Lunch passed by without incident. The afternoon activity that Alex wanted to do, namely going down to the dock to stare at the boats being built, was vetoed by Donna. He complained that he was allowed some leeway, thanks to me being there, and Donna smacked him in the head before informing him that I wasn't a free pass to do whatever dangerous thing he wanted.

“Yes, he is!” Alex exclaimed and Mage Ridge laughed.

“Boys.” Donna shook her head. “The most I'll allow is a carriage ride past the docks.”

“YES!” Alex yelled and his lone hand shot up into the air in triumph.

“I said past!” Donna said.

“I know.” Alex said and grinned at me. “Let's get changed!”

“Full meeting dress?” I asked and he nodded.

Donna sighed loudly as her cousin gave her a hug. “Meet us at the stable in twenty minutes.”

I nodded and went to the guest room. Tabitha must have heard, because she was there and hand my good suit ready for me to change into. I thanked her and she waved it away and quickly undressed me. She had me all done up properly and even combed my hair briefly before she nodded.

“You look very handsome, my lord.” Tabitha said and ran her hands down my arms to make sure the cuffs were buttoned in place and wouldn't move around on me. “I'll pack your other clothes and will have your meal suit ready by the time you get back.”

“You are doing a lot for just a guest.” I commented.

“My lord, you are more than a guest.” Tabitha said and then looked surprised. “I can't explain why I believe that.”

“It's probably the same reason why you can be completely naked in a bath with me without being embarrassed and then a kiss on the cheek will make you blush.”

Tabitha's surprise became a genuine smile. “Yes, I... I think you're right.” She said and leaned in to kiss my cheek. She blushed a little and then laughed softly. “You've given me a lot to think about, my lord.”

“Nothing bad, I hope.”

“No, nothing bad.” Tabitha said. “Except for the fact that you can't have more than one maid at school until next year.”

It took me a minute to realize what she meant. “You want to be my maid?”

“Yes, my lord.” Tabitha said. “As my current lord said, my skills and talents are wasted on him, as they were at his father's estate.”

“Alex is an only child?” I asked and she nodded.

“No one is left for me to take care of and there's nothing worse than that for a dedicated maid.” Tabitha said with a sigh.

“The only time off I have from school is during the king's birthday next month, then you won't see me again until next year.”

“I've been waiting five years for Alex to return from the army and accept my position officially, and he still hasn't.” Tabitha said. “He's always been too private to accept help when it was offered, even from his wife. Although, he's been getting better with that lately.”

“Losing parts of yourself humbles a person.” I said and she looked sad as she nodded. “I have two personal maids, one that takes care of my daily needs and one that usually takes care of my bathing needs when she can.”

“The dorm monitor allows another maid to visit?” Tabitha asked, shocked. “I thought...”

“I don't have a dorm monitor.”

Tabitha's mouth made that little 'o' of surprise and then she blushed deeply. “My lord, please accept my petition to become your maid. I have no problem being third. I'll serve your meals if it's required and I'll make sure you enjoy your days to their fullest.”

“What about Alex?” I asked.

“He's been looking for an excuse to let me go to find someone else to take care of for a while. He's too kind to cut me lose without making sure I was going to a good home.”

“I'll ask him about it.” I said.

Tabitha let out a squeal and then she put her arms around me and kissed me on the lips. “You won't regret this, my lord!” She said and grabbed my hand, went to the door, and dragged me through it. “I'll have my things packed by tonight and I'll come back with you to your dorm.”

“You can't stay there.” I said as she pulled me over to the door that led outside to the stables.

“There's no rule about me keeping my things there.” Tabitha said and stopped at the door. “I'll keep enough in a bag to take to your mansion; but, all of my main things will be near you all the time.” She checked my collar and saw that it was fine. “Thank you, my lord. Thank you.”

“He hasn't agreed yet.” I said.

“Yes, he has. He just doesn't know it yet.” Tabitha said and opened the door for me. “You'll barely have to mention me and he'll hand me over without a fuss.” She smiled a smile full of confidence and surety.

I gave her one last look and walked through the door and followed the path and the smell to the stables.

“I can't believe you're using the full carriage.” Donna said with a chuckle.

“We need the room.” Alex said as the butler helped him climb in and then the butler hung the small hand cart on the back of the carriage.

“Ahhh, it's so nice to be back in this thing after so long.” Mage Ridge said as her husband helped her into the carriage. She sat down in the middle of the large seat and ran her hand over the plush leather. “It's been years, hasn't it?”

“At least.” Donna said and climbed in with Darrel's help. She sat down beside Alex and Darrel entered next. I nodded to the coachman and entered as well, then looked at the seating arrangements.

“Please sit beside me, David.” Mage Ridge said and pat her side. “Please.”

I glanced at her husband and he didn't look happy, which made my decision for me. I sat down beside her, opposite Alex, and saw his amused face.

“I'm sorry for how things have been going so far.” Mage Ridge said to me as the carriage began moving. “I knew there would be some conflict, just because of who my husband is; but, I never imagined he would be this... blatant... with how he felt about someone like you.”

