Closed Teach me! (Vanari)

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Valerius found it hard to imagine a society where people didn’t lie. In Ravok everybody lied all the time. The different families were always plotting and scheming. It was a way of life. He found it almost as hard to imagine a never ending winter, and he told Vanari that. „In Ravok the weather is almost always pleasant. I don’t think I’ve ever felt real cold. Rhysol, our god, keeps us safe from harm and makes sure that we are comfortable. What we call winter is probably the hottest of summer days for you.“ „Tell me though, Miss Ari, if a Vantha’s eyes reflect their feelings, can they control their eye color if they manage to gain complete control over those feelings? Would they be able to change their eye color at will then?“ Surely somebody in Avanthal had thought about it sometimes. Surely somebody had developed a technique. He didn’t think that a society where people didn’t lie could even work – especially if the winters were long and harsh. Weren’t they all stuck together in their holds then, forced to deal with each other no matter what? „I will have to see if I can find the answer in a library then“, he remarked curtly as she admitted that she didn’t know how the holds had come to be. He found her description of Avanthal too good to be true, too nice, too just. If he hadn’t agreed to follow in his parents‘ footsteps, there would have been endless arguments. There had never been any other option for him but to return to Ravok and help increase his family’s wealth and influence. „Could I become a Vantha then? I, the man who prays to Rhysol?“ he asked. Outsiders weren’t welcome in Ravok, at least if they weren’t human and dedicated to Rhysol. Most Kelvic ended up in the KRI before too long, nobody liked Symenestra, Nuit were undead freaks, and all others were just useless barbarians. Ravok was an inherently racist city. „Maybe I would be a better Whitevine“, he agreed. „But you only told me that Whitewine was for medicine. While I possess some medical knowledge due to my work at the Kelvic Research Institution, I would not call myself a doctor. And while I am a proud man, I’m not sure if I am or even want to be selfless. I do however strife for excellency, no matter what I do.“ As he noticed how she eyed the cookies, he wordlessly pushed the plate a little towards her. He didn’t only want his teacher to be in a good mood, he had come to the decision that it would also be beneficial to their lesson if she were well fed and content. „Vilyúth“, he repeated. „How does one say ‚I am a member of the Skysong Hold‘ in Vani?“ As she asked him why he was interested in her hold, he frowned a little. For a long time Valerius Nitrozian had been interested in music, in art, in dance. He had bought a Konti musician a while ago and made her sing and play the harp for him and teach him – in secret as he thought that being interested in something as harmless, as beautiful and gentle as music was a sign of weakness. Finally he replied, „I have a certain appreciation for art, Miss Ari. Isn’t language itself an art?“

[Vanari]

