Nita studied the brutalized green body’s laying on the road at her feet and frowned with a deep sigh. It had happened so quickly, barely and eye blink, and the whole conflict was over.

“Well, shit.” Nita played with her torn sleeve, not sure how it had gotten damaged. “Now I’ll have to find a tailor. And I liked this shirt.”

“A tailor isn't going to help with the blood stains,” Cid pointed out tersely. Taking in the vivacious bloodstained brunette. “And don’t forget to clean your sword, father will have your hide, if you let it rust into the scabbard again.”

“Come, on! Give me a break, that was like, five years ago.” Nita whined, wiping her blade with a rag, then crouching down to put two fingers to the neck of the Orc woman at her feet. “She's still alive; nice and steady beat. Should we, maybe, collar her?” Nita said surprised then asked hesitantly as she studied the stomach wound, she'd inflicted. It wasn't gushing blood or waste. The earlier conversation still front-of-mind. “I must have missed the vitals and she passed out from the pain and shock. She's not bad looking for an orc, small tusks, young, be a real shame to see her hang for banditry. Maybe she will agree to the brand instead?” Nita mused sadly.

“Check the others; either they are bandits, or feral. So, worst case there won't be a bounty.” Cid smiled thinly rummaging around in his saddle bags. Practical as always. He finally came out with a simple copper collar that had no apparent clasp. “The horses will be worth more.” Cid said glancing at the two mares he had managed to round up.

“The others are toast, your flames cooked two really good, and a blade in the eye isn't really conducive to survival. Give me that.” Nita said swiping the collar from Cid’s hand, not bothering to check the other bodies. She let a little of her mana trickle into the collar, and it snapped open as a couple runes glowed a deep blue on its surface. “Want me to bind her, or do you want to do the honors?”

“If you decide to keep her, I'll just take a larger share of the horses.” Cid shrugged. “Are you going to use a potion, or try another flesh magic experiment?” he shuddered.

“I'll have you know, making wealthy women's breasts and butts bigger is a very noble calling.” Nita smirked sticking her tongue out at Cid. “And yes, I want to try and reattach violently severed veins and arteries. This is a perfect opportunity.”

“Speaking of tits, why do you insist on keeping yours so small? I bet if you made yours bigger you could finally find yourself a husband.” Cid teased, taking in Nita’s striking blue eyes, aristocratic face, toned body and fantastic ass in her leather pants. “Hell, if father hadn't sold me off to Lady Conway, I might have had a go at you.” He joked. “If you had tits.”

“Big boobs get in the way of certain sword forms. Only men and boys think they are an asset. Do you know how many women develop bad backs from large breasts? And don’t joke; we both know you’re in love with Elena. You just can't seem to admit it to yourself, yet.” Nita said giving Cid a serious look.

Crouching, she closed the collar around the Orc’s neck. Then, with a dagger she pulled from her belt, she pricked her finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the collar. Five different runes flared red then gold as the collar once more became seamless. A bracelet matching the collar formed quickly around Nita’s left wrist; as the collar was attuned to her essence.

“Besides what self-respecting guard cares about her breasts. It’s all about strength, agility, dexterity and technique.” She said fingering the new bracelet.

“Wait. Wait, you're telling me you tried big tits and it got in the way of your sword play. Oh, I'm so telling father about this. He is not going to believe me.” Cid said raising his hands in excitement.

“Seriously! That’s what you take away from what I just said? Besides he knows; I did it at court that one time, remember, you were there, and trust me, he doesn’t want to know about my boobs.” Nita said exasperated.

She moved to examine the wound in the Orcs side prying it open gently with her fingers and probing mentally with her flesh magic, double checking that no major organs were damaged. Finding a few nicks in her bowels she held them together and forced blood to flow more rapidly to the spots with her magic: to increase the natural healing in those areas. A trick she learnt from removing bruises and small cuts from sparring. She’s going to be hungry when she wakes up. Nita thought. Moving onto the veins and arteries Nita carefully held them together and coaxed the blood to clot then rebuild. Half formed memories of biology class from Earth came bubbling to the surface. Damn I wish I could remember more, but what 13-year-old really paid that much attention in class. Get a grip, Nita, it was 6 years ago: nothing for it now. You have been incredibly lucky so far.

Thinking of her first few days on Astra, Nita smiled. The Galloway’s had been very understanding when she tripped and took am interdimensional header into their inner courtyard. She didn't realize it at the time but her lack of brands, either family, master or slave, and her young age had led her benefactors to believe she had come from a wealthy merchant or minor noble family. Apparently not having either mark was rare in that part of the capital. Getting into the wealthy quarters was almost impossible for peasants. Even nobles without slaves had their master’s brands before they turned 10. Often it was a family’s brands like the Galloway three stars. Retainers also had a small tattoo denoting which family maintained their loyalty. Her three stars were circling her left elbow. She was lucky Lord Galloway took her in and treated her like a daughter. Later training her to be a personal guard and companion for Cid, their youngest son. Never would she have thought the dance classes her mom insisted on would be a good foundation for the sword and spear. Apparently, the ability to learn body movements was invaluable.

Too bad she had to despair about ever growing boobs during her awakening. Maybe she could have been something cool like a crystal or ice mage. But she was stuck with flesh because of an idle though about her breasts. Well, the Galloway’s insisted it was her fault; she wasn’t so sure.

