A gaes - 1.9

Lex clung to the raven with both hands, looking at the Captain.  "I did, yes," she hesitatingly said, "But I just wanted to scare him off, he was harassing us."

The Captain lowered his sword and gave a long sigh.  "I was afraid of something like that.  What you did is understandable, especially given that it was," he paused and continued with an aggrieved voice, "Sir Kade."  He looked at the floor for a moment, "But I do not agree with your course of action, nor may I condone it."

He handed the scythe back and said, "Red, it's good to see you again.  You're going to be a student this year, right?"

"I am, yes sir," Red intoned in his gravelly voice.

"You know this ritual could have gone wrong if it was disturbed, why didn't you go to the school?"

"We haven't yet been evaluated, sir."

The Captain gave another sigh and turned back to Lex.  "Ok, then here's what I can do for you.  We can settle this now with a minimum of fuss or muss, if you agree to be bound to me for community service every Sunday this semester."

"Every Sunday," Miles yelled, jumping to his feet.  "That's far too much!"

"It is," the Captain said, sheathing his sword.  "But it has two things going for it.  One, hearing the length will satisfy the magistrate and Sir Kade won't be able to press for more.  Two, I will be able to decide what community service entails and you can tell them, Red, that although it will be hard work, it will be less harsh than what the magistrate will likely order, especially given who Sir Kade's family is and his political connections."

"I would accept the deal," Red said, turning to Lex, "Captain Smart is a good man.  He worked me hard when I was assigned to him, but I believe I can say that I profited by his tutelage.

"Thank you, Red," the Captain said.

"You're welcome, sir."

Lex helplessly looked back and forth between Ann and Miles and shut her eyes for a moment then looked up at the Captain.  "I'll take that deal then."

The Captain nodded.  "Raj, Edgar, come on in."  As Lex stood up, Captain Smart took an ornate box and held it out to Lex.  "Place your right hand on this and repeat after me.  Now, Red," he said, turning as Lex placed her hand on the box.  "If this was any sort of long ritual, we would do this at the station, or at least station a man out in the hall and not inside the room, but this can be interrupted without adverse effects."

He turned back and said, "Now, repeat after me.  I."

"I."

"Insert your name here."

"Uh, you said this could be interrupted, I gave my name as Lexie Justice to the gate, but it's not my birth name."

"Oh, you're a Justice?"  He shrugged his shoulders.  "It won't really matter.  A geas will bind to your soul and your name is more of a formality, but I would advise you from now to consider the name you gave at the gate as your real name from now on, especially since it looks like you're aspiring to be a mage.  Magic doesn't like lies, but changing your name is a decision and as long as you adhere to that decision it isn't a lie.  Now, repeat after me.  I…"

Familiars and trouble - 1.8

Ann took her place in the center, smoothing down her robes, and began chanting the words of the spell.  "Et qui audit, quaero spiritum pythonem…"  As she did so, focusing her magical energy on the objects placed around the circle, the candles began to light on their own, sending thick spirals of smoke up into the air.  The lock of hair that she'd placed in one marked circle flared and vanished and in the central circle ahead of her a smoky cat began to appear, slowly coalescing into the shape of a ginger tom.  It meowed plaintively and pawed at the circle surrounding it then looked in her direction and relaxed, sitting back on its haunches and licking one paw.  As she finished the ritual, a bright light surrounded her and her new familiar for a moment then narrowed into a single beam of light connecting them.  As the light faded, everyone slumped back, momentarily drained.

The cat stepped over the chalk outlines and jumped into Ann's lap as she sat there.  "Whew," she panted, as she stood up.  "I guess it's your turn, Lex.

"Wait," Miles said, "Wait until you're ready.  I've done this a few times, I'm more used to it.  You don’t want to run out of energy in the middle."  He looked up at Red, standing just inside the door with his scythe at the ready.  "One down, Red, thanks for making sure we weren't disturbed."

Red nodded at him, "It has been my pleasure."

Ann and Lex switched places and Lex cut a lock of her hair to go into the proper spot as Ann leaned over and started blowing out candles.  Lex looked around her then started chanting the memorized ritual, ""Et qui audit, quaero spiritum pythonem…"  focusing her magical energy and the candles started lighting again.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.  Swiftly moving into action, Red opened it a little ways.  "This isn't a good time," he started, before he stopped and the person in the hall said something.  He stepped back from the door and said, "A familiar is being summoned, as you will recognize, please do not disturb it.

