And she hugs him and brings them home, and when she makes her regular visit to check in with Maitimo a few hours later, she's a little distant, thinking about it.

You all right? Tyelcormo thought it went okay.

Will be, yeah. Tyelkormo made friends with one of the elves, it's a bit much to think about.

I think I'd panic a lot internally if someone I knew had an orc as a friend even if the orc had somehow not sworn. Wouldn't be fair, but -

Yeah, exactly. Tyelkormo says they're actually better than just neutral, opposed the war and want to help us recover, but it's hard to believe it.

Did he tell them he could read their minds?

...pretty sure not, that's a good point.

It would be a bit surprising for all elves to be evil, really.

I mean, I didn't think they were? I thought they were all dangerous and probably incomprehensible, but that's not the same thing.

...they very well still might be, honestly.

Mmhmm. But it doesn't feel so straightforward to just assume that, now.

What does that change?

Well, I don't know. But if they aren't dangerous and do want to help... depends on what they can do, really. Tyelkormo's going to ask them for a list of things we can avoid doing to avoid provoking them, that'll be a big help by itself.

I'm glad. 

Yeah.

...but, also, aside from that, I do want to be fair to them? For Tyelkormo's sake, but also, like, I don't want to be the kind of person who isn't. Even if it's really tempting in this case to just not do that work.

For Tyelcormo's sake?

Having friends who don't like each other is kind of a pain.

You should ask him, I bet he is very very used to it.

She chuckles. If that was the only problem I bet they wouldn't want me to do it at all. But it's really not - I know I'm wrong and I don't want to be.

Okay. Good skill with it. 

We should still probably do something about the elves.

Yeah. Not sure what, though.

Similarly.

It's not a pressing problem, anyway.

They seem like they could start again on pretty short notice.

I mean, they could, but the kobolds there are pretty good at not provoking them. The obvious benefit is them not having to limit themselves like that any more, more than that they'll be safer.