So many fascinating questions, so many things she had rarely the opportunity to analyze herself. It was rather heady, like breathing in too much of a well-crafted perfume or drinking one too many pints of hard cider, and the Vantha forced herself to settle her thoughts and focus on answering her host. With the aid of another delicious cookie, of course. "Good, I don't think anyone in their right mind needs to feel a coldness rivaling that of Morwen's domain. Most of my people have her mark of favor, you see, so they are not as affected by the brutal weather." Upon explaining this Vanari realized that she was, yet again, and exception of sorts. Perhaps the reason she never received a mark was because her goddess knew she was not meant to stay. And that she would seek the favor of another god... "I know some definitely have attempted to master their own emotions, and came out of the endeavor with moderate success, but...well, imagine having to keep your emotions in check all the time while doing chores from sun up till sun down, keeping the fire going no matter what, and working at your craft. It gets to be too much--the mental and physical fatigue paired together--and unless you have the time to meditate all day and just focus on controlling your emotions, then you'd best give up before you lose your sanity altogether." She thought of some of the more reticent or manipulative people she knew from her childhood, but even they could not be in complete control all the time. "But, because of our usually earnest natures, and our isolation from the rest of the world, we are always happy to welcome travelers into our homes. I'm not sure if you could become a Vantha entirely, per say, but you could come to be considered as family, and certainly be accepted into a hold if you proved yourself through merit." Vanari paused to eat another cookie, thinking for a moment, then continued with a grin, "You make a good case, Mister Nitrozian. I see my initial assessment was lacking, and that you indeed would make an interesting candidate for Skyglow. My mother's favorite motto was to 'Go Big or Go Home," after all. Or something along those lines. Though focused mostly on visual arts, we Skyglow are also scholars of sorts in our own right, though I prefer to think of us as researchers of life itself, of the secrets behind our emotions, desires, and very existence." Valerius's pronunciation was quite excellent, she noted upon his repeating of the Vani term for her hold, but he lacked that tiny component of lyrical grace. It was no surprise, given the lifestyle he led here in Ravok and the perfect image he must always be striving to present himself with. But, Vanari could have sworn she saw some little spark flicker beneath that impenetrable layer of courtesy and nobility as her host spoke of his interest in Skyglow, and in art itself. Was there a hidden gem in there, a nugget of gold worth bringing to the surface? "Language indeed is an art," she conceded with a nod of acknowledgment, "and a vast one in our world, with so many tongues to choose from that not only shape who we are, but reflect the perspectives of our communities as a whole. For instance, saying that I am a member of Skyglow hold in common is a straightforward, clear cut process. I am conveying information, and there is a sense of practicality and efficiency in the way it is delivered. I could say it in varied ways with more flourish or information, but the way I deliver common speech will remain more or less the same. In Vani, things are a little different. We would say, Vilyúth nyssanye, which translates into something like, 'Skyglow, clan or house that envelopes me.' It is quite fascinating, is it not? How our perceptions and values peek through the way we craft our speech. Understandably, things here in Ravok are very different. Here, we must remain focused on the individual surviving, because the elements of danger are often lying in wait amongst others of our kind, sitting in a dark alley with a knife or plotting our demise from afar. In Avanthal, we have only one enemy: Winter. So, we work together to fight it, and have little energy or time to spend worrying about each other. And that is how such a phrase came to be for declaring your origins. It is something we all say with much pride and passion, which are just as vital to Vani as proper inflections and pronunciations." Vanari blinked, realizing with embarrassment how long she had spoken for. "Do forgive me if I ramble, Mister Nitrozian. I lose myself in such topics...I don't believe worshipping Rhysol would bar you from acceptance in Avanthal, but I personally find my overall ignorance of him appalling, given my extended stay here. Would you mind being my teacher in turn, and telling me more of your god?"

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„I have mastered my own emotions to some extent, and I believe that I’m still relatively sane“, Valerius coolly informed Vanari. He had tried to control his emotions – or make them go away – since he had been a boy of twelve or thirteen, since he had begun to realize that some of his thoughts, that some of the things he felt and some of his doubts were undesirable. He remembered his sister’s hateful words, his father that was hardly ever there, apart from when there was an opportunity to criticize his children, the constant indoctrination. He had eventually begun to believe the things he had been told. For the past decade he had tried very hard to shape himself into a man that his grandfather would be proud of, and he was convinced that he was very close to succeeding. There was hardly ever a moment when he didn’t try not to feel, hardly ever a moment when the mask dropped nowadays. One day, in the not so distant future, he would manage to attract Rhysol’s attention and receive his mark, and then it would all go away. „I believe that giving in to your every feeling can be just as harmful as the opposite, maybe even more so. But let us not talk about that anymore. I’m more interested in hearing what happens if the traveller that comes into a Vantha’s home turns out to be a bad person. Do you just throw them out then and leave them in the snow to die? Do your peopple have something resembling a law system? Something comparable to the Ebonstryfe? As Vanari told him that he would make an interesting candidate for Skyglow after all, he inclined his head, a sign that he appreciated her words. „I have often wondered about such things“, he admitted, somewhat reluctantly. „About why we feel the things we feel, why we have certain desires, why we exist, but I have not found an answer that has satisfied me so far. I prefer to believe that it is more than a random event, more than the fact that my mother and my father spent a night together though.“ „Why do you say that Skyglow envelops you?“ he wanted to know. „Does Skyglow keep you safe from harm and keep you warm? Do you imply that Skyglow is more than a building of wood and stone for you?“ He found it fascinating to listen to her speak about the differences between Ravok and Avanthal, about the pride and passion they felt for their origins. Valerius was proud as well, because there was nothing better than to be a Nitrozian, not in Ravok at least, but he was hardly ever passionate, about anything. As she asked him to tell her about his god, something resembling surprise was visible on the Nitrozian’s face. He had not met an outsider so far, a follower of a different deity, that wanted to hear about Rhysol. Most had certain prejudices. This, he realized, was an opportunity to change the way his god was seen, and thus he replied, „Certainly. I already told you that it is Rhysol that keeps us safe. When chaos reigned Mizahar after the Valterrian, it was Rhysol that offered people a safe haven. Due to him our city flourished. While all other people of Mizahar suffered, we led comfortable lives. You may have heard that some call him the God of Evil, of Betrayal and Lies, but if Ravok is a lie, it’s a rather pleasant lie, don’t you agree? Have you ever been to the Temple of the Black Sun, Miss Ari?“