Lex's voice started to shake and Miles grunted out through gritted teeth as Red calmly and loudly said, "Do not stop Lex."

A Captain of the town guard stepped swiftly across the threshold, drawing his sword and holding out an arm towards Red, who carefully presented his scythe for the Captain to take.  Not moving from where he stood, the Captain began peering at the chalk outlines and listening to the ritual.  As it ran its course, he relaxed some and handed the scythe to someone in the hall as the whispy smoke outline coalesced into a full-grown raven whose head was only slightly lower in elevation than Lex's was while she was seated.   It cawed and flapped up into the air as light shone around its body and as the beam of light connected them, a large bump grew on the side of its head, matching the one Lex had, distorting one eye.

The Captain raised his sword into an on-guard position as the light died away and the crow flapped its wings and landed in front of Lex.  "A member of the King's Guard," he said, "Swore out a warrant today that you announced yourself as a witch."

Familiar events - 1.7

"We need supplies," Red rasped.  "Indoors would be better.  It would be bad if a candle blew out."

"Quite right," Miles said, "My room is a little occupied at the moment, how about your room?"  Lex looked over to see him looking at them rather than at Red.

"Why not Red?"

"I rented a rack," he rasped, looking straight ahead.

Lex immediately understood what he meant.

"What's a rack?" Ann asked.

"Imagine a large wine cellar," Miles said, "only with big flat shelves and instead of bottles of wine you have a person in each slot.  It's quite economical, perfect for someone saving their money for a big purchase."

"Why didn't he just sleep with you?" Ann asked, a wry expression on her face.

"Well, normally," Miles answered, "We would have shared a bed to keep the costs down, but this was our last free night and he wanted to commune with the stars and since I had other things on my mind he volunteered.  Now, we're going to need to stop by a general store.  We need some chalk, some string, a few candle bits and you already have an idea of what familiar you'd like, right?"

The two women started discussing some ideas they'd had for a familiar and the party soon found themselves in Ann and Lex's room with the necessary supplies.  Ann had decided to go with the traditional cat, while Lex wanted something that flew.

"Do you want an animal," Miles asked them, "Or would you rather endow a familiar spirit into an object?  I happened to choose my lute."  He whisked his fingers over the strings and it almost sounded as though the lute giggled.

Lex shrugged her shoulders.  "I did not know that was possible, but I do not have anything objects that I would be emotionally invested in.  I think I will call it in a raven form."

"Me too," Ann said, "There's just something nice about a cat.  There was a cat at home that had learned how to use a doorknob, so the kitchen always needed to be latched shut at night when nobody was in it."

"Then let's begin," Miles said, starting to measure out string for radii so they could be sure to get perfect circles of the appropriate size.  "You know, I've heard that you can buy compasses for this.  We should keep our eyes open.  If we do any more rituals in the future, it would make it much easier."

"It doesn't mention it in this ritual," Lex said, looking up from it, "Is a certain manner of dress required?"

"Not particularly," Miles hedged.  "The first time I did it, I was clothed."

"Why cast multiple times," Ann asked, "Does it get any better?"

"No," Miles responded slowly, "It's just sort of flashy, something fun to show off."

From his spot over on the bed, Red finally spoke up and rasped, "It's his pickup line."

Lex laughed and Ann blushed.

"Ok, so let's get you seated," Miles said, "The caller in the center and a supporter on either side."

Lex laughed again.  As she took her place in a side circle, she teasingly said, "So that's what you did last night."

Can you thread the needle? - 1.6

Red stepped out into the hallway and Miles followed, nodding at the two women.  "Here they are, Miles."

Miles grimaced at the thought that he probably hadn't made the best impression on their new partners.  "Red, I love you like my brother, but this is way too early in the morning to meet anyone."  He reached over and gently shut the door.  "And too early to interrupt their beauty sleep."

"I said forenoon and you agreed."

"I wouldn't have agreed if I'd know you meant forenoon forenoon," he said, looking wistfully at the closed door.

"Red said that you are dexterous," Ann interjected.

Miles shrugged and played a quick riff on his lute.

"Are you perhaps dexterous in other ways," Ann asked, pointing at the door lock.

"Absolutely not, miladies!" Miles said, looking all around him at the hallway before rolling his eyes and giving a couple exaggerated head nods that made it clear what his real answer was.