Shaking her head. Nita once more concentrated on the task before her, and started work on cleaning and closing the gash itself. Finishing up, she glanced at the Orcs face, and found her watching.

“Do you speak Common?” Nita asked. You never knew with Orcs; some tribes were quite insular, and all her companions had been Orcs.

“You think I'm some sort of savage? Of course, I speak Common!” The Orc replied.

“Wellll, you did try to rob us.” Cid drawled.

“Four against two are good odds, we didn’t know he was a fire mage.” Muttered the Orc, glaring at Cid.

“What's your name?” Nita asked abruptly.

“Lillian.” Lillian grunted out.

“Lillian? Seriously? Lilly? What kind of orc name is that?” Nita laughed shaking her head.

“I'm only 13. I haven't gotten my adult name yet.” Lillian frowned and pressed her lips together tightly.

Nita smiled. That was a side effect of the collar. It made you complacent and garrulous. “Holy shit you’re only 13 but you're already close to 6 feet. Got some giant's blood in you or something?” Nita asked. 13 maybe she hasn't tried for an awakening yet. I could get lucky and she will be a mage, if she doesn’t decide to hang for her pride.

Only about ten percent of sentient beings woke to a magic. Most people trained to concentrate on one power for the 3 double full moon nights in their 13th year. Usually based on the traditional magic in the family. It was very common for mages of the same type to marry to increase this chance.

“No, half human. Dad was a northern mountain-orc that took my mom as a war-prize.” Lilly replied huffing and glaring at Nita.

“Well, you’re my war-prize now. Loot your friends for me. I take it you’ll know where they hid their good stuff. And take it easy with that wound it can open easily. All I did was accelerate your natural healing. That’s why you’re probably hungry.” Nita said standing up and wiping her bloody hand off on her torn sleeve, tearing it off in the process. Half human huh? Explains how an orc can be so pretty, she thought.

“Wait. You’re a mage too? Two mages, that’s some shit luck.” Lilly grunted. “I thought you were just using a potion on my cut.”

“Nope, flesh mage” Nita said pointing to herself. “I know. Don’t give me that look, I really wanted tits.” Nita muttered to Lilly's smirk. “Besides you’re my slave now, you have to show me respect.”

“You do realize respect is earned not demanded right?” Cid asked. “Some would say especially from slaves.”

“Now you sound like your father.” Nita replied watching Lilly loot her friends. “Did you have more than the two mares? Hidden somewhere perhaps?” She asked Lilly.

“Yeah, we left two over that ridge in a small copse. Want me to lead you to them?” Lilly replied pointing at a rise running the north side of the road.

“Naw, that’s alright. You can start digging a grave for your friends.” Nita said turning to her saddle bags, she dug out a shovel and handed it to the girl. “Just load that stuff onto one of the mares first.”

Nita and Cid turned to the rise and, hefting their weapons, set off to find the horses: the sound of Lillian digging in the background. At the top of the rise Nita turned back to Lilly and shouted. “It was just the 4 of you right? You didn't leave anyone with the horses?”

“Yeah, just us.” She yelled up. “Damn, stupid collar.” She muttered to herself.

“Good call.” Whispered Cid “I forget those collars won’t let them lie, even by omission. I'm so used to the brands that give them leeway.”

Turning back around Nita looked out across the open plain. Taking in the shrub brush and deceptive gullies in an otherwise open vista stretching to the horizon. The sky here was often beautiful and today was no exception. One crescent moon was still up casting greens into the sky and the sun was still only a couple hour’s old, casting reds and oranges onto the bottom of the wispy clouds, as it rose in the crisp morning air. “See the copse she was talking about?” Nita asked, glancing at Cid.

“Over there, I think.” He replied nodding his head towards some lilacs.

As they approached the copse Nita heard a low whinny. Picking up the pace she said, “Come-on let’s get this done. We need to get back on the road if we’re going to make Ashville at a decent hour.”

Coming into view of the horses Cid let out a low whistle. “Would you look at those beauties, Paint’s both of them.” One was black and white, and the other was a rich chocolate and white. “Well let’s grab one each and get back.” Cid said bribing the black with an apple and soft sounds before he slowly eased himself up into the saddle. Nita followed suit.

Back at the road, they found Lilly had managed to dig a shallow grave and was dragging one of the dead Orcs in.

“I’ll grab the other shovel and speed this along.” Cid said. Matching action to words.

Nita took the opportunity to once again check out her best friend as he bent to the task. Cid was a moderately handsome man of just over 6 feet with short blond hair and a lithe muscular build with a nose that was broken more than a few times by his brothers and martial instructors. Which, the Holy mages had never managed to heal quite right.

Finishing up, the three mounted and headed out at a cantor trying to make up for lost time.

“I caught you checking me out again. You know Elena will lose it if she catches you.” Cid said smirking at Nita.

“Shut it knave, only in your dreams.” Nita shot back.

“Knave? Really that’s the best you got?” Cid laughed.

“Well I didn’t want to insult your ‘Noble’ sensibilities.” Nita replied sarcastically.

“You two are perfect for each other.” Lilly stated suddenly.

With perfect synchronicity Nita and Cid turned to glare at the young Orc and she laughed out loud.