Of Love and Valor

41: Justice

"Enniskzar Azerai. What a pleasant surprise, to run into you here," Zelphinon addresses me formally, approaching me from the other side of the crowd of Orenzhanim that has just been dismissed for the day at the West Gate.

"Umathyar Zelphinon. To what do I owe this unanticipated honor?" I reply in kind, enjoying the mild confusion of our comrades around us at this unusual formality.

"I wondered if you might do me the kindness of dining with me this evening?"

"It would be my pleasure." As we walk away from the gate, I see Thariyae and Kokudon are chatting again, and Cezarya and Jorabij seem to be making their own supper plans. "Will anyone else be joining us?"

"Only if you insist upon it."

"I would never act so contrary to my own interests."

"Very well, then. Shall we to the market?"

"Lead the way." At this point I can no longer maintain the pretense and start giggling, although now it doesn't matter, as we've walked well away from our comrades-at-arms.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the game," Zelphinon remarks as I try, with some success, to stifle my giggles.

"Very much, but I have to ask, what brought that on?"

"You are a Lady of Great Renown, or will be, with the strategies you've given the Kazmiohni and the Orenfior. I figured you might start getting used to such formalities now."

"As a game, every so often, or in public, I do not mind. But with you, I would prefer to be...just us."

His eyes meet mine and his gaze softens. "Of course. I would not have it any other way."

I smile but my eyes drop to the ground. My stomach is suddenly in knots. "What would you have for supper?"

"I do not want to spend time cooking when we could be on the roof. Street food?"

"Dumplings and fried rice?"

"Perfect."

"I take it there is no family supper this evening?"

"No. Cezarya and Jorabij wanted to spend some time together, and I think Alderon has seized the opportunity to share a meal with Sazhmira."

"What will Ansohnya Umathyar do?"

Zelphinon shrugs. "That is of little importance to me. She is capable of cooking and will not starve except by her own volition."

"Fair enough." If I did not know Ansohnya Umathyar, I could be persuaded to feel sorry for her, alone in an unfamiliar city, her own children refusing to dine with her. However, we have reached the market and I cannot dwell on that miserable woman's plight as we haggle with vendors and hurry through the streets to the Umathyar dwelling. This time, we climb to the roof outside his window without ever setting foot in the house; he has installed a discreet ladder amongst some flowering vines on the side of the house, away from curious eyes on the street.

"This is new," I remark as we carefully scale the ladder, doing our best not to spill any of our food.

"Life is better for all of us if Ansohnya Umathyar and I don't see each other," he says grimly, then adds more cheerfully, "and it makes the haunting easier."

I wait until we've settled ourselves on the roof with our feast to reply. "Thariyae has heard about the hauntings and was asking me about them."

"Oh? Is that why she was so insistent on having dinner with you today, even though the two of you live together?"