“Welcome, welcome,” she said, grinning up at him and stepping aside as she opened the door. The woman was of a shorter stature and full-figured with brown hair pulled back in a tight bun. Her dress was fine, but not at all ostentatious—very much suitable for a daughter of a government official, even in a small city like Polimnos.
He bowed his head to her in greeting, but she had already turned away to call down the hallway, “Mother! Mr. Branwood! Adrissu has arrived.” She turned back to look at him with the same smile and gestured once more for him to come inside.
“Thank you,” he murmured, stepping past her. He could see the entry hall open up into a large sitting room about ten feet away.
“Adrissu, welcome,” Benil Branwood called out to him. Adrissu stepped into the doorway and glanced quickly around the room before fully entering. Benil was getting up from a plush armchair to greet him; Elissa Tanner sat up a little straighter without leaving an identical armchair opposite him.
The human woman must have been around sixty, perhaps a little older. Her hair was mostly gray and pulled back in a bun, similar to her daughter’s hairstyle, and her weathered face was littered with lines. She smiled warmly at him, and he bowed his head.
“Thank you for so graciously inviting me into your home, Mrs. Tanner,” Adrissu said, and when he glanced back at the woman, she waved one hand dismissively. He had never known her late husband, but she still wore a ring on one of her fingers that humans adorned to signify their marriage.
“We’re pleased to have you join us, Adrissu,” she replied.
“It’s good to see you, my friend,” Benil said briskly as he stepped up to him. Adrissu forced himself to smile for a brief moment down at the human. He did not like to consider Benil hisfriend,but it was unfortunately undeniable that of all the humans in Polimnos, Benil Branwood was the one who made the most effort to maintain a relationship with him. “Come, sit, have a glass of wine. I brought a lovely bottle from a vineyard up in Gennemont. Claire and I went there over the summer and have just a few bottles left. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to open one up, maybe even two.”
Adrissu nodded and allowed himself to be led to the corner where a small side table stood with a bottle of wine and a few goblets; and he took a seat on the other side of Ellisa.
“Dinner will be ready in about half an hour,” the Tanner daughter called, peeking into the room with a smile before heading back into the hallway.
“I must thank you again for joining us,” Ellisa said, shifting in her chair to face him.
“I’m honored to be here,” he replied, smiling dryly. “Forgive me, could you remind me of your daughter’s name?”
“Oh, that’s my Luelle,” Ellisa laughed, hiding her grin behind one hand. “Don’t worry, sir, I won’t tell if you won’t.”
“Here you are,” Benil interrupted, handing Adrissu a goblet. Carefully, he pushed back the sleeves of his robe, before accepting it and taking a sip. Itwasa good wine, he thought begrudgingly.
“We’re expecting just a few more guests,” Ellisa continued, as Benil reclaimed his seat on her other side. “I would imagine you would know them. Maya Graylight from the mercenary’s guild, Yue Lang the blacksmith, and our fellow council members Cyrus, Abe, and Shefali.”
“I see,” Adrissu replied, taking another sip of his wine. The two not already on the council were prominent community members in their own rights. He had met Maya Graylight only the one time, but knew she was well-respected for training up the members of the mercenary’s guild, and for the role she took in the safety and security of Polimnos. Yue Lang owned and operated the largest of the three forges in town—the other two were so much smaller in comparison that they may as well have been hobbyists. He had only met Yue a handful of times; but Ruan had often spoken of how he armed anyone worth their salt in the guild, and how he had eagerly saved up to have a new sword and armor custom made by him, bragging about it constantly to Adrissu when he had finally procured the items.
He took a breath and pushed all thoughts of Ruan from his mind.
“Yes, I am familiar with everyone,” he continued abruptly, realizing Ellisa had been waiting expectantly for him to continue. “You honor me by including me in their presence. These are all upstanding citizens of Polimnos, as I am sure you know.”
“Well, don’t sell yourself short,” she replied warmly. “You’ve made quite a name for yourself, Adrissu. Everyone in town knows you, and not only because you’re an elf in a sea of humans. Your skill in magic hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
“Thank you,” he replied, nodding.
The list of names only solidified his suspicion that they were going to offer him a place on the council, along with Maya Graylight and Yue Lang. Although he already considered himself well above them all, there was a quiet satisfaction to being recognized as a key member of the community.
Another knock sounded at the door, followed by Luelle’s voice calling out, “Coming!”
Benil started chattering about something or other, but Adrissu focused on what he could hear from the hallway. The creak of the door opening, Luelle’s voice again, then another voice—Maya Graylight had arrived.
A moment later the stern-looking woman appeared in the doorway of the sitting room. The one time Adrissu had met her, he vaguely recalled her wearing a practical outfit, what looked like a man’s shirt and trousers. Now, she wore similar attire. In place of a dress like Ellisa’s or Luelle’s, she was dressed in a smart, finely made set of black leather breeches and a gray silken shirt, buttoned in the front like a man’s tunic, but cut to be more form-fitting. A deep red shawl slung over her shoulders and falling past her hips was the only part of her outfit that wasn’t obviously practical and plain.
“Good evening,” she said briskly, and as both Benil and Ellisa responded eagerly, Adrissu noted that she too carried a bottle of wine in her arms. Hopefully, they had not been expecting him to bring something as well.
“And this is Adrissu, who I’m sure you recognize as our local mage,” Benil said, as he led Maya to their corner of the sitting room, pulling Adrissu from his rumination.
“We’ve met,” Maya replied, and Adrissu nodded.
“We have,” he agreed, standing to greet her and bowing his head. “My pleasure to see you again.”
“And you as well,” she said, nodding curtly as she set her bottle of wine on the table with the other.
Adrissu listened idly as Benil and Ellisa went through the same conversation with Maya, thanking her for coming and telling her who else would arrive.
