It was a genuinely fine spring day. A lovely spring breeze caressed the grass and leaves of old trees surrounding a hilly mound in the clearing. Atop was a hole beneath a gravestone.

Beloved grandmother and teacher; Eliza Vis

Four figures stood surrounding the shallow grave. A girl with eyes that told of one used of loss, inappropriate on someone barely reaching the age of majority was looking sullen, tears in her eyes. Her grammie Eliza lay within, simply placed on the dirt. Her hands clutched an unknown seed. Her body was still youthful, lacking the wrinkles one would expect to frame the face of seniors, the only indication of age, her head of silver hair.

“Grammie has left us now too.” Tears spilled over her cheeks. May knew her grammie wasn’t truly dead. A powerful sorceress like her will surely become a grand spirit after abandoning her mortal coil. But such knowledge brought no real consolation to the broken hearted girl.

“May… look, I’ll take care of you, find you a husband…”

“I don’t want a husband Dean! I want to take care of grammie's stuff… Take on her mantle, as she intended.” she sniveled in defiance, fidgeting with the hem of her overused mourning dress.

“Let me take over here dear.” Said a lithe looking girl, flicking her boyfriend’s forehead. She hugged the girl and stayed silent, caressing her tar coloured hair. Letting May cry on her shoulder.

A long few moments pass. Released from Anna’s grip May turned to the fourth person in the group. The official from the notary office. The town official put on a nervous smile.

“Now comes the matter for which I am present…” he pulled two documents from his haversack, handing them over to her.

“Lady Vis, as you are 16 and thus at the age of majority you are eligible for the inheritance left behind by your grandmother. To be handed to you by me personally after the funeral rites. As is in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, her title as Lady, all of her possessions, including her property and everything within it, now belong to you. You will find the land deed and title officiation letter enclosed within this document. Please be advised that your title has been retroactively in effect since the previous owner’s passing. The title comes with a burden of responsibility, as I am sure you are aware. Your holding can be subject to inspection at any time by a princedom official. The letter entitles you to a steward, employed by the princedom. The steward that served your grandmother has expressed the desire to continue his service, you may contact him at his residence in the inner district of the castle town, your office in the keep has been kept in pristine condition, and you are expected to be present once every half a year, starting in the winter, to debate policy. Your steward may take part as your representative. Please coordinate with him.”

He hands the first of the folders to her, accepting, she places it under her armpit, looking in askance about the second folder.

“Enclosed in this document you will find some minor items she wished to pass directly to your hand.” He passed over the noticeably thicker folder.

“Now with this unpleasantness behind us, I shall take my leave. You have my condolences lady Vis, mister Dean Smith…”

With an awkward nod he made his exit, leaving the clearing and stepping onto a forest trail, he was not clothed to properly traverse. Her grammie knew how to make trouble for others even after death, choosing a peaceful and secluded spot like this, her grave is sure to be left mostly undisturbed. Just like she wanted.

May’s group exited the forest, coming up to a view of the valley below the forested hill. Rolling hills spotted with farmsteads stretched towards the horizon, increasing in height as they met with it, hinting at a high cliff face. The breeze carried the hint of salt and the fishy smell of the sea, as well as that of manure the farmers were spreading on their fields, looking like a smattering of brown splotches amid a sea of green grass. Looking towards the east she could see the Castle Town of Aemor keep, and the Fisher’s Bay below. A horse drawn carriage speeding along the road leading towards it, carrying the undoubtedly miffed town official. She took in a breath to regain her stamina. Her mourning dress was three years old at this point, and she did a lot of growing in between when she first had it made to now. Her bust felt especially tight, stifling her breathing. Though that might just be the weight of another lost loved one, sitting on her chest. The group oriented themselves towards a nearby homestead doubling as a traveller's inn, where the donkey cart they reserved was waiting for their arrival. Her brother went to speak with the driver, paying the barmaid for the beer consumed in waiting for them.

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They got on the cart in silence as the driver spurned the donkey with gentle whipping and what sounded like muffled pleading. That’s what you get when you employ an ass, she guessed.

Dean was the first to break the silence, a good part of their journey over.

“We have to talk about the future now, May. You spent the last year with grandma, and, honestly I can understand that, what with mother gone. But now, you’ll have to figure out what to do from here on… You haven’t taken any apprenticeships, and other than taking care of a garden, I doubt you know any useful skills. I can’t support you forever, though I wish I could. I spoke with Aaron, and”

“Let me stop you there Dean.” May interrupted him, “I said it before, and I’ll say it again. I AM, NOT, GOING, TO, MARRY. And gardening is not a useless skill, you dolt. Do you know how much care it takes to raise a healthy flower, a fragile herb? No, you do not. Please don’t disparage what I learned from grammie. And must I remind you, her house and garden are now mine as is the entire forest. I’ll get out of your hair just fine!”

“You can’t! There’s nothing around there! Just deep forest, even farther than her grave. I can’t have my baby sister living so far away from home. Why can’t you see that Aaron is just fine? He’s as enamored with her as they come, even if he’s slightly older..

“Dean shut up. If you can’t talk about anything other than getting rid of me, at least stop with the marriage nonsense and let me leave on my own terms!”

“I’m not trying to be rid of you! You’ll be just around the corner. It’ll be fine.” He tried reassuring her. May looked at him with a hurt expression, before averting her eyes. Trying to hide a glimpse of ugly contempt and disgust that crept up on her. Dean winced as he noticed the attempt and fell into sullen silence.

“What else did she teach you, that you are so confident to live off of the land May?” Anna asked.

“Hunting and trapping, skinning, bowmanship, woodworking, weaving, tailoring, alchemy, and the principles of spellcasting.” May answered, exuding confidence in her answer.

“What! What about the inquisition, you can’t be caught practicing witchcraft without license and mage guild membership! If they find you they will have you hanged or worse! And they will come after the family, you know that.”

“First of all Dean, that is true only for commoners. All nobility, even ones with an empty title and no rank like myself, are legally allowed practice. That’s what the Lady title represents. Second, grammie has written an introduction letter, spelled to ensure I’ll receive what I need, even if the folks I speak to are assholes. Third, that is not your problem, nor will it ever be, as I am no longer surnamed Smith. While you are still my brother, legally speaking, you are not at risk of prosecution.”

Dean simply stared. He wasn’t used to his sister speaking in such a tone of voice, it felt just yesterday she still spoke with a slightly childish tone. Also, did she just kick herself out of the family?

“Ain’t nothing wrong living life off the land. Heck, I’ve done it all my life, and there ain’t a problem in my way. Besides, we need a new alchemist around, for all those medicines, now that we lost our previous one” The driver chimed in.

“Right, hard work is quite rewarding! And of course, I wouldn’t let the town suffer without her apothecary, the delivery service will return, as soon as I can get the house in order. Promise!”

Anna looked rather miffed. Her brother would do just about anything to get in May’s good graces, but he was a city boy through and through. Moreover, with May rejecting even the slightest notion of marriage, her and Dean’s situation would get a lot more complicated a lot more quickly than she hoped for. Her father was not exactly thrilled with the long relationship she’s had with Dean, and wanted a double marriage as compromise. Now that May was a titled Lady, by what metric she had no idea, Arron isn’t exactly qualified to court her, while Dean remained as just another blacksmith in the guild. Any talk of marriage was sure to garner May’s disdain. She moved her hand to her belly subconsciously, pondering on the issue, while Dean went on and on about how being a proper town girl and starting her own family is a good thing. He didn’t understand, nor did he begin to think, that anyone could have a want so different from the current norm.