“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.”

- George Burns

“Max. Who are those people with you? What kind of reptile is that?” The young girl, Alea, seemed dissatisfied. She took the spider from her shoulder and held it before her, shifting it slightly. “Are you injured?” Her forehead furrowed at that.

“Alea, this here are Mireille Annirstochter,” he nodded at the redheaded girl, then continued turned to Alyssa, “and Alyssa Miner with the small winged lizard, a wyvern, being her familiar, the name's Cyrus. They helped me immensely and may even have saved my life. So please be civil.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Alyssa took the lead.

“Yes, pleased to meet you.” Mireille followed suit.

“Mh. I dislike surprises, but if you have saved my clumsy brother I am very thankful to you. Was it the horse? I always told you to take a carriage. And it is more efficient, you can read and travel.” She scrunched her nose a bit.

“Yes, Alea, it was the horse. But even a carriage would probably not have helped with an ambush by bandits.”

“Bandits. This seems a common theme at the moment. But please come inside. Do you require a bit of time to freshen up, or do you want something to eat and drink first?” Alea moved the spider or the little automaton moved its head, she herself stood stock still sometimes tilting her little head a bit.

“We would like to e…” Mireille was interrupted.

“It would be best to freshen up before eating.” With a serious look in her friend's direction, Alyssa quelled any protests.

The entrance foyer had a floor made of polished granite. There were columns worked into the walls, and between those hung and stood works of art like paintings and some statues. They were well made but not ostentatious. Then there were several large carved doors on both walls to the sides, straight ahead a large staircase wound in a zigzag pattern towards the upper floors.

A maid who appeared when called brought them to their rooms, airy and large enough it seemed to fit the whole of Alyssa's old home, at least without the lab. The walls were white-washed stone with tapestries depicting knights and ladies, a fireplace, cold at the moment, three chairs and a carved table, a wardrobe, and a very large bed, fit for perhaps three to four girls of her size. From the ceiling hung a glass globe with a floral pattern which, when spoken to in the arcane tongue of Allissair, glowed with a bright yellow light, flickering at first then growing more stable by the minute while the enchantment drew on ambient mana. A small room separated from the main one with a beaded curtain contained a large bathing tub with a cupboard containing different oils and soaps. A mirror hung upon the wall facing the entrance.

After washing with a bowl of water standing on a little stone table beside the door, she spied a little wand carved from the bones of some unknown beast inscribed with runes for wind and some she did not know the meaning of. Taking and carefully experimenting with it, she heard from behind her: ‘It's a variation of a wand against vapors. Much weaker so don’t expect it to protect you against gas exhalations by a hydra. But it should take away some of the more unpleasant effects of the road. I myself not having the capacity to smell am not in danger, but it should be necessary for you considering the dearth of opportunities to bathe.’

“Asandria, that is a fancy way of saying I probably smell, right?” Laughing she activated the wand by granting it a bit of her magic, a fresh breeze circled around her, taking away the lingering odors of unwashed body and old sweat.

“Mh, I could get used to that.”

‘Clever piece of artifice that.’ Asandria mused. ‘The power and elegance leave something to be desired but it is a clever and ingenious way to work around the lack of proper materials and it seems effective.’

“High praise coming from you!” Alyssa grinned, laid the wand back where she found it, and opened the window shutters. Behind the floor-length windows, there was a small balcony that overlooked the gardens out back, surprisingly spacious with a small hedge maze and a fish pond. A pavilion stood partly in the waters on some sunken pillars. A woman clothed in black sat with a book but without reading as she regarded the fat golden fish swarming an offering of breadcrumbs. The small trees growing here were all of the fruit-bearing sort: peaches, cherry, and something which she did not recognize.

A knock roused her from her reverie. “Yes?”

The door opened and Mireille strolled inside. “Ah yours is gigantic also, have you seen the bathtub? We could get in together and have room for some more. And the bed! Never was anything softer, save perhaps the neighbor's cat, and she would not let me use her for a pillow even once. Still have the scars of that adventure, thank you.”

“Whatever brought that on?”

“I am expecting great things from dinner, great things I say! And because of that I can't be quiet.”

“Sometimes you can't be quiet to save your life. Come here.” She went and got the wand. “Stay still.”

“Yes, ma'am!”

She used the wand on Mireille and saw the small breeze of slightly glittering air sweep around her person and clothing. Asandria looked closely at the wand, hovering over Alyssa's shoulder. Cyrus had found the washing basin and was drinking the used water.

"Cyrus, stop that!"

“Wow. What was that? Is that an enchanted tool? Can I look?”

“Yes, it seems it is a wand to take away unpleasant odors.”

“And the first thing you do is use it on me. Should I be concerned?”

“I used it on me first. Don't look so offended. We did bath a long time ago if you don’t count simply washing in a brook in the forest.”

“That counts!”

Alyssa sighed. “Come with me, it should be time for dinner, and what do you make of Maximilian's sister?”

“She is a bit strange, but my standards have been quite shaken up of late. Knowing Vanessa and yourself, she does seem outright normal.”

Laughing they both went to the dining room a maid had shown them on the way to their rooms.

They were quartered on the first floor with some of the more high-status servants, above them were the family quarters, below the ground floor with a library, study, kitchen, and the servants quarters which were in a separate, smaller building to the side. The corridors echoed with every step on the stone tiles. Portraits of long-dead relatives adorned the walls.

In the dining room, they met with Maximilian and his sister who sat on opposite sides of a long table near the upper end. Glowing globes, like the one in Alyssa's, and presumably Mireille's, room hung from the ceiling and illuminated the chamber. There were several chairs of unique design at the head of the table probably meant for family, empty at the moment.

“Ah, have a seat.” The young man stood and gestured towards the chairs beside him and Alea.

