Quinten regarded Amber for a moment and looked her up and down.

Finally, he nodded once and moved behind the desk. Amber turned and glared at them. Quinten motioned for Daniel and the women to approach and when they did, he pulled out forms, quills, and an inkpot.

"Please fill out these forms. Leave the assigned room blank for now."

Daniel nodded and stood in front of the desk. He handed the girls a form each and dipped his quill and filled out his. After a moment, he glanced to his left toward Jasmine and saw she hadn't filled hers out. She looked at him and he could see she was upset.

“What's wrong?" he asked.

"I can't write. Her chin trembled. "I can read a little, but not write."

Daniel ran his left hand down her back and stroked her ass cheeks.

He squeezed a little. "No worries, hon. Leave it to me."

She pressed in against him and wrapped an arm around his waist. She answered the questions the form wanted to know and soon all of them had completed their paperwork. They slid them across to Quinten, who seemed once again to be looking at them in a less than favourable way.

"You are openly affectionate with one another," he stated.

Daniel nodded along with Amy and Jasmine. "Yes, we are."

"Hedge witches bound to a novice spell caster..." he added and seemed to look down his nose at them.

“Yes, sir. As Grace explained.”

"Yes, she did. She also said you were to have your own room. All of you. Together. I assume the witches need access to the open ground?"

Amber spoke up. "Yes, sir. It is required. And a garden, please."

Quinten frowned. "I must warn you. Witches are barely tolerated in the realm, as you know, and if you don't, I am telling you now.

Witches are not welcome. However. Exceptions are always made under the right circumstances, and Grace depositing you here personally seems to reinforce that exception. I warn you, though. Be careful with what you do here. You will be watched. Closely. Any use, and I mean any use of witchcraft for foul reasons will result in your immediate execution. All of you. A circle bound to a spell caster is an ominous event. I cannot recall the last time this was allowed to happen outside the school and outside the direct control of the Academy and the King.

“Grace has convinced me to tolerate you, for now. She is never wrong in these matters, but sometimes her interpretation can be... misguided. But she did not lie to me. She believes in her own sincerity. Time will tell though, won't it?"

Quinten picked up the forms and read them over quickly. He looked up at Daniel. "Davies?"

Daniel nodded. “Yes, sir. From Whitehaven.”

“Your parents?"

“Killed in the Wilds, sir. Some seven years ago."

Quinten looked troubled.

“Is there some problem, sir?" asked Amy.