@Kho It'd be a massive copout to bring them back, that's all I'll say.
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Let Slip the Corgis of War
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Dear Mr Curly,
I have done little travelling lately because I have been so dreadfully weary. Can it be true as the old Ecclesiastes said; that all things lead to weariness? Surely not. Perhaps the opposite is true: that all nothings lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that I am worn out from something I haven't yet done and the more I don't do it, the more exhausted I become. How strange. Could it be something I haven't realised? Perhaps it's something I haven't said? Something I haven't finished! It must be very large and true whatever it is and a lively struggle in the doing but I look forward to it immensely. I know I need it. First, however, I must curl up in my chair and sleep deeply with the duck. Perhaps I'll dream of this thing and wake up refreshed and do it. My fond wishes to you Mr. Curly, and to all Curly Flat.
Yours sleepily,
Vasco Pyjama
xxx
P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!
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I'm kinda depressed that I killed off Shaqmar and Layla and am kinda torn. A part of me wants to backtrack and make that epilogue (or at least the last paragraph) a dream...
To those who have gotten round to reading it, what do you think? Should I do it? Or should I just leave it?
Leave it be please. You've still got the world there, you can make or take up other characters.
I've been reading old posts to complete Toun's wiki article and I've noticed something that might add to this discussion on analysing posts for feedback.
My writing twelve months ago was god-awful had a few extra flaws than it does today. Now, I have ups and downs with how I write, but the endless march forward might make it useful to look at more recent posts. This is probably the case for the rest of us.
Otherwise, wow, I've still got plot points in my pocket from a year ago that I haven't carried through yet :P. And the ones I've let go, hoo boy. Once upon a time, I had the idea of sending an automaton army to join the battle of Angelblood Ridge to win against chaos and then turn against the Valley of Peace. Mmmmmhmmmm, that would have brought that collab about five months longer to complete.
My writing twelve months ago was god-awful had a few extra flaws than it does today. Now, I have ups and downs with how I write, but the endless march forward might make it useful to look at more recent posts. This is probably the case for the rest of us.
Otherwise, wow, I've still got plot points in my pocket from a year ago that I haven't carried through yet :P. And the ones I've let go, hoo boy. Once upon a time, I had the idea of sending an automaton army to join the battle of Angelblood Ridge to win against chaos and then turn against the Valley of Peace. Mmmmmhmmmm, that would have brought that collab about five months longer to complete.
Janius clenched his jaw and pressed his lips together. After an apprehensive moment of staring into space, he answered. "Maybe." He moved to follow Ahnasha. "Let's find them as soon as we can."
Fendros followed along as well. "They're old enough to not give us away, at least."
Rhazii took a look back through the door behind them before Harald gently shut the light away. They walked onto the street with less success than they had set out to attain.
While Rhazii was trying to think of excuses as well, he did not think out loud like Julan did. He looked up to the starry sky and pondered the bathing idea. "It's better than anything I can come up with. Even if there is water at the castle, we can say that we didn't know where to get it."
They turned and walked down the dark street in the direction of the canal. After a few seconds, Rhazii gave Julan a sympathetic look. "Sorry it didn't turn out exactly as planned, brother." He put an arm around Julan and squeezed him for a moment. He let go and continued. "I guess the next thing will be convincing uncle Janius to stay in the courtyard with us."
Rhazii breathed in to give a suggestion. He stopped in his tracks. "Wait, do you hear that?" Rhazii twisted to look over his shoulder, mouth slightly open and ears pert.
There were running footsteps coming towards them. Just one short set of legs by the sound of it.
Their source was revealed a second later. From around a corner came the moonlit silhouette of a short human girl in a nightgown. Her long, straight hair was flickering up with the speed she was going. Rhazii and Julan could hear her breathing heavily, but she still tried to call out. "Hey! Wait!" She raised a hand.
Rhazii turned around fully. A flash of recognition went over his eyes.
The girl closed the distance, slowing to a stop and bending her hands to her knees to catch her breath. She raised her blonde head and swallowed, revealing a set of brown eyes and a diminutive nose. She looked barely a few years older than him. "Hey, you said you know Janius, right? Can I meet him?"
Rhazii's eyebrow lifted and his ear angled to one side. "You're Aurana, aren't you?" he slowly hazarded. "I saw you watching from the stairs and...yeah, from the stairs."
