Before The Meeting Itself, The Requester, Should He Anticipate Results Beyond Being Seen In Prestigious Company, Must Prepare Himself By Engaging An Instructor Of Relevant Etiquette For No Less Than Nine Days

“Whoaaaaaaaa!” A white-haired old lady, or not so old as that when one got over her hair of pure snow, late forties perhaps, looked up from across the room where she had been writing notes on a placard and dashed over so quickly Dirant was unsure her legs even moved. In respectable Adaban she said, “Our blessing is a meeting for me, young man. I'm a world-recognized expert in certain antiquities, particularly those related to Avans, and I'd like to examine that idol. Ponsaë JomFigza, by the way.”

She extended her hand, though whether to shake Dirant's or receive his statuette he could not decide. He tried to manipulate the situation in his favor as best he could by going for the handshake while raising the item in question high up for her to see clearly but not touch. “No less for me. My name is Dirant Rikelta, and further elaboration is welcome as well as, if such can be arranged, a meeting with Mr. JomOdro.”

Her eyes followed the statue like those of the Foam Stallion's cat about to carry out its shipboard duty at the expense of an uninvited passenger it just spotted. “You've come to the right expert,” she said, ignoring who had come to whom. “Mr. JomOdro relies heavily on my judgment. He even asked me to come here to sparkling Dittsen, and not only because I have a bit of Adaban. What we must do now is determine if that intriguing idol you have there is worth his time. He's very jealous of it. I know it's worth mine even if it's fake. This is all I do, after all.”

Dirant moved the icon closer to her and away again; her eyes remained fixed on it. “And what is necessary for it qualify as worth his time? My area of expertise is rituals rather than antiquities, you see.”

“To begin with, what you have there may be of Hoduuri origin, and it may further represent Avans, the father of the gods. Or, pardon me. He is commonly known as Nantizant here. Ottkirs dispute his position in the pantheon for some odd reason I've never discovered. To us in Stegzi, or to Mr. JomOdro in the old country, there is no doubt about his primacy.”

Though unwilling to interrupt, Dirant again suffered embarrassment at being unsure how keenly he should feel his ignorance of religious topics. He had seen depictions of Nantizant either beside doors or across them and knew him to be the god of such, but as to whether he was father of the gods or not, he had never before even heard the suggestion.

As if in answer, or actually in answer perhaps, a trembling sensation spread out from his gut as religious awe struck him. Over the expert's shoulder he saw Holzd. The god evidently yearned that day to spend a nice evening in Nifkir's Pillar perusing the works of the past. The implications might have staggered a theologian. Did he require Nifkir's permission? Was he Nifkir? Nifkir was supposed to be a goddess, was she not? To a pious priest of Dirant's ilk, naturally nothing his god did required explanation.

Holzd looked straight at him, shook his head, and resumed his inspection of an ancient knife employed for removing the bones from fish according to the latest conjecture. Thus assured Nantizant was not so big a deal after all, Dirant continued listening.

“That's what makes it so irksome that we've never found a pair of Avans idols even once. You're probably already thinking that means the Hoduuri refrained from their usual practice in the case of that one paramount god.”

“I am,” Takki chimed in.

“We're pretty sure that isn't true. We have found fragments of what we think are Avans idols, and we have also found Avans in different aspects. Just not a whole one next to another whole one. The reason your idol is interesting to me even if it's fake is I want to know how someone managed to produce such a plausible version of Avans the Watcher, seeing as that's one we've only guessed at that aspect based on a few inscriptions liable to misinterpretation. I'm afraid that Mr. JomOdro is more practical. He won't get excited unless it's authentic. No, that's not quite right. If it passes an initial inspection, he'll want to see it then.”

“If it's a question of an initial inspection, refusal is impossible. Here it is. Though the inspection must be supervised, by me, please do not consider it a reflection on my estimation of your character.” Dirant handed over the precious otter treasure to the eager authority while staring at Deliëraï JemmzIszti, who at least blushed in the manner of someone not entirely bereft of conscience.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“That box warrants a closer look too, I suspect. Not my line, though. Not Hoduuri. Let's see.” Ponsaë JomFigza turned away and paced, muttering the whole way. Dirant kept up with on the right side while Takki slid over to her left. As the muttering was in Yosribdi they learned little from it except for confirmation of the angry-sounding theory. Audnauj kept his eye on the main blonde threat instead, and Foshkay laGabohnsay endeavored to be mistaken for a dress mannequin yet to have its modern outfit swapped for the fashions of old.

