Chapter 18: A Mother's Love

"I suppose I worded that poorly." Professor Kal said awkwardly after noticing how the Queen's face drained of color.

"He'll surely die, IF, we don't find out what curse it is." He finished saying.

"And how do you suppose we do that? It could be any number of curses, and how are you so sure it is a curse to begin with?" Dean Petticoat asked, not understanding Professor Kal's reasoning.

Curses had been around as long as magic had, it was an ancient school of dark magic. The number of curses available to use was as bountiful as the number of stars in the sky. They ranged from curses of bad luck to curses that would slowly turn your insides to mush while keeping you alive. They were nasty business.

The main problem was that since curses were considered dark magic, it was forbidden to practice them. This meant that hardly anyone was skilled in dispelling them. So once a curse was applied, it was nigh impossible to find someone to cure the afflicted person.

Queen Amine looked between the two mages, lost in their conversation. She didn't know any magic, so didn't understand the severity of a curse. The only thing she did know for certain was that her son was slowly dying, and she would do anything to save him.

"I don't care what you have to do, just save him." She begged, almost getting down on her knees.

Mage Reginald stopped her before she could lower herself, sitting her back on the bed.

"First, your Majesty, we must figure out if it is in fact a curse." He said in a reassuring voice.

He then ordered a pair of maids to begin undressing the First Prince. Drawing a confused look from the Queen.

"One of the most telling signs of a curse is that it will leave a mark, or a blemish, on the skin. Unfortunately, it could appear as anything, so they could be confused with a bruise, or a previous injury." Mage Reginald explained as the maids finished stripping the young man of his clothes.

"Then you'll be able to save him?" She asked, some glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"In theory yes. I have personally never dealt with a curse, but there are records of them in the archives." Mage Reginald replied, trying his best to downplay his ignorance on the subject.

Professor Kal snorted in disdain, a mage his age should have a better understanding of all schools of magic, especially curses. You never knew what kind of situation you could run into, it was good to always know a little something of everything, just in case. He should know some curses just couldn't be dispelled, no matter what you did.

"We need to hurry up and look, you're wasting time." Professor Kal said, pushing past Court Mage Reginald.

Reginal let out a frustrated sigh, then joined Professor Kal and Dean Petticoat in scanning the First Prince's entire body. They went over every square inch of his skin, even checking between his toes, but found nothing. Mage Reginald And Dean Petticoat took a step back, clearly flustered. Professor Kal on the other hand materialized a razor from his storage ring, bringing it the First Prince's hairline.

"What are you doing?" Asked Dean Petticoat.

"We've checked everywhere, everywhere but his head." Professor Kal said, as he started shaving the First Prince's head.

The First Prince had long, blonde hair, much like his mother's. It had taken him many years to grow it out like he had, and soon, half his head was shaven. On the back of his head, towards the left side, was a dark blemish, it looked much like a birthmark. It was in the shape of a heart, which they all thought was rather strange. After confirming with Queen Elizabeth that he wasn't born with that mark, they confirmed that that must be the curse mark.

"See, I told you it was a curse, now we just need to figure out which one it is." Professor Kal said as he still continued shaving his head.

"Fine, fine, I can be a big enough man and admit that you were right Mage Kalcifer." Mage Reginald said, watching as Professor Kal continued to shave the Prince's head.

"But why are you still shaving him?"

"We can't just leave him like this, he'll look ridiculous."

"Ugh, I've got a headache." Dean Petticoat said, rubbing his temples.

"I'll go down to the archives, see if I can find anything related to a heart shaped curse mark." Mage Reginald said, shaking his head as he walked away from Professor Kal.

As Professor Kal skillfully worked the razor, Queen Elizabeth would collect the hair, grasping them as if they were precious metals. He thought that her behavior was a little strange, but who was he to judge a grieving mother. Mage Reginald exited the room and the maids dressed the young prince.

"What do we do now?" The Queen asked, still clutching the cuttings of hair.

"We wait for Reginald to return, I'm sure he'll find something." Dean Petticoat said, taking a seat at one of the small tables.

Silence fell over the room, no one knew what to do with themselves, so they just stood still, remaining silent. Only the occasional sobbing from the Queen could be heard. Professor Kal took the seat next to Dean Petticoat, summoning an ancient book from his storage ring.

"What is that? I've never seen writing like that before."

The book Professor Kal had drug out was a large book, thick with yellowed pages. It was bound in 'leather', Dean Petticoat thought it closely resembled human skin, but didn't want to ask. Strange letters were on the front, not resembling anything he recognized. Dean Petticoat was a very scholarly man, he knew many languages, some extinct ones as well. Him not being able to even recognize the inscriptions piqued his curiosity.

"Just something I picked up some time ago. It has many curses listed inside, how to cast them, as well as how to dispel them, if possible." Professor Kal explained, flipping through the delicate pages.

"What language is it written in?" The Dean asked as he peered over Professor Kal's shoulder.

"Shhh, I'm trying to concentrate. Shut up and let me look." Professor Kal chastised him.

Dean Petticoat remained silent, letting his colleague focus on comparing the images in the aged lexicon. As Kal scanned each page, Dean Petticoat would try to decipher whatever he could, but with little success. With nothing to compare it to, it was exceedingly difficult to translate it. Maybe with a little bit of time he could, perhaps he could make a request of Professor Kal, borrowing it for some time.

