Lunchtime at Nia's (Private, Moranor please)

[Vincent Tind]

Continued from here.

Later that afternoon, Pescado walked into Nia's, and greeted his wife, nuzzling his snout next to hers, a saurids way of showing affection to those that they care for. As much as people might see them as vicious creatures, they care deeply for their own, and would defend them to the death. He then followed suit with his two daughters. After they had greeted each other, he took them over to a table that they would be able to comfortably sit at, with their large tails and all. "I have a friend that will be joining us shortly," Pescado said to his mate, Sssssss'lik'lia in their native tongue.

"Very well," she replied. "It's about time we get to meet some of your friends... I hope their not to rude to our kind..." Pescado looked at her, and then said, "Don't worry, I worked under him until I took his position..." She gasped, and then hissed under her breath the name, "Moranor?" Pescado nodded, and his daughters looked at him, and almost in unison asked, "What's a moranor?" They happened to be a little less intelligent then their brother, and also were younger. "He's a friend I worked with back before I was the Governor..." he replied to his daughters.

A waitress came over, and they got water, as they normally drank, not much for wines, or ales. They preferred the natural, and water was as natural as it came. Talking about nonsense, and things they would most likely forget over the period of the lunch, the saurid family, minus one member, Pescado's son Pez, awaited the arrival of Moranor Andares...

[Pescado Branch]

Later that afternoon, Pescado walked into Nia's, and greeted his wife, nuzzling his snout next to hers, a saurids way of showing affection to those that they care for. As much as people might see them as vicious creatures, they care deeply for their own, and would defend them to the death. He then followed suit with his two daughters. After they had greeted each other, he took them over to a table that they would be able to comfortably sit at, with their large tails and all. "I have a friend that will be joining us shortly," Pescado said to his mate, Sssssss'lik'lia in their native tongue.

"Very well," she replied. "It's about time we get to meet some of your friends... I hope their not to rude to our kind..." Pescado looked at her, and then said, "Don't worry, I worked under him until I took his position..." She gasped, and then hissed under her breath the name, "Moranor?" Pescado nodded, and his daughters looked at him, and almost in unison asked, "What's a moranor?" They happened to be a little less intelligent then their brother, and also were younger. "He's a friend I worked with back before I was the Governor..." he replied to his daughters.

A waitress came over, and they got water, as they normally drank, not much for wines, or ales. They preferred the natural, and water was as natural as it came. Talking about nonsense, and things they would most likely forget over the period of the lunch, the saurid family, minus one member, Pescado's son Pez, awaited the arrival of Moranor Andares...

[Moranor Andares]

Moranor had never actually been to Nia's. It had opened not long before he left, and given what he'd known of the establishment previously - when it had been known as the Last Resort - he hadn't really felt inclined to go there. But he had heard good reviews of the place despite it's unpreposessing beginnings, so perhaps he should have tried it earlier. It certainly seemed to be a hub of activity.

He'd taken the time to change into one of his fine linen shirts, which he wore with a cream silk cravat pinned with an amethyst, and tucked into a smoke grey waistcoat with a tracery of silver embroidery. It was a look that would be more familar to Pesc than his casual attire, though not so formal as he had been for provincial affairs. Still, he had felt the occaision worth getting dressed up for.

Holding his hand was a small child, and there was a striking contrast between the Esh'lahier's white skin and the dusky complection of the boy who could only be Kieran. Not so dark as a Vysstichi, but too dark not to have that blood, his hair was the palest blonde, and he had large green eyes. He bore no resemblance whatsoever to the man he called father, but he was a sweet child for all that, just reaching Schola age. He was wearing a black tunic with silver Andares hawks embroidered on it.

As Pescado had suggested, the party of Saurids was not hard to find even in the bustle of Nia's. The mismatched pair approached the table, Moranor with a smile on his face, Kieran watching wide-eyed and silent. "Serale Pescado, and well met, my lady." Moranor said, bowing genteely to Pesc's wife. He also nodded at the two young saurids, but had to confess to himself that he couldn't tell if they were male or female, and decided not to embarass himself or them by guessing incorrectly. "As Pescado has probably warned you, I am Moranor Andares, and this is my son Kieran. I had the honour and pleasure of working with your husband before I left Enamoria." He said by way of introduction. "And I'm glad I managed to catch you before you left Pesc." He added.

