Sarah and Lily went back inside after The Boys had flown off. He remained on the platform with Garthan and Randel, staring off in the direction they were headed.

"Gah, were we ever that young?" asked Garthan quietly.

"Randel and I were. You were a grown up even when we were children," Jareth said, laughing.

Garthan chuckled with him. "I envy them sometimes… having such an ordinary childhood," he said. "Except for Toby, what with losing his parents and all. I wonder what it would have been like to grow up in a normal fashion."

Randel shrugged, "I can't imagine. Even now, I sometimes wake and think I'm back in Eire."

"I think we all do that," said Garthan. "Lily thankfully can sleep through my night terrors most times. Other times… not."

"Ah, but isn't it nice when our wives offer us comfort?" asked Jareth, a rakish smile on his face. He saw Randel's expression flicker a bit. He had to admit, he'd thought Randel would set aside his reticence and eventually find a heart-mate, perhaps start a family, but so far that hadn't happened. He was still adamant that he would never marry, but Jareth could tell that at least on some level, he envied himself and Garthan and would sometimes watch them with their wives with an almost wistful expression.

"I wonder sometimes… their upbringing has been so uneventful, largely due to our efforts to keep them safe, but… did we perhaps do them a disservice by shielding them from adversity? I mean, don't get me wrong. I don't want them to ever go through what we did. But… I fear for them at times. Life has a way of testing us in the most unexpected ways." Garthan stared off in the direction The Boys had flown, frowning slightly.

"Toby has already discovered that," said Jareth. "Losing his parents so suddenly… that's something all three of us can relate to." Forcing himself to turn away, he faced Garthan and Randel. "I have to admit, he impressed me with how well he adjusted to life Underground, especially since I didn't wipe his human memories."

"Yes, and that contributed greatly to my wariness about him, I'm afraid. I liked him as a child, he amused me and was a good friend to Anduin. But when I realized that he was becoming romantically attached to my daughter… a child… well, it occurred to me that the retention of his humanity might have been a mistake." Garthan laid his hand on Jareth's arm. "Now, though… I can see what a blessing it is that he still has his human tendencies. Look at all the innovations he's made, in weaponry and with inventions useful to everyday life. You yourself used to copy a lot of human devices and systems. Now, we have one of our own working for us."

"Those cold-iron explosives, as an example," said Randel. "'Grenades', he called them. Nasty little things. Annoying for us but absolutely deadly to the Fae. I didn't know you could even make explosives here, but he discovered a way."

"They're not explosives… not exactly," said Jareth. "He just figured out how to magically expand the air within the devices, which projects the shrapnel outward. The force of it isn't enough to do more than give us minor injuries but the cold iron… we all know what it can do to a Fae. He has quite the twisted mind, and I mean that as a compliment."

"Yes… and thanks to that twisted mind, he ended up being the one most suited to taking over for me eventually as Spymaster," said Garthan. "I was a little disappointed when I realized Anduin would rather study under Randel than myself. I had thought then that perhaps Aurelet would follow after me, but it soon became clear that she was far more interested in structures and engineering than codes and agents. Not that I should complain, her designs rival the Dwarves when it comes to such things. That drawbridge she designed will be starting construction in a month or so."

"Well, much of that was due to Toby," said Jareth. "He leans more towards devices and inventions, but it was his encouragement that led her to go beyond mere architecture."

"Exactly. All I'm saying is that, where once I viewed his human way of thinking with doubt, now… well, now I view it as a blessing. He's brilliant, and that brilliance is not only being used in the service of our Kingdom, but it was also such a good influence on my daughter."

Randel chuckled, "Oh, your son is just as brilliant. Do you know, he's made a study of various battles Above, ranging from Alexander the Great to General Raj Singh? He looks at everything… the capabilities and weaponry of the armies, the ground they fought over, even the psychology of their generals. He beats me in four out of five wargames we stage, and his losses are usually due to random factors as opposed to his generalship. I can tell you truly… he will be one hell of a Lord Martial someday, better than I ever was."

"Oh, I know it. I remember staring at him blankly as he expounded on the tactics of a human general in one of their World Wars… Rommel I think the name was. Then, he bent my ear about his opposite numbers, Montgomery, Zhukov and Patton… I think my eyes glazed over about halfway through," said Garthan, laughing.

Jareth nodded, "Yes, I've overheard some of those little lectures. To be honest, I am surprised he didn't ask me if he could attend that American military academy when he became old enough. I probably could have finagled a place for him."

