Goliath began insisting that Chamberlain start some fighting training. If he was ever going to participate in a fight or something outside the castle, should they ever run into dangerous humans, he needed some training. He seemed to be able to get around and move swiftly enough, for one of his age.

Sil watched the humans train, and how the gargoyles trained, both in the dojo and outside. How they trained was different being different species.

"Chamberlain know how to fight with swords." Sil said.

"That's good, but you might also want to work on dodging movements too. You have to be fast as well. Trying to not get shot is a bit different than trying to avoid another sword." Brooklyn insisted.

"I can test him on using swords." Hudson said. "Since I have my own sword, and Xanatos has some swords to spare."

Sil had secretly brought a Skeksis dagger back with him but had kept it hidden from even Brooklyn. He wasn't about to part with it.

David let Sil borrow a sword. To him, it reminded him a little of Gelfling swords, but smaller. It was just straighter than what he was used to, but he was able to use it like any other sword. Sil and Hudson had a little sparring match.

Sil orchestrated that he could indeed hold his own in a sword fight. But then came dodging around, and even tail tripping, to be used on an enemy. It was a few long nights of training. This was important.

It was one thing where during a sword fight that you had to keep eye contact to anticipate the next move, but with a gun, you never know what could happen, where an enemy would aim for the kill or injure.

...

Brooklyn took Chamberlain out to a movie one night with him and Lex. Broadway and Angela had a date elsewhere. So did Goliath and Elisa.

During the weekend, Brooklyn, Lex, and Broadway went the rock concert at Madison Square Garden, bringing Sil with them to see what band they had. Sil had never heard music like that before. It was definitely different than what he was used to. And of course, they had to watch from up in the rafters. Sil was more used to Podling music.

Now that Sil was staying in the clan longer, he had his job for Owen and Xanatos during afternoons in the daytime. He slept in the mornings. He was starting to get curious about spending time with the other gargoyles too. Just like back in Thra, he would check in on the other Skeksis to make sure they were doing their jobs. Of course, the gargoyles didn't quite do jobs like they did.

There was one night where he wasn't allowed to go out because Goliath and Brooklyn went on a patrol that lasted all night.

Chamberlain went to check out what Lexington was doing for the night. He might have been small and what he knew about him, he reminded him of the Scientist. He already knew what Hudson did the most.

Owen was being a driver tonight, and David and Fox had gone out tonight. Lex was in charge of Alex once again. Broadway and Angela were on patrol too. Hudson and Bronx were in the TV room again.

Sil knew where Lex's room was but knew that he wasn't there. The Xanatos' had wanted him to avoid being shown there. But Sil went looking for the little green one anyway. He had seen where the two married humans went in a different direction sometimes. He hadn't been there before, but now was a good time to find out.

He went up to that familiar place and took that inside hallway and walked up there. The halls he had never seen before. He made mental notes of where he was going. He looked into other rooms along the way, looking for Lexington.

Soon, he made it to the Xanatos baby's bedroom. He had seen the couple's room, and no one was there. He peeked inside and saw Lex reading to Alex in a rocking chair. Strange kind of chair to him. Lex was reading a Dr. Seuss book, The Lorax.

Sil knocked on the door. He knew how defensive the gargoyles could get so it was better to announce his presence. He knocked on the door.

Lex heard the knocking. He looked up. He saw the Skeksis standing in the doorway.

"Chamberlain?" Lex stated.

"Lexington reading to baby?" Sil questioned.

"Oh, yeah. Come in, won't you?" Lex replied.

Sil went into the room. He looked around the room. This was a far more luxurious room than any rooms in his castle home, aside from the emperor's. It was much bigger too. This kid had no idea how good he had it.

"I take it you haven't been in here before?" Lex asked.

"No. Only just found. Never seen part of castle here." Sil said. "I see you have to watch baby again."

"It's no problem, really. Him and me are great pals." Lex smiled. "Aren't we, Alex?" Lex tickled the toddler and he giggled. He had the book aside.

Chamberlain had always had a gentleness to him, but only if servants hadn't done what they were told would he act out in aggression. And sometimes to even other Skeksis. Here, he didn't need to be that way. He was making sure to keep to his diplomacy side, though he had had to show his aggression to Demona already, and no one had seen it but Xanatos.

"Any chance you show Chamberlain some science stuff? Just curious." Sil offered.

"I'm kinda busy right now." Lex replied.

"Can take Alex too. He learn to do it too." Sil tried to persuade him.

Lex was still weary. "Well, I have been working on a toy car for Alex to try one of these days." he declared.

"Let's see." Sil said.

"Alright." Lex stated. He got out of the chair. He led Sil to the exit with the baby in his arms. They went to his room, which was also his laboratory of sorts.

"Can I trust you to keep a hold of Alex while I work the kinks out and work the car?" Lex asked. "It's hard telling what toddlers can get up to when not watched carefully."

"Yes. Lexington has word of Chamberlain." Sil replied.

"Here." Lex said. He gave the baby to Sil. Sil's eyes widened. "Hold him like this." Lex showed him how to hold him.

Sil was exasperated that he was holding the baby human. It had been ages since he had ever held a baby. His curiosity had got to him long ago when he and Gelflings used to be allies. He had held a Gelfling childling at a time or two. A human baby wasn't that much different. He did remind him of Gelflings, but he knew to tell himself that it wasn't that creature.

Lex watched him carefully first. "I take it you haven't held a baby before?" he asked.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Not human baby before, but Gelfling ones long time ago." Sil replied, still a bit in shock. He looked down at the little one. And this childling had magical powers? He didn't seem like it. He looked like a normal mortal to him.

"He has powers, Brooklyn say." Sil said.

