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The room that had once been his quarters had been converted into an office with a sitting area. He spent less time at the Temple now, preferring to be present when attending to temple business or providing training but the cold season found him more often inside the great basilica of Natura. Winter had arrived and the work on the house he was building slowed considerably due to the season. He was also planning a trip to Eunesia with his sister when the weather was better. But these things were put aside for the moment as he looked over the roster of squires and paladins. There were reports to read on the progress of these new additions to the Order of the Silver Star and he would be holding conferences with each of them.
It was with some enthusiasm then with which he greeted the knock at the door. He looked up from the sheaf of papers listing the armory's inventory and called out, "Come in!" The first face was that of Wren Gyrren, a monk who was well known for his extraordinary skill in illumination of texts. It was rare for the middle-aged man to be wandering about as he kept mostly to the scriptorium and so his appearance was a bit of a surprise for the Temple Commander. The second person, however, made the surprise of the first pale in comparison, which made the words of greeting on the paladin's lips stop short.
She was as beautiful as ever. It was her sparkling emerald eyes he looked to first as always. Venn rose to his feet, but inside he was staggered by the weight of memory and history between them. He would always carry within him the twinge of guilt and ever wonder at what might have been. But that was the past and he had traveled the path the way fated for him and those around him. He had even eventually left aside his acute anger at the bandit responsible for kidnapping her although his severe punishment did bring satisfaction. There was always a place in his heart for the elf-maid although it was a place he would deny. "Larien," he breathed.
It became obvious that Wren was not here to see him but served only as a guide. Already the reclusive academic was turning wordlessly toward the door, having accomplished his task and eager to return with his fresh inks to the text he was working on. "Thank you, Brother Gyrren," Venn called after him, to which the monk smiled and nodded before closing the door behind him, leaving the two alone with the ghost of their past to haunt them.
Venn cleared his throat and motioned to one of the chairs in front of the crackling hearth. He had noticed the manner of Larien's dress and deduced that she was traveling. He himself wore his usual simple tunic and trousers. Little changed for Venn, he was a man of consistency. "Would you like some tea?" he asked, his eyes never leaving hers even as he moved towards the tea-tray. He assembled everything deftly and brought the tray to the small table by the chairs. When Larien had settled, he added hot water from a kettle by the fire to the teapot and sat in the chair beside her. She was so familiar to him, the tilt of her head, the curve of her face, the smell of her hair. And yet everything was different now.
"It is good to see you again, Larien," he said quietly with a pause. "But now then, what news, and what brings you here?" he said with a subtle change in tone that attempted to shed the nostalgia albeit unsuccessfully.
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