Zharanthixil, of course, was not one to smile at Janius' gratitude, but it was not to notice that he was being more willingly and openly friendly with Janius than he had been even just a few days before. [i]"Shouldn't surprise you that I want the best for my grandson. I have to admit, you've done an adequate job with his training, even if he does have stubbornness bordering on stupidity. That can be fixed, though, with the right kind of discipline. He's a boy who could have a place here, and knock the teeth out of anyone who claims otherwise. If you want my advice, I say let him get close to the girl. Make friends, fall in love, become mates if they want. That could make it easier to convince him to want to settle down here when you're finally done with whatever business you have out there."[/i]

Kaleeth was behind Zharan, looking visibly uncomfortable at her father's suggestion. Zharan was clearly still under the impression that she intended to settle back down in her village at some point in the future, and she did not know how to break the truth to him.

[hr]

On Fendros' cue, Ahnasha reached over and grabbed some wooden bowls she had stacked on top of one another, then placed them out in front of each of them. "I certainly would like some time to relax over a good meal. Or...at least as good as I could make it. It was slim pickings to find fresh meat that hadn't turned from sitting out all day. The bandits did have some salted meats and vegetables laying around, though, so I was able to get a decent stew going."

Ahnasha continued as she started to pour some of the stew into her own bowl. "Hopefully, it will be as good as what we have to look forward to tomorrow. Is your mother okay with not doing most of the cooking herself, Fendros? You probably don't remember this, Rhazii, but Shevari is quite the accomplished cook. She and my brother have their own business in Leyawiin doing just that. Based on all the letters I've gotten from my family over the years, she's learned a lot of different styles. Argonian, Khajiit, Breton, Imperial styles: both Nibenese and Colovian. She could make Dunmer-style cooking when we last saw her, and she's added some Bosmer and Altmer styles to her repertoire over the years. She's asked me a few times in my brother's letters if I could help her learn Nordic cooking since we've moved to Skyrim, but I keep telling her that Nordic cooking isn't...that great."