"West Point? Yes, I remember him talking about it for a time. But then, he'd spoken with Sarah, who taught him how to use the Intranet up at the Estates, and he never mentioned it again. From what Toby has told me, Anduin spends quite a bit of time watching war documentaries up Above, and analyzing which tactics can be adapted here Below. I'm glad of it… I didn't like the idea that he might get mixed up in some Aboveground war by virtue of attending that Academy."

Randel's expression was grim, "I agree. And I'm pretty sure Sarah thought the same, which is why she pointed him in the other direction."

"What I don't understand is why he doesn't speak up more. He probably has more tactical knowledge than all three of us put together, yet he says nothing." Garthan's voice sounded exasperated.

"Maybe… well, he might not want to step on our toes," said Randel. "He's studied wars, but we've fought in them. Think back… would any one of us have dared to tell Papa how to fight?"

Jareth snorted, "Papa never asked. We have."

"Have we? I mean, we asked him to attend the meetings, which he should as my adjutant, but when is the last time any of us ever asked for his opinion?"

Jareth's gaze narrowed slightly, "You have a point. And I think Jacen has a similar problem. I know he has ideas and suggestions, but he doesn't put them forward to me." He sighed, looking off toward where they had flown away. "He told me yesterday that he thought he would be a disappointment to the people if he ever became King. That he could never measure up to me. I tried to tell him that he should be grateful he wasn't 'blessed' as I was… maybe it meant that his life would be a bit less eventful. I don't think it helped at all."

"True, he doesn't have your level of personal power," said Garthan thoughtfully. "But… Danu forbid we lose you, we don't know how much the Labyrinth will supplement his magic. Even if it doesn't, Jacen's gifts lie in other areas. Areas that, quite frankly, might turn out to be more beneficial to the Kingdom than your magical capacity."

Randel nodded enthusiastically, "He's more approachable than you are, that's certain. Our people know you and feel comfortable around you. That is not true in Ardalon or any other foreign court. How many agreements have we obtained because they approached Jacen and not you? How many disputes have been smoothed over because he can empathize with his opposite number and predict their moves where you… forgive me… cannot? The last time we went for Samhain, I could swear the Fae were actually friendly to him… that's something I would never say about you."

"That's Sarah… she has that way of putting people at ease, seeing things from their point of view. She laid all the initial groundwork with the other kingdoms, certainly. And she passed those qualities on to him. Thanks to their pleasant relations with most of the Underground rulers, we're actually going to be able to make that Tour we'd been planning. And I agree, the Kingdom will be much better served by his gifts in the long run. That's why I have started bringing him into the governance of the Kingdom."

"Speaking of Sarah… how is she taking this little trip of theirs?" asked Garthan with a grin.

"Not well. She's quite frustrated with the fact that Jacen is an adult now, and she cannot control his actions anymore. I think she's torn between being proud of him and wanting to lock him away somewhere and never letting him out of her sight. Added to the mix is the fact that her 'baby' brother is also going on this trip. Suffice it to say, she is not happy." Jareth raised his brow and grinned back at Garthan, "And Lily? I noticed she was a bit short-tempered with you this morning."

"Well, I haven't been banished to the couch yet," quipped Garthan. "But then again, the day is young. I stashed some blankets, pillows and brandy in your study. I give it even odds that I'll end up there tonight."

Jareth chuckled, "I can only hope that I don't join you in that banishment. I get the feeling that Sarah is just waiting for an excuse right now…"

"And you wonder why I remain unbonded," said Randel, smirking at them both. "Take heart, they're only going to the hunting cabin, not the border of Iftanzel. The worst thing those boys will have to face is lack of fish, lack of ladies, and boredom."

After stopping for a bite of lunch in Silverton, Jacen was feeling rather mellow.

The weather was beautiful, even here near the mountains, with only a hint of coolness to the breeze. With every furlong they had flown, Jacen could feel the weight of his troubles coming off his shoulders bit by bit. Judging from the content expressions of the two men with him, he had a feeling that they were experiencing a similar relief.

"So, what are we doing first? Wetting a hook or a little hunting?" asked Anduin.

Toby shrugged and looked over at Jacen. "This was all your idea, Jace. What do you want to do?"

Jacen thought about it for a moment. "Wet a hook. I want to do something that takes as little brain power as possible."

Toby grinned, "I really like that idea. I need to give my brain a break, too."

"That's assuming you even have one," said Anduin, smirking. Toby laughed and pretended to draw back for a punch. Still laughing, Anduin looked over at Jacen. "I for one want to just sit with a cup of chilled ale and relax. While you guys are grabbing the fishing poles, I'm going to put some of that ale in the lake to cool down."

