Rum’s request for the green-elves to take care of Veish until he returned – as that time could be longer than expected – had been met with dismay from some of the elves, who thought it a bit much that they should take upon such a heavy responsibility, while he was out with a party other than their Sub-Committee for Dungeon Exploration. However, the elves who’d personally been with Rum, there in the dungeon, and saved by his magic; his ingenuity, his bravery – these were quick to come to his defense.
“It is true that The Great Mage has foisted this extra responsibility upon us” Royath had said 2 days prior. “But, it is not a responsibility we cannot bear, and given the truly extraordinary aid which The Great Mage provided us in the dungeon, an aid without which I’d probably not stand here to face you all today, with that in mind, we should welcome this responsibility to take care of the witch.”
After that statement, the issue wasn’t a problem. Yet, things were about to get a little more complicated. For in the shop bedroom, there stood Veish, hands firmly dug into her own robe, while her eyes fixed on Rum sitting on the Mr. King replica bed. It was the day for Veish’ departure to the elves, and Rum had so far never seen the witch look so uncomfortable; so unsure of herself.
“Ehm” she began, a little hesitant. “I... I want Eleganto to join me! At The City Forest, I mean. While I’m bound to stay there.” Veish gradually reddened to a blush as she stood in front of Rum, her posture making her look as if prepared for an outright confrontation between them.
Rum stroked his beard, and waited awkwardly for several seconds to answer. What will the elves think when I ask them for another favor? Hmm... hmmmmm. Veish leaned forward, ever so slightly, her stance taking on the likeness of a lionness getting ready to jump Rum and bite him, if he denied her. Or maybe that’s not what she’s planning, but she sure has the posture. Veish, are you an animal come to eat me, or are you asking me a question? Oh well, whatever. I can’t be the reason these 2 are kept apart anyways – a woman needs her chair. “Let’s bring it along and see what the elves say, eyh? I don’t want to say no, but since they are the ones taking responsibility, I can’t exactly say yes either. It’s up to them.” The wizard shrugged with an it’s-out-of-my-control splay of his hands.
Veish’s leaned back, her expression softened, and her shoulders slumped a little with disappointment. After a silent intake of breath however, she nodded firmly, understanding.
The day was still morning, and the duo had plans for an imminent departure to The City Forest. The only thing Rum had to make sure to do first, was to send White Rose and Electroblade off to check if their harness was ready yet. And while the skeleton and zes new assistant went off doing that: Rum, Veish, as well as Eleganto, went off to meet the elves in their forested enclave. Eleganto the dining chair was being carried in Veish’s hands, although he was incognito for the time being, with a Magic Blanket wrapped around his body, as well as the double measure of his face being frozen in animation underneath. Rum had considered maybe giving him a paint job, or otherwise find some permanent way for him to become unrecognizable to Shoss’ people, if they ever went looking for their supposed property. However, for now a blanket sufficed. After all, even if they carried the chair out in the open it would’ve been unlikely that they attracted any inquiring eyes, for as long as Eleganto pretended not to be sentient, nobody who weren’t for whatever reason inspecting the chair up close would think it was anything but a replica of its own model – a fairly common type of dining chair in fact. For according to Eleganto itself, there were at least a few hundred of it out there, so that should make those would-be pursuers less likely to be looking.
Rum, Veish, and Eleganto journeyed out of Southwall – the district of Amez’s tattoo shop – and passed The Statues of Heroes. Immediately after that was the city gates. Then they walked down the southern artery of Ermos, busy bodies all around them, including mecha-gnomes, dwarves, humans, a few elves, and wagons pulled by horses, rams, poor humans, and in one case a large pig. Eventually, they stepped off that main road and into The Green Streets. A few turns later from there, and they’d already crossed over into The City Forest.
It was a sunny day inside, among the trees. The canopy provided some shade of course, but there was plenty of beautiful sunlight to enjoy. Along the lush green trail, the trio could delight in the optimistic chirping of birds, the natural buzzing of bees, and the fresh running water of Big Honey Creek. Soon their feet stepped on that little bridge spanning the water, and the old wood squeaked lightly under their shoes. To Rum, it almost felt nostalgic. Or perhaps he was in a nostalgic mood, because suddenly he realized how complicated his life had become, and how simple was the natural world around him.