"How much is he like Kade," Lex suspiciously asked, directing her question to Red.

"Oh no," Miles said, holding his free arm up into the air at a right angle, "I'm nothing like the guy.  No means no.  Don't get me wrong, I know I'm a very handsome man with some extracurricular activities," he said, glancing over at the closed bedroom door, "But I'm nowhere near as full of myself as he is and I hope you'll find me rather a pleasant person to be around."

"Very well," Ann said, "This could be the beginning of a fruitful partnership.  My name is Ann and this is Lex."

"Nice to meet you," Miles mumbled, reaching up to tweak the brim of his hat at them as he turned to Red.  "So, Mr. Forenoon, what did you have in mind that required meeting at this ungodly time of day?"

"We need to go to the school," Red rasped, "Register, and be evaluated."

"I thought," Ann said, "That we could be evaluated during the first day of class?"

Miles snorted.  "Thanks for reminding us, Red.  The first day of class," he said, turning towards Ann, "Is the first day of Hell week and you wouldn't be evaluated until later in the day.  You want to be evaluated before that."

Red nodded and started leading the way to the school.  "What're your familiars," he rasped.

"We don't have any yet," Lex volunteered as Ann blushed.

"Oh, hold on," Miles said, stopping in his tracks, "Red, if they don't even have familiars, they might not even be level one yet."

"We're level one!"  Ann called out, her eyes narrowing.

"Don't get upset," Miles said, "Look, I have..." He broke off as he pulled out several papers from a pouch and flipped around until he held out one paper triumphantly.  "I have the familiar ritual right here.  Let's just go to a park, we'll work on casting it, and you'll have something."

"I'd like that,"  Ann said, as she felt the anger subside, "We appreciate your offer, thanks."

Lex merely looked on dubiously.

Wake up! - 1.5

Lex cleared her throat as she stepped forward and pushed her hood back, attracting everyone's attention and clearly exposing the bump on her cheek which twitched and moved as they watched.  "I am a witch," she said.  Not wanting to be left out, Ann held up her hands and pointed at her scales.

The two squires fell back against Sir Kade, who looked disgusted.  He looked back and forth between Lex, Ann, and Red.  "You deserve each other," he finally said as he walked into the tavern, followed closely by his lackeys.

Lex stepped towards Red.  "I'm not actually a witch.  I made a Pact," she said as she pulled her hood back up.  Red nodded, understanding what she meant.  She'd gained her magical powers through a Pact, likely made with an Old God by appearance.  In return for an unspecified amount of service to be paid at some unspecified future date, she had been granted a portion of that God which would slumber in her and slowly awaken, granting her increasing magical powers as she discovered how to make it awaken.  It was a Faustian bargain that people made when they didn't already have magical power yet wanted to attain some more than anything else.

Ann stepped forward and put her hand on her friend's shoulder, directing her attention to Red.  "You have a friend, you said?"

"I do.  His name is Miles.  Let's go get him."  Red directed them to another tavern, more dilapidated than the one they'd stayed in the night before.  They walked up to a room at the back and he held out his scythe.  "Hold this for me, please, you should wait out here for a moment."  He walked in, leaving the door open behind him and the girls could hear the sound of drapes being thrown open and a curt, "Merciful Heavens above, it's not even noon yet and this may be my last weekend to sleep in!"

"Come along Miles," he rasped, "I've found a couple others for our party.  I'd pull your blanket off, but it wouldn't be fair to them."

The two girls looked at each other than stepped over and looked through the doorway to see a good-looking brown-haired man with an arm thrown over his eyes and a woman on either side of him.  A blanket over kept them decent, mostly.  Ann whirled back against the wall, blushing, while Lex stepped in, unclipped a waterskin hidden in a fold of her robe and wordlessly handed it to Red before turning and walking back out of the room.  Red smiled and stepped closer to the bed, rasping, "Miles, my friend, you look thirsty."

"No, don't," Miles called out, "I'm coming, I'm coming."  Red stood watching there for a long minute as Miles gave no sign of actually moving then poured a little of the water onto Mile's ear.  Some splashed onto one of the woman who shrieked, pulled the pillow out from under Mile's head and put it up between them as a shield as the other woman laughed.  Miles groaned and climbed out of the bed over someone as he pulled his clothes on then tucked his tunic into his pants and slowly pulled a thick leather vest on.  He buckled on a rapier and a few other accouterments then picked up a broad brimmed feathered hat and a lute, his eyes clenched mostly shut the whole time.  "Very well, take me to our new partners."

