Chapter: 593 – Clarity of Thought

Tala and her family sat with the other Mages, Lea and Fannas mostly engaged in quiet conversation, though the silver man seemed to be pulling a deck of cards from his pocket.

That’s right, they talked about some games when they met before. There wasn’t time, then, but Fannas promised to teach Lea some card games.

The group was just fully settling in around the table when Atrexia came back, bringing a round of various drinks.

They were accepted gratefully, and a moment of silence swept through the group as each of them took a sip.

Tala set her coffee to the side and finally answered Master Cran’s question. “This is Lea Sappherrous, our daughter.”

Lea stood and bowed. “It is good to meet you, Master Cran.”

He narrowed his eyes at her briefly in consideration, then gave her a nod of greeting. “And you, Lea. Please, drop the ‘master’ business; there is no need for that formality, not here.”

Lea’s eyes flicked to Tala, and Tala sighed. “It’s fine, Lea.”

Lea nodded, then bowed toward Master Cran once more. “Thank you for the honor, Cran.”

He frowned. “Honor? What do you mean? I just dislike the formality of epithets.”

Lea tilted her head. “Oh? Yet your actions emphasize not only that you are due the title of ‘Master’—that cannot be in question, as you are obviously a Mage—but that you are special beyond even most of that revered group, because you would honor even a non-Mage like me by requesting that I set aside your rightfully earned honorific.”

Tala held back a smile. Maybe we should slow down the lessons with Lisa.

-Are you kidding? Look at him! This is amazing.-

Tala took in Master Cran’s slightly open mouth, his right eye twitching every so often.

Mistress Atrexia leaned in and kissed her husband’s cheek. “She has your measure, dear.”

The man grimaced. “No… I want to remove the formality… I want things to be more casual.”

Lea nodded, clearly sincere as she continued. “Is that not what I said?” She glanced around, seeing that she needed to explain. “You are like a host who meets his guests at the door, finding them dressed in finery. ‘No,’ you say, ‘such is not required in my home. Here are some more casual clothes in which to enjoy my company.’ never realizing that everything about the interaction simply emphasizes how far above them you are.”

Master Cran’s frown deepened.

She held up a hand. “Please don’t mistake me. I am not saying your honor is unearned or undeserved. I acknowledge your higher station and will, of course, refrain from using the title of ‘Master’ despite my teachers and parents instructing me to do so when addressing one such as you. Your position is more elevated, your preferences more important than theirs in this instance.”

Mistress Atrexia caught a laugh, only half succeeding in keeping silent.

When Master Cran heard that, he turned to regard his wife.

“As I said, she has your measure.”

He was clearly flustered as he gestured, obviously at a loss. “Hey! I didn’t mean it that way.”

Rane leaned back. “Well, I’m convinced. No matter what I prefer, I’ll set aside my desires and only call you ‘Cran’. Here— and in this—you are supreme.”

Master Cran glowered at Rane. “This is my store, and it is how you refer to me. Of course, I have final say.”

Rane nodded sagely. “That’s what I said.”

“Yes, but you said it like it was a bad thing.” The man grumped.

Rane gave a deferential bow. “If you wish to direct my other words too, I will of course comply.”

Master Cran’s eye twitched again, and he turned to Master Renix and Master Trent. “Are you just going to sit there?”

Master Trent held a stoic face as he gave a slight bow of his head. “I will, of course, speak as you wish me to where you have precedence, Cran.”

Master Renix nodded, doing a worse job of hiding his smile. “Yes. You are, of course, perfectly in the right, Cran.”

Lea nodded once, turning to regard Tala. “Mother? Fannas wishes to teach me a game that would work better on a smaller table. Is that alright?”

Tala smiled and nodded. “Of course, Lea.”

“Thank you!” She then turned and bowed to everyone, then a second time, deeper, to Master Cran. “It was a pleasure to meet you all.”

Without further delay, she turned and walked over to a two person table with Fannas, already engrossed in his explanation.

Master Trent tilted his head. “You know, we were ribbing you, but I think that she might have been entirely serious.”

Tala chuckled. “Oh, she was serious, and she meant it genuinely as well. There was no intention of malice or negative implication.”

Master Cran groaned. “Now I’m going to have that interpretation stuck in my head. I wish she had been trying to take my stuffing out…”

Mistress Atrexia gave him another kiss on the cheek. “I’ve been telling you for years that it’s an odd way to begin your first conversation with everyone you meet.”

He grimaced briefly again, then sighed. “So you have, dear, so you have.”

She then turned to Tala, one eyebrow raised. “She seems on the older side, practically full grown, but I heard that you and Rane have only recently married. In that case, she can’t be biologically yours, right? How did this arrangement come to be? That is, if you don’t mind my asking.”

Rane gave Tala a curious look, seemingly just as interested in how she’d answer as Mistress Atrexia was. Tala smiled. “You could say that she just fell into our lives. She was a surprise to be sure but a welcome one. As to how she’s our daughter?” Tala glanced toward Rane, both of their smiles growing. “We just knew from the moment that we came across her that she was special—and our daughter—and she always would be.”

Finally, Mistress Atrexia nodded. “Very well. I appreciate your willingness to say even that much. Thank you.”

Tala nodded.

“Oh!” She smiled. “I heard that you’ve advanced. Did you end up beating Master Trent to Archon?”

Master Trent sucked his drink down the wrong pipe and began spluttering, causing the woman to frown.

“What is it?”

Master Trent pulled a napkin to him and began cleaning up the mess, gesturing to Tala.

Tala shrugged. “Well, yes, both Rane and I did. That should be public record though, right?”

Mistress Atrexia sighed. “Probably. I never really had occasion to look.” She shrugged, then continued. “Ahh, well, I lost that bet then.” She smiled, tossing a copper to Master Renix. “As agreed, when we heard it straight from her own lips.”

Master Renix chuckled. “Have you examined her?”

“Of course not, that would be rude.” Still, her eyes narrowed. “But your asking means I’d have seen something…” She raised an eyebrow toward Tala. “Do you wish to share?”

“Paragon.” Tala smiled, a bit unsure of how to answer without bragging or false modesty, so she just said it.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Mistress Atrexia blinked at her a few times, clearly not comprehending. “I apologize, but I’m not sure I understood you.”

“Paragon. We have reached the advancement of Paragon.”

The other woman leaned back, her skin going pale in shock. “…the rust?”

There was another moment of silence as everyone enjoyed their drinks before Lea let out a delighted, musical giggle from the side table, followed by Fannas groaning. “How did you draw that already? That’s supposed to be a rare set.”

“Talent!” Lea proclaimed, slightly shifting her hand of cards which was already spread out on the table.

Fannas’s voice was flat. “It’s a game of chance.”

She nodded sagely. “You may believe that, perchance, because you have no talent for it.”

Tala closed her eyes, barely suppressing a bark of laughter, even while Mistress Atrexia finally seemed to get a hold of herself, Master Cran patting her leg under the table.

Rane shook his head, smiling widely. He then cleared his throat and tried to take control of the conversation. “Master Trent, how are the routes of late? I heard that caravans are having an easier time of it. Is that in line with your experience as well?”

Master Trent nodded, and the back and forth picked up from there, turning to all sorts of matters both of import and fancy.

All the while, Tala kept a watchful perspective upon her daughter as she enjoyed simple games with a friend.

* * *

Tala stood in the center of one of the training fields of the Talons.

They were off in their magic-retention and running training for the moment, so she was mostly alone when compared to usual in this place.

At her side stood Rane, with Lea situated just in front of them both.