"Yeah," Janius said after a slow breath. Everyone else was in wordless agreement, nodding to various degrees. They made motion to leave the store room.

Sabine left the meeting still looking shaken. However, she was much more certain of things than she had been when Lorag made his announcement. She left quietly behind Janius and Kaleeth.

Fendros slowed to a stop and took Ahnasha by the hand. With no one around in the hallway, he drew her into a tight hug, closing his eyes and leaning the side of his head against hers. He did not say any words for a long while, simply remaining still enough that they could feel one another's hearts beat. They could hear each other breathing. Fendros was tense. His breathing calmed after about a minute.

"Ahna," he finally said. "This will affect both of us -- I should not have just stepped forward. I am sorry." He pulled away to face her, still holding his arms around her. "Tell me honestly, do you approve of all this?"

[hr]
At first, the man was fed up by Julan's excuses. He closed the door halfway. Some of the further words made him stop and listen. The door creaked open again. By the time the old man revealed his face again, his dignified face was showing a chink. Slightly raised eyebrows. He stood staring for a few seconds longer, eyes trading looks between Rhazii and Julan both.

He slowly intoned. "You say you are Janius' son?"

"He's telling the truth, sir," Rhazii said as sincerely as he could. "We just came to visit his grandparents. Nothing suspicious."

"Please, come in. I must consult the heads of the household." The old man stepped a half-turn to allow ingress.

Rhazii stepped in once Julan did. It was awash with the warmth of fires inside the house. It was quiet and peaceful, save for their footsteps and the door shutting behind them.

"What is your name, sir? I'm Rhazii, this is Kaj-Julan." Rhazii put his hand to his chest and pointed the other to Julan.

"You may call me Harald. You may wait here in the sitting room," the old man said, stepping over to a nearby archway and gesturing to a finely upholstered set of furniture in the room beyond. Candles and the fireplace bathed it in an orange glow, revealing a full bookshelf, an expensive looking tea set, and portraits all over the walls.

Harald took up a small bell on a tray and ring it. "Jatinha, we have guests," he projected up the stairs, loud enough to carry through the house while somehow not yelling.

In a central position above the fireplace was a large portrait. Upon it was a well-dressed family, made up of a broadly-built, blond, and middle aged standing Nord man in maroon finery; a seated, pretty blonde Imperial woman in a white dress with her hands folded in her lap; and between them, a blond Imperial boy of around Julan's age with a matching maroon tunic, brown eyes, and a familiar facial shape. The family looked blankly across the room with soft smiles. The boy's mouth was pert at the corner.

Harald waited at the archway, holding up the candle as straight as his back, presumably to wait for a supervisor.

Rhazii took a seat in one of the armchairs. "Woah." His face lit up with surprise at how much the cushions sank under his weight. The large portrait caught his eye shortly after. "Your father looks so young in that picture, look."