Thinner - 1.4

"The term will start on Monday," the stranger rasped.  "I want to create a party."

Ann peered into his hood, trying to see his face, as Lex leaned forward and responded.  "We're mages.  What would you bring to a party?"

He idly drew one finger along what would be the top half of the war scythe if it were unfolded.  "I fight.  I fight very well and I'm intimidating."

The two girls looked at each other and Lex shrugged.  "We could use a fighter," Ann said.  "We could also use someone more, well more dexterous if you have any suggestions?"

The figure nodded.  "You wouldn't want to follow a stranger through dark streets," he rasped.  "Meet me here tomorrow, at morning bell.

"That's an excellent suggestion," Ann drawled, thinking about his dark streets comment and how late it was getting.  "We already have to meet someone at morning bells.  We could meet you at forenoon?  Also, what's your name?"

"Forenoon would work fine," he rasped.  "My friend Is Miles.  They call me Red," he said, gesturing at his robe.

"Just the robe?"

"I told you, I fight very well," he rasped.  "Things bleed.  It doesn't show as much with this color."

"Ok, then forenoon we'll meet you here."  Ann looked over at Lex, who nodded in agreement, and the two stood up and exited.

"That was a waste of time," Lex said as they stepped outside the tavern.  "Only one person and he 'fights, very well'?  Maybe we should have gone in separately or gone to the school first or put up an ad."  As they turned down the sidewalk to to head back to more reputable parts of town and The Middle Court, a brown-haired man in shining plate armor raised his sword in front of them, blocking their path.

"Ladies," he said, waggling his eyebrows at them and raising his other arm to show his armored bicep.  "If you're looking for muscle… you don't have to look much farther than… Sir Kade," he said reverently as though his name was something to be prized.  "Don't worry," he said confidently, "I'll escort you, keep you safe."

The girls looked at each other, dumbfounded.  This was how he was introducing himself to them?  Like that?  And at sword point?  Lex raised her arm to begin casting as Ann dropped a hand onto a dagger, but a sound of wood sliding against wood and some metal clicks came from behind them and they spun around to see the man in the red cloak, his war scythe standing ready at his side.

The knight snarled at him.  "Stay out of this, Red!" he yelled, letting his sword arm drop.

The man in the cloak ignored him and said to the girls, "You should be fine heading home by yourselves.  I'll meet you here at forenoon, then?"

"Yes, thank you," Ann said as they hurried around Sir Kade, who stood there looking frustrated as they hurried down the pavement.

Kade walked forward while Red folded his scythe back up and snarled, "When will you learn to stop poking your nose into business that doesn't concern you?"

Red didn't say anything but merely stepped backward then turned and walked off into the night.

The next day found the two girls waking with a smile on their face, having enjoying a mattress much softer than the ground they'd been sleeping on for the past couple weeks.  "Thanks for coming with me, Lex," Ann said, looking over at her friend.  "I'm glad you came with me."

"When your father first assigned me to you," Lex said, "It didn't take long to learn that you were the type of master I wanted.  As if I would have let you go off and adventure and leave me behind with them."

"I'm not your master," Ann hurriedly interjected.  "I freed you before you made your Pact.  You can go anywhere.  But I'm glad I have a friend here with me."

"I couldn't have asked for a better friend," Lex said.  "I want to hitch my wagon to yours."

"All the way to the stars," they finished in unison.

They reluctantly got out of the comfortable bed, put their robes on and used the water closet, then cast a quick cleaning spell on themselves to freshen up for the day.

Stopping to grab some fruit and bread for breakfast, and to refill their waterskins, they found Torin outside.  He guided them to the college, then back home, pointing out several landmarks and mentioning how different sections of town that they passed changed at different times of the day.  Ann paid him his coin and he ran off as they headed back towards the tavern, only to find Sir Kade standing outside as though he'd never left.

"Ah, there you are," he said smugly, his eyes roaming up and down their robes, "I was beginning to think that you weren't going to show.  And I knew you didn't want to miss… this show."  He took up a pose again, displaying his physique, as Red stepped out of the tavern behind him, his scythe folded up.

"They're not interested, Kade."

