The cane came down hard on the oak desk. The boy looked down at the deep mark left behind. He noticed the beautiful wood pattern now forever marred by the dangerous steel knob. It's owner stood over the young man and appeared more like a great titan than the kind caretaker he pretended to be in front of certain people.
"Xavier…" he growled, crossing his thick arms across his chest.
"I-Its difficult to decipher. I mean I can do it… it just… takes time."
There was a tremble in his voice that he couldn't fight against. The Man always made him feel this way. Anytime he caught wind of his building anger, Xavier turned into a trembling leaf of a boy.
He watched The Man grip the steel tip of his cane. Xavier could already see it coming down on one of his hands, cracking those small, precious bones. The last time that had happened not even his simple healing spell could fully fix him. He'd felt the throbbing ache for weeks.
"I gave you an order not a request… When I tell you to decipher the text, I mean do it now…"
Xavier gripped the yellowed parchment tight. His bright eyes danced across the strange symbols and words. Most of what he saw spoke to the part of the brain that was fluent in all things magic. But, as always, it was difficult to put such things into words that the average human could understand. Not to mention having his caretaker so close didn't help the crippling anxiety that came with it all.
"But…"
He raised the cane again. Xavier barely had time to flinch before he saw it coming down toward him a second time.
"Stop."
The voice was soft, gentle even, and yet it managed to stop The Man in his tracks.
A tall, lithe stranger stepped forward. The moonlight pouring into the quiet library window bathed him in a silver light. It was his ancient scroll that the boy was supposed to translate. It was rather common these days for his caretaker to use him as a translator. Especially if one was able to pay handsomely. After all, true mages and warlocks were a rarity these days.
Xavier looked up at him. This stranger wasn't like the other men and women. While they typically kept their eyes firmly fixed on their precious scroll or tablet, he had noticed that the nameless man watched only him. He leaned forward, causing a curtain of dark hair to fall over one shoulder, nearly touching the desk he sat at.
"Let us start with this line here." A nimble finger tapped at a few strange symbols. "And take your time, my friend. I am in no hurry."
How long had it been since such a warm smile had been given to him? Better yet, how long had it been since anyone had simply acknowledged him like a person and not a tool?
Xavier felt that steel tip jab painfully into his shoulder. He winced, knowing better not to cry out in pain.
"Do as the man says," he barked before looking at the stranger. "Forgive me. I should have beat a little sense into him before your appointment. Perhaps then he'd work a bit more quickly…"
"There is no need for violence."
The words were said curtly by the stranger but The Man didn't seem to notice. Instead he fixed his top hat and fished out his pocket watch.
"In my day boys listened the first time their father gave a command. If you ask me, the world coddles them now, holds them by the hand…" He checked the time and quickly snapped the watch shut.
"Oh? Is this young man your son?" The nameless man blinked. "I had no idea"
Before long Xavier realized he was looking back and forth between them. Never before had he heard anyone speak to his caretaker in such a way. No one was ever interested in the boy, only what the boy could do.
The Man gave him the side eye, as if truly seeing the stranger for the first time.
"My one and only," he stated flatly. "Now, Xavier… get on with it."
With the attention brought back to him, he flinched and put his nose to the parchment. Yes… the symbols. He studied the first line intently. Xavier's mind raced. He had nearly every dialect and writing he'd managed to study floating around in his never ending memory. From the ancient hieroglyphics of the Aztec, to the wall art of Australia's aborigines. But the longer he looked at what he saw the more he realized it was not an alphabet to be sounded out.
The Man cleared his throat. His patience was paper thin.
"I-I don't think this is a language that is meant to be spoken."
There was a deep sigh.
"Bollocks. What does that even mean, young man?"
Xavier looked up at the man who'd raised him over the last five years.
"I mean it. I don't think-"
His cane tapped angrily against the floorboard.
"Xavier, I am growing increasingly tired of these shenanigans…" The Man droned on angrily. But his voice quickly faded into the background when his attention went to the long haired stranger.
Silently he fixed his tie and swept that long, dark hair back behind his shoulder.
"Show me," the man said.
His words were faint yet still heard. Xavier did just as he asked. With The Man still grumbling he lifted his hand. Using his finger as a pen, he drew each symbol in the air. As each one was written he felt the power that was built with each symbol. His heart thundered in his chest. How exciting it was to feel that strange surge. But as he came to the last symbol that excitement switched to fear, and yet the boy continued drawing.
There was a burst of energy within him. A great blossom of tingling electricity. Wind coming from no direction at all, nearly blew the scroll right off the wooden desk. Xavier sat back in his chair, eyes wide, fingers grabbing the yellowed parchment tight.
"What was that?"
No one answered.
Caretaker, a usually very steadfast man, wobbled on his feet. The pocket watch dangled from his open palm. Tick, tick tick...
"Caretaker?" Xavier asked.
Again, there was no answer.
The large man's lips parted as if to speak but no words came. They turned blue within an instant.
"Are you not feeling well, my friend?"
The stranger stepped out from around him, hands clasped behind his back. A thin brow was raised but his voice showed now concern.
"Perhaps you need to lie down?" he said.
Suddenly The Man's massive hand clutched at his chest, digging deep into his tailored suit until Xavier could hear the seams of his breast pocket beginning to tear. He gasped once, twice, and then fell to his knees.
"Caretaker!" Xavier shouted from his seat. Even now with The Man in the throes of pain he didn't move from the chair. Years of training in obedience made sure he didn't leave his place, not until he'd been given permission.
"Or perhaps," The stranger rocked back on his heels rather casually. "You need a drink of water?"
THUD
The boy's caretaker fell face first against the hardwood floor. Xavier was even sure he heard the large man's nose snap when he went down. Trembling, he found himself leaning forward just enough to steal a glimpse of his lifeless body. A slow, oozing stream of blood began to snake its way out from under his head.
His heart seized in his chest. What had he done? Hot tears stung his eyes. Surely this meant a beating was coming his way, one that would leave him so bruised not even a sweater could hide the damage. Fingers still clutched at the strange parchment before him. What in the seven hells had he written in the air?
"What have I done?" he whimpered. "I-I've killed, Caretaker…"
Just as the first tear fell, gentle fingers slipped across his small chin.
"You have done nothing," the stranger said. He leaned in close now. A necklace slipped out from beneath his shirt to dangle between the pair. All it took was a glance for Xavier to know it was a ward, something meant to protect him from the very spell he'd unknowingly set loose.
"This is all my doing." A thumb flicked away a single tear from his pale cheek.
The smell of sweet cherry blossoms was all around him now.
"Why… why have you done this?" the boy asked.
The man tugged the scroll away from him and rolled it up with a quick hand.
"It was a nasty little trick, one only someone with your gifts could bring to life." He glanced around the library that only grew darker as the candles burned down low. "I hope you will eventually come to forgive my deception but, tonight you have taken your first steps."
He sniffed and felt his lower lip wanting to quiver. This place was all he knew, this manor, this cage..
"First steps where?"
"To freedom."
Xavier blinked away the remaining tears. His mind could barely fathom it. Freedom? Such a thing was meant for everyone but himself.
It took two tries but he found the will to speak again.
"Who are you, sir?"
The tall stranger smiled down at him in a way no one else had ever done before. He reached out and offered his hand to help the boy rise from his chair. They would be coming soon, his caretaker's assistants, and god only knew what they would do when they found the pair of them here with his dead body. Still, the stranger did not seem worried at all.
"You may call me Sparrow."