Amanda is standing quietly on the threshold of the study, hoping that her new master won't notice her. She's also sure that the tall redheaded man behind her won't allow that to happen. He has been most insistent on bringing her directly here and not allowing her to have time to make herself presentable. She was positive that she would simply make all the wrong first impression and that might take years to correct.

Nervously clutching the cloak that Rod had allowed her loan of during the night's long ride, she feels acutely aware of the dirt she has allowed to build up on her body. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now the defense she had developed to keep Kelleran at a distance had her downright ashamed of the way she looked and smelled. Even if she did succeed in not making a move or sound, surely the stink surrounding her would announce her presence. She started to mouth a curse at the redhead, but bit it off. She never knew one of her curses would stick and actually harm someone.

From his chair in front of the fire the High Lord James, Wizard of the Hills, Clanchief of Willowstaff, her new master, beckons to invite her in.

"Come in child, it is customary to present your self upon arrival."

Gathering her scattered courage, Amanda enters the room. She had been to worried to notice how richly the study was furnished. She was busy trying not to stare at everything at once, and nearly forgot to curtsey when she stopped in front of the old man's chair.

"Master." Trembles it's way past her lips.

A strong hand raises her from her knees, and a friendly smile greets her eyes when she dares a look up.

"Roderick, why is this child in rags and a slave's collar?"

"Just keeping up appearances, O Most Fearsome One. We wouldn't want to tarnish your sterling reputation with a little slip up like not collaring the latest addition to your harem. The dirt and rags do seem to be her own idea though. Shall I turn her over to the girls before or after feeding her supper?"

"Before. She can join me here for a late supper after her bath. Amanda, follow Roderick to the women's wing and then do whatever it is that Cynthyanna wants of you. No disagreements, or arguments allowed. Someone will bring you back here when she thinks you're ready."

"Yes, Master."

Amanda doesn't notice but, her response causes his eyes to roll while a small sigh escapes him.

The redhead clears his throat and jerks his head in the general direction of the door. Amanda curtsies again and follow him out into the hall. A hundred questions are bursting at her lips, but she bites them to keep all that chatter inside. She couldn't believe the way that Rod had spoken to his clanlord. Tossing the gossip about his private preferences in his face like that. That sort of thing just had to be dangerous.

She steals a look at his face as the move down the warm hallway. He was looking at her, smiling gently.

"Only half of it's true, you know."

"Half of what?"

"Half of what everybody says that they know about him."

He winks as they turn a sudden corner to an alcove in the wall.

"Here we are. Just on the other side of this door lies a place no man may see. This is the women's wing and Cynthyanna is waiting for you."

Reaching over her read, he raps soundly on the door.

"New arrival's here my Lady."

Then, with a courtly bow, he abandons her to stand in front of a closed door and wait. It really had been one of those sort of days, and Amanda found herself on the verge of tears. Suddenly she felt overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the last few days and she desperately wanted her mother. The door didn't open right away and Amanda was really working up to a good cry. It was all just so unfair. Nothing would ever be the same. And nothing was going to make her feel any better about it.

Just as the floodgates finally burst, the door opens to reveal Lady Cyntyanna, who immediately gathers the weeping child into her arms, and ushers her into the ante chamber.

"Hush little one, it's not as bad as all that. Shh...shh.."

But the weeping goes on undiminished, as the two of them sink onto the carpeted floor in a puddle of tears and comfort. With her large eyes red and filled with tears, Amanda looks carefully at the woman who is holding her so closely.

"What's to become of me here?" She finally manages to ask. The fear of the possible answer had kept the question unasked until that very moment.

"You really must ask that of James and not me. I do think that you'll be rather pleasantly surprised by the answer. Come, lets get a nice warm bath started for you. I think Scarleena may have a frock you can borrow until we have the time to make you some clothes of your own."

The bath turned out to be wonderful. There was plenty of hot water, and wonderful smelling concoctions to wash away the build up of grime. The bathing chamber had its own fireplace, complete with a blazing fire and the towel that Amanda was drying herself with had been taken from the drying rack on the hearth.

