Angela and I continued out of the building, the poor elf seemed to be struck dumb by what happened, and still hadn't said a word. At least he was walking behind us.

I had gotten used to walking again, it seemed like we were going to be doing a lot of it. I stepped onto the two wheeled vehicle, and the driver started moving Angela and I back to the east gate.

"So what is this thing called? I've not received a notification about them." I asked Angela.

"Oh, they are chariots. The gnomes figured out about a hundred years ago how to keep them level, and not have an animal in front."

"Let me guess, the gnomes buy a lot of these orb parts?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"It's pretty difficult to do something like this without gyroscopes. It's a shame they have no real idea what they have." I told her.

We came up to the east gate, and the party was still there. Apparently no one in the party may leave if one person is missing. We stepped off the chariot, and walked toward Jody.

"Oy! Ayla, what made you take off like that?" He shouted. Carol and Stephanie approached Angela and looked her over as they bombarded her with questions I tuned out.

"Well, the fair folk, and a couple of humans were arguing about the land. I just went and settled the dispute." I answered honestly.

One of the fairies from the conference room flew out of the gate towards me.

"Is it true you are letting us hold the key for you? Oh sorry, I am Gate Marshall Evelyn Viridian."

"Yes Evelyn, I am letting Bilby hold onto the key for now." I said, almost forgetting what Bilby had said about names.

She started smiling when I said that.

"Thank you, Princess Andronis." I held my hand up.

"Evelyn, I consider it rude to not use the first name of someone you expect to use yours; and I carry my name to honor this group of humans here."

"I apologize, Ayla." She turned to face the group. "Because you are with Ayla, your permit has been nullified, and the cost refunded to your accounts. Ambassador Raleigh has told me to hand each of you a pass ring." She handed each of them a black ring, "Show these rings any time you enter or exit in the next three years, have a wonderful day!"

And with that the cheerful Evelyn, green wings and all disappeared. Andy and Carol stood there a moment staring at the piece of metal.

"Ayla, what did you do?" Stephanie asked slowly.

"I claimed the city, and neither side argued my terms."

"That's understandable, Ayla. The fair folk wouldn't loose anything by loosing this city for fifty years, and as I said before, until they get to know you, humans won't argue with you, out of fear." Andy replied.

"Well, that one Idiot did leave the room, without giving his name." Angela told everyone. I looked at her and deadpaned my response.

"You mean his name wasn't 'Suck It Tincan'?" The whole group laughed, and we exited through the gate. As we passed the guards, Carol asked if they were going to search us.

"No ma'am. You are here with Gatekeeper Andronis, we are not allowed to search your persons." The female elf replied. Carol nodded, and then gave an uncomfortable smile as she walked out of the gatehouse.

There was a small parking area next to the gate, and vehicles that looked like traditional cars from my past life. I only drove one time, I didn't like the experience. So I was mostly driven around by my caretaker. My boyfriend only drove me somewhere my last night.

Anyway, think happier thoughts. The group approached a cargo van, and we all piled in. The packs with camping gear, and the little remaining food for the humans was thrown into the back, and we drove away from the gate, heading northeast.

A short fourty-five minute drive later, we pulled up to a house that looked like it had been added on to by people with very different tastes in what it should look like, there had probably been fifteen to twenty Additions made to the original structure.

"Ayla, Angela; I need you two to come with me." Jody said in a more serious way than I had heard him before. We walked through a garage door of the house, and then down a flight of stairs that was at the front of the room.

"Booger, you know most of this, but I'm not going to have Ayla be the only one to have to listen to this, understand?"

"Yes Papa." Angela looked as though she knew what was coming, and had no intention of arguing.

"Now. Ayla, I'm sorry if I offend you, but as of this morning, you are responsible for my daughter, and right now, we are on my land, not yours. I'll follow your rules on your land, I expect the same curtesy."

I nodded that I understood; Jody then continued.

"You and Angela have a curfew. You are to be inside this house before 10 in the evening. I know you don't eat, but in this house once a week we will eat a meal together. I don't expect you do do something you can't. I do expect you to be there."

I nodded again.

"Lastly, this door goes to my lab. Up until now, Angela's late mother wa the only other person I had ever let in here; but as this research relates directly to you, I figured I could not restrict you from it."

I nod again.

"Ayla, do you know how much it normally costs to get one of these rings?"

I shook my head, and Angela answered.

"Ayla, one of these rings would cost ten years worth of Papa's salary at the university." She made sure it sunk in a bit more. "You just protected Papas job, as well as made it easier to do his research."

"I'm glad I could help." I said to him.

"No, I'm glad we found you, instead of a rival school. This ring means I will be able to take a class in with me, not just the few with rich parents. And the university will expect it of me." He turned and opened the door behind him, and waved the two of us in.

"This is the oldest part of the estate. It's close to nine hundred years old, it's so old it has fallen off records for this building's structure. So the government doesn't know it's here." He said.

When he flipped on the light, I saw several complete Andronis frames, most with armor around them to make them look humanoid. None of the ones in the city had even a single piece for the outside. The armor for my generator was the only piece I found.

"These frames were found and preserved by Lilly, Angela's Mom. She told me once that these frames were collected the day the dwarves opened the city." He looked at me. "I know you want armor, but I can't find it in my heart to give these to you."

Angela stepped forward and patted his arm. "Papa, I told her I would make some for her. And you told me to make sure I did it right. Give me till the end of the week, and I can have most of it done."

He nodded, shut the light out, and we followed him out of the room. At the top of the stairs, he turned and faced me, "Oh, I'm sorry, welcome to the Toran Estate. Angela's Inheretance from her mother's family."

"If it's Angela's Inheretance, why is it your property?" I asked Jody.

"Because here in the Ceril Empire, women are not allowed to own property until they are twenty five. So legally, it's mine until she comes of age."

"How old was Lilly when she died?" I asked realizing the time between the Dwarves opening the city, and Angela's birth was nearly five centuries.

"She was seven hundred fifty-eight years old when her spirit faded." I stood there for a moment to try and comprehend what I just heard from Jody.

"Angela here is 1/2 Fair. It's why she can read spirits the way she can. Lilly was fair, but because Angela is half, the Fair folk have all but disowned her. It's not uncommon for Fairies to live past one thousand years. But if one gives birth without another fair present, they pass their spirit to the babe, sacrificing themselves for the babe."

Jody nodded his head, turned away from us, and walked away, "Dinner is at eight tonight, it's mandatory!" He shouted back, his voice cracking as he did so.