AN: Another two months, Finally another chapter out. Haven't been able to QUITE find my muse lately, but this is better than nothing. Not sure how I feel about this chapter, but we'll soon see. Reviews and constructive criticism are very much welcome! Thanks again!

Twelve O'clock Meetings

The tension in that room had been thick, and while Kamvex was glad to escape it for now, he needed to get back sooner rather than later. With that, he rushed down the stairs and out into the courtyard. He was sure Louisr could handle her own mother for now, but if she was there for just business, then who knew what could happen. Taking the fastest way to the kitchen he knew, the captain barged himself in to see Marteau and a few others preparing for tomorrow.

"Ah! Kamvex, Our Star," the head chef exclaimed. "What brings you by so late?"

"Heheh. Well a suprise visitor showed up wanting tea for herself and daughter," he started, scratching his temple. "And since I'm here, that should tell you who's arrived."

The serving staff all stopped what they were doing at that point. "Duchess Vallière?" "What could she be doing here?" "And at this hour?"

Marteau hummed. "This must be about the ruckus you caused with Count Mott." He clapped and looked to the storeroom. "Get the good tea out early boys! It seems Our Star and Lady are in need of it!"

"Yes Chef!"

[Louise's Room - Meanwhile]

Louise hadn't answered yet, and it was beginning to irritate her mother. "Well? Are you going to answer me or will you continue your best impersonation of a servant? "

Louise clenched her fists at her side before letting out a breath she didn't know she held. "My familiar had requested that we go to meet the Count upon finding out a friend of his was... requested."

Karin raised an eyebrow. "And you allowed this? Does he not know of the right that nobility has?"

Louise nodded. "He does, though he is not from here. Where he is from, it was apparently akin to a kidnapping, if more... polite." Beginning to find her stride, the young girl sat across from her mother. "Kamvex is quite strong-willed. Had I turned down his request, he most likely would've gone without me and gotten into further trouble."

"So you chose to be subservient to your familiar?"

"No, mother," Louise answered. "I chose to tame a raging stallion. I dictated what would happen, and I allowed him to speak only when the subject at hand came about."

Experienced eyes narrowed at the near disrespect her daughter was showing her, but Karin accepted this. She played the game of nobility long enough to see a lie, and her daughter, for the most part, spoke truth. "Very well," she accepted. "And what of the battle itself? What was its cause?"

Louise paused, looking about the room a bit nervously. Her mother may not accept the answer given, but the truth always worked with her. "Kamvex... as I said, my familiar is not from here. Not this country, continent, or planet." She looked up to the impassive face of her mother. "He has many trinkets that allow him to do great things, and what he used showed us... a torture chamber. And two women that were about to be..." she couldn't finish the sentence. The mere thought of what nearly happened repulsed her greatly, and thinking that it could've happened to her or Siesta...

"I see..." the elder woman said. "Have you proof of these devices?" Louise looked to her bed, the datapad sitting atop it, forgotten. She grabbed it and brought it back to the table. "What's this?"

"This is proof. It's how I knew you were coming. After what happened with Mott, Kamvex said he placed these... lenses where there were entrances." Louise explained. *How do I work these... cameras?*

*Look for the image of the servants courtyard, and press the screen,* came the reply.

Louise did so, and the holographic image showed up, with Kamvex and the tray of tea walking by. He waved and held the tea and cups up for them to see. Louise looked up to see her mother had her interest piqued.

"Interesting," she commented. "And something like this allowed you to see all that you did?"

"It did, mother." Louise confirmed. "When he spoke up and showed me, Mott ordered his guards to attack us, and so we defended ourselves."

Looking up from the device, Karin watched her daughter as she asked her last question. "You said 'we'. You infer that you also participated in this skirmish?"

The younger woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes mother. I fought Count Mott myself. I sent Kamvex to protect the other maids as he could get to them more efficiently." She looked into the disbelieving eyes of her mother. "I fought the Count to a stalemate for five minutes, before I believed him disarmed."

