"We're still in the black, but not by much. Our savings are still intact, but unless we get more income soon, we're going to start running deficits. If that happens, we'll only have enough cash for a few months. No, we're going to need to do something more." He got up and handed Thayva a handful of letters. "I've made appeals to the king of this land and various lords. While they have all expressed their concern and fondest wishes, none of them have resources to spare. They all fear that this peace is but the eye in the storm and that war will resume at any time. If that happens, we'll surely be hit by a wave of new orphans and a loss of income. Even if we stopped accepting newcomers, we're going to be pressed for resources. No, we need an infusion of cash. Something to get us through another couple of years." He shuffled through a few more papers. "But, we're okay for now. This matter can be saved for another time. Tonight, maybe. Or even the day after. Or next week, if we had to wait that long. There are other affairs to attend to which cannot wait that long." Serapis picked up some office supplies and opened his door. ------------------- The competitive human boy and young male lizardfolk sat at the same table this time around. Normally, children who had issues with each other tended to sit apart, but these two kept glaring at each other in anger, each one afraid to let the other out of his sight. They looked at each other, when the lizardfolk finally broke the silence by smiling. "Is it true that your name is Aurie?" the lizardboy hissed. "It's [i]Aurelian![/i]" The boy replied. "It's a girl's name among your kind, yes? Aurie? Like a pretty little princess?" The boy's hand had curled into fists. "Shut up about my name! It's the only thing my parents gave me! Your parents just dumped you here, didn't they?!" The lizardfolk bared his fangs "I never knew my parents. My egg was abandoned. I don't even have a real name! Greentail! It's a description, so don't complain, princess." Aurelian lifted his fist to strike Greentail, but he hesitated, tears forming in his eyes. A few moments passed, but then he just got up and walked away, looking for a friend. He found a male elf who stood about his height in spite of his more fragile elven frame. "Nick, are you still working on those food spells? There's a certain lizardfolk who's just begging to be made a target." Greentail just lay back and put his clawed feet on the table. It took all of five seconds before he was shouted back down to the proper seating arrangement by the same green-and-brown robed elf. At about the same time, a halfling boy and a dwarven girl strode by. They passed a few dwarven and human guards as the girl told the halfling about her people. "So your people normally use those things on their feet?" "That's what I've heard. Same as the humans in town. The staff here are unusual for humans. And elves. And dwarves. They do it to serve as an example for the rest of us. After all, the youngest of the staff were orphans here themselves. They took jobs here and never left." "But why would anyone wear those things? I mean, people don't put gloves on their hands just to touch things." "They say it's for comfort and protection. And I know that you have tougher feet than I do." He laughed. "That's cause you're a girl, Laura." "It's because you're a halfling. And male dwarves aren't much different from females in that way. In fact, I think I'm tougher than many of them. Well, sort of. Maybe. Well, I'd like to be tougher than them." They passed another dracon member of the staff, a female who was busy taking attendance. So far, all of the healthy orphans were accounted for. She adjusted her blue loincloth and matching top as she moved on. "At least I'm tougher than you, Jorn!" Laura replied, laughing. Jorn, the halfling, shrugged at that. "Halfings just aren't that tough, besides our feet. We're good at gardening, though." "Gardening? I thought you wanted to be an adventurer when you leave." "Oh, I-I do. It's just that I have to have a backup plan and a hobby. I mean, even the headmaster didn't stay an adventurer all his life." "In that case, maybe you could show me a few of your brave 'adventurer' moves during practice. When we have a mixed class." Laura hinted at the fact that while many gym classes and training sessions were separated by gender, reasonably matched males and females by age and species were allowed to practice together on occasion. Usually, it was a slightly younger male of a weaker species against a slightly older female of a stronger species. Jorn and Laura fit the bill for that perfectly. A similar fight between dracon males and females would almost inevitably end with the male beating the female in the first minute, while a match between a male dracon and a female halfling of anywhere near the same age would better be described as a massacre. Jorn felt a bit uneasy at her request, but he didn't want to disappoint her. They weren't even teenagers yet, but her competitive streak was already showing. For dwarves, prowess in combat was highly attractive for courtship purposes. They certainly couldn't count on their looks for that sort of thing! For halflings, it was just the opposite. Fighting was unattractive to them, and a good mate was one who showed caring and gentleness. Still, Jorn knew that she meant well and had been a good friend. Of course, not only were they too young to think of anything serious, but the staff would inflict severe repercussions if they tried anything. "Alright. When we get the chance, let's spar. For now, I'd like to enjoy my food" He sighed and sat near to the three elven girls, who were on friendly terms with Laura. Perhaps they could divert her attention from him at the moment.