“Someone like me?”

“He thinks you've had everything handed to you, including a rich wife, and that you haven't worked your ass off.” Donna said with a roll of her eyes. “Your very expensive clothes set him off.”

Darrel mumbled under his breath.

“I bought these with my own money.” I said. “I made more than enough hunting exotic animals to open an account at the bank.”

Mage Ridge took in a sharp breath, her husband let out a gurgling sound as if he was choking on his own spit, and Alex and Donna laughed at their reactions.

“The owlbear pelt was a good portion of that, wasn't it?” Alex asked and I nodded.

“The meat was pretty lucrative, too.” I said. “Once I cooked it up properly. It was delicious.”

“I can imagine.” Mage Ridge said and gave me an odd look. “You hunted an owlbear and lived.”

“I wouldn't say hunted.” I said and then explained how it really happened. Alex and Donna had heard me tell this story before and they enjoyed it just as much this time. Mage Ridge's face was drained of color when I was done and her husband wouldn't make eye contact with anyone in the carriage.

We arrived at the large dock area and the sail masts of the large ships could be easily seen over the storage warehouses and building areas.

“Ooo, look at that! It's a dreadnaught!” Alex exclaimed and opened the window of the carriage. He was almost hanging out of it to get a better look. “I think it's a dreadnaught. Driver! Can you get us closer?”

“I'm sorry, my lord. Nothing bigger than a horse and cart are allowed past this point.”

“Dammit.” Alex said and let out a sigh.

Donna looked at me and I motioned to the dock. She sighed loudly and spoke. “Ten minutes.”

“YES!” Alex yelled and we were all out of the carriage and on the dock as he was propped up inside the small hand cart. We walked down the dock and his eyes took in everything. “It really is a dreadnaught!” He said excitedly and pointed at the ship we approached. “It's huge!”

A man's head poked out from under the hand rail twenty feet above our heads. “Hey! Is that a ship connoisseur I just heard below me?”

“I'm a medically retired and bored army captain! What else am I supposed to look at around here?” Alex responded and the man laughed.

“Good point! Look out below!” The man said and disappeared, a rope appeared around the hand rail, then the man leapt over the rail and gripped the rope. He slid down at half-falling speed and landed with a plunk right in front of Alex.

“You're a master rigger!” Alex exclaimed and held his odd hand out. “Sorry about shaking with the wrong hand. I misplaced my other one.”

The master rigger laughed and took the offered hand with his own odd hand. “I see you went to all the trouble to dress up just to meet me.” He said and looked at us all. “Anyone else interested in ships?”

Donna, Mage Ridge, and her husband shook their heads.

“I own a boat I designed and built myself.” I said and the man's face grew a huge smile.

“Let's let the land lovers go down the dock to the fried fish stall and I'll take you and your friend on board to show you my pride and joy.” The master rigger said and flicked the rope with his hand and then coiled it up at his feet in a couple of seconds. “Up the gangplank, of course.”

“Donna?” Alex asked, his voice pleading.

Donna sighed and he took her hand and kissed it. “Where's the fish stall?”

“Down that way and to the right. Best fried fish you've ever had.” The master rigger said.

“Bring us back some!” Alex said as the others walked away and we followed the master rigger over to the gangplank. I helped the butler bring the hand cart onboard and then we were given an extensive tour of the ship. Work crews were all over the place as they worked on it.

“Over there is where the cannons will be mounted.” The man said when we went below deck.

“What?” Alex asked, surprised. “Why are you mounting them below the main deck?”

“We've lost too many of the expensive things during storms when they broke free from their moorings on the deck and dropped overboard.”

“They can do that?” Alex asked.

“Apparently.” The master rigger said. “One of the boys back at the design bureau thought mounting them behind the hull would at least stop them from dropping overboard if the ship tips up on its keel.”

“You have to weaken the hull to cut the holes, don't you?” Alex asked as he looked over at the crew doing just that.

“We're going to reinforce around the hole and build a cover for the front when it's not in use.” The master rigger said. “I bet you the enemy will be surprised when we unload a whole broadside at them and it hits their ship and not their sails!”

“The enemy?” I asked.

“The Eastern Empire.” The master rigger answered.

“I thought we were in peace talks.” I said.

“Ha. Yeah.” The master rigger huffed. “Are you seeing the work going on around us?”

Alex and I looked around at the work crews working hard and looked back at the master rigger.

“Would anyone do this much work if we expected to have peace when they're done talking?”

Alex opened and closed his mouth several times as he tried to come up with a logical explanation.

“Ha ha! You're getting it.” The master rigger said and clapped Alex on the shoulder. “Come on, I'll show you the crew cabins and finish the tour at the captain's chair by the steering wheel.”

We followed him through the ship to look at the cabins and then we were brought up to the main deck and the large steering wheel there. Luckily, the captain was off somewhere finalizing orders or something and couldn't say no to what happened next. Alex got to sit in the captain's chair and played with the steering wheel as he barked out fake sea orders, much to the master rigger's delight and the crew around us burst out in uproarious laughter.