[Vanari]

As Valerius spoke of mastering his own emotions, Vanari watched him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. He was a true scholar, this one, with his insatiable thirst for knowledge and answers, but his composure made her wonder. From experience, the Vantha knew that to be driven to such extremes meant great pain in one's past. Was there something in her host's bygone days that had caused him to erect such an impenetrable wall? Vanari set aside those questions for the time being. Tending to delicate matters required more sure footing on the banks of trust, and she was willing to guess there were few--if any--Ravokians Valerius trusted. "Hmm, we do not have anything quite like the Ebonstryfe. Most Vantha are quite hardy, and would most likely be able to handle more...unruly guests. Of course, we don't simply allow just anyone passing by a place by our hearth--there is some caution taken. We normally go through a subtle routine of getting to know the guest. Asking questions, for starters, and then putting them through various little tests to see how they handle and react to certain situations. For instance, if we were in Avanthal right now and, after some polite conversation to get to know one another, you asked to stay within my Arvintas, I would agree. At first. We would then make our way back to my home, but somewhere along the way I may stop at a friend's house, or take the time to help someone load their firewood into a wagon, or introduce you to passing relatives. I may even ask you to help, and the quality of my hospitality depends entirely on how you respond. This, of course, is all based on my first impression of you, which would be much more favorable than, say, if you had a season's worth of facial hair and a lazy eye." Vanari grinned, then continued. "In that same conceptual vein, one would not be alone in assessing a potential guest's merits. A hold works together, and everyone knows everyone. I suppose that's why we say that one's hold envelops you; you are part of something bigger, something made up of hundreds of individuals that work in over all tandem. Certainly, we have our own personal pursuits, being artists as we are, but there is a sense of oneness in our shared interests and goals. It is most definitely more than just a set of buildings of wood and stone; it is a living, breathing unit of community, a support system if you will. Essentially, once you are accepted as part of that, it's like every parent is your parent, every sister is your sister. If that makes any sense... ...although, on the other side of that same coin, it can be rather stifling sometimes," Vanari admitted with some reluctance, fidgeting in her chair. "I have known of the common people's general sentiments regarding Rhysol," she commented after her host explained more of his god, swiftly changing subjects, "but until now I never fully understood why. It is quite a fascinating contradiction; one always associates lies with negative results, but to think of the entire city as a pleasant lie...very interesting indeed." Throughout the Vantha's travels, she'd seen many cities, heard of many gods and goddesses. It was impossible to keep every version of every deity straight, which often left her more than a little dubious of most things. The one thing she could be certain of, however, was that everyone believed in their own version of right and wrong, and that every person was neither all correct nor all incorrect. There was an abundance of rumor, speculation, and even fact floating about concerning Rhysol and his infamous city. It would be easy to simply accept that the God of Evil was indeed just the God of Evil. But, then one had to ask, why did the people of Ravok think so highly of him? Certainly, there must be good reason. Not every living thing in Mizahar could claim to possess superb intelligence, but that didn't mean they would worship a dark god with utmost devotion and reverence for just any reason. And, Vanari was eager to know and understand this reason. Call it naivete, call it wild goose chasing--her interest was hooked, and she firmly believed in the one rule she cared to live by: to pursue truth, because all knowledge was worth having. "No, I never have been to the Temple of the Black Sun. I've remained...rather ignorant during my stay so far, I'm afraid. I've yet to make any friends who would be able to show me the highlights of this city. What is it like there? Have you been there yourself?"

