"We think we've found her, sir," Neo said with a bright smile on her face. She was standing beside her partner, Rynal, who was the one that witnessed the Thaumaturge in question. A Thaumaturge was different from other forms of magecraft used by Mages and magic used by witches. A Thaumaturge was known as a wonderworker, someone who could use their natural born capabilities to change the world around them. This kind of magic required no sacrifices or exchange of mana. A Thaumaturge merely needed the room to perform their sacred act to cause the shift in reality. "She's a performer for the Laurelei circus. Her name is Amber, no surname. She comes from the Etherlin forests to the east. Her Thaumaturgy is that her dancing can manipulate the four basic elements: earth, wind, fire, and water. We have sent a letter to her employer requesting her presence here at the Mage's Tower. If all goes according to plan, she will be in the garden later today."

With their report completed, Neo and Rynal left the room. I stared after them, my gaze lingering on the door long after I heard their footsteps fade away. I had met three Thaumaturges in my lifetime. The first had been my childhood friend who had died years ago. The other two were alive and within close proximity. Amara of the Citlati House could use her singing voice to manipulate minds, and Elaine of the Erembour House who could manipulate light and shadow with her instrumental playing. I had met Elaine in passing, but Amara and I have frequently crossed paths considering she's the crown prince's consort and I am the king's advisor. This new one, a foreigner of common blood named Amber was going to be a whole new experience for me. I had never met anyone able to control the elements, not from Mages or witches. I wonder what it was that made Amber special, if there was anything at all that did.

I breathed out as I made sure to check the paperwork one last time. I still had more to do, as I always did, but there wasn't anything pressing that I needed to do before I went to meet the Thaumaturge Amber. When I didn't find anything, I stood up from my desk, smoothing out my robe. I debated teleporting down to the gardens, but I felt better walking down the stairs to the bottom of the tower. I didn't do this because it was easier, I did it to make sure that everyone was working. As the hired Mages of the kingdom, it was our duty to continually improve the land. We were responsible for making magical talismans that would make life easier for the commoners and nobility. We were one of the branches of the military that trained Mages to fight with their magecraft or to heal the other officers when the defensive spells failed. It was not just my duty to advise the king in his endeavors, but also to direct the Mage's Tower workers. Any major choices had to pass through me before they could be enforced, and I was in charge of maintaining the public opinion of the Mage's Tower. I wasn't alone in my responsibilities, but everything was ultimately a product of my decisions. I often went through the tower like normal people to make sure no one was slacking off. We had an important job that could only work if everyone was putting in their best effort.

I walked out of the tower without seeing anyone shirking their responsibilities. I took a deep breath of the warm breeze before I walked through the garden. The Imperial Palace and the Mage's Tower were separated by a spacious garden. This is where I would find myself meeting envoys from the Imperial Palace, or in rarer cases, nobility who were visiting and needed some fresh air. It was here that I had met Lady Elaine. She had been playing a lyre to bend light towards the plants who were dying due to lack of sunlight. After she was done, she noticed that I was there. We didn't say anything to each other, keeping each other's secrets. I liked my privacy when I walked through the garden, and Elaine did not want anyone to know that she spent some of her time aiding the flowers in the forgotten corner of the garden. It was an easy trade for me because I did not care enough about Elaine or her habits to spread rumors about her. There was barely anyone for me to tell. The only people I could have told the crown prince or my secretary, but I wasn't particularly fond of meaningless conversation. I occasionally met Amara out here meaning that Amber would be the third Thaumaturge that I have encountered in the garden.

Unlike my silent meeting with Elaine and Amara's shyness, Amber was making her presence known in the garden. She was standing in the water of one of the fountains that were scattered around the garden without much reason as to why the placement was what it was. Amber was wearing a dark blue fitted top with sea green swirls running the length of the bottom. Her knee-length skirt matched the color of her fitted top, but this one had beads sewn into the bottom that rose and fell like waves. She swayed to her own music, kicking up droplets of water as her hands reached towards the sky and fell back down. Instead of flinging every which direction, the droplets were being collected into rings that spun around Amber's limbs. There was one around her torso, and each arm had two small crisscrossed rings. If I had any doubts about her being the Thaumaturge, the thoughts were dispelled by Amber's water dance. When she saw me, Amber gave me a wink and twisted around in rapid, tight circles. The water started to rise all around her to form a pillar-like shield that distorted what she looked like. She stopped spinning, and all the water came crashing down. I casted a quick deflection spell that kept me dry as all the other droplets landed in puddles on the ground around me.

