"Ah, D'merdon, there you are," a woman's voice greeted as they entered an airy, open room dominated by a long table circled by many chairs. "I was beginning to think you'd decided to go straight off to work."
"No, sis, you know I'd never do that," Eddin smiled. He straightened, taking Vania's arm gently and leading her over to the closest end of the table. "May I present Enforcer Vania Nahalora?"
Vania stepped forward, looking at the tall, black-haired a'marlon woman sitting at the head of the table, suddenly unsure if she was expected to say anything or bow or something.
The woman smiled, the expression lighting her tawny golden and brown eyes; "Good morning, and welcome to Buccareth house. I'm sorry that I didn't properly greet you when you arrived last night." She gestured to the two chairs nearest her. "Come, have a seat, both of you." As Eddin carefully pulled out the chair on the woman's right and gestured for Vania to sit, the woman leaned slightly closer; "Ah, Enforcer Nahalora. D'merdon has told me so much about your work together. May I call you Vania?"
"Ah. Um. Sure. Yes." Vania bit her lip, forcibly stilling her hands in her lap, preventing them from pulling her cloak closer. He may talk about me to you, but he's never mentioned you to me.
As Eddin took his seat across from Vania, he gestured between the two women; "Vania, this is my sister, Lady T'kanna Buccareth."
T'kanna smiled at Vania, then smiled and spoke quietly to the servants as they placed food before the two enforcers. One serving girl quickly came to the woman's side and handed her a fine teacup, placing the steaming pot close by on the table.
"Eat. Please. There is plenty of food, so don't be shy." T'kanna smiled and sipped from her teacup. "I apologize for not joining you, but I ate earlier, with our other guests." She exchanged a look with Eddin, then turned a smiling face back to Vania. "So. D'merdon tells me you'll be staying with us for awhile. Please, make yourself at home."
Vania replied quickly, "Oh, no. I'm not staying. Um." Vania bit her lip again. "I mean—thank you for the offer of hospitality, but I'm not here to stay; I only stayed last night because of Ed—D'merdon's—injury during his fight with that wizard."
T'kanna smiled; "You can call him Eddin if you like; I know that's what he calls himself at work." She looked over to Eddin. "You didn't tell her?"
Eddin swallowed his mouthful and shook his head; "Not yet."
"Told me what?"
"Little brother, you do a disservice to your guest, keeping her in the dark like this."
"What?" Vania asked, looking from one to the other.
Eddin sighed and looked blindly down into his glass for a moment, then took a drink, set it aside, and looked over to Vania. "That wizard told you I received special orders yesterday. After he murdered some of our fellow enforcers and two members of the city's Wizard Council."
"Yes," Vania replied slowly. She put down the orange segment she'd been about to pop into her mouth. "What's that got to do with this?"
"He didn't tell you that he'd returned to Laria's house and—"
"Oh, gods, Eddin, he didn't steal her away again, did he?" Vania grabbed the arms of her chair, beginning to stand. "I don't care what that stupid captain says, I am going to kill that wizard with my bare hands when I find him! We need—"
"No." Eddin held up a hand. "Sit down, Vania. Laria and her mother are both safe, but very shaken." After Vania slowly lowered herself back into her seat, he continued, "Remember how I told you one of our colleagues spelled a pair of bracelets for her and put protective wards on the house?"
She nodded, staring at him, food forgotten in front of her.
"Well, she also received additional protection from Grenda and a few others—they were staying in the house, keeping watch. When he returned, the combined forces of Grenda and the others, plus the wards, were able to repel him and turn him away."
Vania sighed; "Oh, good. But, that still doesn't explain—"
"He managed to get away from their pursuit again and disappear—that was early yesterday morning, before I got in to work. In the early afternoon was when our crew of enforcers and wizards found him and did battle. You already know how that went." He paused to take another drink of water. "So, when all the city's enforcers were organizing into hunting parties, I was called aside by Captain Murrick. High Commander Aleira had given him special orders for me, since I was one of the main enforcers from the beginning of this case."
"So... what are your special orders, then, Eddin?"
"Since he clearly did not intend to let anyone escape his grasp, I was instructed to see to the safety of the surviving victims of the wizard until that bastard is finally caught and executed. So, Laria, and naturally her mother would need to also come, and you." He looked over at her, hawk cocking its head at her once more. "I would've told you last night, but something came up."
"You mean the wizard that attacked you, stole your face, and could even be impersonating you right now?"
"Yeah."
