After a long talk that added up to Darla saying "You make the rules here!" I sat on the porch and gazed at the lake. Sanctuary the word brought to mind so many stories. A safe haven, a place of exile, a place of leaning and healing it was all of these. Now six teenagers were tasked to reinvent this place again for a new era. Could we do it? I don't know if we can but we must try! At least I can be Ember here and work my magic. Why they decided to drop this on me and the others is beyond me?

Jenny, Jessie, Tina, Tara and Angel were all mostly new to magic yet I was to teach them and run this place at the same time. I was only a Crystal Mage myself. That is only a artist and enchanter and not a very high one at that. What were Darla and the Queen thinking? Well I had three months to get everything set before the summer begins.

I have to stop thinking for a bit or I will go nuts. Time to make magic. I took out my stores bag and pulled out a two foot long crystal dragon I had been making. I checked it over for cracks or breaks. Finding none I proceeded to enchant my little friend. "Fire and Ice, Earth and Sky come together to harmonize!" I chanted four times as I put my magic in the dragon. Slowly the wings began to move then the head turned to me. I did it! I animated the crystal dragon! The dragon shook itself and cuddled up to me. How long the spell will last I don't know but for now I was happy.

I heard clapping and looked up to see Darla and the girls watching and clapping. I blushed I did not mean this to be a show. They came over and Jenny asked "What you going to name it?" I pursed my lips and thought then said "Cryss, that is a good name for her. Time to fly Cryss!" I picked her up and gently tossed her into the air. She opened her wings and soared around the lake front. Darla watched and shook her head. The girls cheered. Well at least I can do one thing right I thought.

Later we were looking over the houses picking out the ones the others would stay in. There were all types and soon everyone found one to their liking. Darla said I should take the one we had lunch in so I did. It was stocked and had a work room and den so I was happy. The den had all the books I would need to teach the others magic. There was even a perch for Cryss. It was a good home. I unloaded my Ember things in the main bedroom saving the other one for when Darla comes to stay. My two lives were coming into strange balance again.

Darla left and I was puttering around the house getting to know the place. That is when the others showed up to make dinner because their houses were not stocked yet. All but Angel through themselves into the chore. Angel looked uncomfortable not knowing what to do. So I gave her the chore of setting the table. This she managed to do if a bit formally. Soon we were sitting down to a fine meal at my new home.

Tomorrow we will have to draw up a list to stock the other houses and work rooms. Lucky Darla left us some cash to setup the houses. That leaves where to go to shop? In the time I was with Darla I visited three trading posts outside the Great Hall. One or more of these would be good to get the magic supplies. The rest could be got from the town near the school. We will have to make several trips to get it all. We have five houses to outfit and stock so this will take a wile!

While the girls did the dishes I cornered Angel for a little talk. I asked "Have you ever been to the trading posts outside the Great Hall. Like the one at Artrim?" Angel paled and looked away. She was a Princess such places were beneath her. Strangely she nodded once blushing. Well I did not think a Princess would go to such a place let alone admit it.

Just then the wards that I placed at the mirror room when Darla left pinged. That means someone was here. I excused myself and hurried to see who was entering Sanctuary. It did not take long to find out. Just outside the mirror room a maid was standing with what was probably all her worldly possessions. I looked to see what house she served but she bore no crest. She caught sight of me and curtsied. As I walked up I glanced at her hands and found she wore no ring. This means someone put her through the mirror stranding her here. Strange way to do things I thought. Angel, who had followed me, stated "That is a nobles maid dress. No crest means she is a new hire. What is she doing here?" The maid held out a letter. I was closer so took the letter. I checked the seal but it had no crest. Stranger and stranger things seem to be getting. I looked at Angel and she nodded. I sighed and opened the letter.

