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Feather’s voice could be heard. “Luke I am sure I told you your old room was ready, yet I find you here.”

Luke said. “Yes Sir, it is where I need to be. I am sure with so many here there is anther that needs that room. Mike and I need to be here where we can be found. Now are the wards on the hall going to be a problem? I know the church has no such spell in the approved list. It just lets us know when some enters the hall that is not known, and if the armed or not.”

Feather said. “This part of the house has been given to the Mercenaries for the length of the stay. It is expected that they make their self’s comfortable. So I would image the ward is as much for our comfort as it is for thiers. Still I don’t see why you are not in your room.

Luke said. “I am flattered that you thought me to be fit in the family rooms, but I need to be on hand. It was rough enough last time, when neither of us were officers. This time we each are and so it will be easier on everyone if we are where we belong.”

Charity winced and spoke as she left the room, well that should help, but he could have been a bit less forceful. “Luke they both are pleased with that servant’s room. I was told it was perfect, for the clothes can not be hid, there are good bindings and the lock is in the main room. I don’t know about those two. Oh sorry, I should have looked, I hope I didn’t just alarm you. Is there a problem Sir?”

Feather shook his head. “No I was just coming to see why my son wasn’t where I expected him to be. He has explained it, so there is no issue. I just didn’t realize the place he had.”

Hadiya happened to pick that moment to come out into the hall. “Charity is this dress to short for lunch here? Mother would scold me, but I am hoping it will be all right here.”

Charity turned, hoping her father was not too shocked. Then smiled, it was just a bit above the ankles, truly not that much shorter then the one Aunt Edith had on “It might get a few frowns, but is below mid-calf so is not indecent. The closer to the ankles the better it is. However that knife is too easy to see.”

She nodded. “I told Regge it was and am going to remove it, I just wanted to know if I should changes dresses as well. Thanks, as this one will do I can go get something done with my hair and wait to dig my others out. Looks as if my long ones are somehow all on the bottom of my trunk, I can just hear my mother yelling at me, for letting that happen.” She laughed and went back to her room.

Charity turned back to her father and Luke. Feather was looking at her a bit oddly, but just said. “It helps to se you all taking such care. It makes it easier on us that you do.”

Charity shrugged. “De does her best to see that all in the dragons do what they can to blend in when we end up on a long engagement like this, which is why we get them, and how we earn our reputation. As for the Olive Knights, well like she said, her mother would be offended by that dress being worn afternoon. Arms may be bare but legs should be hid. Well you see by Jab there, even the pants are loose fitting. Only servants show their legs. The unit that came with me is a bit more inclined to tighter clothing, but more like is worn here, not anything like you would see in Jacksom. That said should there be a concerns do say so. None of us wish to cause you or your Ladies any embarrassment.”

Feather relaxed. “Thank you, this is not easy on them. Luke I just though you would like to know that Mark and Mathiewer are here, it has been some time since you all had a chance to catch up, and I forgot to tell you. I am not sure when the last time was you were all able to get together was in fact. Have you seen them since you went away to school?”

Luke looked at him wonder just what he was up to. Mat at least had entered the priesthood. Mark he didn’t know about. “Last I knew Mark was running trade routes with a cloth company in Biasa. Has he moved back then? I saw Mat a few times at the school, but not since I left, he was to new to the call to have contact with those not of the church last time I was here.”

Feather nodded. “As I thought, you will have much to catch up on. I will you fill each other in. You will at least be with the family for meals. I am sure you all will like one not cooked over a camp stove.” He turned and left.

Mike shook his head and waited until Feather had passed the wards then spoke. “Well I think we won on the room. So now then we just wait until he works out the rest of it.”

Charity looked at them and smiled. “Oh he will get it soon, the way you two are. Mark and Mat? I thought is shocking that Jeffery was coming, now them. Just why would he call everyone in, knowing we were going to be here?” She smoothed her dress and wondered how bad this was going to be. “You had best take the hint and take your old place this time. Besides it has been sometime since you saw any of the older boys. You can scare them with stories of facing General Hetxers forcers.”

He smiled, liking that. It should indeed upset them, more so when he told them about taking the General’s hand. Mark would have been supporting the General, and Mat would be scandalized by Red. “I forgot Mark would have know of the General. That will give us something to talk about. I am feeling better now. I will try to not be to obvious today, but well.”

