When they got back to the house he explained to his mother what had happened that morning. She quickly grabbed Mallory in a big hug and kissed her on the top of her head and followed by Jessica. “I am so glad you girls are safe.” She glanced around and seeing no one else in the house said, “Alyssia, please come out.”

Alyssia slowly crawled out of the satchel, unsure as to what was going on. Chance’s mom held out her hands and asked, “Will you come to see me for a second?”

Alyssia quickly crawled into her awaiting hands. Then his mom lifted the little dragon up to her chest and gently held her close. “Thank you, Darling, for keeping my daughters safe. I owe you more than I can ever say. I am so glad that you are part of our family.”

Chance felt a slight tingle of magic flow from him. He knew Alyssia was doing something, but was unsure what it was.

“Thank you…Mom, I am…glad…to be…part...of your family…as well.” Alyssia suddenly responded in a slightly stuttering, light airy voice.

The girls giggled and Chance laughed at his mother’s shocked expression. She then tilted her head down and kissed Alyssia on the top of her head just as she had done the girls.

As Chance stood and took in the scene of his mother holding Alyssia and the girls holding onto his mother’s leg, there came a knock on the front door. With the moment of love and affection broken, Alyssia moved to his mom’s shoulder and leapt off. She flew quickly back to Chance’s room and out of sight as Chance moved to open the front door.

It was the first of the vendor’s come to measure the children for clothes and shoes. So Chance led him around to the back of the house where the children were playing. His mother followed them around and soon the women helping out had the children organized and in line to be fitted.

Chance left his mom and other ladies to the task that they seemed much better suited to than him, and went back into the house to begin to remove the items from the enchanted pouch that he had purchased that morning for his mother and the girls.

Mallory was soon beside him with Jessica in tow. “We have a question for you.” She asked.

“Ask away?” Chance responded, setting down what he was doing and turning to face the girls.

Looking down at the ground and asking shyly, “What did your mom mean by calling us ‘her daughters’?”

“Well, Mallory and Jessica, I spoke with my dad, and I am guessing he talked to my mom about it. It seems you two have a choice to make. We would like for you two to join our family.” Chance paused to let the sudden burst of squeals die down as the girls jumped up and down and squealed as only little girls can do. Tears of joy ran down their cheeks as they grabbed him and squeezed for all they were worth. “The choice is if you would like to be my sisters or my daughters. Mom and Dad think it would be best for you two to be my sisters as our ages are not too far apart and I have a lot of training and possible travel ahead of me. I would be thrilled with either one and will love each of you just as much either way.”

Jessica chimed in, “Would Alyssia be our sister too? If you were our Papa, who would be the Momma?”

Alyssia hearing the conversation from the bedroom had come in quietly unknown to the girls. “Of… course…Jess..ica…we will…be sisters.”

“As for a Momma, there probably would not be one for a while.” Chance blushed as he responded.

Mallory having sat quietly asked, “Can we be your sisters? I always wanted a Grandma, but Jessica has never had a Momma that she can remember. I think Momma Janice would be a great Momma.”

Chance smiled, “She is the best Momma. That I know for a fact.” Chance heard the door closed and turned. It was his father and mother; they were both smiling. The girls turned to see who it was and squealed and shrieked, “Momma! Papa!” Then they were running into the waiting arms of their new parents. Chance thought he saw his father shed a tear or two as well, but he was not going to say a word about that.

The family moved to the kitchen table to eat a late lunch or maybe an early dinner, since they had missed the midday meal in all of the excitement.

The girls chattered about the morning at the Market, seeming to have forgotten entirely the events in the alley. They talked of the dresses they had bought and food they had eaten. Then almost simultaneously they asked to be excused and ran to Chance’s satchel. They returned quickly to the table with their bags of candy. Chance laughed at the look on their faces when his mother took the bags away and told them to eat their vegetables first, then they could have the candy. They soon finished their vegetables, although some whining was involved.

As the family settled down into the living room, a girl with each parent, Chance in his usual spot between the two chairs, and Alyssia curled up almost in the coals of the fireplace, there came a knock at the door. Chance rose and went to the door, returning shortly with Brother Joshua and Captain Herrera.

Janice stood and took Jessica and Mallory by the hand said, “Why don’t you girls come with me and you can show me all the pretty clothes you got this morning.”

As they left the room, the men moved to the kitchen table. Once they were all settled Harold spoke up, “How much has Jacinto told you Joshua?”

“He told me what he knew of what happened this morning. That a merchant guard tried to attack Chance and get him to help retrieve the boxes. Then when he was caught, he killed himself.” Joshua responded.

“The guard was also at the Market when I first met the Mallory and she told me about the house. Then he was also at the house right before we attacked. Somehow he managed to evade us and escape though.” Chance told him.

Joshua nodded, “That does add considerable weight to the facts. The man was apparently an accomplice at least or possibly the connection to those that arranged the theft of the boxes. It also means that they will do what they feel is necessary in an attempt to get the boxes back. So we need to move them. We do not have the necessary troops to guard them in route nor do we have the time to wait for the troops to come here to guard it. That leaves us in a bind.”

“The boxes themselves do not need to go, do they? Just the items inside, or a large enough portion of them to make the set incomplete enough to stand out from those with a complete set, right? That is if they mean to try to impersonate the Black Guard.” Chance asked.

“We can’t open the boxes, though. We do not have a mage…” Captain Herrera’s voice trailed off as he glanced at Chance. “Do you think you could do it? You have had no training, but could you give it a try?”

“Well between Alyssia’s memories and the journal of the Grand Mage, I can at least give it a shot. Then if we can open it I can put the pieces that will fit through the opening in here.” Chance agreed and held up the enchanted pouch.