To The Six,

A Friend

That was all. I read it again but it made no sense. Who would send us a maid. Calling us the six must mean something. It was probably the Queen or Darla. But why the lack of crest and all? Well we will just have to give her a crest. There is only two that could do that and that is Angel and me. Angel seem to be reading my thoughts and chuckled. "You do it, your crest is the one that brought us here." Then it popped into my head that I had not seen Angel wear a crest since the Queen banished her. I decided to think on that later and approached the maid. She shivered a little. She was scared. I smiled to put her at ease then touched the ring to the crest spot and the crest appeared. She now worked for me.

Now that I had a maid I needed someplace for her to live. Well there is the small servants quarters behind the kitchen at my place, I guess she could stay there. I waved the maid to follow then started back to the house. Angel turned with me but did not say anything. When we got back the others were gone back to their houses as indicated by the note they left. I showed the maid to her rooms told her we would discuses her duty's in the morning. I asked her name? She said "My name is Zoe." With that I said goodnight.

Angel was still hanging out so I decided to ask her about the crest then maybe the trading post thing. I was about to bring it up when Angel spoke "I am sure you have noticed that I have not been wearing a crest lately. That is because I have decided to leave my mothers house." I was staggered with this news! I was not sure what to say. A Princess leaving the royal house is unheard of. "Will you be setting up your own house then?" I asked. "No, I will be joining yours." She paced around the room. "Here I am the oddball even the maid is in your house! We need to be united to make a go of Sanctuary! You can not join my mothers house so I will join yours!" I took a moment to take all this in. It did make sense. "Well, if you have made up your mind Angel, So Be It!" She moved forward to stand right in front of me. "Mark Me!" she said in a strong voice. I lifted the ring to the crest spot. That was it. She was no longer a princess.

Later after Angel went back to her home I sat wondering if we did the right thing. This could get real sticky when the Queen finds out. Just then the wards gave a familiar tingle. Darla was back and she was not alone. I went to the porch to wait for them. With Darla was a troop of six knights in training from the look of them. What were they doing here? Darla walked up to me and said "The Queen thought that you could use some strong help around here. So these six are assigned to Sanctuary. Can you find them a place to stay?" I sighed more body's to care for. "There is a bunkhouse for the guard next to the mirror room that should do them fine. We will talk of gear and duty's in the morning." Dang it things are snowballing!

After getting the boys settled Darla and I was sitting on the porch looking at the lake. I decided she had to know. "Angel left here Mother's house this evening and joined mine. She now wears the Sword and the Rose crest. It was her idea." I watched her as she took that in. "That is unexpected I will inform the Queen. She may want to do something about that. Not that there is anything she can do." She grinned at the last part. Darla Decided to stay the night so we said goodnight and headed to our rooms.

When I came down in the morning Zoe was in the kitchen familiarizing herself with where things go. I smiled and told her to make a pot of tea. I was sure the others would be here soon. I would have her feed the girls then go feed the boys. Wile she is doing that I will check the armory to see what we had. I set things in motion then started making lists. Cryss landed on my shoulder and I scratched her between the wings just like she liked.

The girls came in and I began to tell them what needed to be done today. News that there was boys in the area really got them asking questions. Angel smiled "A guard troop to protect Sanctuary how proper. I must inspect them at once." I frowned "Not until I have kitted them out in the proper gear. They came in with little. I will introduce them to everyone this afternoon." Angel was going to say something till I flashed my ring at her pulling rank! She did not look happy but let it go.

We soon split up to do our work checking what we had and what we needed. I headed to the armory to see if we could kit out the boys. It was strange there was no wards here. More work for me. My ring opened the bared door into a knights toy store. We had all we needed and more to do the job. One less worry to keep me up at night. I decided to take care of this right away. I headed to the bunkhouse to get this over.

The boys were sitting waiting for orders. "All right we are going to kit you out then you will meet the others. Follow me." with that I headed back to the armory. They fell in behind me without a word. When we got there I held up my hand and they stopped. I turned "Who is in charge of this troop?" A large guy stepped forward. "And your name is?" I asked. "Ben of Longmire" "Do you know how to kit someone out from armor to weapons?" He thought a moment then said "Yes My lady." Well kit them and yourself well. I will look you all over after. Don't get greedy but do it right! I turned to my next task.

