So, the august and mighty Loras Afelnor, Mage Questor of the Seventh Rank, once called the Firelord but more recently known to the House as the Oath-breaker, is now plain Loras, the smith, Doorkeeper mused.

He had heard nothing of Loras Firelord since the Questor's expulsion from the Guild, four decades before, and had assumed he was dead. However, it was quite believable that Loras had gone to ground in this way. Doorkeeper knew the Questor had been the son of a smith, and he had always been reserved, as was expected of a Guild Mage. Also, instead of conforming to the common stereotype of a tall, willow-thin sorcerer, Loras had been of middling height, but stocky, and as strong as a bear. Yes, it all made sense.

Still, Doorkeeper had a moment's amusement at the mental image of the stern, confident Mage Questor as a begrimed, sweaty figure with a straw hat, calmly discussing the shoeing of a farmer's horse in the round, wordy tones of a Guild Mage. There was no malice in Doorkeeper's daydream, for he had liked Afelnor well, but the concept still amused him.

The ancient mage wondered if he should tell the boy the full and unpleasant truth about Loras' downfall, but he had always doted on solemn children although, or perhaps because, he had none himself. Deciding to sugar the pill as much as possible, he turned to Grimm.

"I don't mean to be unkind, Grimm," he said, "but you shouldn't let your hopes rise too high. About being taken in as a Student, I mean. The name of Loras Afelnor is known here, but I am afraid that many people here don't remember him too kindly. Lord Thorn receives a lot of applications for charity places here at the Guild, a very great number indeed, but most of them are rejected outright. Lord Thorn might just reject your application because of your name. He was a good friend to your grandfather Loras, a very good friend, but I think he was very upset by Loras' actions."