The blonde girl grinned and nodded. "Yeah! I'm his sister. So, can I meet him? What are your names, by the way? It's nice to meet you two."
Fendros followed along as well. "They're old enough to not give us away, at least."
Rhazii took a look back through the door behind them before Harald gently shut the light away. They walked onto the street with less success than they had set out to attain.
While Rhazii was trying to think of excuses as well, he did not think out loud like Julan did. He looked up to the starry sky and pondered the bathing idea. "It's better than anything I can come up with. Even if there is water at the castle, we can say that we didn't know where to get it."
They turned and walked down the dark street in the direction of the canal. After a few seconds, Rhazii gave Julan a sympathetic look. "Sorry it didn't turn out exactly as planned, brother." He put an arm around Julan and squeezed him for a moment. He let go and continued. "I guess the next thing will be convincing uncle Janius to stay in the courtyard with us."
Rhazii breathed in to give a suggestion. He stopped in his tracks. "Wait, do you hear that?" Rhazii twisted to look over his shoulder, mouth slightly open and ears pert.
There were running footsteps coming towards them. Just one short set of legs by the sound of it.
Their source was revealed a second later. From around a corner came the moonlit silhouette of a short human girl in a nightgown. Her long, straight hair was flickering up with the speed she was going. Rhazii and Julan could hear her breathing heavily, but she still tried to call out. "Hey! Wait!" She raised a hand.
Rhazii turned around fully. A flash of recognition went over his eyes.
The girl closed the distance, slowing to a stop and bending her hands to her knees to catch her breath. She raised her blonde head and swallowed, revealing a set of brown eyes and a diminutive nose. She looked barely a few years older than him. "Hey, you said you know Janius, right? Can I meet him?"
Rhazii's eyebrow lifted and his ear angled to one side. "You're Aurana, aren't you?" he slowly hazarded. "I saw you watching from the stairs and...yeah, from the stairs."
The blonde girl grinned and nodded. "Yeah! I'm his sister. So, can I meet him? What are your names, by the way? It's nice to meet you two."
"They didn't go out trying to find trouble on the other side of the canal, did they?" Fendros asked. "Where are we going to start looking?"
Janius had been struck silent since Fendros had revealed that they had passed the gates. Only now did he speak, low and concerned. "Julan was very curious about where I grew up. We should look around this side of the canal first. The main streets, where we toured around."
Remus was direct. "If you disobeyed your father by coming here, it is up to him on how to deal with you. I expect you shall wear the consequences when you return. Farewell." He turned on his heel and strode briskly back to the stairs to climb them.
Aeramina stood up as well. "It was lovely to meet you both, young men," she said with a smile and a small nod. She was quick to follow Remus again.
Meanwhile, Harald was still patiently waiting for the boys to stand up.
Their abrupt departure left the boys jarred. Rhazii exchanged a confused look with Julan. Neither Harald nor Jatinha seemed to react.
"Hey, Julan?" Rhazii leaned forward in his seat. He quickly finished the rest of his tea in one gulp and faced him. "Let's try to think of something on the way back. I don't think they want to meet uncle Janius tonight." He glanced nervously to the window. "I don't know how much time we have left before our parents come looking for us, too."
Janius had been struck silent since Fendros had revealed that they had passed the gates. Only now did he speak, low and concerned. "Julan was very curious about where I grew up. We should look around this side of the canal first. The main streets, where we toured around."
Remus was direct. "If you disobeyed your father by coming here, it is up to him on how to deal with you. I expect you shall wear the consequences when you return. Farewell." He turned on his heel and strode briskly back to the stairs to climb them.
Aeramina stood up as well. "It was lovely to meet you both, young men," she said with a smile and a small nod. She was quick to follow Remus again.
Meanwhile, Harald was still patiently waiting for the boys to stand up.
Their abrupt departure left the boys jarred. Rhazii exchanged a confused look with Julan. Neither Harald nor Jatinha seemed to react.
"Hey, Julan?" Rhazii leaned forward in his seat. He quickly finished the rest of his tea in one gulp and faced him. "Let's try to think of something on the way back. I don't think they want to meet uncle Janius tonight." He glanced nervously to the window. "I don't know how much time we have left before our parents come looking for us, too."