"Yes, he does. He's too young to know everything just yet. Owen, aka Puck is his teacher." Lex replied. "One time, I didn't know it was him, but during when we were dealing with some of Goliath's siblings who had died, but were brought back into robot bodies, Alex possessed my body, and I had magical powers for a while." Lex explained.

"You feel immortal?"

"I felt protected, yes." Lex said. "It was strange. But that might have also been the night when we started our special bond too, at least before our home was destroyed and we moved back here."

Sil looked down again at the child. If only he could get the child to give him immortality. But for now, Sil wasn't going to do anything.

Lex went on to show him the toy car he had been making for Alex. Sil just held the kid.

Alex began to get all fussy at one point because his best friend wasn't holding him. Sil held onto him stronger, but that seemed to make him more upset. He was going to start crying.

"Uh, Lexington take baby back, please." Sil begged.

Lex had to put the controls down. He had been testing Sil too. "Alright, hold on." He went to take Alex back. Then, the door burst open. Sil and Lex looked that way.

"Alex!" Fox screamed.

Lex took Alex back from the Chamberlain.

"What were you doing with my son?!" Fox exclaimed furiously. Her eyes were turning green.

"Wait! Fox!" Lex got in front of Sil. "I let him hold him. He didn't hurt him, I swear." Lex explained. "He just held him to show him Alex's toy car for Christmas soon."

Sil was shocked that the little green gargoyle had gotten in front of him, saving him.

Fox's eyes returned to normal. "You better not ever hurt my son!" she exclaimed as she came into the room. She took him from Lex's arms. "Or I could give you quite the punishment myself!"

The woman left the room with her son in her arms. David was at the door too.

"What's wrong with her?" Lex asked.

"She was concerned for his safety when he wasn't in his room, Lexington. You remember what happened before." David said.

"Of course. I made sure to be here all the time. We were just in here. He just kept Alex out of trouble for me. He didn't hurt him, I promise." Lex declared.

"Alright. It's just she is still uneasy about Lord Chamberlain being around him, that's all." David stated.

"Not worry. Not hurt Alex." Sil said.

"Keep it that way." David said, glaring at Sil.

"Why Fox not like Chamberlain?" Sil asked.

"You're just new here. She just doesn't know you well enough to be around our son." David assured Sil.

"Hmmm. Has been getting to know me for some time now. Why not give chance?" Sil suggested.

"We had just been through so much with Oberon, and then Quarrymen kidnappers and such. That's why." the man explained. "She also found out her own mother was Oberon's wife and not who she thought she was. Alex's grandmother is the queen of the Third Race."

"And you rich human. Alex is powerful young one, yes?" Sil concluded on his own. "Powerful heir."

"Yes, he is. And you better not take advantage of that in any way to hurt him." David warned him.

"Course not." Sil replied.

"Good." the man said and left.

"Well, you should probably just stay clear of Alex's room for now." Lex recommended. "She might be mad at me for letting you near him."

"Not see what big deal is. Sil not going to hurt baby at all."

"Just best to stay clear of her." Lex advised. "At least until she feels she can trust you."

"And yet, she trust you."

"Because she's known me longer. I've saved her life and Alex before. You'd probably have to do something quite impressive to have Fox's trust in you."

That would take some thinking on Sil's part, or he could just talk to her.

...

David caught up with Fox.

"What makes you so uneasy about him, Darling?" David asked.

"You heard what Owen sensed. He isn't to be trusted." Fox gave him a stern look.

"And yet, he has done nothing to be harmful."

"He keeps on saying he wants immortality." Fox declared.

"Yeah, so did we. And we transformed to welcome the clan back when they helped us. I just saw him helping Lex. He didn't harm our son."

"Because Lex was watching him. That was irresponsible of him!" Fox exclaimed.

"We can trust Lex." David said.

"I just don't want him near Alex."

"Fox, as long as he's here, he has become part of the clan. We might as well accept that. Just give him a chance. Talk to him." David said.

Fox put Alex in his crib. She knew that her husband had a point. "Fine. Tomorrow." she agreed to talk to the Skeksis tomorrow.

...

Lex showed Sil some more of his inventions and how they worked until Brooklyn got back from his patrol with Goliath. Then they went to the kitchen for a meal, then the library before sunrise.

Later, after the gargoyles were stone, Fox approached Sil before he could go to bed.

"Chamberlain!" Fox said sharply.

It made Sil flinch. He turned to her. "Yes? How may be of service?" he asked her.

"Alright. Let's just get this straightened out right now. I know you seek immortality. David and I did too at one point. We've just been through so much that we don't want anything bad further happening to Alex. And that you're here now, you are becoming part of the clan. But I need your solemn vow. You absolutely swear that you will NOT harm my son?" Fox inquired firmly.

"Lexington explain to Chamberlain what happen. Yes. Promise no harm to Alex." Sil said sincerely.

"Our home needs all the protection it can get. And since you aren't a gargoyle, I'm going to hold you to that promise. You betray that vow and there will be big trouble, Mister. And you've seen how I can fight in the dojo. If you have true honor in you, you'll also be a protector of this castle and for my family." Fox proclaimed.

"Yes! Yes! Chamberlain show Fox honorary protection for castle and family." Sil replied firmly.

"Alright. Remember." she stated.

"Yes."

Fox had just wanted to drill it into his mind that she wasn't kidding around. That he had to be one of the clan as part of his services if he was to be trusted, especially around the baby.

"All life, Chamberlain not been trusted by others. Just want to have friends." Sil looked at the floor. "Please, give me chance to be friend?"

"I'm giving you that chance now, Chamberlain. Make sure you don't blow it." Fox warned him.

"Yes. Not blow chance." Sil retorted.

Fox would still remain weary for now, but was willing to give him a further, deeper kind of chance in his living here. It would still be a while yet before she would allow him near Alex again though. She just wanted more proof first.