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<blockquote data-quote="Nonlethal Force" data-source="post: 3779423" data-attributes="member: 35788"><p>Iasho was the second to last to wake in the house. It was unusual for him to sleep so long after his servants had woken for the morning. By the time he rose from his bed and joined the trio in the great room below they were on their second pot of boiled coffee. The trio nodded to him as he descended the stairs from above.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus looked to his father-in-law. <span style="color: LightBlue">“Your daughter is sleeping late, Iasho. Later than you on this day!”</span> The light humor in the morning was met with a smile as Ischarus handed a mug to Iasho. The mug had been warming by the fire so that when coffee was poured into it the drink wouldn’t cool so fast.</p><p></p><p>Iasho accepted the mug and allowed a slight yawn to slip through his lips. <span style="color: Lime">“Thank you, Ischarus. I never sleep well when you all are away from the villa. When you return safely, I think I finally relax. Some of the best nights of sleeping I’ve ever had are the nights that you all come home.”</span></p><p></p><p>Charis gave Iasho an appreciative smile, but Semeion hid his appreciation in a joke. <span style="color: Plum">“Are you telling us that we need to leave more often so that we can return more often and you can sleep well?”</span></p><p></p><p>The four people in the room laughed, and Ischarus reached for the warm pot in order to pour Iasho some coffee. Charis caught Iasho’s earlier yawn and accepted the fact that it made her need to yawn as well. Once she had completed the yawn, she continued the conversation. <span style="color: Orange">“As for me, I felt restless. I’m not sure that it was newness of the house as much as the stress of the last few days.”</span></p><p></p><p>Iasho looked out a window to the servants toiling in the fields. <span style="color: Lime">“Nothing that a hard day’s work in the sun won’t fix, Charis. I always raised Rhema to believe that the best way to relieve stress and anxiety is to go and work with the ground. If you spend enough time on your hands and knees pulling out weeds, your mind will forget almost everything that seeks to distract it.”</span></p><p></p><p>Charis smiled at the sentiment. It was a subtle clue, but not officially directed in her direction. Iasho always welcomed the party’s help with the work of the villa, but it was never demanded. They helped out in their own ways. However, Charis also knew that many of the servants remaining on the villa were spawn of a dragon like herself. The weeds that she pulled wouldn’t matter in the long run. The teaching, compassion, and conversation that occurred as she spent time with the servants in the field would matter.</p><p></p><p>Iasho turned to Ischarus as he grabbed a large skillet from a hook where it hung. <span style="color: Lime">“When Rhema wakes, and she’ll wake once she smells breakfast, would the two of you go to the butcher in Huetown and purchase a few chickens? I’ve not bought much meat from the butcher in a few weeks, and he could use the money. Besides, I’d like to use the roasting pit again. It is time to warm the hearts of the servants. Perhaps I’ll give them some time off this afternoon in preparation for a feast.”</span></p><p></p><p>Ischarus accepted the task with pleasure. <span style="color: LightBlue">“Of course, Iasho. Would you like me to start a fire to warm the stones so that the roasting pit is warmed while we’re away?”</span></p><p></p><p>Iasho cracked open two eggs on the side of the skillet, and his back was to Ischarus. <span style="color: Lime">“If you have the time, that would be ideal.”</span> He reached for two more eggs. The amount of food that would be needed to feed the family and the servants would be imposing for the skillet.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus listened to the crack of the eggs on the side of the skillet and he was reminded of the spirit of Iasho’s words. The eggs were raised here by Iasho, and he had plenty of chickens to spare. He could have easily sent Ischarus out to catch a few of them on the villa and clean them. There was no real need to buy the chickens from the butcher other than to find a way to get the butcher some money. He smiled at yet another subtle way in which Iasho cared for the people around him. Ischarus was lucky to have been led here so many years ago. He had found Rhema, of course, but he had managed to learn quite a bit from her father as well.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus stood and began to walk towards the door when he heard the sound of footsteps upon the stairs behind him. There was only one person who hadn’t come down, so he decided to stop and wait for his wife to join them. When she appeared in the great room, she looked groggy, as if she had slept hard and woke suddenly. She smiled half-heartedly and crossed the room to where Ischarus stood. She wrapped her arms around his waist and sunk her head into his chest. