“Atal and Cino are dead,” I repeated after a few minutes of staring at the elder before me as she sat silent.

“I know, and I heard you the first time. The people you came here with informed me on our journey.”

I wanted to scream at her, to call her every name in the book for being a profound waste of my time. Honestly though, it wasn't worth it. This woman, her people, her little power plays, I was leaving them at my first opportunity, and chewing her out wouldn't make that come faster.

“Excellent, well then, if there's nothing else.”

“There is indeed something else,” she snapped, finally, something quick.

“Please tell me what that is then,” I answered flatly.

“You built a fortress at the edge of my city.”

“I wanted your attention, unsurprisingly it succeeded.”

There was a twitch developing in her eye. It was clear that too many people here were fawning over her, always happy she was around, happy when she fawned on them too. I was an outsider though, someone who didn't care about her, or about her liking me. What would be the point in that after all since I was planning on leaving with haste?

“It did, you know you could have shown some patience...” The look I gave her must have been capable of killing grass because she pulled back a bit. “Well, more patience. It isn't as if you were given a time limit for this mission of yours, I know well how they work.”

“Just because others didn't demand my return does not mean I enjoy traipsing around the world like a vagrant. The list of things I would rather be doing than speaking with you, or some of the other old ones I've met for that matter, would stretch from your throne room to the docks. So tell me, what did you want that you're delaying me further?”

“I could kill you you know, for speaking to me like that,” she hissed.

“You probably could, but then whatever it is you want would go unanswered.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Personally I was hoping that you would see reason, that you could be convinced to aid me in this war.”

“No, I've had quite enough of war, and already provided your people quite enough aid. More and I would be too entangled in it for my liking.”

“People are dying, do you not care? Soldiers are going out every day, and not all come back. Surely you can see the destruction already present here, already done by our enemies. So many are gone because of what has happened, many more may perish before it ends. With your abilities though, the ones you showed with that fortress, with those new boats, we might be able to win faster, easier.”

“Or you could negotiate, or surrender and end it. At worst you and a handful of your closest advisors could flee, and I've told you where you might find somewhere new to call home. None would be able to oppose you if you moved into Cino's lands, and parts of Atal's would be open as well. You've got the boats, you could leave tonight if you so desired.” Technically I knew of at least one ancient who really did want some of that tasty land, but screw this chick.

“And leave me people at that degenerate's hands!” she screamed, rising.

“I have met Uro's people, and perhaps he is worse than they are, but they did not seem inclined to pointless slaughter.”

“They were killing people as I arrived,” she said through gritted teeth.

“People who'd attacked them, I'm not here to defend their overall actions, but I will point out that they didn't want deaths.”

“You are a very annoying man.”

I didn't actually have anything to say to that, so I just shrugged. That particular gesture wasn't perfectly suited to my new world, but there were close enough equivalents that the point got across. It was clear that she had quite a lot more to say about that, but before she could someone else entered in a clear flustered rush.

“Lady Nora,” he began. “There's been an attack in the fields, we need aid.”

“Please escort Justin here back to his building, and see to it that he stays there until I return,” she said to one of her guards.

Now it was my turn to develop a twitch, then again if she didn't promptly return...

“I'll look forward to your return, perhaps I'll think of some more fun things to do while I wait,” I threatened.

The elder elf's lips formed a nearly perfect line before she waved me off. Several of her guards did indeed follow me along the way, taking a stance outside my makeshift home. They didn't try to enter, which was smart, but rather took places outside.

Hours passed and I was bouncing around what I thought would be the biggest disturbance when I heard a small thud through an open window. Others followed in quick succession, each in turn. That was... odd, truly, greatly odd. I wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but I made a motion to my companions, for surely something was up.

We were preparing all around the building when a call came from the door. Knocking hadn't yet caught on despite my best desires, as wooden doors like I preferred just weren't all that common yet. Instead a small voice came drifting up, asking to be allowed in.

After exchanging glances with Chien and Isha I slowly, carefully opened my front door, to find several figures standing in the evening darkness. There was a light mist around, but even through that I could see the bodies of the guards on the ground.

“May we come in?” The leader asked from under a woven hat.

“I suppose,” I replied, moving out the way. They didn't seem aggressive, at least to us, and I had a good feeling about who these people represented.

The five who'd been outside slowly came into my construction, looking about. Their leader even went over to poke one of the walls while chuckling under his breath. That lasted only a few seconds before he took his hat off, and I saw the long strands of pure white. He was easily older than Nora, and all smiles.

“Uro I presume?” I asked.

“Yes indeed, and if my spies tell me correctly you're Justin. I hope you don't mind telling me what got you so worked up to do all of this.” He smiled as he motioned to the walls and floors around us. “Because I'd really love to know.”