"That isn't fair, now is it? You let the ground get wet so you could protect yourself," Amber said with her hands on her hips, lips pulled down into a frown as she showed clear disappointment at the fact that her attempt to make a fool of me failed. I raised my eyebrow at her, but she merely sighed, lowering herself onto the stone edge of the fountain with her legs swinging around so she could face me. Her golden-orange eyes seemed like they were appraising me as she leaned back on her hands. "For what reason can I attribute my meeting with such a handsome, young man?"

"The Royal family has enlisted the aid of the Mage's Tower to find and employ Thaumaturges, special types of magic users who use their soul's gift to manifest their unique abilities. You, Miss Amber, are a Thaumaturge that uses dance to control the four elements: fire, water, air, and earth. It is the job of Thaumaturges to carry out the will of the Royal family. This can be in many forms that are most suited for your particular skill set," I told her the truth without giving much thought to her compliment. I wasn't easily flustered by flattery. All I could do was tell Amber the facts. I wasn't sure what Thaumaturges were meant to do exactly, but the crown prince had told me that the king wanted to know the exact location and alliance of such powerful people such as Thaumaturges. Elaine and Amara had some leeway since they were born into noble families, but Amber was a foreigner who had settled into this country as an exotic dancer in a circus meant to relieve men of their immoral desires. There was no telling how expendable the royal family would believe her to be.

"May I at least know if I am to be a courtesan or a concubine? Will I be given to the royal family or a noble? If I'm lucky, perhaps I will be given to you," Amber said. She spoke with a lighthearted smile, but something darker lurked in her eyes that made me think twice about my next words. It didn't seem like Amber was uncomfortable with showing off her body, her shameless flirting, or her flexible dancing. I wasn't sure if she was against being someone's sex slave or being just one person's. The longer I looked into her eyes, though, the more sure I was that it was the former. There was a distinct difference between how much skin a person showed, and how many of their clothes they wanted taken off. There must have been some difference that Amber saw between her dancing and engaging in sexual conduct.

"I am unable to answer your questions because I simply do not know. I would hope that the royal family sees more value in Thaumaturges than in their past professions. You can do a lot of good for the citizens of the kingdom if used correctly. Let us hope that you will be warming people's hearts instead of warming their beds," I decided on saying. I had seen Elaine in action, and I knew what Amara could do. They were powerful individuals that would be able to do the job of the Mage's Tower several times over with minimal effort required. It was a shame that they were trapped in the trivial war of the noble courts.

"You are a far kinder soul than you want people to think. At least, that is how it looks to me. Who knows what dark trauma or past baggage you're hiding from me since we're strangers and of different status. You seem to be keen on telling the truth since most of your responses are more analytical than emotional in nature," Amber said. Once again, I saw something flicker in her eyes. It wasn't like what had previously appeared, but it was like a spark of intelligence as she made her deductions about me. She had spoken one out loud, but I couldn't tell if that was the only thought that crossed her mind as she stared at me with a carefree smile pulling on her lips. Instead of telling me anything, she jumped to her feet with her arms rising high above her head like she was stretching. "Is this all that needs to be said? I would think a letter would have sufficed. It wasn't necessary for you to see me personally. Though, I don't regret seeing someone as handsome as you, love."

"I am unsure if this is a mere habit or if you are intentionally flattering me. It does not matter to me which is the truth. You will find that adulation will get you nowhere with me," I said, raising an eyebrow as she sauntered closer to me. Without any regard for personal space, she stood on the tips of her toes to get near to my face. Her eyes looked over all my features with the appraising look of a critic seeing the new piece from a famous artist. I leaned back a little from instinct, but I otherwise let her do what she wanted. I didn't really care, and it seemed she had some purpose in mind. There wasn't any point in getting flustered.

"It's a habit, but the way you phrase it implies that I want to get somewhere with you. I am already a Thaumaturge of the King. There is probably nothing you can do for me now. I will admit that there is a certain charm about your face that makes all of it fit together nicely," She said, her warm breath brushing against my cheek as her pupils looked up from above the ridge that shadowed her eyes. She took a step back while pushing some weight onto her heels. She was shorter than me, I noticed. "I would like to have a cordial relationship moving forwards. I would rather something more intimate, but I am discovering that you are a tough nut to crack. You did not seem the least bit embarrassed with my little act. I would be offended if I wasn't actively trying to take you to bed. Or, shall I say, that I will eventually."