"What if that wizard is still wearing your face, Eddin? He could be hurting a lot of people!"
"I warned Captain about last night's attack and told him I'm attending to my special orders today. If he, or any other enforcer, sees "me" out in the city, they'll know it's the wizard. I even worked out a sign with him, in case I do need to go out, so I won't be mistaken for the murderer."
"And Laria and her mother are also here?" Vania looked around the room, which was empty but for Eddin, T'kanna, and herself, the servants having left the room once the food was delivered. One of the men last night did mention a woman and girl arriving at the house...
"Yes, they are here."
"And knowing that the wizard has attacked both Laria and me twice doesn't make you cautious about having us both in the same place?"
Eddin smiled down at his cup, swirling the water slowly around; "No."
"Oh! You're planning on him showing up, aren't you? We're bait in the trap."
Eddin frowned. "No. We wouldn't use you both like that. Not after what Laria has already been through. And I wouldn't do that to you without getting your agreement first." He put his cup down and looked back over to Vania. "This house is one of the best protected buildings in the city, being the home of the grand master of the entire military."
"Well, I know your father is the admiral of the navy, but grand master?"
"Our mother," T'kanna broke in, smiling. "Our mother is grand master of the military." She smiled again at Vania. "You may rest assured you are quite safe here, Vania. Please, be welcome and make yourself at home." She gestured to the food slowly cooling on the table. "Enough talk of business, especially the violent kind. Eat. Drink." She stood, Eddin quickly also standing. She gestured for him to sit back down. "I must take my leave of you both. D'merdon, see to our guest's needs, won't you? Vania, if you have need of anything, and I do mean anything, just ask. House Buccareth is happy to host you."
Vania just watched in silence as Eddin's sister walked away. After the door closed and they were alone, she looked over to him. "So. I think I like your sister more than I like your brother."
Eddin laughed; "Yeah. A lot of people feel that way. K'landrin is... difficult."
Vania snorted; "If 'difficult' is how noble people describe their rude, asshole members, then, yes. I agree. He's difficult."
"Well, don't worry. Sis will make sure he's suitably reprimanded for the stunt he pulled this morning."
"Your sister? Why—"
"She's head of the household until mother returns." He smiled at her. "Being the eldest daughter in an a'marlon household, and all." He sighed, then added, "But let's not talk family politics at the table, either. Let's just enjoy our breakfast, and then I can show you around the house, if you're feeling up to it."
A familiar voice echoed from down the hallway, giggling and babbling. Laria, Vania thought. She glanced up at Eddin, then gritted her teeth as she walked faster, failing to hide the limp caused by her aching hip at the increased pace.
"You can slow down," Eddin remarked, grabbing her arm. He gestured to the sunlight gleaming at the end of the hallway. "Yes, Laria and her mother are in the sun room up ahead." He cocked his head slightly, ears swiveling toward the open door. "Sounds like Laria is having fun; I'm sure they're not going anywhere anytime soon. So, relax. It's not a race." He grinned down at Vania as he added, "Laria will be so excited to see you; you're her hero, you know."
"You rescued her, too," Vania replied. "And Bergin. And Jezora."
"Yeah, the rest of us were there, but you're the one who cut her bindings. You're the one who carried her out. You are her main memory from that day—a shining star bringing her out of the darkness."
"Well, I couldn't've done it alone."
Eddin shrugged. "I'm just glad she focuses on the rescue, and the wizard is turning blurry for her."
"Yes. That... is good," Vania replied quietly. I still have nightmares about Adar's murder. I can only imagine what her dreams are like.
The sounds of play grew louder as they neared the door. A servant quickly left the room, holding hands over his ears and wincing as Laria squealed with laughter. As he hastily nodded to Eddin in passing, Vania noticed he didn't have any earplugs in. She looked up at Eddin and saw him placing his typical blue plugs into his ears.
Catching her gaze, he grinned; "We're not used to having young children in the house. Most of us don't wear our earplugs unless we're going out into the city." He held out a hand to her. "Shall we go see Laria and her mother?"
Vania smiled back and gave him a little shove forward. "Yes, but you go ahead. I need a minute."
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Go." She waved him away with one hand as she rubbed her hip with the other. After he disappeared into the room, greeted by an excited Laria, she sighed and rolled her shoulders several times, then her neck. Rubbing her bruises ruefully, she finally moved forward. Stopping just shy of entering the room, she peered in from around the doorframe.