“Heh” Veish produced, almost like a laugh, though her face had no smile. “Here I will be bound. For weeks.”
Rum replied nothing as they followed the trail, though his ears listened.
“Among trees, and flowers, and crops... and elves.” She said the last words as a couple of Oak-committee members rounded a corner with their dark green blue-striped robes. The elves passed them by without a word, and barely a glance.
At first, Veish looked to have been talking to nobody but herself, her mouth acting more like a stream-of-consciousness, taking in the familiar surroundings, and spitting out her thoughts. But then she continued. “How long will you force me stay with you all?”
Rum, who was walking ahead, turned momentarily to glance at her. “Are you nervous about your new situation? Or do you really want to leave that badly?” His face went back to watch the path. “These are good people” he continued, “great people even. And you know that. You’ve met them.”
“But they don’t know any magic!” Veish sighed behind Rum. “That’s why I first joined Jorteg, for the magic. And that’s why I put up with you, because you know magic.”
“I do, but have I taught you even a single spell yet? Or tried to? No, I haven’t. I only taught you how to teach yourself.” Rum stopped, and turned again, looking the witch straight into her eyes. “With me gone, it’s now up to you to teach yourself. But that was always the plan: for you to make your own magic. You can do that here” Rum gestured to the forest, “just fine. This is a quiet place, where all your needs will be met, I’m sure of it. What better place than here to explore your own potential, your own personal connection to the magic of the world? And if you ever want to go back to the old ways of magic” he shrugged, “you’ll be able to read here in your magic library every single day. And the elves love to read, so you’ll fit in perfectly.” The wizard returned back to the path again, resuming his walking. “Also, say what you want, but I don’t think you only stayed for the magic.”
Veish raised an eyebrow behind the magic man’s back, ultimately saying nothing.
They arrived at the Y-crossing a few minutes later, and Rum knowingly selected the trail pointing towards The Yellow Bushes. Soon thereafter they began to hear the noise of people, and then they were at the great boulder, the one with the crudely drawn lemon drink. Rounding it, and Rum was met with an all too familiar sight: The Northern Lemon Bar.
At the edge of the clearing, Royath stood behind the counter. His drying rag was hanging over his shoulder as the elf leaned on the wooden surface, his face looking absentmindedly and tired into the flat surface. The other elf, that skinny, long blonde haired, and crystal blue eyed Laverra, was talking to him from the side. With her rosy red cheeks and that ever-present smile of hers, she was the eternal contrast to her older colleague. His blonde hair was darker, his eyes brownish, his mood more serious, and his cheeks a colder paler shade. “Hey Royath” Rum waved his arm as he spoke loudly over to the bar. The war-veteran was in the middle of a reply to his colleague, when he raised his head up to see Rum, at which point he broke the faintest of smiles himself. Then the elf diverted his eyes to Rum’s familiar companion, and lastly – to Eleganto.
“You brought a chair?” Royath raised an eyebrow.
“Planning on donating leftover furniture?” Laverra interjected. “We can always have an extra.”
Rum shook his head at Laverra. “Only if this chair wants to be donated.” He glanced back at the chair, and ripped the magic blanket off it. “You can use your voice with these elves” he gestured at Royath and Laverra, “though try not to attract attention from any of the guests.” Rum surveyed the rest of the clearing. There were some 20 or slightly fewer elves planted in the great soft chairs around there, as well as a couple of human visitors.
Eleganto’s face came alive at the chair’s seat. “Nice to meet you, good elves. I’ve come along with Veish, we wanted to stay together, if you don’t mind. We’re friends!”
