#FictMAYhem #StoryADay May 14, 2017

Welcome! This month I’m writing a small story each day to try to brainstorm a future full-length novel, a sequel to my current WIP Memories and Magic, which is tentatively titled Rebels and Rebellions.

Today’s prompt is: Mother.

Max held the letter, staring at the address. It was in his mother’s spindly handwriting. He’d recognise it anywhere. He guiltily wondered how long it had been since he had written to her. He certainly hadn’t visited her in months; first he had been living here in Racharan, protecting Clara and helping her come into his powers. Then once Josef Bauer had been defeated, Max and the other Mages had been so busy playing their own parts in Clara’s coronation and assisting her with running the Kingdom that thoughts of his family had entirely slipped Max’s mind.

The letter had been addressed to him at the Mages’ quarters near the Palace, but someone had forwarded it on. He opened it and found that the paper inside was dated nearly a month ago. He skimmed the body of the letter and then scrunched the paper in his hands. His mother had written to inform him that his sister was ill, and she wanted him to come home and help her. She said she knew that he could find a way to use his magical skills to heal her.

Max sighed. His mother always had assumed that there were no rules to Aligarian magic and that Max could do whatever he wanted, provided he knew the Rune for it. To heal someone required blood magic, and to perform it went against every ethical bone in his body. He had performed it once, when Clara had been dying. She had given her consent, but he still felt guilty about it.

And he was feeling guilty now. His sister’s condition had sounded serious, and a month was a long time under those circumstances. Even if he couldn’t help her, he ought to at least see her. But he couldn’t just up and leave Clara now, given the whole situation with Racharan. He was just as much to blame for the current circumstances as she was; he had spent just as much time there the previous year as she had.

But how could he choose between his Queen and his family?