“Miss Lillana, Miss Amilly allow me to carry your bags to your rooms.” Andony began unloading the luggage from the carriage. The short week they had spent together had proven enjoyable. Old man Rye and Miss Loach had been old friends and they managed to fill in the occasional silence with friendly banter. Amilly had proven a bit slow witted but it was clear that Andony had judged her wrongly. He was used to the quick wit and humor of the people he grew up around. She and Lilly had both proved to have a complexity of thought which he admired.

Amilly the more social of the cousins as usual answered first. “Thanks Andy, Lilly and I are sharing a room for the moment.”

Andony grabbed the girls’ bags and lifted them with a small amount of telekinetic force and towed the bags into the hotel where they would be staying until they officially enrolled into the academy the following morning.

Leaving the girls behind Andony went back to the entrance and after receiving his room key from the proprietor took his own bag to his room. When he arrived he saw a boy his own age leering through a circle made with his hands out the window. Andony set his baggage gown and began to change out of his travel clothes. “Looks like we are sharing a room tonight, my name is Andony Maier.”

“Yo, Name’s Segrick Quiller Heir Pro Tem Valtheir.”

“Segrick fine or do you want the noble treatment?”

“The only noble treatment I care for is the ‘Pro Tem.’ Valtheir is my mother’s family by the way.”

“Good luck with that.”

Segrick turned around at this point. “Finally someone with some sense. I’ve been here for a month now. If it isn’t some ‘Merchantson’ who wishes they could have a title it’s some dandy who thinks a title is nothing more than status and money. I think we can be friends.”

“Then Segrick I think we would do best to make our way to the dining hall, I can count an heiress among my companions. If I can only name one difference I would say she is more responsible about the title than this one Wise Dandy I met today.”

“A Damsel you say? Soon to find herself in distress? Lead the way, sir!”

The joke had proven to be true enough. When Andony and Segrick entered the dining hall Amily was fending off a ‘Dandy Secondson’ who had somehow recognized Lilly. “Miss Liliana, Miss Amilly I was held up at the front desk, I hope I didn’t leave you waiting long?”

Lilly turned to Andony and answered “No, we haven’t even gotten a chance to find a seat yet. May I introduce…”

Andony interrupted, “It would be better you didn’t Segrick has... a somewhat abrasive personality. He won’t cause any problems for you or Miss Amilly but I’m afraid Miss Amilly’s Companion might not have the same personality.”

The Dandy Secondson glared at Andony and said, “No i believe you are correct. In fact, I must insist he leave.”

Segrick sighed polietly and offered his arm to Amilly saying “You heard the man. Ah! I see an empty table over there.”

Lilly smiled, “Thank you for being so considerate Azton. Good evening.”

Andony watched Azton leave the dining hall as he escorted Lilly to the table Segrick had spotted. “This, by the way is Segrick, more properly Segrick Quiller Heir Pro Tem Valtheir.”

Amilly gave Segrick a look of pity. “We won’t have to deal with Raphelia, will we?”

“Good luck man…” Andony gave Segrick a polite pat on the shoulder.

Lilly shook her head with a slight smile and changed the subject, “How are you feeling about the Certification tomorrow?”

“I’ve got a far sight spell I’m fairly good at.” Segrick mumbled as he considered the question.

Andony smiled “I saw your farsight casting. For myself I can do raw castings of a few first rank spells effectively on demand. I've been told I'm practically guaranteed entrance to the academy tomorrow.”

Amily pouted hearing this. “Lucky, I can't hold any kind of casting together.”

Lilly shook her head as Andony responded, “Raw magic isn’t exactly a requirement until the middle of second year.”

Lilly continued by saying, “Even then Raw magic isn't supposed to reach the level of basic spells until the end of third year. Amilly, did you even read your enrolment packet?”

“No...? I mean… Lilly,” Amilly took what she must have intended to be a dramatic pause, “Is there anything in there that is important to know even if I only use just a little common sense;” she waved her finger to emphasize her speech, “anything I will get in trouble for not knowing;”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Andony cracked a devious smile an interupted her polite little tirade, speaking just loud enough to be heard by his companions. “Anything that you wouldn’t already know with your bountiful…” Andony crossed his arms and held his hand open in front of his chest. “Gardens of herbs and… fruits?”

Segrick didn’t quite look Amily in the eyes. “Bountiful Fruits indeed…”

Lilly fought to keep a smile off of her lips as she slowly set down her fork. Taking a deep breath she swallowed her food and placed a hand over her mouth. Amilly for her part let a deep, deep red blush spread over her face.

