Knocking, incessant and rapid, woke him up far too early in the next morning for Kay’s liking. He groaned, pulling Rose closer to his chest as he tried to ignore the knocking.

“It’s probably important, Kay.” She whispered, though she slipped closer to him. She put her chin on his chest. He opened his eyes a crack, to see her peering up at him with smiling, sleepy green eyes.

He raised an eyebrow at her playfully. “Why don’t you go and answer it if it’s so important to you?” He asked, his question punctuated by a deep yawn.

She giggled and squeezed him tightly. “What if it’s the Prince? He won’t want to see me in this state; protection or no you’d be a head shorter.”

He pouted. “Thank you, Rose, for making me feel so secure about myself.” He mumbled. He sat up. She squeaked as he did so, and rolled over, giggling. He shushed her, and she put her hand over her mouth, nodding slightly. He picked up his trousers and pulled them on slowly.

“So help me god, Kay of Gemaetan, if you do not open this door immediately I will destroy the doorknob and lock you in.” Quincy hollered.

Kay stopped, staring at the door for a long moment. He moved over to it, opening it. Quincy looked flustered and exhausted.

“You know, if you really want me to come out, Master Murray, liquidating the doorknob would be counterproductive.” He smiled, running a hand through his already messed up curls as he leaned against the doorframe.

Quincy frowned at him, shaking his head. “We’ve got him out, but the guards have heard us; we have to get back to the school. The plan is for me to be the coachman again; you will be in the carriage with the magician, and the girls.” He blinked at Kay, looking him over. Kay could feel himself blushing. He looked down, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. “You look as if you’ve just woken up from doing some sort of questionable deed, sir.” He teased. It only caused Kay to blush deeper. Quincy’s eyes widened. “Please, Kay, please tell me it was with a wandering kitchen maid.”

Kay licked his lips, unable to make eye contact with his friend. Quincy pushed the door open, glancing in. Kay turned as well, to where Rose was, mostly dressed already though looking particularly confused and abashed. Quincy sighed, staring at the both of them with a look that read clearly to Kay as hurt confusion.

“We’re going to die before we leave Onlicres.” Quincy decided, licking his lips. “Perfect. My mother would be so proud.” He rubbed his hand over his face.

Rose moved over, touching Quincy’s shoulder. “Quincy, if no one finds out, then no one will get killed.”

“Yes, I mean, how could it come up in polite conversation? ‘I’ve had a bit of a cold recently, my surrey is on the mend, and I slept with the Duchess of Onlicres.’ Those types of conversations, they don’t normally happen.” Kay tried to laugh at his own words, but the laugh was coarse and nervous.

Quincy blinked at them both. Feeling a bit caught by the other man’s expression, Kay pulled Rose to him, kissing the top of her head. Sighing, Quincy nodded.

“Damn you, I understand how you feel.” He grumped, but his tone broached no annoyance, just amusement and upset. “Come on, we need to go.”

Kay nodded. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it on. He slipped into his boots before helping Rose finish dressing.

“Where’s Amy?” He asked.

“Already in the coach, come now.” Kay nodded as he started to follow behind. Rose held herself close to him, kissing his shoulder blade through his shirt as they walked. He smiled at her gently as he glanced behind himself. Yawning, he followed Quincy as they moved down a long stairwell.

They ended in the dimly lit stalls. A horse whinnied as they walked by, but the stable hand did not bother to question them. He simply nodded, looking haggard and mostly drunk. Kay sent him a nervous smile and a half wave. The man spit in his general direction and Kay sighed, becoming crestfallen; he wondered if there would ever be a time in his life when he was not hated by the men and women of Onlicres. Rose rubbed his shoulder supportively, and he smiled, thankful that she understood his plight.

“Come on you two, we’ll be late for our next appointment.” Quincy groused as he alighted into the driver’s seat of the coach; the door was already open for them.

Kay helped Rose into the carriage, before slipping inside himself. He closed the door firmly and turned.

“Where have you two been?” Amy whispered as the carriage lurched; Quincy had started to drive away from the palace.