"That's Sir Kade," he said, whipping his sword out as he turned.  "And I'll be the judge of whether they're interested.  Ladies," he said, turning to look over his shoulder at them then directing his attention back to Red.  "Take a look at him!" he called out loudly, "And decide who you'd rather be with."  Two squires stepped out of the tavern at his shouted words and quickly pulled back Red's hood, showing his face for the first time then just as quickly stepped back out of reach, giving him a wide berth and rejoining Sir Kade.

Red didn't seem to have an ounce of fat on him.  Lank grey hair fell limply over his seemingly over-large cranium.  His eyes bugged out of hollow sockets.  His cheekbones looked as though they could cut and his paper thin lips barely seemed to meet over his too-large teeth.  "I made the mistake," he clearly rasped, "Of acting like you when I asked a witch to make me thinner."  His eyes burned with fury as he looked at Sir Kade and the squires before he reached up and pulled his hood back into place.

Stopped - 1.3

Gavin led them up a square staircase which wound its way around the center of the building.  Puffing slightly as the stairs ended on the third floor, he led them to the first of the two doors there and motioned to them to follow him in.  Like the stairs, it was carpeted with a red repeating flower motif with oak paneling on each wall.  The room was perhaps 20 feet by 20 feet, with plenty of room for the large bed, roll-top desk, and large wardrobe.  "I could have a second desk brought in, presuming that you wanted to room together to save costs.  There is one water closet, that other door that you saw in the hall."

"How much is it?" Ann asked.

"Normally," he said, "I'd charge a gold a day apiece for your own rooms, but seeing as how you want to be mages, I presume you understand an elementary cleaning spell and I won't have to provide laundry services or clean the water closet, and neither of you look like you eat very much.  You don't have pets other than any possible familiar you have tucked away, and you're students so you'll be gone during the day and won't make any noise for my neighbors.  This semester, I'll charge you both together four silver pieces a day, payable in advance, and that's a lower fee for the two of you together than you'll find in any place that doesn't leak."

"How about three silver pieces a day with an extra coin every week," Ann countered.

He thought about the offer for a moment then shook his head.  "The school starts on Merday, so most places are full, which limits your options, but then there aren't many more students who will be coming which limits my options.  How about three silver pieces a day with three extra every week, which comes to 78 gold and seven silver."

"That seems fair," Ann said, pulling out her coin bag, "That will take most of what I have, although I plan on getting more by next semester."

Gavin tactfully turned his head as she poured gold coins out on the table and counted out 79.  She handed them over and he made them disappear then handed her three silver coins.   "I'm sure you'll come to love The Middle Court," he said with a smile, "I'll get that desk up here by tomorrow evening, possibly tonight.  Just give me a moment downstairs to get the door key."

"Torin," Gavin puffed out when he reached the bottom level, "If you come back with two quiet men to carry a desk to the third floor, there's a copper in it for each of them and one for you."

Torin nodded his head and asked, pointing to the women, "They'll be here, right?"

"For this semester at least, Torin.  Thank you."  Gavin held out his hand with a smile and Torin smilingly did a fairly decent job of palming the coin Gavin had been holding.

As Torin turned to go, Ann called out to him.  "Torin, for a copper, would you show us the best route to the school in the morning."

"Certainly, milady," he said, bowing.  "I can take you there this evening if you'd like, or at morning bells."

"In the morning," she drawled, "But first will you take us to a tavern?  Not to drink," she said, turning to Gavin, "But to form an adventuring party."

"It's none of my business," Gavin said, with a shake of his head and a pleasant expression, "But please remember the rules.  I'll have that key for you in a moment if you want to take your packs upstairs."

"Certainly," Ann said as Lex nodded and they both bent to pick up their packs.

Their next stop was a tavern, the traditional place to go find a new person to join an adventuring party, or to pick up a quest.  Everyone knew that Arrowhead University, like the other two Hero schools, only allowed 20 Heroes to graduate from its walls each year, and that only Heroes, members of the King's Guard, or older influential people who were also able to pay the hefty tax were allowed to gain any levels.  Most people didn't even have a level, and anyone else found with a level higher than one was either taken to the King to be forcibly deleveled or branded a villain and hunted down.

Everyone also knew that the members in your registered adventuring party would, at the beginning and end of each semester, apply additional bonuses or penalties to your own grade, so there was always some competition to try to form the "best" party possible with the correct number of friends, three to six in total.  There hadn't been anyone else from their small hometown who had been interested in traveling so far and so they hoped to find someone else here that they could group with, someone else that was similarly unattached.  The semester was about to start, so most people would be in a group already, but hopefully they could find some good people.

