The guards surrounding Azmina and Magna parted as Brand came to meet them. Last he saw the city guards, they wore black and white buttoned-up suits made to impose a sense of style. This time they wore polished white plate armor with blueish chain mail within. Instead of the single wand, they held a silver short spear, a shield, and two wands each.

Not waiting for Brand to meet them, Magna left the circle of guards. Tackling and hugging him at the same time, she screamed into his chest with delight only pausing to grab his shirt pulling him down to her height to plant a deep wet kiss on his cheek. “Oh Brandy, I’m so proud of you.”

“For what?” he asked, embarrassed for being hugged and kissed like a child in front of the many onlookers.

“You're like a classic hero,” she answered in explanation. “You rescued a princess from evil men, valiantly defending her honor with no care for your own safety.”

Brand rubbed Magna’s head and whispered to no one. “I guess it could have gone that way.”

Pointing at the noble Magna was hopping, too excited to restrain herself. “Come meet your new princess!”

Brand looked at her in confusion. “My princess?”

“No need,” Azmina said, slipping her right arm around Brand’s left.

She pulled him along somehow forcing his bulk without effort. It was as if he was roped to a stone weighing several tons that moved at a steady pace.

“Come, we’ll talk inside,” she said then looked to her guards. “Stay outside. I’ll be fine.” The oldest looking of the guards made a small bow before gesturing to his men to secure the area.

As they made their way inside, Magna ran ahead of Brand and Azmina. They could both hear her getting the children out of the way and making them clean up as they left.

Brand kept his attention on the girl holding his arm. His inability to get away from the 90-pound girl was interesting. He should have been able to lift her regardless of her strength. Even with her small frame and delicate features she was like a rooted tree somehow pulling him along. It was a stark reminder of how dangerous she really was.

“Brandy, can you bring the princess to the dining room?” Magna asked from down the hall.

In hearing the title of the girl on his arm again, Brand found his voice. “You’re a princess,” he asked sheepishly.

“Oh Brandy, don't be nervous,” she soothed playfully. “Where's the confident man I saw defend me not a day ago.”

“He's still here,” Brand said, matching Azmina's joyful tone. “I just rather not get my guts ripped out for not kissing your ass hard enough.”

“Brandy!” Brand winced as he heard Magna's shout. “Watch your language.”

Forgetting that royalty rested on his arm Brand turned to shout back in reflex. “Can everyone just call me by my fucking name! is that so hard?”

Azmina started to laugh, her hands releasing Brand to wipe tears from her eyes. “I thought my station would make you too wearying to be yourself. I see that won't be a problem.”

Not waiting for someone to offer her a seat Azmina sat on one of the tables nearby forgoing the use of a chair. She crossed her legs as if the short pants she wore under her dress would not preserve her modesty.

“Let me introduce myself,” she said to Brand as he sat on the table adjacent to her. “I am Azmina Akram leader of house Akram and regardless of what your… mother says I am not a princess.”

“But the Akram's are the king and queens of Ram,” Magna said, confused.

“Queens not kings,” Azmina corrected. “Ram has always been led by women. Even so, we are not a matriarchy. Instead, the country is made up of many different clans, Akram being the largest.”

“So, they get to set the rules, have all the power, and the clan leader is seen as the one and only queen to other nations. Sounds like a matriarchy to me,” Brand interrupted waving a hand dismissively.

Magna glared at him for somehow forgetting that interrupting a noble could end in death.

“Sorry,” Brand apologized. He wasn't sure what he could get away with yet. The girl obviously felt like she owed him but how much was still uncertain.

“Anyway,” Azmina continued. “I want you to join my household.”

Magna was sporting a huge grin at hearing Azmina's proposition. Brand, on the other hand, kept the same expression. He did not want to betray the glee bouncing around his mind.

“And that's why your brother wanted to test me,” Brand stated calmly as he danced an emotional jig within.

Azmina started to shuffle uncomfortably. “Actually, he tried to kill you.”

“What!” Magna exclaimed standing suddenly. “Brandy what is-.”

“You know,” Brand said, interrupting Magna’s question. “I did get the sense he might have been trying to kill me.”

Brand thought back to his short battle with Rohaan. The speed at which the first punch was thrown would have probably shattered his skull without even needing any strength behind it. He imagined that even stone would not hold against such an inevitable force. Brand also realized Azmina did nothing to stop his death at the hands of her brother.

“Bet she won't stand up to him if he tries again,” Brand concluded without a word.

“That's why I'm here myself instead of sending for you,” Azmina explained, trying to soften the mood. “I'll release your,” she paused thinking of the words. “My people call it spirit but you call it, mana, I think. I've already paid for it so we can leave when you’re ready.”

“Wait, what did you pay for?” Brand asked.

To Brand's surprise, Magna answered. “In Vellia everyone has to pay for the right to practice magic. If someone is taught without paying the price, both the rogue mage and their teacher are executed.”

“How many coins are we talking about,” Brand asked. “I was hoping to bring two friends with me, if possible.”

“Much more than you could possibly have,” Azmina answered sorrowfully.

Brand pulled the only golden finger he had on him to be seen by all in the room. “How many of these would I need to buy someone magic?”

Magna was struck dumb at seeing the gold while Azmina only raised an eyebrow in surprise. Azmina placed her palm up gesturing for the gold. Brand gave it to her readily hoping he would have enough to keep his friends with him. A pulse of sound and dim white light went through the gold then Azmina handed it back to Brand.

“You'd need around 220 of these to pay for one to learn the mystic arts. Sorry, but I can't bring another spirit wor-, mage into my employ at this time.”

Brand breathed through his teeth in frustration. “That’s too bad.”

Leaving Astrid and Uhtred behind gave him pause. There was no way he was not agreeing to leave with Azmina. A chance like this would never come again so nothing was worth refusing it for, but would he ever see them again. They’d been the only people around his age to ever see him as more than a freak, a danger, or a tool. All he could think to do was leave them his stash in hopes that it helped them.

Interrupting Brand’s contemplations, Azmine offered her own thoughts on the matter. “We could come back for whatever friends you have after graduating.”

“Graduating from what?” Brand asked.

“Prometheus Hall,” Azmina said. “We’ll all be attending after which we shall return to Ram. Before leaving, we can return for whomever you want but you can’t teach them spir-, magic until we're outside of Vellia. And you'll be paying them yourself.”

After a lengthy pause, Brand spoke after mulling over every word Azmina just said. “When do I start”?