Head of Household

[Kira Adia]

Kira walked in from the cold night air. Nights like this reminded her why she was glad she didn’t really feel cold. Nonetheless, it was an excellent night for tea and a meeting. She looked about at the nearly empty common room on her way to the bar. She made her order for her usual pot of green tea and took a seat at a bar stool.

THUMP

James dropped from the rafters behind Kira as she prepared her tea. He made his way to the bar stool next to here’s and took a seat. “Kept me waiting.” He flashed a smirk her way and turned his attention to the unimpressed bartender. “Ale, please.” He laid his coin on the bar top.

“Shit, James. Who even does that?” Kira made sure she didn’t spill any tea and went to take her first sip. “I was here when we agreed. You’re the one who decided to show up early.”

He accepted his drink and took a drink from it. “Half the common room would be up in the rafters on some days at one point. I’m mildly surprised so few people do it now. It really doesn’t feel like it’s been so long.” He seemed to get lost in a memory for a moment.

Kira closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t see how you keep track. I’m losing days without a sleep cycle. But that’s besides the point. I need your help.” She tapped the bar top a few times as she collected her thoughts. “I’m reviving the family. And, well, you’re an Adia.” She gestured vaguely.

This earned her a raised eyebrow as the exile took another drink. “In name only. I lost that status when I made my true name public. You know how it goes. I’m disowned and disinherited.” He didn’t seem to upset about this fact. It had been around five centuries, most of that time seeing himself as the last one, given the circumstances. “That’s not exactly something I can undo.”

Kira smirked. “I’m the Mistress of House Adia now. I get to make that decision. I can reinstate you. In fact, I just did. Welcome back to the family, James.”

He started to laugh. “I’m the one drinking beer, and you’re the one talking nonsense. That would never fly with the High Courts, much less the other families. I’m an exile. I’m also guilty of regicide and kin slaying on top of all of it. You’d get laughed all the way back to the Nexus.”

The huntress finished the cup in her hand and set it down. “You’re forgetting a few details. One: we’re not in Thendozal anymore. Two: we can’t go back, and they can’t reach us.” She poured her second cup of tea. “And three, as both Mistress of the House and the highest noble in this land and without contact from the Royal Court, I’m the ultimate authority, and family law takes precedence. So, I say you’re of my House, and no one can stop me.” She took a sip of her tea as punctuation.

James regarded her closely for a long moment, eyes narrowed. “So, you’re actually going through with it, then. You’re taking over the House, for all that gives you. For what? An empty title and a sentimental gesture?” His words sounded cold, but there was curiosity burning behind his eyes.

She shook her head. “I intend to rebuild. You’re just the first step. I won’t have the House standing without both of us. We’re all that’s left. Two halves of the same soul, and the last of the Adia blood.” She looked distantly at her teacup for a few breaths, knowing James wouldn’t interrupt the thought. “I’ve acquired some land to the south of the city. I have a long shot plan to get finances. Without using your cheats, at that. I’m working to meet the right people on the city. Adia doesn’t have to be only a name anymore. We can be a House again.”

James turned back to his drink. “Not like we can continue the blood ourselves. And I have no interest in hooking up with someone just to preserve the bloodline. How about you? I mean, you have all the time in the world now. Any plans to have kids? And wedding bells in your future?”

She chuckled. “Not anytime soon. I’m... nowhere near ready for men again, and my preferences aren’t exactly conducive to making babies. But there are other ways. I can adopt into the family, and that’s just as good.” She took another long sip of tea. “I have a couple in mind. I’m still considering things, but I don’t think they’d turn it down.” She paused to refill her cup with the last of the tea in the pot. “There may be others later. It’s a process. But as you say. I have all the time in the world.”

“Got it all figured out, then?” He finished the bottle. “What do you need from me?”

“First, accept my offer. One way or another, I need you in the family. We’re starting over. It won’t be the family you left behind.” She looked up to the dragon head mounted behind the bar. “I need you working on back up plans, in case what I’m trying doesn’t work, and it probably won’t. There are positions I’ll need to fill in the family council eventually. You'd make a good steward. And... if something happens to me, there needs to be someone to live on. A true Adia. I need a second, and you’re a lot harder to kill than I am.”

He shrugged. Not that she was looking. “Your second. I can do that. Only because it’s you asking.” He laid more coin on the bar top. “Tequila sunrise, please.” He turned to look at the fire across the room.

Kira looked over at the fire with him. “That was her drink, wasn’t it?”

He grunted. “You got me feeling nostalgic.” He lost himself in something playing back behind his eyes. “You know, the first time I met her, she was behind the bar, serving drinks. Went into the kitchen for something. The gods damned stew decided to explode, and she was just close enough.” He received the drink. “Healing magic didn’t work in her. And I know what I’m doing with that. Had to find a potion behind the bar. My first act meeting my best friend was trying to save her and failing.” For an instant, the man looked as old as he was, and not the young man he nearly appeared to be. He took a sip of the cocktail. “The narrative of my life, on the micro-scale.” James made a face. “I can’t see how she liked this stuff. Disgusting.” He took a larger drink.

Kira finished off the last of her tea. “Some introduction.” She laid her payment on the bar next to the teapot. “You should tell me more sometime. You didn’t talk about her much while we were in the wilds.”

“Some day. What I remember of it, anyway. Four hundred years is a long time.” He tossed the rest of the drink back all at once. “I’ll see you again soon, Kira. We need to do this more often.” He stood and walked towards the entrance. As soon as the door closed behind him, he vanished.

Kira tilted her head in the direction of the closed door. Shortly after, she stood and made her way to the stairs, up to her room in the inn.