4 — Servants Daelus was home. At least, a temporary one.

  He knocked. It was the second time today he found himself standing awkwardly at a threshold. He was assured that he should pay the hour no mind. It was nearly four in the morning.

  The estate was a pace. Crossing from the gate to the veranda and finally to the front door felt like a longer journey than the one from the delegate's lodge to the estate itself.

  It was Jossimer's estate. The man had curtly invited the newest delegate to enjoy his hospitality until a new estate could be procured. His tone had been anything but hospitable at the time.

  The door opened.

  Daelus found himself face to face with a man who looked remarkably like Jossimer, or rather, Jossimer’s portrait at the lodge. Was it his son? “You may enter,” it said in a voice rather like Jossimer’s. There was also a scent…

  It was an entourage.

  As Daelus was brought inside he noticed that all of the staff wore Jossimer's face. They milled about, taking Daelus' modest luggage (consisting of items he was told were his but he had no memory of) and setting up his room.

  Daelus was surprised that seemingly no preparation had been done in the hours since speaking with Jossimer. He had assumed that delegates were able to give instruction to their entourage instantaneously across distances. Daelus decided he simply wasn't a priority.

  Perhaps, also, he had offended the man by never calling him General. Everyone else did, but Daelus didn't see why he should. He wasn't under Jossimer's command and the man had never actually asked to be called that.

  As Daelus watched the beings, the projections of will, prepare his room, operating like silent ants, he thought back to his own experience just a few hours ago–his own entourage. Why did Jossimer have all of his servants wear his own face when they could look like anything he imagined?

  Daelus became introspective. Why did his projection look like that, even though he hadn't consciously willed it? Was she someone from his memory?

  All at once Daelus felt very self conscious. The thought of her, his entourage, filled his mind with unease. He resolved at that moment to avoid using the power entirely. Something about it terrified him.

  This promise to himself didn't st until morning.