Arie watched George spoke with the King in whispers and the king nodded. She was a little nervous, but as of right that moment the king still needed her so he wouldn't get rid of her. George came back and steered her out of the room.

"We need to get you supplies for the trip. I checked over your things and you have plenty of weapons."

Arie was a bit annoyed this man had gone through her things, but she bit back the angry remark.

"We will also stock you with any healing herbs that you might need. The king said not to be greedy, but take what you need. You'll be appointed to healer of the band you're going with."

"There's something I'd like to ask you first."

George chuckled. "Ask away."

"I wish to leave a young lady with my Gift as protection. It will lay in a charm and won't harm anyone unless they seek to harm, frighten, or force her into something not right. The charm will do harm only to those who would seek to do her harm first. But I worry one of her potential attackers is a noble."

George rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You want me to stand up for her?"

Arie sucked in a deep breath expecting to get rejected.

"No, you want me to vouch for your magic and say it protects the girl if the noble tries to make trouble for her after being cursed."

Arie nodded.

"Can you show me the charm?"

"They're in SandStorm's saddle."

"Will he let me take a look at?"

Arie nodded again.

"Will you allow me to take it to another mage to make sure?"

"Yes." She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"If Numair says that the charm does what you say it does, then I will vouch for the magic and so will Numair." George waved and called out to a man who was walking ahead of them. The man turned and smiled. He was a blunt nosed Bazhir. Probably in his late forties. He was dressed in the King's Own uniform for riding.

"How can I help you, Cooper?"

"Qasim, this is Arie." he gestured to Arie. "She is the one who will be traveling with you. I'm sure Raoul told you something of her."

Qasim smiled broadly and nodded. "You made quiet the impression on Lord Raoul. Almost as much as Lady Knight Kel." He looked her over. "Though you're nowhere near as tall as her."

Arie wasn't sure this was a complement or not. However, the man seemed nice enough.

"I need her stocked up for the trip. Clothes, a tent, possibly a new bedroll, medical supplies, and anything else she might need."

Qasim agreed easily and held out his arm to Arie. "Shall we?"

Arie had to admit he was charming as she put her hand on his arm. He swept her through the halls.

"So, what do you have?"

Arie considered her meager pack. "I have a bed roll, weapons," All of her weapons had been returned to her by Numair. "And a riding cloak." When she finished her list Qasim stopped and looked at her with surprise. 'What," she asked.

"You don't have spare clothes?"

Arie shrugged and explained that she couldn't afford new clothes so she simply mended her old ones. Qasim changed directions and lead her to the royal tailor. Once there Qasim explained the situation to the man behind the counter. He didn't even blink, simply had Arie stand beside him while he wrapped a corded rope around her and called out the number of knots that encircled her to an assistant. He was brisk then he wrote a note in his book. The assistant came back a few minutes later carrying a large pile of clothes. He handed them to Arie then scrambled away from her. She sighed to herself, was she really so strange? Qasim noticed the interaction.

"Your hair is very beautiful, strange, but no less beautiful."

Arie looked at him thoughtfully fingering a lock.

"My mother said much the same thing. She used to pin my hair up so the blue green would fan my head. She said it looked like I was wearing a crown."

He looked thoughtfully at her like he was trying to imagine her hair styled the way she had described. "Maybe you'll have to wear it up like that then."

Arie nodded her mind far away from them.

Next Qasim led her next to the infirmary. Duke Braid already had a large pack set aside for her. Inside she found everything she would need to keep a company functioning. There was even a book on native plants that could be used in healing. Duke Braid came out a little later to speak with her.

"Good you're still here."

Arie looked up at the man. Sweat dotted his brow and there were smudges on his clothes that looked like blood. He looked down at himself.

"Don't worry, he'll be alright. However maybe he will pay more attention to where he is going and not put a hand through a window."

Arie winced. Glass could be very nasty.

"But anyway, I have a request to ask of you."

"What," she asked warily.

"My son will be traveling with you. You'll be teaching him." So, his son was Sir Nealan, she thought. Arie wondered if this was a good thing or not. Duke Braid was a well-known healer, even her mother had admired his skills. But his son was a different matter. Would he be willing to take advice she gave or would he ignore her based on her difference in status?

"He can be," he paused searching for the right word. "Talkative. Please have patience with him."

So, he liked to hear himself speak, she wondered. If that was the worst of it, she could live with him; it be annoying, but doable.

Qasim coughed into his hand trying to hide a smile. Arie looked between the two men. Clearly, she was missing something.

"No worries your Grace, Kel will be there to keep him out of trouble."

"Gods bless that woman," The Duke's tone was almost reverent. Then he turned back to his work and left Qasim and Arie to carry her things back to Arie's room. When they reached the room Arie's things were set by the bed. Qasim looked everything over and was actually impressed with her weapons. He then told her to wait here. Arie bit back another rude remark and sat down on the bed. It was only a little after Qasim left that she heard something outside. Her ears caught a surprised gasp. A sound that was filled with fear. Instantly Arie came to her feet grabbing a throwing knife from her bags.

