"Ooooh! The high elf is here too. I'm gonna go say hi," Caliaphy giggled as she trotted around to the far end of the table with a big smile on her face looking at the ranger. "Hi there!"

"Hello, Caliaphy, how are you doing this day?" Willow pleasantly smiled at the Kurori.

"I'm fine. You're cute." She said completely ignoring what just transpired in the dining hall.

"Thank you," Willow laughed, "And you are very beautiful, Caliaphy. Have you been enjoying this feast?"

"Yup! But I'd really like to enjoy you. Wait, that came out wrong," Caliaphy turned beat red and ran over next to Serna.

Willow laughed as Serna looked at Caliaphy and asked, "Why are you running over to me? I thought you were doing well up until that last statement. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Umm, it's a grown up thing, Serna." Caliaphy drank down her juice in big gulp and still looked embarrassed.

"I'll take your word for it," Serna laughed, "And I am in no rush to understand it. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

The kurori waved her hand in front of the elementalist and realized that the Bronze Man had created another Wrinkle in Time bubble. Maybe she would inquire about later, maybe.

The Bronze Man tapped the table but kept quiet, while Alyson just glared at the swordsman, "Seriously? In the middle of breakfast?"

"Are you angry because I brought business to the breakfast table?" Irzen asked both The Bronze Man and Alsyon, "Or are you angry because I summoned War Scribe to the breakfast table? If the former is the case, then I apologize for mixing business with pleasure. If the latter is the case, then I must remind the both of you that were it not for War Scribe we would not have been able to sneak into The Black City and rescue you and Serna from Venger. War Scribe is a member of our company, Alyson, Bronze Man, she has every right to be here as much as anyone else. And considering the fact that you owe your freedom to her, Alyson, maybe she has more right to be here than any of us."

At the mention of the Black City, Alyson clutched her head in pain as though she had been shot. She started to glow intensely in response to the swordsman brashness.

War Scribe scooted herself into a chair next to Irzen, plopped herself down along with a platter of food piled nearly a foot high with different meats, poultry and fish. The Drowling looked at both The Bronze Man and Alyson and added, "Yeah! Whatever he said." And then she proceeded to eat.

Quake just stared at the chronicler's towering plate of food. "Wh-what the? Sheesh! And people look at me as I'm the crazy one for being able to eat waaaaaaaaaaaay too much food."

"Hey, Rocks for Brains, I'm hungry and I'm still a growing Drowling," War Scribe concluded before she dived into her meal.

"You are still growing?" Quake deadpanned, "I seriously doubt that. But hey what do I know. By the way, where did you go last night? I thought you were with us when you got all weirder than normal with Madame Mabel."

"I was doing my job," War Scribe replied matter-of-factly, "There was a very important assassination taking place in the Kingdom of Dambrath deep within The Forgotten Realms and I had to be there to cover it. Heros work from sun to sun but a Chronicler's work is never done!"

"Oh? Maybe I will ask you how that went down after breakfast, War Scribe. Sounds interesting," Quake finished off her steak and egg meal and seemed generally interested about the Forgotten Realms.

"You find that interesting?" The Drowling asked with a raised eyebrow, "Why?"

"The place you mention where you went. It sounds like another world you went to. I mean the Realm of Dungeon's & Dragons is really big but I haven't heard of the Forgotten Realms before." The elemental asked the chronicler.

"It's called the world of Abeir-Toril and we are on the world of Greyhawk," The Drowling pointed towards the northern sky, "You can see the world of the Forgotten Realms on any clear night. Just look past the third moon to your right and you will see a bright yellow star. That's the star that warms The Forgotten Realms. As much as I am here, I sometimes have to be there because Validor serves as the God of History for that place. Although, he goes by a different name there."

"Ooooh! Okay! Cool!" Quake raised her glass to everyone, "Here, here's to friends and to many adventures!"

Caliaphy cheered to Quake, "Yay!"

Alyson got up from her chair and left the dining room. She hid the fact that she was visibly upset quite well and headed for the privy through the kitchen. Which was a lie for she knew of the back set of steps that went up to the upper floors. She stopped briefly as Armendes was making his way down to see all of her friends, some of which he met last night but there were a few that he did not yet meet. "Alyson?"

She turned looking at him, tears ran down her face and she said nothing as she entered the Bronze Man's chambers and closed the door.

"Oh dear." The construct clamored down the stairs to stand in for his friend and entertain the guests.

The construct thundered into the dining area nearly scaring the kurori out of her chair as she suddenly grabbed the shield maiden, "Ahh! Geez! Armendes, sometimes you're really scary when you make an entrance!"

"Hmph! Says the kurori who is out of her element," Armendes metallic voice reverberated from his armored body. He craned his helmet around to check out the new people and stopped at the chronicler stuffing her face with food.

"Not very lady like, little drowling. Your table manners definitely need an improvement." Steam exited from the joints of the construct as he clamored around to the far end of table near the bronze man.

"At least I can SIT at a table," The Drowling cooed at the construct, "Can you even bend any of your metallic joints to do the same?"

Madeous chuckled at the Chronicler's reply to Armendes, "Hahaha!"

"Sire, you're not helping." Armendes grumbled.

