Disclaimer: Still don't own.

:}

Back in Travmort, a late night arrival, a barge that had been gliding up the river, was about to add yet another traveler to the expedition. A sword over his shoulder, the young man, eighteen summers old, made his way into the town, and towards the inn. 'Father, I'm home.' Ryder West, later called Ryder Daniels, and now sir Ryder Daniels, thought, even as he made sure his hood covered his face, least he be recognized too soon..

"Remember our arrangement." Old man Kraven smirked. "You'll fulfill you duties as my journeyman. Young knight, and tell me how you managed to finish your apprenticeship as a merchant while being squired to that knight."

'Given that most merchants don't promote their clerks to journeyman until their twenties, you would love to know, wouldn't you?' The intense young man thought. "I have business in the mountains. Once that's done..."

"We have business in the mountains." The Merchant snapped. "I'm after that once a decade contract, and we're only two years out. Best to get my bid in."

"You handled it last time..." Ryder sneered, trying not to hate the man.

"I did." The older man said. "But the old wizard, he changes his mind sometimes. If you sell too many children into slavery, he starts looking for someone else. I need him to know I've been good."

Ryder's eyes lit at that sound. 'So Jade may not be a slave? No, Kraven here said he sold her to the wizard. I need to see for myself what roll she has, assuming she's still there.'

"Lets get to the inn." The merchant suggested. "And get us rooms for the night, sir knight." He cackled. "I have a knight as a guard and apprentice. Now that's rich."

"Journeyman." Ryder corrected. "Lets get rooms." The rest of the trip through town was quiet, them both knowing the way, and the night watch less interest ed in travelers who aren't making trouble.

Ryder followed the old merchant into the tavern. So far, the merchant was traveling light, just the two of them, because the merchant was not selling that day. As they had no goods to protect, the stingy merchant felt they had no need for an entourage. What guards he'd need for the trip into the mountain he'd find locally, hired from mercenaries willing to risk anything for coin. 'Besides, being on the good side of a master like Kraven, that's something many would risk their lives for. Outside of this town, men like Kraven's reach is long and influential. Could mean regular work.' Ryder reminded himself.

"Conroy." Kraven called out. The old innkeeper staggered out from his kitchen to see who was making such a racket. "I'll need two rooms. I have an apprentice with me."

"For such an important trip?" The old innkeeper marveled at the armed young man. "You must either think very highly of him, or his skill at arms."

"Both, actually." Kraven smirked. "Rooms."

"Of course." The old man grabbed a couple of keys. "Martha, why don't you show these men to their rooms."

"I know this inn better then most." Kraven snarled. "I can find my way."

The younger man reached for his key, and watched as Conroy's eyes grew large. "M-Master Ryder? It.. it can't be. You ran away as a child..."

"I was wondering if anyone would recognize me." The knight smiled a warm smile. "I've been through a lot, but thanks to Master Verone, I've managed to get trained both as a knight, and as a merchant."

"Verone has no standing with the guilds." Kraven growled. "But I do recognize his skills, and his abilities as a trainer. It's why I took you on as my apprentice."

"Journeyman." Ryder said, again.

"Not until we finish our business in the mountains." Kraven said. "Not until your father see's that I'm training you."

"You may not need guards to reach the wizards keep." Conroy stated, both offering one of his more consistent customers a little help, and maybe helping the young nobles who so far hadn't made any trouble in this tavern. "I have an expedition in, heading up to the wizards tower, just as soon as they have provisions. If you travel with them, you'll be safe enough."

"Unless they're not leaving when I want to." Kraven snapped. "But I could travel with them, I suppose. Save me some coin, and get me there days ahead of schedule. Very well. Just be sure to tell Harold West his first born son is with me."

"Oh, he'll find out soon enough." Conroy said. "Not gonna be too happy about it neither."

Back at the wizards tower, Jade found herself once again sitting at the table, listening to Martin playing his lute. Sometimes, she'd sing along, and they appreciated her rich, smooth voice. But that evening, she had other things on her mind. 'I'm his apprentice. I mean, I always have been, but until now, how many.. I mean, Martin certainly wasn't that special, and that creep...' Her thoughts pushed away from that moment, once again thankful of Bert.