Outside she saw the woman from the kitchens. A man dressed in a palace uniform had her pressed against the wall of the barracks.

"Come on," he said reaching for the top of her dress.

"Please stop, I have work to do." The girl's voice trembled and the man smiled. Arie snarled. The sound carried making the man jump back. He caught sight of her and smirked.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, you can step away from the nice young lady or I'll make you."

His face changed to disgust.

"The wen-."

"Shut up," Arie snarled dangerously. Her Gift colored the air around her blue green, and the colored ends of her hair glowed. Power snaked forward and collided with the man throwing him away from the woman. "You would force yourself on a woman who clearly has no interest in you. A crime against the Goddess. Leave! Now! If I so much as hear a whisper of harm to this girl or any girl I will assume you're are at fault and I will ensure that not only you will never touch another woman again, but you won't have your manhood either. From this point on she is under my protection."

The man got up and scrambled back.

"It's a crown's offense to magick someone."

Arie smiled cruelly.

"And what's the punishment for forcing yourself onto a woman. I can show my memories to a justice and we will see what happens when they hand you over to the Daughters of the Goddess. Now get!" Her voice came out in a hiss and bird overhead screeched eerily. The man looked up, then looked back to Arie, and finally turned and bolted back to the castle. Arie sighed and turned back to the girl. She was huddled against wall making herself as small as possible. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

The woman looked up. She was pretty and tiny. She was also the same girl from the kitchen, and there was a bruise forming on her upper arm where the brute had grabbed her. Arie saw the bruise then snarled and turned to see if she could still see him.

"Please don't! You've done enough!"

It wasn't an accusation like Arie had half expected, more like the woman was worried she would kill the man. She admitted; if only to herself, that she very tempted to do just that. Finally, Arie sighed. She knew making sure the woman was safe and healed was more important than her rage and vengeance; regardless of how justified it was. So, she turned back to the maid. The woman's eyes were puffy with tears.

"Come on. Let me look at the bruise."

The girl looked at her suspiciously. "I wasn't doing nothing wrong." She stuck her chin out stubbornly.

"I know." Arie told her gently. "Now, let's get your arm fixed. It's hurting you right?"

She nodded and followed Arie into her room. Arie had the girl sit down on her bed before reaching out with her Gift. Slowly the skin on her arm returned to normal.

"I never did ask your name."

The girl blinked at her. Then she seemed to realize Arie was waiting for answer, flustered she mumbled, "Oh, Isabelle."

Arie smiled, "Well Isabelle, I'm Arie."

Isabelle made an O face and pulled out a small bundle Arie hadn't noticed she had been carrying until now.

"Feema asked me to bring you this."

Arie took the bundle and saw it was full of food. Dinner probably. Arie set the food aside and went to her bag.

"I actually have something for you as well." She dug around her bag until her hand found a small piece of cold metal. She pulled out several necklaces. Each had the same charm on it. A flat circle with a flower etched into it. She untangled one and set it into Isabelle's hands. "It's a charm to protect you from things like that."

Isabelle looked at the little charm skeptically, "How?"

Arie laid one hand over the charm and Isabelle's hand and then cupped the bottom of the girl's hand in Arie's other hand. Green blue light glowed briefly then faded. When she took back her hand the etching of the flower was the same color as Arie's Gift.

"You wear it and it will rebuff anyone who means harm. It can't stop a killing blow. But any man who seeks to do that again will find." Arie tried not to laugh. "Their manhood missing."

Isabelle looked at her for a moment then back to the charm with awe. "Why would you do this for me? You don't know me."

"It's the right thing to do." Arie replied simply. A moment later George and Qasim appeared in the door. George bowed politely and Qasim inclined his head to Isabelle. George looked at the charm in the younger girl's hand and then said to Arie,

"Couldn't wait could ya?"

Arie shook her head no. "I had to."

George's sharp eyes must have seen something in her eyes because his gaze slid carefully over Isabelle. He seemed to note her puffy red eyes then nodded. "Couldn't be helped then." To Isabelle he said, "I will vouch for the charm's power and that it will not harm anyone who does not bare you ill will." Then he looked at Arie and shifted a little uncomfortably. "By the way that is a nasty piece of work."

Arie smiled ruefully. "My sister gave me help and the idea."

George looked thoughtful and Arie wondered if she had said too much. George offered an arm to Isabelle and promised to escort her back to work. She nodded her thanks and the two of them left. Qasim watched them go curiously.

"What was that about?"

Arie looked at him and said with a completely straight face. "Magic that protects women by taking away a man's manhood."

Qasim blinked then turned back to the door. "Goddess." was all he said, before helping Arie pack everything up and carrying it out to where people and horses were gathering. Soon she would see her people again. Just hold on, she prayed silently.