"Lady Camellia," a young woman's voice called into the open door, "Your guests have arrived. Tea has already been served to them. It's..."<br/><br/>"Master Daerus. Yes, I already know who it is. Brought another child here to try and get me to teach. Three rejections doesn't seem to be enough for that man," the woman moved away from a wooden lab table covered with books and glass bottles, "What is it this time? A talented young girl with sharp mind and skills for mixing?"<br/><br/>The maid at the door looked at the floor, "No...a boy. A feral looking one. Poorly dressed and shabby looking. Master Daerus didn't really say much about him. He just requested that you come down to meet him as soon as possible. The boy doesn't seem to talk very much."<br/><br/>Camellia rubbed her temples a little bit. This was just another in a long list of applicants that she would have to talk with and reject. In all her years as a master of her trade, she had only taken one pupil and that was a young girl that was busy at the moment. A bright girl with a good future ahead of her, "I'll be down in a few minutes," with that, she waved the maid off and walked over to a mirror. Camellia was one of the youngest to earn such a high rank in her class. Only twenty-seven years old and already a well known for her work and being offered students. Normally it decades of work to get to this point, but she'd pushed and shoved her way to the top. Nearly working herself into an early grave for this. It was all she'd ever wanted. Forgoing friendships, relationships, and simple pleasures in life to get here.<br/><br/>It had taken it's toll on her body though. Her long, blood red hair was limp and dull from lack of proper attention. Short cut nails that were in bad need of polishing and proper trimming. Green eyes that no longer shone with any kind of love for life. At one point in time she might of been a very beautiful girl. Right now she could of been a beautiful woman close to the prime of her life, instead she locked herself away in this building with her work and her one student. Small bags were hanging under her eyes from lack of sleep.<br/><br/>Sighing softly, she made sure her black robes were straight and clean before heading out the door of her work room and down the stairs, "Master Daerus, good to see you...<em>again</em>. It's been a few months since your last visit. I was starting to worry that you wouldn't come to pester me any longer," she said smugly, "This must be your bright new student?" she motioned towards Remus, "A bit shabby looking if you ask me. I won't hold that against him though. I'll also make this very quick. I have a long day of work ahead of me, so we'll get right down to it."<br/><br/>Camellia pulled out a piece of tanned lamb skin and laid it out on the table in front of Remus. She walked over to her mantle and pulled down an ink well and a quill, "Write the word 'Magnus' on the skin," it was a simple test that was used by magic schools to see if a student had any form of power within them. The more power they had, the brighter the word would glow when written, "And no help from you Daerus. He has to do it all on his own. So far no student you've brought me can even get the smallest of spark from the word. Maybe you'll get lucky this time," Camellia wasn't very kind to people anymore, not even a hunter like Daerus. She had little fear of people anymore. Most posed no threat to her.