"And how was it that you fought a Triangle Class mage when you cannot do any magic yourself?"

Louise smiled fondly. "I continued to try to shift my magic to do what I wanted it to do. But it wasn't until I did what my magic wanted that I saw results. So I cast the only Halkeginian spell I know: Explosion."

The incredulous look on the older woman's face told the story of believably. Actions spoke louder than words, and Louise knew this. So she drew her wand, aimed at the corner of the room and whispered "Explosion."

*《THOOM》*

A crack and puff of smoke undersold the concussive force that mother and daughter experienced. Though Louise was now used to this, and was happy to show off somewhat. "I've been practicing every day. If this is the only spell I can cast through my wand, then I will perfect it."

Karin was a bit shocked at the display, but not so much that she didn't catch that last sentence. "From your wand you say?" Seeing her daughter freeze up helped confirm things. "You also mentioned Halkeginian magic, as if you know something else..."

Louise went wide eyed at her mistakes. *Kamvex, I messed up! Mother knows I know more magic!*

*So then show her,* came the calm response. *I'll be there momentarily.*

"Louise..." Karin said, now in full Knight Captain mode. "What did Mott mean by 'wandless magic'?"

"I... that is..."

*She's your mom. Trust her.*

-Knock Knock-

Louise looked to the door, then back to her mother. Karin the Heavy Wind... this stare was something many had seen before their demise. But, her faith in her familiar was stronger.

"Trust... huh...?"

Karin's eyebrow raised in question as her daughter again breathed deeply. Louise set down her wand and stood, gently waving her hand forward, till a small glyph cam across her hand, and a translucent pink hand darted to the door, opening it and going through. It then returned with the tea tray, setting it down on the table as the familiar strode in, closing the door.

"Tea, ma'am?" He asked, turning with a cheeky smirk.

It wasn't often that Karin found herself stunned like this. She had seen plenty in her time as a student, a knight and a high noble. But what her youngest just demonstrated was so alien to her, she had forgotten her demeanor. "How did you..?"

"Magic, mother," Louise said as her Mage Hand poured tea for the two of them. It was still a bit shaky, but Louise was getting a handle on the less straightforward things she could do. "Just not... our brand of magic." She raised her eyes to her familiar. "Kamvex?"

The bronzed man bowed, "I've shown a thing or two from my own home world to Louise. Studious as she is, my mistress was able to pick it up almost instantly once the power came to her." He embellished a bit, but it wasn't false. Even with other students of the craft back home, Louise would be considered a prodigy. "She honestly has a great gift in the Mystic Arts. And her connection with the stars themselves is possibly on par with my own mother's to the Akashic Records."

While neither woman knew what exactly he was talking about, the basics were quite clear. Louise showed more promise than a woman who was around Karin's age. However this magic worked, if the boy's word rang true, Louise could work her way up through it's own power quickly.

A pointed look to the girl in question from Kamvex gave her a bit of extra information. Don't talk about Void Magic just yet. When she was about to ask why however, her mother stood up.

"And this magic," she started with a glare, "is it heretical? Have you forsaken Brimir for power Louise Françoise!?"

Now she understood. "No! Mother I-"

"I assure you, Lady Vallière, " the envoy began, "Louise draws her power from where she wishes," he explained. "While Halkeginian magic is divine in right and casting, I've taken the necessary steps to make sure these magics are arcane in nature. My own slight abilities are mental in nature myself, so I know each distinction of power."

"Is that so?" The woman stood, now eye to eye with the familiar. "Louise explained you were strong willed, Familiar. How am I to know you haven't corrupted my daughter?" With a flick of her wrist, a wand was in hand and pointed at the boy. "You admit that you have some sort of mental prowess. Who's to say you haven't manipulated my daughter in some way. It's the only way you could get her to do something so foolish as to go to Count Mott's, let alone challenge him to a-"

"Mother!" Louise shouted. "I have not been manipulated in any way by my familiar." She stood graciously and looked to the angry woman. "I did what I did at my own discretion. It was I that directed him to take out the guards. It was I that told him to save any servants in trouble. And it was I who fought and defeated Mott with my magic."

