i heard there was a secret chord; any

[magnus]

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

In the back of his head, Magnus feels as if he had watched this all happen before. He is watching Mast intently with black-tipped ears perked, but he is seeing Liefde—he is seeing Joelle. In his mind, he is remembering when that same offer had been given to him before, lead the Gates army, and his mouth pulls into a thoughtful frown. Glancing upward toward the skies, he has to wonder if Joelle is watching over them and laughing; she had always known just how difficult it was to fit in here. She must be thoroughly enjoying herself watch history repeat itself, but without her there to soothe the burden.

One corner of his mouth quirks as he remembers the sound of her laugh, and he lifts his gold-flecked eyes to that of Mast. “I would be honored.” Titles in and of themselves had never mattered overly much to him, but he had known that they were tools—powerful ones. It was one thing to travel to a neighboring kingdom as a soldier, but it was another to travel as General and Lord. Magnus did not need the titles to bloat his own sense of self, but he did appreciate the ability to wield them when necessary. It also gave him the leeway he craved to better protect this kingdom; he never was good at curbing his enthusiasm.

Nodding, he watched with a ghost of a smile at Wichita’s reaction. She was a sweet mare, one who seemed to embody much of the traits most beloved in Gates residents, and he was glad for it. If they were to have a head of peace and a Lady, she seemed suited for the job. Perhaps the softness of her nature would help to temper the sharp edges of his own. It would do no good for Mast to place a warmonger in the position of General without some other counterweight to balance his own hunger of bloodshed.

“You know, I don’t think I ever told you that I lived here before,” he muses, eyes far away as he looked to the land unfolding around them. The dips and crevices were as familiar as the back of one’s hand and yet entirely foreign, the decades washing them into alien patterns. “It’s been nice to be back.” His features turn a little more somber, “I’m grateful that you have given me a chance to serve the kingdom again.”

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.