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!"

"Here! Here!" Willow raised his glass.

"Sure!" Serna replied in kind raising her glass.

"Whatever!" War Scribe followed suit nonchalantly.

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!"

He had thought of it like that before. He always stayed in the lighthouse, or was working at the embassy tower floating high above the city center. "Your reasoning is sound, chronicler. Thank you for the advice."

"You're welcome!" The Drowling smiled as she raised her glass, "And you know what, I'll drink to that!"

*****

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."

The elementalist shook her head in disbelief, "Let me guess, you have a high metabolism and burned off the meal from the tavern. Which I might add was a big one at that. No one goes hungry at the Neverending Story tavern with Mertul at the helm. And Neven, call me Alyson. Titles are so over rated."

"Sorry," Neven apologized, "Force of habit."

Madame Mabel laughed in her chair, "Me darling daughter showed him the sights of Asylum and much, much more. Hahaha!"

Seri blushed quietly, "Aye, mum. I did show him the best view on a starlight night and it was grand."

"It was grand," Neven took Seri's hand into his own and gave it a comforting squeeze, "Grand beyond words. And so is your daughter, ma'am."