Eddin sat on the floor near a pink-haired Laria, laughing as she played with several horses, all with knights astride them, running them around the floor and the edges of the furniture on some grand adventure. A large, tawny, shaggy-haired dog lay half-around the girl, patiently letting her run the horses from the top of its head down to its rump as they battled unseen opponents. Laria's mom sat on the divan behind them all, hands clasping a steaming mug and smiling. The blue and purple leather frog and a beautifully carved and painted wooden doll rested beside her on the cushions.
Smiling at the scene, Vania stood and watched for a moment. Eddin noticed her and leaned down, whispering something to Laria. The girl gasped and jumped to her feet.
"Vania!" Laria ran toward the door.
Chuckling Vania stepped forward, "Okay, you got me. I'm here. How ar—"
With a snarl, the animal lying on the rug stood and bounded around Laria, stopping to stand between the girl and Vania, roaring, revealing a full set of sharp teeth. That's...not a shaggy dog. That's a long-haired lion! Vania raised her hands quickly and took a few paces backward.
Laria shouted, "Earl! Stop it; it's Vania!" She slapped the lion's rump, but it didn't respond.
Eddin looked at the lion, then said sternly, "Earl." The hawk on Eddin's shoulder made a strange warbling sound as the lion turned its head to look at him. Eddin spoke a few words Vania couldn't understand. The lion grumbled, looking at her and then back to Eddin. Eddin held out a hand. "That's enough. You're doing good, protecting Laria. But, this woman is a friend. Vania." He gestured at Vania, where she stood in the hallway. The lion looked at her again, then turned, harrumphing loudly. "That's better. Save your ire for the evil wizard, if he comes."
The lion walked over to Laria, bumping his head against her chest; she wrapped both her arms around his shaggy mane, smiling. "See? It's okay, Earl. It's Vania. You'll like her—she's like you. You protect me and she rescued me." She stroked the lion's head, still smiling.
Vania stared, unmoving, as the lion began a deep, thrumming purr.
Eddin stood, smiling down at lion and girl, and walked over to Vania; "It's okay; you can come in now. Earl won't attack you."
"I...didn't realize lions could purr." Vania stepped slowly into the room, still staring at the lion.
Eddin chuckled; "The long-haired ones. Yes, it surprises a lot of people. When you encounter them in the wild, they only see you as a threat. Or food. So there's no love lost, there. Earl here is quite taken with his charge; he views her as one of his pride."
"Vania," Laria's mother spoke up, "I never got the chance to thank you before. For what you did." She stroked the back of the leather frog absent-mindedly. "Thank you."
"Oh. Um. I... was just..."
The woman smiled; "Just doing your job? That's what he said, too," she jerked a thumb toward Eddin. "But, you brought my baby back. It's thanks to you I still have a family, and not two mounds of dirt out in the graveyard."
Vania cringed, lowering her face to stare at her toes. "I'm sorry. About Adar."
The woman swallowed. "He. Died bravely. Protecting her. He was a good father." Her hand caught on the wooden doll and she pulled it into her lap, fingers toying with its hair. "Your friends fixed this. I...didn't think it was possible, but it looks... like it never broke. Maybe. One day. Laria and I will be, too." She smiled sadly at Vania. "You gave us that chance."
"Vania, let's play!" Laria demanded. She thrust one of the mounted knights into Vania's long-fingered hands. "Here. You be Mallea. I'll be Trivana." She handed a figure to Eddin. "You be Quorkin." She handed the final knight to her mother. "You'll be Andvar again, right, Mom?"
Her mother smiled and said, "Yes. I'll play Sir Andvar. What's his assignment this time?"
"Guard Sir Hops and Lady Izara!" Laria pointed to the frog and the doll.
Laria's mom chuckled and gathered all three toys into her lap. "All right. I can handle that."
As Vania drew nearer, she noticed the bandages wrapping the woman's legs. "Oh. Are you all right?"
"Yes. They're... healing. Slowly."
Eddin murmured to her, "She took some injuries in the fight against the wizard. Magical flames leave bad burns that take extra time to heal."
The woman smiled up at Vania. "Thank you for asking. It just makes it a little hard for me to chase this energetic one around, so it's wonderful that she has such patient playmates!"
Laria tugged on Vania and Eddin's arms. "Come on. Trivana needs Mallea and Quorkin over here—she's battling the shadow knights!"
The enforcers joined the little girl on the floor, running the knights' horses across the hardwood and up and down the furry lion mountain.