[Pescado Branch]

Pescado looked up towards the elf as he made his way into the Tavern called Nia's. Allowing himself to stand up to greet Moranor, he held a hand out towards his mate, and said, "Thissssss issssss Ssssss'lik'lia, my wife, you can call her Lia though, if it isssss eassssssier for you, and thessssse are my daughterssssss, Pescada Blanca, and Trucha. My sssssson will not be joining usssss, ssssseeing asssss how him, and hissssss Wyvern are both in Demiossssss..." Retaking his seat, he pointed to another two chairs, and then asked, "Why don't you and Kieran make yoursssssselvesssss comfortable?"

After they had gotten themselves situated, the saurid, whom had once held the title of Lord Governor of Enamoria took a sip of the water that was served to him. "Feel free to have anything off of the menu, it'ssssss on me thisssss brightening to cssssselebrate your return to Enamoria..." said the saurid, as he placed his glass of water back down. His daughters hissed a bit of a giggle, as their father spoke, but then silenced themselves when he gave them a bit of an eye. Ssssss'lik'lia looked towards Moranor, and then to his son, and said, "It issssss good to have you back, Pesssssscado hasssss told me quite a bit about how good you were for the provincssssse after you departed. I mussssst admit, I wasssss a bit rash with him when he went to the Ssssssouthern Consssssul, Mekare Taryn to become the Governor, but I think the exsssssperiencsssse hasss allowed him to grow more, even if he thinkssssss that it wasssss not worth it. I hope you told him it wasssss worth it." Pescado cocked his head towards her, and then looked back to Moranor, and Kieran. "I am glad that you and your sssssson could make it..." he finished, and then left the floor open for Moranor, and perhaps Kieran to speak...

[Moranor Andares]

”A pleasure to meet you, S’lik’lia.” Moranor said, doing his best to pronounce Pescado’s wife’s name properly, though he knew he would never be able to pronounce a sibilant like a saurid. ”And you as well, Pescada and Trucha.” He noticed that the daughters had names that were easier for non-saurids to pronounce. Such was the influence of the Empire. The same was happening amongst Esh’lahier, his own name was a prime example.

Moranor and Kieran both seated themselves, graceful as only elves could be. Kieran was watching Pesc’s daughters with wariness and curiosity, having had little exposure to their species, but never the less having a far more multicultural upbringing than many. He wasn’t sure, but he had a feeling that the hissing noise they made was saurid laughter.

”You’re too kind Pescado.” Moranor said. He ordered a glass of white wine for himself and one of juice for Kieran. He listened carefully as Ssssss’lik’lia spoke, having become somewhat accustomed to the saurid manner of speech in his time working with Pescado, but still having to concentrate to make sure he caught everything she said.

He smiled at her last point. ”Of course I told him it was worth it, and how grateful I am that he could step in. I am certain furthermore that it was hardly the disaster he thinks it was. My own time as Governor was not exactly without incident, and I think much of it could have gone better. It is good experience anyway, and always looks good on a resume. I hope you weren’t too harsh on him for taking on the position.” He added with a smile.

”I confess I didn’t ever expect to be going back to the Pnyx, but one should never turn down such an opportunity.” He added thoughtfully.

At that Kieran grinned and piped up. ”It will be good to go back. I miss the Pnyx.” He said. Then he looked at Ssssss’lik’lia and her daughters. ”Did you like living there too? It’s big, isn’t it. And the gardens are nice.” He said in his high, sweet voice.

Moranor smiled indulgently. ”Kieran was the terror of the castle corridors, I think.” He said smoothly. ”But I understand you’ll be travelling to Demios now. I confess I know little of the way saurids live when not interrupted by the Empire. What will you do there?” He asked, genuinely interested to learn about another culture.

[Pescado Branch]

If Ssssss'lik'lia could smile at the young boy, she almost certainly would have. Indeed it was nice living in the Pynx, her and her daughters had visited the garden quite often. Looking towards the young boy named Kieren, she would reply, "Yessssss, the Pynx wasssss a very nicsssssse placsssssse to live, me and my daughterssssss were happy there, even though it wassssss not where we'd normally live..." As she was talking to Kieren, Pescado looked towards Moranor, and then said, "My mate, and daughtersssss sssssshall be returning to the nessssst in Arconissssss to await my return from Demiossssss... I am going there to find out what exsssssactly my sssssson issssss up to, ssssssincssssse the lasssssst letter I got from him wasssss about hissssss resssssignation..."

