Belor watched Sasha a moment as he took his seat at the table.  He didn't know what she was doing here but given how his parents were acting, it was clear that this girl has been allowed deep into their familial trust.  Despite knowing this, he couldn't bring himself to trust her yet. She was too new and strange.  To him, she seemed like some sort of wild animal that was backed into a corner and was more than happy to placate itself until there was an opening, then it would strike.  He refused to give her the satisfaction of a killing blow.

His father's voice tore him from his thoughts.  "Belor," his voice was candid and warm, "you don't need to stare.  She's not a viper.  Her name is Sasha.  She is family and she will be staying with us from now on."

Sasha…  He could only  think of one Sasha that would ever show up here.  Given how his parents were acting, this Sasha must be one in the same.  A distant cousin with a tendency for violence.  For some reason he had imagined that she had died already; punished for her crimes.  Yet here she was clearly alive and able to commit more.

Belor set his jaw and sat straighter, proper, at the table.  "I understand."  His kept his eyes locked on Sasha as he continued to speak.  "I welcome you into this house Sasha, Daughter of Hal."

Alana cleared her throat.  "Of Vidar.  For the time she is here she is to take your father's name."  Her words practically slithered through the room as she brought in the cups of blood for the sipping they were to enjoy.

Now that they were all home, she had pulled out the good cups.  A smith had inlaid gems for  the eyes of the animals that were spread across the small cups.  Each animal carved in detail fighting one another with no clear winner among them.  They were not particularly tall cups either, a little more than the width of a man’s palm.  A sipping was never intended to truly make you full, only satiate.

Running his thumb over the engraved chaos he nodded a thanks to his mother before looking to his father.  He took in his father’s form and noticed that he seemed almost more relaxed than normal.  Calmly, he brought the cup to his lips and sipped it, fighting not to bask in the rich flavor of the blood too much.

Though he was parched beyond belief, his parents had taught him well enough that moderation and control would get him everywhere in life.  He would not falter here in their presence, even when his throat was in such need.  

He watched as his mother placed a cup before his father.  

Vidar reached for Alana's hand before pulling her down gently for a kiss.  "Thank you my love."  

His parent's gazes remained locked a long moment before his mother moved to place a cup before Sasha. Idly, Belor caught sight of Sasha staring at his parents.  First it was at the kiss, then merely at Vidar.  So locked was her attention, that she seemed to pay no mind to the blood before her.  Perhaps this girl was indeed educated on proper decorum.  Belor made a mental note to find a way to test the knowledge that this girl may have.  The sooner he knew, the sooner he could prepare for whatever she may try to do; intentional or not.

"Father..."  Belor spoke once more.  "I don't know if this is the right time."  He gave Sasha a sideways glance before returning his attention to Vidar.  "But, the talks with the House of Deinar went well.  They are willing to send a few of their family to set up shop here in a few months time.  Provided we can show them that we have more than deer to feed them.  They seem unwilling to part with the luxury they currently have."

Belor watched as his father raised his cup and took a long sip with a deep and calculating look.  "We need those Deinar if we are going to get this town to be more than a stop on the road between peoples homes and their destinations..."  Another long sip followed.  "We will have to take in proper stock.  A lot of proper stock.  What do you think Alana?"

His mother's voice was quick to join the conversation.  "I believe that is a proper choice.  Our barduk would no doubt enjoy some actual work.  But how will we pay for such a thing?  You know how much he enjoys coin."

"And drink."  Belor said slightly under his breath as he sipped from his own cup.

Belor was no stranger to the drunk Barduk of their hometown.  When the grimey old vampire wasn't drunk on something, he was often in a fit of rage.

Vidar nodded to these comments.  "We will give him a pick of the stock that he gathers.  His normal rate, plus stock as a bonus.  That way, if he does well, we all win.  If he fails, we are no worse off."    