The default meeting place for adventurers was a tavern, particularly dark, smoky taverns.  The more foul-looking, the better.  Only someone more confident in their skills, or who was looking for someone more confident, would patronize such a place.  Naturally Torin took them straight towards where the main ramps from the docks reached the top of the cliff, pointing out landmarks that they could use to get back on their own as he had other errands to run, and they soon arrived at a particularly foul tavern that looked promising.  With weapons prominently displayed and their hoods up, the two girls blended right in with the general clientele.  The corners were already full when they entered, as usual, so Ann ordered two bowls of soup for them and they joined the crowd at the tables in the middle.  Ann then pushed her hood back, exposing her face to view and gave a sharp head nod, letting her red hair flip out from around her shoulder and hang down over the back of her green cloak.

It wasn't too long until a more drunken man wandered over to their table and thumped a hand down on it near Ann.  "You outta," he lurched out, reaching for her, only to stop as the sound of least six swords clearing a scabbard rasped out from around the room as several excited young men concluded that this was their opportunity to come to the pretty young woman's rescue.  As he slowly looked around him, he carefully pulled his hand off the table and stepped back, saying, "Never, hic, never mind," and wended his way back to the bar where he slumped onto a stool.  The young men shamefacedly looked at each other, sheathed their swords, and all but one sat back down, none wanting to be the one to make the first move to approach the woman and face possible rejection in front of the others.  The lone man on his feet performed a military about face and walked out of the tavern.

After almost an hour's wait, with everything else in the tavern going on as usual but nobody seeming to want to make the first move to approach their table again, a figure in a hooded red cloak walked up, his face as deeply shrouded in shadow as Lex's.  He pulled back a chair and sat down, setting a folding war scythe down on the table in front of him, his hands casually resting on top of it.  It seemed from the way his robe fell that he was wearing some sort of armor beneath it.  His large hands were paper thin, skin stretched tightly over bone, his knuckles clearly evident.  "Students?" he rasped, his voice sounding like a pole being dragged through gravel.

Weapons and housing - 1.2

Lex followed Ann and the young boy as they walked down the main road.  Everyone knew that it was better to come into Harper apparently unarmed and buy a weapon inside, or you'd face a long hassling wait.  You'd have to "demonstrate proficiency", have your appearance more exactly recorded and have your bags and person thoroughly checked in public.  Unless, of course, you were a licensed higher level adventurer or a member of the King's Guard or otherwise authorized.  The original idea was that people who cared enough about a weapon to travel about with it were more likely to use it once inside the town, which the town wanted to discourage, but everyone knew that the taxes paid by merchants (and the consequent higher prices and profits in the town) had long been the deciding factor in any motions to overturn that policy.

Ann and the boy talked about the town as Lex stewed in her thoughts, although she did learn that the boy's name was Torin.  He directed them to a store which had a blue sign hanging above the door, painted with a headless goose and a prominent bloody sword.  There were several several weapons prominently on display in a window.  "Welcome to the Blue Goose!" the proprietor proclaimed, welcoming them into the store and waving at Torin.  "And what are miladies looking for today?"

"I'd like a couple daggers, perhaps a quarterstaff," Ann said, looking around her.

Lex leaned forward, looked at the numbers listed next to each weapon, then rolled her eyes, stepping back and saying nothing.  The shopkeeper noted this and reached behind his desk with one arm.  "We are having a special sale today," he said brightly, pulling a polished greatclub out from behind the desk, "If you spend 15 gold pieces, you get a greatclub free!  I trust that you know how to use one," he said, offering it to Lex.  "And now, milady," he said, motioning to Ann, let me show you our daggers…"

The weapons were a little pricier than Ann had really wanted, but in line with general Harper prices and she wanted Lex to be able to keep the greatclub, so she ended up buying a crossbow and some bolts as well.  The merchant had correctly judged that Ann would be more willing to spend a few extra gold pieces than to ask Lex to give the greatclub back, and that Lex would have refused if Ann had tried to buy her a weapon directly.

As they stepped out of the shop with their new weapons, Torin slipped in behind them and Ann and Lex both noticed the shopkeeper slip Torin a coin.  Torin gave a quick bow then skipped out in front of the two women, "Come on, let's go to the Courts."

"How much did he pay you," Lex asked suspiciously.

