Back at the workshop the next day Mibbet was crudely woken up by the feeling of the sudden removal of her blanket. “RISE AND SHINE LAZYBONES, it’s flying lesson time.” The voice told her, it took a few minutes for Mibbet to wake up enough to realise it was Hestia, and a few minutes longer for her to gather her wits. Followed rapidly by a femtosecond for the words flying lessons to wake her up and push her mental panic button.

“F... flying lessons?” She stammered, “that was today?” Logically she understood that she had performed far more dangerous actions just yesterday, but when it comes to learning to control a vehicle of any kind for the first time logic tends to perform an act of defenestration, leaving behind sheer mind numbing terror and panic to pick up the slack.)

“Yeah flying lessons, I promised I'd teach you, don’t worry though I’ll be gentle” Hes snickered, Mibbet was fairly sure that girl could make a slice of dry toast sound rude if the mood struck her.

“R...right now?” Mibbet asked.

“Well after breakfast, no good comes of climbing aboard flying objects while on a sugar crash. That and we’ve got plenty of bacon. That and booze, a meal that really cures what ale’s ya.”

Mibbet couldn’t help a chuckle there. “No mouldy meat misery water for me thanks, especially not before getting on a broom.”

“Yeah I wasn’t gonna offer you any really, just couldn’t resist the pun” replied Hestia with a smirk. “People with a brain never wish to fly, people who wish their brains to paint the scenery do, we don’t wear hats for decoration.”

Mibbet couldn’t suppress a nervous gulp at that, she liked her brains, even if they were on loan and seldom used. “HEY I heard that” Rosalind snapped inside her head.

Surprising absolutely nobody breakfast consisted of a preponderance of pork products, Mibbet didn’t blame them for that. Food was food, and it seemed disrespectful to only use the magic core, even if the whole pig was a terrible plague unleashed on the land by wizards trying desperately to outdo the oh deer’s on sheer what the hell factor. So they settled down to eat, digging in. Apparently Errol who probably didn’t get much meat on the farm due to sheer number of competitors for the damned stuff was making up for lost time, rapidly devouring his fifth plate, while Mibbet poured herself a coffee. (Sir Leeroy of course was watching her like a hawk to ensure that the caffeinated Princess act of last month was properly adhered to. He had enough to worry about with the thought of The Princess flying around on a high performance broomstick, he really did not need the stress of dealing with a jittery Princess in that situation, and he had been well warned about the reckless and hazardous activities that a hyper Princess could get up to.)

“Before the lesson we need you to come back to the backroom” Wormy said, “We’ve got something to show you.”

Mibbet quickly polished off breakfast, and headed to the backroom, only to find that the gang were all there. “Surprise” Song exclaimed (really it was more that she simply said, but realistically when you are as energetic as Song even reading the golf scores out loud for grandpa sounds like an exclamation.) “We made these for you, we know that you wanna get flying soon but we can’t let you go up without proper safety gear. It was a little tougher to make this stuff so people wouldn’t gossip with you being a Saintess and all. Had to special order in the fabric since everything we had in was black, and black is such a witchy colour and all you know? Can’t have that, people would gossip, and we don’t want you hurt like that. But we did wanna make it clear you were one of us in our own way. So just hope you like it.”

Hes and Hagatha held out a box in front of them, while Mibbet tried not to cry, they’d made her a present? Really? Nobody had ever made her a present before . (Plenty had made presents for Princess Rosalind, far too many, usually with big old strings attached, but these girls had magic, they could see through the curse. Meaning this present was for her too, and without even a favour in return..... It was, hard to put into words.

“Well it aint gonna open itself,” Hes said “so crack ‘er open and see what you think.”

Mibbet looked at all those expectant stares, and taking turns with Rosalind they carefully unpacked the box, pulling out a white robe, covered in really fancy spiky bits of course. A proper pair of big stompy boots, with steel plates in, real dragonkickers if ever she saw them, and last but not least, a white pointy hat, decorated with all the proper protective runes. Her eyes were getting so swimmy it took a while to even realise there was something on the back. A flameproofing enchantment, and most important of all, the gang logo.

Mibbet and Rosalind lunged forward, all pretence of a prim and proper princess forgotten, as they swept their friends up in a bone crushing hug, only to realise that had probably been a really really bad idea a moment later when Hes returned the favour.

Mibbet could barely breathe as the vice like grip held her, but she was having a really hard time caring about such things at the moment. Being squished so hard it felt like her head might pop off was a small price to pay.

“Thanks girls” she said, trying her best to keep the hitch from her voice, they look great, and I’ll treasure them. You really went to all that trouble just for me?”

“Like we said” Hes replied, “good and bad you’re one of us now, so you have ten minutes to suit up then it’s time for class.”