Fendros was somewhat annoyed that the boys had gone off on their own somewhere, but he was the only one thinking negatively of it when Rhazii and Julan were not found in the dining rooms. Everyone assumed that they were exploring the castle somewhere. They left their drinks or took them with them while they searched around. The thought of relaxing for the night was slowly worn out over time. It was replaced with concern. Even broadening their search showed neither hide nor hair of the boys.
Their concern escalated to the point where they began to question the guards on watch. They agreed to split and meet up back in the dining room once they were done. Kaleeth, Ahnasha, and Janius had no luck when they arrived back. Fendros was the last to return with a mask of restrained anger on his face.
"I just spoke with the guards at the gates," he said. "They directed me to the men they took over from in their watch. They saw Rhazii and Julan leave the castle."
Remus stood over Julan without shifting a muscle. As Julan's descriptions went on, and as the information became more pertinent and detailed, Remus turned his head slightly. He began to show less stony sureness in his face, instead letting his brow tense ever so slightly. After a minute, he backed into a chair to listen to the rest of what Julan had to say. By this time, Aeramina had taken her own seat on a couch and Jatinha had served her a cup of tea as well.
When Julan finished, Remus sat forward with his fingers woven and held up to his mouth. His eyes bored holes into the wall behind Julan. He did not speak.
"It seems to me that he knows quite an account of our Janius, dear," Aeramina finally spoke. Her voice was poised and matter-of-fact, as if Janius was not her dead son at all. "What course of action shall we take?"
"You young men have made your case." Remus lowered his hands from his lips and stood up. "Kaj-Julan, that was your name?" He looked at Julan and spoke without the intimidation he previously held. "We are heading to court tomorrow morning. If Janius is truly still alive, you will show him to us when we arrive in the main courtyard. Harald? Show our guests out, if you please."
"Of course, sir." Harald stepped forward, half-turned and gestured low towards the archway through which they had arrived.
Their concern escalated to the point where they began to question the guards on watch. They agreed to split and meet up back in the dining room once they were done. Kaleeth, Ahnasha, and Janius had no luck when they arrived back. Fendros was the last to return with a mask of restrained anger on his face.
"I just spoke with the guards at the gates," he said. "They directed me to the men they took over from in their watch. They saw Rhazii and Julan leave the castle."
Remus stood over Julan without shifting a muscle. As Julan's descriptions went on, and as the information became more pertinent and detailed, Remus turned his head slightly. He began to show less stony sureness in his face, instead letting his brow tense ever so slightly. After a minute, he backed into a chair to listen to the rest of what Julan had to say. By this time, Aeramina had taken her own seat on a couch and Jatinha had served her a cup of tea as well.
When Julan finished, Remus sat forward with his fingers woven and held up to his mouth. His eyes bored holes into the wall behind Julan. He did not speak.
"It seems to me that he knows quite an account of our Janius, dear," Aeramina finally spoke. Her voice was poised and matter-of-fact, as if Janius was not her dead son at all. "What course of action shall we take?"
"You young men have made your case." Remus lowered his hands from his lips and stood up. "Kaj-Julan, that was your name?" He looked at Julan and spoke without the intimidation he previously held. "We are heading to court tomorrow morning. If Janius is truly still alive, you will show him to us when we arrive in the main courtyard. Harald? Show our guests out, if you please."
"Of course, sir." Harald stepped forward, half-turned and gestured low towards the archway through which they had arrived.
@Antarctic Termite If I didn't have a doctors appointment today I would wave goodbye to the afternoon. Just as well, otherwise stuff like that would edge me over the precipice of writing a book that I am only convinced would be completed by procrastinating from other things in life.
Have you asked questions on that blog, Termite? What's your opinion?
Have you asked questions on that blog, Termite? What's your opinion?
"Oh, it has been so long since I've tasted wine, I almost forgot how it tastes," Fendros said with an ever-increasing smile. "Let's go. Janius, Kaleeth, Sabine, did you want to accompany us?"
Sabine smiled and shook her head. "I think I just want to get some sleep."
"It couldn't hurt." Janius shrugged and looked to Kaleeth. "I wouldn't mind a drink, or at least finding the boys, how about you?"
They were out of the room soon after. For all they knew, Lorag and Meesei were indulging in some drink themselves.