Jacen frowned, "How are you going to do that? Won't the water warp the wood of the barrel?"

"Nah… it's not a barrel… not a wooden one, anyway," said Toby. "I asked Gornan to craft some small aluminum kegs to store the ale in. We can keep a good supply up there without having to conjure it or worrying about it going bad. Anduin here likes to tie a rope on it and toss it in the lake for an hour or two."

"Well, you were the one who told me about that trick, Toby," said Anduin with a smile. "And I have to say, I like your human ingenuity."

Toby's smile became a little thin. "That was my dad… he used to do that with his six-packs of beer when we'd go on vacation." Shaking his head as if to clear it, he continued. "Anyway, it makes the ale so much smoother going down."

"That it does," said Jacen. "Well… the fish and the ale await. Shall we?"

The three men shimmered into their owl forms. With a powerful stroke of his wings, Jacen rose slowly into the air, small whirls of dust spinning under his feet. Toby and Anduin settled in beside and a little behind him, letting him take the lead as they turned in the direction of the cabin.

After about twenty minutes, they'd entered the mountain pass that led to their destination. Jacen looked below him, admiring the deep green of the forest and the scent of pine that drifted into his nares. The cool air brushing his feathers was soothing.

He was inexplicably tempted to perform some aerobatics and had just about tensed for a barrel roll when he felt something wrong. His body felt heavier, and there was a stiffness to his muscles that he hadn't felt on the flight to Silverton. He shrugged internally, he'd just done a patrol flight through the city yesterday, he shouldn't be surprised that he was a bit tired. He swept his wings a little deeper.

After a few more minutes, he was truly puzzled. He was breathing harder than usual. What the hell is the matter with me? Did I eat too much back there?

He willed strength into his muscles, drifting over the canopy of trees below. It was strange… he felt stiff and almost achy. It was possible that he'd strained himself on the flight to Silverton, but he didn't remember doing it. He certainly hadn't felt anything in his Othánas form.

Am I coming down with something?

Othánas were resistant to illness, yes. But they still had the capacity to catch diseases, even if the symptoms were milder than those suffered by humans Above. When Mom came down with a cold, it was guaranteed that she'd pass it on to Dad. It still annoyed her that she would spend a week with a runny nose, buried in a mountain of tissues, while Dad had only a day or so of mild sneezing.

But it was an odd time of year to have caught a cold, and he mentally went over his activities for the last few days, trying to determine when he might have been infected.

Nothing. No one has been sick. And I haven't done anything to bring a cold on myself…

Well, a cold was nothing to worry about. And even if it turned out to be something more serious, he could always transport back home.

And endure Mom fussing around me… no thanks. I won't be doing that for anything short of bubonic plague.

He could scent water up ahead. They were getting closer to the cabin. But with every wingbeat, he could feel fatigue building. Without even thinking about it, he shifted in flight and started descending toward the tree line. He could sense Anduin and Toby doing the same. Judging from his fatigue level, he could still make it to the cabin, but thought it prudent to be closer to the ground.

Good thing I chose to fish instead of hunt. I don't think I want to explain that I'm worn out by such a short flight-

There was no warning. Only a sudden twist in his stomach, as if a wind current had picked him up and dropped him a thousand feet. His vision spun with dizziness for a moment, his beak parted in a gasp.

Then, the magic holding him in his owl form vanished, as if drained away, leaving a very startled Othánas sailing through the air.

With a shriek of surprise, he instinctively tried to pump his wings, forgetting for a moment that he didn't have wings. His mind babbled to him as he plummeted down toward the canopy of trees below. Dimly, he thought he'd heard similar surprised shrieks from Toby and Anduin, but he couldn't focus on them through the pounding in his ears.

As the ground rushed up to him, all his brain could do was whisper.

Ah, damn… this is going to hurt…

Author's Notes:

This chapter illustrates how the generation gap can sometimes cause unintended problems. The Boys have no real idea that the Elders hold them in as high esteem as they do, and the Elders are only just starting to realize that The Boys are having issues. Both groups of men are trying so hard not to step on the other group's toes that they're making the situation more complicated than it needs to be. One should finish that section of the chapter with the feeling that they're all going to have a good, long talk when The Boys get back.

Not gonna lie, I burst into some inappropriate giggles when I wrote about Jacen flapping his arms in midair. That came directly from one of my daughters who, when I described the basic outline of the story to her, had erupted into hysterical laughter and called it a 'Looney Tunes' moment.