“Only when a man’s chivalry and honor is tested can his worth be determined.” — “Qualities of a Knight” by Ser Gerald Keagan, a required reading for all Imperial Knight Houses

  Castle Tower, Cryptonia, Ground Plane

  Titus opened the final door with a smirk, and chaos unfolded before them. At least, that was what it seemed like at first. So much bustle and excitement and apparently directionless movement was disorienting for the new lord. There was a mixture of human adults and what Jasper initially thought were young men and women. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be dwarves. The men had long, but neatly trimmed beards while the women had thick and curly heads of hair. One stood out from the others as she was giving orders in their own tongue. When she looked up and noticed the three taller men's presence, she gave a shout and all movement ceased. The dwarves snapped to attention and turned to face him. The humans likewise halted to meet their new lord, though not as smartly. They were all dressed in the castle’s new colors of cream, green, and gold. A small patch bearing Jasper’s crest and motto were stitched over each left breast. Cook Harla—clearly the woman in charge—stepped forward, wiping her flour-covered hands on a cloth.

  Harla’s hair was black with some streaks of gray. Her jaw was squarish, but still attractive. She had sharp, storm-cloud gray eyes with crow’s feet at the corners. Frown lines marked her face, but more predominantly present were the creases at the upper edges of her mouth. Her nose was broad, matching her thick neck, arms, and legs. Harla stood about four feet tall, and despite her stature, she was quite well proportioned. She squinted briefly when she looked up at the young man.

  “Milord Jasper,” she bowed her head. “All here prayed to the Treemother that you would recover well. We all had heard of your wound in the duel. Glad we are, to see your legs and heartwood strong.” She made a gesture with one hand and hummed a short refrain. The other dwarves joined her, making a short but perfect harmony. The dwarves’ voices were melodic, like Fern’s, but deeper and centered in the core of their chests, more grounded. Their accent amazed him. When Harla spoke, it was clear English, but with a unique accent that he could not pin down. Jasper was amazed at the beautifully resonant sound and wondered if the Land was substituting sounds and voices for him to make it easier for Jasper to understand the people around him. It was a truly intriguing idea, but he tried not to let himself be distracted.

  “I do believe your fine food had a great deal to do with it,” he smiled and returned her bow. “You have my utmost thanks and appreciation for your hard work—all of you.”

  “We thank you, ser,” Harla nodded, the beginnings of a smile creasing her lips. It disappeared as a thought seemed to cross her mind. “A question, Lord?”

  “Of course, what is it?”

  “Master Calian spoke to us that you were not interested in a great setting for the welcome feast,” she glanced at Calian over his shoulder, then stared at her large, booted feet, flushed with embarrassment. “Yet with the Tower’s money troubles, we are distressed that we shall not be able to make it as grand as is fitting.”

  “Oh, nonsense,” Jasper laughed good-naturedly. “I am sure a simple fare will be more than enough. As a matter of fact,” he turned to Calian. “I haven’t seen our books as of yet, so I suppose this is a question for you.”

  “I am at your service,” Calian grinned. “What information do you require?”

  “Were we to make it a simple celebration—say, roast pork, ham, maybe stag, greens, certainly more of those marvelous biscuits—would that be manageable as far as money was concerned?”

  “Well, how large of a gathering do you have in mind, Lord?”

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  “Everyone,” he said, gesturing to encompass all of those present. “The entire castle staff and Tower guard.” Many of the dwarves’ eyes widened, and Harla’s mouth fell open. Several of the human staff present began whispering excitedly before Harla shot them a scowl.

  “All, Lord?” Calian’s dark eyes twinkled. He seemed to have picked up where Jasper was headed, but Titus looked a bit confused.

  “All,” he nodded. A thought occurred to him, and he recalled that it was common for newly appointed leaders to meet their counterparts. “Though now that I consider it, I suppose we will need to invite guests from far and wide as well. But! I do not intend to rule these people like a tyrant. I want to lead by example and from the front.” Jasper smacked a fist into his opened opposite hand like a hammer for emphasis. A few of the servants jumped. “A true leader does not expect his followers to suffer hardships he would not weather himself, and neither do I. I want to show my new people that firsthand.”