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Valerius didn’t know whether he should envy Vanari or make fun of her description of Avanthal. It sounded so nice. Such a wonderful, wonderful place where strangers from all walks of life were welcome, where people were given the benefit of the doubt and helped each other. Was it real? Did he want to be in such a place? „Don’t worry, Miss Ari“, he told her. „I don’t have any intention of growing a beard, and my eyes are normal as you can see.“ In fact the Nitrozian found facial hair and most kinds of body hair disgusting, and if he had a lazy eye, he would find a chosen of Rak’keli, threaten him and order him to fix it immediately as he didn’t want to be abnormal. „Here in Ravok people are always plotting and scheming“, Valerius informed her. „We Nitrozians try to present a united front for the public, but that’s about it. Nobody really knows what the other one is thinking, and our house is just that, a house.“ There was no sense of oneness here. Valerius wanted his grandfather to be proud of him, but that didn’t mean that he trusted him or loved him. His aunt and he worked together, but they weren’t really friends. Working together made sense to him, but nothing more. They were all related by blood, but the sense of community was sometimes lacking. „I think sometimes lies are a necessity“, he remarked. „And things are rarely that simple. People call my god evil, but everybody has a different defintion of ‚evil‘. Everybody calls their enemies evil, no matter what those enemies really do. You should try to understand those that are different from you rather than judging them. Do you know what I mean?“ He gave her a moment to reply before he continued. „If you are ignorant, it can be amended. The Temple of the Black Sun is one of the greatest, most beautiful buildings in all of Ravok. I have been there a hundred times, to pray to Rhysol. In my opinion you cannot understand Ravok unless you have been there and attended a mass.“

[Vanari]

After all the seriousness of their intellectual conversation, Vanari found herself cracking a smirk at her host's dry sense of humor. Or was he being serious? "I shan't," she assured, "My people would likely be delighted to have such a fine guest. And the stories you'd be able to tell!" Murder, blackmail, intrigue--these subjects could keep a Vantha awake for days, if the storyteller was clever enough. There was little of it back home, though it certainly wasn't unheard of. At Valerius's next words, she chewed over the necessity of lies. She wouldn't--couldn't--refute that statement. After all, she'd only posed as a boy about dozens of times to ensure her own safety, even if it meant lying to those who showed her trust and kindness. "I do, completely. One man's trash is another man's treasure; one man's enemy is another's friend. The warrior riding out to battle must say his goodbyes to his wife, children, friends, and family, and at the exact same moment his enemy is doing the same to a different set of loved ones, across a different border. Perhaps, if we understood one another better and chose to be a little less blind, we would not all suffer as much as we do." She took a bite out of her fourth cookie and shrugged. "Then again, we'd probably be much more bored as well. Besides, meatheads will be meatheads--us intellectuals do what we can." As her host explained the importance of The Temple of The Black Sun, Vanari listened carefully, nodding. "I shall make sure it is, then. A building of both aesthetic, cultural, and religious import--I'd be a shame to my hold if I didn't at least attend a mass. Forgive me if this is too forward but, I was wondering...what do you usually pray for to Rhysol?" "The gods and goddesses of this world are so nuanced," she mused, "I've found it prudent to know ahead of time their dispositions; there are too many horrible stories of curses and disfavor not to be."

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„I could tell your people a lot of stories“, Valerius replied. „I could tell them about my meetings with Konti, Nuit and other races. I could talk about the great families of Ravok, about the Ebonstryfe, the Black Sun and how the Temple was almost destroyed. I could talk about my time in Zeltiva, about mages and alchemists.“ He sounded almost as if he were bragging now. There were some that called him a spoiled child, that accused him of living in his family’s shadow, of living off his family’s name and wealth, but he had led a more interesting life than most common citizens of Ravok so far. „I’m glad that you understand me“, he told her. „You are a remarkably intelligent woman, Vanari Skyglow. In the end good and evil are just words. They may call my god evil, but despite worshippipng him with all my heart, I do not see myself as such. And you are right, if everybody were the same, if all the people in Mizahar understood each other, it would be boring.“ He couldn’t help but laugh, very briefly, as he heard her say, „Us intellectuals do what we can.“ He was glad that he had chosen that particular Vantha as his teacher. „We pray for the same things as your people, I would think“, he replied as she asked him what you usually prayed for to Rhysol. „We ask him to continue to keep Ravok and its citizens safe and give us the strength to fight our – and his enemies. When I pray to him, I tell him that I’m his. You probably aren’t aware of it, Miss Ari, but among the members of my family are several who bear the mark of Rhysol.“ „As long as you do not mention Syliras and the knights in the temple, you should be fine. Syliras and Ravok do not get along very well.“ That was of course an understatement. Syliras and Ravok were enemies. „If you like, I could take you to the Temple after our lesson has concluded. But for now, would you mind teaching me a few more words of your language?“

