The native servant finishes directing us towards the in-use dining hall. He opens the doors for us and stands aside, alerting the interior of the room to our arrival. The old man at the end of the grand table rises with an energetic smile. His arms open wide and he walks around to meet us intimately, his attention most thoroughly on me.

Growing conscious of my choice of attire, I try to hide the exposure. I cover my chest. Hide my thighs and cross my legs. I return my arms to under my chest, covering the hole.

"Ah, Lady-Heir Einervaene, so nice to finally meet you!" the Jhermonikra Lord greets, his name escaping me for this embarrassing moment, making it all the more so. Trying to return the smile and wave, my mind focuses on all that I am somewhat aware of what he has done for me. This is the man who has been in contact with Mother, the one who has been helping me. Of all the things I must do, I must find the time to thank him properly. Maybe ask about Mother, as well...

Rianta-chira and Nin-kischu greet him and go on ahead. The Lord puts his arm around me gently and he starts to take me towards the lovely-looking table. If this is how normal it looks, then it is quite nostalgic for me as a noble. If it is to celebrate my safe arrival, then I am even more so thankful!

Taking the walk as a moment to grow familiar with his choice of decoration, I note how metallic a lot of it is. Back home, as I am sure he might be aware of, wealth is often shown with a preference for plants and wood. With the very ground being made of unrefined ore, it is very common and lacking in that wonder. Well, unless it is gold. For the God of Thunder is above all else, back home.

Taking in a deep breath, I focus on my thanks, "I'm... I'm sorry I did not meet up with you like I should have..."

My nervousness gets the better of me, putting a stop to my thanks. I wanted to at least apologise for the silly way I vandalised his home but... He's laughing, laughing heartily with a welcoming smile. His hand rubs my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, my dear. I'm just glad you got here safely. I can finally send off that letter I've been waiting so long on. Oh, I tell you, I wrote that thing weeks before you got here. I've no patience at all!" he laughs, drawing a slight chuckle from me as a frown deepens on my features.

"H-How... How is Mother? How is she?" I whisper in question, and his expression turns sullen. For a line of communication from here to Eusorochii to be maintained, he must've known Mother for a long, fruitful time. Maybe I might make use of it? If it is something I can be sure has a relatively quick response time... At the very least, maybe I can use it to contact Father and his colonial territory?

Gods and goddesses above, please grant me this wish.

"She is well. Stressed and exhausted emotionally, but well. She misses you dearly, to the point of regretting a choice she knows she cannot fault." he explains quietly, and I nod slowly.

"It's ok, much as it has been horrible at times, I cannot blame her. There is danger in me being..." I say, focusing on my hands as some blue sparks go across them. It will be some time before I get to see Mother again. A face-to-face interaction is so long away, so very long. It is upsetting.

Mother's Friend lifts me up by the chin, "Try not to focus too much on it right now. Come, let us enjoy breakfast. How have you been getting along with your unplanned companions?"

Whispering a sniffle, I turn my puff-rimmed eyes to the other two. The pair are eating, one more so than the other. Rianta-chira is eating, picking away at everything she can see to try as much of it as she can. Nin-kischu, on the other hand, seems more interested in filling out a dish and then covering it. What an odd eating habit, I have to admit, within the privacy of my thoughts.

I do not want to speak foul of either to someone, not behind or in front of. But, I also do not want to be so avoiding as to lie about a problem. A memory of Mother, along with our maids, comes to mind. Lessons in how to not only be a noble, but to become The Lady Bosphama myself one day.

"They have been very accommodating. Rianta-chira helped me bathe last night and Nin-kischu helped solve my clothing crisis." I answer, making sure I keep up with the tact so I do not make clear what also happened. It was my own fault, anyway. I should know better, for the blood of an Eusorochii family runs through my veins.

"Very good, very good. Now, I am not sure if you will like it, but when your masked friend over there pointed out your arrival. I had made sure my cooks understood to try and make some dishes closer to home for you. We have some experience in the matter as sometimes I yearn for the dishes of the Lightning-Mountain. Is that fine?" he informs me and I smile as we move closer to the other two.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Though, we end up sitting several seats away from them. More so on the end of the table than at its centre, like they are. Perhaps it is for the best, knowing Rianta-chira's thoughts about perceived intimacy. One cannot ask the lord of the estate to bend to my wishes, much-anticipated guest or not.

Besides, it will help us carry on talking together.

"Uhm, I was actually hoping to try some dishes of Jherikra?" I ask, growing timid as I worry over if I am asking too much right now. He's just told me he went through all this effort to prepare his home for my arrival. His staff are going out of their way to learn new dishes purely to make me comfortable!

