[Frodo Baggins]

Cromthal smiled softly.

"You want to know about my master? Well I will start by saying that the term 'master' is a title of respect as well as affection. To him I was a servant, an apprentice, and an heir. You see, even though a Sidhe may have children, they choose an heir from the aristocratic warrior class of my people. A ruler may have several appretices at a time. The eldest is the one that is to rule over that province when the master dies. The younger ones will either be councillors to the heir when he or she inherits the estate or they will be high ranking servants. Some are from all sorts of families and come for a basic education. They come to the master at an older age and stay for a shorter time.

"The hiers, like me, are taken to the master when they are around three years old. Our master is more of a father to us then our parents. I love my master. His name is Myrddin, also of Rathcoe. He was quite tall, and if you did not know him well enough he could seem frightening and intimidating. He had a soft heart though. He was about my age when we first met, I at three years old and frightened as a fawn. I won his trust soon enough though, and we hardly left each other's side since. Until I was sent away of course. He was always kind, his dark eyes showed it. He rarely punished me and only when I justly deserved it. Even when I deserved. punishment I sometime's only got a scolding.

"My master had one daughter, Brona. She was about 20 years younger than I and I thought her immature and silly. Usually I was right. But I got along well with her and the other students, except that one time when one of them tried to teach me how to swim, they nearly drowned me instead. I won't give you the details, but that was one of the very few times I ended up clinging to my master's robe and wailing like a babe."

Cronthal was still smiling, a bit more sadly this time, and his eyelashes were damp.