However, it was not cut properly, they just used a bulkier fitting to hide the fact. So, my first task is to reshape the emerald and flatten the back side so that it fits easily. While I am at it I try my best to optimize the structure of the emerald for magic.

Shaping the emerald is easy, it ends up in the shape of a pyramid with one point stretched out longer. That will be the bottom when it is mounted on the choker and I leave a hole in it for later. Changing the structure doesn't go anywhere near as well, in fact it fails.

I have to undo it and try again several times, but it needs to be perfect. This is going to be the core for the choker, so it is important that I get it right. Before I can figure it out, the kids wake up and I stop to feed them breakfast.

Once they are happily eating, I shrink back down and go back to my attempts. I don't bother eating yet, I will wait until Lin wakes up and eat with her. After about fifty tries I finally get it right and everything just kind of snaps into the perfect arrangement.

Unfortunately, I am not exactly sure how or why it worked this time, so I may not be able to repeat it. However, for now it is good that it worked, repeating it will be a worry for another time. Just as I am about to start the next step, Lin comes down the stairs, but she looks confused.

When I see her looking around I realize that she hasn't spotted me in my new tiny size. Not one to miss an opportunity, I jump down from the table and run across the room. I stop to enjoy the view and then resume normal size, sweeping her into my arms as I do.

Lin screams from surprise and then when she realizes that it is me, she smacks me. However, it doesn't hurt and it was totally worth it to see the lock of shock on her face. It makes me laugh, which just makes Lin smack me again, but she is smiling.

Lin says "Ash! How did you do that? Were you using an invisibility spell?"

"Nope, I wasn't invisible, just only three inches tall."

Lin says "Why would you shrink down so small?"

"It makes it easier to work on the choker."

Lin says "I just asked you to make it prettier. Why do I think you are doing way more than that?"

"You will just have to wait and see. That reminds me, I will need your ring and a few drops of your blood."

Lin says "What for?!"

"Well, I need the ring so I can make it and the choker into a set. The blood is so that you and only you can use them."

Lin says "Isn't that going a little overboard?"

"Between what you have taught me and all the experience I've had recently, my enchanting has improved a lot. Not only that, but I have come up with some more advanced ideas that I want to try out. That reminds me, is there a spell to conceal the glow of magical items?"

Lin says "It is good to experiment and further your knowledge, but does it have to be now? Yes there is, why?"

"Yes, I want this choker to be special. I need you to teach me the spell, please. Otherwise, you will have every mage in the world after you to steal the choker."

Lin says "Every mage in the world?! Just what are you planning?!"

"Not telling. It's a surprise."

I still have Lin in my arms, so I carry her over to the table and put her in a chair. Then I sit down next to her and take out breakfast dishes for the two of us. She keeps asking about the choker, but I refuse to answer any more of her questions.

Lin says "Ash! Stop being so stubborn! Maybe if you tell me what you are planning I can help."

"Nope, not this time. I've already got most of it figured out and only need to do a few small experiments."

Lin says "Alright, fine! Are we still returning to the ship today?"

"Yes, I can work on the choker anywhere. We will leave once we are done eating. I want to check on the position of the ship, then maybe in a day or so you and I will fly ahead to the city."

Lin says "The city? Shouldn't it still be a week or more before the ship gets close to it?"

"About that, hence why I need to check its position. I want some extra time in the city to see about materials and information."

Lin says "Not that I don't want to go, but are you sure? You have seen for yourself the kind of trouble I will cause you."

"Yes, I am sure. Don't worry, I have a plan."

Lin says "Alright, I trust you."

"You have no idea how nice that is to hear. Anyone else would be telling me that me having a plan makes it more worrisome."

Lin says "Is that because they don't know you as well, or because they know you better than I do?"

"I would like to think no one else knows me as well as you do at this point. They just were around when some of my plans didn't go so well."

Lin says "Are your current plans going to go well?"

"I hope so, but I can never be sure."

Lin says "Well, either way, I trust you."

"Thank you. That means a lot to me. Now I am even more convinced that I need to make this choker special. Can you teach me the concealment spell, please?"

Lin finally concedes and teaches me the enchantment as we finish eating. It is meant to make low level magical items look like common items, or make stronger items look weaker. As it stands, the enchantment is not going to be good enough for what I have planned.

However, now that I have the enchantment I should be able to improve it. Just one more small experiment to add to everything else I need to do for the plan. It shouldn't be too big of a deal, but I doubt I am going to be able to hide the choker completely.

As long as I can hide the fact that it is an artifact, assuming it works, that will be good enough. However, for now it will have to wait, since we have finished eating it is time to go. I pack up the materials for the choker while Lin gets the kids, then we leave the castle.

Once we are outside, I shrink the castle down and put it away in my pouch. Other than the trees I ripped up for Lin, there is no sign that the castle was here. Well, other than the dead grass, but that is something I still haven't figured out how to fix.

Lin says "Wait, if we are on the ship and can't take out the castle how am I supposed to get to my books?"

"Unfortunately, you can't. I haven't figured out a way to access the castle without setting it up. Sorry."