Royath watched the talking chair, his palms on the counter. He lifted his eyes to meet Rum’s eyes next, a mild confusion on his face. “Veish – the witch of Jorteg” he whispered with quiet secrecy, “has made friends in your brother’s shop?” The elf man’s lips appeared halfway between a smile and utter confusion. When Rum did not immediately offer a reply, he continued. “What an odd friend to make, I mean, sentient furniture is a rare thing.” He glanced briefly at Veish, then shifted his eyes back down at Eleganto. “May I ask where you come from? And your name.”
“My name is Eleganto, and I am...” the chair glanced up at Rum, “what are we telling people I am?”
“Hmm.” Rum stroked his beard, and glanced over at Royath, who gave him a raised eyebrow and the most intrigued eyes the wizard had ever seen him display. “I suppose we could tell him the truth, though it’s a very big secret. A secret at least as big as Veish herself.” The wizard took a step over to Royath, and leaned in to whisper. Laverra of course could hear them, but importantly, nobody else could, even if they tried to. “It is an escapee from Gnomiture. I’m offering it refuge. We don’t know if Gnomiture is actively looking for it and the others, but on the off-chance that the gnomes are, we need to hide its presence. Or at least its sentience. If we can make most people believe it is an ordinary chair for now” he stepped back a little, letting go of his whispering, “that would be good.”
“Huh” Royath said, his face thinking while staring down at Eleganto.
“I know I never told you about him beforehand” Rum acknowledged, “but his addition was a last-minute decision on our end as well.” He paused for a moment, looking at the thinking face of Royath. “Do you think your comrades will reject his presence? Is there a place for it here, near where Veish will be staying?”
All eyes converged on Royath. He noticed the attention, and nodded. “I can’t promise they want it up inside The Great Spruce, since it would be another risk, in addition to Veish. If I were to guess, there would be a few minor protests to the suggestion, but nothing that cannot be persuaded. However, more certain than Great Spruce, it would likely be able to stay here.” He glanced over to his colleague. “What is your opinion? Do we still need more furniture?”
Laverras smile faltered a little, and for a rare moment she appeared mildly serious. “Maybe not exactly what I had in mind, but if Eleganto wants to seek refuge here and serve as chair, I wouldn’t object to that.” She shrugged, and then leaned over to look down at Eleganto. “Would you like to stay here at the bar with us, or would you perhaps prefer a place more quiet? I could put you behind those bushes over there” she pointed to a little opening deep inside the clearing, “there’s a few more tables there, but most visitors stay here closer to the bar, so if you go there you won’t have people sitting on you all the time. I don’t know how it’s like to be a chair, I’ve never really tried being one myself, but I could imagine it’d be tedious to always be in use. I certainly feel that way as an elf.” She looked to be remembering something for a split second, before her eyes returned to Eleganto. “We also have The Privacy Bush deeper inside there. You and Veish could hang out there together when she comes to visit?” Laverra glanced up into Veish’s face, then down at the flat face of wood again.
Eleganto almost mirrored the eye-movement, looking up at Veish, then back at Laverra, then finally at Veish. “I don’t mind staying here at the bar, if you can come and visit me. What do you want, Veish?”
Everyone looked at Veish now. “Fine” she nodded, not revealing much emotion. “I’m fine as long as Eleganto’s not too far away.” She put her lips together and shyly looked away from everyone’s eyes.
“We have an agreement then!” Rum announced, and proceeded to gently grab Eleganto out of Veish’s hands. She let go. He sat the chair down softly next to the other chairs at the counter. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to move you” he spoke down to the furniture, “should you grow tired of being at the bar.” Raising his head, he stepped over to Royath. “Are you coming with, or should we walk ahead without you?”
“Just go” Royath waved, “my work at this bar lasts for several hours more today, and the others should be waiting, or at least ready to meet you.”
The wizard and the witch departed the scene, with Veish casting glances back at Eleganto before the chair disappeared out of view. As they arrived at The Great Spruce sometime later, the form of Great Spruce greeted both with a simple slow wave from atop the stairway.
“Hey Great Spruce” the wizard spoke. They walked all the way up to the wooden mossy-haired body. “This is Veish.” He gestured behind him. Veish nodded to Great Spruce. “You’ve seen each other before, but you’ve never been formally introduced, I think. Considering she’s come to stay inside you, it’s certainly time you started to know each other.”
