[The facts seem to match up well enough. He knows that the only other Shardbearer to be invited to an apprenticeship with the dwarves was also used to a forge and was considered to be talented. He almost thinks to ask Alice if he can examine Lancelot's work before realizing that it really makes no difference in the grand scheme of things.]

The dwarves aren't exactly interested in shardbearer business so that doesn't surprise me at all. And he worked with them for how long?