  “Well-said ser!” Titus laughed, clapping his own hands together in excitement. Harla and her staff seemed hardly able to believe it.

  “A lesser feast on a larger scale would be much more straightforward,” said Calian. “Though we would have to be careful not to expend too much of the pantry.” He had pulled a small notebook from somewhere and was flipping through with a pencil, scribbling quickly.

  “Aye, Milord, this we can do,” nodded Harla, warming to the idea. She and the vampire spoke quickly, confirming which ingredients and resources the castle had available. Shortly after, Harla was shouting orders again, and the kitchen filled with activity. She turned to Jasper once again. “Thanks to you, Lord,” she said with a bow. The work continued, and Jasper realized that he was in the way. He retreated back the way they had come. Titus touched his arm and guided him to the side out of the way.

  “That was a hell of a thing,” he said, nodding in the dwarves’ direction. Jasper shrugged.

  “I saw how heavyset Lerontis was,” he said, shaking his head. “Between that, the throne, the state of the bed I was in, I had a strong feeling that he enjoyed living a bit too well. It is always good to show appreciation to the people who serve you, and especially the ones who go unnoticed. Or feel that they do. I do not intend to let my people feel so small.” He smiled at the knight and pointed down a nearby hall. “This goes back to the Main Hall, yes?”

  “Yes ser,” Titus nodded. “I can escort you if you like?”

  “No, I would like to wander a bit. I’m afraid that despite my calm appearance, I’m a bit overwhelmed at the moment. Plus, it will help me memorize the place. If I get lost, I can call for Calian.”

  “As you wish, Lord,” he bobbed his head and stood aside.

  Jasper made his way down the passage and ran a hand along the block walls. The texture of the stone was similar to concrete, but slightly smoother. It distracted him from the enormity of the job ahead of him. A castle, a large city, and the sum of the surrounding region to manage? The looming task was becoming a daunting proposition. Jasper quickly got lost in the winding passages. He ambled through the castle, finding the numerous stone halls relaxing. It was quiet, and the cool air was comfortable. The young lord had disappeared in the direction of the western half of the castle. Titus stood watching the empty walkway, shaking his head in amazement.

  “Now that,” Titus grinned, turning to his friend. “That is the kind of man people will want to follow.”

  “I do believe you are right,” agreed Calian, making some final scribbles in his book.

  “He said he wanted to wander. I think the size of it has finally hit him, but he still seems to be taking it well.”

  “He does,” nodded the steward. “It has been so long since we have had a proper Lord, hasn’t it?”

  “Oh, for certain. But to have one who seems truly interested in virtually every aspect of life here? That seems almost too good to be true.” Calian closed his book and slipped it back into his coat pocket, then brushed his hands clean of charcoal. He pursed his lips.

  “Hmm. Perhaps. All men have their flaws, young Titus. Gods willing, his will be a minor, or more manageable one.”

  “Hear hear,” agreed the knight. “Where do you think he learned all of it?”

  “What do you mean?” Calian’s elegant brows furrowed.

  “The way we do things,” Titus said, nodding at the bustling kitchen. “How did he know about dwarves? Elves? Hell, the cooking, land management. Ruling. It’s like he knew what his destiny was beforehand.”

  “I somehow doubt it is that profound,” smirked Calian. “He did charge through several history books last night. But as you say, even that should not have given him the knowledge he seems to have already.” He shrugged. “I simply do not know. We will have to discover it together.”

  “Seems that way,” agreed Titus.

  “I plan to go over the treasury issues with him in the morning. Hopefully his preexisting knowledge will extend to financial matters.”

  “As you said,” Titus grinned. “Gods willing.”

  "Good day, Ser Titus," Calian gave a short bow. The knight nodded and went on his own way.