Lanni was having her breakfast when she heard footsteps coming closer. It was Jahree, who asked if he could join her at the table. She smiled and said, “Sure, come on over.” As Jahree sat down, he asked, “Do you mind if Tell joins us too?” Lanni shrugged and said, “Why not? The more, the merrier.” Jahree, as he settled in, asked, “Sifa and Lamin were sitting here last night. Are we taking your seats?” Lanni thought for a moment and replied, “We usually sit here, but you’re welcome too. You guys are nicer than some of the other soldiers.” Jahree then asked about Marn, wondering if he was causing any trouble. Lanni responded, “Not much. But you guys aren’t the first soldiers here. It was nice when my uncle was here, though. It doesn’t matter that he’s younger than me. He looks out for me.” It was clear from the way she spoke of him that her uncle was a source of comfort and protection amid the continual presence of soldiers in her life. Lanni eyed Jahree with a curious tilt of her head before venturing a guess, “You must be from Thager.” Her voice carried the conviction of someone who believed they had unraveled a small mystery. Jarhee raised an eyebrow, a gesture mingled with surprise and wariness, and asked, “What makes you say that?” “You know Sai. Everybody from Thager knows Sai and Tey,” Lanni declared as if this were common knowledge that only those from Thager would appreciate. Jahree seemed to weigh his next words, opting for a diversion rather than an answer. “So, you’re from Thager too?” Lanni shook her head, indicating a negative. “I’ve lived there a little but was born and raised in Sen-gan.” Her answer hung between them, inviting more questions, an invitation he might have accepted under different circumstances. Their conversation, however, was short-lived. Tellic joined them. Despite his size, he maneuvered into the chair that was too small for his frame with careful grace. “Morning,” he greeted the pair. Lerjao had been annexed by Menthanla a hundred years before Yarba but there were still few concessions made for the larger, stronger people. Jahree, taking it upon himself to make introductions, gestured from one to the other. “Lanni, meet Tellic.” “Hi,” offered Tellic, his voice deep and resonant, nodding his head slightly in acknowledgment. Lanni responded with a politeness that seemed somewhat forced. “It’s good to meet you,” she said, though her tone suggested she might have thought otherwise. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get to work.” Her departure was swift, and she took her half-eaten meal with her, leaving both her seat and the fledgling conversation behind. “Sorry about that.” Tellic’s expression morphed into a frown, his forehead creasing in what appeared to be genuine contrition. “About what?” Jahree asked. “Scaring her away. I thought maybe you might actually be making a friend.” The edges of Tellic’s mouth drooped further as he reflected on the missed opportunity. “I want nothing to do with someone who can’t handle my friends.” The retort was swift and carried a tone of defiance. “Face it, few humans can handle me,” Tellic pointed out, his voice laced with a mix of pride and resignation to his nature. “There were a few ladies at the last assignment who had fun trying,” Jahree responded with a sly grin, implying a more colorful past encounter. Tellic’s cheeks turned from gray to a deep shade of blue, a troll’s form of blushing, though in their own unique way. “I’d hardly call them ladies,” he muttered, the blue hue deepening with his embarrassment. Jarhee sighed. “I thought maybe Lanni was different. She sounded a lot like Papa Tey and Mama Sai last night. She sure didn’t like Shri saying dragons weren’t people.” “Humans and Dragons have lived together for almost 6,000 years. Trolls spent a good portion of that causing trouble,” Tellic pointed out. “But you’ve been part of Menthanla for three hundred years,” Jahree argued. “It takes time,” Tellic said with a hint of resignation. The weight of generations could not be easily lifted. “Do your dragon parents know your best friend is a Troll? I’ve never met them.” Jahree’s response carried a note of frustration, “I haven’t been home since we met and you know that has nothing to do with you. I did tell them you’re a Troll. They don’t care.” There was a defiant pride in acknowledging the acceptance of his family, a counter to the prejudice that might have been expected. Tellic’s concern for his friend was evident. “You have few enough friends, don’t give up one because of me.” But Jahree’s loyalty was unwavering. “I’m not betraying one friend for a chance at another. If she can’t tolerate you for something your race has done, what will she think of me when she finds out what I’ve done?” His implication was heavy with unspoken truth, “I thought you were innocent,” Tellic prodded gently, perhaps knowing that shades of grey often colored the narrative of one’s history. “I am. But no one would believe that.” Jahree’s admission revealed a complex past, one where perceived guilt was not indicative of actual wrongdoing. The conversation took a turn, lightening in mood when Tellic grinned mischievously, “But you’ll still sleep with her.” There was no judgment, only a candid teasing among friends. Jahree, too, allowed himself a grin. The idea was tempting, and indeed, she was quite attractive. Curiosity and desire mingled in his thoughts as he considered whether she might be open to such an encounter, despite their tangled web of friendships, prejudices, and histories. #fantasy, #magic, #dragons, #hiddenlands