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the smell of her husband.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus returned the embrace by putting his own arms around her. <span style="color: LightBlue">“I was about to go and light a fire to warm some stones during breakfast. Then we’ll get the roasting pit warming and head off to buy a few chickens from the butcher.”</span></p><p></p><p>Rhema nodded, refusing to open her eyes again. Ischarus hugged her tightly and then released her, indicating that it was time that she released him as well. She complied, and Ischarus kissed her on her forehead. <span style="color: LightBlue">“Coffee is in the fire in the chimney, and there are warm mugs beside the fire. I’ll see you for breakfast.”</span></p><p></p><p>Rhema turned and walked groggily towards the fire and poured herself a mug of coffee. When she had sipped it to make sure that the taste was satisfying, she found the pillow that had been used by Ischarus and settled upon it. She was content for now to let the coffee rouse her from her sleepy haze. She was enjoying the spreading smell of the eggs and onion cooking in the skillet.</p><p></p><p>Charis stood up and walked past Rhema. She ruffled her hair in a greeting as she moved by her. <span style="color: Orange">“Iasho, can I put out some fruit for breakfast?”</span></p><p></p><p>Iasho nodded. <span style="color: Lime">“Breakfast will be ready in about fifteen minutes. You can set out a basket of fruit if you’d like. Sort it, though, so that the ripest fruit is first.”</span></p><p></p><p>Charis grinned as Iasho gave her instructions as though she were a child. It wasn’t his fault. Part of running the villa meant that his servants would need training in most aspects of civilized life on the villa, and Iasho gave instruction out of habit rather than feeling it necessary for the situation. Charis replied with a tease in her voice. <span style="color: Orange">“As always.”</span></p><p></p><p>Rhema turned back to Semeion. <span style="color: PaleGreen">“Any word from Brandt, yet?”</span></p><p></p><p>Semeion sipped a bit of coffee and leaned backwards. <span style="color: Plum">“Nothing, but it is still early. The king’s men were sent to search for the Yrraxeans, but the Yrraxeans did have a head start. We might not hear from Brandt for a few days.”</span></p><p></p><p>Rhema nodded and sipped a few more times. As the coffee brought her into a better state of awareness, she rose up and walked over to a window to check on Ischarus. The fire was nearly built and ready to be lit. Ischarus had even gathered up the stones for burial in the roasting pit. Rhema rested her mug on a shelf beside the fire and grabbed a torch. She held the torch head in the flames for a few seconds until the oil soaked cloth caught fire. She strutted outside with the torch.</p><p></p><p>She caught Ischarus’ eye as she exited the building and he smiled at her. Rhema returned the smile. <span style="color: PaleGreen">“Breakfast is almost ready, and I’ve brought you a firestarter. You looked about ready for it.”</span></p><p></p><p>Ischarus gestured to the fire. <span style="color: LightBlue">“Be my guest! The fire’s ready, and the stones will warm up while we eat, then.”</span></p><p></p><p>Rhema stuck the lighted end of the torch to the base of the fire and the kindling was quick to catch. Soon, the fire burned brightly, warming the roasting stones. Rhema turned the torch over and almost thrust it into a pail of sand. The sand was there to smother the flames safely and extinguish the fire. She hesitated for a moment and smiled. She turned the torch back to an upright position and looked to the flame. Through a force of will she focused on flickering. For no apparent physical reason, the flames on the torch extinguished themselves and a thin wisp of smoke curled upwards into the air.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus smiled and nodded to the door. Iasho appeared and rang the first bell. Breakfast would be ready in a few minutes. It was time for the servants to come in from the fields.</p><p></p><p>[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]</p><p>Iasho was the second to last to wake in the house. It was unusual for him to sleep so long after his servants had woken for the morning. By the time he rose from his bed and joined the trio in the great room below they were on their second pot of boiled coffee. The trio nodded to him as he descended the stairs from above.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus looked to his father-in-law. “Your daughter is sleeping late, Iasho. Later than you on this day!” The light humor in the morning was met with a smile as Ischarus handed a mug to Iasho. The mug had been warming by the fire so that when coffee was poured into it the drink wouldn’t cool so fast.