The Lady

     It was early in the morning, the sun hadn’t risen yet, but Nimue had. She ran outside to await the news. It had been six months since she applied and waited anxiously. She knew the law wasn’t on her side since birth, but this would be the day. Today she was going to change her future. Nimue’s family, the  Rye family, had been bakers since the day the kingdom was formed. Since the foundation of the empire all families were assigned a specific job or “role” in society, hence her last name. Nimue however, wished to be a mage .The system was created as a way to get the empire started, but now it just seemed like a way to keep everyone and everything the same within the kingdom. There was no way to move up or down the social classes as many of the nobles detested the idea of their blood being adulterated with that of the “lower” class. Nimue’s first step to deciding her own future was applying to the finest mage school in the kingdom, ‘Arthurian’s school for mages. Arthur was the first great mage and king of the kingdom of Amerlin.

As Nimue waited, her mom came up behind her yawning and asked ,”What are you doing up so early?”

“Nothing just...waiting”

“Well wait inside and get something to eat”. After a few seconds she gave in and followed her mom inside where the bread was already being baked for the day. Though Nimue hated the idea of being told what to do with her life, she had to admit, she loved the smell of freshly baked bread. The smell bounced off the walls and suffocated her with a pleasant and warm smell. This was home.

“You know, I also once had the chance to apply, but I accepted reality and soon after I found your father, and ever since, my life has been great,” her mother said enthusiastically. Nimue had heard her mother talk about the same thing many times since she submitted her application. She believed her mother was just trying to make her feel better in case she didn’t get accepted. But she would, she thought confidently. In the empire everyone of ages 11 through 18 had the opportunity to learn and develop their magic. Everyone had magic coursing through their blood, but of course the law prevented the majority of the population from actually learning how to use it. And as the years go by these children who once had the chance of learning how to channel and use this gift, turn to adults and the magic fades from their blood. Nimue was 18 so this was her last chance. It happened to her parents and brother, Lance, and she refused to let it happen to her too. “Anyway I think you should..”, her mom began, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Nimue sprinted to the door, greeted the mail deliverer, and snatched the letter from his hand. She hurriedly opened the letter and skimmed all the way to the bottom where she read : Due to your unfortunate circumstances we are regrettably denying your application, we wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors .

No, Nimue thought to herself. “This can’t be the end”, she said aloud. She went to her room, changed, and grabbed the dagger her brother had gifted her. She walked past her mom and heard, “where are you going.” She turned and saw her dad sitting, eyeing her curiously.

“I’m going to change the law”

“And how exactly will you do that by yourself?”

“I will go to the king, I...I will even go to war against him if I have to”

“You foolish girl, how will you do that yourself?”

“I...I will find a way,” Nimue stated as confidently as she could and headed out before her parents could reply. She headed towards the center of the kingdom to find the only man who could help her. Of course when she got to the gates she was greeted...warmly by a group of soldiers.

“State your business”, the guard said.

“I’m here to see the king”

“The king doesn’t have business with people like you”, the guard stated, with a look of disgust in his face.

“Well I won’t move from here until I get to speak to him,” Nimue said and began to sit in front of the soldier.

“Very well”, the guard said and left. After a few hours, Nimue was able to gather a crowd due to her display of disobedience towards the guards. Nimue shared her story to those who stayed and listened and many began sitting with her. What Nimue didn’t know and began to understand was that she wasn’t the only one who desired change. Everyone did. She wasn’t alone.

After the crowd began getting bigger and louder the guard came back and screamed at Nimue to stop and go home.

“Get up and leave or else I’ll throw you in jail. You’ve angered his majesty”

“I won’t move until I’ve talked to the king. If you want me to move you’ll have to pick me up yourself, throw me in jail if you want to as well. I. Won’t. Move'', Nimue declared. Surprisingly the guard, without a second thought, picked her up easily and took her to a side building within the palace gates.

“You got what you wanted”, he said and left.

In the dimly lit room Nimue was shaken up. How was she supposed to change her future from in here. She began pacing back and forth, her mind in total dismay, unable to think of a way out.

“So much for my plan” she said to herself.

“Well your plan was risky and foolish”, a voice replied to her from the shadows. Nimue jumped, surprised someone else was in the room with her.

“Who’s there? Who are you?”

“Someone who can help you get what you want.”

“Oh yeah and how exactly could you help me?”,Nimue asked harshly. As she said that the stranger moved closer through the darkness and from the shadows appeared a man. A very distinctive man.

“My prince”, Nimue said and bowed her head. “I’m sorry for my rudeness. I didn’t realize it was you.”

“No need for such formalities,” the prince said as he came closer to the bars. “I came as soon as I was informed of a reckless but brave young girl who disturbed the very king himself”, he continued saying amused. 

“So you came here because you were curious about me?” Nimue asked the prince.

“I came here because I thought you might need my help, and it looks like I was right”

“Respectfully your highness, I don’t need your help”, Nimue answered immediately.

“You’re stubborn you know, you should really know when to ask for help,” he replied. Suddenly next to him a silver key materialized from thin air.

“Wow”, Nimue whispered. The prince unlocked the cell and with a smirk said, "Nice to meet you, I’m Tristan, Prince of Amerlin. Though I’m sure you already know that.”