Great Spruce nodded slowly, and reach out a hand to Veish. When she didn’t budge, Rum put a hand on her shoulder, and gesturingly pointed with his head. The witch stepped forward, and the body of the tree and the body of the witch held hands. Or rather, Great Spruce’s giant hand held both her hand and her wrist in one big envelopment. Due to differences in size, a regular handshake was impractical, as should’ve been expected.
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“Great Spruce is a friend of the elves. The tree would probably become your friend as well, if you want it to.”
Veish withdrew her hand and Great Spruce let go of her. “Why would we become friends?” Her eyes flickered to the wizard.
“Well, having friends is always nice. But also, the practical benefits of being friends with your own magical house seems a little obvious. Don’t you think?” She did not reject that reasoning.
They walked inside and up to the first communal apartment Rum that had ever been in. That day when Royath had first taken him there, and he’d slept over, and woken up with no roof above, but only a bright and warm sun.
The door of the large single room apartment, whose structure rested on one of the great tree’s boughs, came to life as they approached. With a network of strong roots, the door pulled itself outwards and open, revealing a number of thoroughly lounging elves side. At the end inside there were the iconic reading elves, sitting in their big chairs and with the big bookshelf behind them, just like he remembered. In front of him and Veish was a small open space where most elves had been standing around, during his first time here. And just after that, all over the middle of the room, there were the big pillows, the tables, and sofas where the elves slept in the night, and where they in the day like now, rested and ate fruits.
Rum strolled inside like he belonged there, and Veish more reservedly followed.
“Hey, Rum!” Ovadova Zizik spoke from one of the closer sofas, and near him, Eidinun The Lovely rose up from her sofa, before navigating her way past her fellow elves and up next to the wizard, a playful smile on her face.
“Hi Rum” she let out sweetly, staring at him for a few seconds, then at his beard, before her eyes eventually landed on Veish. “This is the woman who’s coming to stay with us?” She tilted her head slightly, eyeing the witch like a curiosity.
Ovadova Zizik came over. Several other elves had risen from their sofas as well, and they were almost all coming over now. Rum recalled many of these others as members of The Sub-Committee for Dungeon Exploration. Alkiath and Udevi he even remembered by name. All of them, but the dungeoneers especially, watched Veish with curiosity and interest.
“You have any questions, Veish?” Ovadova asked.
“This is it?” she asked, eyeing the surroundings of furniture, walls, ceiling, and lastly the elves.
“This is it” the elf gestured about. “Anything you wanna know right away?”
“Mmm...” she put her lips together, thinking. A handful of seconds later and with some more looking around her, with her inspecting the general layout and the contents of the room, and she eventually shook her head.
“Then I hope you will come over and sit, because we have a lot of questions for you.” He pointed with his head for her to follow, and strode over to the sofas. Everyone standing followed and sat down, the elves returning to their seats, while Rum and Veish were gestured to a couple of unused spots at the end of a sofa. It was like they were all in a meeting, and it was about to start now. “We have all been wanting to know a little more about our temporary guest” Ovadova opened.
Rum glanced over at Veish beside him, then at Ovadova. “Ask.” He waived his hand gesturingly for the elf to go ahead.
“Yes” the elf nodded, “the question is really for Veish herself. We wanted to know a little about who you are? Unless you Rum” he looked at the wizard briefly, “unless you know this, because we don’t.” Zizik looked back at the witch, giving her his full attention. “We know of course that you are, or were, one of Jorteg’s witches, but we’d like to know a little more. Like, why? Why did you decide to work for such an awful man? We’d like to understand you, Veish. Understand why you became that person, the person our members found inside Jorteg’s dungeon, the person trying to kill them.” He gestured to the relevant assembled elves, before looking at her. As did everyone else.
Veish had to look down a little, not able to meet their eyes when they were so many and so intense. “The dungeon was my home then, and you were trespassers.”