</p><p></p><p>Iasho accepted the mug and allowed a slight yawn to slip through his lips. “Thank you, Ischarus. I never sleep well when you all are away from the villa. When you return safely, I think I finally relax. Some of the best nights of sleeping I’ve ever had are the nights that you all come home.”</p><p></p><p>Charis gave Iasho an appreciative smile, but Semeion hid his appreciation in a joke. “Are you telling us that we need to leave more often so that we can return more often and you can sleep well?”</p><p></p><p>The four people in the room laughed, and Ischarus reached for the warm pot in order to pour Iasho some coffee. Charis caught Iasho’s earlier yawn and accepted the fact that it made her need to yawn as well. Once she had completed the yawn, she continued the conversation. “As for me, I felt restless. I’m not sure that it was newness of the house as much as the stress of the last few days.”</p><p></p><p>Iasho looked out a window to the servants toiling in the fields. “Nothing that a hard day’s work in the sun won’t fix, Charis. I always raised Rhema to believe that the best way to relieve stress and anxiety is to go and work with the ground. If you spend enough time on your hands and knees pulling out weeds, your mind will forget almost everything that seeks to distract it.”</p><p></p><p>Charis smiled at the sentiment. It was a subtle clue, but not officially directed in her direction. Iasho always welcomed the party’s help with the work of the villa, but it was never demanded. They helped out in their own ways. However, Charis also knew that many of the servants remaining on the villa were spawn of a dragon like herself. The weeds that she pulled wouldn’t matter in the long run. The teaching, compassion, and conversation that occurred as she spent time with the servants in the field would matter.</p><p></p><p>Iasho turned to Ischarus as he grabbed a large skillet from a hook where it hung. “When Rhema wakes, and she’ll wake once she smells breakfast, would the two of you go to the butcher in Huetown and purchase a few chickens? I’ve not bought much meat from the butcher in a few weeks, and he could use the money. Besides, I’d like to use the roasting pit again. It is time to warm the hearts of the servants. Perhaps I’ll give them some time off this afternoon in preparation for a feast.”</p><p></p><p>Ischarus accepted the task with pleasure. “Of course, Iasho. Would you like me to start a fire to warm the stones so that the roasting pit is warmed while we’re away?”</p><p></p><p>Iasho cracked open two eggs on the side of the skillet, and his back was to Ischarus. “If you have the time, that would be ideal.” He reached for two more eggs. The amount of food that would be needed to feed the family and the servants would be imposing for the skillet.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus listened to the crack of the eggs on the side of the skillet and he was reminded of the spirit of Iasho’s words. The eggs were raised here by Iasho, and he had plenty of chickens to spare. He could have easily sent Ischarus out to catch a few of them on the villa and clean them. There was no real need to buy the chickens from the butcher other than to find a way to get the butcher some money. He smiled at yet another subtle way in which Iasho cared for the people around him. Ischarus was lucky to have been led here so many years ago. He had found Rhema, of course, but he had managed to learn quite a bit from her father as well.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus stood and began to walk towards the door when he heard the sound of footsteps upon the stairs behind him. There was only one person who hadn’t come down, so he decided to stop and wait for his wife to join them. When she appeared in the great room, she looked groggy, as if she had slept hard and woke suddenly. She smiled half-heartedly and crossed the room to where Ischarus stood. She wrapped her arms around his waist and sunk her head into his chest. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the smell of her husband.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus returned the embrace by putting his own arms around her. “I was about to go and light a fire to warm some stones during breakfast. Then we’ll get the roasting pit warming and head off to buy a few chickens from the butcher.”</p><p></p><p>Rhema nodded, refusing to open her eyes again. Ischarus hugged her tightly and then released her, indicating that it was time that she released him as well. She complied, and Ischarus kissed her on her forehead. “Coffee is in the fire in the chimney, and there are warm mugs beside the fire. I’ll see you for breakfast.”