177 Guild I (1/2)

Riviera, the Western City of the Dove

Li sat around the cottage dinner table as he had done countless times before, and yet, the fact that the chair was new, made of sturdy wood that no longer squeaked, and that the table had been refurnished and stamped at its center with a glowing rune symbolizing a red blossom – the symbol of the farmer's guild – made him aware that times were changing.

His eyes, now permanently aglow with a faint green hue – a result of his enhanced comfortability with his divinity over the past two months – scanned the table to take note of farmer's guild council.

First, right beside Li as always was Old Thane, the Master of Fields, then beside Thane was Ven'thur, the Master of Commerce, in his human form, his skinny figure wrapped up in flashy lavender suit.

Across them at the other side of the table were Ivo, Master of Ceremonies, and a new face. Sindra, the Master of Coin, was a Feli beastwoman, dressed prim and proper in a brown suit jacket covering a dark green, almost black bodice.

Behind them, the comforting and ever unchanging warmth and sound of the fireplace flickered and crackled, helping a tableside lantern in providing light during this night.

”Now to begin our weekly guild meetings,” said Li. He glanced at Sindra. ”And Sindra, you really do not have to dress up for these meetings.”

”No, I do not, but I will because it is this guild's uniform,” said Sindra as she sat up ramrod straight, her hands neatly placed atop each other on the table, her claws retracted but still visible.

”A lass of principle. Commendable, I ought to say,” said Old Thane.

”Hear, hear,” chimed in Ivo.

”And you two are maybe a little too casual about this,” said Li as he glanced at Old Thane and Ivo. They were dressed in their regular farm clothes, though Ivo did have a wreath of leaves around his arm to indicate his position as a high priest. ”We are a guild of some importance now. Maybe we should dress the part.”

Li himself was dressed in similar getup to Sindra with brown jacket and a dark green button-down shirt.

”That, I do agree with,” said Ven'thur as he ran a white gloved hand through his salt and pepper beard. His amethyst eyes lightened up as he beheld the clothes on Sindra and Li. ”My design is quite elegant, if I must humbly say so myself, and it would do wonders to complement the rugged complexions and builds of you older gentlemen as well.”

”Then why do you not wear it?” asked Sindra, her cat ears twitching.

”It does not feel too right,” said Ivo with a shrug. ”The formal wear is nice, but it is a little tight.”

”Not the wear of working men, aye,” nodded Old Thane.

”Forget I mentioned the topic,” said Li with a smile. ”It really does seem like age just makes people that much more stubborn.”

”More set in our principles you mean, lad,” said Old Thane with a laugh.

”Right, right,” said Li. ”Now let's get to the meeting itself. It is late, and the quicker we get through this, the less likely it is we'll wake up Tia. Give me all your general reports, starting as usual with you, old man.”

Old Thane nodded. ”The fields have borne much fruit. The Goldwheat, as the people are now calling it, grows well and proper, unblemished by this month's surge of storms and chilling weather.”