Just Like Magic

Chapter 6: Getting Comfortable

The horse galloped through the forest, no longer leaving dust behind. You clung to the front of the saddle while Arlutrix had one arm wrapped around your waist and the other holding the reigns. He wouldn't let you fall off, even if you had wanted to. Your safety was in his hands, and if Lord Isembart saw even a scratch, there would be dire consequences. 

   " Where are we going, exactly? " You shouted.

   " Right about here is where I planned! "

The stallion started to slow down and trotted around the trees gracefully. Eventually, Arlutrix stopped the horse form from moving entirely and jumped off.

   " We will walk the rest of the way, so our friend here doesn't get tired. "

You slipped off the saddle and walked beside Arlutrix through the forest with a simple nod. The reigns were clasped in his hands, tightly but in a leading motion. Looking around the woods, you could see no sign of civilization or that anyone had trampled on the area. The lime green grass was freshly grown, while the leaves on the tree swayed with the wind. The base of the trees was held underground, but some of the roots appeared above ground and grew above the grass.

You looked toward Arlutrix, but his eyes were focused ahead of him through the forest. It looked like he could see something and squinted his eyes, but you didn't see anything ahead of you but trees. 

   " There it is. "

Arlutrix's footsteps became lighter, and he moved toward the spot you couldn't see. Following him, you appeared in front of a small grassy area with no trees planted within the soil, but the leaves of the trees around the circle covered the sunlight's rays from hitting the grass directly. Arlutrix tied the horse to a tree, using the reigns to secure the stud. Then, he shed the top of his dark cloak, revealing his arms and the tight tanktop underneath. 

You covered your eyes and looked away out of respect, but Arlutrix laughed at your reaction. 

   " Are you not going to get in? "

   " What do you mean get in? There's just grass in front of me. "

   " Oh, you can't see it. "

   " What is going on? "

   " First, drop your hands, and I'll explain. "

You hesitantly let your hands fall, and your eyes immediately looked at Arlutrix. His black, grey, and gold robes were on the ground, along with his belt, and underneath was a black tank top tucked into grey pants that were puffy but cinched at the bottom around his ankles. Then black slippers adorned his feet.

You had never seen a man with such little clothing, so it surprised you that he freely stripped in front of you to his thinnest clothes. Arlutrix knew you were staring but didn't comment on it and instead walked toward you with his hands raised. He stepped behind you and covered your eyes with his hands pressed against your skin.

   " This is a trick I learned to protect my master. As a very up class noble, Lord Isembart needs a great bodyguard, so he has me. I am inscribed to protect him and do as he wishes, so I learned this trick so that I may see what others cannot with the naked eye. "

   ' So, does he know magic, like a sorcerer or wizard? '

   " Yeux décadents. "

A green light sparked and danced in the darkness before exploding and covering your vision, and then it faded away. Arlutrix slowly pulled his hands away from your face, and instead of the small level surface of green grass, there was a pond that filled the space to the tree line. The water was clear and crystal blue, sparkling as the sun's rays hit the surface. 

   " What the--"

   " Sometimes warlocks love to hide tricks, to catch prey. I found this illusion a long time ago before I found Lord Isembart. Your eyes could only see the grass, but if I had stepped onto the plane, you would have seen me slip into the water, but it would still be grass to you. Now, you can see it for what it is. "

   " And how exactly did you know how to say those words? "

   " As I said, I picked it up while working for Lord Isembart. I wanted to learn the best way to protect him. Now, are you going to join me in the water, or remain dry? "

First, you walked toward the water and stuck your hand into the liquid, seeing if it was real and not an optical illusion. Your hand went through the water, and the cold temperature felt nice around your fingers. Then, without stripping, you slipped into the water, head first, before bursting through the surface. The water was cool, and the water was refreshing. The sun warmed the water, warming your shoulders as the rays hit the surface.

Arlutrix sat on the water's edge and set his legs in the water. Arlutrix watched as you swam in the water, carefree. He sat with his legs crossed and his arms folded in his lap, as his back was straight. The man was pleased he could make his future master comfortable and seem less stressed. He believed he had done his job correctly.