</p><p></p><p>Rhema turned and walked groggily towards the fire and poured herself a mug of coffee. When she had sipped it to make sure that the taste was satisfying, she found the pillow that had been used by Ischarus and settled upon it. She was content for now to let the coffee rouse her from her sleepy haze. She was enjoying the spreading smell of the eggs and onion cooking in the skillet.</p><p></p><p>Charis stood up and walked past Rhema. She ruffled her hair in a greeting as she moved by her. “Iasho, can I put out some fruit for breakfast?”</p><p></p><p>Iasho nodded. “Breakfast will be ready in about fifteen minutes. You can set out a basket of fruit if you’d like. Sort it, though, so that the ripest fruit is first.”</p><p></p><p>Charis grinned as Iasho gave her instructions as though she were a child. It wasn’t his fault. Part of running the villa meant that his servants would need training in most aspects of civilized life on the villa, and Iasho gave instruction out of habit rather than feeling it necessary for the situation. Charis replied with a tease in her voice. “As always.”</p><p></p><p>Rhema turned back to Semeion. “Any word from Brandt, yet?”</p><p></p><p>Semeion sipped a bit of coffee and leaned backwards. “Nothing, but it is still early. The king’s men were sent to search for the Yrraxeans, but the Yrraxeans did have a head start. We might not hear from Brandt for a few days.”</p><p></p><p>Rhema nodded and sipped a few more times. As the coffee brought her into a better state of awareness, she rose up and walked over to a window to check on Ischarus. The fire was nearly built and ready to be lit. Ischarus had even gathered up the stones for burial in the roasting pit. Rhema rested her mug on a shelf beside the fire and grabbed a torch. She held the torch head in the flames for a few seconds until the oil soaked cloth caught fire. She strutted outside with the torch.</p><p></p><p>She caught Ischarus’ eye as she exited the building and he smiled at her. Rhema returned the smile. “Breakfast is almost ready, and I’ve brought you a firestarter. You looked about ready for it.”</p><p></p><p>Ischarus gestured to the fire. “Be my guest! The fire’s ready, and the stones will warm up while we eat, then.”</p><p></p><p>Rhema stuck the lighted end of the torch to the base of the fire and the kindling was quick to catch. Soon, the fire burned brightly, warming the roasting stones. Rhema turned the torch over and almost thrust it into a pail of sand. The sand was there to smother the flames safely and extinguish the fire. She hesitated for a moment and smiled. She turned the torch back to an upright position and looked to the flame. Through a force of will she focused on flickering. For no apparent physical reason, the flames on the torch extinguished themselves and a thin wisp of smoke curled upwards into the air.</p><p></p><p>Ischarus smiled and nodded to the door. Iasho appeared and rang the first bell. Breakfast would be ready in a few minutes. It was time for the servants to come in from the fields.</p><p>[/Sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nonlethal Force, post: 3779423, member: 35788"] Iasho was the second to last to wake in the house. It was unusual for him to sleep so long after his servants had woken for the morning. By the time he rose from his bed and joined the trio in the great room below they were on their second pot of boiled coffee. The trio nodded to him as he descended the stairs from above. Ischarus looked to his father-in-law. [Color=LightBlue]“Your daughter is sleeping late, Iasho. Later than you on this day!”[/Color] The light humor in the morning was met with a smile as Ischarus handed a mug to Iasho. The mug had been warming by the fire so that when coffee was poured into it the drink wouldn’t cool so fast. Iasho accepted the mug and allowed a slight yawn to slip through his lips. [Color=Lime]“Thank you, Ischarus. I never sleep well when you all are away from the villa. When you return safely, I think I finally relax. Some of the best nights of sleeping I’ve ever had are the nights that you all come home.”[/Color] Charis gave Iasho an appreciative smile, but Semeion hid his appreciation in a joke. [Color=Plum]“Are you telling us that we need to leave more often so that we can return more often and you can sleep well?”[/Color] The four people in the room laughed, and Ischarus reached for the warm pot in order to pour Iasho some coffee. Charis caught Iasho’s earlier yawn and accepted the fact that it made her need to yawn as well. Once she had completed the yawn, she continued the conversation. [Color=Orange]“As for me, I felt restless. I’m not sure that it was newness of the house as much as the stress of the last few days.”