The next night, there was a storm that blew in. The clan stayed in tonight. They needed a break from patrols anyway.

Sil had experienced many storms in his life before, but never one quite like this. It seemed far more noisy and violent outside. There was also much more thunder and lightning too, much sharper than on Thra. The loud thunderclaps made him jump... a lot.

The TV also wasn't working, and it made Hudson so mad. "The satellite dish went out again!" The clan heard the clan elder complain.

"It happens, Hudson." Lex stated. "One day it might be better, but science is only slowly advancing these technologies."

That meant there would be no TV watching tonight. It was amazing the lights even stayed on, but Xanatos had made sure that the lights all were monitored during storms with a backup generator. There wasn't much that he couldn't afford.

Brooklyn and Sil went to the library for more reading lessons. There wasn't much better to do.

"Storm seems much violent. Way worse than on Thra." Sil commented.

"In Scotland, they seemed much worse. But yeah, they can get bad." Brooklyn admitted.

"You go out on patrol in storms?" Sil asked.

"Yeah, we have before. If winds get really bad, we have to land somewhere. Our skin is thicker than a human's and we don't get sick as easily as they do when they go out in the rain, or the cold. We're just used to living outside somewhat more. We just don't have that much need for clothes that much, other than what we already wear, with the exception of Hudson. But we will wear clothing when needed. I like to wear leather jackets when I've ridden a motorcycle before." Brooklyn explained. "The weather is just too violent tonight to go out."

"Agree. Too noisy."

The two of them went on with Sil's reading lesson until dinnertime. In a way, Sil was glad for the storm because it kept his friend here with him. He still needed to find a niche here at this place. He still didn't quite have a job to do, other than being Brooklyn's best friend at the moment. They talked on their way to the dining hall.

"If going to stay here, Chamberlain must have job to do soon." Sil stated.

"Well, you'd be well off talking to Xanatos, or Owen about that. But you are being great company for me. I usually don't have anyone to hang with." Brooklyn declared.

"You good company for Chamberlain too." Sil smiled.

They soon arrived at the dining hall, and everyone was settling down for dinner.

Everyone got what they wanted on their plates and sat down to eat. Sil kept beside Brooklyn, but the storm was making him nervous. None of the clan or humans had seen him so edgy before, even in the short time they'd known him.

"What's wrong, Lord Chamberlain?" Angela asked.

"The storm's got him on edge." Brooklyn replied.

"It's just a storm." Broadway said.

"Maybe to you. Just never had one like this before." Sil declared.

"What, you didn't have them on your planet?" Lex asked.

"Yes, but not like this." Sil replied.

"The storm will soon pass." Goliath said. "It might be all night. Or all day and night."

"We do need the rain. It's been so dry this summer." Lex said.

"True." Goliath agreed.

While eating, the humans were there too. Owen was just being a server. He would eat on his own time. That was his job. Sil looked over at David.

"Xanatos." Sil said.

"Yes, Lord Chamberlain?"

"Brooklyn say you might know of job that be good for me. Chamberlain needs job around here." Sil explained.

"Well, with you being a Skeksis, there are limits to what is allowed in our world. Of course, the clan protects the castle at night when not patrolling. Owen takes care of a lot of other things for me." David proclaimed.

"Surely, there's something he can do to be productive?" Brooklyn asked.

"Well, he can assist me in the daytime sometimes." Owen spoke up. "It would be a way of him starting out. How are his reading lessons coming along?"

"He's doing well, but still has a way to go." Brooklyn replied.

"Well, you could do errands for me when taking papers to other parts of the building. At least in what parts that we've shown you." Owen explained.

"It would be wise not to go below a certain part of the building. There's many employees here that aren't even supposed to know that the gargoyles live here." David stated.

"Okay, but when can start?" Sil asked.

"How about tomorrow?" Owen declared.

"Hmm, in afternoon, please. Need sleep first."

"Of course. You've adapted your sleep patterns to the gargoyles awake patterns." Owen said obviously.