The well dressed older lady, evidently Aeramina, pulled an endearing smile at Julan's enthusiasm. Remus was not so amused.
With strong, loud strides against the floorboards, Remus clomped up to Julan, standing just out of reach of him and looking down his nose. "Young boy," he said calmly through his deep frown. "My son died seventeen years ago. I do not know where your parents might be, but if they died today and I claimed to you that I was your father seventeen years later, I would expect you to disbelieve me."
Rhazii glanced to the faces around them. Harald and Jatinha were not responding. Aeramina was oblivious of any tension in the air.
"You have exactly one minute to explain yourself before I remove you from my home."
At no point was Remus' voiced raised or demanding. He was speaking evenly and carefully. It was his posture, with his hand on his axe, that made up for it.
Rhazii's ear quirked. He looked at the staircase once more. The face of the blonde Imperial girl he had spotted was there for only a second, widened her eyes, and silently darted out of sight.
Sabine smiled and shook her head. "I think I just want to get some sleep."
"It couldn't hurt." Janius shrugged and looked to Kaleeth. "I wouldn't mind a drink, or at least finding the boys, how about you?"
They were out of the room soon after. For all they knew, Lorag and Meesei were indulging in some drink themselves.
The well dressed older lady, evidently Aeramina, pulled an endearing smile at Julan's enthusiasm. Remus was not so amused.
With strong, loud strides against the floorboards, Remus clomped up to Julan, standing just out of reach of him and looking down his nose. "Young boy," he said calmly through his deep frown. "My son died seventeen years ago. I do not know where your parents might be, but if they died today and I claimed to you that I was your father seventeen years later, I would expect you to disbelieve me."
Rhazii glanced to the faces around them. Harald and Jatinha were not responding. Aeramina was oblivious of any tension in the air.
"You have exactly one minute to explain yourself before I remove you from my home."
At no point was Remus' voiced raised or demanding. He was speaking evenly and carefully. It was his posture, with his hand on his axe, that made up for it.
Rhazii's ear quirked. He looked at the staircase once more. The face of the blonde Imperial girl he had spotted was there for only a second, widened her eyes, and silently darted out of sight.
Janius was just as curious about Rhazii and Julan's absence as Kaleeth was. He tried reading the note over her shoulder and ended up scratching at his back in futility. Still, Kaleeth could read the Jel.
"I didn't say so," Janius said with a shrug. "We have our own food here. Perhaps Fendros or Ahnasha said they could?"
Said couple walked in just as they were mentioned.
"Said what?" Fendros asked.
"Whether the boys could get themselves some dinner at the kitchen. They left a note here."
Fendros frowned and shook his head. "I don't foresee Marod minding if we take a few morsels from this place, but we ought to find them. It's rude for them to take food from a castle without asking."
In spite of her trained poise, Jatinha hesitated. Her eyes were drawn to young Janius in the portrait and her voice trembled out an answer. "That would be the master and mistress' son. I never met him, I am afraid. He...died before I began to work here. It is a sensitive subject in this household." She swallowed. "Harald knew him, as well as the young lady Aurana's governor, Renault. Wanda, the previous maid, has unfortunately passed aw-"
Jatinha stopped, her ears bend outwards and she looked to one side. Both Rhazii and Julan could hear some raised voiced muffled through the walls. It was not necessarily anger seeping though, but words were escalating behind closed doors upstairs. Incredulity was a better way to describe it, for all the information they had.
"I-I should not speak so much on behalf of the master and mistress, I am sorry." Jatinha turned her eyes down.
Rhazii was holding his tea in both hands. He offered Jatinha a smile. "Don't worry, we won't tell anyone, promise." He sipped at the tea. It was not as sweet as he would have liked but it was better than plain water. "Thank you for the tea, it's delicious."
Jatinha's lips twitched upwards. She gave a small nod.
"How did you make it so quickly, anyway?" Rhazii asked. He was having a hard time taking his eyes of the maid.
Jatinha breathed in to answer. She was interrupted by the clomping of feet on the stairs. Her mouth and ears lowered as a new figure came into view.
Down the stairs strode a man in an immaculately embroidered beige tunic and velvet trousers. Both Rhazii and Julan were quick to spot that one of his aged Nordic hands rested on the head of a fighting axe hanging from a loop on his belt. His face was impatient, creased with age and scanning until he found the two boys. He had receding grey hair and no goatee, but otherwise had similar facial features to Janius. In spite of his age, he was still tall and strong in appearance.