“We were still asleep, Quincy had to wake us.” Rose explained primly. Kay turned, to stare at the man on the bench next to Amy. He was well fed, but still thin, with high cheek bones. His eyebrows were bushy, almost uncontrollable, but they could not hide the brightness of his gray eyes, the same gray as Estella’s. He bowed his head towards the man.

“Magician Magwitch, I presume?” He whispered.

The man nodded. “That I am, son, and who do you presume to be?” He asked. His voice was a wheezing tin, the noise of someone breathing in while their lips were still against a tin whistle. Kay smiled at him, glancing up with a soft blush. He gasped, wincing.

Rose reached out for him, holding him up. “Kay? Kay darling, speak to me.”

“She knows I’m gone.” He closed his eyes tightly, trying to get the biting pain in his head to go away.

“We’re going back now, you’ll be safe.” She breathed. She kissed his cheek.

He opened his eyes. For a moment, the strands of silver slithered through them, before receding. Magwitch whistled, seemingly impressed.

“I never would have thought…to see the Devil’s Glass effecting someone after all these years.” He whispered. He reached out and touched Kay’s arm. The sensation was cooling, calming the glass back into his subconscious.

“Thank you.” He whispered, truly thankful. “My name is Kay.” He smiled meekly.

“And I’m Rose.” Rose supplied, bowing her head. “It is an honor and a pleasure to finally meet you, sir. I hope my brother-in-law was not rude to in your confinement.”

Magwitch shook his head. “The Prince is as pleasant a ruler as he is a jailer.” He explained gently. She smiled, nodding, as she seemed to understand. Kay did not, but he supposed that there was a reason why it would not make sense to him.

“We are both friends of your daughter…we all are.” Kay explained sometime later; they had been in the carriage for long hours. Amy had fallen asleep curled up against the window. Rose was still awake, but was reading her Literature homework, trying to finish the homework Quincy’s mother had given them for the next week.

Magwitch studied him for a long moment. “My daughter? My star?” He smiled for a second, before sighing. “Does she hate me?”

Kay shook his head. “I think you’ll find it’s quite to the contrary; she wanted to come in place of Amy, but that would have been far too conspicuous.” He explained.

Magwitch nodded. He sighed, looking lost in thought. Holding on to Rose closer, Kay sighed.

“You have a father, son?” He asked. Kay shook his head. “How about a mother?” Kay turned to look at him, blinking.

“The only parent I’ve ever had was a grandmother, who lost me when I was four.” He explained.

“So…you’re orphaned? How horrible.”

Kay shrugged, looking out the window. He felt odd, speaking about such things. He had never thought of himself as orphaned, just as a child growing up under the horrible living conditions of an evil, wicked step-mother who was not technically his own step-mother.

“I never meant to orphan my daughter. I’m simply glad that the heiress to the brewery took her in. I…I wish to make it up somehow.”

Kay glanced up sharply, confused.

“How? How do you make that up?”

“I can tell by your silence that you are an orphan, Kay, even though you do not admit it to yourself. I would like to adopt you in some way, if I can. Do you think I could?”

Kay sat back, thinking. If Magwitch took him under his wing, he would be out of the controlling care of The Queen; he would begin to break his ties with her and in return break her control on the rest of Fenn. He knew that it could happen, that he had not been adopted by The Queen, who wanted him for a lover once he was old enough. He doubted, however, that she would ever allow it.

“I…you would have to talk to Ariel, I’m not sure how strong my enslavement is.” He explained, looking nervous.

“Enslavement?”

Kay shook his head, not wanting to speak about it. “We’re…we’re almost at the school.” He whispered.

The carriage trundled to the front gate of Mystra University. Estella stood there, holding hands with Edward. She brightened when the carriage stopped. Gently, Kay nudged Magwitch to the window, smiling. “That’s your daughter.” He whispered.

“Really? My Estella?” He whispered. Kay opened the door. He helped Rose and Amy out.

“Papa?” Estella asked quietly. Magwitch stepped out. She smiled and ran to him, hugging him tightly.

Kay sighed, wishing he had that love. Rose reached over and took his hand, kissing it softly.