Family conversations (by the fire)

An Overdue Catch-up

The first thing Glint noticed upon entering his room at the Three-Headed Dragon was a very guilty looking Strix. The pigmy owl had a distinct appearance of being ruffled and force fed to within an inch of its conjured existence.

The wizard was rather confused. He clearly remembered leaving Strix looking completely normal. The realization dawned as soon as Glint smelled the familiar rosewater perfume.

Well, that blast from the past could not have come at a worse moment. He turned slowly, head held low, carefully eyeing the tall figure in the nearest armchair, and in particular, their eyes. There was a familiar fire in those world-weary eyes, more harsh and dangerous than anything he could ever summon. Glint took a deep breath and addressed his visitor:

'Hi, nan. I didn't know you were coming.'

'Of course you didn't, that would've ruined the surprise!' the older woman chuckled heartily, taking off her reading glasses and putting down her knitting. She walked up to the wizard and put her hands on his shoulders to turn him around like a new doll. 'Oh, look at you!' She cooed. 'Looking so smart! And you've grown a beard! That's so cute!'

'Ehm, thank you,' Glint mumbled, noticing a teapot and cookies on the table. He knew what it meant, and he didn't like it. 'You know Strix is a familiar, right? You don't need to feed him.'

'But he looked so thin! And so sweet! I just had to pet him,' she smiled innocently and motioned towards the table. 'Be a darling, warm the tea for us.'

Glint sighed, took off his gloves and hugged the kettle, bringing it back to boil. Alessiss sat down into the chair and covered her legs with a cozy shawl that appeared from out of nowhere. She didn't say a word, looking at him expectantly, and Glint felt the need to fill in the silence. 'How's… everyone? Back home, I mean?'

'Oh, wonderful! Your parents are such sweethearts, I can never get enough of them. Oh, and Sunbeam and the missus had just had twins. They are so cute! Don't worry, I won't let their mother spoil them. It's not the children's fault their father had married a veritable harpy!'

Glint gave her a pointed look. He was in no mood to gossip about his sister-in-law.

'I'm sure they'll be fine.' He said with finality.

Alessiss shrugged and poured the reheated tea. She moved the basket with biscuits closer towards him, and took a long loud sip from her cup. Her face bore no expression, and she seemed completely focused on the tea. Glint sighed. Yes, this was clearly the same woman who taught him how to play poker. He put on the usual charming smile.

'So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?'

She gave him a smile that mirrored his so uncannily, Glint felt his resolve crumble and a chill crawl up his spine. Of course, given who he was talking to, he should have known better than to attempt any charm.

'You've stolen something,' Alessiss sing-sang, and smelled the air, glancing around the room almost hungrily. 'Something personal. Something…' Another sniff. 'Important.'

Glint frowned and scoffed, averting his eyes in indignation. 'I can't believe you'd actually put an alarm spell on me!' A sudden thought pierced his brain and made him sit upright instantaneously, glaring at her. 'Wait, does it mean father knows, too?' he asked, trying and failing to keep the rising panic out of his voice.

'Oh, please, dear! I'd never hurt my little boy like that. I'd never tell him anything upsetting before finding out what's going on myself.'

Glint shook his head, but calmed down a bit.

'Your little boy is almost sixty five,' he grumbled. 'But thanks for not telling him. I don't want to upset him any further. It's not worth the hustle anyway. It's just a piece of paper - hardly a criminal offence.'

'Darling, wars have been waged over pieces of paper,' she remarked, unperturbed.

Glint chugged the rest of his cup in one go, barely registering the burn of chamomile in his throat. His nan clearly expected him to continue the discussion, but he refused to give in. After all, two can play this game. The indignant silence was occasionally broken by loud tea sips for several minutes. Finally, Alessiss sighed and, putting her cup aside, covered Glint's hand with hers.

'Why don't you tell your old nanna what happened?' She pleaded. 'I'm sure we can make everything better.' Seeing his set features, she changed tactics: 'We haven't caught up in ages! Last time I saw you, you were at the college in Faerun...'

Glint nodded, freed his hand, and poured himself a bit more tea. He didn't want any, but he needed to occupy himself with something to keep his cool.