"Union? Theocracy? North? South? Continental-Colonial fusions? More traditionally Ravineer? Something from the non-humans like the aelenvari, kelbalids or even the hwardgon?" he barrages me with, shutting down my brain with this pull of the carpet. Such a simple question is not so simple, it seems. I do my best to prevent a blank-faced stare from forming.

"Anything will do. I am afraid that I am too ignorant to answer anything specific." I end up telling the smiling man as his attention shifts to the food before him. Compared to home, some bits have familiar trappings, but the nature of different livestock and crops makes it more than meets the eye. And my nose and watering mouth. Though, the idea of being able to choose any of that is further baffling.

As of late, since setting out from home... I've not really had a choice. Eating what the crew supplies has been my only option. And it has only become a more beaten in habit with each shocking turn of events in my journey. I lightly shiver at what I had to endure after the ferry was attacked at the journey's end.

Turning towards Nin-kischu, I focus on what he is gathering up from his area of the table. The clumsy way he grabs everything gives me time to have a look. He seems to be picking at whatever is the bulkiest looking foods. Stuff that will fill a stomach up quite well, which, given his size, makes sense.

"Anything you might want?" Mother's Friend asks as his gaze seems to follow mine.

Watching Nin-kischu's plate grow, a word catches on my tongue and comes out warped, "Hi- His-m."

"No, I don't think I can serve him to you," the elderly man jokes and I jerk back at what his tone suggests. A blush covers my face, and it only gets worse as his chuckles fill my ears. Hiding behind my hands, I peek through my fingers to watch Rianta-chira, who thankfully did not hear me. Her chat with her 'precious love' is keeping her occupied well enough to save me from her scorn.

"I-I kn... Know... Do you have any bird meat here? A-Any sweet sauces, perhaps?" I ask, redirecting my attention with ecstatic, nerve-wracked enthusiasm. Moving my eyes elsewhere, I spot what appear to be pancakes.

"As your fingers are lingering on those pancakes I had the cooks make, I am assuming you want to make a sweetmeat roll?" he guesses and I nod rapidly. I know I just told him I was interested in Jherikra dishes, but I can let it slide for this. Mother's Friend waves over a servant and they prepare me a plate with some of the required items on it.

Waiting for them to be done, I watch Mother's Friend as he leans back and enjoys a sip from some kind of handled bowl. Whatever it is, the name of it is escaping me even with all the time I've had to learn two different languages used by the Jhermonikra. I am also a little scared of embarrassing myself and I refuse to publicly admit to it. I either ate before with cutlery from my homeland or I was forced to work with nothing at all when times got rough...

I'm not sure as to the order or mannerisms of what is before me!

"Don't worry about it, my dear. If you need any help, just ask. I know these tend to be rather small starters back in Eusorochii." Mother's Friend tells me and I nod slowly as I decide to default on my recent habit of eating with my hands.

"I... I think I will spoil myself. Make them bigger. Have them as my main dish." I tell him, slowly moving my lips into a smile and then letting out a short giggle. He returns it in kind, a warm expression on his face.

Getting to it, I prepare myself some sweetmeat rolls and my thoughts turn expansive. I have no idea what I am going to be eating, but, back home, sweetmeat rolls were often made with pithachis. A bird known for being quite fuzzy feathered with fatty meat and a habit of roosting near sparkroots. I can't imagine how dangerous it must be to catch such animals, going near what are almost exposed wires.

Whatever I am about to eat, I can only hope it is as bulbous and juicy in life. Still, either way, I am looking forward to it, especially with how each pinch is filling out my pancakes. These are quite well made, too. Elastic enough to bend, thick enough to not tear easily the moment the sauce touches the delicate fluff.

"So how long are you likely going to be staying here, dear? I know you are heading up to Suhurlodst for schooling." Mother's Friend asks and I freeze up at the question. Nothing is wrong, but it suddenly feels daunting.

"I..." I linger out, "Don't know, not at the moment anyway. I hope that is not an issue?"

"No, it's fine, my dear, as long as you don't run me dry of all my accumulated wealth," he jokes as I finish putting my food together. Finding my fingers a bit messy for my liking, I wash them off in a small bowl of water with a slice of citrus floating in it. Much as I am copying how bad I had it in my travelling, now I want to move away from it. I am no longer desperate for every bit of food. I have all I can eat right in front of me...

My eyes water a little, stopping only when the doors at the far end slam open. Snapping my gaze to the man rushing into the hall, all panicked and sweaty, I stop trying to eat. Mother's Friend stops what he is doing. His hands cleaned of all extra weight.

"Founding-Lord Brewbrt...! The Rohberh's ryphurgok have broken out of their pasture!" the man heaves out and with those words said, Founding-Lord Brewbrt rises to his feet.