Melody's magenta eyes witness William Bennett's upbringing through the magical golden orb.

William was born to James and Dorothea Bennett with a condition of complete blindness. His parents found that out when he opened his eyes for the first time.

The white pupils made his parent's eyes well up. A wild-haired Dorothea slowly waved a hand in front of his face, but he didn't respond to it. James tapped on the table and his head jerked in that direction. Despite the sadness building in her, she lifted her son up and kissed him on the cheek.

"You are my miracle, William. We won't give up on you."

"We're not rich, but we will support you the best we can," his father declared.

Baby William planted a kiss on her cheek. She beamed from ear to ear.

"You will be so handsome that the girls won't stop chasing after you," James stated while holding his wife and son.

"I will have to wave them off with a stick," Dorothea joked.

Every day was a new lesson to the future mage. When he heard crowing for the first time in the morning, his father explained what a rooster is and described the pigs they had. His parents taught him the names of food through touch and taste.

They also taught him about independence through having him do small chores like feeding the pigs and tending the fire with supervision. Later on, they trusted him to do it alone.

His favorite lesson was hearing his mother sing when she cooked. To him, it was angelic and comforting to hear. He sang along with her which she welcomed.

His father took him along to the market for the first time. Cinnamon, rosemary, sage, and roasted chicken infiltrated his nostrils as the market bumbled about. Vendors and customers were having different kinds of exchanges. Something about apples being more expensive before twisting into another exchange of the sunny weather they were experiencing today.

So many voices and noises to take in at once. He covered his ears and held onto his father's hand tightly. James picked him up and got him to a quieter place in an alley.

"I-I'm sorry, father," the six-year-old apologized.

"It must have been a lot for you. Would you like to go home?"

The little boy nodded. James took him by the wrist.

"You were brave today. I'm proud of you."

His son stopped walking which made him look back.

"Can we go back to the market?" his son mustered with some courage.

"Let's go then."

Some time passes...Thanks to his parents' support, he made friends with the children of other farmers who watch out for him when his parents are not around. He walked around with a stick to help him navigate new places. Other times, he would hold it as he memorized the way to get home or to a friend's place.

"Mother? Father? Is it possible for me to be a mage?"

His father stopped chucking some wood. "Did your friends bring that up?"

"They did."

"What did they tell you?" Dorothea asked.

"How mages can do anything with magic. Fighting dragons, saving damsels, becoming great heroes of legend. Like Phineas. Can I be like him one day?"

James glanced at his wife. His eyes asked her if they should encourage or be honest with him.

"It's possible," his mother expressed.

"And if it doesn't happen, we will be with you every step of the way."

As Will "swordfights" with his friends, one of them brought something up.

"Will, I heard Phineas will be coming today to the market. He's going to retire but ask him to train you."

His white pupils shook with excitement. "Let's go then!"

He ran straight home to his parents with his friends. He told them about Phineas and begged them to go. His parents didn't argue as they take them there.

The market was full of life as the soon to be retired sorcerer bought some fruit and provisions for his new life. He stroked his long, wispy white beard as he considered which apple was the most perfect. His blue cloak with stars sown on almost touched the ground, but he didn't mind it since he had a lanky frame.

The people there gave him space out of respect, but they asked him some questions.

"How did you defeat the Great Dragon of Iril?"

"Oh, that magma dragon. Fire would only encourage it, so I called upon a downpour of rain and froze it in ice. One good stab of the staff and it was no more", he finally picked an apple without blemish.

The people were captivated by the imagery of the fight.

"Will you be staying here in Engla, Master Phineas?"

"Just stopping by as I haven't made my decision yet."

A couple with their child approached him. 

"M-Master Phineas? May I-I-I learn magic from you?" the young boy stuttered out.

The sorcerer turned to that voice and maintained his stoic face. The white pupils told him everything.

The crowd didn't laugh as they knew that was William's dream to achieve. They looked at Phineas, begging him to let the boy at least try.

"What is your name, young man?"

One of his friends, a girl, places a hand on his shoulder.

"W-William Bennett, sir. You picked a fine apple, you did."

The mage's eyebrows rose. "How did you know that?"

"I can never forget a smell I learned from my parents."

The young boy was more than what Phineas expected...."I do apologize, young William. In order to do magic, you must be able to have that ability and see as well."

"Master Phineas, I know I can't see to read magic, but there has to be something that I can do. I'm not weak. Whatever you command, I will do it," Will declared with unresolved parallel.

The mage internally sighed. "Stick out your hand towards me and say Augue. It's a fireball attack."

"B-But won't I hurt you?" he asked out of concern.

"I can counter it with just a wave of my hand. Say it."

"You can do it, Will!" his friends cheered.

He shakily rose his hand. He said the word, but nothing came out. He tried again. Not even a spark left his right hand.