“Fine!” The expert's sudden declaration startled her two new shadows, but she paid no attention. “A decisive assertion is just not even a little possible, but this plausibly could be an actual Hoduuri Avans the Watcher. I must take this to Mr. JomOdro right away. Don't slow me down!” She hustled off with the assemblage behind her, Audnauj still watching the Ninjas for signs of unprincipled behavior.

A side room had signs posted next to it that indicated “Mr. JomOdro's Office” in several languages Dirant knew. He presumed it said the same in several he did not, but he decided to check with his associate. “Takki, is it possible some of those are rude messages written by someone on the staff vulnerable to the allure of pranks?”

“Well, Ressi, we are in Adaban territory.”

As much as he desired elaboration as to that chain of reasoning, Mrs. JomFigza was already knocking and pushing her way inside while also chatting in Yosribdi at the presumed inhabitant. Indeed he was there, a bald man probably a tad older than his favorite expert whose perfectly fitting silk shirt revealed him as someone rich enough to afford a physique worth having. Where she erred was in presuming him to be alone.

“Glainai So-and-so! The other one!”

“Glainai Gabas and Desonn Sheglei, I believe.”

“Thank you, Ressi. I have a little trouble with Survyai names.”

Chaos without violence resulted. Ponsaë JomFigza continued speaking to Vogdi JomOdro, unaware of the complexities of the situation. Though likewise unaware, Deliëraï JemmzIszti and her detachment detected a potential for unpleasantness and rushed in to take up spots on either side of their primary responsibility and on the walls and ceiling as well, which apparently their secret class allowed them to do. The situation was tenser than Redrin's relations with its neighbors, if not quite as unsalvageable as those between Noiswawau and Swadvanchdeu. Everyone waited on what Vogdi JomOdro would say.

“Mrs. JomFigza is relating to Mr. JomOdro all the information she currently possesses regarding the idol owned by you, Mr. Dirant Rikelta.” Glainai Gabas smiled at him, though his partner had only glares for everyone. “As agonizingly brief as our meeting before was, an ugly little hurried thing that made proper introductions impossible, it made such an impression on me that I conducted some research. I know how you Adabans are about privacy, but I hope to be forgiven on the basis of the brotherhood of man. If not, I claim also the brotherhood of peddlers of antiquities, for my business here also respects an idol of possible significance.”

“Was it from an otter holt that you retrieved it?”

“No, and neither did I conceive I should regret that fact before now.” Glainai bowed.

“There is the end of brotherhood then.” Dirant wondered if he should keep going, but since the other conversation was, he supposed he might as well. “The honesty you show us is a recommendation at least. A more brazen criminal would call it a Hoduuri idol and dare us to claim his confederate, a skilled sculptor, fashioned it for criminal purposes. The situation must quickly become uncomfortable when that occurs.”

“It's a fake then?” The nearby antiquarian of course understood the Adaban conversation.

“It is unclear,” Dirant clarified.

“Good.” She turned back to the conversation. Vogdi JomOdro at last spoke, and his calm, rumbling speech overturned a long-standing hypothesis about Yosribdi.

Mr. Glainai continued to translate. “Mr. JomOdro has explained my presence here, as if there is anything unnatural in a meeting between gentlemen. He further wishes to know whether Mrs. JomFigza is yet able to determine the authenticity of the two statues, which of course she is not, all the more so on account of the intriguing suggestion, she is now informing him, that there is some question of the probity of the parties involved.”

Dirant pretended to puzzlement. “Is she? We have not even accused Mr. Glainai of being a thief and a kidnapper.”

“She is now telling him about that, of course. I object in the strongest possible terms. Who accuses me of kidnapping?” He turned toward his victim. “Did I kidnap you, Lord Audnauj?”

“Certainly not!”

“There.”

Dirant conferred with his associate. “The kidnapping element may be difficult to prove.”

Takki recognized the problem and took the prosecution in another direction. “That leaves thievery and all the other crimes on the wanted poster he keeps in his hideout. Are you going to deny those?”

Glainai Gabas brushed those away with his hand. “I simply don't see the need. No collection worth having is free from a little theft somewhere along the chain. We might wish we lived in a less duplicitous age, but, well, you understand, surely? I see Mr. JomOdro agrees with me.”