep in her subconscious, the seeds of rebellion had been sown.
So, when the old man stood before them, speaking in a somber tone and with his face contorted in a tight grimace, in the mind's eye of the teenagers, they only saw a white bearded figure standing with its mouth opening and closing, and gesticulating with its hands in an extremely funny way.
"Adalia, you will see to it that someone arranges a decent lodging for Xzavier, he will be staying with us for a few days. Make sure it is suitable for a temporary arrangement. At least, till he is fixed up in. A more permanent residence."
.Xzavier took in the information as thought it was amusing just how presumptuous it was of the governor to make arrangements for his accommodation, without even consulting or bothering to ask if it was okay. Of course Xzavier had no other plans whatsoever. But still, it would have been nice to ask. He felt like a piece of meat with the way the governor had overlooked him, even though he was standing right there!
Adalia received the order, and began her awkward descent down from Xzavier's shoulders to the ground. It was a bit tricky for her because she wasn't the athletic type. Even when she touched down on the ground. Her face was still red with shame. It didn't help that Xzavier was the one who facilitated her descent by carrying her like a baby who weighed nothing more than three bowls of rice on a tray.
Still blushing very hard, and unable to look Xzavier squarely in the face, the beautiful, blonde servant girl led Xzavier out of that place with her cheeks bursting with the color red.
The shrewd Knight had also recovered from the shock of what he had witnessed and had already begun another round of shrewd analysis. Dale was aware of the process it usually takes for the approval of a guest to stay in governor's quarters. But he kept his doubts to himself. He knew that the governor, as Lord of this region, had other arrangements. Dale tingled with excitement like a little boy who had chanced on a serious plot. The diabolic Knight couldn't wait to see what the governor had in store for Xzavier.
It turned out that Dale's suspicions were well founded. His eyes followed the governor's every move, and just as he had suspected, something sinister occurred right there.
The manipulative Quaid didn't utter a single word, but the high handed look he gave Laddie was heavy with hidden meaning. Obviously, the old man caught on to what the governor had been trying to imply with his wordless message. Immediately, Kadin bent down to salute. Dale recognized that salute. It was one he had seen one too many times. It was a salute reaffirming his loyalty. It was salute that said that he was never going spill what happened there that day.
The governor had truly mastered his poker face. While the shifty governor retained a look of dead calm on the surface, beneath the cold composed mask he was wearing, Quaid was trembling with excitement. His hands were always hidden in his robes for a reason. It wasn't because he liked to appear in that way, it was because he hated having anyone see his fingers trembling in excitement like they were now.
What Quaid had witnessed here today was the best and most interesting thing to have happened to him all year. The governor didn't rise to the position of power by missing out on life changing opportunities. In fact, one of the traits that made him the governor, was the chilling ability to see potential. He could see what no one else could see. And even if anyone else did manage to somehow see what he saw, they wouldn't be able to act on it. At least, not in the way he would.
The one in the background, the only soul that hadn't uttered a single word all through the performance, watched with soft dark eyes as the whole scene unfolded. He was a character unlike the rest. His name was Cadence, and he was the son of the Governor of the state capital.
Cadence was a unique child. Unlike most children with powerful political figures as parents, Cadence didn't allow his background to rob him of the lessons and benefit of hard work. His life was one of sacrifice and studying. This was very uncommon at the time. Almost all the politician's kids his age were playboys. They lived lives of luxury, which in turn opened the doors of dissipation, and flooded their lives with questionable vices.
But Cadence, not allowing himself to be encumbered by the benefits of his privileged status, gave himself to studiousness. He practically devoured literary piece he could find. Magic just happened to be one of his many interests. In addition to his academic life, Cadence didn't neglect his moral life as well. His pursuit of excellence reflected in all areas of his life. He was a loyal son who abided by his father's teachings and statutes. To crown it all, he was also a very humble boy.
Though he was very young, the governor's son had already developed a sound philosophy of life that was grounded in sound moral principles, as well as codes that had been indoctrinated into him by his father. From Cadence's perspective, he saw that the rules that make the world go round were questionable. His young mind saw that they were not fool-proof.
Because he was close to the center of authority of a major metropolis, he saw first-hand that these universal rules appeared to be a bit deficient in the areas of politics and magic. He had been brooding on this for a while. He never bothered to voice his concerns and ambivalence to anyone, because he knew that there was no deep thinker around who would understand him. And even if there was such a mind, they would have been corrupted a long time ago by the scourge of life's unfairness.
But today, Cadence had chanced on something of a life changing experience. Indeed, it had been unexpected, but he didn't believe for a second that it was pure coincidence that he ran into this mysterious man whom Adalia and the rest referred to as 'Xzavier.'
"Xzavier," Cadence repeated the name again in his head.
"Even the name sounds cool, and invokes mystery…"
In Cadence's mind, Xzavier was much more than just a mysterious stranger. He was the clear manifestation and the answer to the nagging question that had been tugging at the creases of his mind. Yes, this was a man to whom the rules didn't apply to. This was a man who could break the rules.
He was glad that he got to witness this. The fact that his father hadn't asked him to leave showed that the governor had complete faith in his son. Not just in the area of keeping secrets, but in his ability to judge for himself, without the influence of outsiders and external forces.
When the small gathering began to disperse, Laddie walked over to his students with a stern expression on his face. All through the time that both Earlene and Cadence had known him, the old man always had a facial expression that gave off the aura of pure seriousness. They didn't think it was possible to see their tutor even more serious than he usually was.
But Laddie surprised them by showing that there was an even higher degree of seriousness that they were yet to see. In a particularly deep croaky voice, Laddie charged his students saying;
"Listen up both of you! What you've seen here today has to be kept a secret. Is that clear?"
There was no reply.
The old man added more flair to his speech and charged them again.
"Snap out of it! Servants were sent out for this! This is a very serious issue. You cannot tell anyone about this!"
The old man reiterated his warning again.
"TELL ABSOLUTELY NOBODY!!!"
Though Earlene and Cadence were physically present, they might have as well been somewhere else at the same time. Unlike the governor, and Dale and Laddie (who were matured enough to get over something like this), both siblings were still trying to process what they had just seen. It was completely their fault. They had grown up in a world where magic was everything. They had had spent weeks, months, and the early formative years of their lives studying and practicing to become better mages, and ultimately, more powerful people.
So, when Xzavier successfully pulled the stunt of the century, he systematically destroyed the very foundation of all their belief system. He had done the impossible! And both Cadence and Earlene, (young ones with very impressionable minds) were busying thinking what other possible wonders that awaited them in the real world. Though Earlene didn't realize it at the time, in her very volatile mind, deep in her subconscious, the seeds of rebellion had been sown.
So, when the old man stood before them, speaking in a somber tone and with his face contorted in a tight grimace, in the mind's eye of the teenagers, they only saw a white bearded figure standing with its mouth opening and closing, and gesticulating with its hands in an extremely funny way.
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