Cynthyanna had excused herself to look for some decent clothing, so Amanda found herself alone. She crossed from the wet side of the room to the dry side near the warmth of the fire and sat down on a stool wrapped in her towel. Nothing horrible had happened yet, so maybe all the rumours about this place would turn out to be untrue. But then maybe they were just trying to get her to lower her guard. Who could tell anyway? So far no one had actually answered her questions either. She still had no clue as to what her fate might be.

When Cynthyanna returned she was still in front of the fire, trying to comb the tangles out of her hair with her fingers.

"Let me help you with that. I want to hurry and get you to James for your supper. You know if I let you keep him up too late, he won't be any fun tonight."

Cynthyanna laughed at the shocked expression on Amanda's face.

"Don't look too surprised dear, he is my husband after all."

Soon Amanda found herself once again outside the study door. The dress she bad been given to wear was simply beautiful. It was even lovelier than anything she had ever seen Lady Kelleran in, and it was just a cast off from one of the house maids. Amanda thought to herself that the deep green fabric it was made of set off her green eyes nicely. The image that had confronted her in the bath's full length mirror had been a surprising one. She hadn't recognized the high status lady in the green dress as herself.

The Lady of the Manor ushered her into the study where a cart with dinner for two stood to one side of the fireplace. With a wink and a kiss blown to her husband, Cynthyanna excused herself. A small boy brought the cart to rest between two chairs and uncovered the steaming dishes, releasing simply wonderful scents. He then poured a cup of wine and brought it to his master's chair.

"Anything else, my lord?"

"No, thank you Sanderin. You may be excused for the evening."

With a smile and a bow he made his way out, closing the door behind.

All this time Amanda had been standing nervously just inside the door, twisting her hands and biting her lips. Her new Clan Lord beckoned her to his side, sipping from the cup in his hand.

"Come, Amanda. You and I will enjoy some of Antony's marvelous cooking together. Do you drink wine, or would you prefer a cup of milk or tea?"

His manner set her at ease and with out even thinking to hesitate, she requested tea and seated herself in the other chair. Only to hop up nearly immediately, to curtsey and ask his permission to be seated.

The most feared man in the Mountains laughed softly at her antics.

"Please child, don't spend the rest of the evening this jumpy. You and I are going to share a meal. That doesn't mean that you should hop up and down begging my permission for this or that, and it doesn't mean that I'm expecting you to wait on me. Sit, serve yourself some of this wonderful kury, and enjoy your supper."

She sat back down in her chair with a little plop of surprise and accepted the cup tea he handed her from across the cart. Trying not to appear too eager, she set about helping herself to the contents of the steaming dishes before her. There was a dish of carrots and something green; and one with chunks of lamb in a fragrant sauce; and another with spiced potatoes. The bread was still warm from the oven and didn't have that taste of not quite rotting grain.

No attempt at small talk was made through outt the first platterful. Having cleaned her platter with the last of her piece of bread, Amanda looked a little longingly at the not quite empty serving dishes, not sure if she should dare a second helping. James smiled and began heaping lamb and vegetables onto her platter.

"There's plenty to eat here, dear. And you can have as much as you want. Please don't be too shy. I know a little about how Kelleran keeps his women and it's much different here. Now, between bites, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself."

It had never seemed to Amanda that there would be very much to tell about her short life, but the man on the other side of the dinner cart was very interested in every little thing. What colour was the birthing gown her mother wore on the day she had been born? White of course, the priests insisted that if the mother wore white at birth, then the child couldn't possibly have the witchling's gifts. How many times had she been wrong about the sex of an unborn child, or what colour it's eyes would turn? Unlike the whispering ladies of Kelleran's clan, he didn't seem the least surprised that she had yet to be wrong about such simple things.

"Oh, no my lord. The natural things are quite easy to know. It's knowing how someone will act or re-act that seems quite impossible."

Amanda was by now quite at ease, if still a little anxious to please, and answering his questions without hesitation.

"So, tell me Amanda, do you know what your ex-clan lord had planned for you?"

She swallowed and looked directly into the gentle gray eyes across from her.

"Yes, sir. I do. He wanted to take my virgin's veil on the chapel altar, while the priest said the holiest mass. They both think that doing that before I am actually a woman will drive the witchling possessing me out and leave me a normal woman. If that failed, I suppose that he would have let the rest of the men in the keep have me before burning me to 'save' what ever may have been left of my soul."

