Our first planning session was a disaster. Blue Fox killed our enthusiasm with his bare knuckles knockdown of our half-baked plans. We went to bed that night feeling rather depressed.

I found it strange that when I woke halfway through the night, Blue Fox was awake. He was lying quietly on his mattress staring at some point far beyond the ceiling. I didn't disturb him and went back to sleep. When I woke in the morning, Blue Fox was standing over by the slate board mounted on the wall. I had wondered what the flat and thin boards of slate were for. It was another interesting goblin innovation---brilliant even. Blue Fox had a stick of something white which he used to write on the slate.

What Blue Fox had written was an outline of all the things we needed to do or investigate to overthrow Griselda and rescue Aricia and the King. That must have been what he had been thinking of during the night. He was still adding and rearranging items on the board, a frown of concentration etched between his brows.

Cat and Owl were still in their bedrolls but they were awake and watching Blue Fox silently with their jaws hanging. I believe Blue Fox wasn't even aware of them. His concentration was focused only on the problem in front of him. Then a tall elf in a hooded cloak walked into the room we were using. Magrat and Queen Margo were right behind him. Blue Fox didn't hear them walk in.

A short fat human man in gaudy robes followed behind Magrat wearing a huge cloth of gold hat that looked like an upside-down onion. Behind him was Father Garshom and a short but pretty human girl in lovely gauze robes and a weird conical hat with so many veils hanging off it that you could stuff a pillow with them.

Blue Fox stared at the notes he had under the heading of "castle defenses," and shook his head. "Dang," he muttered and put the chalk down. He turned and was startled by the crowd that had gathered behind him.

He bowed formally, "your collective Majesties, Princess and First Minister, I am honored by your presence." He straightened up, and bowed his head briefly, "I am pleased to see you, reverend Father Garshom." Then he smiled at the old priest.

"Surely such an esteemed assemblage is not here for me," he assumed a respectful expression. "How might my humble self serve you?"

"Is that any way to greet your father?" Storm Eagle raised an eyebrow at his youngest son.

"Please correct me if I misspeak, father," Blue Fox was sincere in his reply, "but you are with two other sovereigns. I thought it inappropriate to act with such familiarity in such a company. I have noted in my travels that we elves tend to be more casual with family than in human cultures. I did not wish to embarrass you."

I was liking this newly-mature Blue Fox more by the day.

"Here I have been worrying about how you were doing, and I find you outlining the tactics and logistics for overthrowing the current ruler of a neighboring kingdom," Storm Eagle shook his head, studying Blue Fox's outline on the slate. The elven king looked at Cat, "so, you decided to reclaim your birthright to the throne of Nordweg, son?"

"Not exactly, Father Storm Eagle," Cat said from his bedroll. "I've decided to rescue my birth father and sister from my human stepmother. Whether I will continue as Crown Prince is not yet determined."

"And why aren't you two out of bed yet?" Storm Eagle pointed at Cat and Owl.

"We were watching Blue Fox and didn't want to disturb him," replied Cat. "It's not yet time to eat breakfast, after all."

"Well, bed slugs, get dressed and we will see you in the meeting hall," Storm Eagle ushered all of the visitors out of the room. "I can't make introductions when you're lounging around in your nightshirt."

Cat waited until the visitors were gone, "Blue Fox, who were those people?"

"That was Hasma'ad, the Sahkuhl of Zimlakuliku and his daughter, Aisha, Sahkeena of Zimlakuliku."

"That was the princess you rescued?"

"Yes," Blue Fox was acting a bit dazed.

"For once, I wish we had something other than hunting clothes to wear," Cat frowned at his elkskin tunic before sliding it on over his head.

"Yeah," Blue Fox pulled his boots on.

"Need help with the leg?" Owl asked Cat.

"Nope, I'm good, but I wouldn't turn down a hand up."

When we exited the Grammar School, our eyes were greeted with the sight of four huge patterned carpets stretched out on the green. Soldiers in bright orange pants, black coats, and upside-down onion hats guarded each corner. I wanted to explore the flying carpets and so did Cat; however, we both knew that Storm Eagle became grumpy if he couldn't eat his breakfast on time.

"I wonder what happened," Cat pondered. "This many rulers in one spot is extraordinary. Look, Father Wyvern is back," Cat pointed at the three wyverns on the roof of the cheese factory.

"That means Roaming Wren and Cloud Eye will be back too," Fox added.

"Why are they all here?" Cat couldn't restrain his curiosity.

"I would venture that the Sahkuhl and Sahkeena came to visit Father about trade and a possible marriage," Blue Fox sighed. "I suspect Queen Margo is here because of the wyverns, but do not discount the allure of riding on a flying carpet."

"Whose marriage?" Cat wondered.

"Probably mine," Blue Fox looked resigned. "Aisha has been mate shopping for several years and never found anyone she liked before she met me. Their dynasty has married elves in the past so they are open-minded about it. The Sahkuhl approved of me. He didn't want me to leave. It's only because I had to bring home the keepsakes of my dead adventuring party that I was able to escape. Aisha is a strong-willed woman and used to getting what she wants."

"Isn't she a bit old?" Owl asked.

"She's 23," Blue Fox nodded. "She's not that old but she's old enough to worry about producing an heir and there are not that many princes around of marriageable age right now. She might be a good match for you, Cat," he teased. "If you united Nordweg and Zimlakuliku, you'd be big enough to push Osterius around. Now, wouldn't that be something?"