threatening the life it belongs to; sahm

[magnus]

you and I both know that the house is haunted
and you and I both know that the ghost is me

Magic. It intertwined with his family, but until it had brought him back to life, it had left him alone. He was a remarkably plain stallion for Beqanna. He could not call to the earth and make it rise on command alone. He could not bring fire raining from this sky. He could even twist his genes. He was a simple buckskin stallion with no ability beyond his grit and his strength and his stubborn will. Magic may have breathed life into his lungs and allowed him to crawl from his saltwater grave, but it did nothing else.

Magnus could not say that he minded. While he had carried eagle wings for several years, they had been an alien weight—and although useful in battle, he did not miss them particularly. Magnus’ life was complicated enough and he was simple in tastes. He did not begrudge life for leaving him plain in form.

Still, he was pragmatic enough to recognize the worth of magic—especially when it came to keeping his home safe—and his gold-flecked eyes brightened as he listened to Sahm talk. So the young stallion had been gifted with magic, specifically, magic to protect the Gates. There could be use of it. Even more use if the stallion was as kind-hearted as he first appeared. Magnus had no time for callous, selfish magicians.

“Then the Gates is lucky to have you,” he said quietly, his voice dropping an octave as he picked up on the other’s nerves. “I agree. This land flourishes when it is allowed to fulfill its true potential. It is made to be a home—a sanctuary. I have always believed that this land should have open borders that welcomes those who need a place to rest their head or heal. It grows ill when it is empty. Abandoned.”

When the conversation veered toward his experience ruling, Magnus shifted, his mouth pulling down in one corner. “Aye, I have some experience.” He angled his head so that he could look the other dead in the eye. “Although I would not say that I have an unblemished record. I was young and foolish and left the kingdom during my rule because I thought that would be best for her. I knew that I wasn’t good enough.”

He was not sure why he was being so open with the other, but he felt it was necessary. “It was a stubborn, selfish move—and resulted in a very long, hard lesson for me.” Another pause, his shoulders rolling. “But I came back. Will always come back. This is where I met,” his voice catches a little as he forms her name, “Joelle. This is her home—and I loved her desperately and came to love this land because of it.” Glancing up and straightening a little, he twisted his scarred mouth into an uneven smile. “I will do whatever I can to help this kingdom, and I have little patience for those who use her for a silly grab at power. That is not what this kingdom is about. It never will be.” A snort. “So what do you reckon the two of us should do?”

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.