“I suppose we understand the logic of that particular incidence. After all, our gathered elves didn’t exactly arrive with intentions of friendship, either. However, why was that your home, though?”
All eyes went to Veish again, and her eyes fixed on the table, only looking deeper into the wood, as if it held some extremely interesting feature, that their intensity certainly did not.
“You were learning magic?” Rum offered. “Isn’t that what you told me?”
She momentarily glanced over at Rum. When he was done talking, she looked down at the table again. “Yes” she confirmed.
“And why did you choose Jorteg?” Ovadova pressed. “Weren’t there any other options to you, in your life?”
Again all the eyes, and Veish couldn’t bare to meet them. She fiddled with her fingers, then she reached over at her side, where The Joy Stick was fastened. She unfastened the thing, and started fiddling with it. The sight of the wand made a few of the elves glance at each other, some looking slightly nervous at their captive carrying a potential magic weapon. But a few seconds later, and she was able to briefly glance up at their collective, surrounding, expectant faces, and not cast a spell on them. “Not... exactly” she replied.
“Sorry” Ovadova said, “what do you mean by that?”
She inhaled through her nose, still staring at the table. “I grew up among the Tumi.”
A range of mouths opened at that revelation, faces everywhere surprised.
“Among the goblins?” Udevi asked from the sideline.
Veish nodded. “Yes.”
“And how was that?” Eidinun asked next, her eyes gleaming with interest.
Veish bit her lip, and briefly glanced up again, enough to meet Eidinun’s face and ascertain exactly which elf had asked her. “It was fine.” She gave the eyes of the room a quick sweep of eye-contact. “Some of you must know there are humans among the Tumi.”
“We know” Ovadova nodded, and so did many of the others. Not so much surprised that it was possible for someone to be living with the Tumi, but that they’d meet one of them, and for that one to be Veish.
“Well, life there is actually kinda good, but it all depends upon if you end up in the right holy kitchen. I ended up under The Promise of Sausage, and while his people are good people, they almost exclusively eat meat or meat-heavy foods. And if you are the kind of person who’re meant for physical growth, that’s not bad. But if you’re like me, and you’re meant for mental growth, then the diet doesn’t work for you. It only makes you feel slow, and causes pains.”
“Constipation” Ovadova nodded.
Veish glanced up at his face, and nodded admittingly.
“The Holy Kitchen of Sausage took in me and my mother when I was young. She was poor, her village didn’t like her, and my father had died of illness, so we needed a new life, that’s what she told me. My mother became cleaning assistant for the goblin cooks, and we became part of their kitchen; part of the clan. But I was never any good at the sausage life, it wasn’t for me. I tried to change kitchen, I asked to join The Holy Kitchen of Pie, for the carbs, but they wouldn’t have me. They thought I should stay with my first kitchen. That I should be loyal.” She paused for a while.
“And so you fled?” Udevi asked, eager to hear the rest.
Veish looked up. “No.” It was a simple answer. “Some years ago, Jorteg came to Promise Sausage to ask if he could recruit some of us humans. As apprentices.”
“Aaaah” Ovadova nodded with understanding, and several of the others nodded as well. “So you were recruited then.”
Veish shook her head. “Not the first time, but a year later he came back for a second batch of mages, and then I volunteered. I told him I wanted magic. He told me I would become his apprentice, but actually, it’s more correct to say I became the apprentice of his last apprentices. The senior witches taught us magic, he only taught us at 2 occasions at the beginning, then he grew tired of us. I think he didn’t like that we were all beginners, and that we took so long to learn the basics.”
“And the food?” Udevi asked, and Veish raised an eyebrow. “Was the new food okay?”
Veish smiled, surprised by the question. “Porridge. And potatoes. Carrots. Much less tasty, but much better for thinking.”
“WELL” Ovadova said, “I can promise you that OUR food is EXCELLENT. ALL the carbs you could EVER want. Here” he grabbed a pear out of the nearest bowl of fruit. He tossed it at her. “Eat it, enjoy it – there’s many more where that came from.” He smiled.
