When it came to those who came from more modest accommodations, the home of a noble often looked like a shining city on a mountain they would never be able to visit.
That was only made worse by the fact that someone could stare at such a place and imagine what it would be like to live in that kind of luxury.
Even still, as they entered the castle of House Therindor, Aiden found his jaw going slack.
The inner courtyard alone was massive.
Hedges and gardens brimmed with flowers and life as people hustled around doing everything from watering those flowers to carrying stacks of paperwork.
The walls were made of marble and held a level of cleanliness that must have required hourly cleaning.
Even the stone pathway was devoid of dirt, like grime itself dared not approach a place that cost this much money.
"Damn," Will said, seeming just as starstruck as Aiden. "We could fit, like, twelve of our entire houses in this courtyard alone."
Aiden turned to the others to see their reactions.
Jax's reaction was in line with his own. He even seemed to be walking on three paws, using the fourth to smooth his fur like he was trying to blend in with the atmosphere.
Liora was keeping a calm face, but Aiden could see her looking around with a glint of greed in her eye.
Thalia was surprisingly calm. She seemed a bit unsettled, but not as much as one might expect considering the situation.
Selene was the most collected of all of them.
Then again, this was her usual kind of environment.
"Welcome to our home," Duke Therindor said. "Please, come with me so we can put together some lunch for everyone."
As they were led inside, Aiden felt Jax nudge him.
"Dude," Jax whispered, "please tell me I'm not the only one who feels like I am wholly underdressed for being here."
"Dude, you are wearing a vest and nothing else," Aiden replied. "You're wholly underdressed for most places."
They were led into a large hall.
The floor was polished maple wood, and a long light-blue carpet stretched down the center.
Several doors lined the hallway, leading to side rooms, but they were brought all the way to the end.
Inside was a dining room with a long table.
At the very end stood a beautiful elven woman.
She had a full figure and wore a modest dress that seemed designed more to accentuate her looks than hide them. Long blond hair fell down her back, and with one glance, everyone could see where Kaelen had gotten his beauty from.
"Greetings," the woman said. "I am Emerelda Therindor. I do hope my husband has been courteous during your arrival."
Everyone nodded.
Aiden glanced over at Kaelen.
He stood with a scowl on his face, though he did not seem able to decide where to direct it.
Duke Therindor walked forward to join his wife, and the two sat down.
As if on cue, the doors behind them opened.
A line of sixteen servants entered, all wearing identical uniforms. Their footsteps echoed in perfect unison as they moved to the table, turned, and placed plates of steaming food down.
Six of the servants approached the party and gestured for them to sit.
Eight of the sixteen meals were accounted for.
Before Aiden could ask about the extra food, Duke Therindor turned his head and bellowed.
"KIDS! YOUR BROTHER'S HOME! COME HAVE LUNCH!"
Beside him, his wife flinched.
Then she grabbed him by the ear and yanked him down.
"Alvin, we talked about your yelling when guests are over!"
The duke looked up at the party, seemingly having forgotten they were there.
Then he nodded and leaned in toward his wife.
"Sorry, my love. I'm just a bit excited."
He planted a quick kiss on her forehead.
She leaned back, a small blush coloring her cheeks.
"Holy fuck," Will said, crossing his arms. "That's adorable."
They sat for a few moments before several younger elves began walking in.
Eight in total.
They all came running in and took various seats around the table.
The children seemed divided into two types.
Those covered in dirt and sweat, who had probably taken after their father.
And those sitting with refined expressions and an air of cleanliness that must have come from their mother.
Aiden glanced at Kaelen beside him and noticed a strange expression on his face.
Kaelen recognized some of them.
But when he looked at the youngest three, there was no recognition in his eyes at all.
Everyone waited for a moment.
Then Duke Therindor picked up his fork, and the meal began.
As Aiden looked around, he noticed each dish seemed to have been made for a specific person.
Jax had been given a steak that was already cut into chunks, allowing him to eat one piece at a time instead of looking like a savage tearing into a full slab of meat.
Liora had some kind of potato soup that she seemed to be enjoying quite a bit.
Thalia had a chicken breast covered in what smelled like a spicy sauce.
Selene was given lamb chops with a green jelly-like sauce that smelled sharply of mint.
In front of Aiden sat a tasteful rack of barbecue ribs that had been deboned, allowing him to eat them with a knife and fork.
When he glanced over at Kaelen, however, he noticed the priest glaring at his plate.
Kaelen refused to eat, despite the fact that the food in front of him looked and smelled incredible.
Aiden did not recognize the dish, but even from where he sat, the aroma was enough to make him want to reach over and steal a bite.
It might have been nerves.
It might have been something else.
Either way, the rest of them were quick to devour their food.
When they finished, they all leaned back in their chairs with contented sighs.
A moment of silence passed before Selene spoke up.
"We thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome, Duke and Duchess Therindor."
The duke chuckled and smiled.
"Of course. It is an honor to have a daughter of the Drakemires in our humble home."
Jax, Liora, and Aiden exchanged a quick glance.
They all had the same united thought.
They had no clue what this noble etiquette stuff was about.
But they would act like they did.
Before much else could be said, Duke Therindor stood.
The eight children who had run in earlier quickly scattered, rushing back to whatever they had been doing.
The servants began cleaning the table.
"Aiden, Selene, and Jax," the duke said, "do you mind joining me in the training hall?"
Aiden, Selene, and Jax glanced between each other.
Then they all stood and began to follow him out.
As they filed into the hall, the duchess's voice rang after them.
"Alvin, honey, don't break them. They are guests."
"Don't worry, honey," the duke called back cheerfully. "They have a Drakemire with them. I can go a bit rough."
They continued down the hallway in silence for a moment before Jax spoke up.
"Are we going to spar?"
The duke nodded with a grin.
"I have never been much of a fan of the more technical stuff. I always believed truth is best exchanged in combat."
Aiden, Jax, and Selene all glanced at each other.
Aiden asked the next question.
"Can I ask what class you are?"
The duke stopped at another door and opened it.
Inside was a large training room.
Runes covered the walls, lighting the space with a steady glow.
The surfaces of the room were layered with strange ceramic and metal plates, and a rack in the corner held wooden training weapons.
The duke walked over and grabbed a greatsword that seemed almost comically oversized.
The flat of the blade was just as wide as the guard, and if it had been made of metal, Aiden was fairly sure it would have weighed a hundred pounds.
Duke Therindor turned back to them with a grin.
"I'm a level thirty-eight warrior who took the class evolution Dread Warden."
He rested the training greatsword over one shoulder.
"So, who is up first?"