"One silver," Torin proudly said, "And I will make another one if you decide to get a room where I take you, so I will be sure to take you to one that you will like and will want to get."

"Who rules the courts," Lex asked.

Torin laughed and said, "Nobody rules them.  That's what they're called because they're near the Courts, by the South-East horn, where the magistrates are."

Ann spoke up this time, "What's the South-East horn, Torin?"

"That's the lump on the South-East of the arrowhead.  The Courts are all in that area.  You get a really good price if you're a student because students are all gone during the day, so you don't make any noise and disturb the Courts.  And then they're all gone at night, so they don't care how much noise you make."

"Well," Ann drawled slowly, "We do like it quiet when we sleep."

"No worries," Torin said, "I'm taking you to a good place, not the place where nobody sleeps.  You're students, right?"

"We hope to be, we plan on that,"  Ann said.

"As soon as I become an adult," he said, "I wanna become a student too and become an adventurer.  I want to be a monk.  Pow!"  He punched the air in front of him as they walked.

"I don't think you have to wait for that," Ann said, "I thought you could join the temple now?"

"Sure, but then I'd have to shave my head and go live there.  And I couldn't leave until I became an adult.  This is much better." He quickly turned and led them down several other streets which seemed to confusingly twist back and forth on themselves at times.  Soon enough, the two women found themselves at The Middle Temple.  It was a stately building, somewhat run down, but clean.  The bricks along its front wall had become somewhat porous and there was no room on either side of the building, which was sandwiched between a barrister's office and a solicitor's office.

Torin pushed open the front door, knocking a bell just inside, and walked into an oak-paneled front parlor.  The women followed him in and found a slightly rotund balding man seated in a faded stuffed green armchair.  "Torin," the man called out warmly, setting a book down and pushing himself to his feet.  He smoothed the front of his waist and bowed towards the women.  "Welcome to The Middle Court.  My name is Gavin.  Please, take a seat, let's talk."

Ann and Lex set their packs down by the front door and sat down near each other in two of the finely carved wooden chairs that were scattered about the room while Torin lounged against the wall near the front door.

"Torin wouldn't have brought you if you weren't looking for rooms," Gavin said, "And I can tell that you're the type of people I want.  Clean, presentable, and by the looks of your packs, probably students and obviously planning on staying for some time.  So, tell me about yourselves.

"Well," Ann said slowly, "I'm the daughter of a town Squire a couple weeks from here and I plan on becoming a mage.  This is my friend Lex and she's also planning on becoming a mage.  We're interested in staying here, if the price is right."

"I am selective about who stays here," Gavin said, "Lex, are you able to speak?"

"I can speak very well," Lex said.  "Ann said everything that was necessary."

Gavin nodded.  "And nobody is looking for either you?  I won't have any problems with husbands, fathers, who want you back?"

"No!"  Lex said rather forcefully.

Ann quickly interjected, "There was some anger when we left, but I don't think you have to worry about that."

Gavin nodded, "Very well, the full rules will be posted on the inside of the door to your room, but mostly it would be nice for everyone if you stayed relatively quiet, and gentlemen are not permitted past the parlor here.  Meal times are posted as well.  Breakfast and Dinner are always served, lunch is by request but no additional fee, and any supper is also by request but there is an additional fee for that.  Let's go see what a room looks like."

The arrival - 1.1

A squad of King's Guards trotted along the road to Harper, the city on the cliffs, then spurred their horses into a gallop as they neared the gates.  The city had long been famous for its harbor, set within foreboding cliffs in the shape of an arrowhead, with the tip pointing to the West, towards the ocean.  The city was arranged in a vast crescent shape around the harbor.  Docks, ramps, and ladders clung to the cliff wall, making eerie sounds as the wood continually flexed, expanded, contracted, and shifted as it healed and cooled from the sun, wind, and moisture, giving the city its name.

The people in line for the central gate door stepped back and gave the squad room as the squad dismounted and the horses paced around, stirring up a small dust cloud which drifted down on those near.  The town of Harper was home to Arrowhead University, one of the three Hero schools in the kingdom and consequently took security very seriously.  The gate was only opened wide on occasions of grand state visits.  Normally, the pass door was the only way in and out.  Everyone who entered was required to have their appearance noted, a name recorded, and their power level checked.

"Sir Kade," the last King's Guard gentlemen ahead of them said, placing his hand on the power stone, a one foot in diamater polished granite rock, set in a round base.

