One afternoon I would walk around the courtyard with Morgan practicing my speech. Another I would be sparring with her in the arena. Turns out that Gerald was released from military service because they had a hard time controlling him and wanted Morgan to do most of the fighting instead of the men. This to me seems a waste in power.

There was apparently a battle with a pack of frost wolves. The commanding officer told Gerald to "Sacrifice your Gryphon so we can get away."

When Gerald told his commanding officer that he would rather fight alongside the men than leave Morgan to fight and die alone. Everything turned ugly. Needless to say he was s.h.i.+pped home and labeled a Monster Lover. That is apparently a bad thing in the army. Morgan was happy on the other hand because he valued her more than his commanding officer.

It was several weeks later that we heard a servant read a decree from the royal family.

" Sir Gerald Von Carnac has been hereby released from his majesty's army dishonorably. For his acts against a superior officer and his unit he will be bound to this house and surrounding grounds for the following 5 years. His Gryphon may remain by him. He will not be allowed to affiliate or see any member of my court or any kind of royal that he comes across. Any act of doing so will be seen as treason and he will be so dealt with by public execution. So says his Majesty the King."

The servant lowered the scroll with shaking hands and a pale face. Sam's father was clenching his hands on and off.

" Do those fools have any idea how much time and effort it takes to raise a familiar!? Or that damage transfers from familiar to the contractor when it gets too much!?" His voice was a growl and it dripped with a sense of violence.

" If it had been my eagle to that field I would have done the same. They asked him to stake his life and Morgans for some d.a.m.n earl. I'm a Duke! Our status should be seen as such! Now my own son has to abide by this foolishness and avoid my very presence within my own house!" He stood and his chair skidded back.

" I will speak to his majesty of this outrage!" He stormed from the room as the rest of us sat there in shock.

Sam slowly shook her head, looked at her brother, and finally spoke.

" We are not members of the kings court. So of course we can be around you Gerald. The king can't change that." She winked at him. " Meanwhile.... Bryant is at school and not set to come home till after the months of fire ( summer essentially). Soon we'll all be together again."

Geralds face lit up a little but his eyes still seemed a little dead.

" It's not such a big deal Sammy. After all. I had this coming for me." He got up from the table and slowly exited the room. It was sad seeing him go. The way he walked was so slow and somber. He usually walked with briskness and energy. Now he looked for all the world like a lost puppy.

{Sam. There's nothing we can say or do to deal with this. I would trust your father to deal with this.} I looked at her and felt the sadness that went through her. She patted my head. " I know. But what else can we do while we wait?"

I turned and laid my head down in thought.

" We can go to the place you found me. I've always wanted to go there." I said after some consideration.

Sam's eyes got slightly wide.

"You do know that place is a little less dangerous than the Forest you were living in?!" Sam said with a little fear. "Not to mention that every beast there is fire based. I would be burnt to ashes!"

I continued to look at her with a dissatisfied look. " You were 15 when you went and got my egg from there. Now that 4 years have pa.s.sed and you're stronger you don't dare go back?" I slightly baited her ego. Unfortunately for me her ego didn't change anything.

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" No. A thousand times, No. We can go to the forest for more training. But not that place."

I sighed and laid my head down. My stomache growled. (Perhaps I should go to the kitchen.) I started down the hallway toward the kitchen and heard a squawk. I looked up and saw Malphus standing on a out hanging ledge. ( Odd... isn't he normally with Sam's father?) I looked around. Nothing.

It was around 5 hours later that Sam's father returned. His face was darkened and he held a deep red scroll in his hands. Sam looked concerned and she felt afraid of the scroll. Sam's father looked at her and slowly handed her the scroll with a low voice. " His majesty asked that I give you this." Sam slowly took the scroll and her father quickly left.

Sam and I retreated to her room. She sat on the bed, slowly opened the scroll, and began to read. " Samantha Von Carnac. Being commissioned by his majesty the king. And due to the circ.u.mstances which have been set in motion. His majesty has agreed to lift your brothers sentence if you agree to marriage to his imperial highness. If not, your familiar shall be forced into the arena of shadows instead. So says his majesty the king." My scales were on edge. I was fuming. " That Filthy Pig!!!! How dare he threaten us!!! " I shouted. " If he dares step foot close to you I'll fry him myself!" I'd heard about that arena from Sam.

It was a place of pitch black darkness. There was no light. Just combat and slaughter. The place was a h.e.l.l filled with blood and destruction. Only one familiar made it out of there alive. And he died a few hours afterward.

Sam's eyes were full of tears. "Why is it that our family can't find a moment of peace?" She whispered. She looked at me and I saw a lightbulb go on in her mind. She bent and picked me up. " Ignis..... How do you feel about becoming and adventurer with me?"