Segrick looked at Amilly and at Andony, not even seeing Lilly in his shock at his own slip of the tounge. Which prompted Andony to raise an eyebrow and squeeze his suggestion of ‘fruits’. Causing Segrick to snicker at Andony’s audacity.

Lilly? She curled up hiding a growing blush and started giggling drawing the attention of the people sitting at the table next to them.

Amilly stared at Andony with a look of shock on her face. For his part Andony picked up a roll and offered it to Amilly. Looking down at the roll she started laughing.

With the meal finished and without another word Andony escorted the girls to their room.

Andony felt energized after the meal and took a walk around the hotel.

Behind the hotel there was a courtyard that the building wrapped around on three sides. In the center there was a fountain beside which sat a beautiful girl in plain clothes, nothing like the clothes he and his friends wore with the exception of brilliant colors. ‘Judging by the stains on her hands she must be from a family of dyers.’ As this thought passed through Andony’s mind he decided to talk to her.

“Good evening sir.”

“Good evening”

“May I help you sir?”

Andony looked at her collar

“No, we are both applying to the magic academy you don't need to call me sir.”

“No, I hold no rank please don’t mind me sir.”

Andony let out a sigh.

“I will mind you if you keep calling me sir.”

“Oh… umm… It’s a lovely evening isn’t it?”

She still wouldn't speak to him comfortably.

“It is. Are you worried about tommorow?”

“Yes, I suppose I have no reason to be… My sponsor said i have sufficient control to pass as a second year. I tend to be unlucky however...”

Like tonight... is what she didn’t say. Andony let out an internal sigh.

“Well, Good evening then. My name is Andony Mainer.”

“Ah, I’m Gaily Dyer, soon to be Wistera. Good Evening sir.”

Sir again.

When Andony returned to his room Segrick was sitting looking at the door. Judging by the half asleep look on his face still sitting might be more appropriate.

“Andony why were those girls cracking up… at crude humor no less?”

“The day i met them Amilly listed the things their family should be proud of. Generations of magical research, art, artifacts and their herbs and fruits.”

“I will, for now, pretend that explains Lilly’s giggling. I does in fact explain the unparalleled depth of Amilly’s blush, though not to the extent I am happy with it. Why Amilly laugh?”

“Do you remember what kind of rolls we had?”

“Uhh… yes?”

“There you go.”

“Arse”

The next morning went smoothly. Dandy Secondson, whatever his name was tried to force his company upon lilly again.

“I’m afraid Andony is worse than I am. I will distract him so you don’t have to be bothered by him.”

Amilly followed up on Segricks comment by giving her own comment, “Azton, you are so understanding. Another time then.”

Later when they arrived at the school entrance they checked in with the staff.

“Andony my new friend, if there is just one thing I hate what would you suppose it to be?”

“Your engagment.”

“Two things?”

“Fops; Dandy Secondson I mean Azton in example?

“Four?” This time Segrick raised an eyebrow.

“Cold soups… no your fiance, then cold soups.”

“Well played. The wrong answer I was looking for is waiting.”

“That would be six. Pointless ceremonies then waiting. Waiting is far more tolerable if you aren't waiting for a ceremony.”

“Fine... you win don’t rub it in.”

Lilly turned back and gave Segrick and Andony a glare. Then she started laughing quietly.

Andony looked at Segrick behind him and then facing forward again said. “Segrick my new friend, do you know what I do when I’m forced to wait?”

“No, making an arse of yourself if I had to make a guess.”

“Close, or rather yes, but I won’t admit to it. No, being an arse to people and Dandy Secondsons who deserve it.”

“What like that Azton guy, no I supose he isn’t a person now.”

“Your words not mine. Though I must compliment Sir Azton on his self control. It must truly sting to be openly insulted by someone who doesn't even realize you are there. Though I find Dandy has a certain charm to it Azton. Hopefuly the name doesn’t stick around. That,” finished Andony, “would be terrible.”

‘So would,’ Segrick found himself thinking ‘being unable to respond to that.’ He had turned back to see what Andony was talking about. The exact moment Azton opened his mouth the ceremony bagan. ‘This is going to be a fun year, Andony might be the best friend I ever make.’

Azton was less amused. He vowed silently in his heart that he would make the coming year a hell for Andony. ‘Either way,’ Azton found himself thinking, ‘This will be a long year for this Andony. I will see to it.’