There was many storage rooms along the cavern wall. I stuck my head in many of them to find many of the things we will need for the summer. When I found a whole room packed with boxes of crystals I almost swooned. I was set for my research. I decided to head back and check on the boys.

They all were standing outside the armory in chain mail and set up with their favorite weapons. It was a impressive sight. Well we had a guard. I spotted Angel coming this way. Well it was alright I could use her eyes to check them over. She had did this before so it would be good to have her here. She barely glanced at them. "We got trouble. Darla just got a call from the Queen. She is very mad at both of us. I am not sure we can get out of this one." I shrugged and said "If we can't get away with it, own it! Let her be angry she put us in this position in the first place! Let's get on with the job at hand." So we did. Angel inspected the troop, passing them all.

Cryss swooped in with a note from Darla. I scratched Cryss and read the note.

Ember,

Queen raging now. You should keep low for a bit Angel too. I am heading back to see if I can cool her. I will be back when I can. Make more Sanctuary rings your going to need them.
Darla

Well I guess things are going to get hot now. More rings well that can be done. We left the boys to set a guard on the mirror room and armory. That should keep them busy. The store rooms have everything we need for magic class. That means we only need to go out for food shopping. With what's in my pantry that won't be till next weekend. I need to ask the boys if they go to school and how they get there.

Zoe had lunch ready when we got back. We sat and ate without much talking. I sent Zoe to take lunch to the boys. Tara offered to help her so they headed out. I decided to teach a class in ring making to kill time. It was a easy magic spell so the girls took to it right away. When Tara and Zoe got back I set Zoe to cleaning and got Tara up to speed on ring making. The next part I would have to do myself. Enchanting items takes skill and experience. I was turning the rings the girls made into portal rings. I placed the rings in a circle and began laying the three layers of enchantments. It took a long time but about two in the morning I finished the casting. Then I staggered to bed planning on sleeping late.

The best laid plans. Someone was shaking me, Dang it! It was Jenny "Darla's back you need to get up. I sighed and got up. This was not going to be a good day! I felt like death warmed over. I pulled on some clothes and headed down stairs. Darla was pacing when I got into the kitchen. "We got trouble. The Queen does not want to let this go! She is really angry at you two." I looked at her "Well let the two Queens talk it out. Seems to be the right thing to do in this instants." She stopped pacing and looked at me like I had grown another head. "What two Queens?" I smiled a crafty smile. "Why the Queen of the Great Hall and the Queen of Sanctuary." They all just stared at me.

The kitchen blew up with everyone talking at once. Everyone but me. I was looking at Angel smiling. A idea had formed in my head last night and now I was giving it a try. Angel looked over at me and it hit her I meant her! Darla called for silence. Once everyone stopped talking she asked me who I meant. "Well I am to busy with running things and my magic so it can't be me. So who do you think has the best chance to make a good Queen?" Everyone looked around till one by one their eyes fell on Angel. "Unless there is an objection I hereby as head of the house declare Angel Flower to be the new Queen of Sanctuary! I'll make you a crown when I get around to it." There were no objections.

Darla soon left to set up the meet between the two Queens. Hopefully it will be next weekend so we don't miss any school. I set on the porch making a crystal crown for Angel. I used all my skill and six types of crystal. Threading them in a complex pattern that caught and held the eye. It was light so it would not give her a headache. I was quite proud of it. The others were looking all over to find the right outfit to go with the crown. We had to hurry so we could head back to school for the week.

Angel would be Queen, I would be Head Mage, Ben would be the Guard Captain. The others would get titles when their strengths came out. This is the idea I had and it was working out so far. This was just the start and so much has already happened. I wonder if Jenny will ever get back to that dress she was making?