'Yep. And then I was sent here. To research wildlife.'

The woman's eyes glowed with the same thinly veiled amusement as before.

'Oh, I bet you did something naughty! Wait, let me guess!' She gave it a momentary thought. 'Did you sleep with the headmaster's daughter?'

Glint shook his head, but then looked back at his nan and, realizing she'd get to the truth one way or another, decided that a confession would be easier.

'Daughters,' he said. 'They're twins.'

The other sniggered, and he continued matter-of-factly.

'So he sent me here, and on the first day I happened upon a fellow called Steef. He got into trouble, we helped him. Just my luck - he turned out to be from a college as well, and here I am, two days later, being introduced to the Daring Academy, getting an adjunct researcher appointment. I've got an odd job here and there, met dinosaurs, got samples, actually studied something!' He chuckled and looked to his nan. She sat in her chair, looking infinitely more interested than she had any right to be. Glint sighed with relief. He hadn't had an opportunity to actually tell anyone everything that happened to him in the short half a year that he's been in Kantas, and being able to talk without pretense or manner felt… nice. 'Anyway,' he continued. 'All was fine until we were invited to the destroyed city of Jarvenol, to sort out some problems with wurms. I found that weird book there. About plants. And I'm no expert in plants, so they sent me to an actual expert down in Port Ffirst. And, well, he…' He couldn't contain a sigh.

His nan nodded sympathetically.

'You slept with him, too?'

Glint choked on his tea.

'What?! No! I mean, that's not the point! Point is… I kinda like him,' he confessed, turning a slightly deeper red.

'Oh, you look so much like your father right now, you know that?' She cooed.

'I don't,' he grumbled. 'I don't know what it is about Root, really. I'm just not very accustomed to hearing 'no', and that intrigued me, I guess. Maybe that was it,' Glint scowled. He gave it a momentary thought and his features began to relax as he carded through his memories. 'Although he's very friendly,' Glint admitted with a genuine fond smile. 'The nicest person I've met. And smart. Damn, he's smart. Younger than me, yet you wouldn't believe what he knows about plants and what he can make out of them. And yeah, just to add insult to injury - he's handsome, obviously. ' He sighed, eyes glazing over as the memories took him further and further away. 'Especially when flustered, he's damn pretty when flustered,' he gave another dreamy sigh, but his brow furrowed as his thoughts progressed. 'He gets flustered a lot, by the way. Mostly by me. Well, sometimes by me. I guess I don't know him well enough to know if it's mostly me- Anyway!' He said defensively, stopping his own rambling and startling Strix into a terrified flight across the room. 'I've met this guy, and I can't seem to stay away from him, or around him. Something always gets in the way of either.'

He expected some sort of reaction to such a revelation. Hell, if he was completely honest, he wanted a reaction. Needed it. A scolding, an understanding remark, sympathy - anything, he'd even take pity. But Alessiss shrugged dispassionately and took a sip of her tea.

'You've always liked your freedom, my dear.'

He took another deep breath to regain some semblance of self-control. 

'I suppose. I just can't focus. On anything. I've been trying, at least, for the last couple of months. Got a promotion to adjunct lecturer, worked with the city council. So, going up in the world a bit, I guess...'

'And I'm very proud of you, darling!' Alessiss put her hand on his again. 'You're doing wonderful. But then, why would you be stealing?'

He withdrew his arm defensively. 'I wasn't stealing! I just…' he sighed, and took a piece of paper out of his pocket, and threw it on the table bitterly. 'I thought… I thought we had something,' he added in a small voice.

Alessiss put her reading glasses back on, picked up the letter, and read through it carefully.

'An invitation to truce talks?'

Glint pointed at the signature at the bottom of the page.

'Ah. It's from him, then?' She gave Glint an encouraging glance. 'Well, that sounds like a great opportunity to show your true colors, doesn't it? And in a personal matter? You should be glad you were invited!'

'I wasn't,' Glint said in a steely voice. 'That's what I stole. Came across a familiar handwriting in a parlor I was having tea at, and couldn't help but read it. Must have been addressed to the owner. Doubt she'll miss it.'