After over an hour, Mage Reginald solemnly reentered the makeshift ward. The Queen looked at him expectantly, only to have the Court Mage shake his head, eyes downcast. Queen Elizabeth broke down, sobbing with her face buried in her son's chest. This was her last hope, her only hope, now she had nothing. Her son was going to die and there was nothing that she could do.

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"I've got it!" Professor Kal shouted, jumping up from the table.

His sudden outburst startled all that were present, causing them to jump in surprise. Dean Petticoat scrutinized the page Professor Kal was on, seeing a sketch of a heart. It was very similar to the heart on the First Prince's head, seeing this filled him with relief, there was still some hope left, if only he could read the page.

"Quickly, what is it?" Mage Reginald asked, surprised that Professor Kal could identify the curse, but he would be able to ask him how after the Prince was cured.

"It's a very ancient and obscure curse, it took me some time to find, and is the reason you don't have it in your archives." He said, picking up his ancient book.

"Now, before you ask questions, let me fully explain this curse. Ok? Good. There is a way to save the Prince.."

"Really?! Please, tell me!" The Queen blurted out, jumping up from the bed and rushing over to Professor Kal.

Professor Kal dodged the incoming Queen with the gracefulness of a dancer, putting some distance between himself and her. Stepping behind Dean Petticoat, Professor Kal continued.

"I said let me explain first. Let me start over. There is a way to save him, BUT, it is just as bad as leaving the curse on him. The way this curse works is that in order to apply it, the caster must kill someone or something that he holds dear, something they love. Since the caster uses a soul in the curse means that the curse itself is unbreakable, nothing in this world can dispel it. The only thing we can do is transfer it to another." Professor Kal said, reading off the yellow page.

"Then we'll just go get a prisoner, I'm sure they would be happy to sacrifice themselves to atone for their crimes." Mage Reginald said, ready to run down to the dungeon himself.

Everyone from the Queen to the maids looked relieved, the disaster had been avoided. Once the curse was transferred, the Prince would live and everything would return to normal. The King would be thrilled, he wasn't in the castle at the moment, but was on his way.

"It's not that simple. Since the caster was forced to sacrifice someone they loved, in order to transfer it, the cursed must do the same." Professor Kal said, dashing Mage Reginald's idea.

"Meaning?" The Queen asked.

"Meaning only someone he truly loves, and truly loves him, will be able to accept the curse in his stead."

Everyone's faces dropped, Dean Petticoat sat back down in his chair with a thump. The only way to save the prince was to sacrifice a loved one. They all knew what had to happen, either they find someone or the prince will die.

"Is….is there no other way?" The Queen asked, her eyes watery, but some inner strength shining from behind them.

"None." Professor Kal said with certainty.

"Th….Then I'll do it."

"YOU CANNOT! Your Majesty you…" Reginald started to say.

"SILENCE! KNOW YOUR PLACE! I am the Queen of the country of Amine, and this is my decision!" Queen Amine shouted, causing Mage Reginald to bow low.

"Prepare for the ritual at once. Whatever you need, I'll provide it Mage… what is your name?" The Queen ordered, then asked, not embarrassed in the slightest to not know the mage's name.

"Kalcifer." He said, not caring that she didn't know it either.

"Regi, can I trust that you'll provide Mage Kalcifer all the assistance he requires?" She said, her voice soft as she talked to her old friend.

"Yes your Majesty, you can." He said, his tone somber, his face still facing towards the red carpet.

"But can you wait at least until His Majesty, The King, returns?"

The Queen's stoic expression wavered slightly when Reginald mentioned the King. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, steadying herself. Then opened them, looking at Professor Kal.

"Is there time?"

"A day, no longer." He replied honestly.

The shape the First Prince was in could hardly be considered good. With a constant supply of potions they could keep him alive for a day, any longer would be courting death. Although it wasn't a lot of time, it should be long enough for the King to return from his outing.

"Very well then, we shall wait for my husband. Maids, prepare a room for our guests, and move my things here. I want to be with my son." The Queen handed out her orders, the staff rushing to complete them.

Mage Reginald ran off to gather the potions needed to keep the First Prince stable. Dean Petticoat and Professor Kal walked together down the hall, following the maids leading them to their rooms for the night. The Dean had a downcast look, this day had not ended the way he had anticipated. He thought that Professor Kal would have been able to cure the First Prince, earning a lavish award for both of them, but in the end, it didn't happen that way.

"Could you be wrong?" The Dean asked, already knowing the answer.

"Absolutely not." Kal said, eyeing the art decorating the long hall they were walking down.

"Don't you care at all? You're acting as if this doesn't matter to you one bit." The Dean couldn't help but say, seeing how Professor Kal was acting at the moment and throughout the day.

"That's correct, I don't care." Professor Kal said in a flat voice, then looked over to see Dean Petticoat's face.

"And before you call me cold, or unsympathetic, let me just say a few things. People die in the streets everyday, they die from illness or from war, they die well before their times, the only thing that makes you feel differently for the Prince and the Queen is because you know them, you have a connection with them. I'm an outsider, I have no connection to them at all, that is why I do not care.. In my view, the only thing that makes them different from all the others that will die today, is that they get to choose."

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