Chapter Text
Master Sōshō took the Rounmin twins out by themselves to the bookstore just before Sun’s Dawn 4E 192.
It had been four months since Sōshō had seen the Thalmor that had bothered Sayori and him and so he and Karina were happy to now have the long-planned outing.
And Aahni was very happy to teach a class all by herself.
And Regit was happy to be out of class.
Regit was now a head and shoulders taller than his sister. He had also befriended everyone in his class and had been to four birthday celebrations.
He didn't much care about reading but he found he loved writing stories and Sōshō encouraged him to keep a diary.
Karina was pleased about this as it got him busy and out of trouble.
He had pulled pranks on all his siblings except Sayori. He had even pulled one at the Fighter's Guild were Jahadra was lodging by removing her pillows and covering her sheets with his sticky jam hands - not pleasant when you’re a fully furred Khajiit.
Despite this, he was still very loving and protective of his twin, stopping a bored student or two from picking on her and always standing up for her when he was aware his mother or siblings weren't happy with her.
Sayori still had her single classes with Sōshō to work on her anxiety.
And he and her family were very pleased that she was able to hold conversations without being prompted.
Though it did lead to further issues such as her bluntness and - as it turns out - a rather persuasive tongue.
Usually, she put it to good use. She stopped many of Regit's schemes for mischief by convincing him not to do so.
But there was one time when an older student tried to make use of her good memory to help in his homework, she somehow convinced him to give her 250 in coin.
Needless to say, the boy's father wasn't happy but Sōshō sorted it all out by getting the coin back and telling the young Imperial to never cut corners.
"What exactly were you planning on using the coin for?" Sōshō asked Sayori during the very tense meeting with her mother and the boy's father.
"Don't know. Just thought I'd charge him for my services." Sayori shrugged.
"Despite it being cheating?"
"He cheated. I only helped."
Sōshō struggled not to smile as he turned to a mortified Karina; "Sōshō thinks Sayori meant no malice. Though he hopes she won't be helping her twin this way."
Luckily the Imperial's father was charmed by the young Khajiit and agreed it was his sons fault. It also helped that he knew Karina and her reputation.
Sōshō knew it too and quietly told Karina that she should be very thankful that her anxiety-ridden daughter was able to stand up for herself, saving Sayori from her mother's hairbrush but not her palm or a supper less night.
Despite still struggling with shyness, Sayori had managed to befriend almost everyone at Sōshō's school. Her humbleness over her intelligence made her likable to the early learners class and her curiosity when asking about other races endured her to the others who missed or knew a lot about their homelands and were happy to tell her what they knew.
Including Helsma who first told the Khajiit about Skyrim, unknowingly warning her in advance about the cold climate she would face.
Only Tsajarra showed any hostility. But she was like that with everyone, so no one paid her attention.
Sōshō brought the twins to the bookstore, reminding them that they represented his establishment so to be polite and listen to him.
K’arr, the elderly Pahmer bookstore owner was a very good friend of Sōshō and, seeing that he had two small children with him, stayed seated so not to frighten them.
Khajiit are naturally mischievous, so Regit immediately started messing around with the order of books until Sōshō quietly but firmly told him to stop.
He then forced Regit to fix his mistake while allowing Sayori to explore at a safe distance.
Her eyes were very wide when she saw how many they were.
She didn’t move for the good three minutes it took Regit to clean up.
He stood next to her; “So which one first?”
“I don’t know.”
“Regions? Alchemy?”
“….. don’t know.”
“How about Regit picks out a book first and then you pick one to the right?” Regit picked one; "Oh, its a bit high for you. Regit will get it."
"Thanks"
"What charming young Khajiit"
Aka'Dar, much bigger than his son, scared Regit into dropping his book.
He quickly held Sayori's hand who side eyed her brother for his unusual display of cowardliness.
"If only my children knew how to be kind to each other."
"Aka'Dar" K'arr was pleased to see him; "K'arr didn't think he's see you for a while."
"Getting the wife a gift or two. Afraid we couldn't do much to get him out. The guards are getting harder and harder to reason with."
"K'arr is so sorry to hear."
"Q'dran did it to himself. He knew what his mother and father thought of bandits. He knew the law of Rimmen. The Law here is harsh on smuggling and bandits. He singlehandedly tarnished the Thieves Guild." He turned to the twins; "Don't you get ideas now you two - Aka'Dar doesn't hire children. Not even his own."
Neither twin said a word.
“Hello Aka’Dar” Sōshō got the Pahmer’s attention; “Are you keeping yourself well?”
“As best as this one can….. you heard?”
“Yes. Sōshō is sorry.”
“It was inevitable. Good day.”
"That was Thender's Papa?" Regit asked when the giant Khajiit was gone.
"Yes. He's not dangerous but he's in a..... very dangerous profession." Sōshō responded.
"He's a thief" Sayori bluntly told her brother.
"Not getting anything past her are you, Master?" K'arr was amused.
“Q’dran is going to die then?” Sayori then asked.
It wasn’t meant to be as blunt as it sounded.
“What do you know about this?” Sōshō didn’t answer.
“……”
“Our sister Jahadra is friends with one of the Sirbus’s” Regit spoke for her; “We heard he was on trial.”
“You need to watch your tone when asking such a question” Sōshō scolded Sayori; “But yes. And we’ll not talk about it at school. Tsajarra will need to mourn in peace.”
“There’s nothing we can do for her?” Sayori then asked.
“No. No her brother broke the Law and he has to pay. Learn from his example. So not become bandits – both of you.”
K’arr generously gave the pair a book each for them to take home for free.
Regit’s was a simple book one one-handed, two-handed and shield techniques which he immediately began using in his training in the garden and his room.
Sayori got a book on the different regions of Tamriel. Many facts she already knew from Sōshō’s own library – but at least she got to keep this one in her room to read over and over again.
From then on, when not in school, Sayori would go to the bookstore and K’arr let her read. Elahbah usually went with her though Karina would pick her up from work now and then.
The sight of a very young Khajiit reading visibly hard learning books became an attraction.
And got her noticed once more by the Thalmor.