“Nice to meet you, your highness, I’m Nimue.” Nimue hesitated then asked, "Why did you help me?”

“Believe it or not I want the same thing you do”, the prince said. Nimue couldn’t believe what she just heard. Was the crown prince really wanting change like she did?

“My father, king Mordred”, Tristan continued, "loathes the idea of reforming the ‘Role System’ because it would mean he would lose control over the people, or at least that’s what he thinks.” Nimue looked at him expectantly. “My point is that I came here hoping to work together,” he added. Nimue didn’t like the idea of working with someone but he did just save her.

“Fine”, Nimue said with a sigh “What do we have to do”

Tristan led Nimue through corridors but no one seemed to notice her. “I put a cloaking spell on you,” Tristan  whispered beside her. Nimue was astonished. She wanted to do that, to be that. They came to a stop in front of two big doors which opened by a flick of Tristan’s hand. Inside there were two beautiful golden seats. The throne room, Nimue thought. The king was seated on the one on the right and asked, “What are you doing here with her?” The question was clearly directed at Tristan as the king stared his son down. You could feel the animosity between them clearly. But how did he know she was there? It was then that Nimue noticed the king staring at her with a cold gaze. He could see her. Tristan explained the reason they were there the best he could but the king only seemed to grow more and more irritated. 

“You dare come in here with her and ask for my reconsideration on a law that has kept us stable for hundreds of years!” The king couldn’t take any more of this and called for the guards. Six of them rushed in and came at them. As one tried to reach for Nime she pushed him, she couldn’t let this be the end, she wouldn’t. The same guard tried to grab her again, and she felt anger surge through her. She grabbed his arm, and where she touched him she felt a warm but cool sensation. She heard a scream. She looked at the guard in front of her, and where she had just touched him, where her hand was just at, there was fire. She looked at him confused. Where had the fire come from? She looked at Tristan but he was busy fighting off the five other guards. It couldn’t have been him. Then she felt the same warm but cool feeling again and she looked down at her hand. It was on fire. She instinctively shook her hand, but the fire didn’t seem to extinguish. As her anxiety grew so did the intensity of the flames. It was then that she noticed the flames didn’t burn her, in fact the flames felt comfortable, fitting even. In the middle of her confusion she heard loud metal noises. Nimue looked up to see both king Mordred and Tristan fighting with…swords.  She couldn’t quite understand why they didn’t just use magic, but that was not her priority right now. “The royal seal”, she remembered Tristan saying to her while in the corridors. “The power is in the seal”. She searched around anything that resembled the golden seal Tristan had described. Finally something caught her attention and she saw it, the golden seal with a lion stamp on it. It was shining brightly and looked almost ethereal, like something that didn’t belong in this world, it almost felt wrong for her to look at. The only problem was that it was around the king’s neck.

Nimue thought of different ways to get the necklace from the king, but she knew she couldn’t do it without Tristan’s help. She needed his help and she hated that. Reluctantly Nimue screamed, “Tristan, his neck!”. Tristan immediately looked at where she instructed and saw what she meant. He lunged at the king, who stumbled back from surprise and his own son’s strength, and he nearly lost his balance. Nimue, who was close by, ran towards the king and put her hand out to grab the necklace, but Mordred was too quick. He grabbed her hand barely an inch from the necklace and stared at her angrily. Nimue tried to pull her hand back but he held it in place. “Who do you think you are stealing from the king?”, Mordred said with disgust and bitterness in his voice. Suddenly a thought came to her head. The dagger. The guard overlooked her due to her poor appearance and didn’t check her for any weapons. It was still in her shoe from this morning. She grabbed the dagger with her free hand and without hesitation stabbed the king’s hand just enough to surprise him and release her other hand. As the king was disoriented, Nimue took the opportunity and grabbed the necklace. “Noooo!”, she heard the king exclaim. Tristan came beside her and she handed him the necklace. 

“Father, you have been defeated, you know what that means don’t you”, Tristan said while pointing his sword at the king.

“Yes”, that’s all Mordred said before being taken away by the same guards who were once trying to take Nimue and Tristan away. Nimue was confused and Tristan could see it.

“The first king, Arthur, created a spell for all of his descendants. They can’t use their magic against each other. It was created as a way to prevent chaos within the royal family. Another one of his gifts was this”, he said looking down at the seal. “It holds the powers of all previous kings and once I become king, it’ll hold my power as well. It represents the king’s authority and legitimizes their rule.”

“The power is in the seal”, Nimue repeated. She realized now what Tristan meant with those words. She now understood why he needed her. He couldn’t get the seal himself and needed someone else due to the spell. “So your father…”

“Doesn’t have his powers anymore, and due to him losing the seal in a non-magic fight against me, he is no longer king, I am.”

    Nimue was elated. This was it, her future could now begin. She followed Tristan out into a balcony that overlooked the vast empire. She noticed the crowd that was there earlier was still as loud and large as it had been this morning.

“People of Amerlin..”, Tristan said with a loud and confident voice, “My father is no longer king, I am. Starting today the law of the ‘Role System’ will be no more. We have all suffered enough under this absurd rule, and now everyone will have the chance to choose a future for themselves.” The people cheered and Nimue could feel the mood of the entire kingdom lighten, and as the sun went down Nimue could only think about tomorrow’s new beginning. The future was now hers.