"It was Mott who decided to attack, who wanted to use me as a means to spoil your rank in our nobility. Who said he'd had a buyer ready for me!"

Again, Karin's eyes widened. A buyer? For Louise? For what reason. She glanced to the familiar who also had a grim face, but one that knew something. "Anything you want to say?"

Kamvex gave her a glance, then back to Louise. "Give it two days or so." He said. "When the princess arrives, we can speak about it."

"Kamvex, what are you-"

"Two days, Louise. I promise. A meeting with the Headmaster is in order as well."

A conflicted look came across the young girl's face before she nodded in recognition. "Two days then. After you win the exhibition."

"Louise, why do you not-"

"Lady Vallière," Kamvex interrupted, "my Mistress has had a long day, and I'm sure all of this has been tiring for her. You too, have most likely had a long journey. I ask that you retire to your quarters and rest, so that you two may speak more civilly in the days to come."

The Duchess looked to the familiar with narrowed eyes, as though insulted. His own violets were challenging her. They both knew this discussion, if it went any further, would probably devolve into a shouting match, one that no one in their family could beat her in. Karin also knew it was an ungodly 1:30 in the morning. Nothing more would be accomplished this night.

She turned and sat back down, taking the cup of tea that had been prepared for her. Seeing her take a sip, Louise too sat back down and did the same. There was a tension in the room as the two Vallière women drank, with the familiar looking on. Upon finishing, Karin set her cup down and stood. "Thank you for the tea tonight Louise. We will speak more after the Familiar Exhibition." With that, she stood, looking over Kamvex, who opened the door, and strode out.

When the door was closed, Louise lost all composure. "Uugh. Must you tempt fate Kamvex?" She asked. Without saying a word, the man came back to the girl, circling behind her, before placing his hands on her shoulders. "Kamvex? What are yoooo-ouuuuuhhh~" she moaned.

"You're tired, and you're tense." He stated simply, massaging her shoulders. One of the things he was glad to have offered to learn while young for his hardworking mother when she'd had a bad day. "Let it go, and I'll get your night clothes, alright?"

She groaned as she rolled her shoulder into his grip. "That's not like you." Louise yawned lightly and looked up. "What are you up to, my troublesome Envoy?"

"You've had a bomb dropped on you. Your best friend is coming to see you tomorrow and you've been stressing out about it," he listed. "And to top it off, your mother showed up unannounced. Take the night and rest."

"Mmm... fine..." she said sleepily. The captain smiled and walked to her drawers, grabbing one of her nightgowns and placing it in front of her before turning around. Louise shrugged off her clothes before quickly changing into her sleepwear. "Remind me to get one of those... quick change pendants one day."

Kamvex chuckled, turning back. "I'll take you shopping in Absolom's High Rise district sometime." He went to collect her clothes before she stopped him. "Louise?"

"You too." She said, face reddening. She moved toward the bed, pulling on his vest.

He gave a happy huff, raising his hand and snapping, changing into his own sleepwear. Louise smiled gently at him as she walked to the bed. She gingerly slid into bed before her face flushed further. Kamvex slid in behind her, pulling the covers around him. To his surprise, once he laid down, Louise turned over to use his shoulder as a pillow.

"You sure?"

"Mmhmm."

"And if someone comes in again?"

"... we'll deal with it then."

...

"Comfy?"

"Mmhmm... you..?"

A hand across scarred chest, an arm around slim waist.

"... Yeah..."

"Goodnight Louise/Kamvex..."