The mage tried to let him down easy, but the boy had an idea.

"Can you write it in the sand for me?"

The mage obliged for him by putting corn kernels on the ground to spell the word.  "Touch it."

Will softly brushed his hands over the word repeatedly. Anything to help him channel out the magic he wants to have. He tried again, now knowing the word in his mind.

"Augue!" he shouted at the top of his small lungs.

Not even a sense of warmth comes from his hands.

"I'm sorry, my boy. You don't have any magic inside of you."

"That's just one spell! I know I can do something!" he stomped in defiance. His friends say the same thing.

"That was a basic test to see how the fireball attack would come out. Any effect would mean a variety of different magical trees you can learn from. You don't fit any of them," Phineas calmly criticized.

Will's confidence dropped like a rock. No adventures nor the chance to change his life. His parents held him as heavy tears flowed down his face. Most of the crowd silently frowned as his dream was crushed before them. They wished they could convince the mage, but it would only fall on deaf ears.

"I'm so sorry, William" his mother sympathized.

His friends embraced him while trying to cheer him up. Their words didn't reach him.

"Let's go home," his father scooped him up to walk away.

Phineas squeezed his eyes shut for some time. He had to be harsh, but he hoped the boy will be alright. He went to walk away with his belongings. A musician dressed in a red flamboyant outfit overheard the incident as he tuned his mandolin. He played to uplift the mood.

"Hello, everyone! My name is Claude and I will sing for your entertainment!"

 His singing voice projected to the end of the street corners.

"May the clouds part so the sun will be seen,

To bring forth a setting serene!"

Despite his crushed dream, Will sang that verse. His heart hoped to regain some happiness.

The gray clouds abruptly parted as if commanded to. Will felt the warmth of the sun's rays that weren't there this morning. He thought nothing of it as the crowd absorbed the pleasant warmth. However, this caught Phineas' attention. Magic was at work.

The musician continued in confusion.

"May the beers we drink be as sweet as honey,
And may my pockets be filled with golden money!"

Will sung that verse. Something jingled into his pockets. At the same time, the eyes of beer drinkers widened from the new taste. Someone poured out some beer which flowed like syrup to the ground. They thought they were drunk and imagining things, but the faces of strangers said otherwise.

The musician decided to check his pockets, but nothing was in there. He did find his tin of gold coins was empty.

"What in the devils is this?!"

Phineas made a beeline to the one responsible. "Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, stop!"

They stopped and turned to him.

"Young William, do you happen to have any gold in your pockets?"

"Why would we have that?" his father asked.

"Bard! How much money are you missing?" asked Phineas.

"About 10 gold pieces. Why?"

"Young William, check your pockets."

His mother glared at the sorcerer. "If this is a joke-"

"Check them," he implored.

His father placed him on the ground. Will's white pupils shook. His fingers felt the gold texture of the coins in his pockets. He took them out which shocks his parents and friends. Phineas counted exactly ten gold coins and returned them back to Claude.

"Bard, sing another verse. I want to test something. William, stay silent."

Claude strummed his mandolin.

"May my face be adorned with a beautiful brunette's kiss,

Afterwards, my face will be all that she'll miss."

The mage looked around, but nothing happened. "Play again, but don't sing this time. Your turn, William."

Will felt the pressure of the onlooking crowd, but his parents' comforting hands on his shoulders helped him overcome those fears. He won't let this chance slip away.

He sang the verse as the bard played. Suddenly, a brunette bar maiden with blue ocean eyes came out of the local bar to kiss Will on the cheek. His face turned beet red. He almost lost his balance as his mind stalled.

"You are such a cutie!" the brunette complimented with glee. She then wondered why she's outside. She saw the blushing boy in front of her and pieced it together. "I apologize! I don't know what came over me."

"It's-It's fine," Will stuttered out.

"Are you okay?" James asked out of concern.

"I-I am. I'm going to return now."

As she walked away, heavy tears began to drip to the ground as she clutched her chest. Her heart was at the point of breaking.

William heard her crying and was determined to correct the consequence of the spell. "Claude, play again. Please."

The musician played a soft uplifting tune.

"No need to cry, sweet brunette. You will find your happiness just yet."

Tears stopped dripping to the ground. A squad of Knights stopped by her. The captain jumped off his horse to approach the bar maiden. He took off his helmet and brushed back his golden-brown hair. His matching eyes met her ocean blues.

She recognized him as he wiped her face with a clean cloth. "Walter?"

He knelt down to one knee and got something out of his pocket.

"Trish, I was waiting for the right moment to do this, but I can't wait anymore. I enjoy your company, your voice, your sweet laughter, your calm river eyes. I love you. Will you marry me and live with me?"

He opened the ring box to reveal an elegant blue sapphire ring that matched her eyes. She choked back in tears as her heart bounced with joy.

