Roger pulled a small piece of wood from his pocket and suddenly it expanded into an ornate long bow. "Ranger."

“Oh!" replied Daniel, in surprise.

*

Later that night, Daniel lay in bed with everyone curled up next to him. It was a mass of limbs. On his chest was Jasmine, once again claiming her spot. Amy had her head on his shoulder. He could sense they were all asleep except Amy.

"What is it, love?" he asked her softly.

"It's Glenda and Roger. I find it so very sad they can't bond like us."

“Hmm, I actually think they can. They fear what they don't know, but we have already proven that love forms a greater bond with witches.

I think if Glenda loves Roger, and he loves her, the bond will not be enslavement, but a permanent bond of love. I think they're scared.

They've seen what circles can and will do with bound spell casters.

But theirs is different. I'm sure of it."

Amy said nothing for a long time. "I think you should work with them on it. See what you can do."

"I will if they want it. I won't force it on them."

"Do you worry about her vision? Of us standing there while the world burns?"

"Hmm. No. I don't understand it enough, to be honest. How true are visions? Must they come to pass? Can we not find a better path on our own?"

“Gods, the fate and destiny argument. I hate it."

"Good, me too."

They fell into comfortable silence, listening to the snoring of the others. Someone tooted, and Daniel and Amy had to muffle their laughter.

Amy kissed his shoulder. “Everything is so much better with Amber in the circle. Isn't it?"

"It sure is. She's remarkable. You all are."

"I love you, Daniel Davies. Sometimes I feel my heart will burst with just how much I do."

Daniel kissed her forehead. "I love you too, Amy Albright. In the exact same way."

*

The next few months passed quickly. Every day at dawn, Glenda and Roger would arrive and begin the day's lessons. Glenda taught spell work and ritual magic, and Roger taught self-defence and fighting techniques. Grace helped with both, and Bitty made corrections that surprised Grace and Glenda the most.

Gnomes from around the Realm would show up on some schedule managed by Bitty and meet with Daniel. He had quickly decided early on that he would only accept a quick thanks and then he wanted them gone.

Bitty understood and, as the Emissary, smoothed everything over.

Daniel just hated the attention and repeated he only did what was right. The gnomes never stopped coming, however.

Grace disappeared for a time and returned with Jason and Brian. They took a spare room in the suite and soon joined in the training of the young spell caster and his witches. Their suite was filled to capacity, but Daniel never felt happier. He loved having people he trusted around him. Gone were his lonely days as a farmer in Acron.

Now his days were filled with teachings, sparring, and laughter.

They had a cooking championship once. Daniel won, but he suspected Bitty let him win, and she finally admitted it when he swore off giving her any more mana specimens. Since then, their meals improved dramatically. Bitty was a chef of the highest order.

Amy, Jasmine, and Amber learned to cast spells Like a spell caster.

The few spells they could manage made them much more comfortable and gave them a stronger sense of security. They walked with more confidence and that confidence extended into the bedroom. Every night was a foursome now. A sextet when Grace and Bitty joined in. Which was also most nights.

Bitty appeared one day with a piece of paper and showed Daniel. It was a bank statement. Bitty had opened an account for them and deposited the profits from the sale of Daniel's mana potions, which was right when Daniel first learned about what she had been doing.

The demand was extraordinary for the stuff. Daniel had been so pleased he had pulled Bitty away for an entire evening alone, and the next day, Bitty was walking funny for the first time.

As she said, "I've never been so fucking fucked as I was fucked last night..."

The days blurred together, and they lived in a microcosm of peace and bliss. Their relationship grew stronger. Trust blossomed.

Everyone fit together in ways that surprised them all. Smiles were so common that finding anyone not smiling was a cause for concern.

Clothes became optional in the suite. Sex became open and honest. The first time Daniel walked in and found Jason balls deep in Brian, he turned and walked away. Now he barely looked despite their incessant groaning.

The ease of using spells had become second nature to Daniel and the girls. Their ability to defend themselves with a variety of weapons and household goods surprised them all. But as Roger said, sometimes you just needed to know how to punch someone in the face.

Jason even learned things from Roger.

Brian discovered Glenda's love for having two men at once and discovered Roger had been watching Jason and him for a long time.

Glenda loved to brag about being airtight every night, and Daniel scratched his head until Grace explained it to him.

Soon there were only two rooms being slept in. Daniel, Amy, Jasmine, Amber, Grace, and Bitty in one, and Glenda, Jason, Brian, and Roger in another. Two families living under one roof.