CHAPTER 20 #2
“Well do it,” Tezen said. “I don't want any surprises and neither does the elf. I used to hate those little fancy bastards but this one is growing on me. Drinking ale, trying to bed down human women and he fought off a bandit attack. If some tosser sticks him I ain't letting him go down alone.”
Gand smiled as he went into his trance. Jason was holding out on him.
The man had a few of his family members at his house.
They were just curious to meet some of the other races and Jason would seem like a big shot since he had three different ones with him.
His parents would be wary but okay. There would be a Desian there.
Gand never got his name and hadn't met the man before.
He would be wary and then depart after some choice words.
The rest of the night would be filled with dumb questions and low key flirting.
One of their servants would eventually disappear with Tezen.
“You are going to have some fun,” Gand said. “There is a Desian there who is not going to be happy to see me. Jason has friends and family there who are curious to meet us.”
“Answer a question,” Jason said with a grin. “Did my cousin Leif come over?”
“He did but seemed annoyed,” Gand replied.
“I bet he was, he hated that I went on a trip and hated my stories even more,” Jason said. “This will get him.”
“Me with some fun?” Tezen asked.
“You with some fun,” Gand replied. “Let me look at things a few more times until we step out of the carriage.”
Gand came to himself as the carriage stopped.
Just like he had seen, the Desian was in the main room of the estate that Jason lived in.
He was nervous when Tezen walked in and then cursed the Jelanis and left when he saw Gand.
His sudden change in manners had Jason’s family confused since they were mostly focused on the newcomers.
“Is he going to be any trouble?” Jason asked.
“No,” Gand replied. “The Desians aren't stupid enough to raise a ruckus here. Too many Mages.”
“You are, you are a…,” said an older woman that favored Jason.
“Mother this is the friend I told you about, Gand,” Jason said. “I spent most of my time helping him fix his home while I was in Glendale. With him is Tezen the Red Orc and Raylen the elf.”
“You really did all of those things, the betting and everything?” asked an older man.
“I did Father,” Jason said.
“So what brings you all by?” asked the Father. “Other races never visit here. I have never seen Gand or Orcs before and Elves maybe two or three times.”
“You want it real or you want me to lie?” Tezen asked.
“My family isn't going to say anything,” Jason said.
“Our uh, current employer is a healer and wants to impress some girl,” Tezen said. “We are here to chase off anyone who needs punched in the mouth and to drink down whatever ale we can find and get into a few fights.”
“We are Mages,” the Father said.
“We have already mixed it up twice,” Tezen laughed. “Even gave it to a pack of bandits. Sent them running. Some loud mouth who wanted the girl that our boy came to see also got the business.”
“They fight, they drink, they party and uh, other things,” Jason said.
“Best life to have,” Tezen said.
“What he said,” Raylen replied.
“You Elves are slender,” Jason's mother said.
“We are, I'm never going to get much larger than I am right now,” Raylen said. “Magnificent for a female, not so much for a male.”
Everyone introduced themselves and then started asking all kinds of questions.
They had never met a Gand Mystic before and had Gand do some tricks for them.
Tezen was able to sneak off with a servant and came back looking happier.
None of Jason’s family noticed Tezen was missing until he came back.
Tezen was his normal boisterous self and Gand could see the envy on Leif’s face.
Raylen was popular because everyone wanted to know about the Elves.
What they were like, how was life for them and if all of his friends were as easy going as he was.
“You are all welcome to visit,” Gand said. “You can come over with Jason the next time he is in Glendale. My home is nowhere near as grand as this one but there are nice inns around and I am sure that you will meet my friend Glorie.”
“This has been an interesting night,” Joseph, Jason's father said. “I see that it was a good idea to send my boy down to Glendale. This girl, Glorie. What do you think Jason's chances are?”
“I think that they are fair,” Gand said. “The others were caught taking peeks at Laura Tells or trying to be more than friendly with my girlfriend's friends.”
“You have a girlfriend?” Leif asked. “A human?”
“Little angry Elf girl,” Raylen said.
“That one didn't like Laura at all,” Tezen laughed.
“Your girlfriend is an elf?” Leif said as he looked Gand over.
“We haven't really put a title on it yet,” Gand said.
“Give it a few months and she will be moved right in,” Raylen said. “I know it and he does too.”
“Probably,” Gand said.
“Can't you tell the future?” Joseph asked.
“I haven't looked that far yet,” Gand said.
“What is the furthest that you have looked?” Jason asked.
“I know that I am going to meet another Gand,” Gand replied. “Not long after I get home. I haven't decided to look past it.”
“You are?” Tezen asked.
“Yeah,” Gand said. “One of the Desians let their people know about me. Somehow that information got back to Oasis and one of them is coming to look for me.”
“Trouble?” Tezen asked.
“A little,” Gand replied. “I’ll figure it out then.”
“That has to be nice,” Jason said. “Knowing everything before it happens.”
“It has its advantages,” Gand replied. “But that is in the future.”