[Vanari]

The fifth cookie in her hand paused before its inevitable fate as Vanari froze, listening to her host rattle off the various kinds of stories he had in his arsenal. True to her earlier words, her interest was piqued and her Vantha blood tingled with anticipation--she would have to find an opportunity coax one of these tales from him. In any other situation, he might have come off as a braggart, but seeing as how this was a conversation concerning intellectual interests, she decided he really wasn't that bad for a nobleman. Petch, she'd seen worse. At least he was courteous, interesting, and gave her cookies. At his sudden compliment, the Vantha's eyes briefly flashed pink. She ducked her head, taking sudden interest in the luxurious carpet as she fumbled with the pastry in her hand. "You are too kind, Mister Nitrozian. I see it more as an inevitable result of my travels; you can only have the truth beaten over your head so many times before it finally sinks in." At that, she gave a wry smile, then bit into the cookie with relish. She nodded as Valerius explained what one usually prayed for to Rhysol, and pondered over his choice of the word "enemies." Her ignorance was irking her more than ever; she knew many of the gods and goddesses had strife between them, but it was difficult to map them all out in her head. She felt it wasn't entirely her fault, however. In Avanthal, the only enemy was a cold death, and that didn't even plague Morwen in the slightest. Things didn't really get much simpler than that. "Oh, I most certainly wasn't aware," Vanari answered in surprise. It wasn't too often she heard people speak of their marks of favor...perhaps hanging around Ria so much had made her especially wary of the sensitivity of the subject. "What...exactly does a mark of Rhysol entail, if you don't mind me asking?" When Valerius offered to take her to the Temple himself, Vanari felt utterly elated. She maintained her composure, however, and managed to nod only a little too eagerly. "Yes, that would be wonderful! And of course, allow me to show you some common words and phrases we use in Avanthal." And so she began the lesson proper, first introducing basic words for expressions involving greetings, gratitude, apologies, and even a few colloquialisms. The Vantha insisted on helping her student get a feel for the fluidity and musicality of Vani first, rather than focus on the technicalities of grammar. She believed becoming familiar with the spirit of a language's native speakers allowed mastering fluency to be easier in the future. First, she banned the use of their chairs--albeit politely--and ran through examples of each specific phrase Valerius would need to use in a given situation. Together, they practiced how to say various phrases to different inhabitants of the icy city. Sometimes Vanari was a shop keeper, a Coolwater fisher, a guard from the Icewatch, or even a child playing out on the streets. With each change in scenario, she leaped into a new role, exaggerating each character's stereotypical qualities to comical degrees and encouraging her student to answer each of them as earnestly as possible. "Alright, now I'm a stiff, grumpy old guard who has no time for manners," she cued with a wink. Her back suddenly straightened, her eyes narrowed, and her face took on a ridiculous scowl before she bellowed in Vani, "You there, with the face as smooth as a babe's. From whence do you hail?" It was likely, should her host ever be crazy enough to visit Taldera, that he wouldn't understand the more creative descriptions guards often assigned to people in their boredom. Otherwise, she would feel far less comfortable with her brazen acting than she already was. Ah, well, at least he might be able to pick up on the tone. After all, she had tried to sound as crass and insensitive as possible, pushing her acting abilities as far as they could go in the face of a powerful, wealthy citizen who could probably have her murdered quietly behind his rose bushes faster than she could say, "But I was just acting." Prior, they had gone over what a new visitor should say when confronted by the guards, who were usually less than tactful when it came to interrogations. One would first give a slight bow of the head, more for acknowledgment than anything else, and then answer as directly as possible. Name, origins, purpose of visiting. The faster you could beat a guard to his own questions, the quicker he'd be likely to get off your case. They had gone over the Vani words for these things, so hopefully he could manage to throw them out all at once. Sniffing impatiently, Vanari stood and waited, trying her best to glare at her host as she fought the fierce desire to burst into fits of giggles.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

