Kinderling 57

 In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:

The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1

Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing.  It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice.  

Now back to our story, already in progress.

It wasn't lost on me that nobody attempted to apologize to Daisy.  Well, I did for Smoke scaring her, but for the most part, the Elves ignored her.  Acted like she wasn't even there.

"To think I would live to see the day a Kinderling girl amassed more prestige than the Captain of the King of All's guard."  The Star Sailor said to me once nearly everyone had wandered off.  The terrace garden was once again serene. Daisy had gone back to mostly-hiding in her lean-to, but I noticed she was peeking out, watching us intently.  I have no idea what she was thinking.  Was she watching for the Star Sailor to attack?  Was she curious about our conversation?  Who knew?

"I highly doubt I have all that much prestige." I said, "The Captain was just wrong, and the King of All had the wisdom to see it."

"You miss-understand the role that prestige has in our culture Tandy.  When there is a conflict, the Elf with the more prestige wins.  Period.  The Captain could have said anything he wanted, and if his prestige was greater, it would have been the truth regardless of what actually happened."

"That's ridiculous!  How could I possibly have prestige?  I'm not an Elf.  I'm just a Kinderling, and Kinderlings don't have anything remotely like prestige."

"It doesn't?"  The Star Sailor feigned surprise.  "I am given to understand that your own father is the last surviving member of your village council.  How does one become a member of the village council?"

"Well, when people trust your judgement, they ask you to be on the council.  There have been calls to vote for counsel members, but it never gets anywhere."  

"So, you're father got on the council because people asked him to?"  The Star Sailor said, "And why do you think they would ask him to?  Prestige!  Our peoples really are a lot alike.

"By the way."  The Star Sailor continued.  "If it hasn't come up, it soon will.  Will you be taking the Captain's place as head of the King of All's guard?"

"What?  Why would I?"

"Oh nothing, only...  That is often what happens when an Elf from a lower station challenges a Elf from a higher station and wins."

I was confused.  "But I'm not from a lower station.  That piece of dirt isn't better than me!" 

"Precisely!  Now you get it.  You have prestige."  The way he said it.  Big grin on his face, almost laughing, made me thing for a moment that the Star Sailor was messing with me.

"And if I didn't have prestige?"  I asked.

"Oh, he most likely would have insisted that you were an enemy to the Elves and tried to execute you, but don't worry about that.  A good number of powerful Elves have grown rather fond of you.  The King of All.  The Lady of Eastwood.  Me.  I rather think the three of us might have tripped over each other in our rush to defend you from the Captain if your own personal prestige hadn't protected you.  Although, just the fact that we would do that probably gives you more prestige than the Captain.  I really don't know how he misread things so horribly."

"Smoke beat you to it anyway."  I said proudly.

"Yes, you have a rather large and strong familiar.  While it is exceedingly rare for an Elf to seek out a bond with a familiar, having one so powerful as yours also raises your prestige to astronomical heights. I would know, I've actually seen astronomical heights.  It's kinda my thing."  The Star Sailor smiled again at his own joke.  

Much to Daisy's dismay, I decided to prove a point at the evening meal that evening.  I arrived at the meal with Daisy in tow.  Mizzy was, of course, in on the plan and being Mizzy had everything set up.  When I saw space for the three of us at the table - one small place setting for me, one excessively large place setting for Daisy, and another small place setting for Mizzy - I was relieved.  I didn't think of thing like place settings, but of course Mizzy did.  

I was terrified about what might happen, but managed to keep it from showing.  At least I hope I did.

Another thing I hadn't considered but should have was that the King of All had assumed that I would be sitting at his table.  We were now, after all, considered "friends" by Elven standards.  One day I would understand what a huge obligation friendship was amongst the Elves.  That obligation worked in my favor that evening, even if I didn't know it at the time.

Mizzy kept up a quiet stream of advice for Daisy to keep her from embarrassing herself, while I chatted with my new "friends" and actual friends, like the Star Sailor, in an attempt to make it all seem as normal as possible.  The dinner started a little roughly, with negative looks from quite a few Elves and even some Kinderlings, a few of each went as fat as leaving the dinner.  None from our table did so.  

Mama and Father were there.  As was the Star Sailor, the King of All, and the Lady or Eastwood, as well as a few other Elves that I didn't know.  

"You certainly are unpredictable Tandy,"  Said the Lady of Eastwood, "I would never have dreamed I would have the opportunity to dine with one of the Gorf.  I will be telling this story for years to come."

"Daisy is a dear friend." I explained. "We have rescued each other more times than I would like to count."  That seemed to get the attention of not only the Elves at our table, but some of those at adjacent tables who were close enough to overhear.  I wasn't lying, it was true depending on how you looked at it.  I did rescue her from the Gorf Mountain King's mushroom farm, and she did carry me a long ways to get me back home to the garrison, and I believe I saved her from the Captain, or at very least that we shared that peril, and shared peril only serves to make a friendship stronger.  On top of that, as long as I understood the meaning of the stick carving ritual right, I have been inducted into Daisy's tribe, although I didn't say as much because I didn't know how it would be received.

Daisy, on the other hand, didn't hesitate.

"Tan-DEE member tribe." 

At first I wasn't sure if anyone understood what Daisy said.  A lot of the Elves were leaning in to hear what was going on.  Then an Elven soldier who happened to be passing by just then asked, rather loudly,  "Did that thing just say you were a member of it's tribe?!"  

"Daisy is not a THING, and she is my friend.  And yes, I was inducted into her tribe.  Is that a problem?"  

The Elven soldier looked left, then right, like he was looking for a way to escape.  Then he looked up, and up again, because Daisy stood up and grumbled.  I suspect she said something in Gorf, but was at a loss to know what it was.  The Elven soldier must have understood the meaning well enough because he deflated.  Visibly calmed himself, and looked straight at Daisy.

"Lady Gorf, I miss-spoke.  If I have offended you in any way, I apologize."  He even seemed to mean it, and he may very well have since if I understand Elven prestige, just sitting at the King of All's table granted Daisy a good bit of it.

Daisy looked at him confused for a moment, then leaned down so Mizzy could whisper something into her ear.  Then Daisy smiled and nodded, signaling her acceptance of his apology.  There were quite a few sighs of relief around the table and among the near-by Elves.  I was happy of that, because it helped cover my own.  I really didn't want my proving a point to erupt into bloodshed.

Once things calmed down and everyone was seated again, The Star Sailor startled us all by laughing out loud.  

"Tandy, I beg your permission to count you among my favorite people!  Just when I think I know everything, you surprised me yet again!"