"Yes! Yes!" They locked lips and embraced each other.

The crowd clapped and whistled in celebration. She turned to William with a warm smile on her face. "Thank you, young man!"

Captain Walter helped her up on his horse. She wrapped her arms around him as he took her away. Will exhaled in relief that he could use this new magic for good.

"I'm glad to be wrong about you. You just have a different outlet for your magic to flow through. With your permission, may he be trained by me? It will be free of charge," Phineas asked.

Will looked at his parents in anticipation. His eyes begged them to let this happen.

"Only if it's at our place," his mother demanded.

"I understand. Bard, I will hire you to teach him the ways of the mandolin. He has to be adept in order to use the magic properly."

Claude's mind found no downsides from helping the young lad out. If he's successful, he would reap the benefits of women swooning over him.

"I accept!"

---

William hears sniffling from Melody. She wipes away the streaks of violet blood that comes down her face.

"Don't think that changes anything!" she asserted.

Hector walks over and holds her for comfort. William delivers a warm grin as he continues to play.

-----

In the orb, Claude stopped by Will's farmhouse daily to teach him how to play on the spare mandolin he gave. The young boy's nerves got the best of him as he couldn't strum the strings properly. Claude adjusted his fingers.

"Try again," the bard held back a sigh from that comment.

Will understood the weight of what he really meant. He steeled his heart and kept practicing. He would show that he's not a waste of time.

He practiced day and night after every meal despite the calluses on his fingertips. Even before bedtime, he would practice the notes he learned that day and thought of stringing them together.

One day, Will was able to string a few notes together. His parents and friends looked on in silence. For the first time, Claude clapped out of pride.

"You did it!"

William latched onto him for a tight hug. "Thank you!"

"You were going to get it anyway. Why are you acting like this?"

"If you never played your strings, my life would have been different. Thank you."

Tears hit the bard's tunic. Claude gently wrapped his arms around William.

A smile cracked upon his face. "I'm fortunate to have come across your path. Now, collect yourself. You have earned the right for advanced techniques."

Claude taught him different pitches and how to harmonize them into a song. He learned songs of bravery, anger, sorrow, and romance. The bard was careful to keep it child friendly for the romance section, even though it flew over the pupil's head. Still, he was happy to learn. Once he got his bearings, Claude sent a letter to Phineas to come by.

The mage materialized as soon as he got the letter. "Congratulations, Young William! It's time to teach you about magic!"

Will jumped up and down in anticipation.  Claude went his way, but his steps weren't quick.

He decided to turn back around. "Will, I need to teach you how to woo women."

"To be a pervert like you?" Phineas shook his head.

"Pervert is a strong word to throw around. I prefer a charmer or a man who keeps his woman warm."

"What does that last part mean?" William asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm watching you, Claude. I don't want Will to be a father at such a young age," his mother scolded.

"I don't have any children. None that I know of."

"Besides, he has me and his father to teach him."

"I apologize, however the times have changed. How you two ended up will be different for him. I want him to charm women who will be worthy of him, no matter the class difference. Who knows if he will fall in love with a royal one day?" Claude argued.

Mr. Bennett laughed. "So be it. Just steer him away from the bad women."

"You have my word."

Will underwent his magical training with Claude by his side. The wizard carefully taught him about magic to avoid potential consequences. In the meantime, Claude read to him to expand his vocabulary. Will took in every new word.

The bard closed the book. "New lesson! Never think that you can't make a word rhyme."

"What do you mean?" he tilted his head.

"What rhymes with orange?"

"Nothing does."

Claude smirked. "It's all about how you enunciate the word. Oringe can rhyme with door hinge."

Will heard the difference in pronunciation and played on his mandolin: "May the door hinge turn the color of an oringe."

Claude's eyes widened as the door hinge turned to that exact color.

"It worked!" the bard exclaimed.

"You're the best, Claude!"

"I know, I know. Let's teach you more words."

---

10 years later...

Will tuned his mandolin in public as a woman on each arm held themselves close to him. The tune and his striking face distracted the other women as he walked by. The women stroked his toned arms.

He thought of how far he had come since he was 10 years old. His parents' farm grew larger and more profitable since he's been helping the community with his magic. They no longer had to choose between clothes and food.

"Sing us a tune, young bard!"

"He's so handsome!"

"Serenade me, William!"

He turned his face to them. "Ladies, ladies. I promised these two on my arms first. Don't worry, I will make time for each of you," he flirted with a wink.

Their hearts fluttered from his suave tone. They argued amongst themselves who would be next in line.

Heavy gallops of horses suddenly went past the group. Metal armor clinking as hoove steps hit the ground.

"We need to head to the Bennet Plantation! Get plenty of buckets!" the captain shouted.