The clockwork spider moved and seemed to nod in their direction. “Did you find everything to your satisfaction?”

“We are grateful and everything is perfect. I don’t know if this marks me as a country girl but the wand was a very nice touch.” Alyssa blushed.

“The wand? Ah, it was left there when uncle Theoric was here. You got it to work and knew what it did? You are much too humble. Most guests of the nobility would not get much use out of it.” The first time since she had seen her there was a small smile on her face. The surprise on her brother's face was a little comical to see.

“My brother told me of your good work. I had the physician come in regardless. He told me that if you were to remain in the city you would not be lacking for work. High praise I think. Dinner will be served momentarily." She adjusted the silken blindfold with her right hand.

“Have some of the bread and butter to tide you over. I know I will. Sister, you will excuse our ill manners will you?”

Alea made a dismissive gesture, looking a bit strange as young as she seemed to be. “You had a long and tiring journey and we are without the people to whom it would matter most. Grandma is still ill and will most likely take her meal in her chambers. Do greet her will you?” The last was addressed towards her brother.

Mireille and Alyssa exchanged glances then sat down, the redhead grabbed some bread and butter eating happily. “Do leave some space for dinner!” Alyssa admonished and then went red realizing where she was.

“Yes, mom!” Mireille smiled around a big bite of fluffy bread with salt and butter. “But it's delicious!”

Maximilian grinned. “Feel at home here; my sister might be very formal but she is not demanding or overly conscious of rank and station.”

“One of the advantages living with grandmother is a lack of meddling. Don't you start!” Alea remained still while the spider became more agitated waving its forelegs. Cyrus eyed the little mechanical being curiously.

Alyssa stroked along his snout and whispered. “The spiderling is not for eating, you will have something later I am sure.” Then she looked between brother and sister. “If it is not impertinent…”

“You lasted much longer than most. And while it is impertinent it does not bother me. Yes, the little mechanical creature effectively functions as my eyes. My natural ones sadly had an accident, we will leave it at that. The construct is my familiar for all purposes.”

“That seems complicated. I had not heard of such before,” Alyssa curiously remarked.

“It is not normally done even were it possible. It takes a lot of conscious effort to move it and me both. But my grandfather was a renowned mechanical and magical inventor. She is his last work.”

“I am sorry if that opened old wounds."

“By no means. It has been some years already. Ah, there is dinner.”

"And you have not changed a bit." Maximilian looked on fondly.

Dinner was served by some servants, male and female both, and the siblings and the two friends silently ate with much relish. After confirming their acceptance Cyrus was fed alongside them.

“Ah, that was very welcome.” Maximilian sighed. “On the road, even though the mercenaries were much better cooks than feared, they were limited by conditions and ingredients.”

Mireille looked half-dead after having eaten more than was healthy. “I thought what they made was tasty, but my standards have risen sharply just now!” Then she slumped back while rubbing her stomach.

“Mireille.” Alyssa made a gesture.

“What? Do you need the salt?”

Alyssa took the salt with an air of defeat. Maximilian smiled at that.

Alea had an amused expression. “Don't take too much care conforming. As I said there is no one present who cares that much.”

“Thank you.”

They talked a bit about their travels, editing anything about the troubles they have had. Alea was very interested in the state of the war. Mireille could contribute a bit more to that.

“The bandit attacks are on the rise. It is good that you two will travel with us. More capable people mean less danger, and you have proven yourself trustworthy which is also greatly reassuring.” Maximilian told them. “The so-called bandits are probably sent from a certain duchy to the north. Please don’t quote me on this. This duchy and the smaller county to the east are resenting Grunewald as upstart peasants usurping the ancestral rights and perhaps worse in their eyes stealing 'their' money. The king's decision to grant the status of a free city has been controversial, but for the land and the people, it was certainly a godsend. And for the crown, it was certainly a bargain. Now with the hostilities, everything seems to regress to what it was before. It's sad. My parents tried to stay out of it but of late...”

Not wanting to talk about politics any longer they had a bit of tea before deciding to end the small after-dinner gathering.

“It was nice having guests for once." Alea sniffed, "even if it was a surprise.”

“Also you don’t like them, there can be good ones, right?” Maximilian joked.

When night fell Alyssa and Mireille sat in the former's guest room talking. “The first good meal, the first bath!” Alyssa sighed. “In ages!”

“That's normally my line.” Mireille was lying on the bed still much too full to safely move.

“Did you have to eat your body weight in food? Tomorrow is another opportunity for excellent dishes and if you make yourself sick you miss out on that.”

“Never thought about it that way. But I will take care to keep it in mind.” Mireille nodded seriously.

“I see you kept up with your exercises exactly one day after we parted.” Vanessa sat in an unused chair with armrests, near the bed looking at them reproachfully. Cyrus beat his wings and gave a startled hiss.

“Because you can show up without a sound does not mean you should, for Nirileth's sake!” Mireille clutched at her frantically beating heart. “I am wounded! I should be excused!”

“You seem to be better already. But jokes aside, I know. And it is better to have done as you did. It will help you further the plans for the academy. If Mireille can't manage to study there then I will take it upon myself to train her further.”

“Everything but that!”

“What did you say?”

“Yes, thank you!”

Asandria looked on in silent contemplation.

The moon rose over the garden painting everything in shades of grey and silver as the two of them went to sleep, Mireille stated that she was much too tired to move and simply remained in Alyssa's large bed. “If you dare snore I will carry you, no, I will have someone carry you back to your room.”

“I don’t snore.”

Vanessa smiled, "Have an eye on the younger von Graufurt. There is something beyond her mechanical pet that bothers me."

A sleepy chorus of assents did nothing to assure her of that.

And they fell asleep.