Nebula and I got back to the castle after spending time in the city getting fruit and a suitable diamond ring. One of the guards led me to the castle's stable and I got off Nebula, allowing her to wander around the stable and get used to the other horses. She looked back at me and I smiled. I nodded and she trotted over to the other horses.
"You have a good connection to your horse huh?" Takesi said walking up.
I looked at Takesi and crossed my arms then looked back at Nebula. "She's a smart mare. She understands our language well. She's not a normal horse as you can tell. I don't know her origins, but she's a fine equestrian creature."
Takesi looked at Nebula and the other horses. Nebula was a bit shy around the horses, but they welcomed her happily and I smiled. He watched me walk to the castle then closed his eyes. "Lord Ryoma."
I stopped and looked back at Takesi. "Yes?"
"Thank you for sparing us. I know we have done you wrong when you arrived, but now I see how you are. Please make our queen a happy woman." Takesi said.
I smiled at him then closed my eyes. "You shouldn't worry. I'll treat her well." I said then walked off.
Takesi looked at me then walked back to the stables to tend to the horses. He had a slight smile on his face.
I walked down the halls of the castle and sensed someone following me. I stopped and turned around. Mari bumped into me and stumbled back then looked up at me. I crouched down and looked at her then rubbed her hair. She smiled and closed her eyes.
"Can you tell me why you are following me?" I asked as I smiled at her.
"I saw you and the horse and you looked so cool! I wanna ride a horse! And I saw your battles and they are super cool! I wanna use magic too!" Mari giggled.
"Your mother never taught you?" I asked.
"Mm-mmm!" She shook her head no. "We never really get out much since she does a lot of paperwork in her room and tending to the staff and doing queen stuff and I am always studying in my room."
"Aren't you supposed to be studying?" I asked.
"Ah...yeah...Don't tell Mama, please. I just wanna do fun stuff and not read books.." She looked at me timidly.
I chuckled lightly and stood up. "I won't tell her. Follow me. Instead of reading books about the different topics, how about I show you first hand."
She gasped and her eyes sparkled. "Really?"
I nodded and turned around then crouched down. "Hop on. Let's go exploring and learning."
She squealed excitedly then hopped on my back. I held onto her legs by wrapping my arm around them and stood up, grunting lightly. She pointed and giggled. "Onward, Papa!"
"Right." I chuckled and walked forward.
Azusa walked into Mari's room. "Sweetheart-" She stopped and noticed she wasn't in her room. She looked confused and worried.
She heard the sounds of giggling and looked down the hall seeing me and Mari. She sighed in relief then walked to us.
I looked at Azusa and stopped. "Hold on, the ride's gotta come to a quick stop."
"Aww." She said then wrapped her arms around me.
"You two seem to be having fun." Azusa crossed her arms and smiled.
"We are headed to the training grounds to show Mari real magic instead of her reading books on it." I said.
Azusa rose an eyebrow then lowered her arms. "Denied. Mari could get really hurt. I can't allow you to do that."
"Aww...Mama...please?" Mari looked at her with her puppy eyes.
Azusa looked at her then softly sighed. "Alright, darling. I'll let you go with him, but I'm coming too. I still don't know how dangerous your Arcane Energy can be. I need to make sure our daughter is safe."
"The more the merrier." I smiled. "Let us set off the training grounds."
"Yay!" Mari smiled happily.
The three of us set off and walked to the training grounds. Once we made it, I noticed Kotone training her ninjutsu. She stopped to look at us and bowed.
"Milady, Lord Ryoma." Kotone said.
"You don't have to be formal with me. I am an emperor who's everyone's friend." I smiled.
"Except...this isn't your country." Azusa said. "We respect status in Uthea. We may have a good relationship with all of our people, but we still respect the hierarchy."
"Yes, yes. I got it." I smiled and walked ahead then crouched down, letting Mari go. "Now then...with the lessons."
"I still feel like it's safer for her to read and learn like that. You can't teach her Arcane Magic. You said it yourself yesterday that-"
"I'm not going to teach her Arcane Magic. While I do control Arcane Energy, I still do hold normal magic." I smiled and stood up.
