Angela put her tea cup down and thought about Sage. “Holed up in his library back home. The man never rests when he thinks he is on the verge of a magic break through. It’s one of the reasons his family is so strong in magic. Where Cecilia’s family was brute force in magic… Sage’s family was well known for research and developing things.”

Leaning over Angela tapped his nose and chuckled. “Think on it. Don’t rush, but if you want to rush… there might be a book on fastening somewhere. You could pick out your favorite and maybe we could put something together. I would really think on it and pick the one that suits you both.” She reached over and pat his head.

Getting up Angela stretched and chuckled. “I’ll get working on those potions. When you decide on a fastening we can have all of the finest alcohol, I promise.” She took time to disappear but not before giving him a smile. “Just remember, there is no time like now.” She was teasing the boy knowing how embarrassed he could be in the right situation.

His lips parted.  Her father was a scholar, he wasn’t sure why it surprised him but it did.  Perhaps because all he’d heard in length had been about her mother.  That woman was wicked beyond comprehension to her daughter, and he wondered how such a bright man could have ever ended up with her.  At least he was safe and alive, hopefully happy.  When was the last time that Echo had been reunited with him…?  How proper would it be to try and invite him to whatever ceremony they did have?  If they had one.  Echo still needed to say ‘yes’ of course.
 
Somewhere in his own library there had to be a book or scroll of some sort that held information on fastenings.  They weren’t entirely common where he came from, and he thought about what his parents might say.  As strict and formal as they could be, they understood well the importance of certain rites of passage.  Marriage, any loving union, was one such passage.  His brothers would love Echo immediately, his father likely would be confused by her, it was his mother he held the most worry for.  His eldest brother had already married, and that loosening in grip had been a hard one.
 
It was never anything personal, she just worried…He wondered if he was in part to blame for that.  Such thoughts were unimportant though, and he nodded to The Mother with a grateful smile, sighing when she touched his nose, “Yes, thank you Angela.”  Angela, it was strange calling her by her name so informally.
 
“I’ll speak with her on the matter as soon as I can, and believe you me: you’ll be the first to know of the outcome.”  It felt harsh not to go to his own family about such a big decision in his life, but truth be told he’d hardly gone around them since his ascension.  He was different now, and a part of him was afraid of what they might think of him now: good or bad.  With having learned of his adoption he’d started to feel a separation from them, not due to him being born of another line, but because they’d tried so hard to hide that fact…This only made the barrier higher.  Hiromi, he’d find her, and hope that touching her wouldn’t cause her any harm.
 
“I look forward to our drinking session…Thank you again Angela.”  Easing back in his seat, his eyes moved back out to Echo in the arena.  The soft smell of Angela’s tea still lingered in the air, and he danced with the idea of mentioning her visit to his -hopefully- soon to be Lady.