The Bronze Man looked up at his old friend. He knew with him coming over to him it concerned the elementalist. "Perhaps, you can entertain them for a few minutes, Armendes, while I go and see what has become of Alyson. I am sure the chronicler and you will have some interesting stories to talk about."

"What? Chronicler?" Armendes armored form creaked and groaned slightly, "Oy! Sometimes...sigh. So, you are a chronicler of Validor, eh?" He turned back to the drowling.

"Yes! I am War Scribe, Chronicler of Validor, Chief Librarian of the Great Library and Keeper of All History and Knowledge in The Realm of Dungeons and Dragons. And who are you tall, creaky and shiny? Muwha! Ha! Ha!"

"I am Armendes. A silver dragonborn wizard. Master of both Enchantment and Transmutation schools of magic. Ambassador of Asylum. Long time friend of the Bronze Man." The golem said eloquently. "Sadly, magic does not always comply with the creator and fate likes to smack you up side the head when things go awry."

"Let me guess, you screwed up a spell and got stuck in a tin can," War Scribe snickered, "Can you do me a favor? Can you say this phrase for me and do a little dance to it as well. The phrase is 'If I Only Had A Heart'. Muwha! Ha! Ha!"

Madeous chuckled a little, "Don't pay any attention to the puns, Armendes. They're references to stories from Earth but still....Ha Ha Ha Ha."

Armendes grumbled again, "Hmph! Stories? I highly doubt that, sire. I've heard plenty of quotes from Alyson when she stayed here in Asylum. Some of which were rather amusing, other times....well lets just I'm glad I'm stuck in the golem. At least I can shut out any noise of my choosing."

"Does that noise include the squeaking of your joints?" War Scribe grinned from ear to ear, "Because to my ears, your gears sound like they need a little oil or an oil change perhaps. Muwha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

*********

Lazheros made his way up to the second floor. He knew exactly where Alyson was when he noticed the door to his own chambers was closed. He entered to see her swinging on the hammock in tears still from the swordsman's poor timing. ~ Alysiane..~

She sighed heavily and continued to swing despite his best nature to get her to stop. "I just want to make him hurt a lot. So, maybe he will get the message and stop being a total jerk!"

The bronze remained standing and gave her time to calm down before trying again. When she was little it was much easier to calm her down, now its much, much harder and more of a challenge with her worked up and hosting company downstairs. He would stay until she was ready to go back down. Leaving her here alone was a bad idea in her current state of mind. "At high noon, your uncle will depart for his kingdom beyond the Great Veil. After that, we'll see what happens with your friends."

Lazheros waved his hand and the door closed quietly to give them some privacy. Alyson stopped swinging on the hammock, got up and walked over to the canopy bed and sat down with her head in her hands. She wanted to be held and comforted now. Lazheros walked over and now sat down next to her on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and held her for several minutes longer. "It's time to return downstairs, Alysiane. Dry your eyes, child. Let me worry about what your friends want, hmm?"

Sighing she wiped the tears away and collected herself once again, "Note to self, I prefer sleeping in and not waking up before sunrise if possible."

He chuckled softly, "And to think you don't like my chanting? Besides, you don't want to miss Seama getting pranked finally?"

"You've been waiting a long time to see Seama get what's coming to her, eh?" Alyson raised an eye brow at him standing back up.

"You have no idea," He stood up and followed her out of his chambers.

"How many times?"

"Enough to warrant payback, Alyson."

"You mean you haven't been keeping score?" The elementalist smirked as she descended the stairs.

~ Oh, I have been keeping score. That little kurori is clever, very clever, however, I believe she will meet her match later today.~ The Bronze Man motioned her to go in ahead of him.

********

Alyson walked around and came back through the kitchen. "Chef Hallas if anyone asks, we got talking about some random subject, okay?"

Chef Hallas merely nodded to the elementalist and continued prepping more food for the evening meal.

The elementalist came into the dining hall, helped herself to another cup of coffee and sat back down.

The kurori tapped her arm, "Are you okay, Alyson?"

"I am now, Caliaphy." Alyson smiled at the kurori, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just said something really awkward to the ranger when I went over and said hi." Caliaphy became flushed with emotion.

"I see," Alyson motioned for her to sit up on her lap again and whispered in her ear. "Be mindful of what you say to Willow. Serna really likes him."

"Really likes him?"

Alyson nodded to Caliaphy.

"Oooh! Okay, I will be good!" She gave Alyson a chessy grin. "I am glad Serna didn't get it."

"Probably for the best." Alyson sipped her coffee and listened to the rest talk among each other.

Several minutes passed when the bronze man reentered the dining hall. He quietly made his way back around to his chair at the far end of the table. "Heard what, Caliaphy?"

Once again, the kurori turned beat red in the face. She felt embarrassed again. "Umm. Umm..."

~ She asked the ranger an awkward question. Fortunately, Serna didn't catch on.~

"Ah, I see." Lazheros took a sip of his tea and frowned. "This won't do. I like it hot not cold."

He got up and went into the kitchen and came out with hot cup of tea again. Sitting down to relax and listen to the conversation that had migrated to other end of the table.

Alyson looked over to the thief, "You weren't hungry were you, Neven? Have fun last night?"

Finally, after he had scarfed down his meal, Neven was able to respond, "I was starving, High Lady Alyson. Seri and I had a lot of fun last night. She showed me the ins and outs of Asylum and I really like it here."