A silence settled into the room as Vidar's words were digested and assessed.  Belor looked to Sasha and found himself somewhat impressed that the girl not only wasn't asking for clarification and appeared to be trying to decipher and follow along in the conversation as though she had been a part of it from the beginning.  Her cup was held with both her hands, taking sip after sip mulling over something that was on her mind.

His mother's voice pierced the silence first.  "That sounds perfect.  Now, where are we keeping the new stock?  The old building we have has a tendency to lose a few of them every now and then.  We would look incompotent if one were to go loose while the Deinars were picking their place to set up."

Vidar nodded deep in thought at that comment and Belor took a moment to marvel at his mother's foresight.  Housing would be an issue in the long run if they were to gather more stock.  Not only that but the social implication of such a misstep would spread quickly.

"My father," Sasha's small voice entered the discussion suddenly, "my last father..."  Her little hands set the cup down on the table.  "He..  he had a builder that built a stockhouse that was like two boxes on top of eachother.  The bottom level had no doors or windows and the top level was missing most of the floor in the middle.  His men would walk around the second floor while the stock was stuck at the bottom level with no way up."

Belor wanted to shoot down her idea on principle but knew he couldn't.  The girl had spoken true of a good idea and design of a stock house.  Their own was aging and it showed.  Many of the beams were showing rot and the plaster outer walls were beginning to crack and bare the wattle and stone beneath.

Vidar relaxed in his chair as he seemed to think over the idea honestly.  "The Deinars would indeed see us as capable, and worthy, if they were able to choose their meals effectively."  Belor watched as his father swirled the blood that remained in the little cup.  "And...  If they were pleased enough to stay then we could update the lower floor with proper stone walls."

The potential future that these Deinar brought began to blossom in his mind.  With their help, these masters of stonecraft would be able to elevate them all to new heights.  It was not only the stockhouse that would receive their capable hands.  The warehouse, their own home...  All would know the benefits of having Deinars living among them.  He only hoped that the Barduk would be able to keep pace with their new demands.

There was a scraping of wood on stone as Vidar stood, finishing what remained in his cup, and set it down upon the table.  "I will go draw up the plans.  Belor, you will take your sister with you into town to deliver the plans to Keyak."  

Vidar adjusted his clothes a moment and Belor caught an intimate shared glance between both of his parents.

"She may also benefit from a walk around the market."  Belor said desperately trying to sound like he didn't have other motives for staying out of the house.

"I'll see to the coin as well."  With a nod, Vidar turned and left the table.

Belor watched him go before turning his attention to his new sister.  Her little frame had returned to the cup, nearly finished with it.  Such a hungry one...  He couldn't help but see that as a product of her youth.  He remembered when he had been her age and there never seemed to be enough blood.  

Their eyes met as she finally finished the cup and set it down with a contented sigh.  

"Did you need more?" His mother said as all eyes were on the little girl at the table.  

Rather than get a proper answer though, Sasha merely shook her head and he couldn't stop himself from looking to his mother.  Decorum had always been high on her list.  She did not disappoint as he watched the soft features of his mother's face go cold and steely.

"That is not how we answer people in this house.  You never know who is watching, or listening.  So I ask again, dear one, did you need more?"

Despite her youth, Belor could see that Sasha understood what was occurring.  No doubt her time in the palace had taught her something about subtle threats.

"No, thank you."

He could tell that Sasha's voice was strained in a way to appear demure.  It was a trained response but he watched as it worked its magick on his mother all the same, her features softened and her sweetness returned.  

"Lovely.  Such a smart girl you are."  His mother finished her own cup and stood in time to have Vidar arrive with a satchel that jingled in time with his steps.  

Belor stood, all too eager to take the bag and leave.  He didn't even look to Sasha as he slid the strap over his shoulder and moved towards the door.  Her little steps were quick to catch up to him as they headed out into the night together.

The crisp breeze seemed to welcome them as it  pressed against them.  The crunch of the gravel road and the whispering of the trees was the only sound they heard for some time.