[/Color] Iasho looked out a window to the servants toiling in the fields. [Color=Lime]“Nothing that a hard day’s work in the sun won’t fix, Charis. I always raised Rhema to believe that the best way to relieve stress and anxiety is to go and work with the ground. If you spend enough time on your hands and knees pulling out weeds, your mind will forget almost everything that seeks to distract it.”[/Color] Charis smiled at the sentiment. It was a subtle clue, but not officially directed in her direction. Iasho always welcomed the party’s help with the work of the villa, but it was never demanded. They helped out in their own ways. However, Charis also knew that many of the servants remaining on the villa were spawn of a dragon like herself. The weeds that she pulled wouldn’t matter in the long run. The teaching, compassion, and conversation that occurred as she spent time with the servants in the field would matter. Iasho turned to Ischarus as he grabbed a large skillet from a hook where it hung. [Color=Lime]“When Rhema wakes, and she’ll wake once she smells breakfast, would the two of you go to the butcher in Huetown and purchase a few chickens? I’ve not bought much meat from the butcher in a few weeks, and he could use the money. Besides, I’d like to use the roasting pit again. It is time to warm the hearts of the servants. Perhaps I’ll give them some time off this afternoon in preparation for a feast.”[/Color] Ischarus accepted the task with pleasure. [Color=LightBlue]“Of course, Iasho. Would you like me to start a fire to warm the stones so that the roasting pit is warmed while we’re away?”[/Color] Iasho cracked open two eggs on the side of the skillet, and his back was to Ischarus. [Color=Lime]“If you have the time, that would be ideal.”[/Color] He reached for two more eggs. The amount of food that would be needed to feed the family and the servants would be imposing for the skillet. Ischarus listened to the crack of the eggs on the side of the skillet and he was reminded of the spirit of Iasho’s words. The eggs were raised here by Iasho, and he had plenty of chickens to spare. He could have easily sent Ischarus out to catch a few of them on the villa and clean them. There was no real need to buy the chickens from the butcher other than to find a way to get the butcher some money. He smiled at yet another subtle way in which Iasho cared for the people around him. Ischarus was lucky to have been led here so many years ago. He had found Rhema, of course, but he had managed to learn quite a bit from her father as well. Ischarus stood and began to walk towards the door when he heard the sound of footsteps upon the stairs behind him. There was only one person who hadn’t come down, so he decided to stop and wait for his wife to join them. When she appeared in the great room, she looked groggy, as if she had slept hard and woke suddenly. She smiled half-heartedly and crossed the room to where Ischarus stood. She wrapped her arms around his waist and sunk her head into his chest. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the smell of her husband. Ischarus returned the embrace by putting his own arms around her. [Color=LightBlue]“I was about to go and light a fire to warm some stones during breakfast. Then we’ll get the roasting pit warming and head off to buy a few chickens from the butcher.”[/Color] Rhema nodded, refusing to open her eyes again. Ischarus hugged her tightly and then released her, indicating that it was time that she released him as well. She complied, and Ischarus kissed her on her forehead. [Color=LightBlue]“Coffee is in the fire in the chimney, and there are warm mugs beside the fire. I’ll see you for breakfast.”[/Color] Rhema turned and walked groggily towards the fire and poured herself a mug of coffee. When she had sipped it to make sure that the taste was satisfying, she found the pillow that had been used by Ischarus and settled upon it. She was content for now to let the coffee rouse her from her sleepy haze. She was enjoying the spreading smell of the eggs and onion cooking in the skillet. Charis stood up and walked past Rhema. She ruffled her hair in a greeting as she moved by her. [Color=Orange]“Iasho, can I put out some fruit for breakfast?”[/Color] Iasho nodded. [Color=Lime]“Breakfast will be ready in about fifteen minutes. You can set out a basket of fruit if you’d like. Sort it, though, so that the ripest fruit is first.”[/Color] Charis grinned as Iasho gave her instructions as though she were a child. It wasn’t his fault. Part of running the villa meant that his servants would need training in most aspects of civilized life on the villa, and Iasho gave instruction out of habit rather than feeling it necessary for the situation. Charis replied with a tease in her voice. [Color=Orange]“As always.”[/Color] Rhema turned back to Semeion. [Color=PaleGreen]“Any word from Brandt, yet?”[/Color] Semeion sipped a bit of coffee and leaned backwards. [Color=Plum]“Nothing, but it is still early. The king’s men were sent to search for the Yrraxeans, but the Yrraxeans did have a head start. We might not hear from Brandt for a few days.”