She watched me and Mari watched closely and nodded. She hopped up and down looking determined to learn magic. Azusa looked at Mari and gave a worried expression.
I looked at the targets and held out my index finger and middle finger. I released a magic beam at the target and hit the bullseye. Mari's eyes shined and she looked amazed. "To use magic you must find your source. Nature, Mana, The bonding of Ancient Spirits, Legends, and or Gods and Goddesses will allow them to be your source. I was lucky enough to bond with Arcane, my mother's spirit who was a Legend. These beings allow you to obtain Crests that the being can fuel to allow you to use powerful magic in many ways."
"How do I bond with one of these spirits?" Mari asked. "I've never learned about this before."
"You have to train hard, meditate, or you are born with the crests. If you are born with a Crest, you are a prophecy. Not many people are born with a Crest and have to train and meditate like I had to do." I said.
"Does Mama have a Crest?" Mari asked.
"She does. A Crest doesn't have to be used by only one person either. The magic beings can have more than one vessel, but those who master their magic abilities can become stronger and even obtain a form that resembles that magic being. But you don't specifically need a Crest to use magic, but you need one to use powerful magic, but before you go on and try to obtain a Crest, you have to know how to control your magic." I said and looked at her.
"I wanna learn! I wanna learn!" Mari bounced a bit and looked at me excitedly.
I smiled and sat on the ground. "I can tell, sit with me. I will teach you all about energy control and how to use your magic in different ways."
"He's certainly doing a lot more with her than what that other old crusty bastard did. He couldn't even spend time with her and left you with the paperwork and the cleaning up." Kotone said and crossed her arms watching us.
"I've never seen her so excited before other than when we are playing in her room.." Azusa said as she watched us as well.
"The first thing you want to do before using magic is to awaken your aura. Aura is the key to how strong your magic will be and can also increase your physical capabilities. A good example would be like Takesi and his aura. He used his aura to boost his defensive capabilities. Since aura is a form of magic, this would be a good start." I said.
Mari nodded and watched me closely. I closed my eyes and began to concentrate and relax my body. My body began to emit aura calmly and in a nonthreatening way. Mari looked at me in awe and smiled then crawled to me trying to touch it. She tried grabbing the aura, but it phased through her hands. I opened my eyes and smiled at her.
"The key is to concentrate and relax when doing it in training. It's different in battle, but you are still young so that part of training can wait." I said then my aura disappeared. "Now you try."
Mari sat back down and looked at me then at her hands. She closed her eyes and tried to do exactly what I did. She softly grunted and forrowed her eyebrows. She scrunched her eyes and balled her hands into fists.
"Relax. It's not gonna happen when you try to force it. You're only straining yourself." I said.
She stopped and opened her eyes then looked at me with tears in her eyes, disappointed she couldn't get it on her first try. "Papa.."
I smiled at her and rubbed her hair. "It's gonna be okay, Princess. You won't always get it on your first try. Just keep practicing and you will soon get it."
"Promise?" She looked at me.
"I promise that." I smiled and stood up.
She smiled and nodded then got up and went to Kotone. "Kotone! Let's play!"
Kotone smiled and nodded. "Come, we can bother Takesi again. Pull a little prank again."
"Hehe! Yeah let's do that!" Mari giggled and held Kotone's hand.
Azusa walked to me and placed her hand on my chest. I looked at her then held her hand, pulling her to me. "Oh!" She exclaimed then wrapped her arm around my neck.
I chuckled and held her waist. "I noticed your smiles as I was teaching Mari. I never thought you could smile so beautifully."
"M-Mmph...I was smiling at Mari. Not at you." She turned away.
"Mhm.." I rose an eyebrow and smirked. "I know that much."
Azusa looked at me and smiled a bit then placed her forehead on mine. "Mari seems so much more happier with you than my last husband. I can only imagine our future children."
"I am great with children. I've always helped mother's with their kids back at home. I spoil their children with toys and gifts also bless their single mothers with money so they can also spoil their children." I smiled. "I know what they want. All I desire are their smiles. If my people are happy then I am too."
"I can tell you will be a great father and King." Azusa smiled.
"I know." I chuckled and closed my eyes. She rolled her eyes then let out a soft giggle.