Spellbound
Chapter 3

As Nathaniel walked home back towards his village he thought about everything that had just transpired between him and this famous wizard with a talking bat in his company and he started to smile. Deep down inside him he knew that this meeting was very special and it filled him with hope. Hope was alive; negative emotions are a dime a dozen. They’re cheap, really cheap. They landed on top of his brain like windy raindrops, covering the cells, penetrating to the innermost part, drowning out the area where love lives. They produce scenarios of distrust, disdain, and disaster. The negative emotions flooded Nathaniel with lie after lie. The only cure that really works was, “Hold on until the warmth and the Light returns.” Hope is alive, it just needs time to surface. Well after this meeting with Azadarin and Nibbles Nathaniel was full of hope and could not wait until the note was put under his door to tell him where he had to be to sit this test.

He started thinking about all the other guys and girls that were his age in the village and if they to would be asked to attend this test like him? So many questions were now flying around inside his skull tap dancing on his brain that he almost missed the turn off to his own home and laughed when he turned around and made his way up the garden path and opened the door to go inside.

Nathaniel sat on the edge of his bed in his room and gazed out at the coloured roof tops of the houses close by thinking...all the time thinking about what this test was going to be like. He didn’t know what books to study because Azadarin and Nibbles didn’t tell him what was to be learned. He was going to have to rely on his own mind skills and training that he had done so far at school and the extra books he so loved reading to help get him through this.

Nathaniel thought to himself there are lots of folks who can talk the talk, but show me a man, like Azadarin, who walks the talk - then I have trust, then I have faith in him because the language of love is not spoken...but lived. I don’t care what you say, I’ll watch what you do. That doesn’t mean I won’t love you or be your friend, but then it is I that will gently lead you and not the other way around. Show me my err and the roles reverse. You don’t have to be perfect and neither do I, we learn together, catch each other, hold more ideals than we can live up to - yet keep walking even though all say the dream is only a dream. Dreams can come true, just dream the right one in the language of love and know what it means - strong hearts, brave souls, complete and healed minds. This was the path he was going to follow because it felt like the right thing to do. As Nathaniel came out of his room his mother cornered him and asked....

“Did you catch any fish for dinner Nathaniel?” said Mrs Hamblin.

“No I didn’t Mum, not today...but I did meet Azadarin the Wizard and his talking bat Nibbles while trying to” said Nathaniel proudly back to his mum.

“Whaaaaattt?” exclaimed his mother now wide eyed and completely surprised with her sons utterance. Aghast at this news because she thought that Azadarin was only a rumour and some misbegotten legend that was blown out of proportion by the village folk.

“Yes I met him and he seemed really nice...Nibbles to” said Nathaniel smiling at his mother as if nothing had happened and nothing was wrong...."whats for dinner Mum?”

“Well as we cant have fish that I was hoping you would catch we will have to settle for Shallow-Fried Pine Duck with Saffron and Cashew Crispie’s for afters”

“Yum that sounds deeeelish Mum..oh and by the way....I am entering a test set out by Azadarin later this week when the moon is full so I may be non- contactable for a day or two...do you and dad mind?”

“Whaaaaat????,......a test...with a wizard...and his talking rodent?” said Mrs Hamblin now just a little more than concerned for the well being and safety of her son.

“Yes Mum I will be tested along with lots of kids my age from the village...not sure for what yet ...but it is exciting to be asked don’t you think mum?” said Nathaniel with a huge grin on his face.

“Well I'm pleased you have been asked and that you met this famous Wizard but sitting a test that you know nothing about....well that seems a little crazy to me son...perhaps we should talk about this with your dad when he gets home ok?” and Nathaniels mum almost turned and ran into the kitchen and starting on the evening meal not making making eye contact with her son and making herself as busy as possible.

When his mum got into this frame of mind and buried herself in the cooking the smell of cooking food is what can only be described as what a serenade is to the ears of musicians. Heavenly and well worth the wait for but for now he was left to his own devices for a while till dinner was ready.

What to do?

Who could he share this exciting information with and make sure they didn’t laugh at him or make him feel stupid or out to be a liar meeting such a famous wizard.

Authors Note: ....and his talking house Bat , Nibbles, let’s not forget Nibbs.

Nathaniel had some books to return to the village library so he scooped them up in his back pack, kissed his mum on the cheek and said he would be back for dinner because he was going to the library to return some language books and get some new ones. It should take him a while and at least his mum knew where he would be and he was safe. Nathaniel was not going to be made a fool of in this test so the more he could learn prior to sitting down for it...the better.

He opened the door to the library which was right next to his school that he attended and as it was a beautiful day outside there wasn’t very many people his age inside there milling over old text books on history, geography, math or for Nathaniels case...language. When Nathaniel had to go to school it was different. His classroom was where he came to learn how to learn, to ask questions, to be curious. Sure, there’s still philosophy, but other than that we build our own projects and follow outlines at our own pace. There are so many plants in here it’s almost like being in a little jungle at times but Nathaniel loved them all. The chairs and tables are all comfortable, though often he and other students choose to sit on the floor mats at the low tables, or on the couch. Every room has a learning guide, a teacher, who’s job it is to inspire and guide us when we ask for help and as it happened his teacher, Mr Morkas, was in the library with one of his classmates.

Her name was Penelope Kaplan but Nathaniel called her Pen and she called him Nat.

He returned his language books in the chute made for returning school books and then headed off quietly to the language section while Mr Morkas was helping Pen with her homework. Mr Morkas and Pen saw Nathaniel and both waved at him so he knew he could have some company after he found some new books to look through and sit with them at their table, all of them together, whispering quietly whilst studying.

In actual fact the studying that was going on came to a complete halt when Nathaniel shared his news about meeting Azadarin and Nibbs by the river whilst fishing. Mr Morkas and Pen just sat there wide eyed like Nathaniels mothers did when she was told who he met and listened to what was about to happen in regards to the test that was being put together for young students to be a part of.

“I cant tell you any more than I already have...it is just a waiting game now until the full moon and then we replace out a bit more and where the people chosen have to be” said Nathaniel now opening up his new language books and attempting to read them while a volley of whispered questions came at him from Mr Morkas and to a lesser degree...Pen.

Now that Nathaniel had told his friends as much as he could it was his teacher who excused himself from their gathering and got up to leave saying as he did one final thing to both Nat and Pen.....

“Don’t work to hard you two...because I know you will” and he laughed quietly and briskly walked out of the library leaving Nat and Pen to study and talk alone. Pen spoke first....

“Did that just feel a bit weird to you the way Morkas just left Nat?” enquired Pen trying to pry Nat out of his language book that had taken his interest.

“Um...not really Pen...I only told him as much as I know myself and I was just really excited to meet the Wizard I only ever thought was a rumour and a myth...maybe he had other things to do...who knows...do you think you will get picked like me for the test?” said Nat closing his language book and giving Pen his full attention now that their teacher had left the building.

“Nat...I love how you state the obvious with such a sense of discovery...OF COURSE I WILL GET ASKED TO COMPETE, I’m as smart as you if not smarter so you best bring your ‘AGAME’ with you come test day because I now want to win” whispered Pen with a grin on her face pointed directly into Nathaniels eyes.

“Ok Pen that was good...but can you please try saying all that again but this time use your big girl words ok?” laughed Nathaniel at Pen who was mid laugh mid growl with Nat as they both got up to leave and talk more outside swapping insults about who was the brighter student before they said goodbye cheerfully and went to their respective homes for dinner.