[/Color] Rhema nodded and sipped a few more times. As the coffee brought her into a better state of awareness, she rose up and walked over to a window to check on Ischarus. The fire was nearly built and ready to be lit. Ischarus had even gathered up the stones for burial in the roasting pit. Rhema rested her mug on a shelf beside the fire and grabbed a torch. She held the torch head in the flames for a few seconds until the oil soaked cloth caught fire. She strutted outside with the torch. She caught Ischarus’ eye as she exited the building and he smiled at her. Rhema returned the smile. [Color=PaleGreen]“Breakfast is almost ready, and I’ve brought you a firestarter. You looked about ready for it.”[/Color] Ischarus gestured to the fire. [Color=LightBlue]“Be my guest! The fire’s ready, and the stones will warm up while we eat, then.”[/Color] Rhema stuck the lighted end of the torch to the base of the fire and the kindling was quick to catch. Soon, the fire burned brightly, warming the roasting stones. Rhema turned the torch over and almost thrust it into a pail of sand. The sand was there to smother the flames safely and extinguish the fire. She hesitated for a moment and smiled. She turned the torch back to an upright position and looked to the flame. Through a force of will she focused on flickering. For no apparent physical reason, the flames on the torch extinguished themselves and a thin wisp of smoke curled upwards into the air. Ischarus smiled and nodded to the door. Iasho appeared and rang the first bell. Breakfast would be ready in a few minutes. It was time for the servants to come in from the fields. [Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section] Iasho was the second to last to wake in the house. It was unusual for him to sleep so long after his servants had woken for the morning. By the time he rose from his bed and joined the trio in the great room below they were on their second pot of boiled coffee. The trio nodded to him as he descended the stairs from above. Ischarus looked to his father-in-law. “Your daughter is sleeping late, Iasho. Later than you on this day!” The light humor in the morning was met with a smile as Ischarus handed a mug to Iasho. The mug had been warming by the fire so that when coffee was poured into it the drink wouldn’t cool so fast. Iasho accepted the mug and allowed a slight yawn to slip through his lips. “Thank you, Ischarus. I never sleep well when you all are away from the villa. When you return safely, I think I finally relax. Some of the best nights of sleeping I’ve ever had are the nights that you all come home.” Charis gave Iasho an appreciative smile, but Semeion hid his appreciation in a joke. “Are you telling us that we need to leave more often so that we can return more often and you can sleep well?” The four people in the room laughed, and Ischarus reached for the warm pot in order to pour Iasho some coffee. Charis caught Iasho’s earlier yawn and accepted the fact that it made her need to yawn as well. Once she had completed the yawn, she continued the conversation. “As for me, I felt restless. I’m not sure that it was newness of the house as much as the stress of the last few days.” Iasho looked out a window to the servants toiling in the fields. “Nothing that a hard day’s work in the sun won’t fix, Charis. I always raised Rhema to believe that the best way to relieve stress and anxiety is to go and work with the ground. If you spend enough time on your hands and knees pulling out weeds, your mind will forget almost everything that seeks to distract it.” Charis smiled at the sentiment. It was a subtle clue, but not officially directed in her direction. Iasho always welcomed the party’s help with the work of the villa, but it was never demanded. They helped out in their own ways. However, Charis also knew that many of the servants remaining on the villa were spawn of a dragon like herself. The weeds that she pulled wouldn’t matter in the long run. The teaching, compassion, and conversation that occurred as she spent time with the servants in the field would matter. Iasho turned to Ischarus as he grabbed a large skillet from a hook where it hung. “When Rhema wakes, and she’ll wake once she smells breakfast, would the two of you go to the butcher in Huetown and purchase a few chickens? I’ve not bought much meat from the butcher in a few weeks, and he could use the money. Besides, I’d like to use the roasting pit again. It is time to warm the hearts of the servants. Perhaps I’ll give them some time off this afternoon in preparation for a feast.” Ischarus accepted the task with pleasure. “Of course, Iasho. Would you like me to start a fire to warm the stones so that the roasting pit is warmed while we’re away?” Iasho cracked open two eggs on the side of the skillet, and his back was to Ischarus. “If you have