When Alexander entered the entrance hall, not a single light was on be it from one of the lights on the walls to the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There were no artifacts to be found in the entrance hall, for all but two of the artifacts that Captain Smith had been brought back from Egypt since the conclusion of the Second Boer War were kept in the three "exhibit chambers" as they were called.
Looking back and forth, Alexander walked through the entrance hall, pausing to sniff the rug at the front doors. On the rug he could identify the scent of many other people, two canines, two birds and one caracal, a female the very same age as him.
Suddenly the lights turned on and Alexander grew alarmed. He arched his back, narrowed his eyes, flattened his ears against his skull and began to growl. From the stairway to the second floor, an old woman asked: "Kull! What's the matter with him?"
"He is affrighted, mother." Answered Captain Smith, as he knelt to gently pat Alexander, saying: "It's alright, Alexander. It's alright." Alexander followed his master's gaze and saw the old woman, seventy-four years old, with three others with her: a girl and two boys. The girl was six, being held by the hand of the old woman, whom Captain Smith had identified as his mother, despite her struggles to get free, while the boys were sixteen and ten. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"Kull, we all know what is coming. No amount of rest will change that." Stated Captain Smith's mother, Gudrun by name.
Running a hand through his hair, Captain Smith sighed. All while this was going on, the little girl that Nana Smith was holding onto exclaimed: "Let me go, Nana! I want to go caress him!"
Chuckling, Captain Smith looked up at the four and said: "Let her go, mother. Alexander is as gentle as Darius." Shaking her head, Nana Smith let go of the little girl's hand and watched as the child went running down the stairs. Seeing Alexander begin to back away in fright, Captain Smith said: "Hippolyta, sweetie, slowly."
The little girl stopped running and slowly walked towards the caracal, saying: "Yes, daddy." Alexander kept his back arched and his ears flattened, yet he now stared at his master's daughter Hippolyta with wide eyes.
Captain Smith then looked at the ten-year-old boy and said: "Ian… Need I ask what you are doing up so late? My nephew you may be, but you are also my student and you have classes tomorrow! Get to your rooms this instant!"
"Yes, Uncle Kull!" uttered Ian, giving his uncle a bow.
Then looking to the adolescent boy, Captain Smith asked: "And Alan?"
"Yes, Uncle Kull?" asked Alan, his voice rich and smooth.
"How are you doing?" Captain Smith inquired, a look of concern in his eye. "You were quite distant when I left."
"I… I have been… better." replied Alan, slowly and with a sorrowful tone. "But everyone has been here to help me… Especially Gemma." Gemma was the daughter of Captain Smith's gardener Robert Cook. She was Alan's age and his lifelong friend.
Captain Smith smiled, knowing full well what his nephew was feeling. He then looked to Alexander. The caracal looked quite content being caressed by Hippolyta, the initial fright he had been given by her running at him now gone.