The captain met me nine hours later in the small kitchen on the main level, one floor below my own suite. It was still very early in the morning, but I wanted to get on with the day.

  “Seneschal, the commander of the royal guard has requested an audience with you in your Lodge offices.”

  “I have my own offices?” I asked.

  “They were sung back into being last night at the King’s command.” He replied.

  “How long will it take us to get there, and is it far from the Silverworks?” I asked.

  He said, “A portal has been created in your private study. The singers have been hard at work expanding and connecting your homestead all night.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “That was fast.”

  “There has not been a King’s Lodge Seneschal in living memory, and that is as measured by elves. People are excited, and working on your projects will be something to tell for many generations to come.”

  He was genuinely pleased for me and for the elves.

  “Why are you happy about this, Captain?”

  “You may refer to me by my name in private if you wish, Seneschal. I am Leomys Ilthuryn, firstborn of Devdan Ilthuryn, the commander of your Royal Guard. With your permission, I will be the captain of your personal guard.”

  He held a straight face, but I could see he was concerned I would deny it, given our history.

  “I was going to propose this choice myself. And yes, I would prefer to call you Leomys, but Captain is also acceptable. You earned the honor. In private, you may call me Gwydion, and among the humans, you can call me Patron. We shall keep Seneschal for our Elven citizens.”

  “As you wish, Gwydion.”

  “Since I don't know my own home, please take me to the study and we shall depart for the Lodge and meet with your father. Is there anything I should know about him?” I asked.

  “He is loyal unto death to the Lodge. He is a personal and trusted advisor to the King. He does not like you, but he will die protecting you.”

  I was surprised at his candor. “And his son?” I asked.

  “Much the same, although he is reluctantly getting charmed by the unusual human under his watch. He believes that in time, and with a great deal of effort on both their parts, he might be able to assist this whisperer and Seneschal to passably imitate an elf of breeding.”

  “I thank the Commander’s son for his candor.”

  The captain bowed. “Like my father, I speak my mind. Although, unlike my father, I have a sense of humor. But if you don’t want to hear an answer, don’t ask me a question.”

  “You really do have more in common with the dwarf guard captain than you realize. For two races allegedly so far apart, you could be brothers.”

  “There is no need to be insulting, Gwydion.”

  “That was a compliment, captain,” I replied.

  As we moved into the hallway, he added, “Then I may need to add a few more decades to that time estimate around passable Elven civility.”

  I laughed. “You may indeed.”

  I had no idea what my new homestead looked like, but I know that the tiny study I passed by last night was far smaller than the one I now entered. The captain informed me that the initial intention was to increase the homestead seven times and to include all the expected royal amenities.

  “Will there be room for my apprentices?” I asked.

  “There is a suite next to your own for two humans, an elf, and a dwarf that connects with yours. It will serve as the servants' quarters, knowing that apprentices are not the same as servants, but are a trusted station above. Still, the functions would be similar.”

  I was not too sure I would be bringing the humans with me right away, but it would be an experience of a lifetime for them.

  “How about enchanting and crafting work?”

  A ground-level forge is being constructed for your crafting work that will be made private so you can work on either secret Dwarven or secret Elven projects. A mage laboratory is being crafted that will occupy an entire upper level that is the most protected magically for your defense and those of your closest neighbors should experiments turn awkward.”

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  “I see that elves are familiar with mage experiments.”

  “And the collateral damage they sometimes bring with them, yes.” He responded. “I was led to understand that in addition to enchantment, you are also accomplished in alchemy. We redoubled the protections because of that.”

  While my work was of the most fundamental and safe manner, it was probably good to build in the safeguards and keep our enemies guessing about my skills and knowledge.

  “Wait, how did you learn about my alchemy work? I don’t recall sharing that with Rothilion.”

  “Whether he knows or not, I cannot say. Rhea instructed me about it and helped guide some of the improvements we are making.”

  Well, that at least told me she was feeling better. Of course, if this were my home, then it might extend her own reach as well.

  Very good, Gwydion. Bella said to me. She still sounded weak, but she was far clearer than when I last spoke with her.

  I am so relieved to hear from you, Bella. I said to her and realized I had been very worried. I felt myself relax in a way I had not even realized that I was wound tight.

  I am fine. Tired, but fine. She replied.

  Will we be able to travel here in the same way we discussed, being able to move back and forth to the Academy from the shoppe? I asked.

