https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png Thomas saw that Zilrud's attention was wandering. In the time that the man had not been paying attention, he and the clerk had settled on one additional style of jacket and two styles of shirt. With two jackets and nine shirts coming his way, Zilrud would be reasonab...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png Zilrud had picked out something decently suitable. The pattern showed a grey jacket, which may have been what attracted the orkhai's eye initially; Thomas had noticed the man did not enjoy bright colors. It was structured, and too gathered at the waist for Zilrud, bu...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png While the shop clerk was occupied with pulling pattern books, Thomas addressed Zilrud's questions. "It's not that you did something wrong, it's that you don't know the rules, and she found that amusing. People in positions like this put a lot of importance on the rul...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png One of the key differences between Rienese service and Griscian service was that the Rienese of lesser money and status were far more bold. When the orkhai pointed to Thomas and said that he knew Zilrud's body well, the girl raised an eyebrow and gave him a little sm...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png Zilrud's response could not have been better. Thomas had held back on mentioning the arrangement in case it would cause how Zilrud treated him to change. The man held bonds, and the concept of mates, in high regard. Thomas had wondered if Zilrud thought less of him f...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png Zilrud was right, of course. It was a bit untoward to embrace someone publicly like this, let alone in Lorien. They were not known for being a particularly affectionate people, at least not in public. So after a bit, Thomas indicated that he wanted to pull back. "I d...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png Thomas had wondered what it was like in Rokhan. The okrhai he'd known in Grisic had seemed like nice enough fellows, if a bit clannish and secretive, but the freewheeling, chaotic, and violent upbringing Zilrud conjured with his words was far beyond what he had imagi...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png Thomas felt a bit silly for just saying "the outfitter" as though Zilrud would have any conception of what he meant. The man had never been shopping before, or at least he hadn't been shopping in a way that a Rienese or Griscian would recognize. Thomas had a spot in ...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png To someone who had not spent almost every day with Zilrud, maybe they would not notice anything was different. Thomas had, however, and so he noticed the dramatic change from when they first met. Something had shifted in the Orkhai since they'd grown closer. At a gue...

https://i.imgur.com/TZFDaPS.png Thomas smiled up at Zilrud when he heard the compliment. He knew what the Orkhai meant. He wasn't translating anything linguistic; everything happening was in Common. Which was fortunate for Zilrud, because Thomas did not have much of a head for languages. The closes...