the time, that would be ideal.” He reached for two more eggs. The amount of food that would be needed to feed the family and the servants would be imposing for the skillet. Ischarus listened to the crack of the eggs on the side of the skillet and he was reminded of the spirit of Iasho’s words. The eggs were raised here by Iasho, and he had plenty of chickens to spare. He could have easily sent Ischarus out to catch a few of them on the villa and clean them. There was no real need to buy the chickens from the butcher other than to find a way to get the butcher some money. He smiled at yet another subtle way in which Iasho cared for the people around him. Ischarus was lucky to have been led here so many years ago. He had found Rhema, of course, but he had managed to learn quite a bit from her father as well. Ischarus stood and began to walk towards the door when he heard the sound of footsteps upon the stairs behind him. There was only one person who hadn’t come down, so he decided to stop and wait for his wife to join them. When she appeared in the great room, she looked groggy, as if she had slept hard and woke suddenly. She smiled half-heartedly and crossed the room to where Ischarus stood. She wrapped her arms around his waist and sunk her head into his chest. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the smell of her husband. Ischarus returned the embrace by putting his own arms around her. “I was about to go and light a fire to warm some stones during breakfast. Then we’ll get the roasting pit warming and head off to buy a few chickens from the butcher.” Rhema nodded, refusing to open her eyes again. Ischarus hugged her tightly and then released her, indicating that it was time that she released him as well. She complied, and Ischarus kissed her on her forehead. “Coffee is in the fire in the chimney, and there are warm mugs beside the fire. I’ll see you for breakfast.” Rhema turned and walked groggily towards the fire and poured herself a mug of coffee. When she had sipped it to make sure that the taste was satisfying, she found the pillow that had been used by Ischarus and settled upon it. She was content for now to let the coffee rouse her from her sleepy haze. She was enjoying the spreading smell of the eggs and onion cooking in the skillet. Charis stood up and walked past Rhema. She ruffled her hair in a greeting as she moved by her. “Iasho, can I put out some fruit for breakfast?” Iasho nodded. “Breakfast will be ready in about fifteen minutes. You can set out a basket of fruit if you’d like. Sort it, though, so that the ripest fruit is first.” Charis grinned as Iasho gave her instructions as though she were a child. It wasn’t his fault. Part of running the villa meant that his servants would need training in most aspects of civilized life on the villa, and Iasho gave instruction out of habit rather than feeling it necessary for the situation. Charis replied with a tease in her voice. “As always.” Rhema turned back to Semeion. “Any word from Brandt, yet?” Semeion sipped a bit of coffee and leaned backwards. “Nothing, but it is still early. The king’s men were sent to search for the Yrraxeans, but the Yrraxeans did have a head start. We might not hear from Brandt for a few days.” Rhema nodded and sipped a few more times. As the coffee brought her into a better state of awareness, she rose up and walked over to a window to check on Ischarus. The fire was nearly built and ready to be lit. Ischarus had even gathered up the stones for burial in the roasting pit. Rhema rested her mug on a shelf beside the fire and grabbed a torch. She held the torch head in the flames for a few seconds until the oil soaked cloth caught fire. She strutted outside with the torch. She caught Ischarus’ eye as she exited the building and he smiled at her. Rhema returned the smile. “Breakfast is almost ready, and I’ve brought you a firestarter. You looked about ready for it.” Ischarus gestured to the fire. “Be my guest! The fire’s ready, and the stones will warm up while we eat, then.” Rhema stuck the lighted end of the torch to the base of the fire and the kindling was quick to catch. Soon, the fire burned brightly, warming the roasting stones. Rhema turned the torch over and almost thrust it into a pail of sand. The sand was there to smother the flames safely and extinguish the fire. She hesitated for a moment and smiled. She turned the torch back to an upright position and looked to the flame. Through a force of will she focused on flickering. For no apparent physical reason, the flames on the torch extinguished themselves and a thin wisp of smoke curled upwards into the air. Ischarus smiled and nodded to the door. Iasho appeared and rang the first bell. Breakfast would be ready in a few minutes. It was time for the servants to come in from the fields. [/Sblock] [/QUOTE]
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