The wizard, Aleister by name, made his nondescript entrance into the dining hall. "Can I have everyone's attention?" The wizard called out. "With the exception of Bert here, you've all been my apprentice at one point or another. I've had the joy to watch you grow into admirable people, even thought you've had little in the form of a life outside this keep. My apologies, but we needed the privacy, and three to four days walk to the nearest human settlement was best for my studies." he coughed. "Not counting the hamlet you guys made to have your own, but that harldy counts, and I'm getting distracted..."

The handful of people in the room all were watching as the wizard slid closer to Jade. "For the first time in the hundred and fifty years I've lived here, one of my students will be promoted to Journeyman. A touch early, I'll admit, but given the circumstances, I'm sure we all understand. Jade, you're not like anyone I've ever taught. You've shown an aptitude I could never have guessed, and soon enough you'll will make a fine mage. Alas, during my meditations, I have seen things, and cast what divination's I may know to clarify the visions. I'll have need of you, as an extension of my magics and my will, before you're truly ready. So I've fashioned you a gift."

Jade felt oddly embarrassed by the attention. "Jade, I made you this locket, so as to keep training you in the ways of magic. I'll also give you your first book, for you to fill in the spells and rituals you'll learn as you go on." He turned to look over the assembled servants. He only had three others, thought unbeknownst to Jade, there were others about. Aleister had allowed his servants to acquire spouses, and children, for generations. Only old Mort did so, but Martin was planning on finding himself a wife soon enough. Mort's granddaughter seemed a likely candidate, as living so close to a wizard wasn't a terrifying proposition to her family.

"Magic isn't as cut and dried as people think. I use, and train you in the use, of symbols, runes and sigils. I teach you the nature of herbs, even the beginnings of alchemy. I teach you all the basic secrets, but not how they go together. I can't. You see, the secret of magic is gathering energy, shaping it to your will, and casting the spell to do what you want. Different words will have different effects based on who says them and how the energies interact with you. Gestures and incantations are exercises in gathering more energy, shaping it more precisely, and controlling the effects more efficiently. Each sorcerer must learn how to use their power to the best of their abilities. Jade is almost at the stage where she can do that, but will need someone to train her in those techniques, to guide her through the training and help her master what she learns. Also, I've given her a book, which is as much a journal as anything else. Learning about yourself is a part of the process."

He smiled at Jade. "Open the locket." Jade did as she was instructed, opening the locket, only found it empty, save for a painted in engraved picture of a red headed faerie. "Now feed just a little energy into it..."

Jade did so, and immediately, that fairy appeared before her. Maybe five inches tall, with a strange, unnatural red colored hair and equally red butterfly wings, the small figure fluttered and danced about. "Hiiiii." She called to the assembled people. "I'm Catarina-Crimsona-Magestica-Flutterous-Valintine, but you can call me Cat."

"Cat?" Jade tried.

"Yea, because my whole name is so long, that as a child, when I was about to get into some mischievous, my mother found calling my name just took too long. By the time she finished, so had I." Cat explained, then giggled. Then her eyes locked on Jade. "My my, your a strong one, aren't you."

"She could be." Aleister remarked. "Given time and training. That's where you come in."

"She's a great sorceress?" Martin breathed, not sure if he believed it.

"Nope." Cat replied, smiling. "I have no idea how I do what I do. Like most of my kind, I've been imbued with my magics." Her tiny face contorted into a frown. "Oh, yea, a couple of things. I've been a Familious for more then one wizard."

"You man familiar." Jade asked.

"NO!" Cat snapped. "A familiar is a bound animal, something that becomes an extension of your will. I'm a celestial. A creature of the higher planes, and as such have powers and abilities beyond the fey of your world. As such, I can understand the magics you use, to the point of being able to help you grow and master them, without truly being talented in using them myself. In other words, just cause I'm called Cat, doesn't mean I should be treated like one."

"Oh..." Jade said, almost shrinking.

"I will be acing as your familiar, kinda, through the magics of the locket." Cat continued. "I can be your eyes and ears ahead, and I will certainly help out as I can. But there are other differences between us. See, I'm not really here."

Aleister spoke. "There are several kinds of summoning and conjurings you may use. This kind, the one for that locket, creates a phantom body for her, pulling her essence from it's home. She can be here for a long time, acting as your friend and tutor, but if she's killed, as long as you have the locket, you can just call her back."

"On the other hand, there are abilities I won't be able to use." Cat added. "Luckily, I'm kinda small cheese, so I don't lose much when summoned this way. But the plus, I'm surprisingly hard to hurt." She almost beamed. "But my purpose here is educational. I'll get her up to speed in no time… Um, how long does your kind live again?"

