Later, lisa stepped into Javir's ho, her eyes widening as she took in her surroundings.
Polished marble [this city really likes marble, huh?] floors stretched on beneath her feet. Intricate, fancy tapestries adorned the walls. Crystal chandeliers above cast a warm, inviting glow over everything, making even the shadows look expensive.
[Good lord,] lisa thought, her jaw resting on the floor. [And here I thought our place back in the village was nice. This makes it look like a mud hut!]
As they moved into the house, a small commotion erupted deeper inside.
A woman who bore a striking resemblance to Javir, with her sa sunlight hair and sharp features, burst out.
She was happy for about two seconds.
Then, as soon as she saw the people behind Javir, her face beca a mix of confusion and anger.
"Javir!" she exclaid, her eyes darting between the mage and her nim companions. "What the hell is the aning of this? You vanish for weeks and return with... with..."
"Friends, dear sister," Javir replied smoothly. "The word you're looking for is friends."
The woman's nostrils flared.
"Friends? Have you lost your mind? They're nim! What will people say?"
"Probably what they always say about , I imagine," Javir shrugged. "'There goes that troubleso Javir, stirring up the pot again. Can't she just be normal???' Yada yada. Besides," she added, "since when have I ever cared what people say?"
As the siblings launched into a heated exchange, lisa turned toward her parents to gauge their reactions.
"What do you think we're going to do here, Maggie?" listair asked Margaret, his voice low. "We're free, so at least we're not gonna end up as slaves, sure, but we're in a strange city with no jobs, no connections..."
Before Margaret could respond, Javir's voice cut through the air.
"Not to worry, my friends," she said, flashing them a reassuring smile. "I've got a few ideas up my sleeve."
As they discussed the possibilities, a flicker of movent caught lisa's eye.
She turned to see a young girl, about her own age, peering curiously at them from behind an ornate pillar.
The girl's eyes t lisa's, and for a mont, they just stared at each other, two children from vastly different worlds (literally), suddenly occupying the sa space.
Javir, noticing lisa's distraction, followed her gaze and smiled.
"Ah, I see you've spotted my little shadow," she said, gesturing for the girl to co closer. "lisa, this is my niece, Jailyn. Jailyn, co say hello to our guests."
Jailyn stepped out cautiously from behind the pillar. She looked up at lisa's parents but, again, her eyes lingered on lisa herself.
She gave a small curtsy.
"It's a pleasure to et you all," she said, her voice soft but clear.
lisa wasn't too sure what to make of this girl.
[She's cute,] lisa smiled. [Not quite as cute as my fox cousin but, still, cute as heck.]
"Nice to et you too," lisa replied, giving an awkward little wave. "I'm lisa. I like your... uh, your curtsy thing. Very fancy."
Jaylin raised a brow.
lisa couldn't quite tell what she was thinking.
"Thank you. (?)"
lisa watched as Javir's sister [What was her na again? Did anyone even say it?] pulled Javir aside. listair and Margaret walked off, looking at the rest of the house to give them space.
lisa did not.
They were whisper-yelling, so although lisa was clearly not supposed to hear this she did get so snippets of the conversation.
"...can't believe you'd bring them here..."
"...not so charity case, Javir..."
"...think of Jailyn's future reputation..."
[Ah, good old family drama. Guess so things really are universal.]
lisa peeked around the corner, her gaze drifting back to Jailyn.
Jaylin spotted her imdiately but remained quiet.
Just then, Javir's voice rose, catching everyone's attention.
"They're staying, and that's final. Do not forget whose house this is, sister. Now, if you'll excuse , I need to show our guests to their rooms."
[Crap.]
lisa backed off about 10 steps to pretend she hadn't been listening. If Javir saw through her facade, she didn't show it.
"Co on, lisa," she aid a warm smile down at her. "Let give you a little tour."
As Javir ushered the Blackflas upstairs, lisa couldn't help but notice the sour looks on her sister's and Jailyn's faces, who followed behind them.
"You will be staying here," she told lisa, "and you two can stay here," she gestured at the room opposite lisa's. "Any questions?"
No one said anything.
"Very well. I hope you enjoy your stay with us."
It didn't seem like Javir's family agreed with that sentint, but oh well.
---
Later that night, unable to sleep in the unfamiliar (albeit luxurious) bed, lisa crept out of her room.
As she passed by a slightly ajar door, hushed voices caught her attention.
[Hm?]
Down the hall, once again, Javir and her family were arguing.
And, once again, lisa listened in.
She pressed herself against the wall, straining to hear.
"...absolutely unacceptable," Javir's sister hissed. "Nim in our ho? What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about doing the right thing," Javir replied, her tone weary but firm.
"But, auntie," Jailyn's voice chid in, "what if soone sees them? What will my friends say?"
"They won't say anything," Javir said, "because they won't know. It's fine."
"Ugh, you aren't thinking! Our standing, our appearances! You can't just-"
"Can't what?" Javir interrupted. "Can't treat people with basic decency? Can't give a talented young girl a chance at a better life? Sis, all you've done is remind of why I left."
lisa's brows raised.
[Wow.]
"You always were the damn idealist," Javir's sister sighed. "Don't expect us to pretend to like them."
"I don't," Javir replied. "Gods know squeezing kindness out of you is as difficult as blood from a stone. I just expect you to be civil. Now, if you'll excuse , I have so lesson plans to prepare. Turns out, returning to teaching is a bit more work than I rembered."
As footsteps approached the door, lisa scurried back inside.
[Well,] she thought as she went under her covers, [looks like life in Syux is going to be... interesting, to say the least.]
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