  Yes. Like the academy, it will be keyed to you, and so others cannot come and go without your or my permission. In the shoppe, we added another door next to a door created for the academy that was going to be shown to you as a surprise. The Elven doorway has a leaf motif, while the academy has a set of books.

  Whose idea was that? I asked her.

  Mine, she said proudly.

  Will I be able to go from the shoppe to the King’s Lodge?

  No. You will come here and from here to there. It was an unacceptable risk to have a portal from the human city to the King’s Lodge. You could push it, but I did not think you would mind, and it made security stronger on both our ends because both serve as your home and, therefore, your demesne. She answered.

  I realized that the captain had stopped and was waiting for me by an open portal in my library. He had correctly deduced that I was speaking with Bella, or Rhea, as he knew her.

  Will you tell me the story of Rhea and Zhea someday? I asked her.

  Someday, Gwydion. But not today. She replied.

  If there are aspects you are not proud of, don’t feel like you need to protect me. I would rather hear about it from you than the Archmage, King, or another.

  I could sense her frustration. I understand. Was her only response.

  I was busy enough that I added it to the list of things to discuss with her later. I turned to the captain. “Thank you for your patience. Let’s go through.”

  He stepped forward. “I will lead the way.”

  The portal was an archway between rooms, or at least that is how it appeared. I could see clearly into the other room, which looked like another study, although there was a larger desk, a wide table to seat perhaps ten people, and fewer shelves.

  The captain strode through, and half a dozen guards on the other side came to attention. Half faced the archway with hands on weapons, and the other half faced the window and an open doorway into a hallway.

  They were good.

  After I entered the room and they all did that sharp, quick bow of their heads as a salute, the captain sent one off with a message to the Commander that I had arrived.

  “The Commander’s office is just down from yours and beside the King’s. He will be along shortly.”

  “The King’s offices are nearby?” I asked, surprised.

  “Yes, this was the prince’s private office suite. It was closed off last week but reopened today.” He pointed to a door across the room. “That leads to another set of three rooms. One is an inner private meeting chamber, one is a small bedroom in case you work long hours, and the other is for ablutions.”

  “Thank you, captain. If the Commander will be here soon, let us be seated at the table.” I said as I moved over and placed my back to the window and sat at the middle edge of the table just as I had seen the Duke do.

  The captain paused and looked at me.

  “Speak your mind, captain,” I said.

  “It is customary for royalty to sit at the head of the table.” He replied.

  I nodded. “You may consider wherever I sit to be the head of the table.”

  “Of course, Senechal.”

  “Or,” I said, “you can consider that I wish to show respect to the Commander and I am curious where he will sit when he arrives.”

  Leomys had a slow grin start up and spread across his lips as he thought through my words.

  “This could be interesting.” He replied, a twinkle in his eye at the slight discomfort that this would pose to his stodgy father.

  We did not have to wait long.

  The Commander was a tall, strong elf with a commanding and handsome appearance, save for a single, notable defect. He had a long, white, and somewhat jagged scar that passed down his left temple, across his cheek, and below to his neck, but if it extended further, it was covered up by his uniform collar.

  The elf entered and moved over to where he was surely familiar with the long table. He paused momentarily to take in the situation and where I was seated. He looked at his son reprovingly. He then moved and sat down across from me.

  “Seneschal, the captain should have informed you that it is your right to sit at the head of the table.”

  “He did.”

  He looked surprised.

  “I chose to sit here. I may earn your respect someday and sit at the head of the table. But in respect of what I already know about you, as testified by the captain of my guard, I greet you in this manner.”

  His face was set in stone, but I saw a softening around the eyes. “The Seneschal has my respect.”

  “I do not doubt that the Seneschal, whomever it is, has your respect. And Gwydion has your duty and obedience. One day, I hope that Gwydion will also have your respect. And on that day, he will stop speaking in the third person and making stilted speeches.”

  Despite himself, the Commander smiled widely, and then controlled himself. “You are an unusual elf.” He stated.

  “I am also an unusual dwarf and an unusual human. It is both sad and joyous. But definitely unusual.”

  He nodded. “I worked up a speech that I prepared to give you today. I am an elf who speaks his mind.”

  I smiled and looked up at his son. “So I have heard.”

  He cast his son a frown.

  I said. “If you practiced the speech, you can share it if you like.”

  He looked back at me and squinted his eyes. “I have decided that you are who you appear to be. The speech is unnecessary.”

  “Is this a good thing or a bad thing?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “It is merely a thing. I do not yet know for good or bad.”

  In fairness, neither did I.