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The reaper let him go to sleep soon after that.

The next day was rather special, because Warrenhold would be hosting royalty. King William was visiting, unfortunately without the Queen, as she was still too busy and also believed that her attendance would turn the whole affair into a media circus.

So instead, Lynnette and Mehlsanz accompanied the King. The man's several other attendants were only allowed as far as the castle's main gate.

This would technically be Lynnette's second visit--the first being when she'd asked him at the Queen's behest to accompany her and Prince Meriwether to Sair all those months ago.

There was considerably more to see now, however, and her surprise was apparent even while they were still aboveground. The surface buildings of Warrenhold had been receiving a moderate degree of reconstruction as well, and now they all at least had four walls, a roof, electricity, and running water. They were nowhere near as impressive as the eight towers underground, though, and probably never would be, so when they started descending through the Entry Tower, the heightened amazement on all of his guests' faces put Hector in quite a good mood.

They of course made sure to provide everyone with an explanation of Warrenhold's anti-pest mechanism and its corresponding psychological effects. Ms. Rogers proved very helpful in that regard, since Hector still had a bit of trouble talking to Lynnette.

He wanted to get past that problem of his and soon, but it just wasn't that easy, apparently. Every rational thought in his brain was telling him that he didn't need to be afraid of talking to Lynn, that he'd already spoken normally to her before, that he'd been through way more difficult conversations with way more difficult people. Logically, it made no sense why he should still be struggling with her.

And yet he was, goddammit.