Behind him was a similarly-aged Imperial woman, who paid more attention to the steps due to the long, beautiful blue dress she wore. Her grey hair was made up into tight spirals that clung to the sides of her head. She had a wide-eyed look that regarded the stairs with a small smile, almost as if she was entertaining a party of ghosts. Given the sheer space in the house, that might not have been far from the truth.
The final member of the group descending to the ground floor was Harald the butler. Still as elegant as ever in spite of what was probably an argument upstairs. Harald stood at the opposite side of the archway to Jatinha while the two nobles approached.
The old man with the axe spoke first. He was firm, but his words spoke of more disdain than his tone. "Which one of you is claiming to be my late son's spawn? Speak quickly, I have no time for tricks."
"I didn't say so," Janius said with a shrug. "We have our own food here. Perhaps Fendros or Ahnasha said they could?"
Said couple walked in just as they were mentioned.
"Said what?" Fendros asked.
"Whether the boys could get themselves some dinner at the kitchen. They left a note here."
Fendros frowned and shook his head. "I don't foresee Marod minding if we take a few morsels from this place, but we ought to find them. It's rude for them to take food from a castle without asking."
In spite of her trained poise, Jatinha hesitated. Her eyes were drawn to young Janius in the portrait and her voice trembled out an answer. "That would be the master and mistress' son. I never met him, I am afraid. He...died before I began to work here. It is a sensitive subject in this household." She swallowed. "Harald knew him, as well as the young lady Aurana's governor, Renault. Wanda, the previous maid, has unfortunately passed aw-"
Jatinha stopped, her ears bend outwards and she looked to one side. Both Rhazii and Julan could hear some raised voiced muffled through the walls. It was not necessarily anger seeping though, but words were escalating behind closed doors upstairs. Incredulity was a better way to describe it, for all the information they had.
"I-I should not speak so much on behalf of the master and mistress, I am sorry." Jatinha turned her eyes down.
Rhazii was holding his tea in both hands. He offered Jatinha a smile. "Don't worry, we won't tell anyone, promise." He sipped at the tea. It was not as sweet as he would have liked but it was better than plain water. "Thank you for the tea, it's delicious."
Jatinha's lips twitched upwards. She gave a small nod.
"How did you make it so quickly, anyway?" Rhazii asked. He was having a hard time taking his eyes of the maid.
Jatinha breathed in to answer. She was interrupted by the clomping of feet on the stairs. Her mouth and ears lowered as a new figure came into view.
Down the stairs strode a man in an immaculately embroidered beige tunic and velvet trousers. Both Rhazii and Julan were quick to spot that one of his aged Nordic hands rested on the head of a fighting axe hanging from a loop on his belt. His face was impatient, creased with age and scanning until he found the two boys. He had receding grey hair and no goatee, but otherwise had similar facial features to Janius. In spite of his age, he was still tall and strong in appearance.
Behind him was a similarly-aged Imperial woman, who paid more attention to the steps due to the long, beautiful blue dress she wore. Her grey hair was made up into tight spirals that clung to the sides of her head. She had a wide-eyed look that regarded the stairs with a small smile, almost as if she was entertaining a party of ghosts. Given the sheer space in the house, that might not have been far from the truth.
The final member of the group descending to the ground floor was Harald the butler. Still as elegant as ever in spite of what was probably an argument upstairs. Harald stood at the opposite side of the archway to Jatinha while the two nobles approached.
The old man with the axe spoke first. He was firm, but his words spoke of more disdain than his tone. "Which one of you is claiming to be my late son's spawn? Speak quickly, I have no time for tricks."
Fendros gave an understanding nod at Ahnasha's pause. That much was a relief.
As for her last comment, Fendros smiled back. It was encouraging. "In either case, I will have probably have plenty of time to grow accustomed." He paused, looked at Ahna for a moment, and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "I was not lying when I said I couldn't do this alone. At this point, with all we've overcome together, I couldn't imagine doing anything like this without you."
He let the words linger for a few seconds. Even though he still held uncertainty and tension, Fendros' soft smile at Ahnasha spoke in the opposite direction. He nodded his head in the direction of the hallway. "Come, let's get some sleep before any more life-changing news springs up today."