"We need her casting at her best, as soon as possible." Aleister said. "I feel the quest approaching, closer and closer, and while I cannot go into whats going to happen, I can tell you, I'll be unable to go with them. Bert worries so."

The old servant almost blushed, smirking at his long term master and lover. "We'd best get some sleep then. They could be here any day now. Jade, as befits your new status, you're gonna spend the time left in the tower, in the apprentices quarters there." Bert said, pointing at the tall, cold building. "I know it doesn't feel like it, but it's an honor. Besides, you'll soon be exempt from the menial, day to day tasks, expected to spend your time mastering your magics."

Jade smiled, only to find Martin wanting to speak with her. "Um, Jade, can I have a word?"

"Sure." She agreed, glancing over to where the others were. She did, she admitted, have a bad attitude, and what had happened to her, multiple times in her life, had given her a very negative view on life. Admittedly, as sarcastic and dangerous as she tried to be, this was her family now. "What up? Speak, before I start getting board."

Martin chuckled. "Um, you realize why he does things this way, right?" The older man asked.

"No, but then again, I never understood why the master does what he does." Jade replied. She felt oddly confused by the mans concerns.

"We're all the family the master will ever have." Martin stated. "It's hard for him to realize that his child, his apprentice, will never be as great as he is. The master goes through this as often as he can, every decade, and takes two years to adjust to the disappointment of his child, his apprentice, not being what he hoped for. Apparently, while its not that rare to have some potential, finding someone who can cast like the master, or apparently you can, is one in maybe say, um, fifteen? Maybe a lot worse, because we have no idea how many were missed when the merchants went out and found potential apprentices for the master. But you, you're his success, but at the same time, you're the one who's gonna go away. The master gets it, you have to go, travel, explore, grow, so you know what kind of sorceress you're going to be. The master may be proud of your success, but you have to know this is hard for him. For all of us."

Jade looked at this man, the one who had taught her about music, singing and playing the lute, and she almost cried. "I have to go.." She pointed towards the door. "I need to shift my possessions."

"I was going to teach you the in's and outs of the job, of being the masters servant." Martin said as she started to get up. "I was going to show you where we live, have our families."

"You live here, in this building." Jade protested.

"No, you live here." He replied. "The master set up a portal to a near by valley. It's small, the village I mean. Not that the portal is huge, mind you, but the village is small. It's in an isolated valley, not to far from here, but not that easy to reach, save for one well guarded pass, and a couple of hard to follow game trails that even the mountain goats seem to struggle with. But it's where we have a village, where the families of his past apprentices live. It's where Morts granddaughter is, and I intend to make her my wife. I wanted you there, to see what we have when we no longer have to maintain the illusion of servitude. All the younger apprentices are left out of that secret, for the same reason that traveler was able to take advantage of you. Because children don't always know when to stay silent. It's also why our powers were bound, up until we were ready to face the test. That, and the master claims it's easier for us to learn if we don't have out magics getting in the way."

"I have no idea what to say..." Jade felt a strange mix of rage, for being lied too, and belonging, because she'd passed the hazing.

"How about thanks, but I'll never be one of you." Cat offered. "I mean, you're welcome to try, but honestly, from what I can tell, you'll soon be caught up in your fist adventure, and these are simple folks, who like that their lives are a bit better then those of ordinary people, but are still very much about normalcy. Funny, cause they serve a wizard." She let that sit for a second, then pushed on. "Anyways, Jade, you have to think of them as your poor cousins, cause you're the one who will inherit the kingdom. Not this one, cause he's probably gonna be around for at least another hundred and fifty years. But you're gonna be a master, far sooner then you'll be ready for, and then, who knows? So, when your ready, I have a couple of simple exercises I'd like you to do."

Martin smiled. "Go on, Jade, your destiny awaits." The older man said, pointing towards Jade's room, and the job she still had to do.

That night, many people slept restless sleeps, all knowing that in the morning, things would be different. For some, it was just the next step on a grand adventure. For others, it was being that close to a whole new direction in life. And for one, it was being that close to finding, and saving, someone he couldn't save just eight years ago.

In the morning, Beck was organizing the expedition to head out. "We have three to four days of travel through the mountains to find the keep." He was explaining to his people. "Make sure we have enough provisions to get there, and back. No guarantee we'll be able to forage anything."