The next morning had no problems or unknown guests. The two woke in relative peace, if a bit embarrassed still. They had been still all night and hadn't really moved much. The two also didn't say much as they got ready, just basking in the comfort of each other's presence. Before long however, they needed to separate for a while, Kamvex pulling on some work attire; a skin tight muscle shirt, made of a fiber she didn't know about, and a set of mechanic's overalls.

"What are you up to?" She asked.

"Gonna help prepare the stage... and tinker with it." He said with a wink. He rifled around in his bag for something, missing her blush when he came across his tool belt. Wrapping it around his waist got another question.

"And those are...?"

"Tools," he said simply. "Most of them won't be useful like..." he brought out a small metal rod attached to some handle with a hose of some sort leading back into the pack. He clicked a trigger and a small flame shot out. "I don't think I need to weld anything."

Louise snickered. "Put that away before you destroy my things again," she said in jest.

"Yes yes mistress," he said. "The princess is scheduled to arrive in the afternoon yes?" At her nod, Kamvex continued, "then I'll work till lunch and get myself cleaned up afterwards. See ya later." And wit that, he went about for his day.

Louise watched him leave, and when the door closed, she smiled. She didn't know why. What this fluttering feeling was. But this particular morning was... special, she thought. There wasn't anything spectacular about it. Nothing amazing happened. It was just the little things. A physical gag and light teasing before her familiar, her partner, went to go do something else.

Louise's smile came with another blush. But not one full of embarrassment. Something truly had changed between the two of them these last few days. They were more comfortable around each other, more so than before. She had seen his lowest point as he had seen one of hers nearly a month ago.

Her gaze turned to the book he'd shown her the day before. The bomb dropped on her from what she was, a Void Mage. It was something she couldn't yet understand, but she had to try. He trusted her with it. This knowledge, this history. She picked up the book and brought it to her vanity, propping it against the mirror.

She'd already planned how she'd look today, so she could spend her time researching as well. If she was going to wield legendary magic, she would need to know where she could go, beyond just making things blow up. She had to work just as hard as Kamvex if he was to keep his promise. After all...

A promise worked both ways.

[Courtyard]

It had been a about an hour now that Kamvex was helping with the stage, but none of the servants knew how to help design the stage the way he'd been thinking. The only one any of them could point to was one of the professors. Specifically, Colbert.

The spacefarer was not looking forward to this. There was little doubt in his mind the professor would be guarded with him after his initial meeting with the headmaster. As far as Kamvex was concerned, right now he and Louise were state secrets from the world's highest power, with Osmand and Colbert at the top. It wasn't right that they held this from his friend, and hopefully the balding man would understand when the topic inevitably came up.

For now though, he had a stage to build, and this guy was said to have some odd things sitting around. And for a place flourishing in magic, that was saying something. The boy knocked on the professor's office before pushing the door open.

"Professor Colbert," he called, "you in... here..? Whoa..." it was like stepping into an antique shop specialized in old machinery. No wonder the servants sent him here. Gears and broken down gadgets at least five hundred years old from his time, all looked relatively new and innovative in comparison to his surroundings. Thoughts of caution fled as he took in his surroundings. At least until another door opened and a pungent odor came with it.

"Ah, Mr Zamfi. I wasn't expecting you," the professor stated, an open beaker in hand.

"Uhhgh. Why do you have that in a closed space?"

"Hmm? The dragon's blood?"

"That is most certainly not what that is. Close it or I will put holes in your shop immediately."

"Hmph." Colbert corked his latest concoction and set it on the desk. "You're as violent as your master can be destructive."

"And leaving gasoline un-capped in an enclosed space is bad for your health," the youth said poignantly. "That's what that stuff is."

"Ah, so they have it in your world then?"

Kamvex looked him over. The professor was a curious man it seemed. A futurist in a way. "Not very much compared to other energy sources," he replied. "Fossil Fuels became somewhat obsolete sometime Pre-Gap, so it's been at least three hundred and fifty years."

