After Andy lessons, he went to the dining hall for lunch. It was supposed to be a time for families to meet. He and Ann, both sets of parents, Sapphire and Ria, and Pt’this. Andy noticed Pt’this was the only one without family at the table and wondered if he felt awkward until introductions were made and, with a grin, he chose to introduce Ann and Andy as his niece and nephew-to-be. The conversation went well until Tylan asked how Andy’s hands were doing. “My hands?” Andy asked, forgetting about the earlier injury. “Mila said you burned them in your lesson this morning,” Tylan explained. “Oh, they’re fine,” he said. “You burnt yourself?” Carla asked concerned. “I’m fine, Mom. See?” He held out his hands for her to see. “What happened?” “The magic just got a little hot,” he said. “You’re learning magic?” Carla asked. “No, I’m learning to defend myself from it. I’m getting quite good too.” It looked like she was going to say more, but Emeton came to his rescue. “How are the karate lessons?” He asked. “Very well,” Andy assured him. “You’re taking karate here too? Haven’t you spent enough time learning that?” Steve asked. “He’s teaching it, actually,” Emeton explained. “My son saw a sample of this fighting style and just had to have him teach some of the soldiers. It’s quite impressive. He was able to...” “Teach me some, and I was able to hold my own against Remmy,” Ann interrupted. “He’s the prince-general and has been since he was around twenty-three and he’s this much taller than I am.” She held her hands as high over her head as she could reach. “She’s not exaggerating. He’s huge. He’s got to be close to seven feet tall,” Andy said. He glanced at Emeton who nodded slightly. He understood. *** After lunch, they continued with the wedding plans. This time, Tylan insisted they all joined in the wedding preparations. Emeton protested at first, claiming he had other responsibilities, but when pressed, there was nothing that couldn’t wait. They asked Nim to join them since he would be involved with determining validity of the ceremony if it’s questioned. Discussions centered first on who was going to officiate the wedding. The original plan had been for Pt’this to do it. “But you’re family,” Ann protested. The law dictated that family members could not officiate weddings. “Well, since Mirimar and I never had a wedding, by human standards, technically, we’re not related. Emeton and I checked on this,” Pt’this explained. “But it doesn’t matter now. I can’t exactly officiate my own wedding.” “About the only two members of court who aren’t related and that I’d want to officiate would be Thorgrey and Nimitinas,” Emeton said. “Nim is a member of court?” Sapphire asked. “As emissary of the High Council, he is,” Emeton reminded her. “But he’s not a citizen,” Tylan pointed out. “Neither is Pt’this,” Ann said. “I am too. I’ve been a citizen for two hundred years,” Pt’this protested. “You have?” Ann asked surprised. “You’re several greats grandfather insisted on it for all court members who lived in the palace. He was also the first to allow dual citizenship so I could continue to be Baj-tisk too.” “Are you?” Ann turned to Nim. “No, the last time I lived here long enough to consider it, dual citizenship wasn’t allowed and I wasn’t going to give up being part of Baj-tisk.” “So Thorgrey is our option?” Emeton asked. “But Ann is apprenticed to him,” Tylan protested. “No, I’m not,” Ann argued. “I was made full mage in Baj-tisk.” “You were?” Tylan asked, surprised. Ann nodded. “I thought you knew. I’m sorry.” “All I was told was that you were being made a member of Baj-tisk,” Tylan said. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault,” Nim said. “It was a last minute decision. The young ones were talking about it, and I realized it was something that should have been done a long time ago. I contacted Thorgrey and discussed it with him, and he agreed. So then I talked with the Council, and they decided to do it at the same time.” “Well, congratulations,” Tylan said. “So, assuming he can, Thorgrey will officiate,” Emeton said. Everything continued quite well for a time until Carla realized there would be no exchange of rings. She was a little upset by this since the rings had been passed down in her family for several generations. She started to protest. About that time, Elos came up wanting everyone’s full names for the ceremony. Carla did not look like she would be put off. “I’ll explain things with Carla. You know my name,” Pt’this said. Elos looked apologetic. “Actually, your parents.” Pt’this looked surprised. “Really? I’ve been here three hundred years.” He looked around. “I know them. Go,” Nim said. Pt’this led Carla off to one side. Elos passed around a sheet of parchment for them to write on. “You don’t need my full name do you?” Ann asked. Elos shook his head. “Just your birth parents.” Sapphire hadn’t wanted to use her parents’ names or even her real name. They convinced her to use her name but not her parents. “You could put ton Kithmar since he raised you,” Ann suggested. “Yes, let’s point out that I’m marrying my adopted father’s uncle. That will go over real well with the nobles,” Sapphire agreed, sarcastically. “You didn’t tell me he adopted you. And now you’re marrying his uncle?” Ria asked, surprised. “I wasn’t legally adopted. I’d have to get our parents’ permission first. He just raised me. But he was a better dad than what we had,” Sapphire explained. “You could put tor Yamaria,” Elos suggested. “There have been others who’s only known family was a sibling.” Sapphire and Ria both agreed to that. There was some confusion with Andy’s name where he had three names but didn’t list his parents’ names. Ann explained that Mathis was a family name similar to clan names like in Yarba. Steve also pointed out that his name was actually Stephen, the same as Andy’s middle name. Elos shook his head, muttering. Then he requested them to write down who was escorting each person.