Fox was in the room too, trying to feed Alex his dinner too. She didn't say anything, but she eyed her husband. He knew that his wife didn't want the Skeksis near their son, at least not yet.
...

The next day, after the gargoyles went to their day sleep, Sil went to bed for the morning hours. Then, in the afternoon, he started doing some work for Owen, being like his assistant. Sil knew his way around the castle and some of the lower parts by now.

Sil didn't exactly know about the money concepts yet. But he needed to understand it. It was just part of life in the human world.

David and Owen also began to teach the Chamberlain about human money. It was something that a ton of humans were so intrigued by and loved too much. He was even shown what it looked like. The silver coins and the green pieces of paper with past presidents on them.

Sil didn't find them too intriguing, but of course, he was interested in this world, like a child, so to speak. He loved learning new things. Knowledge was wisdom and power in its own way. But he would stick to doing errands as needed.

At one point, when Sil was with Owen alone, he asked him what it was about him that was magical.

"Brooklyn say you magical being?" Sil said.

"Yes, I am. My real name is Puck. But I can't use my magic except in the training of Alexander. My old master, Oberon, decreed it. He stripped me of all my powers except to train or protect Alex. He's the Master of the land of the magical island of Avalon. It's where Angela was raised. No mortal can get there without knowing how to." Owen explained.

"What Avalon like?" Sil asked.

"Peaceful. Quiet. Boring. You could also talk to Goliath, Angela, or Elisa about that. They were there and were on a world tour for many months. Your friends came to us one night and reported them missing to us. This was back when they lived in the clock tower above where Elisa worked at one time." Owen explained. "They came back the night Alex was born and helped save David's son. That was when he decided he would let the clan stay here again in repayment for saving his son when the hunters revealed their presence to mankind."

"Sound intriguing to be on Avalon. Since place to be for magic people. Would like to go."

"It's not that simple, Chamberlain. You have to know a magic spell incantation to go there, by mortal standards. And uh, it just isn't the best thing to do. Let's just focus on your job right now."

"Still want to know more." Sil tried to persuade him.

"In time. I'm still busy right now." Owen said. "Not now."

"I know what it like to serve a mighty Emperor. Was wise counsel to him before death took away. So, it not like Chamberlain not know how to be respectful to big leader." Sil proclaimed. "And even if Puck not training baby, can you change into Puck to see what look like? Please? Just want to know."

"No. Not right now." Owen made it clear he wasn't going to do it. "Later perhaps." Owen could be quite stubborn. That's what could make folks dislike him a whole lot. It just wasn't the right time yet for Owen to reveal what he really was.

Sil went on with his job with him. The storm stopped around 3 pm that day.
...

Sil told Brooklyn that night that he got Owen talking to him, but he wouldn't reveal his true identity to him.

"Believe me, you don't want to be messing with Puck. At least before he lost his powers from Oberon. He lives for subterfuge, causing trouble. He once made it possible to turn us human and turned the whole city of New York into gargoyles." Brooklyn declared. "There was even a soul possession thing that he and Alex did on us once too."

Sil's eyes widened. "He that powerful?"

"Yes, but not nearly as powerful as Oberon. These magical beings are not something to be messed with Sil." Brooklyn advised.

"Would like to be immortal." Sil claimed.

"What matters more is what you do with your life respectively. What kind of rightful legacy you would leave behind. It's about what you do with the time you have. Hudson's told us that many a time, just as he says that a gargoyle can't stop protecting the castle than breathing the air." Brooklyn explained.

"Can do so much with life with having immortal life and not worry about death." Sil said.

"I know, but the magical beings always want something in return too, and it's not always the best price to pay. If you had one that could give it to you, what would you be willing to pay for it?" Brooklyn asked.

"Could give money that what humans show me today." Sil replied.

"They don't want money, Sil. They would want something far more valuable. Do you have something like that?" Brooklyn inquired.

"Not sure what mean."

"Like if you asked for youth restored, for example. What would you give for it?" Brooklyn was just trying to make his friend see that the magical Third Race was not something to be messing with.

"Want to be immortal." Sil replied.

