Hadrian's beginnings.

Hadrian made his way down the small alley behind his family's modest manor.  The night was blacker than the finest ink his father imported from the far east, but with the new moon, it was the best night for sneaking out.

Most would consider it foolish, dangerous even, to sneak around on the darkest of nights, but Hadrian had a secret that not even his closest friend knew.  He could use magic!  Nothing as grand as the Witches and Wizards of course, but that was only because he had no one to teach him.  The small lights that he could make with nothing but his thought had come a long way since he first discovered them as a child jumping at shadows in the night.

With trial and error and a lot of sneaking out, he had been able to discover new ways to use the lights.  He could create multiple lights, change their color, make them flash brighter than the sun at its zenith, and many other small cantrips.  The most useful discovery however was when he found out that he could make his lights visible only to himself.  It made sneaking out at night to practice much easier and helped him avoid Edgar and Jayce, the two soldiers in his father's employ.

Now he was only a moon's turn away from his majority and with almost a decade of practice on his own, he was eager to search out a master so he could learn what he was really capable of.  With an unseen grin, he vaulted, nimble as a cat, over the low wall surrounding his home.  Soon the whole city would know his secret and it would change his life forever.

"Good morning, Father, Mother." Hadrian intoned as he sat at the table with a yawn.  His father grunted distractedly looking over his normal morning reports.  Being one of the most well-known merchants in the country had its drawbacks, but his father put in the work so that his family would want for nothing.  Hadrian's grandfather had also been a merchant, but in a poor town and he hadn't had the drive to become something more.

Rickard had hated watching his father sink into depression and drink, but he hated watching his mother worry about the next meal more.  When his mother passed he had sworn to himself that he would be successful despite his humble beginnings and when he reached his majority he left and never looked back.

Now, forty years later, his family lived in relative luxury and had access to anything they wanted.  If the cost of that was having a slightly distant relationship with his wife and only child, in his mind, it was well worth it.

Emilia, his mother, smiled sadly across the table at her son before pushing a tray with various fruits and cheeses over to him.  "How was your evening, dear?  Productive I hope."  Hadrian's head snapped up from his perusal of the food tray a look of alarm on his face.

"Whatever do you mean, mother?"  His thoughts immediately went to the seldom-used warehouse his father owned near the slums where he practiced his magic.  He was sure he had been careful and neither Edgar nor Jayce had seen him return home in the early hours this morning.  His mother looked at him oddly and he knew that his response was not what she had been expecting.

"Your final exams, of course.  I believe you had Economics, History, and Geography last night correct?"  His father paused and looked up from his reports waiting on Hadrian's answer.  One of the few times his father paid any attention to him was during his reports on the classes he took at the insistence of both of his parents.

"Oh... yes of course.  Forgive me, mother.  I didn't sleep well last night and it slipped my mind."  He took a moment to gather a handful of fruit from the table, trying to calm his racing heart.  "I passed all three to the Master's satisfaction, though Economics was my weakest subject." He paused here at his father's frown and popped a piece of fruit into his mouth before continuing.  The Masters for History and Geography both said I had a keen mind for their subjects and if I wished to continue learning from them after my majority they would be willing to take me on as an apprentice."  His father's frown eased as Hadrian continued and he nodded in satisfaction before delving back into his reports.  His mother smiled at him proudly, despite the lingering sadness in her eyes.

They continued the light morning meal in relative silence.  Only the shuffling of his father's reports breaking the peace.  As Hadrian stood to leave the table his father muttered his first distracted words of the morning.

"Don't forget your martial lessons with Jayce and Edgar this afternoon.  They are just as important as the academia."

Hadrian bowed slightly with a quiet, "Of course, Father." He then turned and kissed his mother lightly on the cheek.  She squeezed his hand gently. "I'm proud of you Hadrian," she said quietly.  "I'll let Jayce and Edgar know you'll be starting training later than usual today shall I?  Enjoy the day with your friends."

Hadrian smiled widely, "Thank you, Mother."  He kissed her one more time before striding from the room, eager to meet his friends for a day of celebration.

"I still don't understand why you are going home already.  It's not even dark yet." Hadrian sighed as his best friend, Luis, whined about the early end to their celebrations.

"I told you already.  I have to meet Jayce and Edgar for my martial training.  My Mother is already covering for a later start and I don't want to disappoint her."  Luis snorted in disbelief.

"Bollocks on that.  You take every chance to break the rules and you know it."  Hadrian rolled his eyes and kept walking his friend trailing behind.  Luis was right, of course, but only partially.

"My father's rules.  There is a difference, Luis."  Luis, of course, didn't have a response to that.  They both knew that his father was the end-all authority of Hadrian's family and no amount of pleading or explanation would ever alter his judgment.  "Also I'm starting to get a headache.  You're sure that ale is the stuff we always have?  I haven't felt like this since our first time getting drunk and that was after several."  Luis looked at him like he was crazy.

"Last I checked you only had one.  And of course, it was the same as always.  Henry wouldn't give us bad ale.  Not after everything your old man did for him."  Hadrian nodded mutely, acknowledging Luis' point.  He shook his head lightly the headache only getting worse with every step.  He was only a block from his home when he had to stop to lean on the wall and take deep breaths.  The world was a kaleidoscope of sound and color and his body felt like it was burning from the inside out.  "Hadrian?  Hadrian, can you hear me?  I swear to every holy Witch and Wizard that if you're having a laugh I'll beat you in to your majority."  Luis' voice seemed distant and muted like he was speaking to him through a blizzard.  With sudden violence, Hadrian was sick, his body lurching and heaving.  Luis made a sound of disgust and hastily moved away.  "Holy Mother of... maybe you did get a bad ale.  You uh... all done over there?"

"Just get me home would you." Hadrian moaned out between heaves.  Luis nodded and approached gingerly, avoiding the sick on the cobblestones.

"Alright, alright.  But you owe me for this."  Hadrian nodded mutely feeling no better for emptying his stomach.  Luis put one of Hadrian's arms around his neck and helped him stand. "I'm not carrying you so you damn well shuffle as best you can.  Gods that reeks!"  Luis moved quickly away from the mess and Hadrian half shuffled half fell along with him moaning pitifully the whole way.  They made it to the gate separating the training yard from the manor gardens and Luis paused leaning Hadrian on the wall.  "This is as far as I go.  Jayce and Edgar don't care for me and your father even less.  I'd rather not run into them while you're in this state.  Best of luck!" With those parting words, Luis hurried away, not glancing back.

Hadrian watched his friend make his hasty retreat and shook his head.  "Bloody coward."  He took a few deep breaths and stood on shaky legs facing the gate bracing himself mentally and physically for what awaited him.  "No use in delaying the inevitable." He pushed the gate open resigned to the beating he knew he was about to take.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:49, Wed 09 Feb 2022.