While Vanari was already eating her fifth cookie, Valerius finally took his first. He ate it slowly, savouring each bite and made the whole act of eating a cookie look elegant, like some kind of art form. Once he had eaten the whole cookie, he took a napkin and carefully wiped his mouth so that there wouldn’t be a single cookie crumb or chocolate stain left on his lips. Then he folded the napkin so that the dirty side was hidden from view. As Vanari’s eyes turned pink at his compliment, he arched an eyebrow. „I take it pink means embarrassment, Miss Ari?“ he asked, slightly amused. „There is no need to be embarrassed. I rarely give compliments to somebody. And thus they are usually deserved when I do. There are people who have seen all of Mizahar and still remain narrow minded and uneducated.“ Valerius himself was not as open minded as he claimed to be, but for now he considered it beneficial to paint himself in a positive light. „A mark from Rhysol allows one to tap into the very essence of chaos and spread it“, he explained as she asked him what a mark of Rhysol entailed. „The Chaon – those that are rewarded Rhysol’s mark – often become ugly or unnaturally beautiful. Unfortunately my aunt Amanda and my cousin Trevinus – those Chaon that I associate with the most – still look the same.“ He made a face. Amanda Nitrozian was a brilliant scientist, but she had never been beautiful. „Spreading chaos may sound like an evil thing“, he continued. „But without chaos,the world would stand still. There would be no progression, nothing to fight for – or against. At the same time that Rhysol asks us to spread chaos, he is the one that protects us against the worst of it. I ask you, Miss Ari, is this not a good thing? Is Rhysol not a god worth worshipping?“ As she agreed to his offer of showing her the temple, he nodded curtly, and then their lesson of Vani continued. Vanari would find that Valerius Nitrozian picked up the foreign language and its grammar quickly, and although his pronounciation wasn’t always completely correct, it was acceptable for the most part. It was obvious that he enjoyed learning. As she pretended to be a grumpy old guard and adressed him rudely, the Nitrozian narrowed his eyes and glared at her. He did not approve of the tone of her voice! Here, in Ravok, no guard would ever dare to speak to him like that! Still, he inclined his head slightly as she had taught him. He sounded somewhat grumpy as well as he replied in Vani, „My name is Valerius Nitrozian, and I hail from Ravok. I have come to get to know Avanthal and its people.“ He looked at Vanari questioningly. „Was that correct?“ he wanted to know.

[Vanari]

Vanari grinned at her student's excellent performance, as well as his speedy progress with Vani. It was often easy for the Icewatch to goad weary travelers into making a spectacle of themselves, which would only get said travelers booted back into the wintry wilderness. Fortunately for her host, his rock solid composure had been bred into him since birth and remained nigh impenetrable. It would take more than a rude guard, it seemed, to turn away a steely Nitrozian. "Correct indeed! Very well done. You make the whole business of teaching quite enjoyable, Mister Nitrozian, if I don't say so myself. Now, let us move on to a different scenario, this time requiring a bit more information." Pretty soon, they had gone over about half a dozen different ways to introduce oneself, and to describe what Valerius might need or be looking for within the city. They even went as far as learning tactful methods of explaining the attributes of his own origins and status in Ravok without him coming off as overbearing or boastful. It certainly helped that the man's mind was kept well honed by his previous intellectual endeavors, and that he seemed to have a natural gift for learning difficult phrases. Vanari had to admit her giddy enthusiasm might have been partly affected by the sugar rush from consuming all of those cookies in one sitting, but her joy at Valeriu's advancement was genuine. It wouldn't be long now before he could start participating in whole conversations, and without the scripted, stilted sentences they had to prep him with. "Excellent progress, Mister Nitrozian," she congratulated before easing back down into her chair with audible relief. "Well, that was a most productive afternoon. I think, if it agrees with you, that we can take a brief respite now from our lessons, to take some time to digest and absorb." Vanari gratefully sipped some more piping hot tea from her dainty cup, which Tuuli had inconspicuously refilled during the lesson. Yes, absorb indeed! It had been a fine day so far, she decided contentedly, even with her initial nervousness over the situation. Her thoughts, now freed from the demands of teaching and acting, wandered back to Rhysol and The Temple of The Black Sun. As always, her impulse was to pop the question right then and there. When can we go? Can it be right now? Oh, please, please please?? But, the Vantha firmly reminded herself, her host seemed a man of his word, and not likely to forget. He would bring up the subject when the time suited him. For now, she would simply enjoy her tea and all the tasteful finery she so rarely found herself surrounded by.