"I've never seen him without the hair on his chin before," Rhazii said. "It's hard enough to imagine him around our age." In spite of Rhazii's comments, he was grasping the arms of his chair firmly enough to show his own anxiety. This place was so full of space and so full of things, yet there were hardly any people.
A set of shoes gently tapped down the stairs behind them. Rhazii turned to see the lower half of a neat black dress descending via white-stockinged feet covered with shiny black slippers. The upper half was cut off by the archway out of the sitting area, though the descenting figure was revealed fully within a moment. She had a white apron, highlighting the rest of her dress and tan furred arms as they held up a teapot in her hands. Her Khajiit face, exactly as Rhazii had described from peeping into the window, looked at the two boys with mostly hidden dubiousness. By her uniform, she was clearly a maid, with youth describing her age as close -- if not younger -- than Rhazii.
"Jatinha, these are the young masters Rhazii and Kaj-Julan," Harald said to the maid. "Look after them while I consult Lord Remus, if you would."
"Yes, Harald." Her accent was from Anequina. She approached the table between the sitting furniture and began to pour hot brown tea into the cups. She did not make eye contact.
"Uh, hi there," Rhazii managed to say. He had a dumb, nervous look on his face.
"The lord and lady shall not be long," Jatinha said with just as level a voice as Harald. Once the tea was poured, she placed the pot on the table and stepped back, facing them with one hand folded over the other and impeccable posture. "Please, enjoy some tea."
Rhazii's eyes went from Jatinha, to Julan, to the tea, and back to Julan. He awkwardly pulled himself forward and leaned to reach one of the two filled teacups. The armchair creaked in the most obnoxious manner possible, only making the pair feel further out of place.
"Hey, Kaj," Rhazii whispered, even though everyone could hear him in the huge, echoing room. "Didn't you say that your father said he was raised by a maid?"
As for her last comment, Fendros smiled back. It was encouraging. "In either case, I will have probably have plenty of time to grow accustomed." He paused, looked at Ahna for a moment, and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "I was not lying when I said I couldn't do this alone. At this point, with all we've overcome together, I couldn't imagine doing anything like this without you."
He let the words linger for a few seconds. Even though he still held uncertainty and tension, Fendros' soft smile at Ahnasha spoke in the opposite direction. He nodded his head in the direction of the hallway. "Come, let's get some sleep before any more life-changing news springs up today."
"I've never seen him without the hair on his chin before," Rhazii said. "It's hard enough to imagine him around our age." In spite of Rhazii's comments, he was grasping the arms of his chair firmly enough to show his own anxiety. This place was so full of space and so full of things, yet there were hardly any people.
A set of shoes gently tapped down the stairs behind them. Rhazii turned to see the lower half of a neat black dress descending via white-stockinged feet covered with shiny black slippers. The upper half was cut off by the archway out of the sitting area, though the descenting figure was revealed fully within a moment. She had a white apron, highlighting the rest of her dress and tan furred arms as they held up a teapot in her hands. Her Khajiit face, exactly as Rhazii had described from peeping into the window, looked at the two boys with mostly hidden dubiousness. By her uniform, she was clearly a maid, with youth describing her age as close -- if not younger -- than Rhazii.
"Jatinha, these are the young masters Rhazii and Kaj-Julan," Harald said to the maid. "Look after them while I consult Lord Remus, if you would."
"Yes, Harald." Her accent was from Anequina. She approached the table between the sitting furniture and began to pour hot brown tea into the cups. She did not make eye contact.
"Uh, hi there," Rhazii managed to say. He had a dumb, nervous look on his face.
"The lord and lady shall not be long," Jatinha said with just as level a voice as Harald. Once the tea was poured, she placed the pot on the table and stepped back, facing them with one hand folded over the other and impeccable posture. "Please, enjoy some tea."
Rhazii's eyes went from Jatinha, to Julan, to the tea, and back to Julan. He awkwardly pulled himself forward and leaned to reach one of the two filled teacups. The armchair creaked in the most obnoxious manner possible, only making the pair feel further out of place.
"Hey, Kaj," Rhazii whispered, even though everyone could hear him in the huge, echoing room. "Didn't you say that your father said he was raised by a maid?"
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