She grabbed the pear in the air and smiled back at him. The previous tension evaporating some.
“So, your name.” Eidinun was the one to speak. “Veish?” The elf leaned her cheeks on an arm rest with her elbow and fist. “That’s a very unhumanlike name, isn’t it? In fact, it sounds kinda like a Tumi name.”
Veish nodded. “It is.”
Eidinun raised both eyebrows. “I thought you said you were made part of the kitchen, not that you were born there.”
“I didn’t have a name when my mother took us there. I was around 3 years old I think, and everyone just called me little girl, or some other name after my mother. It was one of mother’s cooks who suggested it.”
“And why Veish?”
“I don’t know.” Veish shrugged. “Apparently it means wine in an older goblin dialect.” She paused, and for a moment the conversation looked like it had concluded, before Veish surprised everyone by flipping the question. “You all seem to have so many different names. Are they all elven? Why do you have your names?”
Ovadova smiled. “Ha-ha, that’s actually a good question. My name’s actually part of a recent trend in elven names. You could say I’m trendy. Well, a trend within The Committee of The Spruce at least. We’re a bit more fun than the other trees, or so we like to think.” Several of the assembled elves smiled and laughed a little, but also nodded in agreement. “Green-elves most often pick their own names when they turn 20. I chose something appropriately jolly.” He looked into the air with a nostalgic absentminded expression. “Ova is a sweet-smelling bush, Zizik is a pink glowing mushroom, and dova means nothing on its own, except that it’s part of the trend.” He looked down at her again.
Veish changed to point at Eidinun next. “And your name?”
“It’s actually a mix between an elven and a dwarven name” the beard-lover answered, as she gave Rum’s beard a momentary glance. “Inun was a common ending for dwarven names in The Three Brothers Mountains, it meant gold. For the rest, Eid is half of Eidir, which is just an old elven name, but it was the name of someone I knew from the community I grew up in.” She spread her arms, as if to say that is all.
“Seems to me” Rum entered the discussion, “that your name isn’t that strange after all.”
“Says the one named after a drink” Veish replied, blowing air from her nose in a near-giggle. The elves smiled also, and several laughs were restrained behind forcibly pressed together lips, though their hum-hum internal laugher was easily heard.
Rum smiled but just shook his head. “Unfortunately for me, you’re more right than you realize.”
“Huh?” Ovadova said, looking at Rum. “You’re really named after the drink? The alchoholic one?”
Rum grimaced. “That’s a story for another time. Let’s focus everyone. I’m not the object of inquiry here.” He shifted his eyes to Veish. And when nobody said anything, he shifted his eyes back and forth between Ovadova, Eidinun, Udevi, and Veish.
Finally, Ovadova asked another question. “Okay, there’s just one more thing we’d like you to answer us, Veish.” Veish looked at Zizik, no longer too shy for eye-contact. “It’s just this: we want to trust you, at least as much as Rum here has been trusting you. So we give you this choice: you can be part of our community, a full member if a temporary one. You’ll work with us, and sleep in this room with us, and eat with us, and any activity you want to join in on after work, you can. Or, if you want to do anything else within the forest, you’ll be free to do that as well. That is option number 1. Of course, we will not make you work or stay with us if you don’t actually want to be part of our community. But in that case, we will have to put a watch on you, and treat you like a proper prisoner. We’ll find you a space to stay inside of, alone. There’s talk of using a seldom-used cabin here in the forest for you. You’ll be free of any duties, you’ll have food and everything basic that you need, but little freedom to walk outside, and few people to talk to. That is option number 2.” He paused to sigh a heavy breath. “We’re sorry about the second option, we don’t want to have to treat you like a prisoner, Veish, but if you won’t be part of our community, it is difficult for us to know how to trust you, and feel comfortable with you, knowing the allegiance you’ve held. We hope you understand our situation, as much as your own.”
