:He'll probably just say yes but I guess it's possible he would think it was a lousy idea if you talk up how terribly dangerous it is or something and refuse to try to get me to skip it:

....Ma'ar is thinking that he did at least discuss with Azabel whether she should come, but of course Charl won't automatically have that context. 

:I'll - keep that in mind, thank you: And he follows Azabel back inside. 

Aza's father is trying to make them lunch. She kicks him out of the kitchen and takes over. He accepts this with only a soft huff.

:Do you need help or should I just stay out of the way?: 

:You can stir if hanging around being quiet with my dad is too awkward but you could also go wander around the village for your whole social practice thing and I'll tell you when it's done:

:- Sure, I can do that. Uh, I'll Mindspeak you if I feel cornered and don't know what to do, but - I'll try to avoid that and manage on my own if it's just awkward or whatever:  

:Uh huh! I recognize most people on sight here but don't know all their names, so send an image if you need advice:

:Right. Thank you: 

And Ma'ar ducks out, and spends a moment just outside the front door, gathering himself, before forging out into the neighbourhood in search of people to introduce himself to. 

There's a well, and a girl his or Aza's age getting water from it; there are some kids playing a game with rocks in a grid they've drawn in some dirt; there's some old ladies spinning on a front porch; there's a fellow picking a rock out of his donkey's hoof.

Ma'ar spends a moment look around, and then decides the least awkward opening here is with the man and his donkey. 

"Hey," he says. "I'm Azabel's friend Ma'ar from her school, I'm visiting. Do you need help?" 

"Ah, if you want to hold her tail so she doesn't flick me in the face," he says (she does) "again, that'd be grand, I should be done with this in a minute."

Ma'ar has some amount of experience with donkeys, from the times he accompanied caravans on the road. He nods, makes eye contact with the donkey and makes a soothing sound, and then gently pins her tail with his hand (and mostly with an invisible net of mage-energies, but he's not trying to show off unduly, here.) 

"Thank you, young man. What'd you say your name was? Didn't sound Tantaran."

"I'm not. Kiyamvir Ma'ar. I come from Predain." 

"Hunh. Your accent's all right." He gets the rock out of the hoof and lets the donkey's foot down. "You can let her tail go."

Ma'ar lets go. "Mmm. Thank you, I practiced a lot." He glances around. "Er, how long have you lived here?" 

"Oh, all my life. Why?"

"I guess most people here have probably lived here their whole lives? Urtho's Tower isn't like that." 

"I've never been there! But yeah, most people here have always lived here."

"So you must've met Azabel when she was, er, born here?" 

Ma'ar has no idea if this is a normal sort of question to ask. He's firmly resisting the temptation to read the local man's mind. 

"Oh, I probably didn't see her till she was at least a few weeks old, but yes, known her all her life, off and on obviously."

"I guess it would've been more inconvenient for her to visit before she could do Gates." Ma'ar is trying not to fidget. 

"Yeah." He tugs the donkey along. "She'd still come every couple of years, though, or Charl'd go to her."

"Mmm." Ma'ar nods. "- Anyway, is there anywhere in town you'd recommend I see, while I'm visiting? Er, she suggested I take a walk and look around while she's busy." 

"My cousin grows roses, that way," he says, pointing.