Joshua scoffed, “You could barely fit one belt in there.”

Chance smirked and walked over and picked up his mother’s broom and proceeded to slide the entire thing into the small satchel and close the lid. He then opened it reached inside up to his elbow and pulled it back out. “Any questions?”

Joshua’s jaw was hanging open and he stammered, “H-h-h… how did you do that? I have never seen the likes and I have spent years around Ard users.”

Chance went on to explain about the gifts left to him by the Grand Magus, except for the dagger that only he could see. He figured the fewer that knew about it the better.

“How long before we know if you can open the boxes Chance?” his father asked.

“Let me speak with Alyssia and look through the journal and the book of incantations to see if I can find anything useful.” He responded. “Hopefully I should have something by tomorrow morning.”

“That sounds like a plan to handle the boxes. If it works, how do we get the pouch to the capitol?” Harold asked.

They all thought for a bit. Then Captain Herrera spoke up, “What if we pass around that I am sponsoring Chance for the War Academy. I have spoken of it in the past and I could go with him as I would have to stand and present him before the council. You could both go to vouch for his morals and physical aptitude. That way he would have three Black Guard protecting him, and I know many a Duke that would pay heavily to have even one to guard them.”

“I doubt I could get away without raising suspicion,” Joshua responded. “I have the church to preside over as well as getting the new orphanage up and going.”

“I as well cannot be gone. I have taken the past several weeks away from the forge to teach Chance some focusing techniques I have learned and there is an item that the King requires I make, besides it has been too many years since I last swung a blade in combat that I fear I would be less of a help and more of a hindrance.” Harold stated.

“Well, I would guess that it will be the two of us then Chance. You go look into the books and speak with Alyssia. I will begin to get things together and make mention of the upcoming council of War Academy and wanting to sponsor you. Then if we aren’t able to break the seals then we can say you decided against it.”

With that the men rose and shook hands. Joshua turned to the Captain, “I have a few things that I need sent back to the capitol as well as a few things that might be of assistance on the journey. So stop by some time tonight and we can discuss what you want to take and where the items will need to be delivered.”

“Will do,” responded Captain Herrera.

“If it is ok with you I will plan on taking the orphans back to the church today. I hired carpenters and masons to build me a dormitory after the mayor could not find a suitable place for the orphanage to be housed in a safe area of town. I hired a cook and teacher as well.” Joshua said as he prepared to leave. “It will provide justification for this meeting as well.”

“Good thinking. I had them all measured for new clothes today, so when they arrive I will have them delivered to the church. Do you need more gold to cover the cost of building the orphanage?” Chance asked.

“We should be fine. The church has some gold as well to be used to aid the people in town, if this is not a good use for it, then I do not know what is.” Joshua responded.

As they left, Harold turned to his son, “I too, have a few items that you will need as well as some information you will want. Let’s go see what your mother and the girls are up to right now though.”

They found his mom and the girls in his parent’s room. The girls were spinning around and around giggling as their dresses swirled around and puffed up from the spinning. His mom sat on the bed smiling and laughing at the girls’ antics.

Mallory and Jessica stopped as if on cue and asked “How do we look?”

“Beautiful, simply beautiful.” Their new father replied. “I am blessed to be called your Papa.”

The grinned and giggled and ran over and beckoned him to bend down. Then they each gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you” they chimed together.

His father stood and said, “Well, a plan has been decided upon Dear. I am not sure if it is one you will care for but it is the best we could come up with.”

His mother’s smile faded and the girls got quiet. “What is the plan?” She asked.

“Chance is going to see if he can break the seal safely, and if so, will load what will fit of the armor into his pouch. Then he and Jacinto will head to the capitol under the guise of Jacinto sponsoring him for the War Academy. Once they get there and turn the armor over, I am sure he will need to present himself at the Ard Academy per the letter that the Grand Mage left for him.” Harold replied. “We do not have the troops to properly secure the armor here, a legion could not do it previously, nor do we have the time to wait for sufficient troops to be requested and arrive. Every day we keep the boxes here we put our family at risk. The man this morning was willing to die to keep us from finding out what they intend to do with the armor. So I am sure that they will also die to keep the plan progressing. It has to be Chance to go as only he can use the pouch. Joshua would be too conspicuous to go with the sudden task of the orphanage and having to take care of the church. I am unable to go due to other tasks laid on me that must be completed soon.”

She nodded her head. “I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand. At least Jacinto is going with him. I knew he and Alyssia would need to be leaving soon to go to the Academy to report, I just don’t like the added risk of the armor going with him, but it is a good plan. How do we plan on keeping them from coming here for the armor after they have left if they are sneaking it out?”

Chance and Harold were stunned; they had not thought of that. If the family was at risk now with the armor, there then they would still be at risk with the armor taken away secretly and the thieves thinking it was still there.

“Could we make fake boxes of armor and let them steal it back?” Mallory asked.

“Great idea, Mallory! They could not open the boxes before right? So they might think that we were unable to as well, so they should think everything was still in the boxes. We could provide identical boxes and let those get taken instead and move the real boxes to the deep forge.” Chance exclaimed, expanding on her line of thinking.

“Good idea Mallory and Chance! I have what is needed to place a seal, I just am unable to remove it once it is on the item. We could load the replacement cases with a similar weight and seal them. Then when they are stolen it would be no loss. Not many know the Dwarven family marks or what they signify. So they might think we do not know what is in the boxes. Great plan,” Harold laughed at them, “you two are very devious!”

Laughing, they left to go about the tasks that were needed. Harold to find materials for boxes and weight to go in them, Chance to study the journal, and Janice and the girls to fix dinner.