Veish did not reply for a long time. She just sat there, breathing slowly but heavily. Thinking. Everyone’s eyes on her. The eyes were not as intense now though. For Veish was no longer a mystery, but instead a human being burdened with a heavy question. That made her less of object of interest, for they could all empathize with her at this point, and they all felt the weight of the question she was faced with. Also, they all silently hoped and feared for what she’d choose.
“I... what kind of work will I do?”
Ovadova seemed relieved, though Veish wasn’t looking at him at the moment, but looking into the table.
“It differs. Everyone does what they’re best at, and we’ll help you find out what you are best at. Of course, you’re expected to join the committee meetings for all members of The Committee of The Spruce, and we expect at least a little help with making food, cleaning up food, and such. With communal meals in general. But you don’t have to work more than 24 hours a week, at most. That’s what we usually expect of each other. Though some people volunteer for more, and some people have health reasons to work less.”
Veish looked up at Ovadova, grimacing with confusion. “You only work 24 hours a week? REALLY!?”
“That’s the way of the green-elves” he smiled, and gestured to his surroundings, the other elves smiling as well.
“The way!” A random elf man among them spoke up. Receiving various affirmations with nods, playful claps, and echoed exclamations.
“Life is meant to be enjoyed!” Shouted another random elf woman, and then she received an even harder sets of nods, with the clapping made to sound louder and last longer.
“Back in Jorteg we were on duty at least 10 hours every day” Veish explained absentmindedly to the crowd, which quieted down to hear her. “Do you work just a little every day then?” She asked everyone present.
“I always spare the last 3 days of the week for me and myself” explained Ovadova. “As long as I plan my meetings with the other elves around that time, it all works out. And I get my free time.”
“Incredible” Veish let out.
“You’ve basically had vacation since you joined me though” Rum pointed out. “In my care you’ve had almost zero chores.”
Veish looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Aren’t you supposed to make me want to stay here?”
Rum raised his hands in defense. “I’m just saying, that I’m pretty chill too. I might not have a whole forest for you to roam in, but working hours at my brother’s shop have been practically zero for you.”
She tilted her head, as if unsure she agreed. “You have dragged me around a lot, though” she pointed out back.
He raised his hands in higher defense. “Okay.” He lowered them. “Just saying, I’m pretty chill too. And that dragging, as you call it, that was for your benefit. So, just to be clear.” Rum pointed around at the elves in a sweeping arc of his outstretched finger. “Not incredible. Because I also give you plenty of free time. In fact, free time is practically all I give you.”
“Well that is true” she replied. “Free time locked inside a closet.” She rolled her eyes.
“The closet is not locked. Or maybe, I guess technically it is, but you have the passphrase.”
She looked at him. He looked at her. Ovadova looked at them both and didn’t entirely know what was happening or why, but the elf surmised that perhaps it was time for him to take over the conversation.
“So, Veish, I suppose that means option number 1. You will part of our community – temporarily?”
Veish nodded, her voice quieting as she spoke. “Yes.”
The room, having endured a great deal of tenseness over the course of discussion, exploded into applause and shouts of joy. Everyone got up from their seats, first only a few, then everyone else followed. Several of the elves came over to shake hands with Veish, and everyone asked in turn if they could hug her. After an initial reluctance, she let at least one of them hug her. And then she had to let the rest of them hug her. Meanwhile Eidinun didn’t ask if she could hug Rum, but just came over, leaning in on him, stroking his beard. Eventually though, Rum started to feel misplaced in the room full of elves celebrating their latest member, and he understood that it was perhaps time for him to leave. So he came over and said goodbye to Veish. She politely goodbyed him in return. They didn’t hug, although Rum wondered if perhaps he should’ve hugged her, like the elves, whom she’d let persuade her to this degree of familiarity in nearly no time at all.
Rum, leaving Eidinun behind and informing a few of the elves he knew like Udevi and Ovadova, left the premises. And as he stepped towards the door, opening up to let him out, the wizard heard Zizik and other elves promise a full-on celebratory party in Veish’s honor. As the door closed, they spoke of baking sweet fruity cakes, finding a musician to the witch’s liking, and deciding on games to play at the event.
Oh how things change, Rum thought.