The professor sighed and set the beaker down on his desk. "I see," he responded disappointingly. There was at least enough inflection for Kamvex to catch it.

"Hey, don't get me wrong, that's still a hell of an achievement," the boy strode over to the desk, taking out his datapad and surprising the older man. He took a small scan of the beaker and its contents before continuing. "Technically, you've skipped a good number of steps for the kind of power this stuff is used for." *BEEP* a quick glance to the screen showed him the surprising results. "This is high grade, high quality stuff."

"What is that you have there?" The older man questioned. "And what kinds of things could this... gasoline power? Something like my engine perhaps? "

"You've got an engine back here?"

"I do have one yes. What country are you from that has such odd devices?"

"Quite a ways away professor. Though..." Kamvex moved his gaze to his metal arm. "I haven't really kept that a secret now have I?"

"No I suppose not," Colbert agreed. "So, what does the man from another world need from me?"

Kamvex took another look around. Colbert was most certainly not like any other noble he'd met so far, both in demeanor and in intelligence. "I'm looking to make some modifications to the stage for tomorrow. I plan to take the honor of being called the best by the princess. And any good performer makes sure his stage is set to his specifications."

This piqued the older man's interest. "What did you have in mind?"

A genuine grin came across the boy's face, as he set the datapad down and brought up a hologram of the stage. The room lit up like nothing Colbert had seen before.

"Let's talk science and innovation."

[Headmaster Osmand's Office]

"I see," Osmand said while stroking his beard in contemplation. "A meeting between us, the princess and your daughter?"

"That's what the familiar said, yes." Karin had still not cooled down since last night. "I can't believe that Louise is allowing it to impose its will upon her."

Osmand look the irritated woman over, her body language was tight and ridged. He had known Karin since she was a student at his academy, and she had always been wound tighter than most, but this was ridiculous. "While a familiar, the boy IS human," he started. "That little Louise values his opinion in some ways must mean something."

"What is that supposed to mean?" The Duchess questioned. "He is a servant, meant to keep his mouth shut and follow orders."

Osmand sighed, old headaches coming to the front. "Is that how you treat your familiar after all this time?" Her form seized up at that. The old man brought his hand up where she could see, as his little mouse familiar came onto the palm, where the old man proceeded to pet the little thing. "After a time, our familiars become partners. They know what we want to do just as we do for them. Familiars have they're own kind of independence, even if bound to us." His eyes moved from his chittering friend to the woman across the room. "After all, I doubt you leave your manticore chained up in a stable now do you?"

"Of course not," she said flippantly. "The next time I'd see him, he would..." she stopped before glaring at the old headmaster. "You know that I hate when you do these things Osmand."

The old man chuckled as his mousey familiar ran up his arm to rest on his shoulder. "Well, the boy has impressed me greatly in the month he's been here." He grabbed his staff and stood up, making his way to the window overlooking the stage. Sticking out like a sore thumb once again was the topic of conversation, looking nothing like the rest of the crew, metal arm waving about madly as he talked to them and... was that Colbert? It seemed things would be more interesting than he'd thought tomorrow.

"It's difficult to impress you in such a short time, headmaster," Karin noted. She looked out to the scene, noticing the glinting metal. "Why does he have a gauntlet?"

"That's no gauntlet my dear. The boy apparently lost his arm at some point. That is his replacement."

Karin looked down with a scrutinizing eye. Yesterday's outfit betrayed nothing. Long sleeves and gloves, specifically dressed for someone to NOT immediately see something. *Another one of his trinkets it seems,* she thought. She then looked again at the old headmaster. "What do you know of the night at Count Mott's estate?"

Osmand hummed and inclined his head. "The young man there came to me with a fire in his eye. Respectful enough, he asked plainly what happened to his friend. After confirming what had happened, he thanked me for my time and left." Osmand decided to leave out the bit about Louise, assuming it was the topic of discussion for the next day. "A few hours later, he came hurtling back on some sort of disk, faster than any horse, and asking for guards to go to Mott's."