Ssssss'lik'lia looked towards Pescado, and then took a sip of her water before saying, "Be sssssssure to bring him back here... I don't exactly like the thought of a young sssssson of ourssssss wandering around Demiossssss unattended." She said it in a very matronly tone, as all mother saurids tended to have. Pescado looked at her, and replied, "I'm ssssssure he'ssssss jussssst fine, he isssssss very ressssssourcssssssseful after all, and he hasssss hisssss wyvern with him. That creature would protect him until the day it diesssssss..." He then looked back towards Moranor, and asked, "Other than getting your old job back, what do you plan on doing in Enamoria now?" He awaited a reply while finishing the glass of water he had previously ordered...

[Moranor Andares]

Kieran smiled as Ssssss'lik'lia answered his question regarding their life in the Pnyx. He was quite fascinated by the saurid family.

"I hope you find your son Pescado." Moranor said gently. "Then again, a saurid with a pet wyvern shouldn't be too hard to locate." He meant it as a joke, though he realised it might not be considered bery funny. He earnestly wished Pesc and his family the best.

Moranor and Kieran's drinks arrived and Moranor sipped his wine before answering Pescado's last question. "Myself? I have a few things in mind." He admitted. "I had not planned on taking on any political positions once I returned, but I don't see that that should change too much."

"I have a hundred acre holding just outside Medonia, currently empty save for a fallen-down farm house. I plan to have a manor house constructed on it, and to bring some of my horses down from my property in Tearsfall - only I hear it's called Trysvale now - and breed them here." He explained. His Trysvale property was something of an escape and a holiday destination, but he enjoyed it so much that he wanted to have something similar in Enamoria.

"Following that, I hope to re-establish the First Choice Inn." He told them. "I don't know if you ever knew it, but back in the days when the Last Resort really was the last resort," He said, waving a hand to indicate the establishment they currently occupied, "the First Choice was right at the other end of the economic scale." He explained.

"I have aquired the property, which had been abandoned for some time, and have had the building itself fixed up. I still need to source furnishings of all kinds, and then find staff, so it will be no small undertaking, but something that I shall work at gradually." He smiled faintly in memory. "It used to be a place where one found the finest cuisine and the best rooms. I hope to make it so again." He smiled gently. "As for Kieran, he will be attending Schola and getting himself an education."

He eyed the saurid across the table from him. "And what about yourself and your family Pesc? What will you do, after you've found your son." the tall Esh'lahier enquired.

[Pescado Branch]

Pescado listened to everything Moranor had to say. A vacation home... that might be what Pescado would consider his home in Demios. It was nice, small, sweet, and above all, where his children were born. After Moranor posed his last question to Pescado, the saurid looked towards Moranor, and then said, "I sssssshall probably be taking a trip to sssssee Aelyria Prime... sssssso asssss to gain a view of the capitol oncssssse before I return to my home. I wassssss banned from my moundssssss quite a while ago, and a friend i had met before I talked to the Ssssssouthern Consssssul about the Governorsssssship told me to look for him if I ever decsssssided to return to my home..."

Ssssss'lik'lia looked towards Moranor, and then added, "Ffessssss issssss more than willing to help Pessssscado return to hissssss mound, and perhapssssss asssssissssst in mending the bondsssss that were broken between him, hissssss family, and hissssss original home in the moundssssss of the Ki'ssss'kk. Me, Ffessssss, and Pessssscado ssssshall be heading there upon his return to Medonia..." Nodding, she then looked towards Moranor, and awaited an answer from him towards the brief description of where her, Ffess, and her mate would be heading upon their return from Aelyria Prime...

[Moranor Andares]

Moranor nodded slightly as Pescado described what he intended. ”I am planning a trip north myself in the Autumn, stopping in Prime, but continuing up to my property in Trysvale. Just a brief visit to see that as is as it should be, then back again.” he said.

The Esh’lahier had to admit that he was mildly fascinated as Pescado and Ssssss’lik’lia described hints of the saurid way of life. ”So I assume these mounds are the traditional homes of the saurid?” he asked by way of clarification. It made him things of Ethgan’tor, the city of the Esh’lahier. He had never been there, but his grandparent had come from there, and supposedly his father, whomever he was. He promised himself that one day he would go there.

”Well I certainly hope that this ‘Ffess’ can help you, my friend. To be separated from home and family is a terrible thing. I wish you all the best, and that the situation can be resolved.” He did not enquire as to why Pescado had been ‘banned’ from the mounds; it would hardly have been diplomatic.

There was a brief pause in the conversation, and Kieran’s stomach rumbled. ”Shall we order lunch?” Moranor enquired.

”Have you thought about how you are going to travel to Demios; it’s a long way.” He asked. Did saurids ride? He supposed not. Not horses at any rate.

