He laughed and held his hand over the griddle.When it was ready, the first pancake loaded with chocolate began to take shape on the hot metal.
By the time Duran and Samsor returned with her father, she was into pancake number two, her cheeks full, and chocolate syrup smeared on her face.
Her father grinned and began to laugh.“Oh, Emhara, it is nice to know that some things remain the same.”
He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.“I am putting that on my desk at work.”
She chewed and swallowed.“What?”
He laughed.“It has been so long since I have seenyou.You are glorious, little girl.”
She sipped at her coffee and sighed.“Why are you here, Father?”
“I am going to stay until your aunt and her assistants arrive to make sure they understand you are to be treated as an honoured daughter of the house, and if I hear one word to the contrary, they will be looking for a new patron.”
Her aunt had been kind.Well, kinder than the others.She ate her chocolate chip pancakes, and when her father had a serving in front of him, he dove in with enthusiasm.
“Oh, that’s where I get it.”She chuckled.
He paused and used a napkin to wipe his face.“The idea is to stay neat while enjoying yourself.”He handed her a clean napkin.“You might want to try it, little girl.”
“I have a name.Pretty sure.”
There was a knock at the door, and Samsor walked to the door with his plate of pancakes in his hand.He answered the door, and female voices were heard.
“Fuck.”Em began scrubbing at her face and went around to get the napkin damp before she tried again.Her father was laughing, and it wasn’t an expression she saw often.
She watched the ladies approach and tried to hide behind the elves.A familiar voice said, “Emhara.We won’t bite or sting or whatever the ladies did when you were a child.”
Em looked around Duran and hissed, “I didn’t tell him that stuff.”
“Oh.Shit.Sorry, brother.It was when they were all younger.”
The assistants stood straight and tried not to look as green as they felt.They didn’t succeed.
Em walked around and introduced herself to her aunt, again.“Hello, Aunt Alderna.”
“Emhara, you have grown.”
“That happens if you keep eating.”
“Right.Where are you going to be that requires dressing?”
“Court.Lots of court.I need to look competent and adult, while still looking vulnerable.Can you manage that?Duran?Any notes?”
“No, that is pretty much what we need.Oh, you will need shoes.”
Alderna said, “We have shoes, undergarments.Everything from the skin out.First, Emhara, go take a shower while we move the racks in.”
“Uh...”She looked to Samsor.“Do you have another shirt I can borrow, or is my sweatsuit ready?”
He winced.“I forgot to wash it.Come on, I will get you a new shirt.”
She nodded and headed up the steps after him.His nostrils flared when he got to the top of the steps and said, “You bathed?”
“Sort of.Not really.I was starting to smell myself, and that is rarely good.”
“Speak for yourself.Come on.”He led the way to his room, got towels for her, and got her a fresh, long, black t-shirt.“Take a hot shower and come downstairs again.”