The elder waved his hand, not the staff, and to his guest's surprise, a blue spectral hand appeared, picking up two papers in the corner of his desk and bringing them to him. Afterwards, he offered them to the former Knight Captain. As Karin scanned them, she noted that they were copies of some papers that were brought to the courts. Specifically, a trade of information and slaves. The second was a list of girls names in three colors: red, black and blue. All had dates by them, and most were red near the top, then maybe ten were black before a final name marked in blue.

"Those are the names of every maid that Mott has asked for," he explained with sorrow in his voice. "After seeing this evidence, I immediately called for the guards to assemble with a wagon and a few horse drawn carriages. Kamvex left the moment I gave the order and sped back to Mott's I assume, to make sure there was no further trouble."

"I see." *So what Louise said was true. He would have gone anyway.* Karin idly thought to herself. She then tore herself away from the list for a more pressing issue. "That spell," she started, "you didn't use your staff."

Osmand chuckled. "Ah yes, a side project when I have the time." He stated. He hobbled over to his desk again, pulling open a drawer with an ancient looking leather bound book. The leather looked aged, even older than some artifacts from the Brimiric Age, when the Founder was alive. The front seemed to say something, but the woman couldn't figure it out. The writing looked like runes, but far more savage and tribal. "An old spell book I have been trying to grasp. Why, just the spell I used took me three years to learn and another two to get it to where it is now."

Osmand opened the book, taking Karin's open mouth look as astonishment, before explaining more. "It's taken quite a number of years to translate any of this, but the spells in this book seem like they come from a universal set of power, where most Halkeginian magics are based solely on the elemental powers we are gifted with."

"I see..." the woman said, starting to go deep in thought. "So these spell have nothing to do with the Founder, or any false god?"

"Not as far as I can see. It is all just knowledge."

Karin huffed. It seemed she had much to think about now. Though, a small smile did come to her after a moment. After all, her supposed disappointment of a daughter had surpassed a mage's spell who'd been studying for years. And she'd done it in a little over two weeks.

*Perhaps... I've misjudged my little Louise...*

[Louise's Room]

Louise sighed as she pushed the large book away from her. Then, in a very unladylike manner, she plopped her head to the desk with a thud.

"That dumb familiar..." she said tiredly. Her familiar was smart, extremely so, and in ways that she couldn't yet comprehend. But he missed the details it seems when it came to the big picture. Yes, what she'd read the afternoon before was true, that by legend the life expectancy of Gandalfr and their master was indeed short; but this was offset by them being the most prevalent of the legendary familiar and master. A good number in the past millennia had lived long, fulfilling lives. It's just that a majority... did not.

It still scared her, but she knew now that it wasn't an unbreakable absolute. She would live with Kamvex for as long as she could. Siesta too, if she could figure something out there. But that led to something else that started to bother her.

Viscount Wardes. Her betrothed.

The feelings she was beginning to truly discover dwarfed anything that she had thought of the Griffon Knights captain. It didn't make it any less of a pain to remember that her family had set her up with the man in her youth, nearly a decade ago. She could admit now that it was probably a little hero worship, since he came to her on the worst night of her young li-

*PortalBoyRaggedServantWardesWRONG*

"Hnn!" Louise winced and covered her head. "What's going on? My head feels ready to burst..." This was recent, and only about the past. Something was... off, but she couldn't tell what it was. She shook her head and rose, deciding to get ready for the day. She took a look outside while buttoning her blouse to see her familiar and, surprisingly, Professor Colbert working on what looked like a rectangular cut in the stage, as well as a few other things her familiar probably grabbed from his bag of things.

"One headache at a time," she mumbled to herself. She'd already had more than enough troubles the past month. All she wanted was one day of rest till the next night. Maybe another month after that. Was that too much to ask?

Destiny's answer, as it usually is, would eventually be yes.