For breakfast, the servants had prepared a loaf of salty bread, boiled eggs, and a freshly made jam of berries and flax seeds. The table was covered in a blue tablecloth with a black trim, and four braziers in the corners of the room provided ample light as the sun had barely begun to rise. A woolen carpet kept their calloused feet from shivering against the cold stone floor. Aralim usually got up as early as Miresh did, and they shared a meal together. Some days they spoke of her training, others of the Path. Some days they ate in silence.
“Rattar wants to start teaching me more about my visions, at last,” Miresh told him, as their meal was being served. “He said we’d start by the end of this week, so maybe today!”
Aralim grinned. “That’s great news! You’re well on the way to becoming a full fledged magician!”
“I learn really quickly, apparently.” Miresh poured herself water from a tall jar.
“Does the Emperor ever seem a little… odd, to you?” Aralim asked.
Miresh paused in mid chew and tilted her head. She thought of something, then finished her mouthful before saying, “I’ve only seen what you have,” she said. “Well… there is one other thing he told me. I’m not allowed to talk about it, but I’ll just say that the Emperor keeps a lot of secrets to himself and that is probably why he seems strange sometimes.”
“The Emperor and I have a secret of our own now, but it worries me a little,” Aralim said, looking at his food.
Miresh glanced at him and frowned. “Can you tell me about this secret?”
“Of course,” Aralim laughed. “But you mustn’t tell another soul, not even Narr.” Miresh gave him a stoic nod, and set down her fork. The servants had already left them in private, so Aralim lowered his voice and explained, “The Emperor and I spoke about the Path. He agrees that it is good for us all to seek it, but that his Ascendance wants me to surpass him on it.”
“Surpass him? Like… become more powerful than him?” Miresh asked.
“That is the essence of the Path, but I quite like the Emperor,” Aralim said. He took a drink of his own water.
“Me too.” Miresh nodded. “But, surpassing someone on the Path does not require harming them, right? The Emperor leads now, but maybe he is tired and wants to follow for a change.”
“That is what I hope for too,” Aralim said. “It was a very complicated conversation.” He started to spread jam onto a slice of bread as they thought about it.
Miresh was still looking at him. “Who can we even trust, but the Emperor?”
“That’s the complicated bit. The only person I trust more than the Emperor is you.”
“What about my friendship with Rattar and him? Does that need to change?” Miresh asked. Her voice was becoming a little more tense.
“Nothing will change for you,” Aralim assured her. “I’m just going to be busier now, and I may need you to remind me not to become too busy.”
“Good.” Miresh nodded, and took a drink of her water. “Then I guess you’ll keep up on the Path now.” She gave him a wink and laughed.
Aralim, with a little surprise, chuckled. “Now, now, don’t count me out. I’ve been walking the Path since before you were born.” She smiled and dug into her boiled egg with a spoon.