"I know you do. None of us want to die either. But we try to focus on helping others and leaving a legacy behind to be remembered by. Our friends would remember us. It's better to be remembered in a good way than in a bad way."

"Hmmm, yes. Agree. Only other thing Chamberlain have is just robes to give away. Not have anything else with for trade." Sil relented. "But yes, if not immortality, would love to have youth restored permanent. Skeksis were beautiful when young."

"That's a nice wish to have. Judging from how Hudson feels a lot, it sucks getting old." Brooklyn declared.

"Chamberlain not quite as old as other Skeksis. Still have some younger traits, when needed. Good memory, for example. Always been specialty that make me good counselor." Sil declared.

"That's great. Well, do you want to go to the park tonight? We can since the storm is no longer blazing." Brooklyn suggested.

"Sure. Want out of castle for a while." Sil said.

"Okay. Meet me at the battlements. I just have to go tell someone." Brooklyn stated.

Sil went from the library to the battlements. He waited there. Brooklyn soon got there. "I told Hudson we were going to the park." he said.

"Good. At least someone know we going." Sil replied.

Brooklyn got himself ready and Sil got on his back again. It just was the most convenient way to travel for Sil. Brooklyn stood up again and he gave the jump, and their feet left the ground.

Sil still couldn't stand the takeoff part. He held on for dear life.
...

At the park, they landed in a secluded area, that at least Brooklyn thought it was. He had tried to make sure it was clear before landing. But there were so many trees that blocked a view too, in some parts.

Tonight, Brooklyn brought Sil to the lake area. It was a hot summer night.

"Why come here?" Sil asked.

"It's so hot and muggy from the rain we had last night that why not go swimming. You feel like swimming?" Brooklyn asked.

Sil looked at him strangely. "Not in clothes. And not been swimming in LONG time." he stated.

"Well, now's a chance to have some fun. I don't go swimming very often myself. We have so much stress from protecting the castle and the city that we forget to have fun. Goliath can seem like a stick in the mud sometimes. He sure was about finding a new home back when Xanatos was our enemy. He didn't want to leave the castle." Brooklyn explained.

"Skeksis did have fun at times, just swimming not much part of. More of musical parties." Sil declared.

"So, are you coming?" he asked.

"Alright but taking bath when get back." Sil replied.

Sil got out of his robes first. He wasn't about to get them wet if he could help it.

"You taking that off?" Sil asked.

"I wasn't."

"Hey, you see me before. I not see you before. Only fair if swimming, hmm." Sil declared.

"Alright." Brooklyn said. He ended up taking his loincloth off. But it was just for this activity. They just wanted to be alone. Sil finally got to see him, but he didn't make too much of it.

Brooklyn entered the water first. It felt good. He was hot.

"How water feel?"

"It's cool, but not bad. Feels good if you're hot." Brooklyn smiled.

Sil took his word. He followed him into the water.

"You can swim, right?" Brooklyn asked.

"Yes. Just been long time." Sil replied.

They both walked out deeper into the water. Once it was certain it was deep enough, they let their feet leave the watery mud and started swimming around. Chamberlain didn't really want to put his head below the water surface though. The water did give his aching joints some relief to just be off his feet too.

Brooklyn's hair got all wet. He even went under the water.

The two of them even splashed water at each other playfully. They had a good time for about an hour. Then they got out of the water and just sat for a little bit. Brooklyn put his loincloth back on though.

Sil wanted to wait a while, but Brooklyn insisted that he put his robes back on so they could go back.

There were other activities they could do too. Brooklyn did want to take him to a movie and take him to a rock concert too while he was here. There were some good movies at the movie theaters here in town and there would be a rock concert later that coming weekend. It was a Wednesday.

They returned to the castle to get themselves cleaned up but using their own personal bathrooms. They both smelled like fish from having swam in the lake. But it was pure fun to having swam for the first time in a long time.
...

Quarrymen did patrol the park at times, and they had seen the red gargoyle and something else riding on his back as they had departed the park. They would be keeping more on a lookout for them.