"Who is Keyak?"  

The demure girl from the table was gone as she asked the question with childish confidence.  It made him smile despite himself.

"The woodworker.  He and his family fell trees and build homes and things for us as we need it."

"So he is a servant?"

"No.  He is sponsored by my father... Our father."  

He sighed softly at that correction.  He had never really imagined that he would have another sibling but having one suddenly felt strange.  It was almost as if he was the only one with memories of another world where he was an only child.  That in this world, Sasha was indeed his little sister and had always been such.

"So...  father...  pays him or something?"

He gave her a sideways glance trying to discern if she was trying to get a rise out of him.  But she was already looking to him with an expectant look filled with a hungry need for information.

"Yes.  Sort of.  To be sponsored means, you get to live in a place without paying tribute but you have to do what the sponsor, the leader, says to do."

He watched as her brow furrowed in thought and she got real quiet beside him.  Once more their steps filled the air around them and his mind wandered to the topic of Sasha's existence in his life.  Idly he wondered what would be required of him going forward.  When it was just him, it was easy.  His role was a silent but pivotal one that required him to assist his father in all affairs he was instructed to perform.  But now...  

One more his gaze moved to the small girl beside him as he watched her walk and think.  What was to become of his role now that she was here?  Would she step into the role he had played or was there some other role that his parents intended for her to perform?  But then how would that role work into what was already established?  There were too many questions and the only that could currently help him understand them was presently in the opposite direction to the one he was heading in.

"Am I...   being sponsored?"  Her voice cut through the silence suddenly.

Belor thought about that for a moment and nodded slightly.  "In a way.  You're part of our family now like you were part of your other family.  We can ask you to do things.  But that's all.  Sponsored people take orders.  Family gets asked to do things.  You always have a choice with family."

He hoped that she understood as it was a little more technical that she was probably used to.  Especially since the carpenter's shop had begun to come into view and he didn't want her asking odd and inappropriate questions.

"The important thing to remember is that family chooses you as much as you choose the family.  If you don't want to be in it, and act bad, the family doesn't have to keep you."  He was blunt with his words as he stopped at the door a moment to search her eyes for some semblance of understanding.  Seeing that she seemed aware, he got the door and led them both into the shop.

The wood of the carpenter’s shop creaked despite its beautiful workmanship.  Effigies had been carved into spare planks of wood and hung around the shop.  The various woods gave the shop an almost musty scent as they competed for attention.  Keyak’s aged appearance sat behind a well crafted counter with embellishments of various scenes, and stains.  It was a cherished display of his ability as a carpenter and it was clear that he thought highly of it given how well it had been tended.  

Keyak himself had a haggard look to him.  His clothes looked well worn and tended to with patches of various colors.  His grey scraggly beard was a series of braids which started at the top of his jaw and ran down to meet in the middle at his chin.  The braids were thick and tight and there was no doubt that, had they been undone, the beard would have been a beast unto itself.  The braids were also adorned with beads made of different stained woods.  His long grey hair was pulled up and back into a tight bun to keep it out of his face as he worked.

The older man made no motion to notice their arrival there into his shop as he continued to whittle the little figure of a stag.  He was currently working on the antlers and was clearly taking his time as his hands worked the knife into the wood slowly and with purpose.  The rest of the stag had already been carved with delicate cuts displaying the lines of the fur.  

Belor cleared his throat after they had been standing by the counter a moment.  Keyak made no motion to move and seemed to hold the stag closer to his aged face as he worked.  Only the slow sound of the knife raking against the wood could be heard.

With a soft sigh, Belor dug through the satchel and pulled out the plans that his father had requested.  “Father wants these plans built as soon as possible.”

He set the plans on the counter but still Keyak made no move to respond to him.  The older man’s focus appeared to be too intense to break.  They stood there for a long moment before Belor motioned to Sasha that they would be leaving.