The Bellmare refugees settled in surprisingly well. Not much has changed of Doveport, aside from the constant construction of new housing which could be heard all over the village. The influx of refugees brought new faces to the academy, but their knowledge and skills were so far behind everyone else that they had to have their own special classes. Alistair only ever got to mix with them in the training yard during the mid morning and afternoon breaks.

Alistair looked for the red-haired girl every time he went to the academy, but he didn't see her again for almost a month. It was as he was running out of the academy with his test scores in hand when he came across her once again.

His route took him past the bakery where the hot bean bread was baked that made his stomach rumble every time he passed by. That day there was a gang of children fighting in the path between the bakery and someone's fenced off garden. Alistair paused and slowed down, wondering what all the shouting was about.

"Give it back!"

"Why? You can't wear this in Doveport. You have to wear our symbol."

"Give it back!"

"Or what?"

"I'll scream!"

"Ooh – I'm so sca-"

A piercing shriek split the air and everyone nearby flinched. Alistair peered over the shoulders of the other kids. His eyes widened as he saw the red-haired girl standing at the centre of the gang, face red with anger as she faced down the largest bully. He appeared to be holding her ribbon.

"Is that all you do?" he said, "Some mage!"

"Give it back – or I'll bite you!" she snarled.

The bully laughed and drew back his hand. "If you want it," he said. "You're going to have to get it." He threw it on top of the bakery roof.

As the bullies laughed, the girl’s eyes began watering, although something close to utter malice was beginning to harden there. Alistair looked up at the white ribbon on the edge of the roof, dangling down and fluttering in the draft of one of the bakery vents. While the rest of the kids laughed and carried on teasing the girl, Alistair folded up his exam results and carefully placed them in his mouth. He walked up to the bakery's drain pipe and summoned a little magic to his hands to help him climb.