[Pescado Branch]

Pescado looked towards moranor, and then nodded as he inquired about lunch. He was hungry, and he was sure that his two little girls, and mate were hungry as well. Letting his eyes lay to rest upon their waitress, he motioned for her to come over, and then said to her, "I'll take a Ssssssalty Sssssalmon Revenge..." His mate, Ssssss'lik'lia then said, "And we'll take two Ssssssizzssssling Lobssssster Ssssssteaksssss... my daughterssssss will sssssshare one..."

Once the ordered, Pescado would allow Moranor and Kieren to order as politely as possible before he began to speak to him once more. "I plan on traveling to Demiosssss through the ussssse of my Cssssserasssssaurussssss, Ssssss'ri. Ssssssshe'ssss very leassssssurely to travel upon, not like ssssssoftssssskinsssss and horsssssessss... Ssssssauridsssss are better sssssssuited to travel upon the backssssss of other sssssscaled creaturessssss. No offencssssse to your horssssssesssss of courssssse, i'm ssssssure they are very ssssssmooth ridesssss, but for a sssssaurid, usssssing a creature of ssssscaled proportionssssss allowsssss ussss to be more comfortable... I acssssstually found her in Zsssssinn'Ssssssunn a few erassssss back, when i wasssssss only eighteen, after a few major eventssssss happened... but that isssss another sssssstory, unlessssss you wissssssh to hear about my essssscapadesssss in Zinn'Ssssssunn..." he said, and then awaited an answer from Moranor, his good friend, as they awaited their food...

[Moranor Andares]

Moranor regarded the menu thoughtfully. There were a selection of soups, but only two real mains. "How hungry are you?" He asked Kieran. The child confided that he wasn't ravenous, but one of the soups sounded good. "I'll have the salty salmon revenge as well, and Kieran will have the groundnut soup. I think you'll like that." This last was to Kieran.

"A Cerasaurus?" Moranor echoed, quite delighted at this piece of information. "I confess, I did wonder. I didn't think a saurid would be comfortable on a horse at all. And no offense inferred, though I can assure you that if you ever did want a horse, my Sandbreds are the best." He said jokingly. "So what does a Cerasaurus look like?" He asked, intrigued.

It felt very strange for a moment, when Pescado said 'a few eras back, when I was eighteen'. The Saurid was adult, with a wife and three children. Moranor had one adopted child, and he was well past 100 eras. It was one of those moments that you felt occaisionally, working with people of many different species, where suddenly a good friend seemed totally alien. But Pescado's next words ended the moment. Short life or long, a friend was a friend. "Of course I want to hear about your adventures in Zinn'Sunn. Do tell please, I've never been there. I'm very tame in my travels; Trysvale and Primus Gaudeo are about the extent of my wanderings."

[Pescado Branch]

"They are large toughsssssskined creaturessssss... almosssssst like an elephant, but at the ssssssame time a little ssssssmaller. I could show you Ssssss'ri ssssssometime if you wissssssh, sssssshe'ssssss exsssssstremely tame, and very eassssssy to handle... unlessssss ssssshe issssss hungry for grasssssss, then sssssshe'll find hersssssself a nicsssssse little ssssssspot to ssssssettle down and eat. You won't be able to move her for a candlemark or two if that happenssssss..." he said, giving a bit of a hissing laugh for the fact that as tame as Ssssss'ri was, she could be very stubborn at times.

As Moranor asked him to tell about his adventures in Zinn'Sunn, the saurid looked at him, and then said, "They are a bit... well, horrid i musssssst admit. I had gone there looking vissssssiting after the Arconissssss war againssssst Blavorian, looking for more of my kind... my ansssssscssssessssstorsssss perhapsssss, sssssincssssse I had heard there wassssss a green ssssscaled tribe of lizssssssardmen near by. Thisssssss wasssssss right after I had met with Ssssss'lik'lia... Almossssst immediately after I got through the gate, sssssssome men approached me. They asssssked me if I would like to do sssssssomething for the good of the csssssity, and becaussssse i'm a generally good persssssson, I ssssssaid yes, and vowed to help them. Being a ssssssaurid, we can't renig on our vowsssss very easssssily, sssssso I wasssss pretty much forcsssssed into helping lift the cssssssity from a militant leader. We entered the palacssssse, if you could call it that, and infiltrated the placssssse... I actualy fought with a katta one on one, knocked him out, and then while the other men were fighting the elite guardsssss, I managed to slay their leader... Afterwardssssss, I wasssss regarded asssss a hero of Zsssssinn'Ssssssunn, and given Ssssss'ri... It wassssss nicssssse and all, being given a creature that obeyssssss me unlesssss it'ssssss hungry, but i really jusssssst wanted to go back to Arconissssss... And I did. That wasssss all too long ago though, almossssst a faded memory I think..." Once he finished his story, he'd look towards Moranor, and then await a reply from the elf...