"Not unless you have an experienced woodsman." Ryder said, approaching them. "Or mountain man. Either way, such men are hard to hire. However, while we can't do much about that, maybe my master can help you in a different way."

"We're not looking to buy anything." Beck waved the man off.

"My master, Kraven the merchant, he's got business with the wizard." Ryder stated. "We believe we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement. You need someone who knows the way, and master Kraven does. We would like to leave sooner, and this way save ourselves the expense of putting together an expedition. I'll have to see, but we could probably be ready to go within the hour."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Beck asked, eyeing the man suspiciously.

"Firstly, I'm only serving as an apprentice to Kraven because of family honor." Ryder started. "I am a knight, having won my chain necklace in battle not six months ago. You have my word as a knight."

"And why would we believe you're who you say you are?" Tori asked, once again using her man voice.

"I am Sir Ryder, and while you have my word, and my chain, you can confirm who I am by simply asking the Berger of the town." The knight explained. "Though I doubt he's too happy to see me."

"Oh, I'm happy enough." Harold West, master merchant and Berger of Travmort, announced. "Ryder, I have no idea why you've chosen to serve Kraven, given the business we had a decade ago. While I still hold that running away removed you as my heir, I'm proud to see you found your way. A knight should be good enough. Why a merchant?"

"Because he'll get me to the wizard." Ryder snapped. "From there, I can rescue her."

"You'll challenge the power of a wizard, all on your own?" Master West asked. "Then I'll lose you again, because to face a wizard alone is to die."

"Wait, we have business with that wizard." Beck cut in.

"As does Kraven." Master West pointed out. "And I'll wager he won't want you ruining it for him, either. If you go with a merchant, think like one. Make a deal, save her with cash. That is, assuming she can be saved. For all I know, she's quite happy, having found her purpose as a mother to one of the Wizards servants children."

"The second reason you know you can trust us is there are only the two of us." Ryder continued, keeping an eye on his father. "Not a good number in the wilds."

"Not if you don't know the wilds well enough to face it's dangers." Master West added.

"So, we have your word you're a knight, thus good for your word." Tori tried to summarize. "But we know you wish to save your sister, who was what, sent to the wizard?"

"Father had no use for her, for any daughters, so when Kraven said she was what the old mage was looking for, father gladly sold her." Ryder spat, and old hatred burning to the surface. "Jade and I never got along that well, but it was my job to protect her. I failed."

"Even as a child, she was a bit of a wild one." Harold West stated. "I was saving her from the heartbreak of discovering she'd never be the kind of woman that a merchant would want. I gave her the chance to get used to the lifestyle she was going to have anyways."

"I need to make this up to her." Ryder insisted.

"Then go." Harold said. "I'm not stopping you. I just, it was good to see you, even if it's for the last time. You're physically a fine young man. Still need to get control of your emotions."

"That's because your son studied with master Verone." Kraven stated, having just arrived. "So, Ryder, are they interested in heading up with us?"

"I made the offer." Ryder told him. "You didn't need to come check on me."

"I didn't." Master Kraven said. "I was looking for your father. I wanted to see the look on his face when he discovered you were apprenticed to me." The wily merchant shifted to look at the Berger. "But no, not for long. My deal was only until we finished a certain amount of business, because Verone did teach him well, all the time your son squired with Sir Gary of the dale."

"You were squired to Sir Gary?" Beck asked. "What ever happened to him? There was a time when he and my uncle were the closest of friends. But he just left, years ago, leaving land and title behind."

"Um, he was in love with my mom." Tori whispered to her cousin. "It's a rumor, one the servants were willing to tell me. They said he loved her, but she'd chosen dad, so Gary tried to live his life, until it was jut too much. The servants claimed he couldn't take being that close to her any more. Guessing that being out on his own fit him better."

"Well, he's a capable knight, and he taught me well." Ryder stated, once he was sure they'd listen. "Plus, he hired Verone to handle his business, so he's doing fairly well."

"So, you know his mentor, huh?" Kraven asked. "Then you can trust him, because he carries a letter of introduction from that worthy. Would you like to see?"

"Yes, I would." Beck insisted, and Ryder pulled out his pack. It took him a short while to find the box he kept the letter in, and from there, hand the letter over to Beck. "Okay, from what I can tell, this is his hand writing, and that is definitely his signet. Okay, I believe you. I guess we're traveling together."

:}

So, I got another character in, in this case Cat. I think you'll find her amusing. But, whatever yout thoughts, be sure to share. I'm just a review away.