As she spoke the words defining the fate that was no longer to be, a great shudder passed through her. James reached across, taking her small hand in his. This she raised to her lips and kissed, as a single tear fell on its back.

"Thank you, Sire. Now I am yours to command."

James stroked the side of her face and a wave comfort and acceptance washed over her being. The tiny frightened part of her soul perked up in hope at his touch.

"I think then that I have some very good news for you, Amanda Willowstaff."

Another thrill washed over her as he refereed to her by her new name.

"For starters, no one here has the right to force you into sexual acts before you are ready for them. When you find someone that you desire, the two of you can work out whether it's time to have sex or not. I do not tolerate rape. If someone makes advances on you that you don't want, tell them 'no', and they will leave you alone.
Next, you need to know that here, in Clan Willowstaff, your abilities are welcome. They are the reason you are here. I know that your whole life you've heard that you must be cursed. Your clan was afraid of you, afraid of what you knew that they didn't want to know. It's not that way here. Almost everybody here has some kind of gift like yours. Maybe to see someone's future. Maybe to make things move by wishing. Maybe to heal wounds, or break fevers. Something that we can do, that most people can't. It caused us to be de-clanned, banished on mid-winter night to starve or freeze as the gods saw fit; or lately, to be put to death by fire. I demanded that your uncle sell you to me to save your life, Amanda. I've known about you since you were born, I've always intended to bring you here to me. I spend every ounce of energy I have to spare to find and save witchling children all over these mountains. Here Amanda, you will find people to teach you how to strengthen your gifts. Others your own age to play with who don't fear you. A safe home to live in, and a clan that will love you."

Amanda found herself on her Clan Lord's lap, arms around his neck.

"Know that you are wanted and loved. Welcome, Amanda, to Clan Willowstaff, the witchling clan. Be one with us, giving protection as we protect and provide for you."

From deep within her the answer came, with out hesitation.

"Aye, Lord Willowstaff. I accept your name and clan, from this time forth, I am vassal to you, with all obligations and rights. I am Amanda of Willowstaff."

As the words died away, something inside Amanda broke, or maybe healed. Suddenly she was sure that she had come home. It would take some time to get over the ingrained suspicions and shyness, but she knew into the depths of her being that this was where she belonged.

The adoption complete, James set her back on her feet. There was a knock on the door, which opened to reveal a smiling young woman.

"Amanda, this is Fae, Fae this is Amanda. Please show her to her new room and see that she has everything she needs for the night."

"Of course, lord Jim. Please, come with me."

She held out her hand, and Amanda hastily bowed to her new lord, and took it. They walked down the hallway back to the alcove where the door to the women's wing was. Amanda was surprised when Fae just opened the door. She had expected a lock or something, since no men were allowed in.

"None of the lads would dare open this door. If one of them did, it would leave them also open to our invasion of their privacy. They don't come in here and we don't go into their wing. There's a separate wing with mixed quarters, and we're free to choose which wing we want to live in. We're starting you here in the women's wing, you may stay here, or move to the mixed wing as you wish."

They passed through a door off the main hall into a small but clean room. Fae dropped the small neat bundle she had been carrying onto the bed.

"There's a nightshirt, some clean underthings and a face cloth in here. Your pitcher's full. You've got a chamber pot if you want, or there's a privy closet at the end of the hall to your right as you leave your door. I'm right next door to the right. If you need anything, don't hesitate to knock. Antony starts serving break-fast about an hour after sunrise. I'll knock when I'm going down and show you the way in the morning. Welcome home."

She hugged Amanda warmly and left, closing the door behind her. Amanda was all alone in a room of her very own. It was small but there was plenty of room to move around in. The bed looked warm and clean. There was a wardrobe for her things. A writing desk with pen and paper and ink, and it's own stool. A set of shelves, empty except for a small vase with some dried flowers. There was a tiny fireplace, with a good draw the room was warm, but not smoky.

In the wardrobe she found a mirrored door, a brush and comb and an assortment of hair ribbons that seemed to have been picked out to look good in her hair. And a second frock, this one a little more like an everyday frock she thought. Not quite as fancy as the one she had on, but still better than any she had owned before.

As she lay in bed, just on the edges of sleep, she sent a dream wish to her mother. {They have found me mother. I am safe now. You were right. I did not belong with you anymore. I loved you.} Tomorrow she would wake up and start her new life.