'Ah,' Alessiss said, scanning the letter again. 'Vandree? Where have I heard that name?'

'I believe you have some common acquaintances with his cousin,' Glint said.

'Oh, yes! I remember. Drow, is he?'

Glint nodded grimly.

'Yes. And a damn handsome one, too. I've met Lord Jaezred only briefly, in D'Avalon. I doubt he remembers my face, not that I care. I had no idea he was friends with Root, not to mention helping him solve a personal problem that was going on for some time, and which I had no idea about either!' He gritted his teeth, the cup cracking from heat in his hand. 'Apparently, myself and Root are much less close than I imagined.'

He took a shaky breath as his voice wavered on that last sentence. His nan looked him over, skepticism written across her features. She took another loud sip of her tea, and tutted judiciously.

'Such resentment. I should think that you've told this Root fellow all about your youth to warrant this harshness?' Alessiss said with unreadable expression.

Glint rolled his eyes and sank deeper into his armchair.

'It's not the same! Of course I didn't tell him anything! I was young, stupid, and made lots of mistakes. He'd just think ill of me. At the same time. he's just trying to get some creep to leave him alone. This is a completely different matter!'

'Why would it be any different?' She asked, looking at him over the bow of her glasses.

Glint waved her off.

'You haven't met him. I'm sure he's got nothing in his entire life to be ashamed of. He wouldn't hurt a fly!'

'And neither would you.'

Glint stared into the distance with unseeing gaze, deep in thought. Finally, his eyes focused on the letter again, and he sighed.

'It doesn't matter. Clearly he has friends who are much more capable than I to help him.'

'Then why did you feel the need to steal the letter, darling?'

The genasi shrugged and grasped the armrests nervously.

'I don't know. Just couldn't leave it there. And I want to help…' He closed his eyes and leaned back with a quiet moan. 'All I want right now is to get up, and get to Port Ffirst this fucking instant. Teleport, coach, horse, run if I have to!' He opened his eyes, and, at the realization that reality was still exactly as he left it, turned away, curling in on himself a bit, cradling the empty cup in his lap. 'But he doesn’t want my help…'

'Well, he seems to need help. And ain't negotiations your specialty?'

He half-turned back to his nan and murmured: 'They are… I've just… never negotiated over something I actually care about… or with someone I care about in the room…'

'Well, there's a first time for everything, I say!' She gestured with her fist, and it struck him how old she looked at that moment. 'I'm sure if you just go there and give him some moral support, that won't go amiss. People conceal information for all sorts of reasons,' she said with the same gung-ho attitude. 'Maybe he just didn't want to appear too high maintenance to you? Or put you in danger? Or to seem helpless? Men do so rarely ask for help-'

Glint sat up as a sudden thought struck him.

'You think he might be in danger?' He interjected.

'Oh, well, the letter reads very cautious. I'd say if a person is that nervous there's usually some danger involved.'

Glint carefully put down his cup on the table and rubbed his eyes.

'Didn't even cross my mind. Fucking. Selfish. Bastard! Will I ever change?!' He shot his nan a desperate glance. She shook her head apologetically.

'Not if you've taken after my side of the family.'

Glint's brow furrowed, expression set.

'Well, let's hope I did, because that's also where I've got all my charm from, and I'm going to need it,' he took a deep breath and blinked slowly.

Alessiss held out the letter to him. 'You're going to this parlay, I take it?'

'Of course I'm going, what do you think?' Glint snatched the letter, and was already half-way across the room, packing his belongings into a bag, Strix flying to his shoulder with a visible effort.

'And what will you do if there's danger?' Alessiss asked with a predatory grin, making him pause for a moment.

'I'll figure it out. Thanks for the visit. I still need to introduce you to one of my friends, she really might use some of your… wisdom. So feel free to drop by if I'm still alive after this. I'll drop by if I'm not,' he said in a well-rehearsed manner of a familiar farewell.

'Of course, darling.' Alessiss smiled at the closing door. Her eyes scanned the now empty room, and the same dangerous fire danced in them as her sight caught on two fire-proof gloves, forgotten on the table.