The door burst open and a young woman, looking almost identical to Ellessea, popped in, carrying a sheathed sword as if it was a venomous snake. She held it out for the people in the room to see and asked, “Do you all know how much a weapon like this is worth? Why on earth is it just sitting outside our door?”

“Ah,” Raksha said, standing up. Ellane jumped, noticing him for the first time. “That’s mine. I left it there, I didn't want to just walk into your house armed.”

“It's yours?” Ellane responded incredulously, “who the hell are you? Ellessea,” she added looking over at her sister, “Why is a slave corps person in our house?”

“He’s not a slave,” Ellessea replied hotly, “He’s freed, that's what the brand on his left cheek means, you dumbass.”

Ellane looked over at Raksha again and he cupped his cheek and angled it so she could see it clearly, with an innocent look on his face. She didn't have a response for that and stood there, rooted and confused.

Raksha moved forward to take his sword, but Ellane stepped back, holding the weapon protectively.

“Earthen madness, Ellane,” Ellessea said, standing up herself, “Give the man his sword back, it's his you nitwit.”

“You want me to give a criminal a weapon?” Ellane replied angrily. “What is he doing here anyway? Shouldn’t we call the guards?”

It was Ellessea’s turn to get angry and she marched up and snatched the sheathed sword. “He’s NOT a criminal! In fact, he’s a citizen, something you aren’t so I suggest you show some respect.”

She turned to hand over the sword to Raksha, but she felt something funny with the weapon. She looked down at it for a second, trying to figure out what was happening. Then the realization hit her. It was sucking in her mana!

Raksha stepped forward and quickly took the sword from her with a smile and a wink. “Thanks for defending me, Ellessea.”

Ellessea hardly heard it. She had never experienced an object absorbing her mana like that, but she knew what it meant. It was one of the first things she was told when she found out she was a mana spring, people who had a mana spring could charge enchanted items directly. It would be one of her duties while she was at the governor's palace, keeping some of the wards and enchantments charged.

That meant the sword was an enchanted item.

The idea was mind boggling, the value of the weapon now several magnitudes higher than Ellane thought. It didn’t make sense.

Men couldn’t even use enchanted items. Right?

While Ellessea kept a stupid look on her face, Raul stepped in and answered the increasingly agitated Ellane’s question.

“Raksha came because of Ellessea's guild request she sent out a year ago.” Before Ellesea could gather her wits and stop her brother, he continued, “Ellesea had asked for a man to come and marry her. Isn’t that sweet?” he gave a small giggle.

Embarrassment was the least of Ellessea’s worries, now she wanted to strangle her brother and his blabbermouth.

“He what?” Ellane exploded predictably. Ellessea winced and Raul recoiled.

“Are you crazy?!” Ellane continued, “You asked a whore to come and bed you?!”

“Don’t call him that!” Ellessea shouted back. “And he said marriage, you idiot. Can’t you listen??”

“I don’t care what he is,” Ellane added, unrepentant, “He has got to go. What if the Yilners hear of this? Are you trying to piss off your future husband and the entire House? My God, you sent out a request for a husband? What is wrong with you?”

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Flushing in rage, Ellessea bit back, “I sent it over a year ago, long before any of this crap happened! We were just being hospitable and then sending him on his way.”

“All this crap?” Ellane thundered back. She pointed over at her aggressively, “You get the world handed to you and you treat it like garbage!”

“I didn’t ask for this, Ellane! I didn’t want any of this.”

“This isn’t just about you, you selfish asshole! Our whole family is involved here, what do you think will happen to us if you don’t play along?”

“Oh please, don’t act like you aren’t benefiting from this.” Ellessea replied, clenching her fists, “You get my inheritance now, my land, my farm, all that now falls to you now that I am out of the picture.”

“Like that compares to what you get! Unlimited mana, training in spellcraft, fine food and clothes, a life of luxury. And tons of sex with the most beautiful man in Delnin! But you’d rather sleep with the freak of a slave and play in the dirt!”

“Don’t call him that!” Ellessea shrieked, reaching a breaking point and launching herself at her sister. Raul screamed as the two tumbled over each other, hitting the table and knocking it over.

Ellessea got a few good punches in before she felt a strong grip grab the back of her shirt. A second later she was hauled off her sister, who was now sporting a black eye and glaring daggers at her.

Those punches felt good.

“Cool it you two,” Raksha said calmly. “It's every man’s dream to have women fighting over him, but this takes it a little too far, don’t you think?”

Ellane got up from the floor, wiping a bleeding lip.

Raul stepped forward and wacked Ellane in the side of the head with a rolling pin. Ellane tumbled backwards, dazed, but still on her feet. Ellessea felt a grin grow across her face, before a sharp wince. Ellane had gotten a good hit on her too.

“I can’t believe you two,” Raul hissed out, the glare on his face savage. “Brawling in our house in front of a guest? What will our parents say, have you two lost all sense of hospitality?”

Ellane started to grumble, but Raul cut her off, “You, Ellane, you must apologize to Raksha for what you said, none of it is true, you are just letting your anger at Ellessea blind you.”

Still rubbing her head, Ellane looked to refuse, but eventually crumbled under her brother’s gaze. “Sorry,” She mumbled low, looking away.

“And you, Ellessea,” pointing his rolling pin at his other sister, “starting a fight? In our house? One of you could have been seriously hurt!”

“She started it!” Ellessea countered, still glaring at Ellane. “You heard what she said!”

“Hey,” Raksha butted in. Ellessea looked back at the man, remembering for a moment how easily he had lifted her off Ellane. “She said she was sorry, I have now forgiven her. I’ve heard plenty of worse things said in the heat of the moment.”

Ellessea was appalled at his words, but he continued, “Look, I didn't come here to cause trouble. In my opinion this is all over nothing, nothing is happening, there is no reason to fight each other. Let’s all just settle down and take a deep breath.”

Ellane stared angrily at them both for a moment, and then stalked off, leaving the house and slamming the door behind her.

“That selfish prick.” Ellessea muttered after Ellane was gone. “I can’t believe she said all those things about you. It’s not like I want all this.”

“Ellessea,” Raul pleaded, “You know she is just jealous, and you rubbing it in doesn’t help.”

“I’m doing nothing of the sort!” She retorted.

Raksha sighed and looked around at the fallen table and chairs. He bent down and uprighted a chair. “I should go, before I cause anymore trouble.” Ellessea felt a sudden pang at those words, realizing that he was probably right.

“Go where?” Raul asked, putting down the rolling pin and picking up a few tossed dishes from the ground.

“I suppose it is too late to reenter the city and grab a room at an inn.” Raksha commented dryly. “The gates will be closed by the time I get back.”

“You can spend the night here, with me.” Raul stated with finality. “We can’t let a young man like you wander around after dark, especially outside the city. You’ll be safe here with us. Besides,” he cast a cheeky grin over to Ellessea, “It's our fault you are out here in the first place. It's just basic hospitality.”

Raksha paused, considering while he uprighted the table with Ellessea. “I wouldn’t want to impose. Ellane is upset enough already.”

“Forget about her,” Ellessea added eagerly. “Our parents won’t come back to the city tonight either. It will be no trouble. What are you going to do, sleep outside?”

“But I am very good at sleeping outside,” Raksha said with an innocent smile. “No, you are right, it would be nice to sleep inside again. I’ll spend the night and leave in the morning, if you both are certain.”

Ellessea felt a smile light her face. Then she cursed herself for being so stupid.