Old Friend

- Akbaje Residence, Capital of Dalen. 1 DSTR, Evening -

After Isai left the room, there was silence for a few seconds as he walked through the house, but that was broken by a high-pitched squeal of excitement. Seconds later, Lars came round the corner of the dining room, having run down the stairs. Taking a second to catch her breath and compose herself, she tried to speak with a serious tone despite the wide smile that spread across her lips, "Greetings Auriel. It is very nice to see you again. I trust things have been going quite well for you." Moving around the table to sit to the right of the head and directly across from Auriel, she put her chin in her hands and smiled at Auriel. Then, as if a spark had been struck with flint, she gestured towards Auriel and spoke, "If I know you, you have been in that armor for far too long. Please, help yourself to a bath while dinner is prepared. I can get you a change of clothing to where while your garments are being cleaned. I can even have your armor polished and cleaned if you like."

Standing from her chair so that she could lead Auriel to the bath, she got the attention of a man who had been standing nearly invisible in one of the many corners. Signaling for him to go make sure the bath was ready, she turned her attention back to Auriel and spoke, "Don't worry yourself with privacy or trying to stay covert in your discussions while you are here. We have no slaves, nor do we have any brown-nosers to the Queen. Everyone here is an escaped slave that we have rescued and Isai is in the process of getting them legitimate identification, even the guards. Some of them, however, have simply decided to stay here to pay off some debt they have imagined we have charged them with for their safety."