"Yeah, yeah," the guard said, "Let me just write you down here, Isaac, and put your hand on the, oh, you already did.  You know how it is, repeat the same thing to everyone and it just becomes a habit.  So you're level 3 now?" he said, looking at the glowing rune on the base.  "Congratulations!"

"Is that high?" Lex whispered to Ann, casting a quick cleaning charm on herself as they waited for the guards to finish.

"Not for a Hero," Ann whispered back, casting her own charm, and then it was their turn.  "I'm Aoibheann Mac Cionaoith," she said to the guard as she tossed her hood back and placed her hand on the rock.

'I'm sorry, ma'am," he said in a pleasant voice, looking up and down at Ann, "I'm going to have to ask you to spell that."

Ann did so then said, "Please, call me Ann."

He assented and continued, talking out loud while he wrote.  "Camping backpack, green robe, green eyes, red hair, fair skin, oh uh, some scales," he said looking at Ann's hand and her face for the first time and tensing up.   He quickly glancing at the power stone that Ann's hand rested on then relaxed at the sight of the glowing rune there.  It wasn't the weirdest thing he'd seen by a long shot, and she was cute.  "Level 1," he said with a smile, "Welcome to Harper, Ann."

Ann stepped forward, leaving her hood down, and Lex stepped up, slowly pulling her hood back and placing her hand on the rock.  "Lexia."

"Not a problem," the guard said, a wry expression on his face as he admired her figure.  "How about I put down 'Just Lexie' or maybe 'Lexie Justice'?"

Lexis thought for a moment.  It was somewhat poetic, and certainly better than any of the other names that she and Ann had bandied back and forth over the past few days as they'd brainstormed a new name for Lex.  "Very well, that will do," she said, nodding her assent.

The guard nodded as he wrote that name down – that was the name he usually suggested to those who preferred more anonymity and people usually went with it, either because they liked it or just to speed the process along.  The law required him to write something down and he didn't care what a person said – it's not as though he had any way to verify that it was correct.

His pen scratched along the paper as he noted her physical features.  "Camping backpack, black robe, dark belt pouches, dark hair, fair…" His voice fell off as he watched the lump on Lex's cheekbone wriggle under her skin.  He eyes stayed stuck on it for a moment before he again quickly glanced down and saw the same rune that had displayed with Ann, but his shoulders stayed tense.  Whatever that lump is, he thought, normal people don't have something that moves on its own.

"Fair skin and a bump?" Lex dryly interjected.

"Fair skin and a bump," he slowly repeated, writing that down, "Level 1.  Welcome to Harper."  He swiftly turned his head away, looking at anything but her, obviously purposefully ignoring her.

Lex pulled her hood back up with a jerk and woodenly marched through the passdoor into the town as Ann hurried in after her.  Lex stopped on the other side of the large reinforced wooden gate, looking at the people walking down and across the wide street.

"Don't worry," Ann drawled, putting a hand on Lex's shoulder, "I'm sure there'll be some way to fix that up once we get in with all of the other mages."

Lex shrugged Ann's hand off, not saying anything, her head down.

"Wouldn't it be nice to be able to fly," Ann said, changing the subject and pointing to where the straight road abruptly ended a little over half a mile ahead.  "We could run right over the edge and just keep on going."

"I hope we learn that first," Lex said.  "I've always dreamed of being able to fly."  Her face was still hidden under the hood, but her soft voice told Ann everything she needed to know about how her friend felt.

"Then let's go find a place to live," Ann drawled, "I'm sure tired of carrying these bags around."

Lex laughed, "And next on the list is to learn how to make one of those space-saving bags so we never have to carry bags like these again!"

"Miladies," a nearby boy spoke up, "Did I hear you say that you need a place to live?  I can take you to one of the Courts.  Good food, good bed, good price."

"I don't know where that is," Ann said slowly, examining the boy.  He looked thin and his clothes looked patched.  He probably received money for directing people to stay somewhere specific.  Still, everyone knew, everyone has to make a living.

"No charge, I'll take you there, the owner is a good friend of mine.  Good guy."

"Well," Ann drawled, not sure whether they should follow the boy or not.  "We should probably get our weapons first."

"Oh, I know a good place, just down the main road here, the Blue Goose."

That didn't sound too bad.  If the shop was on the main road, it probably wasn't a trap.