[Moranor Andares]

"I'd love to see her one day." Moranor said, and laughed as Pescado described the impossability of moving her when she was eating. "No so different from horses then. At least a horse you are usually strong enough to persuade to move, but S'ri sounds much bigger than that." It was quite interesting how different species had adapted different creatures to the same purposes.

Moranor listened to his friend's story with interest, it was a part of Pesc's life he hadn't heard about before. Still, it was rather sad that, as a newcomer, Pesc's innocence had obviously been preyed upon, even though the resourceful saurid had managed to turn the situation around. "It's a shame that such people were obviously waiting for someone new to the city to arrive. I think all people take their vows seriously, though I confess I would have asked exactly what the men wanted of me before I gave mine." But then, Esh'lahieri tended to have a certain level of cynicism from an early age, given the history of the treatment of their race.

"It's funny how things change, and how such evens seem so far away, isn't it? I remember when I first came to Medonia, I was employed as a roustabout at a local mill, and used to hang out at a seedy tavern on the bad side of town, because my kind weren't tolerated elsewhere. I learned how to wave a sword and set off on a few adventures of my own, most of which didn't amount to much, before I finally returned." He hadn't given those days much thought himself, save that when he'd been unpacking he'd seen his old sword in the bottom of the trunk, and it had reminded him. "I still think the most dangerous challenge I faced was the Senate. It might have something to do with the arrival of the Rakrya at that time." He mused.

[Pescado Branch]

"I would not have a problem allowing you to sssssee her... I ussssse her quite often, and you might jusssssst sssssee her around Medonia, depending on where i am heading, or what i am doing..." he said, and then paused a bit before continuing. He did not have much knowledge of the Rakrya, but did have knowledge of a certain event that happened around the time he arrived to Arconis. The breaking of the stone of Unbinding, and then gaining of the saurid's powers of regeneration as well as their ability to use Arcana, and loss of their immunity.

"I have heard a bit about the Rakrya, but not much, all i remember issssss the sssssssudden feeling of power and losssssss at the ssssssame time when that light flooded the country of Aelyria. I believe that wassssss at the end of their power... but I could be mistaken, hissssstory wassss not a sssssstrong ssssssubject for me before I became a politicssssian..." he finished. He looked down towards his water, finishing it, and at the same time, seeing the waitress come over with their food, serving it to them. "Looksssss good asssss usssssual," he said, and then looked to Moranor. "And now, let'sssss not let thisssss food go to wassssste..." His family then decided to eat, allowing Moranor and Kieren to have the courtesy of eating themselves...

[Moranor Andares]

"I don't know exactly how the Aethergem was shattered." Moranor admitted, as their food came. "I don't know if they did it or it happened as a consequence of their actions, but I am certain it was to do with them." He added, then focused on his food briefly.

The salty taste of the Salmon was like a smack in the mouth, and for a moment Moranor regretted ordering it, but then the other flavours of the dish, enhanced by the salt, came through in a delicious combination, and he realised why they made it that way. It was really very good.

Once he had finished a portion of his fish, and feeling a little guilty for letting the conversation lapse, Moranor returned to the topic of the Rakrya. "They were a group of very powerful mages, led by a mage called Julos. I don't know what arena he specialised in. He wanted the Senate to 'Elect' him as the new ruler of the Empire, and Aramil Thamion - probably under threat - was pushing this for him to the Senate. The Senate of course refused, as the Articles of Imperium clearly state that the Emperor is chosen by the Rite of the Aethercrown." He said, and paused for a mouthful of fish.

"When we refused, Julos obviously decided that he didn't need us, he could take the Empire by force. He ordered us all out of the City, on pain of death. But before we could leave the chamber, a vision of Audrey de Lylles appeared." He said, violet eyes far away in memory. "She warned him that she was coming to Prime and he had better leave or stand aside." He remembered. "Then the great stained glass windows behind the vision exploded. I don't know who did it, but there was flying glass everywhere." He ran a long finger along the length of his cheekbone, tracing the line of a thin scar. "Fortunately no one was seriously hurt, but we all got out of there very quickly." It had been a very strange and rather frightening time for the Empire he mused, as he ate his fish.