#salaifa

“Any new word?”

Salaifa did not look up as she poured a dollop of milk into her tea. Her movements, as ever, were gentle and precise, never hurried. Ahrahd watched for a moment longer before answering, his gaze following the stirring of her spoon three times, never more, never less, before she set it down and took up her cup. 

Ahrahd Khatri bowed stiffly as the Lominsan diplomats made their exit. He made no outward expression to the banality of their chatter: from their praise of the exquisite painting of the rounded ceiling, to the intricate sculptures carved above every archway. He knew why Salaifa Dalal always greeted them within the arcaded foyer, allowing the impressive dome held loft by massive columns to garner the rightful respect for the ambassador of Thavnair and the great nation she represented.

While he never took part in the discussions amongst the emissaries, he never missed a word of what was said. His silence and rigid posture allowed him to blend into the background as one of the ambassador Dalal’s personal guards, and dignitaries rarely noticed those of inferior rank. He nor the ambassador made no attempt to introduce himself as Salaifa’s closest adviser, her second-in-command. Which was exactly the intent of Salaifa; she always appreciated his take on the matter afterwards, the ambassador always indulging in a cup of chai in her sunroom as she listened to his report.

Ahrahd lingered at the main entrance a while longer, long after the doors had closed. Today’s meeting had been more heated than usual, putting to the test Salaifa’s ability to mask her keen intellect with an easygoing facade; easing the worried minds of Lominsan envoys was never easy, and today it had seemed all the harder. It had come to the attention of one of the Dutiful Sisters of Edelweiss that a barrel of peculiar make had been shipped from Thavnair to a noble residing in Mist. What triggered their attention was the man it was delivered to; Egil Nylor had been on their list of persons of interest since he had a falling out with the scholars of Limsa Lominsa over questionable practices.

It was brought to Salaifa’s attention due to the origin being from her nation, and they had yet to discern the true purpose of this merchandise. Ahrahd watched intently as the beautiful raen ambassador weaved her way through tactful negotiations and half-truths to reassure her counterparts that her people would ensure that the best outcome would be had by all sides. The fact that Salaifa sealed the deal with the weighty promise of her word (topped with a personal favor, no less) gave Ahrahd a burgeoning feeling of unease. The raen was entrusting a lot on the shoulders of an agent who was still young and unproven, at least in his eyes. 

But he was never one to question Salaifa’s decisions, and only gave her his honest opinions when asked. 

It seemed today he would be asked. A very familiar and enigmatic smile teased upon the ambassador’s lips as she bid him to enter her sunroom.