She laughed. “You two are checking on each other all most as much as Jab and I are. I will be impressed if you are not asked before lunch is over. They certainly should by supper if you are with them much.”

De said. “So you think they will make it to the table?” Come on, before they are waiting on us. Char you need to be between Jab and Warren or whichever one isn’t near you will be turning to watch anytime someone comes close to you. Even with your shadow there.”

Charity nodded. “I would feel strange if I wasn’t between them. Likely I would be checking on them just as much as they on me.”

They got to the door of the dining room and Charity paused for a bit, smiling as she let the others go in first. She was a bit nervous though she wasn’t sure just why. She took a breath trying to make herself enter. Well at least my dress shouldn’t upset Mother as much as it did when I had one of Mom’s on. Though the belt I have on is one of hers so it just might. Shaking her head she went though the door, only to find a child running at her. Warren moved first and caught the boy before it got close to Charity, then glanced to be sure there was no fire in her hands. She tended to be a bit jumpy about things running at her. Jab was in front of her, so he just looked at the boy. “And just where were off to at such speeds, Young man? I must say that was a starling way to met. I do hope I didn’t scare you as much as you did me. There I will set you down, but try and slow down a bit, I truly wouldn’t want you getting hurt.” He sat the boy down and saw a lady wearing a hideous bright purple dress walking towards them. Sorry ma’am I didn’t mean to alarm you, just thought it best to catch him before he ran into someone.”

Chastity said. “Thank you for doing so. Robbie dear, what have I told you about running inside, now come it is time for lunch. A big boy like you can’t be skipping meals now can he?”

Charity smiled. “He looks like one that would keep you running. I bet he will be one of them that makes it up to the field to watch the drills. Don’t worry, the guys will see any that do stay out of trouble. Glad to see the dye is working well. I was hopping it would. That dress truly shimmers. Robbie you truly could get hurt. It was by running in the Dinning room that you uncle Palmer broke his leg when he was ten, he was miserable the whole summer as he was not able to ride. I think it also might have had some to do with Max’s arm latter.”

Chastity chocked, but Palmer just laughed. “So it did, and it is why Jorden is in the cast right now, He takes after me, even broke the same leg. I can see he is going to be trouble.”

Max said. “Come now Charity I know I told you I broke it by jumping out of the hay loft.”

Charity smiled. “No, that was the next one, which you will did get outside. The one I am talk about was gotten riding a wild horse bareback. Though you never did find a way to explain how you came to be laying on the dinning room floor.”

Max laughed, “I had forgotten that one. You have me there. Just to be clear, the leg really was smashed by a horse this time. Come on, they can’t start serving until everyone is seated and I am starving. So how was the trip?” Charity smiled and started walking again heading for the left side of the table, as the right was family.

Critern was there first and had the chair across from Max pulled out for, then pulled out the one to either side for the other two. Warren taking the one to her right, putting him next to Mike, and Jabari on her left, Charity shook her head then had to smile a bit as Garstern beat Kaneb to seat next to Jab. “It wasn’t to bad there is going to be a strong crop of clover this year, but the grain looks bad. I wasn’t able to see how the flax was, but the chisiom dye fields looked good. However the gas was a bit high over oxtern lake, so that is likely going to hurt the food crops again.”

Max laughed, and turned to Mark. “See I told you all you had to do was ask. She has been letting me know for years, it is just a matter of meeting up with her. Why are they watching you so close? Has there been more trouble?”

Charity said. “No, but there is some concerns that I might be on the Empires radar. We have had a few tangles with troops we suspect of being theirs, and one of them include a strong mage, then I know they want to find the ones that took on the red robes last time.”

Chastity was still looking at her. “Charity? You mean you are still. Here I and hoped you had settled down. Well I must say your dress is almost fitting. What an interesting color.”

Charity smiled at her. “Thank you, I am glad you like it. I was worried you would find it wild, but it seemed fitting. It was the last dress Misa gifted to me, so it is the one I was to wear when returning to my family, so I had to for all you wouldn’t know the tradtion.”

That was when Luke realized she had worn that dress when they rode into Hunty when they came back from the trip South. A glance at Gar and Jab was all he needed to know it was a big deal for her to say that, though he didn’t know that part of tradition either.