"It would do you well to learn to speak more respectfully when you meet the royal family," I said, turning away from her. I heard her hearty laugh resound in the air before she walked behind me. She was far enough away that I couldn't feel her presence, but she was close enough that anyone who saw us would assume we were traveling together. I looked over my shoulder at her. "I must inquire about your intentions. I did not tell you to follow me and yet you are."

"Would you believe me if I told you that I just wanted to keep your butt in my line of sight?" She said with a wink. I ceased walking to show her an unimpressed look. She chuckled again before straightening up. "Alright, alright. I don't have anywhere to be. I'm at the Royal Palace. You are the head of the Mage's Tower. Is there really anything that I should be doing? I want to see the world from your perspective. Plus, if I show promise, the king might assign me to be your student. You could teach me more about magic and my responsibilities. You might even have to teach me proper etiquette. I wouldn't want to shame the other Thaumaturges or my home."

"Do you consider this kingdom your home? Are you not part of a traveling circus that has ventured to many places?" I asked. I continued walking towards the tower. Amber came up beside me that way we were walking side by side. She smiled up at me with a bright, almost mischievous grin.

"They say home is where the heart is. I am a firm believer in that sentiment. My heart is currently in this kingdom. I have wandered the streets, I have met some of the people, and I have experienced the troubles that the commoners normally face. No matter where I go, I will always consider the place that captures my heart the best, my home. All the other places I've been to are interesting. I do miss aspects of them. However, I have come to possess the soul of a nomad. I do not need a permanent place of residence to feel at home," Amber said with a shrug. Her smile didn't waver, but something in her eyes twinkled as if they were seeing beyond what was in front of her face. I was slowly realizing how to read this woman by her glistening eyes alone. It isn't a skill I would have ever thought I needed, but here I was adapting to it subconsciously.

"It must be nice to have freedom of movement. I am normally stuck doing paperwork in this tower or assisting the king with his duties. They are respectable positions that I am honored to have, and shall never regret my acceptance of the roles. The real problem lies in the lack of free time," I told her. Amber had been right. I liked being honest. It gave me no pleasure to lie to others. I could do it if necessary, but in most situations, I preferred an honest approach. Neo had told me several times before that this candor is why people avoided me, but I couldn't care less if other people wanted to engage in conversation with me or not.

"If you had free time, what would you do with it? Would you travel like what I was talking about? Would you spend more time learning magic or perhaps reading intriguing novels? Would you like someone serving you as if you were the lord of an estate, or would you like to do activities with your own hands?" Amber said. She asked with such eagerness that I was starting to grow suspicious. Why did she care this much?

"I do not know. It is pointless to waste time imagining impossible pastimes that I could do only if I somehow lost both my positions in a respectable way," I said. I gazed at her warily. She seemed annoyed by my answer, her cheeks puffing out with unreleased air. She finally huffed out the breath she was holding back when she discovered I would not be answering her.

"That is no fun. Isn't it exciting to imagine a whole world for yourself? If you could do anything, regardless of time or money or your position, what would you want to do?" Amber said, jogging forwards that way she could slide right in front of my path. She had a grand smile on her face as she opened her arms widely. I stopped to entertain whatever she was doing. "How about we make a deal? You will think about that question well and long. And I mean, really think about it. Look deep within yourself for the answer of what you would like to do. If you do that for me, I will swear to you that I will make whatever you wish for come true. No matter how impossible it may seem. That is what I will do in exchange."

"Why would you do something like that? I see nothing in this for you," I said, tilting my head to the side. This Thaumaturge was definitely a curious thing. I couldn't understand her. That wasn't anything new. I never understood other people, but this time it was starting to frustrate me.

"People look at me, and they see a foreigner that sells her body to the highest bidder. They see a shameless slut that flirts with anything that moves... married, single, old, young, I have even been told that I should stay away from a school because I might tempt the children into doing improper things! The truth is that none of that is right. I am a dancer. I perform for crowds to incite a reaction out of them. No, to make them feel an emotion. Happiness, sadness, anger, anxiety, anything... I'm on the stage to tell a story," Amber said. Her smile seemed softer as she explained it to me. "You can view my actions however you like. That doesn't make them any less mine. They don't need to make sense to anyone but me. Now, will you accept my deal? It is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

She held her hand out to me like this was a business deal. She had the other hand on her hip as she gave a knowing smirk. I stared at the hand for a long time. Without another word, I shook her hand. She smiled brightly at me, but I was walking away before saying anything else.